Lemon Fusilli

I apologize for the lack of posting. Atlanta received 5 inches of snow and my refrigerator was not prepared! My husband and I ate a lot of spaghetti while watching movies and I wouldn't change it for the world. Now that we're back to our routine, I have some new recipes to share!

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup milk

2 lemons

salt and black pepper

1 bunch of broccoli

1 pound dried fusilli pasta

1/2 pound baby arugula

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

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1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 60 seconds. Add the cream, the juice of two lemons, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until it starts to thicken.

2. As the sauce thickens, cut the broccoli in florets and discard the stem. Cook the florets in a pot of boiling salted water for 3-5 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain the broccoli and run cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, and cook according to package directions (about 12 minutes). Drain the pasta in a colander and place it back into the pot. Immediately add the cream mixture and cook it over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until most of the sauce has been absorbed in the pasta.

4. Pour the hot pasta into a large bowl and add the arugula, parmesan, tomatoes, and cooked broccoli. Toss well, season to taste, and serve hot.

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recipe adapted from Ina Garten

image from foodnetwork.com

Beanball (Sandwich)

3 cups kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for frying

2 cloves garlic, grated or minced

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2/3 cup plain bread crumbs (panko)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

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1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Mash the kidney bean in a mixing bowl until no whole beans are left. A potato masher and fork work best. You don't want them to be completely smooth- you should still be able to recognize that they are kidney beans.

3. Add the soy sauce, tomato paste, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, the garlic, lemon zest, bread crumbs, and herbs, and use a fork to mix everything together until everything is well combined and firm.

4. Roll the bean mixture into walnut-sized balls (12-15). Be careful not to roll them too big; smaller makes for the best texture.

5. Put them in a large skillet over medium heat. Lightly coat the pan with olive oil. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, tossing them often, until browned on both sides. Transfer the beanballs to a baking sheet and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Toss with marinara sauce and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.

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The recipe I used suggested that these beanballs be served with pasta, but I decided to build a beanball sandwich. My husband is always nervous when I completely replace meat in a dish with something like tofu or beans, so he was very unsure about the beanball sandwich. After the beanballs were done baking in the oven, I cut a beautiful baguette in half and dug out some of the bread, so that the beanballs and cheese would have a place to rest. I placed the bread, crust-side down on a baking sheet. On the bottom of each half, I placed 4-5 beanballs with extra marinara on top. On the top halves, I placed some mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese (without the cheese, this would be a great vegan meal). Then I broiled in the oven until the cheese melted and the bread toasted (about 5 minutes). After broiling, assemble the sandwich.

These sandwiches were YUMMY. My husband was scared to take a bite, but at the end of our meal, his plate was empty.

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Recipe from Veganomicon

Image from limsakdakul.com

Flour Tortillas

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

scant 1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup warm water

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1. In the bowl of a mixer, place the flour, shortening, and salt. Beat until crumbly, about three to five minutes. With the mixer running, gradually add the warm water and continue mixing until the dough is smooth, about three minutes.

2. Divide the dough into three pieces. Roll each into a ball and place on a baking tray or cutting board. Cover with a towel and let rest at room temperature at least fifteen minutes or up to one hour.

3. Cut out eight 12 inch squares of parchment paper for stacking the tortillas. On a lightly floured board, roll each ball into a ten inch circle, and transfer to a paper square. Stack on a baking tray or platter and refrigerate until cooking time. Uncooked tortillas can be kept in the fridge, wrapped, for up to two days.

4. To cook, heat a dry griddle or skillet over medium heat. Carefully, peel off the paper and cook the tortillas, one at a time, until puffy and slightly brown, about 30 to 45 seconds per side. Set aside to cook slightly on a towel lined platter. Keep tortillas wrapped in a towel for warmth.

These tortillas are DELICIOUS. My husband and I love to make homemade tortillas for tacos and quesadillas!

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recipe from food network.com

image from gourmet.com

Sweet Corn Soup

6 large ears sweet yellow corn

2 bunches of scallions

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (sriracha, jalapeno)

finely sliced granny smith apple or basil, for garnish

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1. Cut the corn kernels from the cobs to get five cups. Chop the white and light green parts only of the scallions to get 2/3 cup.

2. Melt the butter in a 4-quart pot. Add the scallions and cook over medium heat for three minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Add the corn, five cups of water, and two teaspoons salt. Bring to a rapid boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer until tender, fifteen minutes. Cool five minutes.

3. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Pass through a sieve, pressing down hard on the solids; discard the solids.

4. Reheat the soup, adding hot sauce and salt to taste. Garnish.

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recipe from radically simple

image from hammertime.com

Strawberry Muffins

1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder (non-aluminum)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup low-fat buttermilk (i've used soy milk or 2% milk)

1/4 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

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1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tim with paper liners. Toss together strawberries and 1/3 cup sugar. Using a potato masher (or a fork), lightly mash berries; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a glass 2-quart measuring cup or a medium bowl, combine milk, oil, egg, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.

3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the milk mixture and the berry mixture (with juice). Fold just until combined. using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter among the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with remaining sugar.

4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cook 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Recipe and Image from Whole Living Magazine

Per Serving: 152 calories, 1 gram saturated fat, 4 grams unsaturated fat, 23 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 1 gram protein

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes

4 cups low sodium vegetable stock

1 can black beans

1 can cannellini beans

1 can red kidney beans

1 cup chopped onion

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons oregano

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons coriander

1-2 teaspoons hot sauce

1/3 cup couscous

salt and pepper to taste

monterey jack cheese

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1. Using 2 tablespoons of olive oil, saute onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno in a stockpot over medium heat for five minutes. Add all other ingredients, except couscous, to the pot.

2. Cook chili on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

3. Add couscous 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with monterey jack cheese.

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image from myrecipe.com

Avocado-Dressed Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 bag of small red potatoes

Avocado Vinaigrette:

(Salad Dressings by Jessica Strand)

2 medium garlic cloves

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

dash of worcestershire sauce

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced into quarters

dash of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 cup virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon zest

freshly ground black pepper

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1. Cut red potatoes into halves and/or quarters. Place potatoes into a large pot of water. Bring to a boil. Cook potatoes for about 20 minutes, until tender. The potatoes should be cooked to the point that they could be easily mashed.

2. For the vinaigrette, put all the ingredients except the olive oil, zest, and black pepper into a blender or food processor fitted with a steel blade. Blend. Add the olive oil in a steady stream until the dressing emulsifies. Transfer to a medium bowl. Fold the zest in with a large spoon. Season with pepper.

3. Pour the potatoes into the bowl containing the vinaigrette. Gently toss.