Black Bean and Goat Cheese Torta

Again, no picture :( but they are good.
Just make 'em and trust me!


2 15 oz cans black beans, drained
3 T ground cumin
1/4 t fresh pepper
12 oz feta (goat cheese)
1 cup salsa
15 large tortillas
3 c shredded white cheddar or monterey Jack
olive oil
chili powder

Place beans, cumin and pepper into food processor and process until smooth. Add goat cheese and salsa and blend until just mixed. Arrange 5 tortillas on your work surface. Spread a layer of about 1/4 c of the bean puree and shredded cheese on 4 tortillas, layer them and put the 5th tortilla on top. Brush top with olive oil and sprinkle with chili powder. Bake at 475 until tops are browned and crisp. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa and sour cream.
these refrigerate well, re-heat well and last well in the fridge.

Fresh Taco Wraps

I am sorry there wasn't a picture. I just made these and they are TASTY!

A great hot day meal.

Makes 8 / These fresh tacos are filled with a delicious rich “cheeze” made of cashews and cilantro, and topped with a crumbled nut “meat” of heart-healthy walnuts and spices. The cheeze keeps for three or four days in the fridge and the meat for up to a week. Ingredient tip: I use cashews from Navitas Naturals, which I think are the biggest and freshest truly raw cashews available. Serving tips: Scoop the cashew mixture on top of a salad, or serve as a dip with sliced carrots and cucumbers. The walnut mixture also is great sprinkled over a salad or on soup.

Cashew-Cilantro “Cheeze” (makes 1 cup)

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, about 2 cloves

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup raw cashews

2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed

1/4 cup filtered water

Ground Walnut Taco “Meat” (makes 1 cup)

1 cup raw walnuts

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon liquid aminos, such as Bragg’s Essential Amino Acids, or soy sauce

Pinch of sea salt, to taste

8 small-to-medium romaine leaves

1/2 cup natural low-sodium salsa, any flavor

1 avocado, pitted and sliced

1. To make cheeze: Place garlic and salt in a food processor; process into small pieces. Add cashews and process into paste. Add lemon juice, cilantro, and water; process to mix well. Set aside.

2. To make meat: Place walnuts, cumin, coriander, liquid aminos, and salt in a food processor. Process into small pieces until the mixture looks like ground meat; be careful not to overprocess into a butter.

3. Scoop 2 tablespoons cashew mixture down the inside spine of each romaine leaf. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons walnut mixture. Add salsa and avocado slices. Wrap and serve.

PER SERVING (1 taco): 228 cal, 72% fat cal, 20g fat, 3g sat fat, 0mg chol, 6g protein, 12g carb, 4g fiber, 229mg sodium

Rustic Farro Soup with Sausage and Mushrooms

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• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, coarsely chopped (white, cremini, shiitake, oyster, etc.)
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, with their liquid
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 1/2 cups beef broth
• 2 1/2 cups mushroom broth
• Crushed red pepper to taste (optional)
• 7 ounces uncooked farro, rinsed and soaked for several hours or overnight
• 1/2 pound escarole, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped thyme
• Grated Parmesan cheese

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Serves 4 to 6

This fragrant soup, with a foundation of vitamin-rich farro grain, will both satisfy your appetite and warm you up on a chilly winter day. The full flavors of Italian sausage and mushrooms combine with carrots, celery, escarole and onions for a truly hearty meal. This rare grain can easily be substituted with spelt, another ancient form of wheat that is more readily available.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1/2 pound Italian sausage, cut into small pieces
1/2 pound mushrooms, coarsely chopped (white, cremini, shiitake, oyster, etc.)
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 cup dry red wine
2 1/2 cups beef broth
2 1/2 cups mushroom broth
Crushed red pepper to taste (optional)
7 ounces uncooked farro, rinsed and soaked for several hours or overnight
1/2 pound escarole, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons chopped thyme
Grated Parmesan cheese

Method

In a soup pot, heat 1/4 cup of the oil over medium high heat, then add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic and cook until onions become translucent. Add sausage. When it starts to brown, add mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring occasionally. When mushrooms have released most of their liquid, add tomatoes, wine, broths, crushed red pepper and farro. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until farro is almost tender, about 45 to 60 minutes. (You can add more liquid if a thinner soup is desired.) Add escarole, salt and pepper. Simmer for approximately 3 minutes, then add thyme.

Serve soup hot, with a drizzle of olive oil and a bit of cheese sprinkled over the top.

Bolognese Sauce

I found this one, like many others, in Real Simple magazine:

1 medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 carrot, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds combined ground beef and pork, or meat-loaf mix
1 cup milk
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
6 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. In a large skillet, combine the onion, celery, carrot, and olive oil and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the meat and cook, stirring frequently, until it loses its pink color. Add the milk. Increase heat to high and cook until the milk has evaporated.
2. Transfer the mixture to 4- to 6-quart heavy casserole. Return the skillet to the heat and add the tomato paste; cook over low heat to reduce its bitterness, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste to the casserole, along with the tomatoes, salt, and nutmeg.
3. Cook the sauce over low heat, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours. Stir frequently.
4. I like to puree this one a bit to make it a smoother sauce. There is also a slow cooker version here.
   

Bow Ties with Chicken and Dried-Tomato Pesto

8 oz. bow-tie pasta
2 cups frozen peas and/or chopped roasted red peppers
1/2 cup oil-packed dried tomatoes, drained
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. each salt and black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups chopped or shredded purchased roasted chicken or cooked chicken
1/4 cup fresh basil, snipped
Freshly shredded Parmesan Cheese (optional)

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions, except add peas to pasta water for the last 2 minutes of cooking time, if using. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water when draining pasta and peas. Place drained pasta and peas back into the pot.

2. Meanwhile, for dried-tomato pesto, in a food processor or blender, combine the drained dried tomatoes, olive oil, almonds, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and process until almost smooth. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and blend until combined.

3. To the pasta (and peas if using) in the pan, add reserved 1/2 cup pasta water, dried-tomato pesto, roasted red pepper (if using), and chicken. Toss gently with snipped basil. If desired, serve with additional Parmesan cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Gorgonzola Chicken Breasts

Sooooo Good! And very easy.

4 Chicken breast halves
1/4 lb chilled gorgonzola, sliced
1 T veg oil (or olive oil)
1/3 c water
2 1/2 T balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 with rack in middle. Pat chicken dry then cut a deep 3 inch pocket horizontally in long curved side of each breast. Fill each pocket with one quarter of cheese.
Season chicken all over with 1 t salt and 1 pepper.

Heat oil in an ovenproof 12 inch skillet over MH heat. Place chicken in skillet and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn breasts over, then place skillet in oven and bake until just cooked through, 20 -25 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter

Return skillet to burner (remember the handle will be hot!) and add water and vinegar. Boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits and melted cheese, until sauce thickens slightly. Strain. Serve sauce over rice or chicken.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Ingredients
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut
into 1-inch cubes
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup water
* 3 amaretti cookies, crumbled
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 1/2 cups whole milk
* Pinch nutmeg
* 3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
* 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
* 2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
* 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the
squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water
into the skillet and then cover and simmer over medium heat until the
squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly
and then transfer the squash to a food processor. Add the amaretti
cookies and blend until smooth. Season the squash puree, to taste, with
more salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add
the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to
a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until
the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in
the nutmeg. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender*. Add
the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in
the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to
taste.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees
F.

Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of
the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on
the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce
over the noodles. Repeat layering 3 more times.

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40
minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the
lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top
is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes
before serving.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to
cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food
processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release
one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat
explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times
then process on high speed until smooth.

Soy-Glazed Salmon

My friend had us over for dinner the other night and made this dish. It was REALLY tasty and it reminded me a lot of mom's sauce...so delicious!

Ingredients

Makes 4.

• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine, or water
• 2 pounds salmon fillet
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. with a rack in the center. Make the glaze: In a small bowl, stir brown sugar, olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, and white wine until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Cut salmon fillet into 4 equal-size pieces; arrange, skin side down, in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour glaze over the fish, and turn to coat evenly.
3. Bake until fish is opaque but still bright pink inside, basting every few minutes with glaze from baking dish, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

4-5 chicken breasts- cooked and cut up (or you can get a Costco chicken!)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 c. sour cream
2 T Poppy Seeds
6 T melted butter
2 Tubes Ritz crackers- crushed

Mix chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and poppy seed. Crush crackers and add melted butter. Layer pan with 1/2 of cracker mixture. Add chicken mixture. Top with remaining cracker mixture. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.
* This is my friend's recipe. When I made it, I cooked the chicken with Lawry's seasoned salt and added a little onion. I also added 2T of grated parmesan cheese to the 1/2 of the ritz cracker mixture that I sprinkled over the top. It was really good.

Choripan

This is a recipe I got from Cheryl. Nate served in Argentina and to celebrate his birthday Cheryl made these sandwiches. They are SUPER yummy. We made them open face, and liked them a lot. A choripán is a popular sandwich in Argentina and Latin American countries. The name comes from the combination of its ingredients: a grilled chorizo (sausage) and a crusty bread.

INGREDIENTS
• 1 avocado, small dice
• 1/2 small red onion, small dice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and small diced
• 2 tablespoons parsley, minced
• 1/2 jalapeño, minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
• 6 Italian sausages, no fennel (hot or sweet, as you prefer)
• 6 crusty rolls (ciabatta, Kaiser, Portuguese, etc.)

DIRECTIONS
Prepare the salsa for your choripan by mixing the avocado, onion, garlic, tomato, parsley, jalapeno, lime juice, olive oil, and seasoning. Place in refrigerator while you grill your sausages.

Grill your sausages on your grill, away from direct flame. Open the rolls just before your sausages are ready, and place on the grill to toast up.

When your sausages are ready, slice open lengthwise and lay flat on your open roll. Divide the avo-salsa among the rolls.



Chimichurri

INGREDIENTS
1 bunch flat leaf parsley
8 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 lemon wedge (juice of)
1 tablespoon diced red onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Pulse parsley in processor to chop.
2. Add remaining ingredients and blend.
3. Separate sauce into equal parts.
4. (Use half for basting or marinade).
5. (Use other half for table service).