Balsamic Roasted Veggies

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash, cubed
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 3 Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
• 1 red onion, quartered
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme(or 2 tsp dried)
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (or 2 tsp dried)
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil
•   4tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (245 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine the squash, red bell peppers, sweet potato, and Yukon Gold potatoes. Separate the red onion quarters into pieces, and add them to the mixture.
3. In a small bowl, stir together thyme, rosemary, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss with vegetables until they are coated. Spread evenly on a large roasting pan.
4. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring every 10 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through and browned.

Don't worry if you don't have all the vegetables to make this, I use whatever root-ish veggies I have on hand and just use the recipe for the sauce. The last time I did it I used turnups, parsnips, onion, potato, pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms. Also feel free to play with any spices you have on hand. Just make sure  you stick to the italian theme! This is a great way to get your veggies in the winter!

Whole Wheat Pitas (with pockets!)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup gluten*
1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine first 4 ingredients. Add the gluten and 1 cup of the flour, along with the yeast, and stir to mix. Add remaining flour and knead to make a soft dough. (Add additional flour if necessary during kneading.)
Alternately, if you have a bread machine, you can put the ingredients in the pan in the order listed and use the dough cycle. Skip to step 3 if using your bread machine! :)
2. Put your dough into a bowl, lightly oil the top, and cover. Set in a warm place to rise, until almost double (about an hour). I like to turn my oven on for a minute or two, then turn it off, and let the dough rise in there, since our house is cool.
3. Punch dough down and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 8 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 6- or 7-inch circle.
4. As you roll the rounds, set them aside on a lightly floured countertop or table, and cover loosely with a towel. Let rise for about 25-35 minutes, until slightly puffy. (The rounds will still be thin though! :D)
5. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place 2 rounds, side-by-side, onto a wire rack, such as is used for cooling things. Place rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for 4-5 minutes, until puffy and just slightly browned. (If bread is too browned, it will be dry and not pliable.)
6. Remove rack from oven and immediately wrap/layer pita breads in a damp towel, to soften. Continue baking the remaining breads, layering them between damp towels as soon as they're baked. Allow breads to completely cool.
7. Cut pita breads in half, or split the top edge, and fill as desired. :)
8. Store pitas in a plastic zipper bag in the fridge for a few days, or place in the freezer for longer storage. To re-warm pitas, wrap them in a damp towel and then wrap in foil. Place in a warm (200-250 degree) oven for about 20 minutes.

Courtesy of http://www.tammysrecipes.com/whole_wheat_pita_pockets

Roasted Corn Salad

• 3 ears sweet corn
• 1/2 cut fresh basil
• 1 c cucumber cubed
• 1 c tomato cubed
• 1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
• 2 TBSP lime juice
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• extra olive oil for grilling

Brush corn with olive oil and grill, either on a grill or under the broiler until kernels are brown and begin to pop. Slice corn off of cob and combine in a bowl with basil, cucumber, and tomatoes. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Toss the salad with the sauce and refrigerate until chilled. 

Easy Veggie Gyoza (Potstickers)

• 1 package pot sticker wrappers
• 1/4 cup chopped tofu (about an 1/8 of a block)
  
• 1/2 cup cabbage (green or bok choy)
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/4 cup shredded carrots
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger chopped
• 1 egg (optional)
  

Sauce-

• 2 TBSP soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1-2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp rice vinegar

Stir fry all filling ingredients in a hot wok or frying pan with a little oil until cabbage is wilted and veggies begin to brown. Transfer to a food processer and chop until mixture begins to stick together.  Add all sauce ingredients to the filling mixture. Put a small amount of filling in the middle of the pot sticker wrapper and seal with a little water. From here you may freeze them or, to cook, place them in a hot wok or frying pan coated with oil. Add a couple tablespoons of water and cover the pan. After a few minutes of steaming remove the lid and let them brown. Dip in your choice of sauce.

Feel free to substitute your choice of vegetables for the filling. Bean sprouts would be really good.

Greek Pasta Salad

½ pound pasta shells

¼ cup olive oil
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
½ teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons water
1 green or red bell pepper, diced

5 artichoke hearts, drained and quartered (14-ounce can)
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 celery stalk, sliced
2 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (2 teaspoons dried)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (1 teaspoon dried)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 cup grated or crumbled feta cheese
Greek olives

Bring a large covered pot of water to a rapid boil. Cook the pasta shells, uncovered, until al dente, and then drain. Rinse them under cold water until cool, and drain again.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the eggplant. Cover and cook for 3 minutes on medium heat. Stir in the salt, garlic, lemon juice, and water. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until the eggplant is almost tender. Add the diced red bell peppers, and if you are using dried herbs, add the dill and oregano. Simmer a few minutes more, until the peppers are cooked but still have some crunch.

While the eggplant and peppers are cooking, place the artichoke hearts, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, scallions, fresh dill, and fresh oregano in a large salad bowl. Add the cooked eggplant and peppers. Stir in the pasta and toss well. Add salt and pepper and more lemon juice or olive oil to taste.

Serve at room temperature topped with the feta and some olives.

Note: this salad can be refrigerated to serve later, but the pasta may absorb the flavors and need an additional dash of lemon juice and olive oil just before serving.

Reprinted from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home

Basic Miso Soup

Check specialty or oriental food markets for "exotic" ingredients

• 3 cups dashi soup stock
  
• 1 block tofu
• 3-4 tbsps miso paste
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion

Put dashi soup stock in a pan and bring to a boil. Cut tofu into small cubes and add them to the soup. Simmer the tofu for a few minutes on low heat. Scoop out some soup stock from the pan and dissolve miso in it. Gradually return the miso mixture in the soup. Stir the soup gently. Stop the heat and add chopped green onion. Remember not to boil the soup after you put miso in.

Mexican Rice

• 1 generous cup of rice
  
• 2 1/2 c. hot water
• 2 1/2 t. chicken bouillon
  
• 1/3 c. oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
  
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
  
• 1/4 of a green pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 c. tomato puree (I use tomato sauce)

Heat oil in a frying pan. Brown rice and onion until rice becomes a golden transparent color--not too brown! Drain off oil. Put rice/onion mixture and all other ingredients into rice cooker and cook as usual, or, if preparing without a rice cooker, add other ingredients to the frying pan and simmer until done.

Grandpa McAndrew’s Irish Soda Bread (aka Spotted Dog)

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 2 T white sugar
  
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 c buttermilk
  
• 2 T margarine, melted
• 1/2 c raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a pie tin. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and sugar. Toss the raisins with the flour mixture until coated. Make a well in the center and add the egg, buttermilk, and melted margarine. Stir until all of the dry ingredients are absorbed. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a few quick turns just to even out the dough. Handle the dough as little as possible. Pat into a flat circle, and place into the prepared pan. Bake the bread for 40 to 45 min. in the preheated oven, or until the edges are golden

Latkas

• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions:
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Mix in potatoes and onion.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. In batches, drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the potato mixture into the skillet. Press to flatten. Cook about 3 minutes on each side, until browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Laura's Salad

• head of romaine lettuce
• 4 oz. sugared almonds
• 1 large granny smith apple, slice thin
  
• 1/2 c. craisins

Adjust ingredient amounts to suit own tastes. Sugar almonds by placing almonds in a pan, sprinkling w/sugar, and then cooking and stirring until coated. Place the following dressing ingredients in the blender:

• 1/3 cup white vinegar
  
• 3/4 tsp. grated onion
• 3/4 tsp. poppy seeds
  
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
  
• 1/3 tsp. dry mustard

Turn blender on. Slowly add: 3/4 c. olive oil

Add dressing to salad and toss.

Grandma Jerri’s Yams

• 2 1/2 lbs. yams (boil until soft)
  
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/3 c. butter, melted
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs. beaten
  
• 1/2 c. sugar

Mash and mix together.

Topping:

• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts
  
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. shredded coconut
  
• 3 Tbsp. butter

Mix until crumbly.--sprinkle on top. Heat through

(I double the first half of this recipe, put into a 9x13 pan, and use same topping)

Hummus

• 3 cups dry garbanzo beans, soaked overnight
• 1 pinch baking soda (optional)
• 3/4 cup tahini paste
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions:
Rinse the garbanzo beans and and place in a pot. Fill with enough water to cover by at least 1 inch. Add baking soda, if using. Bring to a boil and then simmer over medium heat until the beans are very soft, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Drain the beans, reserving some of the water to use later. Reserve a small handful of the whole beans for a garnish. Transfer the rest to a blender or if you have a hand blender, a large bowl. Blend the beans until smooth, adding 1/2 cup of olive oil gradually. Add some of the reserved water if needed to help it blend. Add the tahini and blend in along with the lemon juice. Season with cumin and salt.

Spread the hummus into a flat serving dish and garnish with the reserved beans and a drizzle of olive oil.

Scalloped Potatoes

• 6 potatoes, sliced thinly
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 can cream of chicken soup mixed with 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup grated cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Layer ingredients in a 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Top with cheese and return to the oven until cheese melts

Applesauce

• 4 apples - peeled, cored and chopped
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1. In a saucepan, combine apples, water, sugar, and cinnamon. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool, then mash with a fork or potato masher.