Olive pasta

From Make the Bread, Buy the Butter 1/2 C olive oil 1 onion, minced 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 4 garlic cloves, minced 15-oz can chopped tomatoes, drained 1 C drained olives 2 T capers 1 T red wine vinegar 2 tsp dried oregano pinch of sugar salt to taste 1 pound fusilli 1 C parmesan Heat oil, onion, red pepper flakes, and garlic until onion is softened but not browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, olives, capers, vinegar, oregano, and sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes over low heat. Cook and drain pasta and pour into the hot sauce. Stir for 1 minute. Add cheese, salt, and pepper. Serve.

Potato peanut curry

2 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 can tomatoes
2 C water
1/2 t salt

4 T oil
4 T tahini
4 T peanut butter
2 t cayenne
8 cloves garlic
1 t turmeric

Bring the first four ingredients to a gentle boil together.
Mix the last six ingredients in a bowl and heat in a microwave for a few minutes until it is fragrant.
Mix everything together and cook until the potatoes are tender.

Bonkers Chicken

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chef-johns-caramel-chicken/

Caramel Popcorn

2 C brown sugar
1/2 C butter
1/2 C cream or milk
1/2 t vanilla
1 C popcorn, popped

Boil the first four ingredients together, then mix with the popped popcorn. Bake at 250 degrees for 20 minutes, stirring once.

Brownies made with cocoa

3/4 C butter
1 1/2 C sugar
2 t vanilla
3 eggs
3/4 C flour
1/2 C cocoa powder
1 t baking powder

Melt butter. Beat eggs with sugar, then add vanilla, flour, cocoa, baking powder, and melted butter. Pour into greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Breakfast bake

1 lb sausage cooked
10 eggs
4 T sour cream
1/2 C flour
1/2 t baking powder
3 T butter
salt
3/4 C cheese
sliced tomatoes

Mix first seven ingredients and any other vegetables you want to include. Sprinkle cheese and set tomato slices on top. Bake a 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

No Bake Cookies

2 C sugar
1/2 C butter
1/2 C milk
3 C oats
4 T cocoa
1 C coconut
1/2 C nuts
1 t vanilla

Mix sugar, butter, and milk and boil. Mix the rest of the ingredients together and pour the boiling mixture over it. Mix, roll into balls, and refrigerate.

Shrimp Pad Thai

(adapted from The Joy of Cooking)

Shrimp (shelled), about ½ lb (or more if you’re feeling generous) mixed with 1 t cornstarch and 1 t sesame oil, marinated for 15-20 minutes
1 lb angel hair pasta (or rice stick noodles if you like)
½ cup roughly chopped scallions
2 T finely minced garlic

Mix together:
¼ cup Thai fish sauce
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3 T sugar

3 eggs, scrambled
½ cup cilantro leaves
1/3 cup peanuts
1 cup bean sprouts
Fresh basil
½ t dried chili flakes

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.

Heat a few tablespoons of peanut or canola oil in a dutch oven. Cook the shrimp for a few minutes until it’s pink, then remove the shrimp and set aside on a plate.

Add a bit more oil if you need to, then cook the scrambled eggs until they are set. Remove the eggs from the pot and set aside with the shrimp.

Add a bit more oil if you need to, then add the scallions and garlic. Stir for about one minute.

Add the noodles and stir to coat well.
Add the fish sauce mixture. Stir well.
Add the shrimp and eggs and the remaining ingredients, stir well, and serve hot.

Dal

In a large saucepan put:
• 1 cup yellow split peas or red lentils
• 2 cups water
• 1 small onion, sliced
• ¾ teaspoon minced garlic
• ¾ teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Simmer, covered, until the split peas are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Puree through a food mill or food processor (or just mash it the best you can with a wooden spoon) and return to saucepan. Stir in:
• 1 cup water
• ¾ teaspoon salt

Simmer, partially covered, until the dal is thickened to the consistency of split pea soup, about 20 minutes. Stir in:
• 1 or two fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and cut into thirds
• 1 plum tomato, diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Serve with basmati rice.

Lentil Soup

3 T olive oil
3 medium carrots, diced
3 medium celery stalks, diced
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups water
2 cups lentils
1 15-oz can tomatoes
1 t dried thyme
1 1/2 t balsamic vinegar
2 t salt

Cook carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in the olive oil until tender, about five to ten minutes. Stir in water, lentils, tomatoes, and thyme, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat. Simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30-45 minutes. Stir in the salt and vinegar, and serve.

Christmas Mix (aka Christmas Crack)

2 cups each Cheerios, Rice Chex, Crispex, Kix
12 oz bag holiday M&Ms
10 oz bag pretzel sticks broken in half
1.5 lb white chocolate

Melt white chocolate, pour over other ingredients, mix, spread out to cool.

Clam Chowder

1 cup chopped onion
3 cups diced potatoes
1 bottle (8 ounces) clam juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cans (approximately 7 ounces each) minced clams
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk

Preparation:
Sauté onion in some butter until softened. Add potatoes and clam juice, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat. Add minced clams with their liquid. Whisk flour into milk; add to chowder with half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until clam chowder thickens and bubbles, or about 3 minutes.

Black Beans and Rice

2 cups cooked black beans
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes (with chilies is good) or some salsa
1 1/2 cup rice (I always use brown)
2 3/4 cups water

Mix together in a rice cooker, and let it cook. When it's done, eat with sour cream or plain yogurt, lime wedges, tortilla chips, cilantro, and avocado. It always surprises me how good this is.

Raw Cranberry Relish

1 navel orange
1/2 cup sugar
1 12-oz bag cranberries

Cut orange into wedges (keep the skin on). Place in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Add the cranberries and sugar and pulse until finely chopped but not pureed. Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

Butternut Squash Couscous

1 small butternut squash
Olive oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup couscous
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons cilantro
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Peel butternut squash, scoop out the seeds, and cut the meat of the squash into tiny cubes. Toss squash with olive oil and bake for approximately 15 minutes. Remove from oven and add the onions and garlic. Toss together, return to oven, and bake for about five minutes more, or until the squash is tender.

In a saucepan, place the chicken broth, chili powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon; bring to a boil. Add the peas, reduce to medium heat, and cook for 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in couscous, soy sauce, and squash mixture. Cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Uncover, add raisins, cilantro, and pumpkin seeds. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Conference Cinnamon Rolls

1 cup warm milk
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup melted butter
4 1/2 cups flour
1 t salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 t yeast

1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1/8 t salt

Place first seven ingredients in bread machine, select dough cycle, and start. When it finishes rising, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough as tightly as you can and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together remaining ingredients. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Middle Eastern Rice and Lentils

1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 T olive oil
1 cup brown rice
1 T tomato paste
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 cup lentils
1 t salt
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, slivered almonds, or pine nuts

In a large saucepan, sautee the onion in the oil until soft. Add the rice and cook and stir for a few minutes until it is toasted. Add the water, tomato paste, cinnamon, and lentils. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir the salt, raisins, and nuts into the rice. It should still be a little watery, add 1/4 cup water if it's dry. Place in a greased 9x13 pan, cover with foil, and bake for another 20-30 minutes. Serve with a salad.

Tortilla Soup

1 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 t chili powder
2 cans diced tomatoes with juice
3-4 cups cooked black beans
1 can chicken broth
1 package frozen corn
1 cup crushed tortilla chips
1 T fresh lime juice
sour cream

Heat oil, cook garlic and chili powder until fragrant, about one minute. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, corn, 1 cup water, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add tortilla chips and cook about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. Serve with more chips, extra lime juice, and a dollop of sour cream.

Split Pea Soup

2 cups split peas
2 cups ham
3 medium carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 t sugar
1/4 cup parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
6 cups hot water
salt and pepper to taste

Add ingredients in order given to crock pot. Do not stir. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4-5 hours. Serve with corn bread.

Pizza dough

1 1/2 cup warm water
2 T olive oil
4 1/4 cup flour (I use whole wheat)
2 t salt
2 t sugar
2 t yeast

Mix all ingredients on dough cycle in bread machine. Makes two pizza crusts.