Deviled Eggs

Got this recipe from here.

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Smoked Spanish paprika, for garnish

Instructions

1. Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with enough water that there's 1 1/2 inches of water above the eggs. Heat on high until water begins to boil, then cover, turn the heat to low, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and leave covered for 14 minutes, then rinse under cold water continuously for 1 minute.
2. Crack egg shells and carefully peel under cool running water. Gently dry with paper towels. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise, removing yolks to a medium bowl, and placing the whites on a serving platter. Mash the yolks into a fine crumble using a fork. Add mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
3. Evenly disperse heaping teaspoons of the yolk mixture into the egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

Lasagne

This is an old family recipe passed down for generations... not.  It's on the back of the Barilla Lasagne box.

Ingredients

• 1 Box Lasagne (that you don't have to boil)
• 2 Eggs
• 1 15oz container of ricotta cheese
• 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 26oz jars tomato sauce

Directions

1. Brown the meat, obvi
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. In a bowl, beat the eggs and then stir in the ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella and the paremesan.
4. Get a 13x9x3 baking pan. Layer the ingredients as follows:
1. 1 cup of sauce
2. 4 lasagne sheets, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1/2 of the meat, 1 cup mozzarella, 1 cup sauce
3. 4 lasagne sheets, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, and 1.5 cups of sauce
4. 4 lasagne sheets, the remaining 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, the remaining 1/2 of meat, and 1 cup of sauce
5. 4 lasagne sheets, the remaining sauce, and the remaining one cup mozzarella
5. Cover the pan with foil and stuff it in the oven! Wait 50-60 minutes, then take the foil off and continue cooking it for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Wait 15 minutes before cutting it, unless you like your lasagne messy.

Comments

I think Barilla changed their recipe slightly recently.

Kale Chips

Obtained recipe from here

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Instructions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
3. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

Comments

Skip the parchment paper; dry kale thoroughly (with paper towels if necessary); use olive oil and salt lightly; can also substitute soy sauce for salt (as I did in the picture)

Lentil, Spinach and Potato Ragout

From AMA Family Health Cookbook, p.303

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra virgin
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 cups defatted lower-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1.5 cups dried brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 1.5 pounds red-skinned potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 pound torn fresh spinach leaves, or 1 package (10 oz) thawed frozen spinach
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet with a lid or in a Dutch oven.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Stir in the broth and lentils.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook, covered, for 15 minutes.  Add the potatoes and cook until lentils and potatoes are both tender, about 15 minutes longer.
2. Stir in the spinach and simmer, covered, until the spinach wilts and becomes tender, about 4 minutes.  Add more liquid if needed to maintain a stewlike consistency.
3. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon peel, cayenne, salt to taste, and mint.  Sprinkle with the crumbled feta before serving.

Comments

Don't eat this dish without loads of feta cheese!  The mint, on the other hand, doesn't really add much.

Cut the potatoes pretty finely.

Baked Potatoes with Spicy Chili Bean Topping

From AMA Family Health Cookbook, p. 411

Ingredients

• 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
• 1/4 pound lean ground pork
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 can (14 to 16 oz) stewed tomatoes
• 1 cup bottled or canned tomato sauce
• 1 can (19 oz) pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained, or 2 cups cooked beans
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the over to 425 degrees.  Prick the potatoes in two or three places with a skewer or small knife.  Place the potatoes directly on the over rack and bake until soft in the center when pierced, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
2. Meanwhile, in a large, preferably nonstick skillet, cook the pork over medium heat with the onion, green pepper, and garlic, stirring to break the meat into smaller pieces, until the pork is no longer pink and the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.  Add the chili powder, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add heat, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly and the flavors blend.  If the sauce is too thick, add up to 1/2 cup water as it cooks.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Make deep crisscross cuts in the top of each potato and gently squeeze to expose the flesh and make a cavity for the sauce.  Spoon the sauce into and over each potato and serve.

Comments

Vegetarian (no pork) option shown.

Some of the usual baked potato garnishes would give it a bit more body... butter, cheese, sour cream, bacon... (but I guess the pork might do that as well).

Turkish Red Lentils and Rice

From AMA Family Health Cookbook p.302

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery rib, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1.5 tablespoons sweet paprika (such as Hungarian paprika)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1.5 cups red lentils
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1.5 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cups white rice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.  Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and brown, about 6 minutes.  Add the garlic, paprika, and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
2. Stir in the broth and add the lentils, tomatoes, and tomato paste.  Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until the lentils are very tender and almost completely dissolved, about 30 minutes.  Adjust the liquid if necessary, adding more if needed to achieve the consistency of a very thick soup.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium-large saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil.  Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and the rice.  Return to a boil, reduce the heat to very low, and cook, covered, until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Season the lentils with salt to taste.  To serve, spoon the lentils over the rice and sprinkle with the mint.  Serve the yogurt and lemon wedges in bowls for garnishing.

Comments

The garnishes (lemon, mint, yogurt) really make this dish kick.

Vegan Moussaka

Got this recipe from here.

Ingredients

5 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (3 ½ lb.)
4 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ cup plus 2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped (1 ½ cups)
3 Tbs. dried oregano
2 15-oz. cans chopped tomatoes
⅔ cup green lentils
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
2 medium eggplants, sliced
2 small zucchini, sliced
3 tomatoes, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Cook potatoes and garlic in boiling salted water 10 minutes, or until soft. Drain, and reserve liquid. Mash with 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 cups cooking liquid. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat 2 Tbs. olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and oregano, and sauté 5 minutes. Add [canned] tomatoes, lentils, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and 3 cups potato cooking liquid. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 45 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Remove bay leaf and cinnamon, and purée lentils in food processor until chunky. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Place eggplant slices on paper-towel-lined baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Rinse, and pat dry.

4. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Coat deep 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon 1 1/2 cups lentil mixture into bottom. Top with eggplant, followed by zucchini and [sliced] tomatoes. Spoon 2 cups lentil mixture over top. Spread half of potatoes over lentil mixture. Top with remaining eggplant, and lentil mixture. Spread remaining potatoes over top, making sure to cover completely. Bake 1 1/2 hours, or until top is browned.

Comments

• Favor more potatoes and less eggplant
• The way of preparing mashed potatoes here is strange... probably better to do it another way
• No need to puree lentils
• The end product is kind of crumbly

Not my favorite recipe (nor an exceptionally clear nor logical one).