Summer Pasta

The following is a dish my mom has made for years. It's easy, light, and perfect for a hot summer day when the last thing you want to do is heat anything up, or cook anything in or over a hot stove. 

It's a summer pasta, and really there are no rules to it. I've made it with bowties, macaroni, elbows, all sorts. I like colorful pastas the best, but whatever you like is good. Sometimes I think it would be good with peas too. It's really up to you.

Cook 2 boxes (16oz each) of pasta

Make a bottle of your homeade Italian dressing (Good Seasons, Italian All Natural is my fave)

Get a can of black olives, whatever size you like best. (I get large and then slice em up)

2-4 cups of fresh baby tomatoes, cut up.

Salt and Pepper to season.

That's it. I eat this for lunch, for snack, for dinner, for late night snack. Whenever you want really. It can be a side dish, a main dish, but the only thing I think it wouldn't be good for is breakfast. That's when you need to go and eat the Gotwalt Blueberry pancakes instead.

Moroccan Vegetables with Couscous

Here is another lovely recipe from friend Sondra. I normally LOVE (like it's always something I could eat every day- even for breakfast) everything she sends, but this one I think stretched Jason and I a bit. So many vegetables, and a slight unusual flavor, (maybe we're just not used to eggplant?) made this one a winner, but definitely a different one for our taste buds. Here it is in Sondra's words:

I LOVE this recipe - and it actually tastes better as leftovers (in my opinion.) Of course, I'm pretty free and easy with the recipe...if i don't have something, it's not a big deal, and I add stuff to suit my fancy. For instance, I can't fathom why red peppers aren't included.

Moroccan Vegetables with Couscous
2 Tablespoons butter 2 cups coarsely chopped cabbage 2 cups chopped onions 1 1/2 cups cubed eggplant 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice 1/8 teaspoon saffron threads (or 1/2 tsp. extra turmeric) 2 cups vegetable broth or water 1 1/2 cups carrot chunks 1 1/2 cups cubed rutabaga 1 cup chopped tomatoes 1 bay leaf 2 cups cooked fava beans (I prefer chickpeas) 1/2 cup golden or dark raisins In a 6 qt pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage and onions; cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, about 4 min. Add the eggplant; cook, stirring until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and saffron until absorbed. Add the broth, and bring to a boil. Add the carrots, rutabaga, tomatoes, and bay leaf; cook, covered,stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the beans and raisins; cook, covered, 20 minutes longer or until stew is slightly thickened. Discard the bay leaf. Serve over couscous.

I think the cooking time is too long - the vegetables are REALLY cooked. My personal preference is to keep them tender crisp, let it sit to cool down then reheat it when I'm ready to serve. Gives the flavours time to blend without having mushy veggies.

Couscous of course just follow the package directions.
However, I think it's 1 cup couscous to 2 cups of boiling water. Add salt, cover, and let sit for 5
minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve. I love that about couscous!

Lentil Salad with Feta Cheese

I first had this in Toronto during my School of Ministry. I was a staunch vegetarian those days, and was wasting away to nothingness. I think I lost 15 pounds in the first 5 months I was there, I kid you not. The cook at the time didn't really understand what it was like to not eat meat, and therefore I didn't really eat. Luckily for me, I became very good friends with Sondra, the usual cook, who was actually taking time off to go through the School herself. :) And Sondra did something for me that I will never forget. She spent a Saturday, and made me my own little meals. She put them in styrofoam cups, and froze them. And all I had to do was to heat them up and I'd have my own food. Meat free. She made 2 different things. And one was this lentil dish. This recipe is the closest I can find to what she made... But I STILL LOVE it. Still. I can eat it hot, or cold, or whatever.

Funny side story:
Once I made it in Montana with my sister while our parents were in Brazil or some other crazy country, and I burned the lentils, and to this day she gags at the very sight of lentils, claiming that I have forever scarred her against lentils.

I don't use the celery in it, or the cucumber... though this batch I tried with cucumber. And usually I add in green onions. Also my pictures show the yellow lentils I use. The stock photo from cooking light uses the regular brown/gray lentils.


Lentil Salad with Feta Cheese:

object2=">1 1/4 cups dried lentils
object2=">3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
object2=">1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
object2=">1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
object2=">1/4 teaspoon salt
object2=">1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
object2=">1 garlic clove, crushed
object2=">1 1/2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
object2=">1 cup diced cucumber
object2=">1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
object2=">1/3 cup thinly sliced celery
object2=">

Place lentils in a large saucepan; cover with water to 2 inches above lentils, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well, and set aside.

Combine lemon juice and next 5 ingredients (lemon juice through garlic) in a medium bowl; stir with a wire whisk until blended. Add lentils, tomatoes, cucumber, cheese, and celery to lemon juice mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve on lettuce-lined plates, if desired.

4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

CALORIES 309(26% from fat); FAT 8.9g (sat 2.9g,mono 4.5g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 19.8g; CHOLESTEROL 13mg; CALCIUM 118mg; SODIUM 326mg; FIBER 8.2g; IRON 6.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.5g

Creamy Spinach Lasagna

(Note: the above is the photo cooking light uses, I cannot take it as my own work! :) lol)

This is another Cooking Light favorite, passed on by my dear food friend, Kerri Smith. She loves food about as much as me, though I think she likes to cook more then I do. :) She raved about this, and sent it on, and is also the one who got my Cooking Light magazine at my bridal shower, and ever since.. I've been a believer. I think it's been 4 years now that I've had a subscription! Amazing!

Oh and Kerri is right, she told me to make two pans of it, freezing one for another day... That's super smart because it is a lot of work. Oh, and though the leftovers lasted Jason and I over a week, we never got tired of it. :) A very good sign!

Creamy Spinach Lasagna

A less-sweet marinara sauce helps balance the flavor of this dish, with its smooth spinach sauce and rich mozzarella topping.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/4 cups chopped onion (about 2 medium)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)
3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce, divided
Cooking spray
12 cooked whole wheat lasagna noodles, divided
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
Parsley sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 10 minutes or until onion is browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and spinach. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 3 minutes or until spinach is tender. Set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, milk, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a small saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add 2 cups milk mixture to spinach mixture. Cover remaining milk mixture, and set aside.

Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over sauce; top with half of spinach mixture. Top with 3 lasagna noodles, 1 cup marinara sauce, and 3/4 cup cheese. Layer 3 more lasagna noodles, remaining spinach mixture, and remaining 3 lasagna noodles. Top with remaining marinara sauce. Pour reserved milk mixture over the top, and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until lasagna is browned on top. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.

½ cup marinara on bottom of pan
3 noodles
½ spinach mixture
3 noodles
1 C marinara
¾ C cheese
3 noodles
Remaining spinach mixture
3 noodles
Remaining marinara sauce
Reserved milk mixture
¾ C cheese

Cauliflower Soup

This recipe hails from my friend here in Cambridge, Laura Taranto. She's a star, and loves food as much as I do. In the past years we have had countless coffees, teas, and cups of soup together. Here is her favorite soup her mom makes... I enjoyed it a lot, very thick, very creamy. I only added croutons for crunch. It's more of a winter, or autumnal hibernation type soup, instead of a spring or summer airy soup. I recommend making it when guests are coming, one serving lasted Jason and I way too long, and since it is so thick it's not necessarily the type of recipe you can eat leftovers of for too many days. That being said, it's still great!

Moosewood cookbook
4-5 servings
2 cups potato chunks
2 cups cauliflowerets
1 cup chopped carrot
3 med cloves garlic
1 cup choppe donion
1 1/2 tsp salt 4 cups water or stock ( i use veg boullion cube for stock)
place all above in a pot
bring to a boil
cover
simmer 15 minutes
cool 10 min
puree all in blender til smooth and creamy

whisk in
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar
3/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp dill weed1/4 tsp ground dill or caraway seed
1/4 tsp dry mustard
black pepper

steam
1 1/2 cups more cauliflower
Add to the soup
add
3/4 cup buttermilk
top with chopped scallions and extra cheese

this is so easy...chop just about any size b/c you will puree

red potatoes work the best b/c they don't get gummy like some white potatoes

Buttermilk Pancakes

This recipe is from the LOVELY, wonderful, Gotwalt Family. :) Here is the member of the family himself who passed on this recipe to us, Aaron, with J last Autumn here in Boston. Honestly they are the lightest, fluffiest best pancakes ever. And I am a PICKY pancake eater, just ask J! Also, please do not eat these unless you heat your syrup. Because that's the only way to ever eat pancakes. Cold syrup is an abomination to mankind. 1Krista 2:19.


Buttermilk Pancakes:
(Gotwalt Recipe)

1 Egg 1tbsp Sugar
1 cup Buttermilk 1tsp Baking powder
2 tbsp Oil 1/2 tsp Baking soda
1 cup Flour 1/2 tsp Salt



I always double it, and use leftovers for later, if there are any! And if I have them on hand, I add blueberries!!! YUMMY!

Classic Banana Bread

This has been a favorite in our house for the last couple years. Doesn't it just look good?! It's the best, absolute BEST Banana bread recipe ever. The only thing I change on the recipe is that I like to have 4 Banana's instead of 3. It makes it so much more moist. Oh and yes, because it's from Cooking Light mag, it's not that much in calories.

Classic Banana Bread:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Yield: 1 loaf, 14 servings (serving size: 1 slice)