Herb & Pistachio Falafel

Falafel

Ingredients

8 sprigs of fresh mint
8 sprigs of fresh parsley
200 g pistachio nuts
2 c. garbanzo beans/chickpeas (we used canned)
2 cloves garlic
½ small onion
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 tbsp. flour (we used buckwheat flour)
1 tsp. baking powder

Directions

Start by blending the herbs in a mixer for about 30 seconds. Add pistachio nuts and pulse until well combined. Rinse the garbanzo beans. Add them and the rest of the ingredients into the mixer and blend for about a minute. Youmight have to stir around with a spoon occasionally. Try to keep the texture of the falafel dough a little rough. Make 24 small round falafels, place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake for about 15 minutes on 375°F/200°C, turn every 5 minutes to get an even brown color.

Cashew Nut Dressing-- Whisk ingredients until combined.

6 tbsp. cashew butter (look for it in health stores or make it yourself)
6 tbsp. canola or rapeseed oil
3 tbsp. lemon juice
a pinch of salt

Tomato Chili Salsa – Combine ingredients.
3 tomatoes, diced
1/2 red chili, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp. olive oil
fresh oregano
salt & pepper

Tzatziki – See recipe.

Goat Cheese & Roasted Corn Quesadillas

Browning the corn carmelizes its sugars and deepens the flavor here.

Ingredients

1 c. fresh corn kernels (about 1 large ear)*
2/3 c. (5 oz.) goat cheese, softened
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/4 c. chopped green onions
10 tbsp. salsa, divided
Cooking spray
I’ve also mixed in chopped red pepper, black beans, cilantro, and chicken chorizo, depending on leftovers in the fridge.

Directions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn; sauté for about two minutes, until browned. Place corn in a small bowl. Add goat cheese to corn and stir until well blended.

Divide corn mixture evenly among four tortillas; spread to within 1/4 of the sides. Sprinkle each tortilla with green onions. Top with remaining tortillas.

Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place a quesadilla in the pan and cook 90 seconds on each side, until golden. Wipe pan clean with a paper towel and recoat with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into four wedges and serve with salsa.

Old Country Pie

A curious recipe from The Moosewood Cookbook, by Mollie Katzen, this is a new favorite at our house. It offers a great solution for a mish-mosh of leftover veggies. Just keep a pie crust on hand for such an occasion.

Ingredients

1 9 to 10-inch pie crust
1 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 c. onion, minced
1 tsp. caraway seeds
1 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. mushrooms, chopped
1 1/2 c. cabbage, shredded
1 medium broccoli stalk, chopped
1 carrot, thinly sliced or diced
2 tsp. dill
lots of black pepper, freshly ground
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 c. cottage cheese (lowfat okay)
2 eggs
2 medium scallions, minced
Optional for garnish:
3/4 c. sour cream or yogurt
paprika

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a medium-sized skillet. Add onion, caraway, and salt, and sauté over medium heat until onions begin to brown (10 to 15 minutes).

Add mushrooms, cabbage, broccoli, carrot, and dill, and sauté until everything is just tender -- about 8 more minutes. Stir in black pepper, garlic, and flour, and cook, stirring, for just a few minutes more. Remove from heat.

Beat together cottage cheese and eggs. Add this to the sauté along with the scallions and mix well. Spread into unbaked crust and, if desired, top with a layer of sour cream or yogurt. Sprinkle with paprika, and bake for 40 minutes or until set. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Spanakopita

From Mollie Katzen’s vegetarian Moosewood Cookbook, this spinach pie is less salty and lighter than more traditional recipes.

Ingredients

1 pkg. frozen filo dough
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 c. onion, minced
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
2 1/2 lbs. fresh spinach, stemmed & finely chopped
5 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 tbs. flour
2 to 3 c. (about a 1 lb.) crumbled feta cheese
1 c. cottage cheese
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 to 1/2 c. olive oil, for the filo
1 lb. filo pastry leaves (approximately 20 leaves), thoroughly defrosted

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 9x13 inch baking pan. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add onion, salt, and herbs, and sauté for about five minutes, or until onion softens. Add spinach, turn up the heat, and cook, stirring, until the spinach wilts. Stir in the garlic.

Sprinkle in the flour, stir, and cook over medium heat 2 to 3 more minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in the cheeses. Taste to correct seasonings, adding lots of black pepper. Unwrap the thawed filo dough. Place a sheet of filo in the oiled pan, letting the pastry edges climb up the sides. Brush lightly with oil, and add another sheet. Keep going until you have a pile of 8 oiled sheets. Add half the filling, spreading it to the edges, then repeat with 8 more sheets of oiled filo, followed by the remaining filling. Layer the rest of the filo over the filling, brushing oil in between. Oil the top, tuck in the edges, and bake, uncovered for about 45 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Serve hot or warm.

Sauteed Root Veggies

An autumnal treat made with a mix of late harvest veggies.

Ingredients

parsnips, peeled & julienned
carrots, peeled & julienned
baby turnips, peeled & julienned
onion, sliced & quartered
McCormicks’ Vegetable Supreme seasoning
butter

Directions

Melt about 1/2 stick of butter in a large pan. Sauté all the vegetables over high heat until they begin to brown. Toss vegetables with Vegetable Supreme and serve.
--OR--
Coat the raw vegetables in melted butter and Vegetable Supreme. Bake in the oven at about 400 degrees until golden brown.

Pineapple Bread Pudding

Something special for the sweet tooth at dinner time, this pineapple bread pudding is an excellent accompaniment to ham!

Ingredients

8 slices bread, cubed
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2-15 oz. cans crushed pineapple
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted
4 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp. vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine bread, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in pineapple. Spoon into greased 12x8 casserole dish. Whisk together sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla. Pour over bread. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Pammy's Granola

Perfect atop yogurt or ice cream.


Ingredients

3 c. oats
1 c. coconut, shredded
1/2 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. honey
1/2 stick butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt butter and mix with honey. Combine with all dry ingredients. Spread evenly, in a single layer, on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes, tossing once.

Grandma Fisher's Peanut Butter Cookies

My grandfather’s mother’s very special Sunday treat.

Ingredients

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients and make into small balls. Press with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes.

Ina's Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients

Roma tomatoes
Olive oil
Garlic
Breadcrumbs
Gorgonzola cheese

Directions

Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Toss in an garlic and olive oil marinade.
Toss breadcrumbs and gorgonzola, then stuff into tomatoes. Place tomatoes on parchment paper and sprinkle with more olive oil.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley to serve.

Lemon Bisque

Ingredients

1 pkg. lemon gelatin (3 oz.)
1 can evaporated milk (13 oz.)
1 1/2 c. boiling water
3/4 c. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. lemon juice
Zest of one lemon
1 pkg. graham cracker crumbs
4 tbsp. butter, melted

Directions

Chill milk in refrigerator, or freeze to make crystals around edge of bowl. Dissolve gelatin in water and add sugar, salt, lemon juice and zest. Allow mixture to congeal slightly. Beat milk until stiff and then whip in gelatin mixture. Combine graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and press into a 10x13 pan. Pour gelatin mixture into the graham cracker crust. Chill.

Best served with strawberry sauce and whipped cream!