Macaroni & Cheese

This is my friend Jill's recipe. It's handy for playdates and potlucks.


Macaroni and Cheese

3 C. cooked macaroni
1 T. butter or margarine
2 C. Evaporated Milk
3 C. shredded Cheese
1/4 C. finely chopped green pepper (optional)
1/4 C. chopped onion (optional)
1 t. salt
1/4 t. Pepper

Toss macaroni with butter. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into a lightly greased crockpot. Cover and cook for 2 -3 hour, stirring once or twice.


Her notes:
Use any kind of noodles you want. Use whatever cheese you want as long as in melts well. I don't add the green pepper and onion because most people don't care for it.
2 C. of evaporated milk is annoying as it is sold in 12 oz. cans. I make up the difference from one cab with half and half instead of having leftover evaporated milk.

My note:
Watch it on high in the crockpot. I had to turn it down to low after 1.5 - 2 hours because it was cooking too much.

Lebanese Lentil-and-Rice Pilaf with Blackened Onions

Source: Bon Appétit | November 2003

Serve with: Warmed flatbread. Dessert: Vanilla pudding with sliced mango.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 14-ounce cans vegetable broth
3/4 cup dried lentils, rinsed, picked over
3/4 cup long-grain white rice

2 large onions, sliced

3 tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
1 cucumber, peeled, cut into rounds
Plain yogurt
Chopped fresh mint


Preparation

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and next 4 ingredients; sauté until onion softens, about 4 minutes. Add broth and lentils; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Stir in rice; return to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice and lentils are tender, about 15 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions; sauté until soft and beginning to blacken, about 20 minutes.

Season pilaf to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to plates; top with blackened onions. Place tomatoes and cucumber alongside. Top pilaf with dollop of yogurt. Sprinkle with mint.

I love this and it doesn't take too long. I usually skip the mint because I never have it on hand.

Let's get some links...

if anyone has a cool food blog that you've discovered, add it over there ---->

:-)

Hearty (& fast) Lentil Sausage Soup

This has become our go-to Lentil Soup around here. I highly recommend pairing it with the beer bread she links to as well. My note on the beer bread is to make it with 100% fresh whole wheat, dropping the measurement to 2 1/2 c ww flour and adding 1/2 wheat germ.

Enjoy!

coconut toast

This is a Moll family favorite. It's perfect for overly indulgent brunches.

3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 stick butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups coconut

mix sugar, egg, butter. Spread on bread, sprinkle with coconut
bake 15 min. at 350.
This enough for about 12 slices of bread. We usually use bakery white bread.

Apple Lentil Salad

I've had this in the back of my mind to post for a while. This is also from Simply in Season and is yummy! Perfect for potlucks or light winter dinners!

1c. lentil
2Tbs curry powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4c.olive oil
2c. water/broth
2 tart apples
1/4 lemon juice/cider vinegar
2 potatoes, cooked, chopped & chilled
1/2-1 small onion, thinly sliced (red looks very pretty in salad)
handful fresh parsley, coarsely chopped.

Soak lentils 15 minutes in hot water.

In large saucepan heat 1/4 c. olive oil and cook curry powder & salt til bubbly. Drain lentils, add to saucepan and fry briefly, maybe 2 min.

Add water. Cook til absorbed, adding more water if needed to cook lentils until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain excess water and allow to cool.

While lentils are cooking peel, cube & cook potatoes. Drain & set aside to cool.

Core & dice apples. Mix with lemon juice or cider vinegar. Add cooled lentils.

Thinly slice onion and coarsely chop handful of fresh parsley. Toss along with chilled potatoes into lentil apple mix. Serve warm or room temperature.

Strawberry Bread

From Simply In Season. Yay, spring!

Strawberry Bread

Spring Greens dip

Everyone really liked this at BG so I thought I'd post it while procrastinating other things. I'd be interested to read other wild/spring green recipes. Since I am determined to start incorporating food from the backyard right now, I am basically limited to weeds and herbs : Wilted, early spring dandelion greens are not very bitter at all. Eat them while you can!

1 Large handful dandelion greens or any other spring or wild green. I think Lamb's Quarters would be fantastic, but they aren't up for another few weeks.
1 Small handful chives or wild onion tops (the green onions in everyone's lawn)
1/3-1/2 box cream cheese
1 cup or to taste of plain wholemilk yogurt.
Salt and pepper to taste

Chop and wilt greens in small amount of water. Drain.
Chop chives
Combine greens and onions/chives with yogurt and cream cheese. A handblender, of course, makes this easy and chops the greens up so fine no little ones will complain.