Orzo with Spinach & Feta - Quick, easy & yummy

Orzo with Spinach and Feta
Serves 4

• 1/2 pound orzo
• 1 pound spinach, trimmed and chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Optional additions: pine nuts, basil, mint, red onion, black olives

1. Cook the orzo according to directions on package.

2. During the last minute of cooking time, stir in the spinach. Once the spinach wilts, drain the orzo and spinach, and place them in a large bowl.

3. Add feta, lemon juice and olive oil. Toss. Season with salt and pepper.

Instant Tamale Pie

from “Moosewood Restaurant New Classics” (Moosewood Cookbooks...definitely one of my favs)
Serves 4

• 1 15-ounce can pinto beans with liquid
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces prepared polenta (preferably the cheddar-jalapeño variety)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
• 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or an 11-inch baking dish. Set aside.

2. Empty the beans into a large bowl, and mash with a potato masher or fork. Add corn, salsa, cumin, oregano and salt. Mix thoroughly, and set aside.

3. Slice the polenta roll into 1/4-inch-thick rounds (about the thickness of sausage patties). Arrange the rounds in the skillet, slightly overlapping. Spoon the bean mixture over the polenta, and sprinkle on the cilantro and cheese.

4. Cover and bake for 15 minutes, and then uncover and bake for15 minutes more, until the beans are bubbling and hot. For a crisp topping, place under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Moosewood recommends serving this with chips, guacamole and a garden salad.

Lentil Salad - Alice Waters (oh how i love thee!)

Alice Waters’ “The Art of Simple Food”
Serves 4

• 1 cup lentils
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions or 3 tablespoons finely diced shallot
• 3 tablespoon chopped parsley

1. Sort and rinse lentils. Place them in a large saucepan, cover them with water by 3 inches, and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, and reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

2. Transfer the lentils to a large bowl, and toss them with vinegar, salt and pepper. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt and vinegar, if needed.

3. Add olive oil, scallions or shallot, and parsley. Stir to combine. If the lentils seem dry, add some of the reserved cooking liquid.

Variations:
•1/2 diced cucumber
•1 or 2 seeded tomatoes, diced
•Dice 1/4 cup each carrot, celery and onion. Cook until tender in a couple spoonfuls of olive oil. Cool and stir into salad instead of scallions.
•Garnish with 1/2 cup crumbled goat or feta cheese.
•Toast and crush 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, and add to salad. Replace parsley with cilantro.
•Dice 1/4 cup sweet peppers, season with salt, and let stand to soften. Stir in with scallions or shallots.

Portobello Burgers with Pesto, Provolone and Roasted Peppers

 

Portobello Burgers with Pesto, Provolone and Roasted Peppers
 “Bon Appetit” (June 2009)
Serves 4

• 1/2 cup purchased pesto
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 4 sourdough, whole grain, or ciabatta rolls, split horizontally
• 4 portobello mushrooms, stemmed, dark gills scraped out
• Olive oil
• 4 slices provolone
  
• Roasted red peppers from jar, drained
• 4 cups arugula or spinach (about 2 ounces)

1. Stir pesto and mayonnaise in small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat your grill or grill pan to medium-high. Grill rolls, cut side down, until lightly toasted. Transfer to plates. Spread grilled side of rolls with pesto mayonnaise.
3. Brush mushrooms on both sides with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill, rounded side up, 4 minutes. Turn mushrooms over. Cover and grill until mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. During the last minute of grilling, place the slices of provolone on top of each mushroom so they can melt. Place 1 mushroom on each roll bottom.
4. Pat pepper slices with a paper towel to dry, and place enough to cover each mushroom. Add arugula. Press roll tops over and serve.

Mushroom, leek & lemon risotto

Taken from http://www.ezrapoundcake.com (love this site!)

Mushroom, Leek and Lemon Risotto

Adapted from Linda Fraser’s “The Vegetarian Kitchen”
Serves 4

• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 8 ounces trimmed leeks
• 8 ounces (2-3 cups) mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 12 ounces (1 3/4 cups) risotto rice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 ounces (2/3 cup) freshly grated Parmesan
• 4 tablespoons mixed chopped fresh chives and flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Garnishes: lemon wedges and parsley

1. Pour the vegetable stock into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring it to a simmer.
2. Meanwhile, wash the leeks. Slice them in half lengthwise, and chop them roughly. Chop the mushroom. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Add leeks, mushrooms, salt and pepper; cook for about 10 minutes, or until softened and browned. Transfer the vegetables to a plate or bowl.
4. Return the saucepan to medium heat, and add 1 ounce of butter. As soon as it melts, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and golden.
5. Stir in the rice, and cook for about 1 minute, until the grains begin to look translucent and are covered in butter. Add a ladleful of stock to the pan, and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has been absorbed.
6. Continue to add stock, a ladleful at a time, until all the stock has been absorbed. This should take about 25-30 minutes. The risotto will turn thick and creamy, and the rice should be tender but not sticky.
7. Just before serving, stir in the leeks, mushrooms, remaining butter, lemon zest and juice. Add half the grated Parmesan and herbs. Adjust the seasoning and serve, sprinkled with the remaining Parmesan and herbs. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley.

Stuffed Roasted Poblano Peppers

• 4 poblanos, roasted, seeded, skins removed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, diced or 1/2 large onion
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup pepita seeds
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 1 cup Yellow Cooked Rice, recipe follows
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

On a preheated grill roast your poblanos for about 10 minutes or until the skins begin to blister and char. Place into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for about 5 minutes. In a medium skillet add the butter and saute the onion and red bell pepper until soft for about 5 minutes. Once cooked place into a medium bowl. In the same cleaned skillet toast the pepita seeds for about 3 minutes. Place into bowl with onions, peppers, diced tomato, cooked rice, salt, pepper and cilantro. Mix well. Carefully remove skins from poblanos. With a paring knife or your fingernail (the poblano with be tender), make a slit in the poblano from bottom to top. Pull and discard the seeds and inner membranes, being careful not to tear the rest of the poblano. With a spoon stuff poblanos with rice mixture. Top with cheese. Cover a section of the grill with foil and place the poblanos back on the grill for about 5 to 10 minutes until cheese melts. Top with a dollop of sour cream.

For Rice:

• 2 cups water
• Pinch salt
• 1 cup yellow rice

Boil 2 cups salted water. Add rice, cover and lower heat. Cook for about 15 minutes. Fluff with fork when done.

Pineapple Carrot Bread

    * 2 cups sugar
    * 3 cups flour
    * 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
    * 1 tsp. baking soda
    * 1 tsp. salt
    * 3 eggs, beaten
    * 1/2 cup oil
    * 1/2 cup apple sauce (if you dont' have, just put 1 cup oil)
    * 1 cup crushed pineapple, undrained
    * 1 cup grated carrot (2-3 carrots)
    * 2 tsp. vanilla
    * 1 cup nuts
    * Raisins if you like
Stir together the dry ingredients in a mixer bowl.  Add the others in the order listed, mixing between each.  Pour into 2 loaf pans that have been greased and floured very well.  Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.  Remove from the pans immediately.