Malty Cheddar Spread

If you like sharp cheddar cheese, this zippy dip is for you. It's got cheddar cheese, horseradish, onions, garlic, and beer! But I must warn you, it really is nippy!



Malty Cheddar Spread

Makes about 3 cups

This is a nippy spread, best on crackers or on crisp buttery rounds of melba toast. It should be made several hours ahead of time to let the flavors blend.

For the success of this spread, it is vital the cheddar cheese be at room temperature, and that it be cut into small cubes – about ½” is fine.

1 small yellow onion, peeled and cut into slim wedges

1 small garlic clove, peeled

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp. ketchup

1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish (for those less daring, use 1 tsp.)

3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

¾ pound sharp, well-aged Cheddar cheese, cut into ½ cubes, and at room temperature (orange cheddar gives this dip a nice color)

½ cup flat beer (you gotta have the beer)

In a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade, place the onion, garlic, mustard, ketchup, horseradish, cream cheese, one third of the Cheddar and one-half of the beer. Turn motor on and let run 30 seconds nonstop. Stop the motor, scraped down the sides of the bowl and lid. Re-cover and run 10 seconds longer. Add the remaining beer with another one-third of the cheese and buzz for 60 seconds nonstop. Add the remaining cheese, again scrape down the sides of the bowl and lid, then whir for 60 seconds longer. Inspect the texture of the mixture and if it is not creamy-smooth, buzz for another 30 seconds or so. Empty into a bowl, cover and let ripen in the refrigerator for several hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving, or until of a good spreading consistency.

From Jean Anderson’s Processor Cooking

Spaghetti with White Bean Sauce

This is a hearty, filling pasta sauce. I like it because it isn't tomato-based.

Spaghetti with White Bean Sauce

1 Tablespoon Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red onion, very finely chopped
1 red pepper, cut into ¼ inch dice
3 stalks celery, cut into ¼ inch dice
1 can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 can Vegetable broth
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ tsp hot pepper flakes (optional)
salt and freshly ground pepper
8 to 10 ounces spaghetti

1 to 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or Romano)

1. Prepare the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the garlic, onion, bell pepper and celery and cook over medium heat until soft, but not brown, about 4 minutes.
2. Stir in the white beans and cook for 1 minute. Add the vegetable broth, half the parsley, the pepper flakes (if using), and salt and pepper to taste. The sauce should be highly seasoned. Simmer until the beans are quite soft. Coarsely mash half the beans with a fork.
(Here’s what I do: Take half the beans and a little liquid and mash them in the food processor before I add them to the sauce. Add all the beans together as the recipe says. No need to mash with a fork.)
3. Cook the spaghetti in a large pot in 4 quarts rapidly boiling salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain well.
4. Meanwhile, bring the sauce to a boil. Transfer the spaghetti and bean sauce to a large shallow bowl and mix well. Sprinkle the spaghetti with the remaining parsley and serve at once with freshly grated cheese on top.

Serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as a main course.

Sometimes I use 2 cans of beans, and add more water so the sauce doesn’t get too thick. This way you can serve 4 hungry people and usually have some left over. This sauce keeps well and reheats nicely in the microwave.

From High-Flavor, Low-Fat Vegetarian Cooking by Steven Raichlen

It's a Wrap!

This makes a quick lunch, and it travels well. This is a vegetarian wrap, but you can change out the ingredients and make whatever you want.

I started with sliced roma tomatoes, sliced avocado, red and yellow bell peppers and alfalfa sprouts.Spread prepared hummus on tortilla or vegie wraps. This one is lemon hummus on a whole wheat wrap.
This one has roasted red pepper hummus on a plain wrap. Spreadabout 2-3 tablespoons of hummus on the wrap stopping within 1" of the edge.
Arrange the vegies on the top half. Don't overstuff.
Top with sprouts, and don't forget to season the wrap with salt and pepper.
Fold the bottom edge over, Fold the edges in, and roll up.Slice, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. The wrap will keep a day in the refrigerator.Enjoy!

Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes

One Saturday afternoon many years ago I was folding laundry while watching one of Lidia's TV cooking shows. She was making pasta with uncooked cherry tomatoes. My son came in partway through and said, "We should try that." So we tried to remember what ingredients Lidia had used, and we made a list. Then we drove to the grocery store for everything we needed, and made it for supper that night. It was wonderful. To this day, if you ask my son what's his favorite dish, he'd say this one.

Cold Cherry Tomatoes on Pasta

4 cups cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
a pinch of crushed red peppers
Salt & freshly ground Pepper
1 pound wagon wheel pasta
about 1/2 cup freshly chopped Parsley
about 3 Tablespoons freshly chopped Basil
Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
about 1/2 cup Feta Cheese, cut up into 1/2" squares

Wash the tomatoes, dry and cut in half. Salt lightly; add olive oil, chopped garlic and crushed red peppers. Stir and let marinate for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the pasta and stir.

When the wagon wheels are "al dente," drain well, and add to the bowl with the tomatoes. Add the feta cheese, and sprinkle generously with pecorino cheese.

(sometimes we add capers)

Feeds one extremely hungry son and his Mom, or four normal sized servings.

Tortellini Capri

This colorful, cold vegetarian salad is from Nava Atlas' Vegetarian Express. It's a great recipe for summertime, when you don't want to heat up the kitchen. It takes less than 30 minutes to make. It's good as an everyday meal, but special enough to serve to company. My son loves it.


Tortellini Capri

1 pound good-quality frozen cheese tortellini or vegetable-filled tortellini
1 cup unthawed frozen green peas
2 cups finely chopped fresh broccoli florets
10 or 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers

Dressing
Juices from the roasted peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Begin cooking the tortellini, according to package directions.

2. Layer the frozen peas and the broccoli florets in a large saucepan with 1/2" of water. Bring them to a simmer and steam over moderate heat, covered, until the peas are thawed and the broccoli is bright green, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the peas and broccoli and rinse then under cool water until they are at room temperature.

3. In the meantime, drain the roasted red peppers, reserving the juices in a small mixing bowl. Cut the peppers into strips.

4. Combine the red-pepper juices with the remaining dressing ingredients and mix.

5. When the tortellini are done, drain them and rinse under cool water until they are at room temperature. Combine them in a mixing bowl with the peas, broccoli, red pepper strips, and dressing. Add the Parmesan cheese and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss again.

Spaghetti with Parsley Sauce

I first tried this recipe over 20 years ago. My son loves it and frequently requests it, as he did when he called me last night, "Hi Mom, can I come over to dinner tomorrow? Can you please make the green spaghetti?"

It's not exactly figure friendly, and it doesn't keep, but it's very tasty and very filling. The recipe calls for one big clove of garlic. If you use two, the garlic is overpowering. The sauce is basically uncooked, so it's pretty potent. But we love it.


Spaghetti with Parsley Sauce

1 1/2 cups firmly packed parsley
1 large clove garlic
2 hard boiled egg yolks
2 scallions, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 pound cooked spaghetti

In a food processor, puree the parsley, garlic, egg yolks, scallion, walnuts, butter. With motor running, add oil in a thin stream.

Transfer to heated bowl. Stir in parmesan.

Toss with spaghetti, top with chopped red peppers.

Serves 4


from Gourmet Magazine

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

For my parents' 21st Anniversary, we all got together for a Family Dinner. My Mom asked me to make dessert, but not to make anything chocolate. After a lot of thought, I made this cake. It was a Hit. Everybody loved it.

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

For the cake:

2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup canola oil

1-1/2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups grated carrots (from 4 – 5 large carrots)

1 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained

2 cups walnut pieces

Set the oven to 350 degrees, with a rack in the center. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan and dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.

Sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Beat the oil and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary. Beat in the vanilla. Add the carrots and pineapple to the batter and beat just until combined.

With the mixer set on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter and mix until the dry ingredients are moistened.

With a rubber spatula, fold in the walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. With a knife, cut around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan. Turn the cake out onto a rack, turn it right side up, and let it cool completely while you make the frosting.

For the frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 tablespoons orange juice

3 cups confectioner’s sugar (sifted)

Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary. Beat in the orange juice and confectioner’s sugar just until thoroughly combined.

To frost the cake:

Cut the cake in half to make two smaller rectangles 4-1/2 x 6-1/2 inches. Set one piece, right side up, on a cutting board. Set the other piece, right side up, on top of the first. Trim the hard edges of the cake (these are treats for the baker).

Remove the top piece of cake. Set it right side up on a cake stand or large rectangular platter. Use a long metal spatula to spread the cream cheese frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Set the other piece, right side up, on top of the first. Frost the two pieces together and serve.

Note: You can let the cake sit for several hours in a cool place before serving or it can sit overnight in a cool place without harm.

From The Way We Cook, by Sheryl Julian and Julie Riven, 2002