Roasted Tomato and Eggplant ☺

By Happy

Published 07/22/2016

Roasting the tomatoes adds a sweetness and depth of flavor to this eggplant dish.

Ingredients

1-1/2 lb tomatoes, blanched, peeled, and cut into 1/2" slices
2 small eggplants or 1 medium eggplant, quartered
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 lb baby bella mushrooms, sliced
3 or 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp sumac
1/2 tsp kosher salt or to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450F. Fill a large mixing bowl with very cold water.

Bring 3 qt of water to boil in a large pot. When the water is boiling, blanch the tomatoes for 30 to 45 seconds. Immediately skim the tomatoes from the pot and plunge them into the bowl of cold water until the tomatoes are cool enough to peel. Peel, core, and slice the tomatoes.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly spray the lined sheet with pan spray. Place the tomato slices in a mixing bowl. Drizzle 2 tbsp of olive oil on the tomatoes, and mix the tomatoes to coat them. Place the tomatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet, and roast for 10 minutes. Turn over the tomato slices, and roast another 10 minutes. Remove the tomatoes from the oven. The tomatoes should be very soft. Scrape them and their juice into a skillet on medium low heat.

While the tomatoes are roasting, slice the onion and the eggplant. Cut each eggplant quarter into thirds, crosswise. Place the eggplant, onion, garlic, and mushrooms in a mixing bowl and drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil over them, and toss to coat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly spray the sheet with pan spray. Dump the veggies on the baking sheet and spread them out into a single layer. When the tomatoes are out of the oven, roast the vegetable mixture for 10 minutes, turn the vegetables, and roast another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and coarsely chop the veggies. Reduce the oven temperature to 375F. Stir the veggies into the tomato mixture.

Lightly spray a casserole dish with pan spray. Pour the tomato eggplant mixture into the casserole. Over medium heat, deglaze the skillet with the red wine, reducing the wine to 1/4 cup. Pour over the vegetables, and stir in lightly. Bake for 20 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 00 hrs. 30 mins.

Cook time: 01 hrs. 00 mins.

Total time: 1 hrs. 30 mins.

Eggplant Lasagna ☺

This Eggplant Lasagna is eggplant with a lasagna filling. This dish is better served the day after it is cooked. Warm it up, covered, in 300°F oven for 20 minutes, or until bubbly. Let it sit for five minutes before serving

Yield: 6 servings | Prep Time: 1 hrs. 00 mins. | Cook time: 0 hrs. 30 mins. | Difficulty: Medium.

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant
kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
pan spray
1 egg, whisked
8 oz ricotta cheese (part skim is okay)
4 oz mozzarella cheese, grated (part skim is okay)
2 oz parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, ground
1/2 tsp black peppercorns, ground
4 tbsp finely chopped parsley
3 cups Happy's Tomato Sauce (or your own favorite)

Instructions

Arrange the eggplant slices on a rack. Sprinkle liberally with kosher salt. Turn the eggplant slices, and salt the other side. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Blot both sides of the eggplant slices with a paper towel, brushing away any remaining salt. Lightly spray a large baking sheet with the pan spray. Brush one side of the slices with the olive oil. Arrange on the baking sheet, oil side down. Brush the other side of the eggplant slices. Then roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Turn the slices over and roast for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.

While the eggplant is roasting, thoroughly mix together the egg, cheeses, and spices (but not the parsley). Taste for salt, and add salt as necessary.

Reduce the oven heat to 350°F. Spray a large casserole or baking dish with pan spray. Spread one half of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the dish. Arrange the eggplant slices to cover completely the bottom of the baking dish. Spread one half of the cheese mixture on the eggplant. Top with the remaining tomato sauce. Stir the parsley into the remaining cheese mixture, and drop small pieces of the cheese over the tomato sauce, covering the surface as uniformly as possible.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Chicken and Black Bean Casserole ☺

By AllRecipes.com

Published 09/23/2003

A spicy, wonderful Southwest casserole, adapted from an AllRecipes.com recipe.

2 Tbsps vegetable oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 green pepper, 1/2-inch dice
3/4 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast cut in 3/4-inch cubes
2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 package (.75 oz) taco seasoning mix
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8.75 oz) can sweet corn, drained (reserve liquid)
1/2 c salsa
2 c (4 oz) shredded pepper jack (or cheddar) cheese
1-1/2 c crushed plain tortilla chips

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp oil and brown the onion about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced green pepper, and fry for another 4-5 minutes, until the pepper is bright green. Remove the vegetables to a bowl or plate and set aside.

Return the skillet to the burner and increase the heat to medium high. Add another tbsp of oil to the skillet. Sauté the chicken in oil until cooked through and no longer pink inside. Add garlic, taco seasoning, beans corn, salsa, and some of the reserved liquid from the corn. Add the onion mixture to the skillet. Cover skillet and simmer over medium low heat for about 10 minutes. Add more liquid if the mixture thickens too much.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Transfer chicken mixture to a 9 x 13-inch greased baking dish. Top with 1/2 of the cheese and the crushed tortilla chips. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Add the remaining cheese and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Prep Time: 25

Cook time: 20

Calories: 306 kcal

Totalcarbs: 19.9 g

Fat: 16.3 g

Protein: 21.7 g

Dietary fiber: 1.6 g

Sodium: 21.7 g

Cholesterol: 59 mg

Tags: main dish, casserole, potlucks

Spicy Stuffed Peppers

4 servings, 9 Weight Watcher Points+

I love stuffed peppers. Stuffed anything is a great way to use up leftovers while creating a homey, savory dish for an autumn meal. This recipe can be tweaked a hundred ways, and will never taste the same way twice; however, every way you fix it, it is going to taste delicious.

Notes

Sausage - You can use just about any kind of chopped meat. I used a very savory weiswurst, but you may want to try breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, or chorizo. The meat should be highly seasoned, so if you are using chopped meat such as chicken or ground beef, be sure to season it well.

Tomatoes - The recipe uses canned, diced tomatoes, but I've been making it with roasted tomatoes. The recipe will taste better if you use tomatoes that have been cooked down to about a third or half their volume. You will want some distinct tomato pieces in the recipe.

Peppers - Use any of the following: small or medium sweet peppers, Anaheim peppers, or Poblanos. If your family does not like heat, stick with the sweet peppers. I prefer to roast and skin the peppers before stuffing them. I broil them on all sides until blistered and charred, then put them in a covered casserole or paper bag and let them sweat for five or ten minutes. Then I peel them and remove the stem and seeds.

Seasonings - I season these peppers with taco seasoning, but salt and pepper, some oregano and basil, or some curry spices might be just the ticket, too. Season this dish the way your family likes it.

Cheese - I have used Cheddar, Gruyere, and Pepper Jack. Use the cheese that gives you a cheesy smile.

2/3 c uncooked brown rice, rinsed
1-1/3 c water
4 peppers, roasted, stemmed, and seeded
4 - 8 oz sausage
1 large onion, chopped
4 oz mushrooms, coarsely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 - 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained with liquid reserved
2 t taco seasoning (recipe)
other seasonings, to taste
2 oz cheese, (1/2 c) grated

In a saucepan with a cover, heat the water to boiling, add the rice, and cook covered over low heat for 45 minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed.

While the rice is cooking, roast the peppers, and set aside.

Remove any sausage casing. Break the sausage up into a large skillet. Brown the sausage on medium heat. Remove the browned sausage to a plate and set aside. Drain off all but one or two teaspoons of fat from the skillet.

Add the chopped onions to the skillet, stirring to coat the onions with the fat in the skillet. Fry the onions on medium heat, turning them every three minutes or so until they are quite brown, but not scorched. Remove the onions from the skillet to a plate, and set aside.

If necessary, add some oil or fat to the skillet. Fry the mushrooms for about three minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for an additional minute.

Turn the heat to low, and add the onions, sausage, and drained tomatoes. Stir to combine and heat. Stir in the cooked rice and taco seasoning. Add some of the reserved liquid from the tomatoes and heat to boiling. Stir in the cornmeal and simmer until the mixture is thickened. Remove from the heat.

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Stuff each pepper with the sausage/rice mixture. Spray the inside of a casserole with pan spray. Spoon any leftover stuffing into the casserole. Arrange the stuffed peppers in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with the grated cheese. Sprinkle with some paprika or taco seasoning. Bake for 25 minutes.

Not So Death-Defying Funeral Potatoes

Serves 8 or more. Each serving has about 4 Weight Watcher® points. This recipe was adapted from a New York Times recipe, which called these "Updated" Funeral Potatoes. Some of you from Utah, might consider this update an effete version of the dish that you know and love: the can of cream soup is completely missing, and whatever happened to the corn flake crumbs/crushed potato chips on top? My own update of this recipe is to make a diet-friendly version. I fixed it last night, and it passes the sniff test.

3 large baking potatoes, about 2 lb
1-1/2 c (12 oz) non-fat sour cream
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, grated
1 t kosher salt (or 1/2 t table salt)
1/2 t black pepper
4 oz low-fat cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz low-fat swiss cheese, grated
1/2 t (or more) paprika

The day before you serve this dish, bake the potatoes: heat the oven to 375°F, scrub and trim any spots off the potatoes. Prick the potatoes, or score them to prevent them from exploding in the oven. Place them directly on an oven rack in the middle of the oven, and bake them for one hour. Remove them, and cool them for about 15 minutes. Refrigerate them overnight.

When you are ready to prepare the Funeral Potatoes, heat the oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 9 baking dish.

In a large bowl, stir together the sour cream garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Gently mix in the grated cheese.

Grate the potatoes onto a plate. The skin will flake off as you grate the potato. Discard the big pieces of potato skin. Fold the grated potatoes into the sour cream/cheese mixture.

Spoon and spread the potatoes into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the dish with paprika. Bake 35 - 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let the dish stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Variations:

You can mix and match the variations listed below. This dish is a great improvisational base for your own down home cooking impulses.

Full-Fat Version. If you aren't on a diet, you might consider the full-fat version. The full-fat version serving is about 8 Weight Watchers® points. In the original New York Times recipe, gruyere cheese is used instead of Swiss. (Gruyere doesn't come in a low-fat version at my supermarket.)

Cream Soup Version. Bake an additional potato. Add one can of condensed cream of chicken, celery, or mushroom soup to the sour cream/cheese mixture. You may want to taste before adding any additional salt.

Note: I made this version. I also increased the cheese to 5 oz of each variety.

Corn Flakes or Potato Chips? If you want a crumb topping, crush enough corn flakes or potato chips to make 1/3 - 1/2 c crumbs. (You can also use corn chips or bread crumbs.) If you are using corn flakes or bread crumbs, add 2 T melted butter to coat them. Spread the crumbs on top of the dish before baking.

Veggies Version. Add 1 c chopped celery, or frozen peas, or both to the sour cream/cheese mixture. Also consider green beans, broccoli, or chopped spinach.

Southwest Version Add 2 t taco seasoning and 1 small can of whole kernel corn, drained to the sour cream/cheese mixture.

Meat-Eaters' Version Add 2 cups chopped ham, turkey, or chicken to the sour cream/cheese mixture.

Southwest Collard Greens ☺

4 servings. These are Southwest Collard Greens inasmuch as fish sauce is native to Albuquerque. Total preparation time is at least 45 minutes.

2 t olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, sliced then coarsely chopped
1 chorizo sausage (3 - 4 oz), casing removed
1 lb bunch collard greens (see note)
1 T fish sauce (or substitute salt to taste)
1 T taco seasoning (homemade, or 1/2 package)
2 T apple cider vinegar

Note: To prepare the greens for cooking, cut the central rib (and stem) from each leaf. Discard the rib. Rinse the leaves, then spin dry in a salad spinner, or pat dry between layers of paper towels. To chop the greens, stack several rinsed and dried leaves on top of each other, roll them up into a tight roll, then slice the roll into thin slices. Continue to roll and chop the leaves until you have chopped the whole bunch.

Heat the olive oil in a tall saucepan (with cover) over medium high heat. Add the onion, and stir to coat with oil. Fry for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Add the garlic, and fry for another minute or so. Add the chorizo, and break up into small pieces. Fry until the sausage is no longer pink.

Add the chopped collard greens, and stir to mix well with the onion mixture. Cover the saucepan, and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the collards are wilted, but still bright green. Stir in the fish sauce, taco seasoning, and vinegar. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and continue cooking for at least 10 minutes until the greens are tender and no longer bright green. You can leave this on a very low heat for a couple of hours.

This is a great side dish that stands up to just about anything. It's great with barbecue, and with beans. You can also double the recipe and fix it in a crock pot for a great picnic dish. (Fry the onions, garlic, and meat, add to the crockpot, add the other ingredients. Cover, set it to cook, and ignore for several hours.)

Roasted Eggplant Dip

1 large eggplant
1/4 c olive oil, divided
2 T tahini
juice of 1 lime
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 T sriracha chili sauce(optional)
1/4 t kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 t black pepper

Heat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Slice the eggplant into 3/4-inch slices, then into 3/4-inch cubes. Toss the eggplant with 2 T of the olive oil, then spread out the eggplant cubes evenly in one layer on a large, rimmed baking pan. Roast the cubes for 10 minutes, then turn them with a metal spatula, and continue roasting for another 10 minutes. Turn the eggplant cubes again. You may need to continue roasting until the eggplant has mostly browned, and shriveled somewhat. It should be quite soft.

In two or three batches, chop the eggplant in a food processor, and place the puree in a medium mixing bowl. Add the remaining olive oil and the rest of the ingredients. Mix together. Serve with pita bread, chips, or crackers. This recipe makes about a cup of dip.

Spanish Rice

2 T olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green or red pepper, chopped
1-1/2 c white rice, rinsed and drained
12 green, stuffed olives, sliced
3 link sausages (chorizo, etc.), cooked and chopped
2 c spicy tomato sauce
1 c chicken broth
1/4 lb white cheddar cheese, grated

Set the oven to 350°F. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the onion and pepper until soft. Add the rice, and brown the rice for five to eight minutes until it has a nice golden color. Add the olives and sausage, and turn the rice mixture into a large baking dish with a cover. Mix together the tomato sauce and chicken broth. Pour over the rice. Cover the dish, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover. Sprinkle with the grated cheese, and continue baking, uncovered, for another 15 minutes.

Black Bean Potato Pie

This is a free-style dish. It's great for cleaning out the refrigerator.

2 T olive oil
1 onion, 1/4" dice
1 2-oz link sausage (optional), see note 1
1 black bean burger
1/2 green or red bell pepper, 1/4" dice
1 small can corn, drained
3 large garlic cloves, minced
salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, clove, and oregano
2 medium potatoes, peeled 1/4" slices or julienne
2 T flour
1 c chicken stock, see note 2
1/4 lb Swiss, cheddar, or gruyere cheese, grated
1 c milk

Note 1. You can skip the sausage and substitute one more black bean burger. You can use just about any sausage you want: Italian, chorizo, pork, etc.

Note 2. Use a robust chicken stock (make your own). You can substitute a hearty vegetable stock for the chicken stock.

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Spread the onions in the skillet. Fry for about two minutes, then turn. Continue frying the onions, turning every couple of minutes until they are well-browned. Remove the onions to a plate and set aside.

If necessary, add a little oil to the skillet. Remove the sausage from its casing and crumble in the skillet. Break up the black bean burger into the skillet. Brown the sausage the the burger pieces, turning frequently. When the mixture is browned, add bell pepper, and fry until the pepper is brightly colored and limp. Lower the heat to medium low.

Add the corn and garlic to the sausage mixture, and season to taste. Stir in the cooked onions, and remove the mixture from the heat. Set aside.

Butter a large covered casserole. Layer half the potatoes in the bottom of the casserole. Lightly salt the potatoes, and sprinkle with 1 T flour. Spread 1/2 the bean-sausage mixture over the potatoes, and top with 1/2 of the grated cheese. Repeat the layers.

Pour the chicken broth over the casserole. Pour enough milk to bring the liquid up to about 2/3 the side of the casserole dish.

Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove the casserole lid, and continue baking for another 25 - 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes or so before serving.

Chard Panade☺

This recipe is a nod to Molly Wizenburg's Chard Panade. Just reading her blog made me want to try a savory dish like this.

Serves 4

For the Panade:
5 c chicken or vegetable stock (see recipe, below)
6 T olive oil
1 large sweet onion
1 bunch chard
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c shredded cheese (Swiss, sharp cheddar, gruyere)
1/2 loaf (8 - 10 oz) rustic bread, cut into 1" cubes

In a saucepan, bring the stock to a quick boil, and reduce it by about one-third.

While the stock is boiling, heat 2 T olive oil in a large iron skillet over medium high heat. Peel and thinly slice the onion (1/8"). Spread the sliced onions in the skillet and let sit for about three minutes. Stir the onions occasionally to caramelize. Take care not to burn them. Remove the cooked onions to a plate, and remove the skillet from the heat.

Stem and wash the chard. Coarsely chop it. Add another 2T olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium high heat. Spread the chard in the skillet, and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir the chard to coat with the hot oil. Add the minced garlic and stir for ten or fifteen seconds. Add a couple of tablespoons of stock, then cover with a lid, and continue cooking for about two minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside.

Butter a 9" covered casserole dish. Spread about one-quarter of the caramelized onions in the bottom of the dish. Layer one-third of the bread cubes. Cover with one-third of the chard and one-third of the cheese. Continue layering the onions, bread, chard, and cheese, finishing with the cheese. Pour the reduced stock over the casserole. Swirl the remaining olive oil over the top of the casserole. Cover the dish, and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Remove the cover, and continue baking for another 20 minutes.

For the Vegetable Stock:
2 T olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 parsnip, peeled and grated
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 c red wine
5 c water
1 T fish sauce (optional)
salt to taste
3 whole allspice
3 whole cloves
1/2 t whole black pepper

Instructions for the Vegetable Stock:

Heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, and fry the onion until it is dark brown and caramelized. Do not let the onion burn.

Add the carrot, parsnip and celery, and continue sauteeing the vegetables, until they begin to brown. Scrape the vegetables into a saucepan, and deglaze the skillet with the red wine. Add the deglazed liquid to the saucepan.

Add the water to the vegetables, and heat over medium high heat until the stock is boiling. Add the fish sauce, and taste for salt (it may not need any). Grind the allspice, cloves, and black pepper, and add to the stock. Keep at a simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Strain and discard the solids. Refrigerate.

Chocolate Coconut Meringue Pie

This recipe was inspired by my Aunt Virgie Lee. She recently served Coconut Meringue Pie and Chocolate Creme Pie, and she gave me a slice of each. I thought, hmmm, I could put these together. So with the help of Grace Parisi (Food and Wine) and Emeril Lagasse (Food Network) (and three or four other recipes), I came up with a custard that could be adapted to both the chocolate pie and the coconut meringue pie.

1 – 9” baked pie shell (see note)
3/4 c sugar
1/3 c flour
Pinch of salt
1 pint half and half
4 large eggs, separated
1 t vanilla
1 c sweetened shredded coconut, toasted (see note)
2 oz bitter-sweet chocolate baking chips
2 t butter
1/8 t cream of tartar
1/4 c sugar

1. In a saucepan, whisk together the 3/4 c sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk in the half and half until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking until the mixture is the thickness of sour cream, about eight minutes.

2. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, then whisk 1/2 c of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Whisk the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened, about two minutes. Stir in the vanilla.

3. Pour two-thirds of the hot custard into a medium mixing bowl.

4. In the saucepan, stir in the bitter-sweet chocolate baking pieces and the butter. Scrape into a small bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on the top of the custard. Refrigerate until chilled.

5. In the mixing bowl, stir in the coconut. Press plastic wrap directly on the top of the custard. Refrigerate until chilled.

6. Spread chocolate custard over the bottom of the pie shell. Spread the coconut custard over the top of the chocolate custard, being careful not to mix up the layers. Chill the pie.

7. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a large stainless steel bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar at medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to high and beat until firm peaks form. Add the remaining 1/4 c sugar, 1 T at a time, and beat until glossy. Bake for seven minutes, or just until the meringue is golden.

Note: For a beautiful pie crust, pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. To make a dense pie crust, capable of standing up to custard, roll out the pie dough one inch larger all around than a glass 9” pie plate. Ease the dough into the pan. Fold the edge of the dough underneath itself, then flute or pinch the edge to make a rim. Chill the dough for fifteen minutes. Carefully press a sheet of aluminum foil into the rolled out dough, and pour pie weights (or a pound of dried beans) into the foil. Bake for 30 minutes (you may need to reduce the heat, if the crust is browning too much). Carefully remove the foil and weights, and return the crust to the oven for another 7 – 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cool completely before filling the pie.

Note: To toast the shredded coconut, preheat the oven to 350ºF, and spread the coconut evenly in the bottom of a 9" x 13" cake pan. Toast the coconut for two minutes. Remove it from the oven and turn it with a pancake turner. Return the coconut to the oven for one minute, then remove the pan from the oven and turn the coconut. Repeat the toasting and turning until the coconut is as brown as you like it. The coconut burns very easily, so never keep it in the hot oven for more than a minute.

Spinach Colcannon

Inspired by a recipe from Spiral Path Farm in Pennsylvania.

Ron and I have half a share in a CSA farm in Pennsylvania. The following recipe is adapted from their recipe.

1 lb (or more) sausage
2 medium vidalia onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 bunches spinach, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1 t salt
6 medium potatoes, 1/2" dice, skins on
4 T olive oil, divided
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t dried oregano
1 pint half and half
1/2 lb cheddar cheese, grated

In a large skillet (with a cover), brown the sausage over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until the onions are soft and are beginning to carmelize. Add the garlic and fry for another minute or so. Add all the spinach to the sausage, cover the skillet, and turn off the heat. Let the spinach wilt a few minutes, then sprinkle the mixture with 1 t salt. Cover the skillet and set aside.

Heat the oven to 450ºF. Place the diced potatoes in a large plastic food bag. Drizzle with 2 T olive oil. Seal the bag and completely coat the potato pieces with oil. Spread the potatoes in a single layer on a large, rimmed cookie sheet. If desired, sprinkle the potatoes with salt, pepper, and herbs. Place the potatoes in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven, and turn them with a metal spatula. Return to the oven and continue roast for another 10 - 15 minutes.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, and scrape them into a large bowl. Mash them and add the half and half, salt, pepper (to taste), and oregano to make mashed potatoes.

Heat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan. Adjust the seasoning of the sausage and spinach mixture, and layer it in the bottom of the baking pan. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top of the spinach. Sprinkle the cheese over the potatoes. Bake for 30 minutes.

Potato Salad

4 servings

2 medium red potatoes, 1/2-inch cubed
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 bunch green onions, washed, trimmed, and thinly sliced
1 small dill pickle, finely chopped
6 large pitted olives, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T olive oil
2 T vinegar
2 t prepared country mustard
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/2 c parsley, chopped

Scrub the potatoes and remove any blemishes. Cube the potatoes, cover them with cold water in a small sauce pot, and bring the potatoes to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to a lazy boil, cover the pot and cook the potatoes for 9 - 10 minutes. Do not cook them any longer!

While the potatoes are cooking, chop the vegetables, and place all of them, except the parsley, in a large bowl. When the potatoes are cooked, drain them in a colander and let them cool for five minutes or so, then add them to the vegetables in the bowl.

Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes and vegetables and mix very lightly. Mix together the mustard and the vinegar. Pour over the potatoes and mix very lightly. Carefully, fold in the chopped parsley. Cover, and refrigerate the salad a couple of hours before serving.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

For the sauce:

2 T olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large carrot, pared and thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 large can tomatoes, pureed or crushed
2 14-oz cans diced tomatoes
1 t salt (or to taste)
1/2 t ground pepper (or to taste)
1 or 2 chilis, crushed
2 t dried basil
2 t dried oregano

Heat the oil over low-medium heat in a large soup pot. Saute the onions and garlic for three or four minutes, then add the green pepper, carrot, and celery. Cook, uncovered, until the vegetables soften and cook down. Stir occasionally to prevent the vegetables from scorching. The onions will caramelize a bit during the cooking.

Add the mushrooms to the vegetables, and cook for an additional three or four minutes. Add additional olive oil if the vegetables are sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Add the pureed and diced tomatoes and the spices. Heat to boiling, then adjust the heat so that the sauce simmers gently, but maintains the simmer. Cover and continue to cook on simmer while you prepare the meatballs.

For the meatballs

1 lb lean ground turkey or beef
1 egg
1/2 c milk
1/2 c bread crumbs
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground pepper
1/4 t grated nutmeg
2 T olive oil for frying

Break up the ground meat in a large bowl. In a small bowl, soften the bread crumbs and milk. Pour the bread mixture over the meat. Break the egg over the meat and bread, and sprinkle the salt, pepper, and nutmeg over the mixture. With your hands, thoroughly mix the meat, bread crumbs, and egg together.

Break off tablespoonfuls of the meat mixture, and form into meatballs, and place on a plate prior to frying them. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat and fry the meatballs for a couple of minutes, then turn them and fry an additional minute or two. Add the browned meatballs to the tomato sauce.

Continue to simmer the sauce over very low heat for another couple of hours, stirring it occasionally. Serve over spaghetti or other favorite pasta.

Chicken Paprika

1 large cooked chicken
4 T paprika
3 T cooking oil
2 onions sliced
2 green peppers, chopped
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 c chicken broth
salt and pepper
2 c sour cream
2 T cornstarch

Remove the chicken meat from the skin, bones, and carcass. (Save the skin and bones to make stock.) Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.

In a dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the paprika and fry for a minute. Add the onions, peppers, mushrooms, and garlic. Fry for five minutes or so until the vegetables are soft. Stir occasionally.

Add the chicken and chicken broth. Cover the pot, and simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with some of the cooking liquid. Slowly stir into the pot, and cook until the liquid is thickened. Remove the pot from the heat. Slowly stir in the sour cream. Serve over noodles or rice.

Stuffed Peppers

2 - 4 servings

1 c brown rice
1/2 c red lentils
3 c chicken broth (or water)
4 poblano peppers (or medium green or red peppers)
1 T chili powder
1-1/2 c cooked, chopped meat (e.g. leftovers)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes (or 1-1/2 lb ripe tomatoes, chopped)
1 small can corn
1 can black beans
4 oz grated cheese (Mexican blend, cheddar, Swiss, whatever)

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a covered saucepan. Add the brown rice, cover, and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, broil or roast the peppers on all sides over direct heat until the skin begins to blister and blacken. Put the roasted peppers in a paper bag, and close the bag tightly.

After the rice has cooked for 30 minutes, add the rinsed red lentils to the rice, cover, and continue cooking on low for 15 - 20 minutes. Toward the end of the cooking time, check to see that the rice is not boiling dry, and that the rice and lentils are tender. You may need to add a little water to the pot. When the rice and lentils are cooked, and the liquid is absorbed, set the pot off the heat, and keep the pot covered.

Peel the peppers. Carefully, cut out the top, and remove the seeds and membranes, and discard them. Set the peeled peppers aside.

Mix together the rice and lentil mixture, the chili powder, the chopped meat, and the minced garlic. If necessary, add salt to taste. Stuff the peppers with the filling.

Lightly grease a baking dish. Drain the diced tomatoes and place them in the bottom of the dish. Drain the black beans and pour over the tomatoes. Drain the corn and pour over the other vegetables. Arrange the stuffed peppers on top of the vegetables. Spoon the rest of the filling mixture around the peppers. Top with the grated cheese. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes, until the peppers are tender, and the vegetables are hot.

Note: I've never tried this with fresh tomatoes. I'm guessing, though that you should cook them down a bit to cook off some of their liquid.

Scalloped Potatoes

These are not your usual scalloped potatoes.

7 T unsalted butter, divided
2 lb Golden Yukon potatoes, pared and sliced (1/8")
1 medium onion, sliced (1/8")
1 small green pepper, chopped
1/2 lb mushrooms, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c flour
2-1/2 c milk
1/2 lb Gruyere or sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t Louisiana hot sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 c chopped parsley (optional)

In a large, heavy skillet, melt 4 T butter over low heat. Add the onions, green pepper, mushrooms, and garlic, and cook over low heat until the vegetables are cooked down and soft, about a half hour. Stir the vegetables occasionally, while cooking.

While the vegetables are cooking, pare and slice the potatoes into a bowl of cold water. Drain and rinse the potatoes in a colander.

Butter a 13" x 9" pan with 1 T of the butter. Set the pan aside.

Stir the flour into the cooked vegetable mixture (keep the burner on low). Slowly stir in the milk, and bring to a boil over low heat. If you haven't already done so, you should grate the cheese, now....

While the sauce is cooking, arrange one-third of the sliced potatoes to cover the bottom of the prepared pan. Salt and pepper to taste. As soon as the sauce boils, stir in the grated cheese, and stir until all of the cheese is blended in. Stir in the cayenne pepper, hot sauce, and parsley. Remove the skillet from the burner.

Spread one-third of the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Layer one-half of the remaining potatoes, and salt and pepper them. Top with one-half of the remaining sauce. Top with the remaining potatoes and sauce.

Mix the bread crumbs and 2 T melted butter. Spread the bread crumbs on top of the potatoes. Bake in a 350° F oven for 45 minutes.

Potato Tortilla

a.k.a. Potato Pie

Serves 4 as a side, 8 as an appetizer.

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
2 medium potatoes
1 small or medium onion
1 red pepper
1 stalk celery
1 bunch green onions
2 large cloves garlic
4 eggs
salt
pepper
oregano
rosemary

Heat a 9-inch iron or non-stick oven proof skillet on medium heat. Peel and grate the potatoes into a bowl of cold water. Rinse and drain the potatoes in a colander. Squeeze out excess water.

Heat 2 T of the olive oil in the skillet. Add the potatoes, and stir them to coat them with the oil. If desired, add salt and pepper to taste. Fry undisturbed for 10 minutes. With a spatula, turn the potatoes and fry for 10 more minutes.

While the potatoes are frying, peel and chop the onion into medium dice. Seed and slice the pepper into sections, then into 1/4-inch strips. Finely chop the celery. Mince the garlic. To prepare the green onions, trim and peel off the limp or discolored stalks. Cut off the green tops, and chop the white bulbs separately from the tops.

When the potatoes are nicely browned, remove them from the skillet to a plate or bowl. Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet. Set aside the garlic and green onion tops and bulbs. Add the remaining vegetables to the skillet. Stir to coat and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and the chopped green onion bulbs. Add the herbs and salt and pepper to taste, and continue cooking for another three minutes.

While the vegetables are cooking, beat the eggs. Heat the oven to 375º F (190º C).

When the vegetables are soft, remove them from the skillet. Turn the heat to low. Place the potatoes in the skillet, and arrange to cover the bottom of the skillet. Heat for a couple of minutes. Spoon the vegetables on top of the potatoes, then pour the beaten eggs on top of the vegetables. Gently shake the skillet to distribute the eggs evenly. Sprinkle the reserved green onion tops on the eggs. Let the skillet sit for about 3 minutes over low heat. Put the tortilla in the oven, and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove the tortilla from the oven. Serve warm or at room temperature. The potatoes will firm up as they cool.

Variations: Add 1 T chili pepper or 1/2 t hot pepper flakes to the potatoes for a little heat. Stir 5 or 6 chopped olives into the vegetables before adding the eggs. Sprinkle 1 T large capers on top of the eggs. Lay 8 sliced artichoke hearts on top of the vegetables before adding the eggs.

Lemon Cake

1 white cake mix
1 package lemon jello (dry)
3/4 c Wesson oil
3/4 c water
4 eggs

Frosting:
2 c powdered sugar
juice and rind of 2 lemons

Combine, beat, and bake (with jello) as the cake mix package directs. Use a 15 x 8 pan. When baked and still hot, prick all over top surface with a toothpick & pour on mixture of lemon and sugar.

Chicken a La Can Can

Aunt Virgie Lee

1 can (10-1/2 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1 soup can of water
1 can (12 oz) boned chicken ~1-1/2 c
1-1/3 c Minute Rice
1 can French Fried Onions

Combine soups, water, and chicken. Add rice. Stir to mix. Bring quickly to a boil. Cover; reduce heat. Be sure it's Minute Rice - Simmer 7 minutes. Top with onions, heated according to the direction on the can, and it's ready.