Broccoli Parmesan Linguini

Perfect for a meatless night. I usually serve it with a green salad and/or a fruit smoothie.

2 lb broccoli, cut into florets

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
5-6 garlic cloves thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

8 oz cooked hot linguini or thin spaghetti, drained (whole wheat pasta is a great choice)
1/2 cup pasta water

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese or Romano cheese

In a big skillet on medium low heat, add oil and butter. Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned. Remove to a small bowl.

In the same fat, cook the broccoli with salt and black pepper. Cook until slightly tender. Add the hot pasta and combine. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and hot pasta water. Combine thoroughly.

Finally, stir in the cheese, mix well. Drizzle with some extra-virgin olive oil and serve immediately.

Makes 4-6 servings

Cheese Sauce for Baked Potatoes

Essential Mormon Cookbook

This cheese sauce is great on baked potatoes. I added some salt to the potatoes when I opened them and some ground black pepper on top of the cheese sauce for more flavor.

Mix:

1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon chopped green onions or chives

Warm up the cheese mix before serving 350 F 5-10 minutes.

Baked Potatoes:

2 large baked potatoes
Softened butter or oil

Rub oil or butter onto the potato skins. Place on baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for 1 1/2 hours or until done.

Makes 2 servings

Parmesan Baked Potatoes and Vegetables

4 medium-size russet potatoes, washed, unpeeled and dried, cut into chunks the same size.
1 small green, red, yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
1 small yellow onion, cut into chunks
2 big cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon steak seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.

Mix the seasonings but the cheese. Place the potatoes and onions in a baking pan, add the oil and sprinkle with the seasonings. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 30 minutes.
Uncover and add the bell pepper and minced garlic, cover again and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover the baking pan and add the Parmesan cheese, toss to combine and bake for 5 extra minutes.

Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings


Note: Perfect side dish for grilled chicken sausages.

Creamy Orzotto Primavera

I came up with this recipe due to my love for orzo.

1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo
2 (14 oz each) cans chicken broth
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 bunch fresh asparagus (thin stalks are better), tough part of the stalks trimmed and discarded and the remaining stalk chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
8 sun-dried tomato halves, thinly sliced (optional)
2 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
Salt
Ground black pepper
Extra chicken broth

In a big saucepan, heat up the oil at medium-high heat. Cook the onion until tender for about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and 1 can chicken broth and combine well. Stir in the orzo and bring to a boil, uncovered. Cook stirring frequently to avoid scorching. At minute 5 of cooking time, add the asparagus. Continue to add chicken broth as soon as the liquid evaporates, little by little until you use most of it. Add the frozen peas, thawed and tomato slices. and remaining chicken broth. Keep cooking until the pasta is tender.

Finally add the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley flakes,salt and pepper and combine well to melt the cream cheese. If it gets too dry, add some extra hot chicken broth little by little and mix well.

Serve immediately.

Makes 6-8 servings

Parmesan Fries

Rescue Dinners Cookbook by Robin Miller
Food Network Host

My kids like these fries with ketchup but I love them just like that or with a main dish as a side.

Non-stick cooking spray
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick strips
Salt
Black pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese

Transfer the potatoes to a large baking sheet that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Spread out in a single layer. Spray the potatoes with the cooking spray. Season with salt and black pepper and then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Bake in a 400 F preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until tender and golden brown.

Makes 4 servings

Note: I baked them for 30 minutes.

Fiesta Rice

Your Family will love it Cookbook, from the food editors of Prevention Magazine and Health Books.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup diced onions
1 cup long grain rice
1 clove minced garlic
2 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 cup fresh or frozen whole kernel corn

Warm the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 3 minutes. Add the rice and garlic; cook stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the water, tomato paste, chili powder, salt and oregano. Mix well.

Add the peas and corn. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Makes 4 servings

Zucchini Cakes

Posted by Sonia Mendez Garcia
www.hispanickitchen.com

I love this recipe. I made a couple of changes like decreasing the amount of cumin and oregano because I do not like strong flavors. My hubby loves Herdez Salsa Verde so no need to make our own Tomatillo Sauce.

2 small zucchini (about 1 cup), shredded
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup corn
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup orange bell pepper, finely diced
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crushed
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
3-5 tablespoons Canola oil

Coarsely shred zucchini. Drain on several layers of paper towels, patting dry with more paper towels. In a large bowl, stir together eggs, flour, cheese, onion, pepper, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Add zucchini and corn.

In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil to medium high heat. Drop by 1/4 cup full into hot skillet and slightly flatten. Cook for about 2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a 250 F oven. Serve with Tomatillo Salsa or Salsa Verde.


Makes 10 cakes

Spinach Parmesan Rice Bake

Worldwide Ward Cookbook (Secret Recipes), Deanna Buxton

1 12 oz package frozen spinach
2 cups cooked cold white or brown rice
2 cups Cheddar cheese or Swiss, grated or shredded
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or to taste
1/3 cup chopped onion or 2 large green onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk or half-and-half
Salt and pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1/4 cup extra grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 11 x 7-inch baking dish generously.

Cook 1 12 oz package frozen spinach according to package directions, squeeze to remove all excess moisture.

In a large bowl mix: spinach, rice, eggs, onion, butter, garlic, milk, seasonings and cheeses except 1/4 cup extra Parmesan cheese.

Transfer the mixture ti prepared baking dish; sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Bake covered or uncovered  for 25 or until set. Don't over bake. If you like it top with fresh mozzarella the last 5 minutes if baking.

Makes 10 servings

                                                                                                      Josiah Brenner
                                                                                                      Brisbane, Australia

Note: This is half the recipe.

Cheesy Orzo

Rachel Ray, Food Network Host: 30 Minute Meals.

www.foodnetwork.com

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans (14 oz each) chicken or vegetable broth or stock
2 cups orzo
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat a 8-inch pot with a tight-fitting. Cover over moderate heat. Add oil, onion and garlic and saute for 2 or 3 minutes. Add broth to the an and bring to a boil. Stir in orzo and return broth to a boil. Cover pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 15 minutes stirring occasionally or until liquid is absorbed and pasta tender. Remove lid and stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.

Your favorite fresh herbs may also be stirred into the orzo to strengthen the flavor even more.

Yield: 4 servings

Note: I ended up adding 1/2 cup more chicken broth when cooking the orzo and I added the finely grated zest of 1 big lemon at the end.

No salt was necessary at the end. Peas can be added also as well as chopped basil or parsley.

Serve IMMEDIATELY or it will get sticky and will clumped together. If that is the case, a little amount of hot chicken broth can be added.

Corn Fritters

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh corn or 1 package (10 oz) frozen whole kernel corn, thawed according to package directions and drained
Vegetable oil for frying

Mix the eggs and milk in a medium bowl. In a different bowl, combine the the dry ingredients. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix until moistened. Stir in the corn.

Heat up some oil in  a skillet and add tablespoons of the batter. Fry 1 or 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Place the fritters on paper towels to drain the excess of oil.

Serve hot or warm.

Makes 4-6 servings

Note: Use as a side dish for pork, chicken or roast or with honey or maple syrup for breakfast.

Glazed Acorn Squash

2 small or medium size acorn squash, halved lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Mix the butter, sugar, maple syrup, honey and spices. Spread the mixture inside the acorn squash halves. Place them in  baking pan cut side up.

Bake in a preheated 400 F for 45 minutes -1 hour.

Potato Corn Salad

1 1/2 lb red potatoes, unpeeled, cubed and cooked in salty water
1 cup frozen corn, cooked and drained
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 cup finely sliced celery
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped (optional)
1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon coarse grainy mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried dill or 2 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Fresh chives, chopped for garnish


Mix the dressing ingredients first and then add to the cooled potatoes, celery, onion and corn. Mix well and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.


If you want the salad to have a Southwestern Flair

Add:

Finely chopped pickled or fresh jalapenos, to taste
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/8 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Sesame Green Beans

1 package (14 oz) frozen Birds' Eye petite whole green beans
Water
Salt
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
A few drops of sesame oil

Cook the green beans in salted boiling water until crisp tender. Drain and set aside.

In a big skillet, heat the vegetable oil and butter; add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the green beans and soy sauce and cook on medium-low for 2 minutes or so. Remove from heat.

Add a few drops of sesame oil and the sesame seeds and stir.

Makes 4-6 servings

Yam and Apple Casserole

1 big yam or sweet potato, cooked until tender but firm, peeled and sliced
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled and sliced into rings, core removed
4 tablespoons chopped pecans
Butter to grease the pan

Sauce:

3/4 cup orange juice (fresh or store-bought)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground clove

Grease a pie plate with butter.

Layer the yams and apple slices alternating and overlapping them.

Cook all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan stirring with a wire whisk until the mixture thickens.

Pour the sauce on top of the yams and apple slices. Sprinkle with pecans.

Bake in a preheated 375 F for 25-30 minutes or until very hot and bubbly.

Lemon-Chive Linguini

I usually serve the "Angel Chicken" recipe over this pasta. My husband loves it.

Cook:

(8 oz) linguini pasta, uncooked
Water
Salt

Combine:

1/3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
3-4 tablespoons fresh chives, snipped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2-1 teaspoon salt

Combine the sour cream mixture with the hot pasta. Serve immediately.

Makes 4-6 servings

Confetti Pilaf

1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice
2 cups water
1/4 cup butter

1 tablespoon instant chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
Salt
Black pepper

Bring water, garlic, butter, bouillon, salt and black pepper to a full boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer covered until rice is tender (20-25 minutes)

Stir in remaining ingredients and fluff with a fork. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Zucchini Quiche

3 cups unpeeled thinly sliced zucchini (small zucchini works better)
1 cup Bisquick baking mix
1 3/4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup Canola oil
1/2 teaspoon oregano (if using Mexican oregano, decrease the amount to 1/4 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
4 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, snipped
1 garlic clove, minced
black pepper to taste

Grease and flour a 13x9x2 baking pan. Mix the wet ingredients in a bowl. Mix the dry ingredients in another bowl. Combine them altogether.

Spread in pan. Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes.

Slice into squares. Can serve hot or cold.

Note: If making half the recipe, use a greased and floured 9-inch pie plate.

Roasted Parmesan Broccoli

1 big head broccoli cut into flowerets and the hard stems peeled
Olive oil
1 big garlic clove, finely chopped
Salt
Pepper
Red chili flakes (optional)
Parmesan cheese to taste
Mix the broccoli flowerets with the olive oil, salt and pepper and spread in a baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated 425 F for 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and red chili flakes. Bake for 3 more minutes.

Remove from the oven and add the grated Parmesan cheese to taste and stir to coat well.

Serve immediately.

Makes 4-6 servings

Asparagus Rice

This was originally a vegetarian recipe written by Linda McCartney that my husband found in her vegetarian cookbook at the Public Library. I changed the recipe a little bit.

1 lb to 1 ½ lb asparagus, though ends trimmed
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cloves of garlic, crushed, pinch red chili flakes
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons of butter or 4 tablespoons of olive oil
SalT
Black pepper
1/2 teaspoon each onion and garlic powder, parsley flakes
Grated cheese (your choice of cheese)
Grated Parmesan to sprinkle on top of the rice when ready

Heat the grease and cook asparagus for a couple of minutes adding some salt and pepper.

Remove from the skillet and add some onions and cook for 2 minutes.

Add garlic and cook until tender. Stir in the rice and cook for a minute on low heat. Add parsley flakes and red chili flakes.

Pour in the stock, garlic and onion powder and mix well. Add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Put the asparagus on top of the rice and bring the mixture to a boil. Then, cover and simmer at low temperature for about 25-30 minutes or until rice is tender.

Finally, sprinkle with grated cheese and Parmesan cheese. Remove from the heat and cover with the same lid to melt the cheese.

Makes 4 servings

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows

Sweet potatoes
Brown sugar
Chopped pecans
Miniature marshmallows
Pinch cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and allspice.

Cook the sweet potatoes without the skin (We like orange sweet potatoes, I think the type is Garnet).

Drain and mash them really well. Add brown sugar to taste. Add the spices and chopped pecans. Mix well. Put in a baking dish and cover the surface with miniature marshmallows.

Broil for a few seconds just to melt the marshmallows. Be careful, it burns easily.