Chile Rellano Casserole

1 large can of whole mild green chilies
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack
4 eggs, separated
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 jar salsa

In a greased 9 X 13" pan layer half of chilies, I opened them up, flat. Cover with half of the cheese. Repeat layers.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks, milk, flour and baking powder.
In a large bowl beat egg whites until stiff. Fold yolk mixture into egg whites. Spread on top of casserole.

Bake in a 350 oven for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and spoon salsa over the top. Return to oven for 15 minutes. Let set for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

This was every bit as good reheated for lunch as it was fresh out of the oven.

Quinoa cakes

2 cups cooked quinoa, at room temperature
2 large eggs, beaten
½ tsp. coarse salt
1/3 cup minced fresh chives, plus more for garnish
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup whole grain bread crumbs, plus more if needed
Olive oil, for frying patties
(for serving) Shaved Parmesan
(for serving) 6 poached eggs (one for each patty)
(for serving) Salt and pepper

In a medium bowl, combine the quinoa, eggs, salt, chives, shallots, Parmesan, and garlic. Stir to blend. Mix in the bread crumbs and stir gently until evenly incorporated. Form the mixture into six evenly sized patties, about 3-4 inches in diameter.

Heat a bit of olive oil in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat and swirl to coat. Add the patties to the pan so that they are not touching. Let cook about 4 minutes or until the first side is lightly browned. Carefully flip the patties with a spatula and let the second side cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining patties, using additional olive oil if needed. Top each patty with a bit of shaved Parmesan, a poached egg, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Rice Cooker Mac 'n Cheese

2 cups uncooked macaroni
1 cup chicken stock, veggie stock or water
1 cup evaporated milk (original recipe called for heavy cream, the evap. milk works fine!)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar or a combo of your favs)
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
garlic salt to taste
1 tsp dijon mustard
You can also add leftover chopped ham if you have some around. It adds to the awesomeness!

Mix all ingredients together in your rice cooker. Close the lid and press "cook". When the unit switches to "keep warm" (13 to 15 minutes) open and give a stir. Close lid and let sit on the "keep warm" setting for another 5 minutes or so.
Makes 4 , 1 cup servings

Batar Da'an from East Timor

1 large onion diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBLSPN olive oil
3 cups water
1 butternut squash, cut into pieces
1 bag frozen corn
1 can kidney beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked rice


saute onion and garlic in oil using a good sized pot, over medium heat until onion is tender. Add water and squash, and increase heat until water is simmering. Add corn and kidney beans, reduce to medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender. (15 to 20 minutes) add salt and pepper to taste, serve with rice.

I don't like butternut squash, so I substituted zucchini and cut back on the amount of onion. I added one of the Swanson's vegetable flavor packs. I also only used 2 cups water, but will cut it down some more next time

Glazed Salmon with Broccoli Rice

1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 head broccoli, florets only, chopped (about 2 cups)
4 pieces skinless salmon fillet (1 1/4 pounds total)
1 large red onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper

Heat broiler. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and soy sauce. Set aside.
Cook the rice according to the package directions, stirring in the broccoli during the last 3 minutes.
Let the rice and broccoli stand off the heat until the broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile, place the salmon and onion on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Broil until the salmon is opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes, spooning half the soy sauce glaze over the fish during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
Serve the salmon and onion with the rice and the remaining glaze.

Hot Crab Dip

1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened
8 oz. imitation flake-style crab meat (run fingers through it to break it up a bit and to flake it up)
2 T. chopped onion
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. milk
1 1/2 t. horseradish sauce
1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
sliced almonds

Combine all but cheddar and almonds. Spread in an 8x8-inch pan. Sprinkle with cheddar and almonds. Bake at 375 F for 15 minutes. Serve with crackers.

Can double the recipe and bake in a 13x9x2-inch pan.

Baked beans

1/4 lb bacon, cut up
1 small onion, diced
1 jar of Great Northern Beans (I have a hard time finding a jar of
them, so as long as you have about 24 oz of beans, you're fine)
1 jar (large brown glass jar) of B & M beans - original
1 can canellini beans or butter beans
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp mustard (yellow, not dry mustard)
2 Tbsp molasses

Brown bacon and onion. Mix all ingredients and put in a casserole dish. Heat uncovered for 1 hour or more (as desired), at 350 degrees.

Can be made ahead of time.

Note: I usually mix it all into a crockpot and cook on low heat for 5 to 6 hours, until thick, so that I don't have to have the oven on.

Curried Cauliflower Soup

1/3 cup raw cashews
3/4 cup water
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 large head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 14-oz can light coconut milk
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp evaporated cane sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt

Put the cashews in a blender and blend until finely ground. Add ¾ cup water and blend for 2 minutes.

Pour the cashew mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon. Discard the solids.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden.

Add the cauliflower, coconut milk, strained cashew milk, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, sugar, cinnamon, and salt as needed. Add enough water to cover.

Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes.

Blend the soup with an immersion blender until the desired consistency is reached. If using a standing blender, allow the mixture to cool for 20 minutes. Pour the soup into the blender. Hold the lid down firmly with a clean, folded towel over it. Start on low speed and blend until the soup is smooth. Return to the pot and reheat if serving hot.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with the caramelized onions and cilantro before serving

Cornbread Dressing

Cook a 9x13 pan of yellow cornbread. Crumble it into a large bowl, add 2 cups bread crumbs. Put in 3 eggs, chopped celery, 1 chopped apple, chopped onions. Moisten with chicken broth. Season with sage, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar. Bake at 350 degrees until firm and light brown.

You adjust ingredients to your tastes. And double, triple, quadruple, whatever!!

Use vegetable broth to make this a meatless side.

Dairy-free German Potato Soup

Combine in saucepan:
4 potatoes peeled and diced (yukon gold tends to get mushy)
1/2 small to med onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
3 1/2 cups water

Cook until potatoes are tender. While cooking, in a second pan heat 1 tablespoon butter/margarine (my sil used country crock because it had no whey, and her dc didn't get allergy symptoms) with one tablespoon flour. Allow butter and flour to brown, stirring constantly.

Add 3 cups water from the cooked potatoes. (If you are short, just add warm water)- Add it slowly and stir to keep it smooth. Add this back into the potato/ onion pot and heat through.

Can be easily doubled or even quadrupled. If put in a well sealed container (i.e. "tupperware") it can be frozen, but thaw it slowly and don't over stir when heating through.

Easy Cheap Enchilada Pasta

2 cloves of garlic
1 vidalia onion (diced)
1 can of green chilis (mild for my kiddos)
1 can of enchilada sauce (mild again)
2 cups of black beans
(Can add chicken if you eat meat)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 box of Whole Grain Pasta

Sautee garlic, onion in a little EVOO, once translucent add chilis, beans and sauce. Cook pasta to liked doneness. Simmer sauce for about 10 minutes, stir in sour cream while pasta is finishing. Drain pasta, add to sauce in skillet, combine and serve.

Serve with additional sour cream and cheese if you like.

Spanish Rice

Spanish Rice

2TB olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups of medium or long grain white rice
3 cups chicken stock
1 heaping tablespoon of tomato paste or 2 cup of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained
Pinch of oregano
1tsp salt

*Check the instructions on the rice package for the proportions of liquid to rice. They can range from 1:1 to 2:1. If your rice calls for 2 cups of water for every cup of rice, then for this recipe, use 4 cups of stock for 2 cups of rice.

Method.
1. In a large skillet brown rice in olive oil, medium/high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook onion rice mixture, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes, or until onions are softened.

2. In a separate sauce pan bring stock to a simmer. Add tomato sauce, oregano, and salt. Add rice to broth, Bring to a simmer. Cover. Lower heat and cook 15-25 minutes, depending on the type of rice and the instructions on the rice package. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 min.

Fiesta Rice Medly

1Tb vegetable oil
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 10oz pkg frozen corn, thawed
1 cup salsa
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cups instant rice
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped bell pepper and onion. Cook until tender but not browned, about 5 min.

2. Add corn, salsa and chicken broth to pot. Bring to a boil over med heat; about 2 min. Remove from heat.

3. Stir rice into pot; cover. Let stand 5 min.

4. Add cheddar to pot. Fluff rice and cheese with a fork.

*Notes: This freezes amazingly well. I also vary what I put in it, sometimes I add peas and carrots etc. I never thaw my corn or the onion I use, it's frozen as well. And the cheese makes a huge difference in the taste so it's essential!!!

Quinoa salad

1 cup cooked quinoa
diced carrot
diced celery
chopped kale
diced onion
diced cucumber
pressed garlic

Mix together with olive oil and lemon juice - refrigerate.

The smaller you dice the veggies the better. I meant to put broccoli in mine but I forgot.

Tip: soak and rinse your quinoa first - it removes the bitter taste.

Cheesy rice casserole

fresh or frozen chopped spinach, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts
finely diced onion, carrot, celery, or any other vegetable you have laying around
1 stick butter 
½ cup water
pinch of seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 cups cooked rice 
about 5oz shredded sharp cheddar
1 can cream of chicken or celery soup 
¼ cup dry bread crumbs
paprika 

In a medium sized skillet, sauté onions and celery (and whatever else you have) in butter until slightly soft. Add thawed vegetable of your choice, water, seasoned salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add rice, cheese, and soup. Blend all ingredients well. (If you want, you can sprinkle bread crumbs and paprika on the mixture in the skillet, cover, and warm on low heat until you are ready to eat.) 

Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle top with bread crumbs and paprika; bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.

To freeze, I stop before adding bread crumbs and paprika, allow the rice to cool, and put it in a large freezer-safe zip-lock bag, labeled and frozen flat into a sheet so it thaws more quickly. To cook, thaw overnight or during the day, then put it in a baking dish, sprinkle with crumbs and paprika, and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Kale & Swiss Chard pesto

1 bunch kale (can sub. spinach)
1/2 bunch Swiss chard
1-2 garlic scapes or 2-3 cloves garlic
1 small can artichoke hearts
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt & pepper to taste.
approx. 3/4 cup olive oil


Combine all ingredients in a food processor, adding the oil while processing. Process till it's a good pesto consistency, adding more or less olive oil as needed.

Toss pesto w/ pasta, diced tomatos, & feta cheese

(I omitted the artichokes, tomatos & cheese & still enjoyed it.)

Avo-fredo Pasta

10 Campari Tomatoes 
2 Avocados
2 cloves garlic
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Lemon
Parm Cheese
Pasta

Set oven to 300. Lightly olive oil, salt and pepper washed tomatoes, set on baking sheet in oven for 1 hour
About 40 minutes in begin to boil water, salt, add pasta when roaring.
While Pasta is cooking, chop up avocados and garlic, add to food processor with olive oil (usually 3TBSP), juice of 1 lemon and salt and pepper. Process LIBERALLY.
Prior to draining add 1/2 cup water to sauce and process again.
Drain Pasta
Add sauce to pasta in the pot and then add tomatoes. stir together allowing tomatoes to explode and mix in well. 
Sprinkle with cheese.

Potato Salad

15 new red potatoes
1 packet Good Seasons Italian dressing, prepared
1 rib celery, chopped,
2 green onions, chopped
3/4 c mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
Pinch salt

Boil potatoes; drain. Soak (covered) in 1/2 bottle of Good Seasons Italian dressing about 1 hour. Mix in remaining ingredients. Serve immediately (or refrigerate if desired).

St. Basil's Soup

6 tbsp oil of your choice
1 large onion slices
1/2 pound mushrooms sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 carrots sliced
2 quarts water
2 bullion cubes of choice
salt & pepper to taste
chopped parsley

1. Wash & thinly slice vegetables
2. Pour the oil into a soup pot. Add the veggies & saute them lightly for 2-3 minutes , stirring constantly.
3. Add the water & bullion cubes. Cook the soup slowly in a covered pot over low heat for 30 minutes. Add salt & pepper and chopped parsley. Simmer the soup for 10 minutes and serve hot.

My Notes: I add salt & pepper when sauteing the veggies, and then add more at the end if needed. I often skip the parsley, but is is nice. We often serve it with nice bread & a wedge of decent cheese (or can be served with butter for bread if we don't want to buy the cheese that week).

Black Eyed Pea & Coconut Soup

1 cup dried black eyed peas
3 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup long grain rice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup chopped, peeled and seeded tomatoes
2 cups coconut milk
3 cups water
4 teaspoons shredded unsweetened coconut

1. Place the black-eyes peas in a pot of cold water to cover by 4 inches and bring to a boil over high head. Add 1 teaspoon salt and boil until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain, saving one cup of the cooking liquid.
2. Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small pot, then add the rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt and boil until the rice is softened or the water is absorbed. Turn the head off, drain if any liquid is left or set aside if absorbed.
3. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the onion, bell pepper, garam masala, 1 teaspoon salt and cayenne and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the cooked black-eyed peas and reserved 1 cup cooking liquid, the coconut milk and the water and cook until it returns to a bubble, about 10 minutes. Add the cooked rice and 1 teaspoon salt & serve with the shredded coconut on top of each bowl.

My notes: We use a can of diced tomatoes rather than peeling and seeding a bunch ourselves. I am sure some people can taste a difference, but to me if I don't use this can the recipe won't get made. If you don't have garam masala you can google a recipe to make your own since it is just a blend of some spices you may already have, or you can buy it at the store. We also usually skip the shredded coconut, although I have some in the pantry so maybe I will try to remember it when we have this this week...