Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.

Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crusts, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desire size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. Top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats or vegetables.

Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, depending on thickness, in the preheated oven until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and the cheese is melted on the top.

Hamburger Steak with onion gravy

http://78recipes.com/hamburger-steaks-with-onion-gravy/

1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. oil
1 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
1/2 tsp. salt

How to make it :

In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Form into thick patties.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the patties and onion in the oil until patties are nicely browned. Remove the beef patties to a plate, and keep warm.
Sprinkle flour over the onions and drippings in the skillet. Stir in flour with a fork, scraping bits of beef off of the bottom as you stir. Gradually mix in the beef broth. Season with seasoned salt.
Simmer and stir over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, until the gravy thickens. Turn heat to low, return patties to the gravy, cover, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve with a big bowl of mashed potatoes.

Sunkofleky~ Czech ham and noodle casserole

https://recepty.vareni.cz/sunkofleky/

Serves 4
Popular Czech classic. The recipe for a quick and tasty meal.

Ingredients:

-400 grams (14 ounces) spots pasta (for those of us who are unfamiliar with this, it is flat, square noodle type pasta.

-5 eggs

-100 ml milk (3.4 fluid ounces)

-300 g  (10.5 ounces) smoked meat (ham)

salt and pepper

oil

Preparation

Cook the pasta in salted water with a few drops of oil.Drain, rinse briefly with cold water and drain. Cooked smoked meat or ham cut about a centimeter cubes.Preheat oven to 220 ° C.

Put in baking dish drained pasta, toss with cubes of meat, stuffed and put on 15 minutes in the oven.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in milk, enough salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture partially baked šunkofleky. Turn down the temperature to 180 ° C and šunkofleky dopečeme.

Šunkofleky baked taste great with pickle. We can also add fresh salad. According to taste, you can add corn or other vegetables. Some people recommend adding onion.

Shrimp Creole

Shrimp Creole

recipe from Margaret Williams

2 tablespoons butter
3 large onions, rough chopped
2 large bell peppers, seeded and rough chopped
6 large tomatoes, skinned and seeded, rough chopped
1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon paprika
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons, minced parsley
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
3 pounds who raw shrimp, peeled and headed
3 cups hot cooked rice
Parsley sprigs for garnish

In a large skillet or saucepan, melt the butter and saute the onions and bell peppers until they become limp. Add the chopped tomatoes and all remaining ingredients except the shrimp, rice and parsley. Simmer together just long enough to eliminate excess liquid. Add the shrimp and continue cooking for a few minutes or until the shrimp become fully but not over cooked.
Serve each portion over 1/2 cup rice and garnish with parsley sprigs.

Serves 6 to 8.

Margaret's Spinach Lasagne

2 bunches fresh spinach, cleaned
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup chopped green onion
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups light cream or half & half
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 lasagne noodles, cooked
1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated

Cook the spinach until tender in water that clings to it; drain well and chop
In a 1 quart saucepan, cook the onion and garlic in the butter until tender. Stir in the flour.
Gradually add the cream. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until thickened. Add the chopped spinach. Set aside.
Combine the ricotta cheese, parsley, eggs, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Coat the bottom of a lasagne casserole dish (9 x 13) with a thin layer of spaghetti sauce.
Arrange 3 lasagne noodles in bottom of pan. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over noodles. Top with 1/2 of the spinach mixture, and then 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese and 1/3 of the parmesan cheese. Coat with a layer of the spaghetti sauce.
Repeat the above layer once more, and then top with remaining 3 lasagne noodles. Add a layer of sauce, and the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. (May be refrigerated at this point and baked the following day.)
Bake in a 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. (If lasagne was refrigerated prior to baking, be sure to let the casserole dish stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes prior to placing in oven.)
Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Margaret's Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

1 pound Italian sausage
1 pound ground beef

1 large onion chopped
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup red wine
1 24 ounce can tomato puree
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoons sugar (can adjust to taste, reduce amount)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Brown the meat. Saute the onions and 1/2 of the garlic until onions are translucent. Set the onions and garlic aside, covered and let steam together. Mix the canned tomatoes and puree with the wine, seasonings, and the rest of the garlic. Add the onions and meat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or longer.

Salmon Loaf

Source: Our Savior Lutheran Church Cookbook
Highmore, South Dakota 1991, p. 51

1 16 ounce can salmon, drained
2 cups soft bread crumbs (about 2 1/2 slices)
1/2 teaspoons onion salt
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, slightly beaten

Flake salmon, discarding skin and bones. In a bowl, combine the salmon, bread crumbs, onion, salt and butter. Mix well. Combine milk and egg; add to salmon mixture and mix thoroughly. Bake in greased loaf pan at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. This can be served with cheese sauce and rice, if desired.

*************************************************
I have had salmon patties served with creamed peas. This was a perfect match to the salmon.

Taco Casserole

Cousin Trudy shared this recipe with me. Her children love this casserole and cleaned it up when she made a double batch. They eat it on a bed of lettuce. They use sour cream and taco sauce with it.

I am thinking I am going to add a can of pinto beans to the burger mix. A can of re-fried beans could be added. I think it could be made without the Doritos, but served with chips instead.

 http://77easyrecipes.com/taco-casserole/

Ingredients

7oz. bag Nacho Cheese Doritos, crushed

1 lb lean or extra lean ground beef

1/2 cup diced onion (optional)

1 pkg. taco seasoning, mixed according to directions

1 (8 oz.) pkg. shredded Cheddar cheese

1 (8 oz.) pkg. shredded Mozzarella cheese

Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, jalapenos or any taco toppings you might like

How to make it
Brown beef and onion in skillet ,drain off any fat add seasoning mix according to package directions

Layer ingredients in 9 x 13 pan as listed – crushed chips, seasoned meat and 2/3 of cheese. Bake at 350 * for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and top with shredded lettuce tomatoes and remaining cheese along with any of you favorite taco toppings.

Laura's New Year's Day Smothered Steak

Laura's New Year's Day dinner was absolutely delicious. We will long remember our delicious meal of smothered steak, collard greens, Heidi's black eyed peas, and gluten free cornbread. They were all the best we had ever eaten.

http://chickensintheroad.com/farm-bell-recipes/a-good-smothered-steak/

http://chickensintheroad.com/farm-bell-recipes/smothered-steak/ (just ingredients)

A Good Smothered Steak

"Rich, beefy smothered steak is comfort food, with a long simmering time. It’s Friday food here at our farm, as long as there’s round steak in the freezer, although we make exceptions for guests and serve it on other days if the guests are special enough."

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: varies

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 2-3 hours

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter or vegetable oil
round steak, cut in sections
1 cup flour
salt, pepper, garlic to taste

[Change Rita and Laura made to the recipe: we cooked a chopped up onion and added it to the gravy as we finished it to simmer]

ROUX and GRAVY:

2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
beef broth or water (2 to 3 cups)

Directions

Set a large skillet to medium heat and melt about a half stick of butter. (Use olive or canola oil if you’d rather, or whatever shortening you prefer for browning meat.) While the butter’s melting, cut the round steak into sections, removing as much as the fat and connective tissue as you can. I start by cutting out the bone (and tossing it to the most deserving dog). Then I separate the round steak along the natural dividing lines in the meat, cutting out the tougher connective tissue as I go.

Sometimes I leave the sections large enough for single servings, and sometimes I divide those into halves or thirds. It depends on what I’ll be serving with the smothered steak, how it’ll look on the plate, and what I’m in the mood to do.

Add salt and pepper to taste to about a cup of flour–garlic, too, if you like–then generously coat the meat with the mixture.

When the butter’s sizzling hot, place the floured meat in the skillet to brown. The floured portion has a tendency to stick, so use a metal spatula and scrape under the meat carefully when you turn it. I can usually tell when the first side’s about done because the meat juices will have soaked through most of the flour that’s stuck to the uncooked top. Note–you might need to lightly grease the skillet when you turn each piece if there’s not enough butter or oil left to sear and sizzle the uncooked side.

Remove each piece when both sides are browned but not thoroughly cooked. The meat should still be oozing pink juices at this point.

This next stage is optional. I like a bit more sauce with the smothered steak, so prepare a roux for a gravy base at this point. To do this, melt another chunk of butter, maybe 2 tablespoons. Add an equal amount of flour, stir together, and let cook until the mixture bubbles nicely. Slowly add beef broth (or water), and stir until a smooth thin gravy forms.

Slide the meat pieces into the skillet on top of the gravy. Add more broth or water until the meat is mostly covered. Even with my biggest skillet, I usually have two layers of meat in the skillet at this stage. I make sure the bottom layer is completely submerged in the gravy and the top layer is nicely surrounded but not covered. (If you’ve opted to skip the ‘extra gravy’ stage, just arrange all the meat in the skillet and add about two cups of broth or water.)

Turn the heat down to a very low simmer. Cook covered for at least an hour, although two hours or even more is better. The goal is a long, slow cooking time to tenderize all those tough muscle fibers and whatever connective tissue couldn’t easily be cut out.
-------------------------------

We like this served Southern style with buttered rice.

Pizza Dough

Total “Flour” component should be about 3-cups, but make sure at least 2-cups are a quality bread-flour, or else you get more of a granola-bar than pizza-dough.

Ingredients:

• Approximately 1.5 cups warm water (100-110 F degree’s; use a thermometer as too hot/cold matters.)
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 1 package dry yeast (live yeast also suitable, vary instructions as needed).
• 2 tsp. Olive Oil
• 2 tsp. Sugar
• 1/4-1/2 stick butter, softened (usually whatever was left out on the counter from breakfast)
• Approximately 2-cups Bread Flour (It’s best to use due to extra gluten protein, but any other type is suitable in the right situation.)
• Approximately 1-cup “extra” flour (This may contain some/any mixture of the following in 1-cup total volume):
  • Whole Wheat Flour/Wheat Germ
  • Flax Seed/Flax Meal
  • Sesame Seeds
  • Almond Flour
  • Sunflower pieces
  • Cornmeal
  • Just about any other nutty, dry, nutritious product you like. Experiment by adding sparingly at first. You can use about a cup worth before the mixture looses its resemblance to pizza dough. Oily products, like seeds and nuts (especially the almond flour), will make crust crispier and more oily (as will adding extra butter!)

For my 1-cup of “extra” flour, I typically add about 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour and 1/2 cup of flaxseed and ground flax meal, with a pinch of some other seed for texture.

Other spices and flavorings worth considering throwing in: dried Oregano, dried/fresh Basil, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Parmesan cheese. Use a Pinch to a Tablespoon; your tastes will guide you. Incorporate it as part of your 1 cup ‘extra flour’.

Pre-heat oven to 425-degrees F., though 400-450 may be more to your liking, depending on dough, elevation, and oven. Experiment as needed. Heavier doughs will need more heat to cook through.

Instructions:

1. Fill Measuring cup with 1.5 cups warm water (around 100-110 degree’s F). Add 1 tsp. of sugar, a dash of bread-flour, a few drops of olive oil, and the dry yeast; mix well with a fork. Live-yeast users can skip this step, and simply add yeast and water to other ingredients at step 3. This will “awaken” the dry yeast. The sugar, flour, and oil supplies their food and gets them turned on to your dough-mix. Within 5-10 minutes, you should see activity (bubbles forming). Lack of activity is a problem; dough will not rise properly. If no bubbles, the yeast is likely inactive/dead. May take up to 20-minutes. Too cold/warm water or old yeast are usually the culprit. Old yeast can revive, but takes longer.
2. While yeast is “waking up”, combine remaining dry ingredients in a large bowl. (A stand mixer with dough hook works best.) Mix to homogenize; if hand-kneading, make an indentation in the center to hold liquid.
   I typically like to add about 1/2 Tsp. Dried garlic powder (b/c I like garlic!), and several good shakes of Parmesan cheese to the mixture as well. A good pinch of Oregano is also nice.
3. After about 10-minutes, your yeast should be bubbling along nicely. Add this and all remaining ingredients to the dry, and mix on low-speed for about 6-10 minutes. Hand-kneading will take longer. See instructions for hand-kneading dough elsewhere if unclear. The dough should be slightly sticky on the edges of the bowl, but still pull away cleanly. Add more warm (not hot) water/flour ingredients as needed to get right consistency. (I know, it’s a challenge your first few times). A “wet” yet silky bread-dough consistency is what you’re looking for. Trial and error work best, but it should stick to your hands a little. The extra moisture will work off during the rise process, but don’t make it too wet.
4. After mixing, cover dough with plastic wrap or a moist towel, and place in a warm area to rise. Rubbing some olive oil on exposed surface helps in dry environments; just use your hands and cover liberally, excess will incorporate into the dough. Sunlit window sills work well. Check dough every so often and punch-down when it reaches the edges of the bowl (or about doubles in size). You want the dough to rise at least twice (rise, punch down = once; repeat for second rise.) More is OK, depends how active your yeast is. (Rapid-rise usually not required.) You will need at least four hours to rise. Depending on conditions/temperature, more time may be needed. I typically make dough after breakfast for use at dinnertime. You can make dough at night and store in refrigerator overnight. Remove to the counter-top in the morning and follow same steps. This usually generates an additional rise overnight, and is what most pizza-shops do. (The last kitchen chore before the night’s clean-up is making tomorrow’s batch of dough.)
5. When ready to roll, I typically break up into two balls of equal size. This yields us three pizza’s (one regular crust, two thin crust– I break one of the dough balls into 2 pieces for 2 thin-crust pizzas). Grease or flour your pan (square cookie sheets work well too!), and roll dough on floured kitchen table to uniform thickness about the size of your pan. It should be springy and snap-back, so it may take 5+ minutes to roll. Sometimes it helps to roll for a few minutes, then let dough rest for a few, before rolling some more. Cold dough rolls poorly, as does dough that is too wet (add flour as needed). You will develop a feel after 10 batches of the stuff, so don’t lose hope if the first one doesn’t turn out. Roll dough to about the same size as your pan, making sure it is loose on the rolling surface. (It may tear if it sticks.) Transfer dough from rolling surface to baking pan, use your fingers to pinch an edge that holds it shape; roll some more if it keeps springing back, or stretch by hand. If you want to try for stuffed-crust, roll about 2-inches past edge of pan. Tuck in a pinch of mozzarella cheese and roll it over back to the size of the pan! I like to lightly sprinkle garlic salt, or cracked white pepper around the crust when I’m done putting it on the pan. If you’re real good and the dough has good elasticity, you can see through your thin-crust dough, and it will bake up like a cracker. This takes about 1/4 of a dough-ball. That took me years to learn, however, they don’t last more than 10-minutes out of the oven!
6. For thick/regular crust, I bake dough @ 425 for 8-10 minutes before topping. I like a crunchy-dry crust, not wet and limpy. YMMV.

Top your pizza as desired. 99-cent jars of spaghetti sauce doctored with extra Oregano, Basil, and a dash of sugar are what we use. White/Garlic pizzas are also popular with the non-tomato kids in the house. 1/2 stick butter and a good spoonful of diced garlic (2-3 cloves?) on low in the nuker until melted, spread as you would red-sauce. Cheese as desired, but don’t forget the Parmesan! Back in the oven for another 8-10-minutes, or until cheese/toppings start to brown. Thin-crust pies do not get pre-baked, throw the toppings on and right in the oven.

I have found a few gluten-free dough recipe’s that are decent. Cook your gluten-free pizza’s first, while rolling out the gluten ones, and you shouldn’t cross-contaminate in the oven. We have two diet-restricted people in our house, and get a tub of the Pillsbury Gluten-Free pizza dough from the store on pizza night. It’s a family favorite, healthy, and economical. Kids love helping decorate their pie, and it encourages them to try different toppings.

Tips, tricks, advice:

• Play with the temperature. If the cheese is burned and crust still raw, pre-cook the crust longer, or try rolling it thinner (more flour, less “stuff”, helps too), increasing temp sometimes helps as well. You also may want to alter the water/fat content. However I find using two kinds of fat (oil and butter) produces a better crust than only one of the two (oil alone is better; butter gives it that crunchy crackling texture and lots of flavor).
• Slice toppings thinly. Veggie’s get crispy and crunchy and taste so good. Too much grease can be a problem, too, so use meats sparingly, especially if making homemade sauce. Too many toppings are a moisture problem, too. Remember, it’s a pizza, not a deep-dish pie.
• Adding extra yeast, or using the fresh variety, will help w/ a lighter and more airy crust. Adding up to 1/3rd of the volume in heavier flour-like products really makes things dense. If you find you don’t like it, cut back to 1/2 cup of “extra”, and add 1/2 cup additional bread-flour, for 3-cups total flour.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment with favorite herbs and spices, or get creative w/ the sauce ideas; for the dough it’s pretty generic: Olive oil, garlic, and Rosemary with shredded grilled chicken is to die for. Boss-Sauce/Frank’s Red Hot with shredded chicken tastes like Buffalo-Style Wing’s. Taco-pizza is every kid’s favorite (taco-sauce instead of pizza-sauce, add taco-meat instead of pepperoni). Pineapple and many other fruits go surprisingly well with anything (Chopped Ham!), just watch the juices. Dough can also be used for Calzones, and many other ideas as well.

https://survivalblog.com/recipe-of-the-week-pizza-dough-by-k-m/

Cheese Enchiladas

Vegetarian Epicure, page 212, by Anna Thomas

8 tortillas

Sauce:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion
3 to 4 cloves garlic
2 ounces or more diced green chilis
1 pound cooked, peeled and chopped tomatoes
1 cup tomato juice, or thinned puree
1/4  teaspoon powdered oregano
1/4 teaspoon basil
1 cup strong vegetable broth
1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in water


Filling:
8 to 10 ounces grated sharp cheese
1/2 cup slices black olives
2 to 3 scallions, chopped
a little chopped parsley

Begin by preparing the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and sauté the onion and garlic. When the onion is transparent, add the chilis, tomatoes, puree, oregano, and basil. Simmer for a while, then add the broth. Dissolve the cornstarch in water and stir into the sauce. Let it cook slowly for at least another 10 minutes. If it seems thick, add a little bit of water.

Prepare the filling and set each of them out on separate plates.

Oil an oblong baking dish. Take one tortilla at a time and slide it across the sauce. Put the sauced side of the tortilla up on a plate. Arrange the filling on the sauced side, a little off center, but across the width of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla tightly and place in the baking dish. (I find that it is better to put the seam side down) When all the enchiladas are in the baking dish, side by side, pour the sauce over them. Sprinkle the top with cheese. Bake the enchiladas for 15 to 20 minutes only in a preheated 350 degree ogen. They should be thoroughly heated but not overcooked. Serves 4.

Homemade Enchilada Sauce (Red)

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. chili powder
5 Tbsp. green pepper, chopped (optional)
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt (more to taste)

Combine all ingredients in saucepan, mixing well. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. Makes 2 cups.

Grandma V's Ham Dinner

Ham Dinner

3 cups cooked ham cut in ½ inch cubes.
Melt ¼ cup butter. Stir in ¼ cup flour, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 1 ½ cups milk. Cook until thick. Combine ham and sauce and 6 cups sliced cooked potatoes, 3 green onions, sliced, 3 tablespoons chopped pimento. Pour in 2 ½ quart casserole and bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Crockpot Swedish Meatballs 2

Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs

http://www.food.com/recipe/Crock-Pot-Swedish-Meatballs-103501 By Mindi Bunch on November 07, 2004 16 Reviews
Prep Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 4 hrs 25 mins
Serves: 12,
Yield: 60 meatballs
About This Recipe "This is from the Oct. 5, 2004 Edition of Woman's World magazine."

Ingredients

4 slices white bread, finely chopped
2 lbs lean ground beef
4 egg yolks
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (10 1/2 ounce) cans condensed French onion soup
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions
In bowl, combine bread with 1/2 cup water; let stand until absorbed (about 2 minutes). Stir in beef, yolks, 2 tablespoons parsley, onion, salt, mustard, ginger, garlic, and pepper. With wet hands roll heaping tablespoonfuls of meat mixture into balls, about 60. Place in crock pot. In bowl, mix together soup and flour; pour over meatballs. Cook on high until cooked through (about 4 hours); stir. Stir in sour cream and Worcestershire sauce. Serve sprinkled with remaining parsley.

Cheese Enchiladas

From Vegetarian Epicure

8 tortillas

Sauce:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 oz. (or more if you like hotter sauce) diced green chilis--Ortega canned chilis are good
1 lb. cooked, peeled and chopped tomatoes
1 cup tomato juice or thinned puree
1/4 tsp. powdered oregano
1/4 tsp. basil
1 cup strong vegetable broth
1 1/2 Tbs. cornstarch, dissolved in water

Filling:

8 to 10 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sliced black olives
2 to 3 scallions chopped
a little chopped parsley

Begin by preparing the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and saute in it the chopped onion and finely minced garlic. When the onion is transparent, add the diced chili, the tomatoes, tomato juice, and the herbs. Simmer for a while, then add the cup of broth. Dissolve the cornstarch in a little water and stir into the sauce. Let it cook very slowly for another 10 minutes at least. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in a little water.

Prepare the filling: Have--on separate plates--the grated cheese, sliced olives, chopped scallions, and chopped parsley.

Oil lightly an oblong baking dish. Take one tortilla at a time and place it gently on the heated sauce. When it starts to get warm, draw it carefully off. On the saucy side of the tortilla, arrange the filling: a few tablespoons of cheese, some olives, scallions, and a sprinkle of parsley--all in a fat line, slightly off center. Now roll the tortilla tightly around the filling and place it in the baking dish. Continue, until all eight are in, side by side, pour the sauce over them. Bake the enchiladas for 15 to 20 minutes only in a preheated 350 degree oven. They should be thoroughly heated, but not overcooked. Serves 4.

Mojito-barbecued Chicken

From The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 07/13/2008 02:24:44 PM MDT

Preparation time 15 minutes (after marinating); cooking time 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings. (.)
When you don't want to heat up the kitchen in the summer, shift the cooking outside. Weight Watchers offers 140 recipes that are low-fat and low-calorie in its new "Sizzle It" grill recipes. The book is available at Weight Watchers meetings for $9.95. Find locations at weightwatchers.com or call 800-651-6000. Preparation time 15 minutes (after marinating); cooking time 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons grated lime zest (about 2 limes)
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (3 1/ 2-pound) chicken, cut into 6 pieces, skin removed from all but wings
1 lime, cut into wedges
Fresh mint springs

Directions

To make the marinade, combine the lime zest and juice, orange juice, mint, honey, garlic, oil, cumin and salt in a small bowl. Transfer half the lime mixture to a covered container and refrigerate.

Transfer the remaining lime mixture to a large zip-close plastic bag and add the chicken. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag; turn to coat the chicken. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, scrape off and discard the excess marinade.

Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray. Preheat the grill to medium or prepare a medium fire using the direct method.

Place the chicken on the grill rack and grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 20-30 minutes.

Pour the reserved lime mixture into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Transfer the chicken to a platter and spoon the warm lime sauce on top. Garnish with the lime wedges and mint sprigs. Remove the skin from the wings before eating.

Per serving (A/f of chicken): 212 calories, 8 grams fat; 2 g fat, 0 g trans fat, 81 mg cholesterol, 279 mg sodium, 7 g carbobydrates, 1 g fiber, 27 g protein, 29 mg calcium.

Ginger Tilapia

Better Homes and Gardens, June 2007

Ingredients

1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 medium cucumbers, sliced
4 4-oz. tilapia fillets, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
1 6-oz. carton plain yogurt
3 tablespoons snipped fresh mint

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler. In medium bowl stir together vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until sugar is dissolved, remove 1/4 cup. Add cucumber to remaining vinegar mixture, toss.

2. Spray unheated broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange fish on rack; brush with reserved vinegar mixture. Broil 4 inches from heat 4 to 6 minutes until fish flakes easily.

3. In bowl combine yogurt and mint. With slotted spoon, add cucumbers to plates. Top with fish, yogurt, lemon peel and coarsely ground black pepper. Serves 4

Each serving: 210 calories.

Curried Green Tomato Casserole

This is a quick easy casserole and quite tasty.

4-6 servings

50 min 10 min prep

8 medium green tomatoes, chopped
3 large onions, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder (more if you wish)
1 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups sour cream (use lite if you wish)
1/2 cup buttered breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

In a large skillet cook the tomatoes and onions until very soft (if there is a lot of fluid you may want to drain some off before adding the sour cream).
Stir in the curry powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
Let the mixture cool and stir in the sour cream.
Pour into lightly buttered casserole dish.
Sprinkle top with crumbs and parmesan.

Bake in 350F degrees oven until the casserole is bubbly and the topping is well browned (about 30- 45 minutes).
You can prepare ahead and put it in the oven 45 minutes before dinner.

Aztec Casserole

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 40 Minutes
Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients
9 (6 inch) corn tortillas, cut in half
2 (10 ounce) cans enchilada sauce
2 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chiles
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - boiled

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, cheese, chile peppers, corn, and chicken. Mix together well.

3. Dip 9 tortilla halves in enchilada sauce, and arrange them in the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread 1/2 chicken mixture over the tortilla layer. Repeat.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until center is heated through.

Shrimp Pad Thai

Yield: 2 servings

Sauce 1:
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons tamarind paste
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup palm sugar
1 teaspoon salt

To make Sauce 1: In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce slightly and set aside to cool. Reserve.

Sauce 2:
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced Thai green chiles
1 tablespoon minced cilantro leaves

To make Sauce 2: In a small non-reactive bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir until well blended. Reserve.

4 ounces rice noodles, linguini size
1 quart cold water
Oil, for deep-frying
2 ounces firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon milk plus salt, to taste
1 ounce peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon minced lemongrass
1 teaspoon minced green chiles
1 teaspoon chopped shallots
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 kaffir lime leaf
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
5 large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1/2 cup bean sprouts
Julienne green onions
1 wedge lime

Soak the rice noodles in cold water until softened. (This can be done several hours ahead of time.) Strain and reserve until needed.
Heat oil in a medium sauepan. Deep-fry the diced tofu until crisp and golden. Drain in a paper towel and set aside to cool. Reserve. Add the peanuts and fry for 30 seconds. Remove and set aside with the tofu.

In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter. Cook the scrambled egg and milk mixture to a medium consistency. Season with salt. Place in a plate and allow to cool. Chop coarsely and set aside until needed.

In a wok, over high heat, add the peanut oil. When almost smoking, stir-fry the lemongrass, green chiles, shallots, ginger, kafir lime, cilantro, and shrimp for 1 minute or until shrimp change color. Add the softened noodles, half of the bean sprouts, fried tofu, scrambled eggs, Sauce 1 and Sauce 2. Continue to stir-fry until noodles have flattened and blended with the sauce.

Transfer Pad Thai to serving plate. Top with the remaining bean sprouts, cilantro, green onions and chopped peanuts. Serve a wedge of lime on the side.
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I avoid soy now, and would not make this with tofu. I also am very careful about eating sea food, so the shrimp would be highly suspect and I would probably use some beef or chicken in this recipe. Shrimp is processed in Thailand by people who are held captive, work for 12 + hour days, and are slaves.