#262 pumpkin, apple, chicken shepards pie

1 small pie pumpkin (~1.5 lbs), seeded, skinned and diced
1/4 of an onion (diced)
2 apple cinnamon/nutmeg chicken sausages (~1/2 lb)
2 potatoes (diced)
sour cream
butter
salt/pepper
cinnamon
nutmeg

Saute onion in olive oil 2-3 mins, add pumpkin and saute until tender ~5-7 mins. Remove sausages from casing and add to pan. Saute until chicken is cooked. Meanwhile boil potatoes until tender, and then mash in potato ricer. Add sour cream, butter, salt/pepper, 2 pinches of cinnamon and 1 pinch nutmeg to pototoes. Once chicken is cooked place mixture in loaf pan, top with mashed potatoes. Can refrigerate for later, or bake in oven ~10 mins to brown the top.

#261 carmel coconut bars

base
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup finely shredded coconut
2/3 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
6 tbsp melted butter
1 egg

topping
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp honey
1 can (394 grams) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup (or more) chocolate chips

Combine base ingredients and spread in the bottom of a greased pan. Bake at 350 ~12 mins until set and brown, remove and let cool ~10 mins while making topping. Melt butter, honey and milk in a sauce pan and cook, stirring, for ~10 mins until thickened. Pour on top of base and cook another 10 mins until the outer edge of topping is brown. Sprinkle on chocolate chips and let cool completely before cutting.

recipe (with pictures) adapted from http://www.exclusivelyfood.com.au/2006/07/chocolate-caramel-slice-recipe.html

#260 lamb bolognese

1/2 lb ground lamb
1/2 of a large onion (diced)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 carrot (sliced thin)
1 small yellow squash (jullienne)
2-3 tbsp red wine
2 tbsp worcheshire sauce
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp fresh rosemerry and oregano
~1 tsp salt
few shakes of red pepper flakes
~3/4 of a 14 oz can of tomato sauce
1/2 lb pasta

Saute onion in olive oil 2-3 mins, add garlic and heat until fragrant. Add lamb and crumble/stir, add carrot and squash, cook until lamb is no longer pink. Add worcheshire, tomato paste, wine, rosemerry, oregano, red pepper flakes and sauce. Add salt to taste. Simmer ~10 mins. Boil water/cook pasta and serve.

#259 honey peanut butter popcorn

3 tbsp unpopped popcorn
~3 large spoonfuls honey
~2 large spoonfuls peanut butter

Pop corn without butter/oil in a pan or in a bag in the microwave. Heat honey and peanut butter until smooth (be careful not to burn peanut butter), add more honey/butter to make a thick but not-too-thick sauce, pour over popped corn and mix throughly. As it cools the mixture will harden but you can also bake in an oven 10 mins.

adapted from recipezaar

#258 succotash

1 pint lima beans (shucked)
1 large ear of corn (cut kernels off the cob)
1.5 tbsp butter
salt&pepper

Saute lima beans 4-5 mins in butter, add corn and saute ~5 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste

#257 drunken noodles

2 frozen chickent tenders
1/2 of a red pepper (sliced thin)
1 can baby corn
5 tbsp tamari sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 handfuls fresh basil
2 tbsp canola oil
1/3 of a bag of egg noodles
2 large garlic cloves (minced)
1 thai chili (use 3-4 next time, this wasn't spicy at all)

Boil egg noodles, drain and set aside. Simmer chicken until cooked through, drain and shred with 2 forks. Add garlic and chili and saute 30 sec. Add tamari and fish sauce, add chicken and baby corn and saute a min. Add egg nooles and stir to coat/reheat. Add red pepper and stir in basil.

adapted from epicurious

#256 rum molten chocolate cakes

see recipe #256, add 4 tbsp rum to the whole batch, or 2 tbsp for half batch. Bake an extra minute or so

#255 molten chocolate cupcakes

8 oz dark chocolate (70% dark)
1/2 cup sugar
5 eggs
1 cup butter
4 tsp flour

Melt chocolate and butter in microwave and mix until completely blended. Meanwhile, with a hand mixer, mix eggs and sugar until sugar dissolves (~2 mins). Add eggs to chocolate mixture and blend. Add flour, pour into cupcake molds. Bake ~5-6 mins until cakes just puff (10 mins is too long).

recipe from allrecipes

#254 cherry almond muffins

1 cup white flour
1 cup white wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
4 tbsp butter (melted)
1 egg
~1/2 cup almonds
~1/2 cup frozen cherries (quartered)

Mix dry ingredients, add wet ingredients, mix well and add almonds and cherries. Bake at 350 ~20 mins.

#253 chorizo & white bean pasta

4 oz chorizo (the dried spanish kind) (diced small)
1/4 of an onion (diced)
2 large garlic cloves (minced)
1 tbsp butter
1/2 lb capanelli pasta (very thin-like angel hair)
3 cups chicken stock
1 can white beans (drained)
1/2 cup chopped almonds

Saute onion 2-3 mins in a bit of oil, add garlic and heat until fragrant. Add butter and melt, add pasta (break into 2 inch long pieces) and saute in butter 3-4 mins to toast. Add chicken stock, chorizo and beans and simmer/boil until all liquid is absorbed. Stir in almonds and serve

adapted from epicurious.com

#252 lamb stuffed eggplant

1/3 lb ground lamb
handful cilantro (chopped)
1/4 of a large onion (diced)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/2 of a red pepper (diced)
1 egg
2 baby eggplant
~1/4 cup bread crumbs

Scoop insides out of eggplant. Cook eggplant shells in water ~2 mins, remove, drain and place in baking pan (coat bottom of pan with oil). Chop eggplant inners and add with onion to a saute pan. Saute 2-3 mins, add garlic, lamb and saute everything until lamb is just cooked through, add pepper, cilantro, bread crumbs and egg, mix well and scoop into eggplant shells. Bake in oven ~20 mins until brown.

#251 cilantro rice

1/2 cup rice
1 cup water
big handful fresh cilantro (chopped)
1/2 tbsp butter

Cook rice and when finished add cilantro and butter

#250 subji

1/2 inch ginger (minced)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
3 med potatoes (diced small)
1 head cauliflower (diced small)
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
3 tbsp fresh cilantro
1 tsp salt
2 med tomatoes (diced)
4 tbsp canola oil

Heat canola oil until hot, add ginger, cumin seeds and mustard seeds and fry until mustard pops (~5 mins total). Add cauliflower and potato and cook ~5 mins, add remaining ingredients (only half of the cilantro) and mix together. Cook ~45 mins on very low heat. Add remaining cilantro and eat with poori

Thanks Nikki-see her site for pictures and more detailed explanation http://frontierdreams.blogspot.com/2008/09/much-requested-subji-and-poori-recipe.html

#249 poori

1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup white wheat flour
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp salt
~1/2 cup warm water

Mix flours, salt and oil together, add enough water to knead into a dough, knead a few minutes and let rest 30 mins. Fry in oil, ~2 mins each. (makes 9, can double recipe)

#248 sun dried tomato sauce

~10 sun dried tomatoes
handful basil
1 container silken tofu

Reconstitute tomatoes in 1-2 tbsp boiling water until skins are soft ~5 mins. Add tomatoes, basil and tofu to blender and blend until smooth. Serve over pan-grilled bluefish and rice (or pasta)

#247 turnip mashed potatoes

1 med turnip (diced)
3 small potatoes (diced)
(about 2/3 potato, 1/3 turnip)
2 tsp butter
2 tbsp sour cream

Boil turnip and potato in water until soft ~15 mins, mash in potato ricer, add butter and cream and mix together

#246 maitake & pom pom mushrooms

4 oz maitake mushrooms (chopped big)
4 oz pom pom mushrooms (chopped big)
1 clove garlic (minced)
2 tsp sour cream

Heat olive oil in pan and add garlic, heat until fragrant and add mushrooms. Saute ~5 mins, stir in cream and serve.

#245 molasses, oatmeal, choc chip muffins

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup choc chips
1/2 cup walnuts
2/3 cup milk

Mix together oats, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and then add egg, molasses and milk and blend. Mixture was fairly thin for muffin mix so let sit ~5 mins so oats can soak up some milk. Add walnuts and chocolate and bake in muffin tins ~20 mins at 350

adapted from recipezaar

#244 sundried dehydrated tomatoes

dozen or so plum tomatoes

Cut tomatoes lengthwise and open like a book. Remove seeds (if desired) and place in food dehydrater until pulp is dry and tomatoes are soft and leathery (not brittle and dried out) (about 24 hrs in dehydrator)

#243 chorizo lentil soup

~10 inches dried spanish chorizo (slice thin)
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup lentils
salt

Combine everything and simmer until lentils are done. Add salt to taste and more water as needed to reach desired consistency

#242 honey popcorn

3 tbsp unpopped popcorn
1/4 cup honey
1.5 tbsp butter

Pop poppcorn with no butter/oil. Heat honey and butter to combine and pour over popped popcorn, mix well and bake at 350 ~10 mins, let cool ~5 mins before eating

recipe adapted from recipezaar

#241 sun dried tomato & spinach pasta

~10 sun dried tomatoes
~1/3 lb spinach
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 cup chicken stock
2 strips bacon
parmasean cheese
1/2 lb pasta

Boil chicken stock, take off heat and add tomatoes and let steep ~15 mins. Meanwhile, boil water and cook pasta. Cook bacon in a saucepan, remove when crispy and add garlic to the rendered fat, saute ~30 secs and add spinach to wilt. Remove tomatoes from stock, chop and add to the spinach mixture with stock. When pasta is done (cook it aldente so it absorbs the chicken stock), add it to the sauce pan and let sit ~5 mins so stock absorbs. Serve with cheese and bacon.

adapted from recipezaar

#240 quick chicken pot pie

2 frozen chicken tenders
1 carrot (sliced thin)
1/4 of an onion (diced)
1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp chicken stock
salt/pepper
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp flour
1 tbsp butter

topping:
1/2 cup jiffy mix
~2 tbsp milk

Boil chicken and carrot in water until chicken is cooked (about the time to do everything else ~10 mins), meanwhile saute onion in butter until translucent, then add flour, salt and pepper and stir ~30 mins, add milk/stock and simmer until thickened ~2 mins, take off heat. Mix jiffy and milk knead into a ball, press out to the size of the baking pan (4x8 in jelly roll type pan). Remove chicken from water and shred with 2 forks, place in bottom of pan, add carrots and then pour over the thickened sauce. Top with the jiffy-roll mixture and bake ~15 mins at 425 until top is brown.

adapted from recipezaar

#239 chicken salad

2 chicken tenders, cooked and diced
3/4 of a cucumber (diced)
~1/4 cup cherry tomatoes (diced)
~1/4 cup walnuts (chopped)
1.5 banana peppers (diced)
handfull of fresh basil, minced
few tbsp mayonaise

Mix everything together and serve on crusty bread

#238 quick garden salad

cucumber (chopped)
cherry tomatoes (chopped)
banana peppers (chopped)
any other leftover veggies

Combine and mix with olive oil, apple cidar vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, fresh basil, salt, pepper and italian seasoning

#237 fried pastrami sandwich

1/4 lb sliced beef pastrami
sour dough bread

Heat slices of pastrami in a frying pan with no oil in a single layer (like your cooking bacon) ~5 mins until the pastrami shrinks and crisps up and serve with good bread and any condiments of your choice

#236 fresh figs, prosciutto & walnuts

fresh figs, halved or quarted
~1/5 lb prosciutto
handful chopped walnuts

Wrap fig and walnut with prosciutto and enjoy

#235 peanut butter & choc. chip muffins

1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat white flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
4 tbsp butter (melted)
1 egg
1 cup milk
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup choc chips

Mix flours, baking powder, sugar and then add butter, egg and milk, stir until just combined and add peanut butter and chips. Bake at 350 ~20 mins