potato salad-no mayo!

1 lb potato (diced, boiled until cooked through, cooled to room temp)
1 avocado
1 lime
~1/2 of a medium cucumber (diced)
1 small tomato (diced)
jalepeno to taste
salt to taste

Puree avocado, jalepeno and lime juice in a food processor until completely smooth.  Add salt to taste (~1/2 to 1 tsp).  Mix with the potato, cucumber and tomato.  Serve/eat within a few hours (before the avocado browns)

adapted from theppk.com

orange juice jello

1 cup cold orange juice
3 cups hot orange juice (heat to boil)
4 unflavored gelatin pouches
optional sugar to taste
optional frozen fruit (1 bag)

Sprinkle gelatin over 1 cup cold juice and set aside.  Bring 3 cups juice to a boil, then add in gelatin/cold juice.  Stir to completely dissolve.  Let cool 20-30 mins at room temperature, add in any additional fruit and then pour into desired containers.

I later pressed the jello through a potato ricer to improve the texture.

eggs cooked in tomatoes

olive oil
1/2 of a medium onion
2 cloves garlic
2.5 cups diced tomato (I used canned, would have been better with fresh)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
cayenne to taste
4 eggs

Saute onion until translucent, add garlic and cook another ~30 sec.  Add tomato, cumin, paprika, salt and cayenne and cook until fairly thick and juice is boiled off (~10 mins uncovered), make 4 divets in the tomato and crack an egg in each one.  Cover and cook until firm.

adapted from all recipes.com

Quinoa and black bean salad

1 tsp oil
1/2 med onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup quinoa
1.5 cups water
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayanne pepper
salt/pepper
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1.5 cups black beans (or 1 can, drained)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Saute onion in oil, add garlic and sauté another 30 sec.  Add quinoa, water, cumin and cayenne.  Bring to a boil and simmer until done ~20 mins.  Stir in corn and black beans, heat through, mix in cilantro.

Adapted from all recipes.com

cranberry rum

1 cup rum

1.5 cups frozen cranberries

1/2 cup sugar

Combine rum and sugar and mix well. Puree cranberries in food processor, mix with rum and sugar. Let sit for 2 weeks, mixing everyday. Strain and drink.

lamb orzo spinach mediterranean salad

1 lb ground lamb

1 cup uncooked orzo

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 tbsp ground coriander

4 cups fresh spinach (chopped)

2 tomatoes (seeded and chopped)

1/2 lemon (juice and zest)

1 tbsp chopped mint

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1 cup crumbled feta

Mix together spinach, tomato, mint, green onions and feta. Cook pasta, drain and mix with spinach mixture. Cook lamb with garlic and salt, mix with spinach mixture. Toss with lemon juice/zest and feta

adapted from all recipes.com

mac and cheese-easy!

8 oz egg noodles

1 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1 egg

1.5 cups cheddar cheese (a good tasty brand, or else the end dish will be bland)

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp salt

1.5 tbsp butter (melted)

Preheat oven to 350. Bring water to boil, meanwhile mix/shred above ingredients EXCEPT 3/4 cup cheddar cheese. Cook egg noodles until al dente (3ish mins), drain and add to mixture. Pour into 8x8 inch pan, top with cheese. Cover with foil and bake 25 mins. Remove foil and bake 10 mins.

adapted from all recipes.com