Vegetable Lasagna

I completely forgot about this recipe!  I found it years ago in a magazine and it's so yummy!  A bit time consuming but so worth it!

Vegetable Lasagna

1 (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 (12 oz) lowfat cottage cheese (I used labneh in the Middle East)

1 egg, beaten

2 tsp olive oil

3/4 cup minced onion

1 cup sliced mushrooms

2 cloves garlic

1 (14.5 oz cans tomatoes, drained, chopped)

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1/4 cup dry red wine (I used vinegar)

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 tsp dried whole basil

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dark brown sugar

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt

6 lasagna noodles, uncooked

5 cup sliced zuchini

1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella

2 TBSP Parmesan

Press spinach to drain.  Combine spinach, cottage cheese and egg-set aside.  Coat large pan with spray- sauté onion 3 minutes.  Add mushroom and garlic- sauté until tender.  Add tomatoes and next 8 ingredients- stir well.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered- 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Coat dish (12x8) with cooking spray.  Spoon 1/3 tomato mixture into dish.  Arrange 3 noodles lengthwise over tomatoes.  Top with 1 1/4 cup spinach.  Layer 2 1/2 cups zucchini over spinach and sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella.  Repeat layers.  Top with remaining tomato mixture.  Cover and refrigerate 8 hours.  Bake covered at 350 for 1 1/2 hours.  Uncover and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan before serving.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.  

Corn and Zucchini Queso Chowder

This is going to become a regular in our fall/winter soup rotation- extra bonus that it's vegetarian and therefore even less expensive!  Super yummy!

Corn and Zucchini Queso Chowder

1/4 cup butter

1 cup chopped red pepper

1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups whole kernel corn

2 cups chopped zucchini

1/4 tsp ground cumin

28 oz chicken broth

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup half and half

1 cup shredded monterey jack

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium/high heat; add pepper, onion and garlic and sauté 4-5 minutes until tender.  Add corn, zucchini, and cumin and saute 4-5 more minutes.  Gradually stir in broth, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of pan.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, simmering 15 minutes.  Whisk together flour and next 2 ingredients.  Stir into veggie mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly 5 minutes or until thickened.  Reduce heat to low.  Add cheeses, and cook, stirring constantly, until cheeses melt and mixture is thoroughly heated.  Serve topped with bacon bits, sour cream, cheese and chives.  

Feta Coleslaw

Well, I guess it looks like none of us eat anymore!  We do eat.  And I even cook still.  Some.  It's just been such a crazy few months, I'm lucky to get a decent meal in front of my family- much less blog about it!  

Anyway, trying to get back into the routine!  Here's a recipe that's become a favorite side dish in our house- AND it's healthy.  AND my 13 year old LOVES it.  And finding veggies that she not only loves but asks for regularly- well I consider that an accomplishment!  

When we were in the states a year or so ago, I went to a place called Zoe's Kitchen in Birmingham.  You can find their link here.  Kind of a trendy, Mediterranean style restaurant with lots of yumminess.  More Greek Mediterranean than Lebanese (in my opinion) but still super good.  They have a fantabulous coleslaw with a vinegar based dressing and huge yummy chunks of feta cheese.  I made it my mission to replicate this recipe.  Mine has ended up pretty different than the original mainly due to the different consistency of feta in this part of the world but it's still super yummy and all my kids love it.  

Feta Coleslaw

1 head cabbage shredded

diced green onion

other diced veggies as desired (I usually use red pepper, green pepper, maybe carrots)

crumbled feta (enough... ok lots)

Dressing

vinegar

olive oil

Cavender's greek seasoning

lemon juice

salt

Ok, for the dressing- I have never measured.  I use more vinegar than oil (maybe 3 parts vinegar to 1 part oil?).  Then I squirt in the lemon juice (a few TBSP?).  The seasoning and salt is to taste but I'd say  at least 1-2 tsp of Cavender's if not a little more.  

Combine all slaw ingredients.  Combine dressing and pour over veggies at least a few hours before serving so the flavors can combine.  

Hummus (Lebanese- the ONLY kind...)

I have discovered that after living in Lebanon,  I will never look at hummus the same again.  Those of you living in the good ole' US of A who think you have had yummy hummus, if it did not come from a Lebanese restaurant or from the home of someone who learned to make it in Lebanon, sorry but it could not have been that great!  Yep, I'm a little biased!

I've started making our hummus because I have yet to find it in Jordan that is quite like I like it.  I have a Lebanese cookbook and follow that basic recipe and then tweak it until I get the right flavor and appearance.  So, these measurements are not exact.  You have to figure it out for yourself!

Hummus, Lebanon style

4 cups chick peas, soaked overnight

tahini (sesame paste)

lemon juice

salt

garlic cloves (several, crushed)

olive oil

Cook the chick peas in salted water for several hours until very soft adding water as necessary.  Now, the first time I made hummus, I became very overwhelmed at the amount of chick peas produced and how difficult it was to process them.  A friend told me that one of her Lebanese neighbors separates the chick peas after cooking them into serving size freezer bags and only uses a little at a time.  It worked so much better this way!  Again, I don't know the exact measurements but I divided the cooked chick peas into 4 equal portions, froze 3 of them and prepared the last portion.  Place chick peas (with a little water and a good bit of lemon juice in large bowl).  Process until smooth.  Add crushed garlic (2-3 cloves), salt and tahini to taste and until you get the consistency you desire.  Top with olive oil, serve with pita chips and fresh veggies- YUMMY!

Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup

I made this soup a couple of months ago and the jury is still out. I think mine came out a little too thick - I didn't have a flavor issue, although I probably didn't put enough salt, pepper and hot sauce. I had more of a texture issue with it. Especially for eating it room temperature. But I was in the mood for something a little different and this certainly fit the bill.

serves 6

2 red bell peppers (about 8oz.), seeded and cubed
generous 4 cups diced sweet potatoes
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 1/4 c dry white wine
1 1/4 quarts vegetable stock
hot pepper sauce, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh chunky bread to serve

Dice a small quantity of the red pepper for the garnish; set aside. Put the rest into a saucepan with the sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, white wine and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft.

Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and process utnil smooth. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a generous dash of hot pepper sauce. Cool slightly. Garnish with the reserved diced red pepper and serve warm or at room temperature.

Southern Veggies

Squash Justine

6-8 medium yellow squash

onion

butter

cheddar cheese

salt & pepper to taste

optional add-ons:  chopped red pepper and/or canned pimento, slivered almonds

Cook squash in boiling water 4-5 minutes and set aside.  Layer in baking dish: squash, slices of onion, cheddar cheese and butter, repeat layers, salt and pepper to taste.  Bake 400 degrees for 20 minutes

Fried Okra

sliced okra (a lot)

corn meal (some)

salt & pepper

Put okra in large bowl.  Moisten with small amount of ice water.  Toss with corn meal to coat.  Heat oil in skillet and fry okra in batches until golden.  Serve alongside fresh, sliced garden tomatoes.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

I have cooked this up for dinner countless times this winter. It is so easy and I love to make it when there is fresh broccoli available at our local supermarkets. It's perfect alongside some hot rolls.

1 bunch broccoli (you can use frozen but fresh is MUCH better)
1/2 onion, chopped
2 T butter
6 T flour
chicken bouillon
2 c. milk
~6 oz cheddar, grated (the recipe calls for Velveeta but we can't get it here and even if we could I'd still use the real deal...)

Chop broccoli and cook in 1 cup of water with a sprinkling of chicken bouillon in a covered pan (don't overcook broccoli - keep it bright green). In saucepan, saute onion in butter. Then add flour. Stir and cook until the flour is browned. Add the milk all at once and stir until it is thickened. Add the cheese (I never measure and just grate the cheese directly into the pot until I'm happy with the cheesiness...) and stir until the cheese is melted. Then add to the broccoli.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Tomato-Basil Soup

This is a yummy alternative to a can of Campbell's Tomato Soup. Thank you Betty Crocker! I didn't have enough tomatoes this time around...plus, I put extra carrots in this batch - I didn't dice them fine enough but I just threw it in the blender at the end and it was fine.

2 T olive or vegetable oil
2 medium carrots, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 small onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
6 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (6 cups)*
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1/4 c. thinly sliced fresh basil leaves or
2 t. dried basil leaves
1/2 t. sugar
1/3 t. salt
dash of pepper

In a 3 quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook carrots, onion and garlic in oil about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Stir in tomatoes. Cook uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until heated through. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot.

Fully ripe, juicy tomatoes provide the best flavor for this soup. If your tomatoes aren't completely rip, you may need to increase the salt and sugar just a bit. *3 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes, undrained, can be subsituted for the fresh tomatoes. Omit salt; increase sugar to 1 teaspoon.

Three-Cheese Tortellini

5 servings

1 package (7 oz) dried cheese-filled tortellini
¼ c. butter
½ c. chopped bell pepper
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
¼ c. flour
¼ t. pepper
1 ¾ c. milk
½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese (2 oz)
½ c. shredded Swiss cheese
¼ c. grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Cook tortellini as directed on package. Drain. Heat butter in 3 qt. saucepan over med heat. Cook bell pepper, shallots and garlic in butter about 3 minutes. Stir in flour and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in mozzarella and Swiss cheese until melted. Add tortellini and stir until coated. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

This is another of my 'go to' quick and easy dishes. You can add chicken for those of you whose hubbies refuse to eat vegetarian :) If you want to add more to it but keep it vegetarian try it with red bell pepper and artichoke hearts - yum!

Garbanzo Beans and Vegetables over Couscous

1 T. olive oil
1 med onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 c. sliced carrots
1 t. ground coriander
1 t vegetable or ckn bouillon granules
½ t. salt
¼ t. tumeric
⅛ t. ground red pepper (cayenne)
2 med zucchini, sliced
1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, undrained

Heat oil in 3 qt. saucepan over med-high heat. Saute onion and garlic 3 min. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 12-15 min or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Serve over couscous.

Couscous

1 ¾ c. water
⅓ c. raisins
2 T. butter
¼ t. salt
¾ c. uncooked quick-cooking couscous

Heat water, raisins, butter and salt to boiling in 1 qt saucepan. Stir in couscous; cover. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.

This is one of my 'go to' dishes when I'm looking for something quick and easy. And it's super cheap since it's so middle eastern friendly. We usually have leftovers of the topping but not the couscous so you families of 4 could double the couscous to have enough.

Clean Out the Fridge Quiche

Okay girls, tonight i made clean out the fridge quiche. But note, my man is not picky and thinks that quiche for dinner is awesome, so proceed with caution--i don't know about you guys. I had some leftover veggies (red and green peppers) and some 'shrooms. Also had some cut up tomatoes leftover and about 1/4 of a container of lebna (plain yogurt to those of you who may someday read this who don't live where we do) i had seasoned with ranch dressing mix (b/c i always have leftover ranch dip long after the veggies are gone, which i guess is a good sign). then i threw in 4 Tbs of whole wheat flour b/c i was out of regular (and the flour makes a kind of crust appear b/c i don't do a real crust b/c it's healthier and easier this way and matt doesn't like crust anyway). so then i found some spinach in my freezer that i swear i have no idea how long it has been there. and some leftover mozz and cheddar cheese from the freezer (about a cup b/c i broke some of it loose from the frozen block while it was all still in the ziploc, but as i was sprinkling it into the bowl of eggy other stuff, the whole thing fell in so i just went with it). did i mention i threw in a handful (literally, i measured with my hand) of parmesan? what else? oh, eggs. i beat them separately and kept adding them 2 at a time until it looked like a good veggie to egg ratio. baked for 45 minutes and voila! dinner is served. and the weird lingering things in the fridge are gone too! now i just need to wash all those dishes!

Lentils and Rice

Ingredients:
2 cups lentils (I usually use the reddish ones or light brown)
1 cup rice (I have used brown rice in this)
onions
garlic
olive oil
butter
butter
pine nuts
laban
salt
mint
flat bread

Put lentils in large saucepan and cook until done- about 30-45 minutes.  Wash rice, drain.  Saute with onions (maybe 1/2 of a regular onion diced) in small amount of olive oil.  Add to cooked lentils with salt and more water to cover.  Meanwhile fry thinly sliced onions ( I usually do two big onions) over low flame in a mixture of butter and olive oil.  Cook slowly so that they begin to carmalize.  We like them slightly crispy.  Also saute pine nuts and butter and/or olive oil and reserve along with the onions for topping.   Mash garlic (2-3 cloves) in medium sized bowl with salt.  Add 2-3 cups of laban and stir until well combined.  Garnish with mint if you want.  When lentils and rice are done cooking stir in small amount of olive oil.  Garnish with onions and pine nuts.  Serve with laban and arabic flat bread.  OH, and I forgot- you can also stir cucumbers into the laban dip.