Cuban Black-Bean Stew

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium red onion (can use half if you like)

1-2 garlic cloves minced

1 red bell pepper chopped

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14.5 ounces) vegetable broth

1 tablespoon cider vinegar (sometimes I use rice vinegar)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

coarse salt and ground pepper

Garnishes (optional): Lime wedges, fresh cilantro, and sliced radishes

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add:

• onion
• garlic
• bell pepper

Cook stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 8-10 minutes.

2. Add:

• beans
• broth
• vinegar
• and oregano.

Cook, mashing some beans with the back of a spoon, until slightly thickened, 6 -8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. ( I sometimes add a few other things here) Just experiment to taste this is a great soup. Serve with garnishes if you desired.

Indonesian Red Rice Salad

Ingredients: 

Curried Hummus

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 2 (15.5 ounce) cans chick peas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 teaspoons curry powder
• 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup water
• Salt, to taste
• Hot sauce, to taste

Crock Pot Chicken!

This one I got it from my mother. It is wonderful and super easy.

Best Sweet Potato Pie Ever!!!

Golden Eggplant Casserole

Serves 4 – 6 

Paris Chocolate Macaroons

Sugared Asparagus

2 tablespoons butter

Mediterranean Tuna Melt

2 Cans (6 ounces each) chunk light tuna packed in water, drained

Yummy Pie Crust

2 Cups Flour 

Almond Tea

1 Cup boiling water

Coconut Cream Pie

Flu Season Soup – Carrot Ginger

When we start to feel like we are getting sick, we make a pot of Chicken Ginger Soup. The heat of the onions, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes help to burn out the germ. We vary it depending on what we have in the house, but the basic recipe is something like this:

olive oil
1 Medium yellow or white onion halved and thinly sliced
1 Big Carrot Peeled and Sliced
3 cloves garlic smashed
1.5 inch piece ginger peeled and thinly sliced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 carton of organic, free range chicken broth (we like Pacific brand the best)
(Optional: 1 organic free range boneless skinless chicken breast cut into even size pieces)
1 bunch black kale or chard or other bitter green washed and sliced into thin strips
Lemon
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

1. In a heavy pot, saute the onions and carrot. About a minute before desired softness achieved, add the whole smashed garlic cloves, ginger and red pepper flakes.

2. Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then turn heat to low and simmer for at least 10 minutes. (Sometimes I will add cup soy sauce and rice wine to create a tastier broth, but if we are already sick, too much salt can cause mischief. Also, if we want a heartier soup, I will sometimes make some brown rice or noodles or orzo to add to the soup. But again, if we are already sick, I try to reduce the amount of grains in our diet).

3. If you are going to add the chicken, bring stock back to a boil and add chicken. Pay attention to not overcook. Usually takes less than 5 minutes.

4. Just before you are ready to eat, stir in the greens and allow to wilt. Squeeze in lemon juice and lots of freshly ground pepper.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Goodness!

NO EGG PUMPKIN COOKIES

1 c. brown sugar, packed

1 c. pumpkin

1/2 c. oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. sifted white flour

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

½ c. instant Quaker oats

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. each salt, cinnamon & nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1 c. raisins

1/2 c. chopped nuts

In mixing bowl beat together sugar, pumpkin, oil and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients; add and stir until smooth. Blend in raisins and nuts. Drop by teaspoon on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Makes 3 to 4 dozen. NO EGGS needed in these moist, soft cookies

ASPARAGUS GRUYERE TART

From Great Food Fast, the great little cookbook from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living. Try to find asparagus of uniform width. Makes one tart that serves 4-6 people for lunch, with a side salad or bowl of soup.

1 sheet frozen puff pastry
2 cups (approx. 5-1/2 oz) gruyere, Emmental or swiss cheese, shredded
1-1/2 pounds medium asparagus
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. On a floured surface, roll pastry into a 16 x 10 inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place the pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife score the dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce the dough inside the markings at half-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pastry shell from the oven, and sprinkle with cheese. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over the cheese, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Pumpkin Curry

Ingredients:

two peeled onions chopped

two cloves garlic chopped

4 Tbsp sliced almonds 

1 bag spinach

3 Tbsp yellow curry

1/2 pumpkin squash chopped into & inch pieces

1/2 bullion cube

Directions:

1. melt butter in pot

2. add onions, garlic and curry to pot. Sautè until clear.

3. then add pumpkin & 20 cl of water with melted bullion cube. Cook for 15 min on medium heat.

4. add one bag of spinich sliced (or chopped) to the top when done.

5. serve

Italian Lemon Chicken

This one is one of our favorites. It is so simple and
truly produces a wonderful chicken.                        

 Roast
Chicken with Lemon

Recipe By     : Marcella Hazan, The Second
Classic Italian Cookbook 
Serving Size  : 4    Preparation
Time :1:40 
Categories    : Main Dishes

  Amount  Measure      
Ingredient — Preparation Method 
——–  ———— 
——————————– 
   1                   
Chicken (1.1 kg.), Whole — (39 ounces) 
                       
Salt 
                       
Black Pepper, Freshly Ground 
   2     
Whole         Lemons

1)  Wash the chicken thoroughly in cold water, both inside
and out.  Remove all the bits of fat hanging loose.  Let the chicken
sit for about 10 minutes on a slightly tilted dish, until all the water has
drained out of its cavity.  Dry it well internally and externally with
kitchen paper.

2)  Sprinkle a liberal amount of salt and freshly ground
pepper on the chicken, rubbing it into all its surfaces and into its interior,
using your fingertips.

3)  Rinse the lemons in cold water and dry them off with
kitchen paper.  The lemons can also be peeled.  Soften them up
gently, pressing them between your two palms, and rolling them back and forth a
few times.  Perforate each lemon in at least twenty places with a trussing
needle or a round toothpick.

4)  Place both lemons in the chicken’s cavity.  Close
up the opening with toothpicks or trussing needle and string.  Run a
string from one leg to the other, tying it at both knuckle ends.  Do not
pull the legs tightly together; leave them in their natural position.  The
chicken swells while it cooks and the string is only to keep the thighs from
spreading and streching and splitting the skin at the inner folds.

5)  Put the chicken in a roasting tin, breast downwards. 
Do not add cooking fat of any kind.  This bird is self-basting, so it
won’t stick to the pan.  Place it in the upper third of an oven preheated
to 180° C (350° F).

6)  After 25 minutes, turn the chicken so that the breast
is facing up.  Be careful not to break the skin.

7)  Cook for another 30 minutes, then raise the heat to 200°
C (400° F) and cook for an additional 20 minutes.

8)  Bring it whole to the table, leaving the lemons inside. 
Serve it with all the juices that run out.

Iowa Salsa

Now here is Mr. Matera favorite salsa.

1 can black beans drained
1 can white shoepeg corn drained
1/2 red onion chopped into small pieces

Hominy Bean Dip

This recipe is a good one to make a lot of dip that will get eaten up no prob.
<br>

Fudge Oat Bars

Eclair Cake

This is a very quick and simple
no bake dessert cake. It uses graham crackers
and a pudding mixture. It tastes just like an
eclair, but there is enough for a crowd! It is a
great recipe for children who are learning to
cook, there is no baking involved or any power
kitchen tools. Just a bowl and a spoon.

Original recipe yield:

1 – 13×9 inch pan

Prep Time: 25 min

Ready in 4 Hrs 25 min

INGREDIENTS



2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

3 cups milk

1 (16 ounce) package graham cracker squares

1 (16 ounce) package prepared chocolate frosting

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, thoroughly blend the pudding
mix, whipped topping, and milk.

2. Arrange a single layer of graham cracker squares
in the bottom of a 13×9 inch baking pan. Evenly
spread half of the pudding mixture over the crackers.
Top with another layer of crackers and the remaining
pudding mixture. Top with a final layer of graham
crackers.

3. Spread the frosting over the whole cake up to the
edges of the pan. Cover and chill at least 4 hours
before serving.

Note: The frosting will be easier to spread if the
cake is covered and chilled for about 30 min. before
spreading.

Simply Citrus Cream Cake

Sour Cream and lemon pudding make
this citrus cake amazingly rich and moist.

Prep: 15 min

Total: 45 min

INGREDIENTS

1 pkg. (two layer size) yellow or white
cake mix

1 pkg. (4 serving size) Jell-o Lemon flavor instant
pudding & Pie Filling

1 1/3 cups Sour Cream, divided

3 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 Tbsp. rated orange peel

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whipped topping Thawed

1 can (11 oz) mandarin orange segments, drained



DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly
grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans; set
aside. Place cake mix, dry pudding mix, 1 cup sour
cream, eggs, oil, 3/4 cup water and orange peel in
large bowl. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1
min.; scrape bowl. Beat on medium speed an additional
2 min. Pour evenly into prepared pans.

Bake 25 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted
in centers comes out clean. Cool completely.

Beat remaining 1/3 cup sour cream and powdered
sugar in large bowl with wire whisk until well
blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Set aside.

Place One of the cake layers on large serving
plate; spread with half of the whipped topping
mixture. Top with half of the orange segments. Repeat
cake and topping layers. Garnish with remaining
orange segments. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 18 servings.

Treasured Brownie Treats

Prep time: 10 min

Bake time: 30 – 35 min

4 squares Baker’s Unsweetened Chocolate

3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) margarine or butter

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup chopped nuts (optional) or chocolate chips

—————-

Directions

—————-

Makes about 24 fudgy brownies

Heat oven to 350 F (325 for a glass dish). Line 13 x
9 baking pan with foil extending over edges to form
handles. Grease foil.

Microwave chocolate and margarine in large
microwavable bowl on High 2 min. or until butter is
melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Stir sugar into melted chocolate mixture until well
blended. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour and
nuts until well blended. Spread in prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in
center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Do not over bake.
Cool in pan. Lift out of pan onto cutting board. Cut
into squares.

Tips:

For cake like brownies, stir in 1/2 cup milk with
effs and vanilla. Increase flour to 1 1/2
cups.

Sweet Minglers (Puppy Chow)

This snack mix is perfect for a late-night treat or a
pick-me up anytime of day. It’s always eaten up
quickly.

1 cup (6 ounces) Semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

6 cups corn or rice chex cereal

1 cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)

——————

Directions

——————

In a large microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips
on high for 1 minute. Stir; microwave 30 seconds
longer or until the chips are melted. stir in peanut
butter. Gently stir in cereal until well coated; set
aside. Place confectioners’ sugar in a 2 gal.
resealable plastic bad. Add cereal mixture and shake
until well coated. Store in an airtight container in
the refrigerator.

Yield about 6 cups.

Anzac Biscuits

Anzac
Biscuits are wonderful. A student Luke made these for
the class and I have to say they were wonderful.

Ingredients

1 Cup rolled oats

3/4 cup coconut

1 cup plain flour

1 cup sugar (you can use 1/2 honey instead)

4 oz butter

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon water

——————————————–

Preheat oven to 300F

——————————————–


Directions:

Mix oats, flour, sugar, and coconut together.

Melt syrup and butter together.

Mix soda with boiling water and add to melted butter
and syrup.

Add to dry ingredients.

Place 1 tablespoonfuls of mixture on greased tray
(allow room for spreading)

Bake for 20 minutes.

Loosen while warm, cool on trays.

(Makes about 35)