Black Bean Soup

Submitted by: Amanda Slatter

• 3 Cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 Can Chicken Broth

• 1 ½ C chunky salsa (I use the fresh salsa from Harmon’s produce area)

• 1 T ground Cumin

• 2 t lime juice

• 1/3 bunch cilantro

• Sour Cream

• Shredded Cheese

• Green onion, cut into ½ inch sections

Blend all but 1 can of black beans. Add blended and whole ingredients and heat. Top with shredded cheese, sour cream and green onions.

Short Ribs

Submitted by: Alisa Chytraus

From http://www.thecookbookcritic.com/archives/2006/01/saras_secrets_b.html

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: about 3 hours
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

5 pounds beef short ribs, OR a 3 to 3 1/2 pound chuck roast, tied with string
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 bottle (750 ml) red wine
3 1/2 cups chicken broth (two 14.5 oz. cans)
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp softened butter

Pat the roast dry and season on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, ovenproof roasting pan. Place the roast in the pan and brown on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the roast to a platter or bowl with tongs.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Reduce the heat under the roasting pan to medium; add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the platter with the roast. Add the wine to the roasting pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until reduced to 1 cup, about 12 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the roast and vegetables, cover the pan tightly, and place in the oven. Cook until the meat is tender and falls apart when poked with a fork, about 3 hours.

Transfer the roast to a plate with tongs and let stand until cool enough to handle. Strain the broth into a bowl. Discard the solids and return the liquid to the roasting pan. Skim off any fat, bring the liquid to a boil, and reduce to about 1 1/2 cups.

If using ribs: Remove beef from the bones. Pull off and discard excess fat from the ribs. Discard the bones. Reserve the meat on a plate.

If using a roast: Remove the string. Place the roast on a plate until ready to serve.

Knead together the flour and butter in a small bowl. Add a few tablespoons of the reduced broth, stirring to combine. Whisk the butter mixture into the broth in the roasting pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Return the beef to the pan and heat through. Serve the meat topped with the sauce.

Lowfat Baked Ziti

Submitted by: Tori Brewer

1 (16 oz. pkg.) ziti or rigatoni pasta

2 (16 oz.) nonfat or lowfat ricotta cheese

1 (16 oz.) nonfat or lowfat cottage cheese

1 (8 oz.) nonfat mozzarella cheese

1 (21 oz.) favorite spaghetti sauce

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 large egg

2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta. Mix ricotta cheese, 4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese, salt, pepper, egg, parmesan cheese, and parsley in bowl. Add 1/2 of spaghetti sauce and mix. In 2 9 x 9 inch baking dishes put some of the remaining sauce in bottom of each dish to coat. Put 1/2 of pasta in each baking dish and then top with 1/2 each of cheese mixture. Pour remaining sauce on top of each dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Place mozzarella on top of dish and bake another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 18 servings. Prep time 1 hour.

If frozen: Cook for 30 minutes at 350 with the lid on and then cook for 15 minutes with the lid off.

Brunch Casserole

Submitted by: Adrienne Jacobs

Makes 12 servings. Assemble and refrigerate this casserole the night before baking.

4 cups cubed, day-old, firm white or French bread, or 1 pkg of hash browns

2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

10 eggs, lightly beaten (Egg Beaters may be used)

2 cups milk

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. onion powder

Dash of freshly ground pepper

8 to 10 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

Throw on whatever veggies you like (mushrooms, tomatoes, fresh salsa, peppers, onions, etc.)

Generously butter 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange bread cubes in dish and sprinkle with cheese. Beat together next 5 ingredients with pepper to taste and pour evenly over cheese and bread. Sprinkle with bacon, mushrooms and tomato (or the veggies of your choosing). Cover and chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 325. Bake casserole, uncovered, until set, about 1 hour (Tent with foil if top begins to overbrown.)

This casserole is great for family get-togethers or for Sunday morning as it can cook while you are getting ready for church.

Peking Chicken

Submitted by: Adrienne Jacobs

Sauce for 2 lbs. chicken:

1 c. hoisin sauce (found in Oriental section of the grocery store in glass jar)

¼ c. honey

¼ c. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. grated ginger root

¼ c. rice vinegar

4 garlic cloves

Combine all ingredients in a med. bowl; stir well. Reserve 1 c. of sauce mixture and set aside. Cut chicken diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Add chicken to remaining hoisin sauce. Cover and marinate in fridge for 8 hours.

Coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Add ½ t. oil. Place over med-high heat until hot. Add chicken and cook for about 5 minutes or until done. Serve in flour tortillas with jasmine rice and sliced green onions. Pour a small amount of reserved hoisin sauce over meat in each tortilla wrap.

Naan Bread

Submitted by: Alisa Chytraus

I combined it until the dough cleaned the sides of the mixer bowl; let it kneed the dough for a few minutes; & then let it rise for 2 hours. I also added some chopped garlic on top & brushed it with butter when it came out. I would add more garlic & an olive oil & butter mixture, it needed a little more flavor!

SERVES 6

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup warm skim milk
• 2 teaspoons melted butter
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 lb all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Directions

In the mixing bowl of your bread machine, combine warm milk (about 80F) with yeast, butter and half of the sugar- set aside for 5 minutes.

On a piece of waxed paper sift together flour, salt and baking powder.

Add to bread machine bowl.

Add olive oil, second half of sugar, yogurt and egg.

Set the bread machine to the dough setting and let it run through the cycle.

When the bread machine has almost finished the dough cycle, pre-heat your oven to 500 degrees F.

If you have a baking stone, place it in the top rack of the oven to preheat as well.

Take dough out and separate it into six equal sections.

Using a rolling pin or your hands, flatten dough out to ovals about 1/3 inch thick.

When oven has pre-heated, place rounds on pre-heated stone or heavy baking sheet.

Bake on top shelf of the oven for 90 seconds; the naan should start to puff.

Switch the oven from bake to broil for an additional minute or until the top starts to brown.

When brown on top, remove from oven and cover with a towel while you finish baking the remaining loaves.

You can brush the naan with butter before serving if desired.

Tikka Masala

Submitted by: Alisa Chytraus

Marinate:

3-4 chicken breast

3-6 T. Tikka Masala Paste

1/2 cup plain yogurt or 1/2 can coconut milk (I did a mix of both)

Marinate overnight or 4 hours.

Heat 1-2 T. Oil in pan. Add 1/2-1 onion thinly sliced (I add peppers also), sauté. Add marinated chicken, with marinade, to pan & cook to seal. Once sealed, add 1/2 can stewed tomatoes or 1/2 cup fresh tomatoes & 1/2 cup water. I also added some fresh grated Ginger. Simmer for 30 minutes or until cooked through. Add 1/2 can coconut milk or cream.

Top with fresh cilantro, cashews, golden raisins, & or fresh coconut or just eat plain! Serve with Jasmine rice (I like it cooked with cilantro & a squeeze of lime). It usually is served with Basmati, but I love Jasmine & it is more assesible.