Broccoli with Garlic

From: http://southernfood.about.com

16 ounces broccoli florettes

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon roasted walnut oil or olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

¼ cup finely chopped red onion

2 teaspoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

Dash black pepper

Steam the broccoli just until tender. In a small sauce pan, heat the butter and oil; add minced garlic, red onion, and lemon juice. Cook just until tender. Toss with the broccoli along with the salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serves 4.

Nancy’s Notes: Made Jan. 18, 2010 – nothing wrong with this preparation but no raves either.

Orzo with Parmesan and Pesto

From: Gold’n Delicious – Junior League of Spokane, page 183

3 tablespoons butter

1½ cups orzo

3 cups chicken broth

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tablespoons basil pesto

fresh basil springs, optional

 

Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add orzo and saute for 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer until orzo is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and pesto. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh basil springs, if desired. Serves 6.

Nancy’s Notes: Made January 18, 2010 to serve with Smothered Chicken. I sauted the orzo a bit too long but caught it before it burned. Easy, good and makes a large serving.

Corn and Zucchini Mexicana

From: Colorado Cache – Junior League of Denver, page 195

2 pounds zucchini, sliced

1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

2 10-ounce packages frozen, whole kernel corn

½ pound Old English processed cheese, cubed or grated

1 4-ounce can green chiles, seeded and chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté squash and onion in butter until just tender. Cook corn until just tender. Add corn, cheese and green chiles to squash and onions. Cook over low heat until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a 2-quart casserole and bake uncovered at 350° for 30 minutes.

Nancy’s Notes: Made January 4, 2010 – I added some diced red pepper for color. I don’t understand why you would bake this for 30 minutes. I think it would be better to serve as soon as the cheese is melted and all is cooked to tender but not over done.

Green Beans and Red Pepper in Balsamic Vinegar

From: Beyond the Rim – Junior League of Amarillo, page 132

1 medium red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch strips

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1½ pounds fresh green beans, blanched

½ cup balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese to taste

Sauté the bell pepper in the olive oil in a large sauté pan until tender. Add the garlic, green beans, vinegar, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat until the ingredients are hot. Spoon into a serving dish. Top with cheese. Yield: 6 servings.

Variation: Substitute fresh asparagus or broccoli for the green beans if desired.

Nancy’s Notes: Made Nov. 23, 2009 – I liked the peppers, thought it needed more seasoning.

Rice and Mushrooms

From: Colorado Cache – Junior League of Denver, page 220

3 cups cooked, long-grain rice

½ pounds mushrooms, sliced

4 green onions, chopped, including ½ of the tops

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons dry white wine

¼ cup chopped parsley

¼ teaspoon salt

In a small skillet, sauté onions and mushrooms in melted butter. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice, wine, parsley and salt. Combine with cooked rice. Add additional butter, if desired.

Nancy’s Notes: A nice accompaniment for fish.

Herb Roasted Vegetables

From: Gold’n Delicious, page 194

1 red bell pepper, quartered, seeded, and cut into triangles

1 yellow bell pepper, quartered, seeded, and cut into triangles

2 medium-sized sweet onions, peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges

5 medium red potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces

2 small zucchini squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch slices

2 small yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch slices

Marinade

4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons each fresh rosemary, thyme and parsley, chopped or 1 tablespoon each dried

Topping

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated, optional

Place vegetables in a 9×13-ionch roasting pan. Combine marinade ingredients and toss with vegetables. Let stand for up to 2 hours and then bake, uncovered, at 400° for 30 minutes, stirring 3 to 4 times. Toss with Parmesan, if desired, and serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

Vary this recipe by substituting whatever vegetables you have on hand!

Nancy’s Notes: Made 12-14-09. I skipped the squash and used frozen sweet potato pieces from Schawns. I failed to add the Parmesan. Do again.

Wild Rice and Cranberry Pilaf

From: Gold’n Delicious – Junior League of Spokane, p. 180

¾ cup wild rice, uncooked and rinsed

3 cups chicken broth

½ cup pearl barley

¼ cup dried cranberries or cherries, chopped

¼ cup currants

1 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Combine rice and broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Combine barley, cranberries, currants and butter in a casserole dish. Add rice mixture and stir well. Cover and bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring once. Wild rice is done when it is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

Fluff rice mixture with a fork and stir in toasted almonds. Serves 6.

Nancy’s Notes: I seem to never simply follow a recipe, no matter how simple. I used nearly 4 cups of chicken broth – 2 15-oz. cans. When I discovered I did not have pearl barley I used sweet rice from an Asian market. I totally forgot the almonds. This dish still had a very nutty flavor and somewhat sweet with the dried cranberries and currants. Steph seemed to like. I would do again.

Vegetable Pie

From: Gold’n Delicious – Junior League of Spokane, page 193

Crust

1 ½ cups all –purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons milk

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Filling

3 cups broccoli florets

½ cup green onions, sliced

2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon dried thyme

3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Combine crust ingredients and shape into a ball. Press dough into a 9-inch pie plate, covering bottom and sides.

Place broccoli in boiling water and simmer for 3 minutes. Plunge broccoli into cold water and drain well.

Combine onions, cheeses, flour, thyme, basil and pepper. Place half the cheese mixture into the pie shell. Layer broccoli on top of cheese and follow with tomato slices. Top with remaining cheese mixture. Drizzle with butter and bake, uncovered, at 350° until thoroughly cooked, about 30 minutes. Serves 8

This recipe doubles as a vegetarian entree or a colorful side dish. It may be assembled up to 4 hours early and baked just prior to serving.

 

Nancy’s Notes: Made 11/2/09 – Good, I liked the crust. Would make a nice potluck side dish.

Successful Green Limas

 

 

1 bag frozen green beans

2 carrots, diced

3 slices pre-cooked bacon, diced

3-4 tablespoons diced red onion

1 tablespoon butter

Seasonings

Cook frozen limas and diced carrots in small amount of water. When fully cooked, drain and set aside in colander or dish. In the same pan melt butter, add red onion and diced bacon. When onions soften add beans and carrots. Season with sea salt, pepper and Castle Peak Cheese Sprinkle from Savoy Spice Shop in Littleton, Colorado.

Nancy’s Notes: I was looking for something a little extra to do with a bag of green limas. Many of the recipes I Googled included sauces and or large amounts of cheese. I picked up a couple of ideas and created this side dish that was very well received. Michael thought this was a really good treatment and took home the leftovers.

Nancy’s Fresh Cranberry Relish

 

2 bags fresh cranberries

2 navel oranges

1 large Jonagold apple

¾-1 cup sugar

Rinse cranberries, discarding any bad ones. Cut apple and oranges into chunks – do not peel. Using a food processor, turned on, drop handfuls of fruit through feed tube. Stop a couple of times to scrap down the sides of the bowl. Empty into mixing bowl. Repeat until all the fruit is ground. Add ¾ – 1 cup sugar. Stir to dissolved. Chill. Store in covered container.

Nancy’s Notes: My mother always made a fresh cranberry relish for the Cutright family Thanksgiving dinner. I much prefer fresh to cooked. This keeps well in the frig or freezer. I like to keep this on hand during the fresh cranberry season, goes well with many dinner dishes, not just turkey. Think of all the good vitamin A.