Savory zucchini pie

Savory zucchini pie ~ Thanks, Martha!!

* For the crust:
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
* 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 teaspoon coarse salt
* 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
* 1 large egg yolk, plus 1 large egg yolk, for egg wash
* 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
* 1 tablespoon heavy cream, for egg wash for the filling
* For the filling:
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 shallot, finely chopped
* 1 small zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch-thick half-moons
* 1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 4 ounces bocconcini (fresh mozzarella balls)
* 3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
* 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Make the crust: Pulse flour, cheese, salt and butter in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1 egg yolk; pulse to combine. Drizzle in 1/4 cup ice water, and pulse until dough just comes together. (If dough is still crumbly, add up to 1/4 cup more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.) Form dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

2. Make the filling: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium. Add shallot; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini; cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden and liquid has been released, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

3. Halve one-third of the tomatoes. Stir halved and whole tomatoes, both cheeses, basil and flour into shallot-zucchini mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 13-inch round, about 1/4-inch thick. Make seven 3-inch-long cuts around edge of dough, evenly spaced. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Drizzle shell with remaining tablespoon oil. Transfer filling to shell. Fold in flaps of dough, slightly overlapping. Refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk cream and remaining egg yolk in a small bowl, and brush over crust. Bake pie on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling, 70 to 80 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.

Pasta Fagioli

* 2 lbs veggie burger crumbles
* 1 onion, chopped
* 3 carrots, chopped
* 4 stalks celery, chopped
* 2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
* 1 (16 oz) can red kidney beans, drained
* 1 (16 oz) can white kidney beans, drained
* 30 oz veggie beef stock
* 3 teaspoons oregano
* 2 teaspoons pepper
* 5 teaspoons parsley
* 2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)
* 1 (20 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
* 8 ounces pasta

Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 7 1/4 hrs

1. Brown beef in a skillet.
2. Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta.
3. Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.
4. During last 30 min on high or 1 hour on low, add pasta.

Greek Style Orzo Soup

Ingredients

* 6 ounces burger crumbles
* 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
* 1 large onion, finely chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary, or oregano
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, (optional)
* 1 14-ounce can whole tomatoes, undrained
* 2 tablespoons chopped, pitted black olives
* Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
* 12 ounces orzo
* 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese


Preparation

1. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil.
2. Cook 'beef' in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, cinnamon, rosemary (or oregano) and crushed red pepper, if using; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add beef.
4. Puree tomatoes and their juices in a food processor until smooth. Add to the meat mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in olives. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Meanwhile, cook orzo until just tender, about 8 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and toss with the sauce. Serve garnished with feta.

Gnocchi with Tomatoes & Watercress

Ingredients

* 2 ounces veggie bacon, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 large tomatoes, chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 pound gnocchi
* 4 ounces watercress,tough stems removed,coarsely chopped (6 cups packed)
* 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Preparation

1. Put a large pan of water on to boil.
2. Cook pancetta in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, sugar and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are almost completely broken down, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar and salt. Remove from the heat.
3. Cook gnocchi in the boiling water until they float, 3 to 5 minutes or according to package directions. Place watercress in a colander and drain the gnocchi over the watercress, wilting it slightly. Add the gnocchi and watercress to the sauce in the pan; toss to combine. Serve immediately, with Parmesan.

Margarita Mac and Cheese

Margarita Mac and Cheese

6 to 7 ounces elbow macaroni
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried basil (or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil, plus extra for serving)
2-3 cups mozzarella cheese
1 can diced tomatoes, drained.

For sauce:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups milk

Pre-heat oven to 375. Cook macaroni as directed on the package. While macaroni is cooking, prepare the sauce.

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper and cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir one minute. Set aside.

Drain pasta and mix with the drained diced tomatoes. Place half of the macaroni in an ungreased 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with half the salt, pepper, basil and cheese. Repeat with remaining macaroni, salt, pepper, basil and cheese. Pour sauce over macaroni. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer. Serve with fresh basil.

Cabbage Stew

Cabbage and Bread Stew

Serves: 6

* 3 to 4 cups cubed (about 1 inch) Italian or sourdough bread
* 2 TBS olive oil
* 2 large onions, quartered and thinly sliced
* 3 to 4 cloves garlic
* 5 cups water
* 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
* 2 large or 3 medium potatoes, diced
* 4 cups coarsely shredded green cabbage
* 1 medium green or red bell pepper, diced
* 1 16oz can salt-free diced or stewed tomatoes, undrained
* 1/4 cup dry red wine -- I'm using heavy veggie beef stock
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon cumin
* 3 TBS lemon juice-- I'm skipping this bc DH doesn't care for sweet n sour
* 3 TBS natural granulated sugar-- skipping this too - no sweet n sour for DH
* Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden and crisp, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions and garlic and sauté over medium heat until golden, about 10 minutes.

Add the water, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, bell peppers, tomatoes, wine/broth, paprika, and cumin. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Stir in the lemon juice and sugar. There should be a subtle sweet-sour balance. If you’d like it to be more pronounced, add more lemon juice and/or sugar to your liking.

Season with salt and pepper, then simmer over very low heat for 10 minutes longer. If time allows, let the stew stand off the heat for an hour or two, then heat through before serving.

When ready to serve, divide the bread cubes among the serving bowls and ladle the stew over them. The bread will absorb much of the liquid and add a tasty, textural element to the stew. Remember, if you don't use a good crusty loaf, you're gonna get nothing but a flavorful soggy stoup :)

Tomato Tart

* 12 14-by-18-inch or 24 9-by-14-inch sheets phyllo dough
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 tablespoon plain dry breadcrumbs
* 2 tablespoons prepared pesto
* 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, (about 4 ounces)
* 1 large red tomato, cut into 1/4-inch slices
* 1 large yellow tomato, cut into 1/4-inch slices
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
* Freshly ground pepper, to taste
* 10-12 small basil leaves


1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 17 1/2-by-12 1/2-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay one large sheet of phyllo on the prepared pan. (If using the smaller size, slightly overlap two sheets on the pan to form a rectangle.) Keep the remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap or wax paper and a damp kitchen towel.
2. Lightly coat the phyllo surface with oil using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon breadcrumbs. Repeat this step, layering the remaining phyllo on top. Brush the final sheet with oil. Carefully roll about 3/4 inch of each side toward the center to form the outer rim of the tart.
3. Using the same brush, paint pesto evenly on the surface of the tart. Sprinkle about half of the crumbled feta cheese over the pesto layer. Arrange tomato slices, alternating colors, over the pesto layer; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
4. Bake the tart until the crust turns brown and crispy, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
5. To serve, lift the parchment paper and slide the tart onto a cutting board or large platter. Scatter basil leaves on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

* Make Ahead Tip: Bake the tart up to 8 hours in advance; cover and refrigerate. Transport it directly on the baking sheet. Pack basil leaves separately in a plastic bag. Reheat the tart at 350° for 10 to 15 minutes, or until warmed through.

* Thaw frozen phyllo in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight before preparing the recipe.

Texas Two-Step

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Red Peppers, Avocado & Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette
Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients

2 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 ears fresh corn, cooked, cooled and kernels cut off the cob
2 red bell peppers, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced shallots (you'll need one medium shallot)
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest (be sure to zest limes before juicing them)
½ cup chopped cilantro, plus more to garnish
2 Haas avocados, diced

Directions

Combine all ingredients except avocados in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Right before serving, add avocados and mix gently, being careful not to mash avocados. Garnish with a few springs of freshly chopped cilantro if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Mud Soup

Quick and easy and DD1's first ever concoction when she was about 5 yrs old :) Deliciously warm and inviting on a nippy fall afternoon.

Mud Soup

Ingredients

2 cans black beans, rinsed & drained
2 cups vegetarian chicken broth
1 cup "gourmet" style salsa


Directions
Heat all ingredients in large pot on stove until heated through.
Transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree into a "creamy" black bean soup. Add cumin and garlic to taste. Or use less broth and turn it into a favorite dip for chips.
Garnish with fresh cilantro or other herbs.

Number of Servings: 6

Chicken Tinga

I made this impromptu to take to a friend's house. RAVE REVIEWS. I didn't follow a recipe, and because it was impromptu, I had to improvise on the ingredients. Sad to say, tomatillos aren't one of the usual staples in my pantry :) The options for tinga are endless. Sandwiches, pizza topping, rice, pasta, etc. It can go anywhere. Let's see if I can tell you what I did. It was delicious!! Spicy, but delish!

This is how it's supposed to be done. Saute, puree', etc.

• 3 tablespoons of safflower or corn oil
• 1/2 white onion, slivered (about 1/4 pound)
• 2 chopped garlic cloves
• 8 roma tomatoes, rinsed (about 2 pounds)
• 2 tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed (about 1/4 pound)
• 1/2 teaspoon of crumbled dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon of dried marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of sea or kosher salt, more or less to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 tablespoons of sauce from chipotle chiles in adobo. Add whole chiles if more heat desired.
• 5 cups of shredded chicken


This is what actually happened:

Saute' chopped sweet onion and fresh garlic in veg oil for 5-6 minutes, til translucent and fragrant. Add about 8 chopped and finely diced Roma tomatoes (If you're in a pinch, you can use 2 cans of the tomatoes w green chiles). Add a touch of lime juice, oregano, salt, pepper and maybe a 1/2 cup or so of salsa verde. The verde will replace your tomatillos and add in some of your missing seasonings. Stir it well, then add in 2 Tbs of adobo sauce and one well-minced chipotle pepper. There's your heat. If you don't want the heat, go without the pepper. Add just the adobo. Simmer 10-12 minutes. The color will deepen and the flavors marry the longer it sits. Next, toss in your chicken. I used 2 boxes of the MSF Chicken Grillers, nicely shredded. Simmer another 5 minutes or so, until the chicken has absorbed some of the juice. It's ready when it turns saucy instead of soupy :) We served this on top of haystacks, and it was a huge hit. Unexpected flavor, really easy inexpensive recipe, tastes like it took all day. BINGO. I'm going to refine the ingredient list and go ahead and add it to the Bistro book. Those of you who already have a copy, I'll just print it off and drop it off next time I see you :) Enjoy! :)

Spinach Baked Ziti -- vegan

Spinach Baked Ziti:

* 1 lb whole wheat penne pasta
* 5 oz fresh spinach, roughly chopped (about half a bag)
* 1 lb firm tofu, drained
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 2 tsps lemon juice
* 1 TBS dried basil
* 1/4 tsp salt
* ground pepper
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
* 1 jar of marinara sauce (or about 3 cups of your own sauce)
* 6 oz Follow Your Heart Mozzarella, grated

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta until al dente (about 9 minutes). Add spinach to the pot during the last 1 or 2 minutes of the cooking time. Meanwhile, crumble the tofu into a bowl. With a fork, mix in the garlic, lemon juice, basil, salt, pepper, olive oil, and nutrtional yeast. Set aside. When the pasta is done, drain the pasta and spinach in a colander, and return to the pot. Add the marinara sauce, the tofu mixture, and about 2 oz of the mozzarella. Mix gently, and place into a 9x13 baking dish. Cover the top with the remaining mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes. Turn the oven to broil (move the oven rack up if you need to), remove the foil, and place pan under broiler for about 5 minutes, just until the mozzarella is melted. Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Green Salsa

Green Salsa
Ingredients

8 ounces tomatillos
2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 jalapeño pepper
1/4 cup sliced white onion
1/2 ripe avocado, diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste


1.To prepare salsa: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse well. Cook the tomatillos in the boiling water until soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2.Toast garlic cloves, jalapeño and onion in a dry medium skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until browned, fragrant and soft, 5 to 7 minutes.

3.When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic. Remove the jalapeño stem and remove seeds if desired. Combine the tomatillos, garlic, jalapeño, onion and avocado in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Stir in cilantro, salt and pepper. Set aside for topping the tacos.

Skillet Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans

Skillet Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans

6 servings
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 1 16-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi, (see Tip)
* 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 cup water
* 6 cups chopped chard leaves, (about 1 small bunch) or spinach
* 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
* 1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
* 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chard (or spinach) and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Crock Pot Ratatouille

Idea: Use it over pasta w fresh mozzerella, use as pizza topping, on a crostini w shaved parmesan, as a stew w veggie chicken and fontina cheese added in, as a base for minestrone, topping for couscous, layered in lasagna --- the options are endless!




Servings:8

* 2 large onions, cut in half and sliced
* 1 large eggplants, sliced, cut in 2 inch pieces
* 4 small zucchini, sliced
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 large green bell peppers, de-seeded and cut into thin strips
* 2 large tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch wedges or 28oz can unsalted diced
* 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
* 1 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/2 teaspoon oregano
* 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, but it does help)
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* red pepper flakes, to spice it up

Prep Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 1/2 day

Layer half the vegetables in a large crock pot in the following order: onion, eggplant, zucchini, garlic, green peppers, tomatoes. Next sprinkle half the basil,oregano,sugar,parsley,salt,pepper on the veggies. Dot with half of the tomato paste. Repeat layering process with remaining vegetables, spices and tomato paste. Drizzle with olive oil. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours. Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Refrigerate to store. May freeze up to 6 weeks.

Variation: add a can of rinsed chickpeas and probably about 1/3 c. balsamic vinegar and topped with shredded mozarella cheese

Zucchini Breakfast Casserole

Zucchini Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Ingredients

* 6-8 eggs
* 1 cup ricotta cheese
* 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce or other hot chili sauce
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3 cups grated zucchini (from 2-3 fresh zucchinis)
* 1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomatoes (from 4-5 fresh tomatoes),
* 1/2 cup sliced fresh basil (from about 20 leaves)*
* 4 cups cubed day-old bread (from about 4 slices)
* Olive oil

*Chiffonade basil by stacking a few leaves on top of each other, roll them up like a cigar, slice thin, starting at one end of the cigar and working your way down.
Method

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl beat the eggs. Add the ricotta and beat until smooth. Mix in the grated Parmesan cheese, Tabasco, salt and pepper.

2 Prepare the vegetables and bread. Once you chop the tomatoes, squeeze excess moisture out of them by pressing them in a sieve, or wrapping in paper towels and squeezing. Add the tomatoes, basil, and zucchini to the egg mixture. Moisten the bread cubes with a little water then squeeze out any excess moisture using paper towels. Mix the bread cubes into the egg mixture.

3 Coat the bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking dish generously with olive oil. Pour the egg vegetable mixture into the baking pan and even it out in the pan. Place in the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F. The casserole should puff up and brown lightly. If it hasn't after 30 minutes at 350, increase the heat to 425° and cook for 5-10 minutes further. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack for 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

Makes 6-8 portions.

Grilled Zucchini Sandwiches

Grilled yellow squash
Grilled zucchini
Tomato slices
Red pepper hummus
Fresh spinach
Gouda or provolone cheese
Bacon -- Completely optional, but make the veggie bacon crisp. The crunch will add a nice texture to the sandwich.

Eggplant Parmesan Nibblers

Ingredients

* 2 medium eggplants
* 3 to 4 tablespoons EVOO
* 1 small onion, grated
* 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
* 2 cups breadcrumbs, divided
* 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
* 3 eggs, divided
* 5 to 6 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and chopped
* 3 to 4 sprigs mint, leaves removed and chopped
* Zest of 1 lemon
* Salt and pepper
* 1 small ball fresh mozzarella, diced into small cubes
* 1 cup flour
* 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
* Canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and rub the cut sides with EVOO. Place on a baking sheet cut side down and roast until tender, about 30 minutes. Let the eggplant cool until you can comfortably handle them then scoop the flesh out of the skin and into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until puréed and transfer to a mixing bowl.

Combine eggplant with the onion, garlic, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1 egg, thyme, mint, lemon zest, salt and pepper. If needed, add additional breadcrumbs until mixture is moldable -- you can roll the mixture into balls now, or refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to make it easier to work with.

To roll the balls, scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the mixture, form it into a ball and flatten it slightly in the palm of your hand. Place a cube of cheese in the center and enclose the mixture around it. Repeat until all of the mixture is used up.

Spread out three dishes on the counter: Fill one with the flour, beat the 2 remaining eggs in another and in the third, combine the remaining breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano and parsley. Coat each ball by running them through the flour, then the egg and then the cheesy crumbs.

When you’re ready to serve the balls, heat about 2 inches of oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Fry the balls until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then drain on a paper towel. Serve warm with tomato sauce.

Slow Cooker Salsa

Slow-Cooker Salsa

Makes 8½ cups
Prep. Time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking Time: 2½-3 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 3-qt.

10 fresh Roma, or plum, tomatoes, chopped coarsely
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers
¼ cup cilantro leaves
½ tsp. salt



1. Place tomatoes, garlic, and onion in slow cooker.
2. Remove stems from jalapenos. Remove seeds, too, if you prefer a milder flavor. Chop jalapenos. Stir into slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on High 2½-3 hours, or until vegetables are softened.
4. Allow to cool.
5. When cooled, combine cooked mixture with cilantro and salt in a blender or food processor. Blend or process to the consistency that you like.

Quick Tomato Sauce

Quick Tomato Sauce

Makes 3 cups, enough for 1 pound of pasta

This full-flavored tomato sauce takes only 15 minutes to prepare. High-quality canned tomatoes will make a big difference in this sauce. Grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater.

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1/4 cup grated onion, from 1 medium onion
* 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
* Table salt
* 2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tsp)
* 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 1/4 teaspoon sugar
* 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
* Ground black pepper

Instructions

* Heat butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add onion, oregano, and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and sugar; increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil and oil; season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Portobello Napoleons

Just received this from Nonnie... sounds delicious!

Portobello Napoleons

Ingredients:
2 c balsamic vinegar
6 baby portobello mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
6 slices Mozzarella cheese 1/2" thick & round
1 Roma tomato, sliced
6 fresh basil leaves
1/4 c pine nuts

Note: Ideally your tomatoes, cheese and cooked mushrooms should be about the same diameter. This way it layers up pretty. Bottom to top: brown, cream, red, green, gold.



Directions:
Pour vinegar into a saucepan and cook over high heat until reduced by half. Set aside to cool.

Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.

Brush mushrooms with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill for 2-3 mins on each side, or until tender.

Remove from the grill and top each mushroom with a slice of mozzarella, a slice of tomato and a basil leaf.

Sprinkle with pine nuts and drizzle with the balsamic glaze.