Recipes of the Week - October 13th

Butternut Squash Baked Spaghetti
from: http://low-fat-cooking.suite101.com/article.cfm/butternut_squash_baked_spaghetti

• For the Butternut Squash Sauce:
  12 oz. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
  3 cloves garlic
  1 small onion, diced
  1 cup water
  1/2 cup non-fat milk
• For the Baked Spaghetti:
  1 16 oz. package whole grain spaghetti (such as Barilla)
  1 10 oz. package fresh spinach
  1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
  1/2 cup liquid egg substitute (such as Egg Beaters)
  1 cup sharp low-fat cheddar cheese.
  1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Make the sauce first: Place the first four ingredients (through water) in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until squash is tender when pierced with a fork.
Pour into a blender. Add milk and puree until smooth.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 10-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and place in a large mixing bowl.
Add the butternut squash sauce and remaining ingredients, except for the Parmesan cheese.
Pour into the prepared springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet.
Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top of the spaghetti pie.
Bake 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before cutting. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Roasted Baby Potatoes with Rosemary
1 pound small potatoes
3 cloves garlic, cracked away from skin
1 ½ - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, enough to just coat potatoes
1-2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Halve potatoes and place on a cookie sheet. Combine with cracked cloves of garlic. Coat potatoes and garlic with extra-virgin oil and season with rosemary, salt and pepper. Place potatoes on center rack of oven and roast 20 minutes, until just tender.

Apple and Rosemary Strudel
from: http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=5564

• 10 oz white flour
  1 Egg
  5 fl oz Water1 tsp Vegetable oil
  4 Apple1 bn Rosemary
  2 tbl Soft brown sugar
  2 tbl Breadcrumbs
  1 tsp Cinnamon
  1 tsp Freshly grated nutmeg
  3 tbl Sultanas
  2 oz Melted butter

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Whisk the egg, water and oil together. Place the flour in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Gradually add the egg mix to form a dough.
Knead the dough and beat out on a work surface until it becomes soft and elastic. Leave to rest for 15 minutes.
Take the filling ingredients and mix together.
Roll out the pastry into a rectangle and then using your hands, stretch it out on a clean tea towel until it becomes very thin.
Spread all over with melted butter.
Sprinke over the apple mixture and roll up like a swiss roll using the towel to help you. Transfer to a baking sheet and shape. Brush with melted butter and bake for 40 minutes.

Recipes of the Week - September 29th

Leek & Potato Fritters from: http://homecooking.about.com/od/vegetablerecipes/r/blv271.htm
· 1 large (about 1/2 pound) russet potato, peeled, cut into quarters
· 1 clove garlic, peeled, cut into quarters
· 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
· 2 pounds leeks, thinly sliced, rinsed thoroughly, and drained
· 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
· 1/2 cup matzoh meal or fine dry unseasoned bread crumbs
· 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
· 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
· 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
· 1/2 cup canola oil
· Sour cream as garnish (optional

Place potato chunks and garlic in a saucepan with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and water to cover. Top with a lid and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Add leeks and cook an additional 3 minutes.
Remove vegetables from heat, drain, and coarsely mash. Let rest for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Stir in eggs, matzoh or bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper. Let cool to room temperature, then chill for 1 hour.
Shape chilled mixture into 18 patties.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Cook fritters in batches for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Serve hot with optional sour cream.

Angel Hair Pasta with Leek and Garlic Saute, and Myzithra Cheese
from: http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=4649
· 8-ounce package angel hair pasta cooked
· 1 tsp olive oil
· 2 lrg garlic cloves minced
· 1 x trimmed leek thinly sliced
· salt
· pepper
· lemon zest
· 1 tbl chopped fresh cilantro
· 3 tbl grated Myzithra cheese
· or substitute romano

Heat oil in a heavy bottom sauce pan large enough to toss the pasta. Saute the leek with the garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper, and pepper. Reduce heat and continue to cook the leek until slightly caramelized. Add the lemon zest and cilantro. Toss with the cooked (drained) pasta. Serve at once, topped with grated cheese.
NOTES : Try De Boles Tomato and Pesto semolina angel hair pasta.

Almond-Topped Pear Pie from: http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipet.cgi?r=3170&y=6

· 3 tbl cornflour
· 1/4 tsp Ginger, ground
· 1/8 tsp Salt
· 1/2 cup Dark Corn Syrup
· 2 tbl Butter
· tsp Lemon Juice
· 1/2 tsp lemon zest, grated
· Unbaked 9-inch Pie Shell
· 4 Pears

ALMOND TOPPING
· cup flour, plain
· 1/2 cup sugar, brown
· 1/4 tsp ginger, ground
· 1/2 cup Butter
· 1/2 cup almonds, flaked

Peel and thinly slice pears.
Combine the cornflour, ginger and salt in a large bowl. Add the corn syrup, melted butter, lemon juice and lemon rind, stirring until smooth. Add the pears and toss until well coated with the corn syrup mixture.
Arrange the mixture into the unbaked pie shell.
Prepare the Almond Topping and sprinkle over the pears.
Bake in a preheated 400 degree F. oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. and bake an additional 30 minutes or until the topping and crust are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

ALMOND TOPPING:
Combine the flour, brown sugar, and ginger in a bowl. Cut in the butter, using a pastry blender, until crumbly. Stir in the almonds.

COLLARD GREENS QUICHE from: http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1950,157190-246205,00.html
· 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
· 4 lg. eggs, at room temp.
· 1 c. half and half
· 1/2 tsp. salt (opt.)
· 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper or 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
· 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
· 1/3 c. finely chopped onion
· 1 c. shredded mild cheddar cheese
· 2 c. chopped cooked fresh, frozen or leftover collard greens, squeezed dry
· 1/2 c. chopped mushrooms
· 1/4 c. chopped bell pepper (opt.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake pie crust about 8 minutes; set aside. In large bowl, lightly beat eggs, half and half, salt (if desired), pepper, oregano, and onion; set aside. Onto bottom of pie crust, sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese. Add greens, mushrooms and bell pepper.
Pour egg and vegetable mixture into crust; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Let stand about 10 minutes before slicing to allow filling to completely set. Serves 8.

Recipes of the Week - September 22nd

Penne with Spinach Sauce
from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/penne-with-spinach-sauce-recipe/index.html

• 1 pound whole wheat or multi grain penne
  3 garlic cloves
  2 ounces goat cheese
  1 ounce reduced fat cream cheese
  3/4 teaspoon salt
  1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  6 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
  2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the penne and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes.
Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add the goat cheese, cream cheese, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and half of the spinach leaves. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set the cheese and spinach mixture aside.
Meanwhile, place the remaining spinach leaves in a large bowl.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Spoon the pasta atop the spinach leaves in the bowl. Scrape the cheese and spinach mixture over the pasta mixture and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the Parmesan over and serve.

Baked Shells With Fresh Spinach and Pancetta from: http://www.recipezaar.com/272706

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  2 cups heavy cream
  1/2 cup tomato puree
  1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated (2 ounces)
  salt & freshly ground black pepper
  1/3 lb pancetta or prosciutto, finely diced
  1 lb fresh spinach, rinsed and stemmed, leaves torn
  1 lb medium pasta shell

In a heavy medium nonreactive saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add the heavy cream and tomato puree and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer until reduced to 2 1/4 cups, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, cook the pancetta in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over moderately high heat until slightly crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the spinach in batches and cook, tossing, until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the pasta shells in a large pot of rapidly boiling salted water until barely al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.
Toss the pasta with the creamy tomato sauce and the spinach. Spoon it into a 3-quart shallow buttered baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese on top and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until piping hot.

Cilantro Noodle Bowl With Cilantro Pesto from: http://www.recipezaar.com/324722

• 8 ounces dried soba noodles
  2-3 cups broccoli florets, chopped
  1 lemon, zest of
  2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
  2 large garlic cloves
  1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
  1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  14 ounces extra firm tofu

Cook the soba in a big pot of rapidly boiling salted water just until tender - but about 20 seconds before the pasta is done cooking add the broccoli to the pot. Cook it until barely done. Now drain and rinse under cold running water. Sprinkle with lemon zest and set aside.
Make the dressing by combining the cilantro, garlic, cayenne, salt, and olive oil. Blend in a food processor or chop by hand. Taste, adjust for more salt if needed and set aside.
Drain the tofu, pat it dry, and cut it into rectangles roughly the size of your thumb (1/2 inch thick and 1 inch long). Cook the tofu in a dry nonstick (or well-seasoned) skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until the pieces are browned on one side. Toss gently once or twice, then continue cooking for another minute or so, until the tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy. Remove from skillet, let cool a bit and if desired cut into matchsticks (as seen in the photo), sometimes I don't bother and use larger pieces instead.
4In a large mixing bowl, combine the soba, broccoli, and a couple big splashes of the cilantro dressing. Toss until well combined. Add the tofu and gently toss again, add more dressing and a couple pinches of salt if needed. Turn out onto platter and crown with a couple pinches of cayenne and a squeeze of lemon juice.