Vegetable Bibimbap

I'm always on the lookout for a great vegetarian dish, especially one that is both filling and enjoyed by all at the table. Tonight's dish comes from the September 2011 edition of Every Day Food: A Martha Stewart Magazine.

(Side note: I love Every Day Food magazine because its subscription is inexpensive (or often free), they cover 10 months a year (doubling up January/February and July/August), and the recipes are not only simple to make, but they generally follow what's in season, include fresh fruits and vegetables, and ingredients that are almost always readily accessible and generally inexpensive. To add to this, the magazine has little to no advertisements, which is unlike so many of the other so-called food magazines (i.e. Every Day with Rachel Ray or The Food Network Magazine, etc.) which tend to be filled with 90% ads and 10% recipes.)

Now, back to the recipe. Tonight we tried a Korean-style rice dish: Vegetable Bibimbap.

I was thrilled to discover this recipe because it turned out to not only be a filling vegetarian dish, but it was stocked full of fresh veggies that were readily accessible and ones my 4 year-old daughter loves to eat! (No bamboo shoots or cooked pineapple thank you very much!)

Because this is a recipe that I did not create I won't post it here, but instead direct you to the official magazine website where you can print the recipe for your own collection: Vegetable Bibimbap. I definitely encourage you to try it, it is delicious and simple to make.

Note: The only changes I made to the recipe were:

• I used Jasmine rice instead of white rice.
• I skipped the Sriracha sauce for serving and we used what we had on hand: Texas Pete hot sauce. It was fine by me.

Special Food Needs:

• For a vegan version of this dish omit egg.
• For a gluten-free recipe look for soy sauce that doesn't contain gluten.

Breakfast Burritos

My family leads a very busy life, with most mornings (especially Sundays) permitting only a brief time to prepare breakfast. I really wanted something that could be prepared ahead of time, but available over the long term.

That's when I discovered breakfast burritos! I picked up the recipe from a friend and have slightly adapted it to our tastes.

Breakfast Burritos
Serves 16

Ingredients:

1) Package of flour tortillas (whole wheat in packages of 16 work best. The WW stretch further than the white or corn)
2) 1-dozen eggs
3) 1-package of freezer hash-browns (for those who like peppers and onions pick up the O'Brien potatoes)
4) 1lb loose breakfast sausage [OPTIONAL}
5) 1lb Shredded Cheddar Cheese
6) 16 oz of taco Sauce (I prefer Ortega Mild Original Thick and Smooth) [OPTIONAL]

Directions:
1. Bring tortillas to room temperature.
2. Meanwhile cook breakfast sausage. Then remove to large bowl.
3. Cook hash-browns per package directions. (I sometimes add taco seasoning to the hash-browns, especially if I do not use the O'Brien potatoes). Then remove to large bowl stir together with sausage.
4. Scramble the eggs. Then remove to large bowl and mix with sausage and hash-browns.
5. Add cheese and taco sauce to egg/sausage/potato mix.
6. Stir together.
7. Scoop spoonful of mix into each open tortilla.
8. Roll tortilla and wrap in parchment paper, wax paper or freezer paper. Seal in freezer paper or foil. Store in Ziploc bag in freezer.

Once frozen they can be served individually after 1-2 minutes in the microwave.

**Notes:

- I have discovered that while the burritos microwave well in parchment paper they do NOT in wax paper or freezer paper. If you wish to use one of the latter two then be sure to remove burrito from the paper and place on a plate before microwaving.

- I've adapted the recipe to add fresh cilantro, black olives, beans, pretty much anything you'd serve in tacos or burritos.

The Cranberry, not just a relish

The cranberry. Because of it's nutrient and antioxidant qualities it is considered by food experts to be one of the "super fruits" yet for most people it brings to mind Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Generally it is served as fresh cranberry relish, or even more commonly as a relish from a can. Of course you can always find it in the juice form and in most stores as a dried berry in the same aisle that raisins and prunes are stored.

Until a couple years ago I never really gave this berry much thought outside these two holidays. So when I went hunting for a bag of fresh berries in February I was shocked to discover that stores only sell them in their fresh state for only two months of the year. (In my area from late October/early November until the end of December.) Apparently there is not enough demand for fresh berries outside of these two months so cranberry farmers put the majority of their produce into the form of canned berries, dried berries, and juice that can be bought 12 months a year.

Because of this I was left with the choice of canned berries or dried berries for my recipe. I was disappointed, but in the end the dried worked out fairly well. Still, I determined to buy up some extra bags the following November and freeze them for use later in the new year. The berries left in their bags freeze well and can be used later in all sorts of recipes or even as fresh cranberry relish.

The following are two recipes that call for fresh cranberries. (Note: you could substitute dried, but the fresh is preferred.) They are favorites in our home and I encourage you to pick up a couple bags of fresh berries now, even if you don't plan to try the recipes for a couple months. The berries will last up to (or even a little over) a year in your freezer.

Cranberry Orange Bread

I found this recipe at AllRecipes.com. Since it isn't my own and I've done little to adapt it I have linked the name to the recipe. Be sure to check it out and print off a copy for your own files.

My thoughts: Every Christmas I try to bake some sort of seasonal bread to share with our neighbors and friends. The last several years I have made a family favorite, Lemon Bread, but this year I decided to try something different. Since I still had two bags of cranberries in the freezer I went hunting for a cranberry bread recipe. There are several, but this one seemed the easiest. It turned out well and went fast, so I ended up making a second batch.

Notes regarding the recipe: The recipe calls for 1 cup of cranberries. Each bag of cranberries from the store contains approximately 4 cups, so to save time I just multiplied everything in the recipe by four. This required a large bowl, but ended up giving me 10 small loafs of bread, perfect for sharing. If you decide to double, triple or quadruple the recipe be sure to use a stand mixer, not a hand mixer or a spoon. The batter gets thick and sticky, which makes it difficult to stir. Although the batter is thick it cooks into a light, fluffy, sweet yet tart bread.

I omitted the walnuts, not so much because people aren't crazy about nuts (or have allergies), but because I didn't have any on hand. I noted that it is also possible to make this recipe gluten free so long as the cook substitutes gluten-free flour for the regular flour.


Braised Brisket with Cranberries

This is another favorite recipe of mine. It's such a delicious meal on a cold winter evening (or Sunday dinner), but since cranberries are not available past New Years it tends to be a recipe you can only make in November or December... Unless you freeze your berries! (This recipe is the reason I started buying up and freezing cranberries, it's that good.)It makes a lot of food, so it's perfect for serving when we entertain company. I love the mix of flavors - the tartness of the cranberries, the richness of the beef and the tang of the onions. I found this recipe a few years ago in Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine.

My Thoughts: I do not have a big enough pot that can be used on the stove burner AND in the oven, so I had to move the meat from one pot to another, but otherwise this recipe was fairly simple. It takes a while to cook, but it smells so good and is so delicious that it is worth the wait.

Note: I prefer to use a bag of frozen pearl onions, but not all stores sell them -- or if they do, they sell them seasonally. Like the cranberries you may have to plan ahead and purchase the frozen onions earlier than when you plan to use the recipe. However, when frozen pearl onions are not available you should be able to find fresh pearl onions. The fresh require a little more work (i.e. pealing), but work just as well.

For those who prefer not to use drinking wine in their cooking you could substitute cooking wine, or vegetable/chicken broth (though this may slightly change the overall taste of the recipe).

Capitol Hill Cooks by Linda Bauer

Per Alison's request I am posting this review here. It originated on my other blog.

384 pages
Published August 16, 2010
by Taylor Trade Publishing
Lanham, MD

When I cook I tend to stick to family recipes or those found within the cookbooks I've been given, or even those posted online. It is definitely a rare occurrence for me to buy a cookbook, let alone borrow one from the library and an even more rare occurrence for me to post a review. But when I first learned of Capitol Hill Cooks: Recipes from the White House, Congress, And All of the Past Presidents I was immediately intrigued. A new release I requested a copy from my library and began flipping through. It is indeed an intriguing cookbook and as such I felt it deserved a little attention by way of a review.

At first glance I assumed Capitol Hill Cooks: Recipes from the White House, Congress and All of the Past Presidents to be a collection of recipes by cooks of the White House and Congress, but I was partly wrong. It is a collection of recipes, but they are from actual elected officials -- Senators, Representatives, and the President and his First Lady. In some ways this is even more exciting for those enthralled by American history and the Who's Who of Washington, DC politics both past and present. My only dispute with this title is that it claims to include recipes from "all of the former presidents" and that's not exactly true. I checked and at least one (Millard Filmore) does not have a recipe attributed to him. Still, the majority do and it's truly fascinating to see what were the favorite dishes of nearly all of our Commander in Chiefs.

Capitol Hill Cooks contains over 200 recipes from 49 states and 2 United States territories. The cookbook is divided by courses. First come the appetizers, then salads, next soups and stews, then side dishes, main dishes, meats, poultry and seafood, breads and finally cakes and cookies, pies and desserts and snacks and sauces. Last a special collection of "favorite dishes of the presidents."

As far as cooking goes, the recipes appear to be fairly simple and straight forward and, for the most part, do not require any special ingredients, though there are the few exceptions.

Personally, while I thought Capitol Hill Cooks was a really clever idea, it unfortunately did not contain enough recipes that I would use to justify my owning a copy. However, before the book is due back at the library I do plan to try a few recipes and I might end up changing my mind, we'll see. The top recipes to catch my eye include: Senator Wicker's (MS) Poppy Seed Chicken, Rep. Honda's (CA) Japanese Chicken Salad, Senator Boxer's (CA) Lemon Blueberry Muffins, and President Reagan's The Reagan Family Cranberry Sauce. And if I feel brave enough I might even try my hand at a favorite of President George Washington's -- Nelly Custis' recipe for Hoecakes or Thomas Jefferson's Chicken Fricassee.

Along with the tasty there are one or two recipes that made me grimace. Most notable was Rep. Coble's (NC) entry of Breakfast "Brains and Eggs," which do include the real thing: pork brains in gravy. (Ewww!!!) No thank you.

My only grievance with this cookbook is that it contains no pictures. I personally find myself more likely to try a recipe if I can see how the dish is appears. This cookbook could read more like a work of non-fiction if the reader doesn't mind reading all the measurements. Several of the recipes contain brief notes about the history of the dish or a the reason for its inclusion by the elected official. My favorite little tidbit was that the Eggnog recipe credited to George Washington was recently discovered written in Washington's own hand. How cool is that?

All in all, Capitol Hill Cooks is a fun cookbook for those looking for something historic this holiday season. Even though I don't plan to buy a copy I was glad that my library offers the option to preview this cookbook.

Curry Pumpkin Soup

I'm always on the lookout for some new recipe to try. You just never know where you're going to find the next family favorite. I especially love soup and stew recipes when the weather turns cold. This is the perfect recipe for a chilly autumn evening.

I found this Curry Pumpkin Soup recipe while flipping through the October 2008 issue of Better Homes And Gardens Magazine at a friend's house. Luckily BH&G keeps a catalog of their recipes online so it was each to track it down. To print your own copy click on the picture below and follow the link to the BH&G website.


Overall I was pleased with how simple a recipe and how tasty the soup was. My three year-old wasn't a fan, but my husband and I really enjoyed it.

With the exception of orange zest and onions (which we never have in our house, my husband hates them) we had all the ingredients in stock. Right there that is a plus for this recipe. I hate it when you have to go hunting for rare ingredients. The recipe was easy to follow and made enough leftovers we easily got two meals from one batch. Of course if I had doubled we could have had leftovers to freeze, but I'm short on freezer space and with such a fast and simple recipe it won't be a big deal to make it again anytime we are looking for something like this.

I should note that I don't have a food processor, so I used my blender and that worked just fine.

Another great thing about this recipe is that it can be done as time allows. It's a quick recipe, but I started it earlier in the day as that is what my schedule allowed. I completed all of step 2 and left the soup to cool. Later I came back and finished step 3 and just before step 4 I completed the Orange-Cranberry Topper (Step 1). This worked well and dinner was ready when my husband walked in the door.

One other slight change, I only had 1 can of chicken broth, so I substituted 1 can of vegetable broth for the missing can. Which got me thinking.... taking out the other can this could easily become a vegetarian soup. If you substituted the butter and milk with something else it could even be vegan. Pretty versatile if you ask me!

Definitely a great dish, would make again. Great if served with fresh bread or rolls or cranberry orange muffins.

Shoo-Fly Pie

Recently I made a Shoo-Fly Pie to bring with me to the September meeting of my book club. I wanted something that reminded me of early fall and this molasses dessert seemed perfect.

I remember my mother serving this pie once or twice when I was a child. I don't remember where I picked up this particular recipe. The copy I have is typed on a typewriter and has no name. I've had it for years.

Shoo-Fly Pie

(One 9" pie)

This pie has a "damp zone" next to the crust. It is sometimes referred to as the "wet-bottom shoo-fly." Most people prefer this one above the others.

Ingredients:
1 Pastry shell, unbaked
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup boiling water
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cloves
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS shortening (butter or margarine)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Beat the egg yolk in a small bowl.
3. Blend in the molasses.
4. Add baking soda to boiling water and let it dissolve.
5. Add water/baking soda mix to molasses mixture. Set aside.


6. Combine dry ingredients with shortening and work into crumbs with fingers.


7. Pour liquid into pastry shell.

8. Top with crumbs.

9. Bake in 400°F oven for 10 minutes. Then reduce heat to 325°F and bake 35 minutes longer.


Serve warm or cooled.

*** GLUTEN-FREE***
When I've made this pie in the past I've used normal wheat flour, but since several of the ladies in my club have gluten allergies I obtained some gluten-free pie crust mix and proceeded to make the pie gluten free. If you would like to try and make this recipe gluten-free I should point out that the topping ALSO includes flour (just a cup), so it's important to obtain some gluten-free flour in addition to the flour used in the pie crust (or the pie crust mix). Having tried this pie both with and without gluten flour I declare it delicious!

Here are some tips should you decide to try this pie gluten-free.

Tip 1. If you've never made a gluten-free pie before (or are a novice when it comes to pie crusts) I highly encourage you to try a box mix. I found a mix at a local health food store, but more and more general and specialized grocery stores are starting to carry gluten-free mixes and flour. I chose a mix because I'd never made a gluten-free pie before and had no time to experiment.

Tip 2. Although they don't taste much different than regular wheat flour crusts, gluten-free pie crusts are not the same consistency. They are STICKY! It's best to use plastic wrap on the bottom and top of the cr ust when you roll it out. This will also make transferring it to the pie pan much easier and will help prevent breakage and crumbling.

For more information about the history of Shoo-Fly Pie check out the article on Wikipedia or What's Cooking America

Other versions of Shoo-Fly Pie.

Homemade Macaroni & Cheese

This is another family recipe. I'm sure it originated with an actual recipe from a book, but I believe it's gone through enough adaptions I can call it a family recipe. Growing up my mother refused to purchase and make the box macaroni and cheese. It wasn't until I was a teen and babysitting that I ever tried the "instant" mac. As an adult I've discovered a renewed interest in my mother's recipe and have adapted it a little to suit my family's tastes.


Homemade Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients:
3 cups of pasta*
2 cups milk
1/4 cup flour (not whole wheat)
1 tsp. mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 lb cheese (shredded)**
1 cup sour cream (use light sour cream for less fat)
bread crumbs (optional)***

* My mother always used whole wheat elbow macaroni. I've expanded to try other cuts of pasta including spiral, small shell and as pictured here gemelli.

** My mother always used sharp cheddar cheese. I've expanded to use 1/2lb cheddar and 1/4lb Gouda. The Gouda cheese adds some color and makes the dish a little cheesier/gooier. I love it. Like the pasta in this dish the types of cheese you use can change around the taste and make it seem different each time you serve.

*** My mother always made her own breadcrumbs. I often take the easy way out and use store bought crumbs. Plain is preferred over the Italian.

Directions:
1. Cook pasta.
2. Meanwhile mix together ingredients 2-6 (milk, flour, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt) in a microwavable bowl or measuring cup, leave room for liquid to expand.
3. Microwave/cook until thickened. (!!) Warning: Keep an eye on this container while it cooks. It tends to thicken suddenly and boil over if not stopped in time. (!!)
4. Add shredded cheese to sauce and mix until cheese melts.
5. Stir in sour cream.
6. Stir in pasta.
7. Pour into a microwavable/oven safe container.
7. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 10 minutes to heat thoroughly.
8. (Optional) Top with bread crumbs.
9. Put under oven broiler for a couple minutes until bread crumbs or top is lightly browned.

Great served with a garden salad as a side.

Grandma's Goulash

This is one of my favorite meals from my childhood. Although my paternal grandmother passed away when I was 14 I still have many memories of time we spent together. As far as meals together I have a few scattered memories, but only remember one or two foods she served. My favorite was one I christened: "Grandma's Goulash". It is a very simple recipe and also very delicious.

Grandma's Goulash
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (ground turkey or chicken could be substituted, though I've never tried it)
2 (10oz) cans of condensed tomato soup
1 bag of mixed frozen vegetables (fresh work too, but take longer to cook)
5 or 6 potatoes the size of your palm
Milk
Butter
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
1. Peal and cut up potatoes. Put in boiling water to cook.*
2. Meanwhile cook ground meat in frying pan. When cooked drain fat and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Pour soup and frozen vegetables in bowl and mix together.
3. Add meat, stir.
4. Cover and microwave for 5 minutes. Stir and Heat for another 5 minutes.
5. Drain potatoes and mash adding salt and pepper and milk.
6. Move vegetable/soup/meat mixture to an oven safe container and top with mashed potatoes.
7. Add a dollop of butter and put under oven broiler for 2-5 minutes or until the top of the potatoes just begins to brown.

Great if served with fresh rolls, a garden salad or apple sauce as a side.

*Optional Substitute: Noodles can be substituted for the mashed potatoes. Instead of topping with potatoes cook noodles and mix with the vegetable/soup/meat mixture.

Strawberry Shortcake: Hot Milk Cake

This past weekend my family and I were heading to some friends for dinner. I needed to pull together a quick dessert and I wanted to keep it light and yet sweet. In the end a sale on strawberries at my local grocery store (I know out of season, but BOGOF can't be beat) helped me to decide. I made strawberry shortcake -- a hot milk cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. The dessert was everything I hoped - light, fluffy, sweet, and fruity.

Here's the recipe I used. It's not original I copied it years ago from something my mother had -- I think a cookbook, but I don't remember now. My apologies to the original author, I'd give credit if I knew where to give it.

Hot Milk Cake (a.k.a Hot Milk Sponge Cake)

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour (Whole Wheat flour tends to weigh cake down, if used proportion to 1/3 cup WW to 2/3 All-Purpose)
1 tsp baking powder
1 TBS butter
1/2 cup of hot milk

Directions:
1. Beat eggs until light and thick
2. Add sugar
3. Heat milk and add butter to milk, set aside
4. Gently fold dry ingredients into wet
5. Add milk (buttered fully melted), fold into batter
6. Pour into lightly greased cake pan (9x9)
7. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Serve with fresh strawberries and whipped cream or chopped peaches.

Sarah's Menu Plan Monday

I have been working to plan out menus for the month using mostly the food items I have in my fridge, freezer and pantry, but it's sometimes difficult. In the end I usually stick to planning out the coming week and throw in a selection here or there later in the month depending on schedule and availability.

This week I have planned:

Monday: FISH - Parmesan Flounder, Rice, Garden Salad
Tuesday: BEEF - Grandma's Goulash
Wednesday: VEGETARIAN - Homemade Mac & Cheese, Green Beans
Thursday: CHICKEN/CROCKPOT - White Chili with Corn bread
Friday: Leftovers or "Breakfast" food

I have some recipes from the other week as well as this week that I plan to post, so check back if you're interested in a particular recipe (I left my menu as a comment on Alison's Menu Plan Monday - Aug 30). Or leave a comment should you like to see a particular recipe.

Chocolate Haystacks

With Autumn fast upon us I have been looking for some fun cooking activities that I can share with my daughter on those cold rainy fall days. I came upon this recipe on KRAFT's website and although it could be messy, it does look delicious and fun, especially if you have a child (or children) in the home... or are a child at heart. I've yet to try it, but wanted to post it anyway.

Chocolate Haystacks
by KRAFT
prep time: 10 min
total time: 1 hr 10 min
makes: 3-1/2 doz. or 21 servings, 2 haystacks each

Ingredients:
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1 cup Butterscotch chips
2 cups Chow mein noodles
2 cups JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
1/2 cup PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts

Directions:
MICROWAVE chocolate and butterscotch chips in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 to 3 min. or until almost melted, stirring after 1-1/2 min. Stir until completely melted.

ADD remaining ingredients; stir until evenly coated.

DROP tablespoonfuls of chocolate mixture onto waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Substitutes:
Substitute1 cup BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks for the chocolate squares.

How to Store:
Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Stuffed Flounder served with Parmesan Noodles and Lemon Parsley Carrots

(This was from last week's menu. I just got a chance to upload the photos.)

Flounder Spinach Roll-Ups

I actually posted this flounder recipe some time ago, but although we love flounder I wasn't too crazy about this particular recipe. I felt it needed some slight alteration when it came to seasoning. This time I added a little more seasoning (salt and pepper) and sauteed the mushrooms and spinach in butter instead of oil. Both of these changes went a long way to improving the dish's taste. We all really enjoyed it this time and I had fun adding some different sides.

Click here for the Flounder Spinach Roll-Ups recipe.

Parmesan Noodles:

1. Cook any type of noodle. I used elbow macaroni for 8 min.

2. Add a little butter and toss with grated Parmesan cheese.

3. Serve with a little cracked black pepper and a dash of salt.

Lemon Parsley Carrots

(Adapted from Better Homes & Garden: New Cookbook, 1953, pg 360)

1. Cook carrots (I used canned, though next time I plan to use fresh). To cook add carrots to a small pan and cook covered in a very small amount of boiling, salted water for 15-25 minutes.

2. Combine 3 TBS butter, 2 TBS chopped parsley, and 1 TBS lemon juice.

3. Drain cooked carrots and toss with the butter/lemon/parsley sauce. Serve hot.

*Note: Butter might be reduced to 2TBS depending on the number of carrots used. Lemon juice could be reduced to 2 tsp for less tartness.

The finished dishes:

Sunshine Shakes and other Breakfast Smoothies

When I was a teenager my family went through a phase where we would make fruit and yogurt smoothies for breakfast four days out of seven. Recently I stumbled upon the recipe we used most frequently. I don't have a photograph, but thought I'd share it here along with two others I have also enjoyed:

Sunshine Shake
Amount: 1-2 servings

Blend in blender until smooth:
1- medium orange, peeled and cut into chunks
1- medium banana, peeled
1/2 cup low fat vanilla or nonfat or low fat plain yogurt (Add honey, to taste, with plain yogurt)
1/16 tsp. cinnamon
1/16 tsp. nutmeg


Banana Raspberry Smoothie
Amount: 3 servings

1 1/2 cups Pineapple juice
1 cup vanilla yogurt (or plain sweetened with honey)
1 cup raspberries
2 ripe, medium bananas, peeled
1/2 cup of ice cubes (omit if you use frozen raspberries)

Combine pineapple juice, yogurt, raspberries, bananas and ice cubes in blender. Blend until smooth.

Berry Bonanza Smoothie
Amount: 2 servings

1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced
1 cup frozen berries (any mix of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries)
5 ice cubes (or omit and use a frozen banana instead of fresh)
* Can be sweetened with a touch of honey if too tart

Blend ingredients at high speed till smooth. Thin with a little nonfat milk if needed.

A European Twist on Toasted Cheese Sandwich

I had the most amazing sandwich today. It was heaven on a baguette and now I want to make it at home. This is a fresh and deliciously yummy summer meal that is both simple and light in fare. However, rather than wait until I can obtain the ingredients I snagged a photograph off the Internet to show you what I'm talking about. It doesn't do the sandwich justice, but it's the closest image I can find.

French Quarter Baguette

Ingredients:

* French Baguette

* Fresh tomatoes

* Brie cheese

* Fresh mixed greens

1. Take the bread and slice down the middle like a sub. The length can be anywhere from 4-12" depending on the amount of sandwich you wish to have. Toast lightly.

2. Slice tomatoes and brie cheese. Layer in between the bread.

3. Serve with mixed greens on the side or tucked in with the tomatoes and cheese. Extra twist is to add a very light vinaigrette to the greens.

* Note the hotter the bread and the longer you let the cheese sit will allow for some melting or softening of the cheese.

Bon Appetite!

Late-Summer Vegetable Soup

Recipe courtesy of 2008 Super Fresh Monthly Savings Magazine
Serves 6

Prep time/Total time: 35Min
(per serving: 182 cal; 5.6 g fat 9.8 g sat fat; 6 g protein; 31.1 g carb; 4.7 g fiber)

"The produce-packed soup is cooked quickly to preserve the fresh flavor of the vegetables. the orzo simmers right in the pot."

Ingredients:
- 4 ears corn, husks and silks removed (if fresh corn is not available use frozen or canned, but be sure to rinse before putting in the pot)
- 2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 2 cans (14.5 oz each) reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 8 oz. fresh green beans (stem ends removed), cut into thirds (again, frozen can be substituted if fresh is not available)
- 1 can (14.5) oz diced tomatoes in juice (or substitute 4 fresh medium tomatoes)
- 1/2 cup orzo pasta
- water

Directions:
1. Cut off tip of each ear of corn. One at a time, stand ears in a wide bowl. With a sharp knife, carefully slice downward to release kernels. Discard cobs; set kernels aside.

2. In a Dutch oven or 5qt pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Add broth and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Add zucchini, green beans, corn, tomatoes (with juice), and orzo; cook, uncovered, until orzo is tender, 8 to 11 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

To FREEZE: Ladle 1 1/2 cups into each of six resealable plastic bags. Store flat in freezer, up to 3 months. Before reheating, thaw in refrigerator.

Related Links:

Fresh/Canned Tomato Conversion Chart

Pasta with Rosemary Tomato Sauce

Please excuse the murky photo, I took it with my phone and I thought it was a little clearer.

This recipe, which I call Pasta with Rosemary Tomato Sauce was actually one I discovered while eating breakfast in a restaurant last week. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but when one woman at a nearby table started rattling off quick and simple recipes to her friend my ears perked up. The following is my adaptation of what I overheard:

* Boil water for pasta. Any pasta will do, but I used the medium shell pasta and it worked well. (I used half a box, which when mixed with other ingredients was enough for lunch for my husband, daughter and myself and left me with some I could pack for my husband's lunch the next day.) When water is rolling boil cook pasta till al dente (approx 8 minutes).

While water is boiling prepare the sauce:

* Warm deep frying pan and add 1-2TBS of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

* Drop in 1-2 cloves of garlic minced and fresh rosemary (I chopped mine a little). Heat in the pan until the garlic is just browned, not burnt.

* Add 1 can of tomatoes (I used a 14.5 oz can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes from Hunts, but any diced tomato, stewed tomato or even fresh would work. Fresh tomatoes might take longer to cook, so plan accordingly.)

* Simmer sauce on the stove for 15-20 minutes, longer if using fresh tomatoes.

* About 3-5 minutes before the cooking time is up add 1-2 TBS of balsamic vinegar and stir.

* Serve hot over cooked noodles.

* Top with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Options: I had some leftover grilled mild Italian sausage, which I reheated and chopped to put in with the pasta. It was delicious. Leftover grilled chicken or shrimp would work too -- or this could be left as a vegetarian dish by omitting the meat.

This was delicious and was enjoyed by my husband and 3 year-old.

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil

I am growing my own herbs this year and the basil finally reached the point where I could harvest some to use in my cooking. I decided to try my own Bruschetta. I searched around and this recipe seemed simple enough and I had all the ingredients. It turned out delicious and relatively quick and easy to make. Will definitely make again. Apologies I forgot to take pictures of my own food.

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Ingredients:

* 6 or 7 Ripe Plum Tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)

* 2 Cloves Garlic, minced

* 1 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil

* 1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

* 6-8 (Med-Large) Basil Leaves, chopped

* Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

* 1 Baguette French Bread or similar Italian Bread

* 1/4 cup Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Prepare the tomatoes first. Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain. Using a sharp small knife, remove the skins of the tomatoes. (If the tomatoes are too hot, you can protect your finger tips by rubbing them with an ice cube or under cold water between tomatoes.) Once the tomatoes are peeled, cut them in halves or quarters and remove the seeds and juice from their centers. Also cut out and discard the steam area. (Why use plum tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes? The skins are much thicker and thus easier to peel and there are fewer seeds and less juice.)

2. Make sure there is a top rack in place in your oven. Turn on the oven to 450 to preheat.

3. While the oven is heating, chop up the tomatoes finely. Put tomatoes, garlic, 1TBS extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add the chopped basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices. Coat ONE side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. Place tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 5-6 minutes, or until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.

(Alternative Method/Traditional Method: You can toast the bread without coating it in olive oil first. Toast on a griddle for 1 minute per side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle 1/2 tsp of Olive Oil on each slice.)

5. Align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. Either place the tomato topping in a bowl separately with a spoon for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each slice of bread and serve. If you top each slice with the tomato mixture, do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy.

- Makes 24 small slices. Serves 6-10 as an appetizer or 3-4 for lunch.

** Recipe adapted from SmiplyRecipes.com. Picture courtesy of SimplyRecipes.com

Cuban Black-Bean Stew with Rice

Serves 4, prep time: 20 min, total time: 30 min

1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
1 TBS olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
2 cans (19 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz) vegetable broth
1 TBS cider vinegar
1/2 tsp dried oregano
coarse salt and ground pepper
garnishes (optional) lime wedges, fresh cilantro, and sliced radishes

1. Prepare rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Add beans, broth, vinegar, and oregano. Cook, mashing some beans with the back of a spoon, until slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Fluff rice with a fork. Serve beans over rice, with garnishes if desired.

** If you like, serve this protein-rich vegetarian dish with brown rice to boost the health factor even more. It's also delicious with chips or tortillas alongside.

*Note: I used green bell pepper, it worked just as well, though maybe not as colorful. Also, you may want to cut back on broth. I used the whole can as told, but the beans seemed a tad watery. The name of this recipe may make you think it's spicy or hot, but it's not. It's a mild, but tasty flavor and even my 14 month old daughter enjoyed it.

(Recipe found in September 2008 issue of Everyday Food: A Martha Stewart Magazine)

Flounder Spinach Roll-Ups

Last night I made the second of two recipes I came upon in the Easy Solutions magazine/coupon book that our local grocery store hands out. Both were for Flounder and both were excellent. You could substitute chicken for the fish and I think it would taste just as good, but if you're willing to try the fish I highly recommend it.

"Fresh flounder is mild, delicate and sweet. It taste faintly like the ocean, with a light and breezy flavor. For people who prefer meat, flounder is usually acceptable. And for young children who've never tried fresh fish before, flounder is the perfect introduction to seafood."

I buy my fresh flounder at Costco in the bulk fillet packs. It's cheaper than the pre-packaged frozen and allows me to decide what I want fresh and what I want to freeze and store for later.

Flounder Spinach Roll-Ups

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

8 large mushrooms, sliced (I used portabella)

8 oz fresh spinach chopped (I used frozen, I didn't like it as well as fresh, but it works in a pinch)

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 TBS vegetable oil

3 TBS crumbled feta cheese

4 flounder fillets

4 wedges of lemon

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On stove, heat a pan to medium heat and add vegetable oil, then garlic to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, stirring, and until the liquid released has evaporated. Add spinach and cook another 2 minutes until wilted. Take pan off heat and drain excess liquid. Sprinkle feta over mixture and toss thoroughly. Assemble the Roll-Ups by dividing the vegetables in four portions, placing one portion at each flounder fillet end then carefully rolling up. Secure with toothpicks and place fish rolls, seam side down, in an oiled baking dish. Add 2 TBS of water and loosely cover baking dish with foil Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until fish flakes easily and is entirely opaque. Serve with lemon wedges, salt and pepper to taste.

I wanted my fish to be a little more golden, so after baking I turned on the broiler and let them sit under it for a couple minutes.

New Food Finds

Because I had some random frequent flyer miles with Northwest Airlines I decided to cash them in for magazine subscriptions. One magazine I chose was Everyday Food, which is a Martha Stewart magazine.

It comes printed in the size of a Readers Digest every month. The magazine includes easy, healthy recipes and interesting articles. I've tried a few recipes and have been very pleased with how simple they were and how little I had to shop -- there weren't really any exotic food items needed. I hope to try a few that I've found in the October issue and will post them here if I think they're worth sharing.

So... just for your information. :)