Recipe(tried): This Weeks Winners

Not too many recipes this week. They are all really good though. The rest of teh week we had leftovers or plain pasta w/red sauce and breadstick, a standard around here when I can't think of what else to make.




Saturday Night Dinner

* Exported from MasterCook *

Pasta with Parmesan, Mushroom and Tomato Sauce

Recipe By : Adapted from While The Pasta Cooks by Andrew Schloss
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Special Pasta Dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 lb pasta -- any shape
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion -- chopped
3/4 lb medium mushrooms -- clean/stem/chop
2 tsp fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic -- minced
4 plum tomatoes -- stemmed/chopped
salt and pepper -- to taste
2 tbsp Italian parsley -- chopped
6 tbsp parmesan cheese -- grated

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and stir a few times to ensure that the pasta does not stick to itself. Boil vigorously for the time recommended on the pasta package or until the pasta is tender.

While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion, and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook until they lose their raw look, about 2 minutes. Add the thyme, garlic, tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook until the tomatoes soften, about 3 minutes. If the mixture becomes too dry, add up to 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Stir in the parsley.

Drain the pasta and toss it in a serving bowl with the sauce and the cheese, adding more salt and pepper if needed.

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NOTES : My only change was adding some jarred Tomato & basil Sauce like Classico (my favorite) to the sauce because my husband doesn't like sauces that are just veggies.

I also added a sprinkling of fresh basil on top along with a little parsley.

I served it with breadsticks.
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Sunday Nights Dinner

I decided to go vegetarian with all the fattening stuff we have been eating (from Thanksgiving, my birthday and now working on Chanukah). So here is a healthy one - if you don't have any seitan (wheat gluten) on hand, some seasoned tofu would do or if you aren't vegetarian, even some cooked chicken or leftover cooked turkey would do nicely.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Seitan Skillet Meal

Recipe By : Low Fat & Fast by Vegetarian Times
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup unbleached white flour
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp olive oil
2 medium carrots -- chopped
1 medium onion -- chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 stalk celery -- sliced
8 ounces seitan -- ground
1 cup wild rice -- cooked
1 cup brown rice -- cooked
1 tbsp fresh parsley -- chopped

In a 2 cup measure or small bowl, combine broth, flour, oregano, basil, thyme, marjoram and pepper. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onions, mushrooms, and celery, and cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.

Stir in broth mixture. Cook until sauce thickens and bubbles, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Stir in seitan and rices. Cook until heated through, stirring frequently. Stir in parsley.

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NOTES : I only used brown rice, had no wild rice, and also sprinkled some freshly chopped rosemary on the top with some more parsley.
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Monday Nights Dinner

A stand-by at this house. With a salad and some type of Italian dressing or caesar dressing and croutons, it is a quick and delicious dinner.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Polenta with Caramelized Onions

Recipe By : Vegetarian Times Low Fat & Fast (adapted from)
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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3 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp olive oil
2 large onions -- sliced/in rings
8 oz fresh button mushrooms -- sliced*
4 cloves garlic -- minced
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
fresh parsley -- chopped
VARIATION
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tbsp parmesan cheese

My change to recipe: Place the cornmeal and salt in a microwaveable container. Pour the 3 cups of water over it and whisk to make smooth. Put in the microwave and cook on HI for 3 minutes. Take out and whisk until no lumps are left. Then put back in the microwave and cook for another 3 minutes. Take out, whisk, and set aside.

Original recipe: In a medium nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and remaining 1/4 cup of water. Cook, stirring, until onions become very tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and garlic. Continue cooking until onions and mushrooms begin to brown.

Stir vinegar into onion mixture. To serve, spoon polenta onto plates and top with onion mixture. Garnish with parsley.

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Serving Ideas : salad with caesar dressing

NOTES : * I didn't have mushrooms so I used green peppers. If you don't have mushrooms, use some other vegetable. Zucchini would be good.

I also sprinkle some basil, oregano and parmesan cheese over the onion mixture a couple of minutes before it is finished cooking. Sprinkle on more parmesan once it is plated.

Variation: Let polenta sit for 1 hour in refrigerator. Then take it out and cut it into shapes with a biscuit cutter. Fry them in a little oil until crisp on the outside. Plate and top with onion mixture.
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Tuesday Nights Dinner

* Exported from MasterCook *

Garlic-Rosemary Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

Recipe By : Fresh Solutions, Tyson Newsletter, Winter 1998
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:20
Categories : Busy Day Entrees

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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4 Tyson Holly Farms Boneless Chicken Breasts -- skinless
1 medium zucchini -- cut in 1" dice
1 red bell pepper -- cut in 1" dice
1 yellow bell pepper -- cut in 1" dice
1 medium onion -- cut in 8 wedges
1 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic -- sliced
4 sprigs rosemary

Preheat oven to 450 F. Rinse chicken with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. In large bowl, combine zucchini, red pepper, yellow pepper and onion. Drizzle with oil, toss to coat. Place chicken and vegetables in 15x10 inch baking dish. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle garlic slices over chicken and vegetables. Place 1 sprig rosemary on each chicken breast; press lightly to flatten rosemary against chicken.

Bake at 450 F for 20-25 minutees or until chicken is done and vegetables are tender. Serve chicken and vegetables with wild rice, if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

Note: I added 1 tsp. dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 tsp garlic powder into the chicken after I sprinkled with salt and pepper.

I served it with orzo that I combined with dried basil, oregano, garlic and seasoned parmesan cheese.
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Friday Nights Dinner

It is starting to get cold here in NJ so I thought I would make something warm and comforting. This was so easy and so delicious. I'll be doing it again. I find it comes out creamier than when I make it the preferred way.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Risa's Microwave Mushroom Risotto

Recipe By : Risa Golding
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1/2 medium onion -- chopped
6 tbsp butter
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 cups broth -- chicken or vegetable
1 oz dried mushrooms -- shiitake or porcini
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter -- for flavor

Place the onion and butter in a large microwave bowl, uncovered, on HIGH for 3 minutes, or until the butter melts and the onion softens.

Stir in the rice and microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 3 minutes, or until the rice begins to turn translucent. Stir in the wine, broth, salt and cover, and microwave on HIGH for 12-15 minutes (depending on the wattage of your microwave), or until boiling.

Remove the cover, add the hydrated mushrooms, stir and continue to microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 10 minutes more, or until the rice is cooked through but still chewy. Add a little butter, stir and microwave for another 2 minutes. Add the parmesan cheese, the rest of the butter and serve right away.

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NOTES : I adapted this from The Well-Filled Microwave by Victoria Wise & Susanna Hoffman, a most wonderful book that I recommend to all so you can stop using your microwave just for reheating things and to make popcorn.
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