Southwestern Breakfast Bake

Southwestern Breakfast Bake (slightly adapted from Better Homes & Gardens, Servings 6-8, Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes)

Ingredients

·         1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

·         ¾ cup canned enchilada sauce

·         2 4.5 oz. cans diced green chile peppers, drained

·         ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 cup shredded taco cheese

·         3 egg whites

·         3 egg yolks

·         2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

·         ½ cup skim milk

·         1 tsp. dried cilantro

Directions

1.       Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2.       Spray a 2-quart square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In the prepared dish, combine black beans, enchilada sauce, green chile peppers, green onions, and garlic. Sprinkle with cheese.

3.       In a medium mixing bowl beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl); set aside.

4.       In a large bowl combine egg yolks, flour, and salt. Using a wire whisk, beat mixture until combined (mixture will be stiff). Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Fold the beaten egg whites and cilantro into egg yolk mixture. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the bean mixture in baking dish.

5.       Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until egg mixture appears set when gently shaken. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Both my husband and I liked this dish, and he even ate some of the leftovers!  I used green chile enchilada sauce, which was a bit spicy, but tasty.  If I had used regular or mild enchilada sauce, I may have added a dash of hot sauce (as recommended in the original recipe).  I cut back on the green onions (using ¼ as opposed to ½ cup) because my husband claims that he doesn’t like them – although, I will say, he didn’t seem to notice that they were in this dish (the blend in with the green chiles).  Sneaky, sneaky!

I served the egg dish in soft taco shells and I don’t think that it needed anything extra (i.e. salsa or sour cream).  The black beans were firm and provided a good texture difference against the soft and chewy eggs.  The 1 cup of cheese was also plenty – it made the whole mixture creamy and everything bound together quite nicely.

I will definitely make this dish again, but I plan to make a few changes.  8 oz. of green chiles is a lot and the dish might work just a tad better with 4 oz. green chiles plus a can of diced tomatoes and green chiles (or just one can of diced chiles and one can of plain diced tomatoes).  The regular enchilada sauce would definitely add some color, but I think that some variation of veggies would also be nice.  I think that adding corn would also be a nice addition.  Enjoy!

Cheesy Pumpkin Lentil Pot Pies

Cheesy Pumpkin Lentil Pot Pies (from Amuse Your Bouche, Servings: 2, Total Time: 50 minutes)

Ingredients

·         ¼ cup red lentils

·         1 cup vegetable stock

·         Black pepper

·         ½ tsp dried thyme

·         3 Tbsp. (heaped) pumpkin purée

·         1/8 cup vegetarian parmesan-style cheese, finely grated

·         1/3 sheet puff pastry, thawed

·         1 Tbsp. milk

Directions

1.       Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2.       Combine the lentils and vegetable stock.  Simmer gently until the lentils are soft and not much liquid remains. Make sure you stir to keep the lentils from sticking to the pan.

3.       Add the black pepper, thyme, pumpkin purée and parmesan, and mix well until the cheese has melted. Remove from the heat and set aside.

4.       Spray two large ramekins (or one dish) with non-stick cooking spray.

5.       Roll out the pastry until it’s about 2 times as thin as it was frozen.

6.       Distribute the lentil mixture into bowls and drape the pastry over the top. Press it down firmly around the edge of the bowls. Either cut the excess pastry off or leave a little excess over the edges (I left the excess).

7.       Cut a couple of small slits in each piece of pastry, and brush with milk.

8.       Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

My husband and I both really enjoyed this dish.  It is very creamy and savory –  it actually does not have too much of a pumpkin taste.  The lentils were completely puffed up and were not hard at all – just the way we like them.  I used a little less than ½ tsp. of thyme and that worked out perfectly for us.  I think that the vegetable stock, thyme, and cheese were the primary flavors in my dish.  The puff pastry had a nice touch of brown to it and was quite crispy – a perfect contrast the creamy interior of the pot pie. 

This dish is easy to make and it perfect for two people. There are some other recipes that I have used that say they are for two people, but I always end up with leftovers (not a bad thing).  There were no leftovers to speak of with this one!  My husband dug in as soon as the pot pies came out of the oven and loved every bit of his!

Spicy Szechuan Noodles

Spicy Szechuan Noodles (adapted from Good Housekeeping, Servings: 6, Total Time: 20 minutes)

Ingredients

·         12 oz. egg noodles

·         1 ½ cups vegetable broth

·         6 Tbsp. lower-sodium soy sauce

·         6 Tbsp. lime juice

·         2 Tbsp. sugar

·         2 Tbsp. Sriracha

·         2 tsp. ground ginger

·         2 Tbsp. canola oil

·         4 Morningstar Farms Garden Patties, crumbled

·         5-6 oz. baby spinach

Directions

1.      Heat large covered saucepot salted water to boiling on high.

2.      Add egg noodles. Cook as label directs; drain and rinse under cold water.

3.      Purée, in food processor, broth, soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, Sriracha, and ginger.

4.      Heat canola oil in 12-inch skillet on high.

5.      Add burger crumbles; cook 5 minutes. Add broth mixture; simmer 5 minutes or until heated through.

6.      Stir in baby spinach; cook 1 minute.

7.      Divide noodles among plates; top with sauce.

I actually doubled part of the recipe above (the “sauce”) because it was not nearly enough to cover the noodles.  I use quotations around sauce because it wasn’t very saucy; it was more of a topping.  I actually double checked the ingredient amounts because it wasn’t what I expected.  It was still good, though.  The dish is spicy, no extra Sriracha required!  Reading the ingredient list again, I feel like there should be some sweetness or tartness to the flavor, but the Sriracha definitely overrides that (not a bad thing in my book!).

I used the Garden Patties and crumbled them instead of the Mealstarters because I have a huge package of the veggie burgers and wanted to use them before they got too frost-bitten.  I like the difference in the look and texture – part of the burger patties stayed firm and provided a nice contrast to the noodles – the Mealstarters would not have done the same.  Morningstar also makes an Asian veggie patty, so you may want to try that with this dish. 

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Rice Casserole

Sweet Potato and Rice Casserole (from Better Homes & Gardens, Servings: 6, Total Time: 1 hour)

Ingredients

·         2 cups water

·         1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped (1 ½ cups)

·         1 cup uncooked long grain brown rice

·         ½ tsp. salt

·         1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

·         1 ½ cups frozen sweet soybeans (edamame), thawed

·         1 cup shredded taco cheese

·         1 8 oz. carton sour cream

·         1 4 oz. can diced green chile peppers, undrained

·         ¼ cup chopped green onions

·         2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

·         1 Tbsp. snipped fresh sage

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         ½ tsp. salt

Directions

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, bring water to boiling. Stir in sweet potato, rice, and ½ tsp. salt. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

2.       Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine black beans, soybeans, ½ cup of the cheese, the sour cream, chile peppers, green onions, flour, sage, garlic, and ½ tsp. salt. Stir in rice mixture.

3.       Transfer mixture to an ungreased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 30 minutes or until heated through.

This dish was pretty simple to make and had a nice mix of textures, but it looked nothing like the picture on the website (mine was way creamier).  The edamame stayed crunchy and the black beans were firm against the creaminess of the sour cream, cheese, and rice.  Each bit was smooth and rich with the taste of sour cream and cheese, but not overly.  I also liked the varying chunks of sweet potato that I got and will probably add more the next time I make the dish.  The only changes that I made to the above were no green onions (we didn’t have any) and using dried sage (1 tsp.) instead of fresh.

Honey-Lime Quinoa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Honey-Lime Quinoa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (slightly adapted from Cooking Classy, Servings: 8, Total Time: 50 minutes)

Ingredients

·         4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed then pierced several times with a fork

·         1 cup uncooked quinoa

·         1 3/4 cup vegetable broth

·         1 Tbsp. olive oil

·         1 cup chopped yellow onion

·         1 clove garlic

·         1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

·         1 ½ cups frozen corn

·         ½ tsp. ground cumin

·         ½ tsp. ground paprika

·         ¼ tsp. ground coriander

·         1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

·         3 ½ Tbsp. lime juice

·         3 ½ Tbsp. honey

·         Salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

·         2 oz. shredded taco cheese (1/2 cup)

Directions

1.       Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven until tender, about 40 minutes.

2.       Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring quinoa and broth to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover and simmer 15 minutes, or until fluffy.

3.       Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onion and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes, adding in garlic during last 30 seconds of sautéing. Add onion mixture to cooked quinoa, along with black beans, corn, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne, lime juice, honey, and cilantro and toss mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4.       Cut cooked sweet potatoes in half and scoop out some of the sweet potato flesh to create a bowl shape, while leaving about 1/3 to 1/2-inch of sweet potato intact (reserve scooped out potato in refrigerator for another use). Fill sweet potatoes with quinoa mixture, then sprinkle tops evenly with cheese. Transfer to oven and broil until cheese has melted.

My  husband and I both liked this dish a lot – it was delicious!  I used a little less lime juice than was called for (maybe 2.5 Tbsp.) because I was concerned it would make the dish taste overly lime-y.  I also used dried cilantro (maybe 2 Tbsp.) because we are not huge fans of the spice, but I didn’t want to leave it out completely.  We were almost out of quinoa, so I actually used a mix of ½ quinoa and ½ Israeli couscous – it still worked.

I found that I had a of the bean/quinoa/corn mixture leftover, so I just added more to the top of the potatoes after serving them.  The beans and corn add a bit crisper texture to the quinoa and it all worked nicely with the soft sweet potatoes.  The dish was like a sweet Mexican bite with some creamy cheese.  I definitely plan to make this again and also shared the recipe with a girl at work.

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed Shells

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed Shells (slightly adapted from Naturally Ella, Servings: 4, Total Time: 45 minutes)

Ingredients

·         ½ box lasagna noodles

·         ½ Tbsp. olive oil

·         ¼ cup onion, finely diced

·         2 cups pureed acorn squash (from 1 roasted acorn squash)

·         ¼ cup part-skim ricotta cheese

·         ¼ cup shredded Parmesan

·         Salt and pepper to taste

·         2 Tbsp. margarine

·         1 tsp. dried rosemary (divided in half)

Instructions

1.       To roast acorn squash, cut squash in half and remove seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast at 400˚ until squash is tender (about 30 minutes.) Remove and let cool. Scoop out the insides and set aside.  After the squash is cooked, turn oven down to 350˚.

2.       While the squash is baking, cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and let cool.

3.       In a bowl, stir together the squash, ricotta and Parmesan.

4.       In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions to pan and cook until they are translucent and cooked through. Stir in the squash mixture and cook over low heat until warm.

5.       In a small skillet, heat butter and rosemary over low heat until ready to serve. Once everything is ready, spoon some squash mixture onto each of the lasagna noodle and roll up.   Place in a baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Once all the mixture is used, drizzle the butter over shells.

6.       Place dish in oven and cook for about 20 minutes, until lasagna rolls are heated through.  Serve hot.

I made some minor changes to the original dish because I had lasagna noodles and no shells – alas, lasagna roll ups!  Everything else was pretty much the same as the original (except using dried instead of fresh rosemary and margarine in place of butter).  I had a little trouble with the lasagna noodles and ended up with some think pieces from rips, but that’s alright.  If I was perfect, I would be working in a restaurant, not trying my efforts out as a home cook.

I have never had acorn squash before, but I like it!  When it’s baked, it is soft and creamy and has a bit of a sweet taste.  Maybe similar to the taste of spaghetti squash as opposed to butternut squash.  Anyway, I found this dish a little bland and would probably add some more butter sauce or more cheese.  My lasagna noodles got really tough when I reheated the dish, but the acorn squash portion was still good.  I say, give it a try!

Butternut Squash Curry

Butternut Squash Curry (from Real Simple, Total Time: 40-45 minutes, Servings: 6)

Ingredients

·         4 cups butternut squash soup

·         1 (1 lb.) bag frozen mixed vegetables (I used California vegetable blend – cauliflower, broccoli, carrots)

·         1 Tbsp. curry

·         2 cups basmati rice

Directions

1.)    Cook basmati according to package directions

2.)    When there is about 15 minutes left on the basmati, cook vegetables as directed on package

3.)    Simmer soup, cooked vegetables, and curry powder about 5 minutes or until heated through

4.)    Serve over rice

My basmati took about 40-45 minutes to cook completely, so I have set that as the total time to cook this meal.  I used Trader Joe’s Brown Basmati – it was fluffy and sticky, just as basmati should be (in my mind).  Also, a tad bit healthier than white rice.  I used Trader Joe’s low sodium butternut squash soup and  the California blend of vegetables because I didn’t want corn in my curry dish, just my preference.  You can use any frozen veggies that you like to make this easy dish.

This dish is super easy to make, but it wasn’t that tasty.  I found that with one Tbsp. of curry it was kind of bland – a little too much butternut squash flavor for me.  I added some Sriracha and that did the trick!  When I make this again, I’ll probably add another ½ Tbsp. of curry and maybe some cayenne pepper or chili flakes, just to amp up the heat a bit.  I may also add some turmeric – there are possibilities to make it better, and I intend to try again!

Gnocchi with Summer Squash, Basil and Feta

Gnocchi with Summer Squash, Basil and Feta (from Real Simple, Total Time: 20 minutes, Servings: 4)

Ingredients

·         1 pound gnocchi, fresh or frozen

·         ¼ cup olive oil

·         3 yellow squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 3/4-inch pieces

·         3 cloves garlic, chopped

·         kosher salt and black pepper

·         4 oz. Feta, crumbled (about 1 cup)

·         1/3 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Directions

1.       Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.

2.       Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

3.       Add the squash to the gnocchi and toss to combine. Serve sprinkled with the Feta and basil. Season with pepper.

Another simple recipe that was pretty tasty.  My only complaint is that it was a little too salty for me, so when I make it again I’ll omit the added salt.  Overall, though, it was good.  The gnocchi was light, soft and chewy.  When paired with the crisp yellow squash, it was fantastic.  My husband also really enjoyed this dish, which is always a plus in my book.  I may add a little more garlic next time, but other than that, no changes (except less salt!).

Pumpkin Lasagna

Pumpkin Lasagna (adapted from Epicurious, Servings: 8; Total Time: 90 minutes)

Ingredients

·         2 ½ Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

·         1 small onion, finely chopped

·         ½ tsp. red pepper flakes

·         1 pound Morning Star Farms Burger Crumbles

·         1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce

·         3 tsp. dried oregano

·         2 tsp. salt

·         1 small crook-neck pumpkin

·         1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

·         ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

·         ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)

Directions

1.       Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2.       In a large straight-sided skillet set over medium heat, heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil. Add the onion and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, about 8 minutes. Add the burger crumbles and cook, breaking up any large pieces with the back of a spoon, until warm throughout, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until it thickens, about 20 minutes. Stir in the oregano and salt. Let cool.

3.       Slice the pumpkin lengthwise into thin strips (about 1/8 inch thick). Put 5 or 6 slices, overlapping slightly, in the bottom of an 11 x 13-inch baking dish. Top with 1 cup of the sauce. Dot with ¼ cup of the ricotta. Repeat the layers twice, alternating the direction of the pumpkin. Top with the remaining pumpkin and brush the top with the remaining ¼ teaspoon oil. Dot with the remaining ¼ cup ricotta and season with the black pepper. Top with the Parmesan cheese.

4.       Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the lasagna is bubbling and the top is brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

I made a lot of changes to the recipe to make it vegetarian and based on what I had in our kitchen.  My mom had given me this huge crook-necked squash (pumpkin), so I decided to use that instead of zucchini in this recipe.  It’s really difficult to cut into thin slices through a mandolin, so be careful if you use it!  Other than that, the dish was pretty easy to put together and the result was tasted.  I was worried that it might be a little too pumpkin-y, but it wasn’t!  It was delicious.  The oregano is really up and front in this dish ( I used dried instead of fresh) and each mouthful is very creamy and cheesy.  The pumpkin falls apart when you cut into it – perfectly tender.  I really enjoyed it!

Fresh Tomato and Basil Pasta with Feta

Fresh Tomato and Basil Pasta with Feta (slightly adapted from Kraft Recipes, Total Time: 30 minutes, Servings: 6)

Ingredients

·         3 cups chopped, ripe tomatoes

·         ½ cup  thinly sliced fresh basil

·         2 Tbsp.  olive oil

·         1 clove  garlic, minced

·         ¼ tsp.  salt

·         ¼ tsp.  ground black pepper

·         8 oz.  radiatore pasta (radiator-shaped pasta), uncooked

·         1 pkg. (4 oz.) crumbled Feta Cheese

Directions

1.)    Mix tomatoes, basil, oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

2.)    Cook pasta as directed on package; drain.

3.)    Toss hot pasta with tomato mixture and feta cheese. Serve immediately.

Another easy summer recipe!  We had a ton of cherry tomatoes from our own garden, so I decided to make a pasta dish with fresh tomatoes as the sauce.  I used 3 cups of the tomatoes, but then added even more to leftovers because it didn’t seem like enough (and I still had a lot left over).  This dish is easy to make and the taste is light and fresh – good for a hot day.  I really enjoy the combination of tomatoes, basil and olive oil, so the flavor was very pleasing.  The garlic and feta just helped enhance that flavor – nothing was overpowering.

I actually used penne instead of radiator because that is what we had in the pantry.  The only change I recommend is adding more tomatoes! 

Roasted Tomato Soup

Roasted Tomato Soup (from Woman’s Day, Servings: 4-5, Total Time: 45 minutes)

Ingredients

·         2 ½ pound(s) plum tomatoes, halved

·         3 Tbsp. olive oil

·         Kosher salt

·         Pepper

·         1 large red onion, chopped

·         4 cloves (large) garlic, chopped

·         2 jalapeños, seeded (if desired) and chopped

·         4 cups vegetable broth

Directions

1.       Heat oven to 400 degrees F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss tomatoes with 1 Tbsp. oil and ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper. Roast until very tender and lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

2.       Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add onion, season with ½ tsp. each salt and pepper, and cook, covered, stirring occasionally until very tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in garlic and jalapeños and cook for 2 minutes.

3.       Transfer tomatoes and any pan juices to the pot. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Using an immersion blender (or a standard blender, working in batches), purée soup.

This recipe is pretty simple to make.  I decided to make it when some of my generous neighbors dropped off a ton of their homegrown tomatoes.  Overall, the taste was pretty good, very tomatoey (as expected), but not spicy at all, even with jalapeños that were not seeded!  I added some red pepper flakes to kick up the spiciness to my level.  My husband enjoyed it as is.  A very creamy soup without the added fat from actually using cream – perfect!