squash salad

serves 10-12

2 butternut squash, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch thick pieces
1 bag of spinach
1 large shallot (chopped)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (roasted)
1/4 lb ricotta salata (diced small)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

The squash can be roasted ahead of time (1-2 days before) but don't make the spinach/dressing until the day of.

Toss the squash with enough oil to coat and season with salt/pepper. Roast at 400 for ~40-50 mins until the underside is brown and carmelized, remove from pan and set aside.

Saute shallot in 2 tbsp oil, season with salt/pepper, ~5 mins until the shallot softens. Add balsamic vinegar, wisk together and pour/toss over the spinach.

In one bowl layer a little spinach, squash, pumpkin seeds and ricotta salata, and repeat until everything is used up.

Recipe adapted from chow.com

Mulligatawn soup

2 tbsp peanut oil
1/2 of a large onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup mustard seeds
1 tbsp garam masala (seek out "King Kitchen garam masala")
2 tsp tandoori spice
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 can diced tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 lb red lentils
7 cups water (more as needed during cooking, but it should be fairly thick)
1/2 lb potatoes
1 cup of coconut milk
1 granny smith apple (next time use 2), peeled and pureed
1 bunch spinach
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Saute onion and garlic in peanut oil, add in mustard seeds and cook until they start to pop. Mix in ginger, curry powder, garam masala, tandoori, salt, cardamon and cayenne, saute 2-3 minutes, add in tomato and tomato paste, simmer 2-3 mins, add in lentils and water and simmer 40 mins. Add in diced potatoes, and apple and cook until potatoes and lentils are tender ~20-40 mins. Stir in coconut milk, spinach and cilantro. When wilted turn off heat and mix in lemon juice.

Adaped from http://indian.food.com/recipe/mulligatawny-soup-with-lentils-88719?scaleto=12&mode=null&st=true

Middle Eastern rice and beans

(next time have a lemon on the side to mix in)

olive oil
3/4 cup white rice
1/4 of an onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground corriander
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp tumeric

1/2 lb lamb sausage (1 link, remove casing)
1 can black beans (drained)
1 can garbanzo beans (drained)

2 tbsp chopped parsley
greek yogurt

In a little olive oil, saute onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, tumeric and rice ~5 mins. Add 1.5 cups water and cover. Cook until water is absorbed ~15 mins, let sit 5 mins

Saute lamb in a little olive oil, breaking it up into small pieces. Add black beans and garbanzo beans, saute until warm and set aside until rice is done.

Mix rice mixture and lamb/bean mixture together with the parsley and serve with greek yogurt

nectarine cobbler

Serves ~6-7

2 lbs nectarines
4 apricots
1 cup almonds
5 dried dates
1 tbsp agave

Remove core and slice nectarines in large pieces. Puree apricots and agave to make a sauce. Mix sauce with the nectarines and place in serving bowl. Roast almonds and then puree with dates to make a crumble topping. Sprinkle topping over fruit.

Inspired by Ani Phyo

cauliflower "couscous" greek salad

1 head of cauliflower
1 lemon
salt/pepper/olive oil
1/4 cup mint (chopped fairly fine)
1/3 lb feta stuffed olives (~15 or so)

Puree cauliflower in food processor until it looks like couscous. Cut olives into halves, and then halves again (each into 4 pieces). Mix cauliflower, juice of 1 lemon, mint and olives, add salt/pepper/olive oil to taste

Caramel Squares (for Mariam!)

Cookie base:
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour (maybe add up to another 1/4 cup if needed)

(I modified this from 2 recipes and picked the one with less butter but don't remember if I needed more flour, so, add up to 1/4 more flour if it seems like it needs it).

Mix together and press into a 9in square pan, bake at 350F (175C) for 20 mins
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Caramel top:
1/2 cup butter
3/8 cup sugar
2 tbsp honey or corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Cook on low-medium heat 5-7 minutes until it has the color of caramel you desire (and has thickened, but the color is an easy marker)

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Pour caramel on cooled shortbread (I put the shortbread in the freezer while the caramel was cooking and it worked out fine, if it is too hot the caramel will sink the crust)

I put handfuls of chocolate chips on top in a single layer instead of bothering with the layer of chocolate...if you want a smooth top wait 5 mins until the chocolate melts due to the heat of the caramel and smooth it out.

Enjoy!

adapted from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Caramel-Shortbread/Detail.aspx and http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Caramel-Shortbread-Squares/Detail.aspx

corn chowder (without heavy cream/milk)

4 servings

1 can corn kernals
1 package soft silken tofu
2 slices bacon (diced)
1/2 onion (diced)
1 clove garlic (minced)
3 cups chicken broth
1 large potato
1/2 can diced tomatoes (or use 1 cup fresh if you don't want the chowder to be pink)
1/3 cup monterey jack cheese (shredded)

Puree 3/4 of the corn kernals and the tofu in a food processor and set aside. Saute bacon in a soup pot until crispy, remove bacon from pan but leave the drippings. In the bacon grease, saute onion 2-3 mins, add garlic, saute 1 minute and then cover and let the onion/garlic cook ~5-8 mins until softened. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth, bring to a simmer and add potatoes. Cook ~15 mins until the potatoes are cooked, stir in the corn/tofu puree and bring to a simmer. Stir in remaining corn kernals and monterey jack cheese. Sprinkle bacon bits in each serving.

Inspired by the Culinary Inst of America Best of cookbook.

green enchiladas w/ chicken, kale and tofu

6 medium-large tortillas (substitute corn tortillas if you like, probably 12)

olive oil
1/2 of a large onion (diced)
1 clove garlic (diced)
1 bunch kale (remove stems and chop)
1 package of firm tofu (drained)
1 cup precooked, shredded, chicken
10-ish tomatillos (a little less than 1 lb), skin removed, cut in half
3 scallions (chopped large)
1/2 of a bunch of cilantro
2-3 tbsp canned, diced, green chilis
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
6 oz monterey jack cheese (shredded)

Saute onion in a little olive oil 2-3 mins, add garlic, saute until fragrant (~1 min), add kale, cover and let cook 5-10 mins (while you prep & prepare sauce) until tender. In a food processor or blender puree the tomatillos, scallions, cilantro, green chilis, cumin and coriander and set aside. When kale has wilted, remove from heat and let cool. Stir in chicken and crumble in the tofu. Spoon ~1/3 of the green sauce in the bottom of an 8x8 inch pan, take a tortilla and fill with the kale/chicken/tofu mixture, roll up and then roll in the sauce in the bottom of the pan, and place seam side down. Continue with other tortillas. Pour remaining sauce overtop, top with the cheese. Bake 375 15-20 mins to brown the cheese.

This can be made in advance and refridgerated, place in 375 degree oven ~30 mins to reheat.

Inspired by The Culinary Inst of America best of cookbook