Spicy Green Been Salad

Spicy Green Bean or Asparagus Salad
(original recipe calls for asparagus)
from Natalie DuPree Cooks Great Meals for Busy Days

3 green onions, chopped
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp oriental sesame oil
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled & chopped
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp chili oil (maybe start with a 1/4 tsp)
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes (start with a 1/4 tsp)
2 lbs asparagus (peeled) or green beans (tips removed) and blanched

In a small bowl combine the green onions, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, oriental sesame oil, olive oil, garlic, sugar, chili oil, and red pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly and pour over blanched vegetables. Chill at least 2 hours before serving. Serves 4-6.

Mom's Notes: I always want more marinade than they tell you because if you do this amount of marinade it will not cover the beans and I think everything should be covered. Now the last time I made them they were not a hit and I was surprised because I had let them marinate too long and people didn't like them. Maybe I marinated them for 5 days or something and I thought 3 days would be better. But again this is something you need to experiment with, take notes on, and decide how you like it.

Asiago Sweet Potatoes

Another Fresh365online.com recipe, which means it's easy, tasty, and vegetarian. I like it with Asiago, but I've also had good results with Pecorino Romano. I've also used shallots in place of onions when that's all I had, and dried thyme in place of fresh, for the same reason. I do a little less olive oil than the recipe calls for--with all that cheese, you can get away with it.

Asiago Sweet Potatoes

serves 4

4 T olive oil
2 T fresh thyme leaves
2 medium sweet potatoes (or 1 1/2 large), sliced thin
2 small onions, sliced thin
2 c grated Asiago cheese

Preheat oven to 400F. In a casserole dish, drizzle 2 T olive oil, and sprinkle 1 T thyme. Layer sweet potato slices, slightly overlapping, followed by onions. Sprinkle with a handful of Asiago. Repeat, layering sweet potatoes, onion, and Asiago, until no ingredients remain, about 5-7 layers total. Drizzle with 2 T olive oil and sprinkle with 1 T thyme.

Transfer to oven, and bake until potatoes are cooked through, and cheese is brown and bubbling, about 45 minutes.

Oatmeal Carrot Muffins

These muffins rock.  Our whole family (including Benjamin) devours them.  I modify the recipe a bit: add a grated zucchini and a grated apple (with water pressed out) and a scant 1/3 C ground flaxseed.  I also pass on the white flour and either do all wheat or 1/2 wheat 1/2 spelt.  If your vegetables are big or too watery, add a little more flour or oats.

OATMEAL CARROT MUFFINS

Printed from COOKS.COM

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1/2 c. oil
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. grated carrots
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. flour
1 c. rolled oats
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Nuts, as desired

Combine oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla and carrots. Mix well. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients. Stir into first mixture. Add nuts. Spoon batter into muffin papers in muffin tins. Bake in 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Slow-Baked Caramelized Tomatoes

This is a great, easy thing to do if you've got extra tomatoes lying around.  It's best with fresh-from-the-garden summertime tomatoes, but it also is a nice thing to do if you end up with some less-than-stellar tomatoes that you don't know what else to do with.  They keep well in the fridge, so if you don't eat them all, you can chop some up and add them to some hot pasta and toss with a little fresh basil, parsley, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic...you get the picture.

4 large tomatoes, halved
3 cloves garlic, minced (not pressed)
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Place tomato halves cut-side up in a large non-stick baking dish in a single layer, with plenty of space around each one.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours.

Combine all ingredients in small bowl; remove dish from oven, and using a spoon or pastry brush, coat tomatoes with mixture.  Return to oven and bake until very soft and caramelized, almost collapsed--approx. 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Credit: Crescent Dragonwagon's "Passionate Vegetarian" cookbook, page 816-817

Copper Pennies (Lion House Cookbook)

1 can tomato soup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup salad oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
4 pounds carrots, sliced and cooked
1 large onion, cut into thin rings
1 large green pepper, diced

Combine soup, sugar, vinegar, oil, salt and mustard in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Pour the hot dressing over carrots, onion, and green pepper.  Marinate 24 hours.  Serve hot or cold.  Salad will keep up to two weeks in refrigerator.  Makes 12-16 servings.

Glazed Broccoli with Almonds

Glazed Broccoli with Almonds (from the Lion House Cookbook), serves 6-8

2 lbs broccoli
1/2 t salt
1 chicken boullion cube
3/4 C hot water
1/4 C margarine
1/4 C flour
1 C light cream (half & half)
2 T lemon juice
pepper to taste
1/4 C grated parmesan cheese
1/4 C slivered blanched almonds

(I know mom quadruples the sauce.  I usually do it as the recipe calls for it.  I doubled it for Thanksgiving to appease Mom, but it wasn't enough sauce for either her or Maren.  So you decide how you want to do it.)

Preheat oven to 375.  Grease a 9x9 pan.  Cook broccoli, arrange in pan.  While broccoli is cooking, prepare sauce.  Dissolve boullion cube in hot water.  Melt margarine in pan, blend in flour.  Gradually stir in cream and boullion; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Taste to correct seasoning.  Pour sauce over broccoli.  Sprinkle with cheese and almonds.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

-Shelley