Roasted Cabbage with Lemon

From KalynsKitchen.com
Makes 3-4 servings as a side dish

1 medium-sized heat of green cabbage
2 T olive oil
2-3 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
generous amount of sea salt
fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F.  Spray a roasting pan with non-stick spray or olive oil.

Cut the head of cabbage into 8 same-sized wedges, cutting through the core and stem end.  Then carefully trim the core strip and stem from each wedge and arrange wedges in a single layer on the roasting pan (leave some space around them as much as you can).

Whist together the olive oil and lemon juice.  Then use a pastry brush to brush the top sides of each cabbage wedge with the mixture and season generously with salt and fresh ground black pepper.  Turn cabbage wedges carefully, then brush the second side with the olive oil/lemon juice mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Roast cabbage for about 15 minutes, or until the side touching the pan is nicely browned. Then turn each wedge carefully and roast 10-15 minutes more, until the cabbage is nicely browned and cooked through with a bit of chewiness remaining.  Serve hot, with additional lemon slices to squeeze lemon juice on at the table, if desired.

Grilled Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

From fortheloveofcooking.net
serves 6-8

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 ripe avocado, diced
2 ears fresh sweet corn
2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

Dressing:
Juice of 1 lime
3 T vegetable oil
1 T honey
Salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash of cayenne pepper

Remove husks from corn and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes.  The corn shouldhave some brown spots and be tender and not mushy.  Cut the corn off the cob then scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the juices.  Set aside and let cool.  Slice the tomatoes in half.  Dice the avocado and chop the cilantro.

Add all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.  Set aside.

Combine the sliced tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and grilled corn and honey lime dressing and mix gently so everything is evenly coated.  Be careful not to mash the avocados.  Let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes to let flavors mingle.  Enjoy.

Baked Apples - No Added Sugar

Serves 5

5 apples
1 C unsweetened applesauce
2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 C water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Peel the apple from the stem out about 1 inch. Scoop out the core from the top of the apple, leaving a well, without cutting through the bottom. Sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon in each apple's well, then fill with applesauce.

Arrange apples in a 9x9 pan and put the water in the bottom of the pan, just enough to cover it. Cover loosely with tinfoil and bake about 30 min. Remove tinfoil and bake another 15 min, or until apples are soft and tender.

Corn-Mango Salsa

From Better Homes and Gardens
Serves 6

2 ears fresh corn
1 medium mango, seeded, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 C red pepper, finely chopped
1/4 C red onion, finely chopped
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
2 T olive oil
2 T fresh mint, finely chopped
1 T fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 t salt

Heat grill to medium-high.

Husk the ears of fresh sweet corn and brush with olive oil, coating all sides. Grill corn on an uncovered grill directly over medium heat until kernels are tender and just begin to brown, turning often. Remove from grill; cool.

Cut kernals from ears. In a bowl gently combine corn kernels and remaining ingredients until well mixed.

**Notes from Em**
I haven't made this yet, but my mother-in-law made it for dinner last night and it was delicious. I have most of the stuff on hand to make it, and will be doing it some time this coming week probably. It's intended to be paired with pork chops, but it would go well with anything.

Black Bean & Corn Salad

From the Kroger black beans can
Serves 6

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1/4 C lime juice
1 t cumin

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together until well combined. That's it folks, and it's amazingly good.

Pao de Queijo

These are like the little bread/cheese roll things that you can find at the Brazilian restaurants in the area like Tucanos and Rodizio Grill. They're amazing, and once you start eating them, you'll keep eating!

From Our Best Bites
Makes 22-24 mini muffin sized

1 large egg
1/2 C milk
1/4 C canola oil
1 C tapioca flour (no substitutions!!!)
1/2 t kosher salt
1/4 C grated cheddar cheese
1/4 C grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place egg, milk, oil, tapioca flour, and salt in blender an dblend until smooth. Add the cheese and pulse 2 times. The batter will be VERY runny. Immediately pour batter into a mini muffin tin, filling each well about 3/4 full, or just slightly less.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes before removing rolls from pan. Serve warm as they do not reheat well.
**Notes from Em**
Tapioca flour was kind of a pain for me to find. I looked at all the grocery stores, and eventually found it at a natural foods type store. (Good Earth for those in the area) You CANNOT use any other kind of flour. It won't turn out right at all.

Classic Dinner Rolls

From Williams-Sonoma

Makes 16 rolls

Great dinner rolls should be featherlight, not too sweet, and, above all, a good accompaniment to almost any meal. Despite the name, these breads could be called classic breakfast, lunch, or dinner rolls, as they are perfect for dipping in sauce at supper, for serving alongside a salad at midday, or for spreading with jam first thing in the morning.

1 package (2 1/2 t) active dry yeast

1/4 C warm water (105-115 F)

1 C whole milk

2 T sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature, plus 1 egg, beaten

6 T unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 1/2 C all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading

2 t salt

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Using a wire whisk, beat in the milk, sugar, 2 eggs, butter, flour, and salt just until mixed, then stir with your hand or a wooden spoon until a rough mass forms. Using a plastic pastry scraper, scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until it is smooth and elastic, dusting the work surface with flour to keep the dough from sticking, 5-7 minutes. The dough should be soft but not sticky

Form the dough into a ball, transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles in bulk, 1 1/2-2 hours.

Line a half-sheet pan or rimless baking sheet with parchment (baking) paper.

Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a clean work surface. Cut it in half with a sharp knife or a bench scraper. Cut each half into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece against the work surface into a round ball. Place the balls on the prepared pan, spacing them evenly, cover loosely with a kitchen towel, and let them rise until puffy and pillow-soft when gently squeezed, 30-40 minutes.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, and preheat to 400 F.

Brush the rolls lightly with the beaten egg, bake until puffed and golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Variations:

Cut the complete dough in half as directed. Use one half for clover-leaf rolls and the other half for the pull-apart rolls.

For the clover-leaf rolls, heavily butter a 12-cup muffin pan. Cut the piece of dough into 12 equal pieces, then cut each small piece into thirds. You will have 36 plum-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a small ball. Place 3 balls next to one another in each prepared muffin cup. When all the cups are full, cover the muffin pan loosely with a kitchen towel then proceed as directed.

For the pull-apart rolls, heavily butter a 9-inch cake pan. Cut the pieces of dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece against the work surface into a ball. Put the balls in the cake pan, placing 7 balls around the edge and 1 ball in the center. Cover the cake pan loosely with a kitchen towel, then proceed as directed.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

From Williams-Sonoma
Makes 4 Main-Course or 6 First-Course servings

2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 C freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and coarsely ground pepper
1 lb dried spaghetti
1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil
1/4-lb piece pancetta cut into small cubes
2 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
1/2 C dry white wine
Generous handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, break the eggs into a warmed large, shallow bowl, add the cheese, and whisk to blend well.

Generously salt the boiling water, add the spaghetti, and cook until al dente, 7-9 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large frying pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the pancetta and saute until just starting to become crisp, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the white wine and cook until reduced by half.

Drain the pasta, leaving a bit of water clinging to it, and add it to the bowl with the egg cheese mixture. Toss quickly (this will heat the eggs and leave a creamy coating on each strand of pasta). Add the pancetta with all of the pan juices.

Season to taste with salt and a generous amount of pepper. Add the parsley and toss again. Serve at once.

**Notes from Em**
It was impossible to find pancetta, so I substituted bacon, and it was still really good. Next time I make it I will leave out the parsley (my husband I don't like it), and maybe add some halved cherry tomatoes just for fun.

Harvard Beets

Growing up my mom would make pork roast, parmesan potatoes, and Harvard beets fairly often for Sunday dinner. I was too afraid to try the beets because I was a picky child and beets were a scary vegetable. I've since come to appreciate how yummy they can be.

From Jean Patterson
Serves 4-6

1/2 C sugar
1 T corn starch
1/4 C white vinegar
1/4 C beet juice from can (add water to get full amount if needed)
1 can of beets (sliced or diced)

In a small sauce pan combine sugar and cornstarch, mix until well combined. Slowly add vinegar and beet juice/water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Add beets and return to a boil.

Spinach & Mushroom Calzones

Spinach & Mushroom Calzones

Makes 4 Calzones

1 (10-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups spinach leaves
1/4 C red onion, diced
1 package cremini mushrooms
1/4 C ricotta cheese
1 small can of beets, diced
Fresh basil, thinly sliced
1/4 C Zesty Italian Dressing

Unroll dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; using a pizza cutter, cut into 4 quarters. Sprinkle garlic, onion and beets evenly over dough rectangles. Drop a few small dollops of Ricotta cheese on top of the onions, garlic, and beets. Top with mushrooms, spinach, and basil. Bring 2 opposite corner to center, pinching points to seal. Bring remaining 2 corners to center pinching all points together to seal. Bake at 425F for 12 minutes or until golden. Drizzle with Italian dressing and serve warm.

**Notes from Em**
This is something that I'm sort of developing on my own, after being inspired by a couple of other recipes. It's kind of a work in progress. We didn't LOVE it as the recipe above is done, but it definitely has potential. You might want to put a creamy marinara or something with it. If I do it again I'll re-post it with its modifications.

Lemon & Herb Rice

This rice recipe went with a chicken recipe that I really didn't like. But the rice is really good! So have some fun with it. It's good cooked like this, or with just bits and pieces of the herbs in there. I think I've only put the mint in it once, but I've made the rest of it several times.

 Lemon and Herb Rice

From Eating for Life

Serves 4

4 portions brown rice or bulgur wheat
Juice from 2 lemons
1 C fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 C fresh mint leaves, chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1 Roma tomato, diced
1 T olive oil
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/4 t salt

Prepare rice according to its package directions.

Once rice is fully cooked, add remaining ingredients; stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

White and Wild Rice Pilaf

White and Wild Rice Pilaf
From Allrecipes.com
Serves 8

1 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 C Swanson Vegetable Broth
1/2 C uncooked wild rice
1 C uncooked regular long-grain white rice
2 T chopped fresh parsley

Heal oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in broth and wild rice. Heat to a boil. cover and cook over low heat 25 minutes.

Stir in white rice. Cover and cook over low heat 20 minutes or until rice is done. Stir in parsley.  Serve hot.

Balsamic Poppyseed Vinaigrette

Stephanie is a master salad maker in my opinion. She's always got great recipes and ingredients to put together to make tasty and beautiful salads. This dressing comes from her. Feel free to modify the actual salad ingredients to fit your tastes and desires.

Dressing:
1/3 cup Balsamic vinegar or fresh lime juice
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
3/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup Dijon mustard

Mix together all ingredients, cover and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to fully develop

Salad:
1/8 red onion, finely sliced
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons sugar
1 bunch spinach
1 bunch romaine or red leaf
1/2 cup Swiss cheese
1/2 pound bacon

Cook bacon until crispy; let cool and cut into small pieces. Place almonds and sugar in a small non-stick skillet over medium heat and cook until caramelized; set aside. In a large bowl place spinach and romaine; toss. Top with onion, almonds, swiss, and bacon. Drizzle the salad with dressing just before serving

**Notes from Em**
On caramelizing the almonds - I had no idea what I was doing the first time I tried this, and it really freaked me out to just throw dry sugar and nuts into a pan. As the nuts warm up though they release their oils and the sugar clings to the oils.

I like to add Craisins to my salad.

Creamy Indian Lentils & Rice

Creamy Indian Lentils & Rice

From Cooking Light

Serves 6

1 T olive oil
2 C thinly sliced onion
3 minced garlic cloves
1 C uncooked brown rice
1 T curry powder
2 t mustard seeds
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
4 C water
1 C dried lentils
1 C chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 C sour cream

Heat oil in a large saucepan, add onion and sauté 8 minutes until browned. Add garlic, rice, curry, mustard seem, salt and pepper. Sauté 1 minute. Add water and lentils; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat; simmer 1 hour until lentils are tender. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro and sour cream.