Creamy Vegetable Basil Pasta

 A yummy plant-based recipe:
Creamy Sauce made in blender:
1 1/2 tsp. crushed fresh basil (or 2 cups fresh basil)
4 tbsp. water
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (you may weaken this solution to 1/2 water, 1/2 juice)
1/4 cup lime juice
1 medium avocado*
1/4 cup silken tofu (or regular tofu)*
1 tsp. salt
Add any of the following, depending on your taste for hot:
dash hot sauce, black pepper, red pepper flakes
Blend in blender until smooth and set aside. *You can the omit tofu and add an avocado, or you can omit the avocado and increase the silken tofu to 1/2 cup. It tastes great either way.

Vegetable/Pasta Ingredients:

3/4 lb. penne pasta, cooked according to package directions.
1-2 tsp. olive oil (extra virgin or regular)
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1 orange bell pepper, chopped (can use a green pepper instead)
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped (green pepper is fine here)
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped (optional)
2 -3 large tomatoes, in bite-sized chunks
1 1/2 (even 2 if you like) cups frozen mukimame (shelled soybeans)

1. Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat for about 5 minutes.  Add the peppers and saute for about 3-4 minutes, then add all the other vegetables except for the mukimame.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for another 5-8 minutes.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes and mukimame and cook for another 3 minutes.
3. Fold the cream sauce and pasta into the vegetable mixture.  Serve Immediately.
 Makes 6 large servings.

Vegetable Pasta Summer Salad

6 oz. Vegetable Rotini Pasta, cooked and drained
1 C. Fresh broccoli florets, cut bite-sized
1/2 - 3/4 C. Cauliflower florets, cut bite-sized
1 C. Cherry tomatoes
1 Tblspn (or less) Sunflower seeds
1-2 Tblspn Pine nuts
1/3 C. Zesty Italian dressing
1-2 Tsp. Dried Italian dressing mix (to taste)
Basil and oregano to taste

Combine zesty Italian dressing with ingredients above, then add the dried dressing mix to taste.  Add basil and oregano if it needs more flavor.  Chill and serve.  Serves 6 medium-sized servings.

Sloppy Joes

The recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated, The best 30-minute recipe book, which is pretty much the best cookbook I have ever owned. Mark and I love this recipe, and we like it best served with moneray jack cheese. Yum!

Serves 4

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Salt
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
1 cup tomato puree
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Tabasco sauce
1 hamburger buns

1. Saute Aromatics: Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add onion, chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Cook Beef: Add beef and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, but still slightly pink, about 3 minutes.
3. Simmer Sauce: Stir in tomato puree, ketchup, water, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco.  Simmer until sauce is slightly thicker than ketchup, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Season and Assemble Sandwiches: Season with salt and Tabasco to taste.  Spoon meat mixture into hamburger buns and serve.

Eggplant Pizzas

Serve as an appetizer, side dish, or evening snack. Top with grated or crumbled hard goat’s –milk cheese, if desired.

1 medium eggplant (1 ¼ lbs. peeled and sliced ½ “thick

1 tablespoon Olive oil

Olive oil cooking spray

1 large sweet onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cups chopped tomatoes

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ½ teaspoons Italian Seasoning

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mist both sides of each eggplant slice with the cooking spray. Arrange slices on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, pepper, tomatoes, and seasoning and cook for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the garlic.

Place a heaping teaspoonful on each eggplant slice.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Makes 4 (side dish or appetizer) servings

TIPS: You can make this recipe ahead. Simply refrigerate the topped eggplant slices, then when ready to serve, bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until heated through.

Also, you can add cheese or egg to hold toppings together and meat like ground beef or chicken.  

Fiesta Rice Salad

1 can (15 oz.) black beans
2 cups pre-cooked brown rice, cooled
1 medium red or yellow pepper (for abt. 1 cup chopped)
1 medium green bell pepper (abt. 1 cup chopped)
2 stalks celery (abt. 1 cup diced)
3-4 green onions (abt. 1/2 cup chopped)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional--I use much less)
3/4 cup mild Mexican Picante sauce or salsa
1/3 cup Italian salad dressing
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional-I usually omit this)

Cooks Notes: The rice needs to be cold.  If you don't have cold rice, rinse the cooked rice under cold tap water until it is cool. Drain rice well and put in freezer whilst cutting vegetables.

Step 1:  Pour the beans into a colander and rinse well with cool tap water.  Set aside to drain.
Step 2:  Pour the rice into a medium bowl. Seed and chop both bell peppers into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl. Add celery.
Step 3:  Chop and add the onions, cilantro, and black beans.
Step 4:  Pour the Picante sauce and Italian dressing into a 2-cup glass measure.  Add the lime juice and cumin.  Stir well.  Pour the dressing mixture over the rice and vegetables.  Stir gently until the salad is mixed.  Serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve. May serve with tortilla chips.

Serves 8   (For a main dish you can add chicken or pork tenderloin pieces, etc.)

Vegetable Barley or Quinoa Soup

1 green pepper
1 medium onion
2 stalks celery
1/2-1 cup chopped mushrooms
2 medium carrots
2 cups green cabbage
1 small zucchini (opt.)
1 cup chopped green beans (or 1 can green beans)
1 can (abt. 1 1/2 cups) chopped, stewed tomatoes (or 1 quart fresh)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cups beef broth
1/2 cup either barley or quinoa
1/2-3/4 cup ground beef, browned and drained (opt.)
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. thyme
pepper to taste

Chop and saute the vegetables in the following order, stirring occasionally. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.  OR: Saute as directed and put in crockpot with the other ingredients. Needs to reach a near boiling temperature for quinoa or barley to cook properly. Then simmer.

Beth's French Silk Pie

One of my girlfriends brought this to Thanksgiving dinner.  It is absolutely divine!

1 baked pie crust, cooled

FILLING:

3 oz.  unsweetened chocolate

¾ cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 ½ tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

In small saucepan, melt chocolate; cool.  In large bowl cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Blend in chocolate and vanilla.  Add eggs one at a time, beating at medium speed 5 minutes after each addition.  Pour into cooled pie crust.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.  Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate curls.