Fish Mediterranean

This recipe calls for Mahi-Mahi, but any white fish works. AND really, the topping is so good, I'd be just as happy eating the topping over rice without the fish.

1/2 onion, chopped
2T Oil
2 cloves garlic
1 pinch Italian Seasoning**
5 Roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped**
**Instead of the romas and Italian seasoning, I subbed a can of Italian diced tomatoes (undrained)
1/4 c. white wine
24 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
4T capers
1 T lemon juice
3 T parmesan cheese (I didn't use this)
Fresh basil (I didn't use this either)
1 lb Mahi-Mahi

1. Preheat oven to 425. Bake fish for 12 min until tender and flaky.
2. In pan, sautee onion in oil until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 min.
3. Add tomatoes and Italian seasoning, wine, olives, capers, lemon juice and basil.
4. Reduce heat. Add cheese. Cook 15 min. or until reduced to a thick sauce.

*Serve over rice

Curried Lentil, Squash, and Apple Stew

This recipe is from Chloe's Kitchen by Chloe Coscarelli

Made this for dinner tonight and it was DELICIOUS! And very healthy too.

Serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil (I used coconut oil instead)
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 cup dried lentils
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups peeled butternut squash (1/2-in cubes) - I bought this pre-cut from Trader Joe's
1 large unpeedled apple, diced
5 ounces baby spinach

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat, and saute onions and carrots until almost soft. Add garlic, ginger, curry, and salt, and let cook a few more minutes until fragrant. Stir in lentils, broth, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Add squash and apples, cover, and simmer for another 25 minutes, or until vegetables and lentils are tender. Uncover and stir in spinach until wilted. Add salt to taste and serve.

Slow Cooker Chili

*From "Simply in Season"

1 lb ground beef
*Brown in large fry pan

1 onion (chopped)
1-2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 c. green pepper (chopped)
1 c. celery (chopped)
*Add and saute for 3-5 min. Place in Slow Cooker

4 c. cooked kidney beans or pinto beans
4 c. tomatoes (chopped) OR tomato juice OR canned tomatoes
1-2 Tb. Chili powder
1 Tb sugar, honey or molasses
1 tsp salt or seasoned salt
1 c. corn (I used frozen)
1 c. mushrooms (chopped. optional, but a yummy addition!)
1 Tb. Worcestershire sauce
1 hot chili pepper (minced; optional) - I didn't use this. I used a little hot sauce instead.
*Add everything (except mushrooms if using) and cook on high for 15 min. Then cook on low for 8 - 10 hours. Add mushrooms during last hour. Serve as a soup or over rice or pasta.

Yields 8 c.
(this lasted us more than two meals)

Vegetarian Groundnut Stew

*From "Simply in Season"

2 c. onion (chopped)
2-3 garlic cloves (minced)
3 c. winter squash such as butternut (peeled and cubed)
2 c. cabbage (chopped
1 dried chili pepper or ground red pepper to taste (I left this out because my kids won't eat spicy)
3 c. tomato juice (or pureed canned tomatoes)
1 c. apple juice
1-2 teaspoons ginger root (peeled and minced)
1-2 c. green beans (I cut them into bite-sized pieces)
1/2 c. peanut butter (*Note: if you use natural peanut butter, you will need to add salt to this dish)

1. In large frypan, saute onion and garlic in 1 Tbs oil until translucent.
2. Add squash, cabbage and chili pepper. Saute until flavors are mixed.
3. Add tomato juice, apple juice and ginger root. Cover and simmer until squash is tender, about 20 min.
4. Add green beans and simmer 5 minutes more.
5. Stir in peanut butter and simmer at very low heat until ready to serve. Serve on top of brown rice or millet with toppings (optional- I didn't use any of these): chopped green onions, parsley, cilantro, peaches or other fruit, crushed peanuts, flaked coconut.

Says it make 6 servings. It lasted the four of us three meals.

Crock Pot Chicken Wings

3 pounds of chicken wings
2 jars of Chicken Wing Sauce (12 oz jars)
2 TBSP butter, melted
1 to 2 teaspoons bottled hot pepper sauce
2/3 cup blue cheese or ranch dressing (for dipping)

For sauce, in a slow cooker combine chicken wing sauce, melted butter, and hot pepper sauce. Add chicken wings, stirring to coat with sauce.
Cover and cook on low heat setting for 4-5 hours, or high heat setting for 2-2 1/2 hours.
Serve immediately or keep warm on low heat setting for up to 2 hours. Serve chicken wings with salad dressing.

Number of Servings: 16
From: Kim Martin

BUTTER PECAN TURTLE BAR COOKIES

(Kay McVay)

Crust:

     2 cups flour

     1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

     1/2 cups softened butter

Carmel:

     2/3 cup butter

     1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup whole pecan halves

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine crust ingredients.  Mix at medium speed 2 to 3 minutes.  Pat firmly into ungreased 9" x 13" baking pan.  Sprinkle nuts onto unbaked crust.  Prepare caramel layer and pour evenly over crust.  Bake for 18 to 22 minutes.  Remove and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Allow chips to melt 2 to 3 minutes.  Swirl and cool completely.  Cut.  Freezes well.

To prepare caramel layer:

     In saucepan, combine brown sugar and butter.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until entire surface boils.  Boil 1/2 minutes 

     and stir constantly.

NEW YORK WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

(Kay McVay)

Crust:

     1 (9-oz.) pkg. chocolate wafer cookies, crushed (2 1/4 cups)

     6 T. butter, melted

Filling:

     2 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

     1/2 cup sugar

     3 eggs

     1 (12-oz.) pkg. (2 cups) white vanilla chips or 12 oz. vanilla-flavored candy coating, chopped, melted*

     1 cup whipping cream

     1 tsp. vanilla

Chocolate Sauce:

     1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

     1 T. butter

     1/4 cup boiling water

     3/4 cup sugar

     3 T. corn syrup

     1/2 tsp. vanilla or mint extract

1.  Place 12-inch square sheet of foil on rack below center oven rack in oven.  Heat oven to 325 degrees.  In medium bowl, combine crust ingredients, mix well.  Press in bottom and about 1 inch up sides of ungreased 10-inch springform pan.  Refrigerate while preparing filling.

2.  Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth.  Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until smooth.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Quickly add melted chips, whipping cream and vanilla; beat until smooth.  Pour into crust-lined pan.

3.  Bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes or until edges are set; center of cheesecake will be soft.  Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches.  Let cheesecake sit in oven for 30 minutes or until center is set.

4.  Remove cheesecake from oven  Cool in pan on wire rack for 1 hour or until completely cooled.  Carefully remove sides of pan.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours or over night.

5.  In small heavy saucepan, combine chocolate chips, 1 T butter and boiling water.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Whisk chocolate mixture until smooth.  Add 3/4 cup sugar and corn syrup; mix well.  Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low; boil 8 minutes without stirring.

6.  Remove saucepan from heat.  Stir 1/2 tsp. vanilla into chocolate sauce.  Cool 15 minutes, stirring frequently.  Sauce will thicken as it cools. 

*To melt white vanilla chips, place 1 cup at a time in medium microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave on MEDIUM for 3 to 4 minutes or until melted, stirring once halfway through cooking.  Stir until smooth.