Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Ginger's Pasta



Ingredients:
24 oz frozen ravioli
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (NOT drained)
6.5 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts
1 TBSP olive oil
3 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 TBSP parmesan cheese

Cook ravioli, being careful not to split the pasta.

In a large, non-stick skillet, heat 1 TBSP oil over medium heat; add tomatoes, artichokes, garlic and seasonings. Cook 2-3 minutes until vegetables are warmed.

Drain pasta well. Add to vegetables and stir gently.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and pass extra cheese at the table.

adapted from Carla's Eden's Harvest blog
The original recipe used fresh tomatoes, which I use when I have them in the garden. Most of the time, I substitute the canned tomatoes as above.
find Ginger
here


not sure on servings, it feeds our family of 2 adults and 4 kids with a little left over
time: about 15 minutes

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Samosas



Dough:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk or yogurt
extra flour, as needed

1. Place flour in a medium-sized bowl. Mix in the salt.
2. Make a well in the center, and add the buttermilk or yogurt. Mix first with a spoon and then with your hand, to make a smooth dough.
3. Add extra flour, as needed, to keep dough from being sticky. Knead in the bowl for about 5 minutes. Cover tightly and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the pastries.

Filling:
2 large potatoes
1 TBSP butter
1 TBSP dried minced onion
2 medium cloves garlic
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. dried coriander
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas
2 TBSP lemon juice
cayenne, to taste

1. Peel the potatoes and chop them into 1-inch pieces. Place in a saucepan, cover with water, and boil until very soft. Drain and transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Mash and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Add onion, garlic, ginger, mustard seed, coriander, and salt. Saute over medium heat for a minute or two. Add this to the mashed potatoes, along with the remaining ingredients. Mix well, but try not to smash the peas. Cool for at least 15 minutes before filling the pastries.

Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
3 TBSP brown sugar
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt

1. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
2. Heat to boiling, then let simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. It will reduce slightly
3. Serve warm or at room temperature with hot Samosas.

To Assemble and Bake:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously oil a baking sheet.
2. Keep a small container of flour, a fork, a small bowl of water, and a pastry brush close at hand. Flour a clean surface, and, one by one, roll 1-inch balls of dough into 5-inch circles, using a rolling pin.
3. Place approx. 1 1/2 TBSP filling in the center of each circle, and fold over, just like a turnover. Brush the inside edges of each circle with a little water, and fold the edges together to make a small hem. Crimp the edges firmly with the fork.
4. Place the Samosas on the oiled baking sheet. Brush the tops with oil. Bake for about 25 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking time.
5. Serve warm with dipping sauce.

1 1/2 hours to prepare, 25 minutes to bake.
Yield: 15 or 16 medium sized pastries
from The New Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen

Monday, October 27, 2008

Lazy Lasagna

1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup cottage cheese
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cups cooked wide noodles (any variety)
4 TBSP grated parmesan cheese

Warm spaghetti sauce in a large pan on the stove.
Stir in the cottage and mozzarella cheeses.
Fold in the cooked noodles.
Pour all into a casserole dish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Bake uncovered in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

From a Fox 13 cooking show on 26 January 2005
Christine Robinson - cooking expert

Zippy Mexican Salad

2 cups (8 oz) uncooked macaroni
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup cili sauce or taco sauce
2 TBSP vinegar
1 to 2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion salt
4 to 5 drops hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 cups (14 oz can) red kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup sliced pitted ripe olives
1/4 cup sliced green onion

Cook pasta according to package directions: drain. Rinse with cold water to cool quickly; drain well. Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine mayonnaise, chili sauce, vinegar, chili powder, onion salt, and hot pepper sauce. Add cooled pasta and remaining ingredients: blend well. Cover; refrigerate.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Start to Finish: 25 minutes + chilling time

From American Beauty Elbo-roni package

What's for Dinner?

Over the last year or so, after studying the Word of Wisdom and reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, we decided to limit meat in our family's diet. Our current goal is to eat meat no more than once a week.

I'm continually searching cookbooks, magazines, and the internet for new recipes. This blog will hopefully be a place where I can keep track of them.