Recipe Tag: Vegetarian

Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Place a large skillet in the oven and preheat to 325°F.

When the oven is hot, add the oil to the pan and then add the butternut squash, cut side down.

Roast for 45 minutes.

Remove the squash to a cutting board or plate and let cool.

Cut the squash into 3/4 inch chunks by slicing lengthwise and then crosswise to form a grid. Slice downward but not through the skin. Scoop out the chunks with a spoon. Discard the skin. (The squash can be roasted ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the mac & cheese for baking.)

Combine the eggs and milk in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk until smooth.

Add 6 ounces of the grated cheese, marjoram, thyme, salt, pepper, and uncooked pasta and fold together until blended. Fold in the squash.

Pour into a 12 x 9 inch oblong Pyrex dish.

Cover with foil and cook for 40 minutes.

Uncover and top with the rest of the cheese.

Cook for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, and serve.

Asparagus Linguine

Place a quart of water in a shallow pan over medium-high heat and heat until poaching stage. Add the asparagus spears and blanch for about 6 – 8 minutes until slightly limp and bright green. Place 4 asparagus spears in each of two bowls. The tips of the asparagus should rest on the bowls edge.

Place the milk in a mixing cup and add the flour stirring until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.

In a medium sized non-stick sauté pan heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the minced garlic. Cook slowly until soft and do not let it brown. After the garlic is soft, add the lemon juice and cook until it is mostly evaporated.

Add the onion to the pan and cook over low heat until the onion is soft and translucent. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the salt and milk/flour mixture, whisking gently. As the sauce thickens, add the goat cheese and reduce the heat to very low. Continue whisking and, when the goat cheese is melted, remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Chop the basil into the tomatoes.

Place the 4 quarts water in a medium stock-pot over high heat. When the water is boiling cook the linguine until al denté (12 – 15 minutes for dried pasta). Drain.

Switch the oven to broil.

While the pasta is cooking, gently reheat the sauce and place the drained pasta into the sauté pan. Toss to coat the pasta well with the sauce.

When the linguine is well coated place it on top of the asparagus. Top this with the tomato/basil mixture and then sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top.

Place under the broiler. Cook until the cheese is melted and serve.

Acorn Squash Lasagna

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Cut the acorn squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard.

Place 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet and swirl.

Place the squash in the pan cut side down and place the pan in the oven.

Roast for 45 minutes.

Remove and let cool.

Scoop out the squash and set aside. Dice the peel and set aside.

Place the remaining 3 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Stir frequently and adjust the heat so the onions don’t brown.

Add the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the vegetable stock, salt, and pepper.

Simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir frequently.

Remove from the heat and let cool.

Fold in the parmesan cheese.

While the sauce is simmering, line a 9 inch square Pyrex dish with foil.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place a layer of lasagna noodles in the bottom of the Pyrex dish.

Layer 1/3 of mushroom mixture on top of the noodles.

Layer 1/3 of acorn squash on top of the mushroom mixture.

Place a second layer of lasagna noodles on top of the acorn squash.

Layer 1/3 of mushroom mixture on top of the noodles.

Layer 1/3 of acorn squash on top of the mushroom mixture.

Layer 1/2 of the provolone on top of the acorn squash.

Place a third layer of lasagna noodles on top of the acorn squash.

Layer 1/3 of mushroom mixture on top of the noodles.

Layer 1/3 of acorn squash on top of the mushroom mixture.

Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and place in the oven.

Bake for 60 minutes.

Remove the lasagna from the oven, uncover, and add the rest of the sliced provolone on top of the lasagna.

Return the uncovered lasagna to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Pizza with Tomato, Basil and Roasted Garlic with Whole Wheat Dough

For the Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Place the yeast and honey in a large mixing bowl and pour the heated water over the mixture, stirring until well blended. Let the mixture stand for about 5 – 7 minutes until foamy.

Add the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour and salt and stir with a fork until a coarse dough forms.

Continue to mix by hand until a dough ball forms and all the flour is well blended.

Cover the bowl and place it in a sink with about 4 inches of hot water in the bottom. The heat from the warm water will help the dough rise. The dough will double in size in about 30 – 40 minutes. Punch it a few times with your fingers and let it rise another 30 minutes.

Remove from the bowl and cut the ball into four equal pieces. Cover the dough that you are not going to use immediately in plastic wrap and chill.

For the Pizza

Preheat the oven to 500°F.

Pizza is best baked on a pizza stone but a cookie sheet will work as well. Place the baking stone or cookie sheet in the oven and allow it to heat at least 15 – 20 minutes.

While the baking surface is heating, slice tomato in half vertically. Remove the seeds and slice the tomato into julienne strips.

Gently toss the tomato strips, mozzarella, basil leaves, and garlic together in a small mixing bowl.

Set the tomato mixture close to the oven so that it will be accessible and easy to place on top of the dough. Have the grated parmesan within easy reach.

Using 1/4 of the pizza dough recipe (for each pizza) gently stretch into 8-inch rounds. Don’t work too hard to get a perfectly round shape.

Once the dough is formed, place it on the hot pizza stone and top with the tomato/mozzarella mixture.

Bake for approximately eight minutes, and then top with the Parmesan cheese.

Bake for another 3 – 5 minutes – until the cheese has melted.

Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 90 seconds, slice and serve.

Spinach Fettuccine Alfredo

The spinach can be pulled from the freezer and thawed on a plate in the refrigerator for about ten hours. Alternatively, the spinach can be thawed gently in the microwave. Once thawed, place the spinach in a strainer and press out the excess water.

Heat the olive oil in a ten-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the minced garlic. Cook very slowly and stir frequently. Do not allow the garlic to brown or it will become bitter.

Add the spinach and then the flour slowly and cook for about one minute. Stir continuously to blend the spinach and flour. Cook gently so the mixture doesn’t brown.

Slowly add the cold milk, whisking to keep from forming clumps. Blend in all of the milk until the sauce is smooth and begins to thicken.

When the sauce is smooth, add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and whisk as it melts until the sauce is creamy. Reduce the heat to very low.

In a large pot heat the water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until just tender (about 12 – 15 minutes for dried pasta). Drain well and then add the pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat thoroughly. Sprinkle the minced parsley over the top and serve.

Pomodoro Sauce

Place the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Stir frequently.

Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the salt, pepper and tomatoes.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Serve over pasta.

Saffron Rice

In a medium sauce pan, heat the water, salt, saffron, and oregano. When the water boils stir in the jasmine rice.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for about 15 minutes.

Do not boil away all of the liquid and do not stir the rice.

When a very small amount of liquid remains, remove the pan from the burner and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.

Mushroom Jus (Mushroom Gravy)

Place the water in a small saucepan over high heat.

Add the dried porcini.

When the water begins to boil reduce the heat to low.

Let the mushrooms steep in the warm water for 1 hour.

Remove the broth from the heat and pour into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl.

Set the mushrooms aside for another use (Porcini Mashed Potatoes are a great choice).

Gently pour the broth back into the saucepan. Leave the little bit of grit at the bottom of the bowl.

Return the broth to low heat and let reduce to 2/3 cup.

Add the salt and pepper.

Add the butter and whisk until smooth.

Serve.

Cocktail Sauce

Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Leek and Scallion Quinoa

Place the water in a medium sauce pan over high heat. When the water boils, add the quinoa.

Reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally. The quinoa will take about 20 minutes to cook. When the water is gone the quinoa is done. Cover.

While the quinoa is cooking add the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

When the pan is hot, add the green part of the leek and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 7 minutes.

Add the white part of the leek and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the white part of the green onion and cook until the quinoa is done.

Add the leeks and onions to the cooked quinoa with the salt and the green part of the green onion.

Fold together until the green onion is wilted and serve.