Salad Stuffed Cucumbers

Original Recipe:
1 8 oz package Neufchatel Cheese*
2 5 oz cans boneless, skinless salmon, drained
3 regular cucumbers, peeled and seeded
salt and pepper to taste

Altered:
1 oz pack of cream cheese
2 cans of tuna, drained (or canned chicken)
3 cucs
salt, pepper and dill to taste
a splash of lemon juice

Mix softened cheese, tuna, seasoning. Prepare cucumbers by slicing in half lengthwise and scooping out seeds. Fill create cavity with salad.

Original recipe by Alice and the Mock Turtle

Roasted Cauliflower

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely minced
• 2 T Lemon juice
  
• Olive oil
• salt & pepper
• Parmesan cheese, grated
  

Place prepared florets into a single layer in a casserole dish.
TOSS in garlic.
SPRINKLE with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
DRIZZLE with olive oil.
PLACE in oven at 400 for 25-30 min or until tops of florets are lightly brown and can be pierced with a fork with ease.
TOP WITH Parmesan cheese.

*Can be processed into a soup easily.

Artichokes

Wash. Trim. Boil for 30-40 minutes.
Serve with prepared melted garlic butter (for Angela) and plain mayo (for Mike).
Include a pesto pasta or another cold pasta salad along with french bread for side dishes.

Quesadillas

Just watch this. :)

Manicotti

• 1 box manicotti
• 1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce
• 2 T EVOO
• 6 oz (or more…) mushrooms, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• some frozen chopped spinach, thawed slightly
  
• 2 eggs
• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 2 T dried basil
• 1/2 C Parmesan Cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
COOK Manicotti for 7 minutes; drain and rinse in cool water. Set aside.
HEAT oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach; continue cooking 5-8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
BEAT eggs lightly in medium bowl. Stir in ricotta, basil and salt. Stir in mushroom mixture.
SPREAD ¾ cup sauce over bottom of 9x13-inch baking dish. Fill Manicotti with mushroom mixture; place in dish. Pour remaining Sauce evenly over filled shells; sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover; continue baking 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Recipe taken and altered from Barilla box

Zucchini Pie

• 1 pie crust, unbaked
• 1/4 cup butter
• 4 cups sliced zucchini
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 cups shredded cheese, I used a combination sharp cheddar and mozzarella
• 2 extra large eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Line a pie plate with the pie crut. Set aside.

Melt butter in a large saute pan and add zucchini and onion. Saute for about 8 minutes. Add the parsley, salt, pepper, oregano and garlic salt. Toss to coat. Cool slightly and then add cheese and eggs and mix. Pour into the prepared pie crust and bake for about 25 - 30 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

Recipe from Dinner for a Year and Beyond

Spinach Pesto

• 1 pk of pesto mix, made creamy
  
• 1 box of long pasta (thin spaghetti, perferred)
• 1 can of sliced olives
• 1 bag of frozen spinach
• 1 cup of mozzarella cheese or just a sprinkling of grated parmesan

Prepare spinach. Prepare sauce. Prepare noodles. Toss together. Fold in olives. If you are like me and you like your pesto cold, place it in the fridge then sprinkle with cheese upon serving.

We eat this with a salad or if artichokes are on sell, we'll have those and some bread.

Refried Beans

• 2 cups of picked through pinto beans
• minced onion
• minced garlic
• 1 pkt of taco seasoning
• lots of salt and pepper (I also like oregano)

The evening before, place beans in crockpot, fill crockpot with water (just enough so there is an inch above the beans). Let the beans soak all night.
The next day, strain and rinse the beans. Return the beans back to the crockpot with water two inches above the beans. Cook on LOW for three hours, then add in onion and garlic. Cook for an additional hour or two.
Remove beans from liquid into a bowl. Mash beans. Add remaining seasonings. TASTE ALONG THE WAY! Then comes the question... to fry or not to fry. It is your choice!


Some things you should know!
You can FREEZE refried beans.
You can use the bean broth to make soups creamier.

Egg Drop Soup

• 3 eggs
• 1 32 oz can/box of chicken stock (Market Basket 2/$4)
• 1 t ginger
• a dash of lemon pepper
• 1 bag of frozen peas and carrots
• 2 green onions chopped

Prepare the frozen veggies. Set aside. In a mixing bowl whisk eggs (do not make them FLUFFY, just well-mixed). Set aside
Boil the stock, add seasonings. Using a wire whisk, dizzle the eggs into the boiling stock. Remove from heat. Mix in veggies and onions.

On the side...
white rice and those yummy crunchy noodles.

Baked Penne

• 1 box of penne noodles
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 1 jar of tomato sauce
• 1 cup of shredded cheese

Cook the pasta. Drain the pasta. Add the tomatoes and the sauce to the pasta. Place the mixture into a casserole dish. Top with cheese. FOIL IT, so it gets gooey. Bake it on 350 for 30 mintues. Take off the foil, and put it back in the oven for 10 more mintues.

Ta-dah!