Salsa Verde

1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed
1/2 medium yellow onion, peeled, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 or 2 serrano chiles, cut in half, stems removed (depending on how hot you want it)
1 cup cilantro, leaves and stems
Salt to taste




Method:
To make the salsa, place the tomatillos, onion, garlic, serrano chiles and cilantro in a large pot. Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil on high. Continue to boil uncovered for 10 minutes or until the tomatillos go from a bright green to a light, muted green (If the water doesn’t cover them completely, don’t add more water just turn the tomatillos in the pot halfway through the cooking so all sides are exposed to the boiling water). Turn of the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Transfer the pot contents to a blender and blend until smooth. (If you don’t let the vegetables cool, the steam will make the blender lid pop off, which makes for a bit of a mess.) Add salt to taste.

Soft Sugar Cookies

1/2 C. butter
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla and almond extract
1 egg
1/2 C. sour cream or plain yogurt
3 1/4 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar until well blended. Add egg, vanilla, almond and sour cream. Continue mixing scraping sides of bowl.

Combine dry ingredients and add slowly to creamed mixture. Mix until combined. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
Roll out to 1/4 thickness, place on cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Gingerbread

Thank you Martha Stewart for your gingerbread recipe. My husband will do practically anything I want (like the dishes) if I make these cookies. Seriously, he LOVES them and swears they are the BEST gingerbread cookies ever!

Ingredients:

5 ½ cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp salt

4 tsp ginger

4 tsp cinnamon

1 ½ tsp cloves

1 tsp nutmeg

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ cups molasses

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Beat together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time scraping bowl down in between. Add molasses and scrape down bowl again. With mixer on low speed add flour.

Chill one hour in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on a well-floured surface until ¼ “ thick. Place dough back in the freezer for 15 minutes. Then cut with cookie cutters.

Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Vegatable Lasagne Bechamel

This recipe comes from the Moosewood low fat recipe cookbook!


1 Tbl. oil
2 Tbl. flour
2 1/2 C. milk
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
salt and ground pepper to taste
1 tsp. olive oil
4 garlic cloves minced or pressed
2 C. chopped leeks, white and tender green parts
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 C. dry white wine
1 1/2 C. peeled and diced carrots
2 1/2 C. broccoli florets
3 C. undrained canned tomatoes(28-ounce cans)
1/3 C. chopped fresh basil
3/4 lb.uncooked lasagna noodles
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 C. grated mozzarella cheese

Warm the oil in a small saucepan and then stir in the flour, slowly whisk in the milk, 1/2 C. at a time. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens a bit. this bechamel will not be very thick.Add the nutmeg, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. remove from the heat and set aside.
In a heavy or preferably nonstick skillet on medium heat, warm the oil. Add the garlic, leeks, and thyme and saute for 2-3 min. Add the wine, carrots, and broccoli stalks, cover, and simmer for 3-4 min. until all of the vegetables are tender but still firm. add a dash of salt and pepper and set aside. pour the canned tomatoes and juice into a bowl and crush the tomatoes by hand. add the fresh basil, stir well and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare a deep 8x12in. baking dish with cooking spray or a light coating of oil.
Assemble the lasagna. Layer half of the tomato-basil mixture in the bottom of the dish, top with a single layer of noodles, half of the vegetables and a cup of the bechamel sauce, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, and 2 tbl. of the grated mozzarella. Top with a second layer of noodles. and the rest of the vegetables the remaining bechamel sauce and third layer of oodles the rest of the tomato basil mixture and sprinkle the top with the remaining cheeses.
Cover and bake for 50 min. uncover and bake for an additional 10 min. allow the lasagna to rest for 10 min. before serving

Chipotle Ranch Dressing

1-2 chipotle chiles from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Place all ingredients in a blender; cover then blend until smooth. Use immediately or refrigerate in a covered container. Dressing may be kept, refrigerated, for up to one week.

I use this on a chopped salad of romaine, blackbeans, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers and tortilla strips (you can throw in some chicken if you want to make a meal out of it). It tastes just like Guru's! 

Eggplant

Since we have begun to eat a much more vegetable based diet I have come to LOVE eggplant. It has a great flavor (almost nutty?) and texture if you pick a good one (pick them like zucchini, not too big because there will be more seeds and make sure it's firm). Lately some of our favorites are veggie fajitas and eggplant Parmesan and I've even got pictures!

Veggie Fajitas

1 small eggplant (or half a large)
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 red bell pepper
1 onion
Olive oil
Flour Tortillas
Refried Beans
Sour Cream
Guacamole
Lettuce
Tomatoes

Chop to desired size (bite size or a little bigger) and saute in olive oil starting with the onion and ending with the eggplant. Cook until all vegetable are soft. Warm the flour tortillas and serve with desired toppings.

Eggplant Parmesan

2 small eggplant (or 1 large)

1 egg beaten

Breadcrumbs (seasoned or unseasoned)

Olive oil

1/2-1 jar marinara sauce

8 oz mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

Spaghetti noodles

Slice eggplant to desired thickness (I like mine on the thin side). Dip in egg and then in bread crumbs and fry in olive oil. Note: you can also bake the eggplant on a cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes each side