Shea's Seriously Addicting Homemade Salsa

My good friend Shea has many talents:  crafting, reading, singing, and being an overall awesome mom to her four kids.  She usually brings this salsa to craft night or book club, and I tell you, I have to wait til the end of the night to eat it because if not I will eat the whole bowl!  Sooo good!

1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 can diced green chiles
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/3 onion, chopped (add more to taste)
Fresh cilantro to taste
About 1 tsp white vinegar or lime juice (add more to taste)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
Red pepper flakes to taste

Combine in your food processor or magic bullet, whatever you have.  Play around with the seasonings to taste as to what you prefer.

Creamed Squash with Cheese Au Gratin

My mother found this recipe in a Bon Appetit magazine years ago and clipped it.  We made it once and it is sooo good!  I love it in the fall.  

In a saucepan, bring to boil 1 cup water, 2 lbs. yellow squash, 1 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. sugar.  Cook the squash covered over moderate heat for 20 min. or until tender.  Drain the squash (and redrain) and return to pan.  Add ½ stick of butter (softened) and with a potato masher, mash the squash with the butter until the mixture is well blended.  Mix in 1 ¼ cup cheddar cheese, 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup chopped onion, 1/3 cup fresh parmesan, ¼ c. dry white wine, salt and pepper  to taste.  Pour into 11” gratin dish and toss with either 1 cup cheddar cheese or 1 cup fresh bread crumbs combined with 3 Tbsp. melted butter.  Bake 350 for 20-30 min or until bubbling and golden on top.  

Notes:  When we made this, we noticed that you need to drain the squash like 2 or 3 times because the squash retains so much water.  Also, we tried it with some Jiffy Cornbread mix (about half a box) with some melted butter and used that for the topping instead of the breadcrumbs and it was so good.  The cornbread mix gave it a sweetness with the butter squash, and the flavors were fantastic.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Kale and Chopped Apples

This recipe is again from Stephanie Nielsen

6 garlic cloves, chopped.

1 granny smith apple, chopped.
1 (1 pound) kale, thick stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups vegetable broth
1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti
1/2 cup coarsely grated fontina cheese, plus more for serving
Directions
Cook garlic in skillet over medium heat until golden, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Add half the kale; cook, tossing until just wilted, 2 minutes. Add remaining kale, apples and season with salt and pepper; cook, tossing until all the kale has wilted, 2 minutes. Add broth, and simmer until kale is tender, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot. Add kale and fontina; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add reserved cooking water as desired. Divide pasta among plates; top with more cheese.

Wilted Spinach, Mushroom and Cheese Sandwich

This recipe is from Stephanie Nielsen.


Do you have bread? Do you have Spinach? How about cheese, onions and mushrooms? These are staples in my home, which means if I have had a long day, I can throw together this sandwich in a hurry, and still really think I put dinner together. It's brilliant! 
Since I made this recipe up, I am not exactly sure on amounts. It is a easy and I am sure you can figure this one out. 

Sautee white onion and mushrooms in olive oil together until soft. 
Add course salt and pepper. 
Meanwhile, toast whole wheat or grain bread. 
Add Dijon deli mustard like and mayonnaise on toasted bread. 
Right before adding mushrooms to toast, add bunch of spinach to mixture and let them wilt slightly add balsamic vinegar and mix around for a few more minutes.
Place on toasted bread with cheese such as fresh mozzarella.

Black Bean and Veg Burritos

This is a recipe from my sister Kate.  She originally got it off the Rookie Cookie blog.  Healthy and yummy!


For the black beans:

Olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

1 small white onion

1 large can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper

For the fillings:

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 package burrito-sized tortillas

Salsa

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 avocado, diced

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

For the black beans, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, jalapeno and onion; sauté for 2 minutes. Add black beans and spices to the pan and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer beans to a serving dish.

In another pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and onion. Cook, stirring often, until bell peppers are softened.

To put together the burritos, place a scoop of beans on the tortilla. Add the peppers and onion. Top with cheese, salsa, cilantro and avocado. Wrap up and enjoy!

Rookie’s Notes: Of course you could be more carb-smart and make these with whole wheat tortillas. 

Marinara Sauce with Linguine

A recipe from my sister Kate.

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 28-ounce can whole or diced tomatoes, undrained

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon sugar

16 ounces linguine

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices, red pepper, oregano, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer (crushing the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon if using whole tomatoes) until the sauce thickens slightly, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.  Cook the linguine according to the package directions. Drain and divide among individual plates. Spoon the sauce over the top.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

The Mansion on Turtle Creek Tortilla Soup

This is my sister Kate's recipe

3 tsp. corn oil (she uses olive oil)

4 corn tortillas cut into long strips (use more for a thicker soup)

8 garlic cloves, peeled

2 cups fresh onion puree

4 c. fresh tomato puree (you can use canned, Kate uses some of both)

5 dried New Mexican chilies (fire roasted & seeded-look for these in the Mexican food aisle, they come in a package of about 10)

2 jalapeños (depends how spicy you want it)

1 T. cumin powder

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 large bay leaf

1 ½ qts. Chicken stock

Salt to taste

Cayenne pepper to taste

Toppings:

Chicken breast, cut into thin strips (optional)

Avocado, cut into cubes

Shredded cheddar cheese

Sour Cream

Cilantro

Tortilla Chips

Nie Nie’s Mexican Lasagne

This is a favorite recipe of me and my sister Kate.  She introduced it to me a few years ago when she came out for a visit.  She got it off of Stephanie Nielsen's blog.  We love Nie Nie and wish her and her family the best!

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

4 scallions, coarsely chopped

Coarse salt and ground pepper

10 ounces fresh baby spinach

Nonstick cooking spray

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1 (15.5 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup prepared salsa (mild or medium)

8 ounces pepper Jack cheese, grated (about 2 cups)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor, combine cilantro, scallions, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with as much spinach as will fit; pulse, adding remaining spinach in batches, until coarsely chopped.

Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Lay 4 tortillas in bottom of dish (they will overlap slightly). Layer with half of beans, salsa, spinach mixture, and cheese; repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with cheese and pressing in gently.

Cover dish with foil; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes; remove foil, and continue baking until golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

This is my sis's recipe.  According to Kate, this pie is the perfect comfort food for a cold winter evening.

4 medium potatoes, diced

2 Tbsp. margarine

1/4 cup soy milk or liquid nondairy creamer

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

12 oz. faux ground beef-style crumbles (try Yves® Veggie Ground Round)

1 10.5-oz. can Campbells mushroom gravy (or 1 1/4 cups prepared vegetarian gravy of your choice)

1 6-oz. can mixed peas and carrots, drained

Salt, garlic powder, pepper, and cayenne, to taste

• Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash with the margarine and soy milk or nondairy creamer. Season with salt and pepper. 
• In a medium pan, sauté the onion in the oil until translucent. 
• In a medium bowl, mix the cooked onions, faux beef crumbles, mushroom gravy, peas and carrots, and spices. Pour into a pie pan. Top the crumble mixture with the potatoes, spreading to the edges. 
• Bake in a 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are browned and the crumble mixture bubbles out the edges.

Greek Salad

My sister Kate's recipe:

2 TBS red wine vinegar

4 garlic cloves minced

1 t dijon mustard

1/2 t sea salt

1/2 t pepper

1/4 cup e.v.o.o.

2 tom, cut into 3/4 inch dice

1 cucumber peeled and halved lengthsie and cut into 1/4 inch slices

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

1/4 red onion thinly sliced

3 cups marinated tofu “feta”

Salad greens

In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil; set the dressing aside.

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and onion. Gently toss in the marinated tofu “feta” and dressing to taste. Serves as is for a side, or on top of salad greens for an entree.

Enchilada Bake

This is my sister Katie's recipe.  This recipe is a PETA favorite. It is easy to make and extremely flavorful—a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!

12 oz. vegetarian burger crumbles (try Morningstar Farms brand—www.kelloggs.com)

1 packet taco seasoning

2 15.5-oz. cans enchilada sauce

18 corn tortillas

2 15.5-oz. cans pinto beans, drained

2 green onions, chopped

2 cups vegan cheddar cheese, shredded (try Follow Your Heart brand—www.followyourheart.com)

1 4.5-oz. can diced green chilies

2 cups Fritos corn chips, finely crushed

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. 
• In a small bowl, combine the burger crumbles and taco seasoning and set aside.
• Spray a 9-inch by 13-inch pan with oil.
• In layers, spread a generous amount of enchilada sauce, 6 corn tortillas, 2 cans of pinto beans, a handful of green onion, a third of the shredded “cheese,” half the can of green chilies, lots more enchilada sauce, 6 more tortillas, all the seasoned burger crumbles, another third of the “cheese,” the remaining green chilies, more enchilada sauce, then the final 6 tortillas, more enchilada sauce, and the rest of the “cheese.” Cover in foil and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove the foil, top the entire casserole with the Fritos, and bake for another 15 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

Makes 6 servings

Breaded and Baked Italian Eggplant

One of my sister Katie's recipes

1 eggplant

1/2 cup soy milk

Egg replacer equivalent to 1 egg

1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup flour

1/2-1 cup marinara sauce

Basil (optional)

• Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch slices, then liberally coat with salt and set in a colander for 1 hour to drain. Rinse the excess salt from the eggplant and pat dry. 
• Preheat the oven to 400˚F. 
• In a medium bowl, combine the soy milk and egg replacer and mix well. 
• In another medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the salt and pepper. 
• Set up a breading station with one bowl for each: flour, egg replacer mixture, and bread crumb mixture. Dredge the eggplant in flour and shake off the excess. Submerge the eggplant in the egg replacer mixture, shake off the excess, and then coat evenly with bread crumbs. 
• Place the eggplant in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the eggplant is crisp on the outside and tender inside. 
• Serve topped with marinara and chopped basil, if desired.

Vegetable Fried Rice

This is one of my husband's favorites. I love all the fresh vegetables!

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon white wine or rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon peanut or olive oil
2 carrots, cut into matchstick-size strips
2 cups snow peas, cut into thirds
2 cups bean sprouts
4 scallions (white and light green parts), thinly sliced
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Directions

1
Cook the rice according to the package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and ginger; set aside.
2
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the snow peas, bean sprouts, and 3 tablespoons of the soy sauce mixture and stir-fry until the vegetables are almost tender but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
3
Return skillet to medium heat and add the remaining sauce mixture, the rice, and scallions. Cook until warmed through, about 1 minute.
4
Make a large space in the center of the rice and pour the eggs into it. Scramble the eggs with a spatula until set. Stir the eggs into the rice. Transfer the rice mixture to individual plates and top with the vegetables.

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Does anyone post on this blog anymore but me? Does anyone even READ this blog anymore?

Anyway, tonight I had the inspiration to make these. Breakfast for dinner is the best! And they were very yummy and I thought I would share. P.S. I actually got this recipe off the Tasty Kitchen blog. If you haven't seen it, check it out!

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. each of ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground ginger
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 whole eggs
1-2 cups shredded carrot
1/4-1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Combine dry ingredients, down to the spices. Then add in the brown sugar, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and eggs. Fold in the carrot and walnuts. Cook on a greased griddle.

*I didn't add as much carrot as the original recipe called for, and I added the walnuts. I served mine with maple syrup and whipped cream but some cream cheese frosting would've been divine as well! These made about 12 small pancakes when I used my 1/4-cup measuring cup to pour them on the griddle.

Jen's Power Smoothie

My friend Jen introduced me to these smoothies. She calls them green smoothies, but my sister and I have tweaked the recipe a little bit, and our's are more purple (which to me look more appetizing to eat than the green.) These smoothies have so many vitamins and nutrients in them, if you eat one in the morning, your fruits and veggies are taken care of, along with so many other good things like omega-3 and fiber, etc. These measurements are appoximations, so you can play with it to your taste and liking.

1 cup vanilla or plain yogurt
1/2-1 cup orange juice
1-2 ripe bananas
about 1 cup frozen berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or a combination of all)
1-2 Tbsp. flax seed (whole or ground meal)
huge handful of baby spinach
2-3 large kale leaves, removed from the hard stalk
2-3 large collard greens, removed from the hard stalk
large cup of ice
agave nectar or honey to sweeten

My friend Jen doesn't use yogurt or orange juice, but I feel like it just makes it taste better. Plus the yogurt and o.j. adds protein and vitamin C. I also add a few more berries than she does, and agave nectar because if it doesn't look or taste good, my kids won't drink it! She also adds a scoop of protein powder, and you can do this if you want, but I found it makes it taste grittier or chalkier and it brings out the taste of the greens, which you're trying to mask.

The key is to blend this really really really well so the greens are blended and hidden. Also, another key is the bananas because it makes it smooth and sweet. But you can play with this recipe to your liking, I have a ton of friends who eat this smoothie now and it seems like we all have our own version. But it is really tasty and so good for you, and makes me feel like I'm giving my kids some great nutrition!

Red Lentil Curry

A recipe from my friend Stephanie. It was really good, and again, my kids ate it! Success!

2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. grated ginger root (or 1 t. powdered)
1 1/2 c. red lentils, cleaned and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 c. chicken broth
1 can coconut milk
2 t. curry powder
1 t. turmeric
salt to taste
hot cooked rice (my favorite is Jasmine)
cilantro, for garnish (optional)
plain yogurt (optional)

Start rice cooking. Heat oil in skillet, add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Add ginger. Cook until onion is soft, then add broth, lentils, garbanzo beans, coconut milk, curry powder, and turmeric. Cook until lentils are soft, 20-30 minutes. Taste for salt, add more if necessary. Serve over hot cooked rice. Could also make into soup by adding more liquid and either eliminating rice or adding a little with the lentils. If you want to add cooked cubed chicken, it would probably be good too. This could also be a side dish if you didn't want to eat it as a main dish.

A warning: If you're kind of a clean freak like me, I wouldn't give this to babies or toddlers who spill or messy with their food. Curry can stain really bad, and is hard to get out, so eat with caution (if you care!)

Black Beans and Polenta

I found this recipe on the back of a Westbrae Natural Organic Black Bean can. The great thing about it is that it's so easy and you probably have everything in your pantry already!

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. cumin
3/4 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. oregano
1 can black beans
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
Polenta (or cornbread, rice or couscous)

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add everything except the beans and tomatoes. Saute until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and beans and heat until bubbly. Serve over slices of pan-grilled polenta (or cornbread or rice.)

Note: I didn't have any dried coriander so I used fresh cilantro instead (which is what coriander is.) I also served it with couscous because my daughter loves it. You can also season it a bit more to taste. So yummy and healthy!

Seriously good Salsa :)

Does anyone even get on here anymore? If you do, leave a comment on this post so I know that this recipe blog is still alive! Anyway, this salsa is comparable to Chili's salsa, and in my opinion, just as good! And, it's super easy so that's a definite plus!

2 cans MEXICAN stewed tomatoes
1 or half bunch cilantro
1 small can Herdez green salsa
2 cloves garlic (or 1 tsp minced dried garlic)

Put one can tomatoes and cilantro in processor/blender and blend for like 20-30 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until garlic is no longer in big chunks.

This makes ALOT, but it will stay good in your fridge for about 5 days. Enjoy!

Spinach Lasagna

Lasagna noodles cooked to pkg directions
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
4 eggs10 oz frozen spinach thawed and drained of excess water
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup marinara sauce
shredded mozarella or cheddar cheese
parmesan cheese

Mix together all ingredients, except for noodles and shredded cheeses. Layer in a 9x13 pan: noodles, spinach mixture, marinara, and shredded cheese. Repeat layers once more. Cook for 40 min. on 375

Broccoli Cheese Soup

3 cups vegetable broth (or you could use chicken broth, or bullion cubes)
1/4 cup butter
1 large baking potato, or 2 small potatoes cut into small cubes
2 cups fresh broccoli cut into small florets
1/2 onion chopped
sliced carrots (I used 2 large ones)
3/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Bring vegetable broth and butter to a boil and add potatoes and carrots. Let boil for 15 min. Add broccoli and onions and allow to get tender. In a separate bowl mix milk and flour together. When broccoli and onions are soft, add milk mixture to the boiling water, allowing soup to thicken. Then add mustard, cayenne, and cheese. Stir until cheese is well combined. If soup is too thick, you can add more milk.