Monthly Archives: January 2010

Cooking Recipes, Soups & Stews

Black Bean Soup

The Best Black Bean Soup
 
Author:
Recipe type: Soups
Cuisine: American
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Ingredients
  • 1 pound black beans - rinsed, and soaked for 12 hours or longer in water
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 can tomatoes with their juice -- chopped (28 to 32 ounces)
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • **JALAPENO CREAM SAUCE**
  • ⅔ cup plain yogurt
  • 1 fresh jalapeno - minced
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
  • **GARNISHES**
  • ½ cup chopped red onion
Instructions
  1. Drain the beans and put them in a large soup pot.
  2. Add the broth and water.
  3. Bring beans to boil, stirring occasionally.
  4. Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 1 hour.
  5. Stir in the tomatoes, juice and cumin, and continue simmering for 2 hours or until beans are soft. (this can take as little as one hour, so check every ½ hour)
  6. Cool for 30 minutes.
  7. Rinse out the pot
  8. Then puree in blender or food processor until the mixture is smooth. (this will take a few batches to do it all)
  9. Return pureed mixture to pot.
  10. Season the soup with the salt and pepper and simmer.
  11. Make jalapeno cream using a whisk.
  12. Serve Soup with drops of jalapeno cream sauce on top of each bowl.
  13. Garnish with Parsley or Green Onions.
Cooking Recipes, Pasta, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Summer Vegetable Spaghetti

Summer Vegetable Spaghetti
 
Author:
Recipe type: Vegetables
Cuisine: American
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Ingredients
  • 2 cups small yellow onions
  • 2 cups chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cup yellow squash
  • 1 cup zucchini squash
  • 1½ cups fresh green beans
  • ⅔ cup water
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  • 1 garlic clove -- minced
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 1 pound uncooked spaghetti
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese -- grated
Instructions
  1. Combined all ingredients above tomato paste on list for 10 minutes in large saucepan.
  2. Stir in tomato paste, cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
  3. Cook spaghetti per package instructions.
  4. Combine spaghetti and sauce together and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top and serve immediately.
Cooking Recipes, Desserts

Cardamom Fudge

Cardamom Fudge
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
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Ingredients
  • 2 cups sugar
  • ⅔ cup milk
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts
  • ¼ cup chopped pistachios
Instructions
  1. Cook sugar, milk, salt and corn syrup in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved.
  2. Add salt and light corn syrup.
  3. Cook, stirring constantly, to 233F on candy thermometer.
  4. Remove from heat.
  5. Add butter.
  6. Cool mixture to 120F without stirring
  7. Add cardamom.
  8. Beat vigorously and continuously until candy is thick and no longer glossy, 5 to 10 minutes
  9. Quickly stir in nuts
  10. Spread mixture in buttered 9x5x3-inch loaf pan
  11. Let stand until firm
  12. Cut into 1-inch squares
Cooking Recipes, Pork, Side Dishes

Summer Vegetable Bowl

Summer Vegetable Bowl
 
Author:
Recipe type: Vegetables
Cuisine: American
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
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Ingredients
  • 4 bacon slices
  • 1 small white onions
  • 1 green pepper - diced
  • 2 cups hot water
  • 1 pound green beans
  • 8 oz corn
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 6 small zucchini - 1" chunks
  • 5 celery stalks - 1" slices
  • 1 large tomato - cut in wedges
Instructions
  1. In 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, fry bacon until crisp; pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Saute onions and green pepper; cook until golden;.
  3. Add hot water and next 5 ingredients green beans, corn, salt, sugar and pepper.
  4. Bring boiling; reduce heat, cover and simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
  5. Add zucchini and celery; cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
  6. Arrange veggies on large platter and crumble bacon over top.
  7. Garnish with tomato wedges.
Cooking Recipes, Main Dishes, Pork, Salad

Summer Squash Medley

Summer Squash Medley
 
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: American
Serves: 8
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
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Ingredients
  • 8 small young summer squash (zucchini, yellow, patty, etc)
  • 1 pound seasoned pork sausage
  • 1 garlic clove
  • ½ large onion
  • ½ large green pepper
  • 4 large tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1½ cups bread crumbs
  • ½ cup grated cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Wash & Slice squash.
  3. Grease a 13 x 9 baking pan.
  4. In a large skillet, fry sausage until mostly cooked.
  5. Drain sausage.
  6. Add garlic, onion, green pepper, tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper and cover simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
  7. Into the prepared baking dish, spread evenly ½ cup bread crumbs.
  8. Layer ⅓ Tomato Mixture, ½ Mixed Squash, Bread Crumbs, Tomato Mixture, Remaining Squash, Remaining Tomato Mixture and Remaining Bread Crumbs.
  9. Bake about 30 minutes, until squash is tender and pork done
  10. Toward the last 15 minutes of cooking, sprinkle cheese over the top.
  11. Bake until cheese has melted and slightly browned.
  12. Remove from oven, and serve immediately.
Cooking Recipes, Main Dishes

Summer-Squash Casserole

Summer Squash Casserole
 
Author:
Recipe type: Vegetables
Cuisine: American
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Ingredients
  • 3 medium zucchini
  • 3 medium yellow summer squash
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ½ cup finely chopped sweet red peppers
  • 5 scallions
  • ⅔ cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
  1. In a deep 3-quart casserole, combine the squash, water, garlic, marjoram, oregano, and black pepper.
  2. Cover microwave on High for 5 minutes
  3. Stir, Cover and microwave on high for 7 minutes more or until squash is tender.
  4. Strain excess juice out in colander and put in blender.
  5. Blend to chunky consistency.
  6. Place the butter in the casserole dish and microwave until melted.
  7. Stir in the red peppers and scallions
  8. Cover and microwave for approximately 4 minutes or until tender.
  9. Stir in eggs, Cheddar, parsley, and breadcrumbs into the scallion mixture
  10. Add the squash puree.
  11. Cover and microwave on High for 5 minutes
  12. Cover microwave (50% power) for approximately 5 minutes.
  13. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until the center is set.
Cooking Recipes

California Mashed Potatoes

California Mashed Potatoes
 
Author:
Recipe type: Side
Cuisine: American
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Ingredients
  • 2 pounds all-purpose potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 package onion soup mix
  • ¾ cup milk
  • ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
  1. Cut potatoes into chunks and put in stock pot and boil until done.
  2. Mash potatoes
  3. Mix together parsley, onion soup mix, milk and sour cream.
  4. Mix mashed potatoes and liquid mixture.
  5. Server immediately.
Cooking Recipes, Salad, Vegetarian

Summer Vegetable Casserole

Summer Vegetable Casserole
 
Author:
Recipe type: Vegetables
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
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Ingredients
  • 1½ cups green beans -- sliced in 2"pieces
  • 1¼ cups medium bow tie pasta -- about 3 ounces
  • 1 medium yellow summer squash -- cut (1½cups)
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1 medium onion -- chopped
  • ¾ teaspoon dried basil -- crushed
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano -- crushed
  • 1 tablespoon margarine or butter
  • 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup milk
  • ¼ cup shredded process swiss cheese
  • 3 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 3 plum tomatoes -- diagonally sliced,about 1 cup
  • ½ cup soft bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. In a saucepan cook green beans, covered, in salted boiling water for approximately 5 minutes.
  2. Add pasta.
  3. Return to boiling and boil cook 5 minutes more or till vegetables and pasta are tender.
  4. Drain.
  5. Set aside.
  6. Cook mushrooms, onion, basil, and oregano in hot butter till tender.
  7. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper.
  8. Add milk.
  9. Cook and stir till bubbly
  10. Stir in Swiss cheese, and mustard.
  11. Cook for about 1 minute more.
  12. Gently toss cheese sauce with pasta vegetable mixture.
  13. Add tomatoes; toss gently.
  14. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese
  15. Bake in a 400°F oven 20-25 minutes or till hot
Cakes, Cooking Recipes

Suprise Brownies

Yeah I would be surprised too.  Spinach….really ???  WHY???

Suprise Brownies
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 16
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
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Ingredients
  • 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach -- thawed & squeeze dry
  • ¼ cup oil
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 box brownie mix
  • ½ cup milk chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease bottom only of nonstick 9 x 9 pan.
  3. Puree in blender spinach, oil, egg and water.
  4. Transfer mixture to large bowl.
  5. Add brownie mix and stir until well blended.
  6. Spread batter into prepared pan
  7. Bake 30 minutes.
  8. Cool on wire rack 20 minutes before removing from pan.
  9. Place chocolate chips in small microwave safe bowl
  10. Microwave on high for 1 minute, or until melted; stir until smooth
  11. Spread melted chocolate on top of brownie
  12. Let stand about 1 hour, until chocolate is set or put in freezer until chocolate is set.
Cooking Recipes, Sauce

Hot Salsa

Salsa
 
Author:
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Ingredients
  • 1 large whole onions
  • 8 whole tomatoes
  • 3 whole jalapeno
  • ½ whole fresh cilantro
  • 1 dash lime juice
  • 1 dash lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
Instructions
  1. Dice onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, and cilantro as small as possible (using food processor will make this MUCH easier)
  2. Combine remaining ingredients
  3. Chill over night and use.
  4. This will make a hot salsa, but if you want it hotter add another jalapeno.