Sides

Since Christmas is in two days, this post deals with sides for the holiday meal. Check out the Onion Supreme, the Egg Nog Pumpkin Pie, or any of the other meatless recipes today. Enjoy!

SPICE TEA

I used to make this every year for Christmas presents. It's easy to make and tastes yummy. Gift wrap in a decorative tin or in a bag, then placed into a mug.

Ingredients

8 oz loose tea

3 orange peels

1 1/2 - 2 sticks cinnamon

2 T chopped cloves

Directions

Cut orange peels into small pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occaion-ally. Let cool, add to loose tea, along with broken cinnamon sticks & cloves. Store in tight containers.

ROSE HIP MARMALADE

This recipe is from friends of the family, an Episcopal priest and his wife. Both were involved in the civil rights movement. He past away several years ago, but I still remember them fondly.

Ingredients

3 lbs. rose hips

1 large lemon

2 large oranges

6 C sugar

4 C boiling water

Directions

Remove stem & flower area ends from rose hips. Cut each berry in half. Cover with boiling water; simmer for 30 minutes. Rub through sieve or food mill. Add to pulp juice of lemon & oranges, coarsely ground-up rind of oranges, & sugar. Boil about 20 minutes. Pour into jelly glasses. When cool, cover with paraffin.

ONION SUPREME

My dad came for a week at Christmas, 1987. He fixed this to go with Christmas dinner, along with several other veggies. The day I drove him to Tampa International to fly back to New York, we went for coffee at a shop in the airport. When I asked for a copy of this, he grabbed a paper napkin and wrote down the recipe. It’s a great way to fix onions; I’ve always had onions in things, but never as a side dish. However, this is incredibly easy, as well as fantastic.

Ingredients

2 leeks (discard green), sliced thin

3 - 4 yellow onions, sliced thin

4 bunches scallions (discard green), sliced thin

20 small white onions

1 stick butter or margarine

1 1/2 C half & half

2 cloves garlic, sliced thin

Directions

Melt butter over low heat and sauté leeks, scallions, garlic, and yellow onions for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook white onions in enough water to just barely cover. Add white onions (after 45 minutes) to skillet and pour in half & half. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes more & serve.

CRANBERRY PIE



My dad sent this in a letter dated "18 Nov '79". He wrote, "Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it."

Note: This can be made either with or without a top crust. The original recipe was for a one-crust pie, without top crust.



Ingredients

2 T cornstarch

1 C sugar

1/3 tsp salt

1 1/4 C hot water

1 C raisins

1 T butter

2 C cranberries

Pie crust

Directions

Blend 1st four ingredients and cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients and cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell and bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want.)

Variation

Ingredients

2 T cornstarch

3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 C hot water

1 C raisins

1 T margarine

1 1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)

Pie crust

Directions

Make as above.

EGG NOG PUMPKIN PIE

Ingredients

1 C canned eggnog

1 egg

18 oz. can pumpkin pie filling

9" pie crust

Diretions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large bowl, combine egg nog, egg & pie filling; blend well. Pour into crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 50 minutes longer or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Garnish with whipped cream.

PEANUT BUTTER PIE



I drove cab for several years. This was given to me by one of my fares, a divorced man with custody of his two kids. It took three trips to get the recipe, including the amounts. I increased the amounts of the peanut butter and sugar from 1/3 C.

Ingredients

1/2 C peanut butter (note)

8 oz. cream cheese (note)

1/2 C confectioner’s sugar

8 oz. tub cool whip (note)

graham cracker crust

Directions

Mix peanut butter, sugar, cream cheese & cool whip together, pour into crust, refrigerate or freeze for 1 hour.

NOTE: The peanut butter should be creamy. The cream cheese can be low fat, but should NOT be fat-free; the pie won’t taste (or set up) right. The cool whip can be low fat, too.

Sides

I usually don't post on Sundays, but since Wednesday is Christmas, this post deals with sides for the holiday meal. Check out the Onion Supreme, the Egg Nog Pumpkin Pie, or any of the other meatless recipes today. Enjoy!

SPICE TEA

I used to make this every year for Christmas presents. It's easy to make and tastes yummy. Gift wrap in a decorative tin or in a bag, then placed into a mug.

Ingredients

8 oz loose tea

3 orange peels

1 1/2 - 2 sticks cinnamon

2 T chopped cloves

Directions

Cut orange peels into small pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occaion-ally. Let cool, add to loose tea, along with broken cinnamon sticks & cloves. Store in tight containers.

ROSE HIP MARMALADE

This recipe is from friends of the family, an Episcopal priest and his wife. Both were involved in the civil rights movement. He past away several years ago, but I still remember them fondly.

Ingredients

3 lbs. rose hips

1 large lemon

2 large oranges

6 C sugar

4 C boiling water

Directions

Remove stem & flower area ends from rose hips. Cut each berry in half. Cover with boiling water; simmer for 30 minutes. Rub through sieve or food mill. Add to pulp juice of lemon & oranges, coarsely ground-up rind of oranges, & sugar. Boil about 20 minutes. Pour into jelly glasses. When cool, cover with paraffin.

ONION SUPREME

My dad came for a week at Christmas, 1987. He fixed this to go with Christmas dinner, along with several other veggies. The day I drove him to Tampa International to fly back to New York, we went for coffee at a shop in the airport. When I asked for a copy of this, he grabbed a paper napkin and wrote down the recipe. It’s a great way to fix onions; I’ve always had onions in things, but never as a side dish. However, this is incredibly easy, as well as fantastic.

Ingredients

2 leeks (discard green), sliced thin

3 - 4 yellow onions, sliced thin

4 bunches scallions (discard green), sliced thin

20 small white onions

1 stick butter or margarine

1 1/2 C half & half

2 cloves garlic, sliced thin

Directions

Melt butter over low heat and sauté leeks, scallions, garlic, and yellow onions for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook white onions in enough water to just barely cover. Add white onions (after 45 minutes) to skillet and pour in half & half. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes more & serve.

CRANBERRY PIE



My dad sent this in a letter dated "18 Nov '79". He wrote, "Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it."

Note: This can be made either with or without a top crust. The original recipe was for a one-crust pie, without top crust.



Ingredients

2 T cornstarch

1 C sugar

1/3 tsp salt

1 1/4 C hot water

1 C raisins

1 T butter

2 C cranberries

Pie crust

Directions

Blend 1st four ingredients and cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients and cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell and bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want.)

Variation

Ingredients

2 T cornstarch

3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 C hot water

1 C raisins

1 T margarine

1 1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)

Pie crust

Directions

Make as above.

EGG NOG PUMPKIN PIE

Ingredients

1 C canned eggnog

1 egg

18 oz. can pumpkin pie filling

9" pie crust

Diretions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large bowl, combine egg nog, egg & pie filling; blend well. Pour into crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 50 minutes longer or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Garnish with whipped cream.

PEANUT BUTTER PIE



I drove cab for several years. This was given to me by one of my fares, a divorced man with custody of his two kids. It took three trips to get the recipe, including the amounts. I increased the amounts of the peanut butter and sugar from 1/3 C.

Ingredients

1/2 C peanut butter (note)

8 oz. cream cheese (note)

1/2 C confectioner’s sugar

8 oz. tub cool whip (note)

graham cracker crust

Directions

Mix peanut butter, sugar, cream cheese & cool whip together, pour into crust, refrigerate or freeze for 1 hour.

NOTE: The peanut butter should be creamy. The cream cheese can be low fat, but should NOT be fat-free; the pie won’t taste (or set up) right. The cool whip can be low fat, too.

Holiday Food - Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double post offers a little of this and that to spice up your holiday meals, including Rose Hip Marmalade and Onion Supreme. Enjoy!

All of these recipes can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking, which will be getting updated in the very near future.

SPICE TEA

I used to make this every year for Christmas presents. I'm really not sure where I found it, but it's incredibly easy and hits the spot.

8 oz loose tea

3 orange peels

1 1/2 - 2 sticks cinnamon

2 T chopped cloves

Cut orange peels into small pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool, add to loose tea, along with broken cinnamon sticks & cloves. Store in tight containers.

ROSE HIP MARMALADE

This recipe is from friends of the family, an Episcopal priest and his wife. Both were involved in the civil rights movement. He past away several years ago, but I still remember them fondly.

3 lbs. rose hips

1 large lemon

2 large oranges

6 C sugar

4 C boiling water

Remove stem & flower area ends from rose hips. Cut each berry in half. Cover with boiling water; simmer for 30 minutes. Rub through sieve or food mill. Add to pulp juice of lemon & oranges, coarsely ground-up rind of oranges, & sugar. Boil about 20 min-utes. Pour into jelly glasses. When cool, cover with paraffin.

ONION SUPREME

My dad came for a week at Christmas, 1987. He fixed this to go with Christmas dinner, along with several other veggies. The day I drove him to Tampa International to fly back to New York, we went for coffee at a shop in the airport. When I asked for a copy of this, he grabbed a paper napkin and wrote down the recipe. It’s a great way to fix onions; I’ve always had onions in things, but never as a side dish. However, this is incredibly easy, as well as fantastic.

2 leeks (discard green), sliced thin

3 – 4 yellow onions, sliced thin

4 bunches scallions (discard green), sliced thin

20 small white onions

1 stick butter or margarine

1 1/2 C half & half

2 cloves garlic, sliced thin

Melt butter over low heat & sauté leeks, scallions, garlic & yellow onions for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook white onions in enough water to just barely cover. Add white onions (after 45 minutes) to skillet & pour in half & half. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes more & serve.

CRANBERRY PIE



My dad sent this in a letter dated "18 Nov '79". He wrote, "Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it."

2 T cornstarch

1 C sugar

1/3 tsp salt

1 1/4 C hot water

1 C raisins

1 T butter

2 C cranberries

Pie crust

Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want.)

Variation

2 T cornstarch

3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 C hot water

1 C raisins

1 T margarine

1 1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)

Pie crust

Make as above.

EGG NOG PUMPKIN PIE

1 C canned eggnog

1 egg

18 oz. can pumpkin pie filling

9" pie crust

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large bowl, combine egg nog, egg & pie filling; blend well. Pour into crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 50 minutes longer or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Garnish with whipped cream.

PEANUT BUTTER PIE



I drove cab for several years. This was given to me by one of my fares, a divorced man with custody of his two kids. It took three trips to get the recipe, including the amounts. I increased the amounts of the peanut butter and sugar from 1/3 C.

1/2 C peanut butter (note)

8 oz. cream cheese (note)

1/2 C confectioner’s sugar

8 oz. tub cool whip (note)

graham cracker crust

Mix peanut butter, sugar, cream cheese & cool whip together, pour into crust, refrigerate or freeze for 1 hour.

NOTE: The peanut butter should be creamy. The cream cheese can be low fat, but should NOT be fat-free; the pie won’t taste (or set up) right. The cool whip can be low fat, too.

Friday Recipes

Thanksgiving is almost here, and while most of us have an idea of what we’ll fix, there’s always a few extra things we’d like to try. Hence, today’s offerings. Enjoy!

SOFT COCOA COOKIES

These are from a now-forgotten emailing list. Makes 48 – 72 cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup cocoa

1 large egg

2/3 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter and brown sugar;add egg.

Sift dry ingredients and add to butter/sugar mixture alternately with milk. Add vanilla.

Drop by spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-12 minutes at 400°F; do not overbake.

Ice with chocolate icing, if desired.

VEGAN RISOTTO WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES

From another emailing list.

Ingredients:

6 cups vegetable broth or water

1 onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp olive oil

1 cup arborio rice (risotto rice)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup sun-dried tomaotes in oil, drained and sliced

1/4 cup fresh chopped basil

2 tsp fresh chopped parsley

1/3 cup vegan Parmesan cheese substitute (optional)

Preparation:

Sautee the onion and garlic in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes or until soft. Add the risotto rice and cook, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Allow to cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until rice just starts to brown. Add 1 cup of water or vegetable broth and stir well to combine. Add a dash of salt and pepper. When most of the liquid has been absorbed, add one more cup of water, along with the tomatoes, basil and parsley.

As the moisture gets absorbed, continue to add broth or water one cup at a time, stirring frequently, until the rice is cooked.

Sprinkle with vegan Parmesan cheese before serving, if desired.

COUNTRY SCALLOPED POTATOES

This comes from Family Time, 
and starts off, “Ordinary scalloped potatoes become extraordinary when they're made with ham, onion and a creamy cheese sauce. They make an appetizing addition to just about any meal.”

Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 70;
Serves: 6 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each) Can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Celery Soup, (Regular or 98% Fat Free)

1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell's® Chicken Gravy

1 cup milk

5 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (about 5 cups)

1 small onion, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)

2 1/2 cups diced cooked ham

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, (about 4 ounces)

Directions

Stir the soup, gravy and milk in a small bowl. Layer half the potatoes, onion, ham and soup mixture in a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Repeat the layers. Cover the baking dish.
Bake at 375°F. for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 25 minutes. Top with the cheese. Bake for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes.

BROCCOLI & CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS

This is also from Family Time, and begins, “Large pasta shells stuffed with creamy cheese and chopped broccoli are laced with seasoned tomato sauce and baked until piping hot.”

Prep. time: 25 minutes; Cooking time: 25 minutes;
Serves: 6 servings (3 shells each) Can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and well drained

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, (about 4 ounces)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

18 jumbo shell-shaped pasta, cooked and drained

1 jar (24 ounces) Prego® Chunky Garden Combination Italian Sauce

Directions

Stir the ricotta cheese, broccoli, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and black pepper in a medium bowl. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture into each shell.
Spread 1 cup of the sauce in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch shallow baking dish. Place the filled shells on the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 400°F. for 25 minutes or until it's hot and bubbling.

Tips Tip: To save time: Thaw the broccoli in the microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes.

EGG NOG PUMPKIN PIE

While I’m not sure where this recipe originally came from – possibly one of my mom’s? – it’s in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking, available at Amazon.com. To purchase a copy (hint, hint!), click here.

1 C canned eggnog

1 egg

18 oz. can pumpkin pie filling

9” pie crust

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large bowl, combine egg nog, egg & pie filling; blend well. Pour into crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 50 minutes longer or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Garnish with whipped cream.

GIADA'S SUPER-CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

This comes from Giada De Laurentiis of the Food Network's Giada At Home. Total Time: 52 min.; prep: 12 min; Cook: 40 minutes; Yields 4 to 6 servings; level: easy.

This recipe can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

Soup:

2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 7 to 8 cups)

6 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1/4 cup chopped fresh sage leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Crostini:

1/2 baguette, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves

1 cup (2 ounces) grated fontina cheese

Kosher salt

Directions

In an 8-quart stockpot, add the butter and oil and melt together over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the squash and the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the sage. Continue to boil until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the soup warm over low heat.

For the crostini: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sage. Sprinkle the cheese on top and season with salt, to taste. Bake until the cheese has melted and the bread is light golden, about 6 to 8 minutes.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the cheese crostini.

Cook's Note: The cooked vegetable mixture can also be pureed (after cooling for about 5 minutes) by ladling, in batches, into a food processor or blender and blended until smooth.

Anytime Recipes

Ahhhhh...December. What happened to 2014? It's amazing how fast time flies by. Here are a few recipes to start the final month off nicely. Enjoy!

TURKEY BOLOGNESE

If you have any turkey left over from Thanksgiving, here's a yummy recipe from the Food Network's Giada De Laurentiis of Everyday Italian. This recipe yields 6 servings. Total Time: 50 minutes; Prep: 20 minutes; Cook: 30 minutes. Level: easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 pound shredded cooked turkey (preferably dark meat)

3 cups marinara sauce

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound spaghetti

Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and celery and saute until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and saute 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend, stirring often. Stir in the basil. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be made 1 week ahead. Cool the sauce completely, then transfer it to a container and freeze for future use. Bring the sauce to a simmer before using.)

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten as needed. Serve with the Parmesan.

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE CUPCAKES

Here's another of Giada De Laurentiis's recipes, from her show Giada At Home. Total Time: 1 hour 38 minutes; Prep: 45 minutes; Inactive: 18 minutes; Cook: 35 minutes. Yield: 6 to 8 servings. Level: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Vegetable cooking spray

2 cups dried bread crumbs, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

8 ounces ground turkey or chicken, preferably dark meat

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning

8 ounces small pasta, such as pennette, shells, or elbows

2 cups grated Parmesan

1 1/2 cups grated white Cheddar

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 cups chopped broccoli, blanched,* see Cook's Note

1 pound asparagus, cut into 3/4-inch pieces, blanched

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 2 (12-cup) muffin or cupcake pans with vegetable cooking spray. Using 1 cup of the bread crumbs, coat the inside of each muffin cup with bread crumbs, shaking off any excess.

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey or chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, Cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside and cover to keep warm.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and add to a large bowl. Stir in the cooked turkey and the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon the prepared pasta mixture into the cupcake molds, filling evenly to about 2/3 full. Arrange a few pieces of tomato, broccoli and asparagus into each cup. Top with a thin layer of the remaining bread crumbs and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and carefully unmold with a spoon onto a serving platter.

*Cook's Note: To blanch vegetables, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the vegetables and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until very crisp. Using a small strainer, remove the vegetables and immediately plunge into a bowl of iced water. Drain and use.

EGG NOG PUMPKIN PIE

While I’m not sure where this recipe originally came from – possibly one of my mom’s? – it’s in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking, available at Amazon.com. To purchase a copy (hint, hint!), click here.

1 C canned eggnog

1 egg

18 oz. can pumpkin pie filling

9” pie crust

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large bowl, combine egg nog, egg & pie filling; blend well. Pour into crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 50 minutes longer or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Garnish with whipped cream.

SPINACH, PEPPERS, AND CHERRY TOMATOES WITH PENNE RIGATE

This is from the November 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 28. It begins, "Fresh cherry tomatoes and spinach add bright color, flavor, and body to this Mediterranean-style dish." Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view online, click here.

2 1/2 cups penne rigate pasta (6 oz.)

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 12-oz. jar roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained, patted dry, and sliced

10 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved (2 cups)

4 cups packed baby spinach leaves (8 oz.)

1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives

1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh oregano

1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain, and reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute, stirring frequently, or until lightly browned.

Increase heat to high. Add roasted peppers, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Add tomatoes, spinach, olives, oregano, lemon zest, and pepper. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, or until tomatoes soften and spinach wilts, stirring frequently. Add pasta and reserved pasta-cooking water; cover, and cook 3 minutes more, or until heated through.

nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 266; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 6 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 46 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 340 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 4 g; Vegan

TURKEY AND SWEET POTATO SOUP

This comes from the Family Time newsletter. It starts off, "Turkey, sweet potatoes, sage - it’s Thanksgiving in a bowl! Half of the sweet-potato mixture is pureed, thickening the soup every so slightly and coloring it a pretty pale orange." Serves 4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes

To view this online, click here.

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, cut into thin slices

1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 1/2 quarts canned low sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 pound green beans, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 pound turkey cutlets, cut into approximately 1 1/2-by-1/2-inch strips

In a large pot, melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add the onion and sage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes, broth, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Transfer half the soup to a food processor or blender and puree. Return the pureed soup to the pot and add the green beans, the remaining teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Simmer until the beans are just tender, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the strips of turkey. Cook until the turkey is just done, about 1 1/2 minutes.

PEPPERMINT RIBBON CAKE

This comes from the Taste of Homenewsletter. It starts off, "With its pretty pink layer and fabulous mint flavor, this is a great holiday dessert. Because I work full-time, I like the fact that it calls for a convenient cake mix." Makes 12 servings; Prep: 20 min. Bake: 35 min. + cooling

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 package white cake mix (regular size)

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons crushed peppermint candies, divided

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon 2% milk

Directions

Prepare cake batter according to package directions. Transfer 1 cup to a small bowl; stir in the extract, food coloring and 1/2 cup crushed candies.

Spoon 2 cups of remaining batter into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Carefully top with peppermint batter; do not swirl. Top with remaining plain batter.

Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Combine confectioners' sugar and milk; drizzle over cake. Sprinklewith remaining crushed candies.

Nutritional Facts: 1 slice equals 300 calories, 10 g fat (2 g saturated fat), trace cholesterol, 312 mg sodium,

Thanksgiving and Anytime Foods

Thanksgiving is next week, and while most of us have an idea of what we’ll fix, there’s always a few extra things we’d like to try. Hence, today’s offerings. Enjoy!

SOFT COCOA COOKIES

These are from a now-forgotten emailing list. Makes 48 – 72 cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup cocoa

1 large egg

2/3 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter and brown sugar;add egg.

Sift dry ingredients and add to butter/sugar mixture alternately with milk. Add vanilla.

Drop by spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-12 minutes at 400°F; do not overbake.

Ice with chocolate icing, if desired.

VEGAN RISOTTO WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES

From another emailing list.

Ingredients:

6 cups vegetable broth or water

1 onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp olive oil

1 cup arborio rice (risotto rice)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup sun-dried tomaotes in oil, drained and sliced

1/4 cup fresh chopped basil

2 tsp fresh chopped parsley

1/3 cup vegan Parmesan cheese substitute (optional)

Preparation:

Sautee the onion and garlic in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes or until soft. Add the risotto rice and cook, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Allow to cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until rice just starts to brown. Add 1 cup of water or vegetable broth and stir well to combine. Add a dash of salt and pepper. When most of the liquid has been absorbed, add one more cup of water, along with the tomatoes, basil and parsley.

As the moisture gets absorbed, continue to add broth or water one cup at a time, stirring frequently, until the rice is cooked.

Sprinkle with vegan Parmesan cheese before serving, if desired.

COUNTRY SCALLOPED POTATOES

This comes from Family Time, 
and starts off, “Ordinary scalloped potatoes become extraordinary when they're made with ham, onion and a creamy cheese sauce. They make an appetizing addition to just about any meal.”

Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 70;
Serves: 6 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each) Can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Celery Soup, (Regular or 98% Fat Free)

1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell's® Chicken Gravy

1 cup milk

5 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (about 5 cups)

1 small onion, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)

2 1/2 cups diced cooked ham

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, (about 4 ounces)

Directions

Stir the soup, gravy and milk in a small bowl. Layer half the potatoes, onion, ham and soup mixture in a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Repeat the layers. Cover the baking dish.
Bake at 375°F. for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 25 minutes. Top with the cheese. Bake for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes.

BROCCOLI & CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS

This is also from Family Time, and begins, “Large pasta shells stuffed with creamy cheese and chopped broccoli are laced with seasoned tomato sauce and baked until piping hot.”

Prep. time: 25 minutes; Cooking time: 25 minutes;
Serves: 6 servings (3 shells each) Can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and well drained

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, (about 4 ounces)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

18 jumbo shell-shaped pasta, cooked and drained

1 jar (24 ounces) Prego® Chunky Garden Combination Italian Sauce

Directions

Stir the ricotta cheese, broccoli, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and black pepper in a medium bowl. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture into each shell.
Spread 1 cup of the sauce in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch shallow baking dish. Place the filled shells on the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 400°F. for 25 minutes or until it's hot and bubbling.

Tips Tip: To save time: Thaw the broccoli in the microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes.

EGG NOG PUMPKIN PIE

While I’m not sure where this recipe originally came from – possibly one of my mom’s? – it’s in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking, available at Amazon.com. To purchase a copy (hint, hint!), click here.

1 C canned eggnog

1 egg

18 oz. can pumpkin pie filling

9” pie crust

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large bowl, combine egg nog, egg & pie filling; blend well. Pour into crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 50 minutes longer or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Garnish with whipped cream.

GIADA'S SUPER-CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

This comes from Giada De Laurentiis of the Food Network's Giada At Home. Total Time: 52 min.; prep: 12 min; Cook: 40 minutes; Yields 4 to 6 servings; level: easy.

This recipe can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

Soup:

2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 7 to 8 cups)

6 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1/4 cup chopped fresh sage leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Crostini:

1/2 baguette, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves

1 cup (2 ounces) grated fontina cheese

Kosher salt

Directions

In an 8-quart stockpot, add the butter and oil and melt together over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the squash and the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the sage. Continue to boil until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the soup warm over low heat.

For the crostini: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sage. Sprinkle the cheese on top and season with salt, to taste. Bake until the cheese has melted and the bread is light golden, about 6 to 8 minutes.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the cheese crostini.

Cook's Note: The cooked vegetable mixture can also be pureed (after cooling for about 5 minutes) by ladling, in batches, into a food processor or blender and blended until smooth.

Stuff for the Holidays

A little of this and that to spice up your holiday meals.

Spice Tea

I used to make this every year for Christmas presents.

8 oz loose tea

3 orange peels

1 1/2 - 2 sticks cinnamon

2 T chopped cloves

Cut orange peels into small pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occaion-ally. Let cool, add to loose tea, along with broken cinnamon sticks & cloves. Store in tight containers.

Rose Hip Marmalade

This recipe is from friends of the family, an Episcopal priest and his wife. Both were involved in the civil rights movement. He past away several years ago, but I still remember them fondly.

3 lbs. rose hips

1 large lemon

2 large oranges

6 C sugar

4 C boiling water

Remove stem & flower area ends from rose hips. Cut each berry in half. Cover with boiling water; simmer for 30 minutes. Rub through sieve or food mill. Add to pulp juice of lemon & oranges, coarsely ground-up rind of oranges, & sugar. Boil about 20 min-utes. Pour into jelly glasses. When cool, cover with paraffin.

Onion Supreme

My dad came for a week at Christmas, 1987. He fixed this to go with Christmas dinner, along with several other veggies. The day I drove him to Tampa International to fly back to New York, we went for coffee at a shop in the airport. When I asked for a copy of this, he grabbed a paper napkin and wrote down the recipe. It’s a great way to fix onions; I’ve always had onions in things, but never as a side dish. However, this is incredibly easy, as well as fantastic.

2 leeks (discard green), sliced thin

3 - 4 yellow onions, sliced thin

4 bunches scallions (discard green), sliced thin

20 small white onions

1 stick butter or margarine

1 1/2 C half & half

2 cloves garlic, sliced thin

Melt butter over low heat & sauté leeks, scallions, garlic & yellow onions for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook white onions in enough water to just barely cover. Add white onions (after 45 minutes) to skillet & pour in half & half. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes more & serve.

Cranberry Pie

Dad sent this in a letter dated "18 Nov '79". He wrote, "Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it."

2 T cornstarch

1 C sugar

1/3 tsp salt

1 1/4 C hot water

1 C raisins

1 T butter

2 C cranberries

Pie crust

Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want.)

Variation

2 T cornstarch

3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 C hot water

1 C raisins

1 T margarine

1 1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)

Pie crust

Make as above.

Egg Nog Pumpkin Pie

1 C canned eggnog

1 egg

18 oz. can pumpkin pie filling

9" pie crust

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large bowl, combine egg nog, egg & pie filling; blend well. Pour into crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 50 minutes longer or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Garnish with whipped cream.

Peanut Butter Pie

I drove cab for several years. This was given to me by one of my fares, a divorced man with custody of his two kids. It took three trips to get the recipe, including the amounts. I increased the amounts of the peanut butter and sugar from 1/3 C.

1/2 C peanut butter (note)

8 oz. cream cheese (note)

1/2 C confectioner’s sugar

8 oz. tub cool whip (note)

graham cracker crust

Mix peanut butter, sugar, cream cheese & cool whip together, pour into crust, refrigerate or freeze for 1 hour.

NOTE: The peanut butter should be creamy. The cream cheese can be low fat, but should NOT be fat-free; the pie won’t taste (or set up) right. The cool whip can be low fat, too.

Just Desserts

We all know that we need to eat good, solid meals: chicken, fish, and lean beef (if we're so inclined), good vegetarian meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner with plenty of nutritian.

But most of us crave a little something extra: Dessert! For those of us who want something snacky, here are today's offerings. They're from my online cooking (http://www.amazon.com/Off-The-Wall-Cooking-ebook/dp/B009K7D2C2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361922217&sr=8-1&keywords=Off+the+wall+cooking).

Squash Pie

This is from Grandma Hallock. She wrote, "I was given several large yellow winter squash by Grandma Carpenter & Grandma said, 'Make pumpkin pie' & I did. They were our favorite from then on."

2 T butter

3/4 C sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp.cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 C mashed yellow winter (hubbard) squash

1 1/4 C milk

Cream butter. Add sugar & eggs. Mix well. Add rest of ingredients. Line 9” pie plate with crust. Pour filling into unbaked pastry shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour. Serve with whipped cream

Cranberry Pie

Dad sent this in a letter dated "18 No 79". He wrote, "Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it."

2 T cornstarch

1 C sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 C hot water

1 C raisins

1 T butter

2 C cranberries

Pie crust

Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want.)

Variation

2 T cornstarch

1/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses

1/4 tsp. salt

1 C raisins

1 T margarine

1 1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)

1 1/4 C hot water

Pie crust

Make as above.

Egg Nog Pumpkin Pie

1 C canned eggnog

1 egg

18 oz. can pumpkin pie filling

9" pie crust

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large bowl, combine egg nog, egg & pie filling; blend well. Pour into crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 50 minutes longer or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Garnish with whipped cream.

Peach Pie

4 C peaches, cut up

1 - 1 1/4 C sugar

3 T unbleached flour

dash salt

2 T butter

1 unbaked pie shell and lattice top

Arrange peaches in unbaked pie shell. Mix sugar, flour & salt. Sprinkle over peaches. Dot with butter. Cover with lattice top. Bake at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Peanut Butter Cookies

One of Grandma Hallock’s cookie recipes.

1/2 C butter

1/2 C peanut butter

1/2 C sugar

1/2 C brown sugar

1 egg, well beaten

1 1/4 C flour

3/4 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter & peanut butter together. Add sugar & brown sugar gradually & cream thoroughly. Add egg. Sift flour once before measuring. Sift flour, soda, baking powder & salt together & add to creamed mixture. Chill dough well, then form into balls the size of walnuts. Place balls on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten with fork dipped in flour, making criss-cross pattern. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Oatmeal Cookies

Another of Grandma Hallock’s cookie recipes. Cookies were her specialty.

1 C flour

1 C brown sugar

3 C quick cooking (old fashioned) oatmeal

1 C butter or margarine

1/4 C boiling water

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Mix flour & brown sugar. Add oatmeal; stir. Melt butter; add to dry ingredients. Mix baking soda into boiling water; add to other ingredients, stirring well. Place batter into loaf pan, lined with aluminum foil & place in freeze for several hours. Slice & bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Chocolate Cream Pie

The first time I made this pie, I was 15 and wanted to impress a boyfriend. I did, but not the way I’d planned: the crust came out tasting like under-cooked pizza dough, I burned the chocolate pudding, and the whipped cream came out almost to butter. Hmmm...

9 " pie crust

1 large package chocolate pudding(not instant)

whipped cream

Cook pudding according to package directions. Pour into baked pie crust. White cream & place on pie. Chill.

NOTE: Now, what could be easier?