Cheese Polenta

Submitted by: Adrienne Jacobs

From the cookbook Quick Vegetarian Pleasures

2 c. milk

2 c. water

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 c. cornmeal

2 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into bits

4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese, or Muenster cheese

1. Generously butter a 9 inch pie plate or shallow 1 quart baking dish and set aside. [I used 2 pie plates so they were thinner.]

2. Combine the milk, water, nutmeg, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and very slowly sprinkle in the cornmeal, whisking continuously. Cook 5 minutes, or until the cornmeal mixture pulls away from the sides of pan.

3. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in 1 1/2 Tbsp. of the butter and 2 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese.

4. With a rubber spatula, spread half the polenta mixture in the prepared pie plate or baking dish, then top with the grated cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. Spread on the remaining polenta, then sprinkle on the remaining 2 Tbsp. Parmsan cheese and dot with the remaining 1/2 Tbsp. of butter.

5. Let the polenta sit at least 15 minutes, or cover and chill for up to 24 hours. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake uncovered 30 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

[This is delicious with pesto and pine nuts or red sauce.]

Chocolate Marshmallow Cake

Submitted by: Alisa Chytraus

Click here for the recipe and remember that anything Alisa swears by is REALLY good.

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.