Egyptian Red Lentil Soup and Tunisian Carrot Sald

Egyptian Red Lentil Soup

5 c. water
1 c. dried red lentils
2 c. chopped onion
2 c. chopped potatoes
8 large garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1 T oil
2 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground turmeric
1 t salt
3 T lemon juice

Combine water though garlic in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until everything is tender.

Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the cumin, turmeric and salt 2 to 3 minutes. Cool and add to the soup.

Blend soup until smooth.

Tunisian Carrot Salad

2 c. peeled and grated carrots
2 T currants
1 T olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 t ground coriander
1/2 t ground caraway
1/4 t salt
3 T orange juice

Put carrots and currants in a bowl. Warm oil in a skillet. Add garlic, coriander, and caraway and cook two minutes.

Remove from heat and add salt and orange juice. Toss well.

King Ranch Chicken, salad

For 1 8x8 pan, layered thick, or a 13x9 layered thin:

Mix 2C. cooked chicken w/ a can of cream of chicken (gf!) and a can of rotel.

Layer tortillas, chicken mix, chopped onion, and cheese a few times. End with a layer of crushed tortilla chips or spicy nacho doritos with cheese on top.

Bake around 30 minutes at 350 until bubbly. Or you can speed it up and do 20 min at 400.

Mediterranean Penne with Sausage

This recipe had the slight hint of autumn that I was looking for.

Chop:
3 onions
3 cloves garlic
3 bulbs fennel
3 peeled eggplants
3 red peppers (or other colors)

3 lb Italian sausage
3 jars of marinara sauce
6 cups of water
fennel seeds
24 oz. of penne

1. Brown the sausage and drain off fat.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add the onions and garlic. When the onions are soft add the bell peppers, fennel, and eggplant. Cook stirring often until the fennel begins to soften.
3. Add pasta sauce, water, and fennel seeds. Cook for 25 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.

I am doing a food tree this week, and this cooked enough sauce for five families with leftovers.

Chicken and Spinach Florentine, fruit

I got this recipe from the back of a brown rice package. I made it for my family and they loved it. The boys even ate the spinach!

Ingredients:
1 T oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
6 C baby spinach leaves, washed, dried
2C brown rice, uncooked (I used minute brown rice)
1 1/2 C grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can (10 1/2 oz.) chicken broth
1/4 C Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Heat oil in large deep skillet on med. heat. Add chicken, cook 10 min. or unitl chicken is cooked through, stirring frequently.
2. Add spinach, rice, tomatoes and broth; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer 10 min.
3. Stir in cheese. Let stand 5 min.
(Makes 4 servings)

Spring Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto, salad

Another repeat recipe of mine!
This is one of our favorite pasta dishes, and it's easy too, of course!

2 T olive oil
2 oz. sliced prosciutto
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 shallot, sliced
1/2 C chicken broth
16 oz. GF pasta, cooked
1/3 C frozen peas
3 C baby spinach
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 oz. Feta cheese
1/4 C fresh basil, torn

In a large skillet, over med heat, heat the oil. Tear prosciutto into large pieces and cook until crispy, about 2 min. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel. Add the garlic and shallot to the pan and cook until softened, about 2 min. Add the broth, cooked pasta, peas, spinach, salt and pepper and cook until pasta is heated and almost all the chicken broth is absorbed, about 5 min. Remove from heat, add the feta, basil, and crispy prosciutto, and toss.

Pesto Pasta and Zucchini Salad, melon

A great summer recipe that can be eaten cool or hot!

GF Pasta
2 tsp minced garlic
4 C Zucchini, halved and thinly sliced
2 C chopped plum tomato
3 T prepared pesto
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 T shredded Parmesan
Feta cheese
chopped chicken (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain. Reserve 1/4 C cooking liquid.
2. While pasta cooks, heat skillet over med-high heat. Coat pan w/ cooking spray. Add garlic and zucchini, and saute 5 min. or until zucchini is tender. Combine pasta, zucchini mixture, and tomato in a large bowl, tossing gently to coat.
3. Combine reserved 1/4 C cooking liquid, pesto, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle over pasta, tossing gently to coat. Sprinkle with cheeses. You can also add chicken, too.