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.