Eggplant Pasta Sauce

Really good recipe! Here's a link to the original recipe. I just made a few alterations: http://www.food.com/recipe/eggplant-pasta-sauce-or-side-dish-137512

Olive oil
4 c. eggplant, cubed
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
28 oz. canned diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1/2 c. Marsala wine
1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1-2 Tbsp. capers
1 tsp. sugar
dried thyme and basil, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste (I highly recommend lots of pepper!)
Hot cooked pasta
Parmesan cheese, grated

Saute the onion for 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic and eggplant. Saute about 5 minutes more. Add all the other ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally. Cook until the eggplant is soft and the sauce is the consistency you want. Serve over pasta. Top with Parmesan.

Chow Mein

I used this recipe, but left out the chicken and dry won ton noodles. I did put dry chow mein noodles on the top, though. You can either have a meat dish or just a vegetable dish. The sauce was great! I also added minced garlic and ginger when I was cooking the onion. Next time I may also add cilantro.


http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/1162/Chicken-Chow-Mein140488.shtml

Chow mein cooking

Ready to eat!

Meatloaf

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
22 saltine crackers, crushed
1 medium onion, chopped
4oz. tomato sauce
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Sauce:
 4 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 c. water
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. vinegar
2 Tbsp. prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix the ingredients for the meatloaf together well; put in loaf pan. Place loaf pan in oven while mixing the sauce.

Mix all the ingredients for the sauce together in a small bowl. Pour over meatloaf. Continue baking meatloaf for 1.25 hours. Serve hot!

Recipe courtesy of Trudy Lund

Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust

Crust:
1 1/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. baking cocoa
6 Tbsp. butter, melted

Filling:
3 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips, melted

Filling

1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping:
1/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp. honey

In a large bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar, and cocoa; stir in butter until crumbly. Press onto the bottom and 1-inch up the side of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Just out of the oven

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in melted chocolate and extracts just until blended. Pour into crust.

Bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run knife around the edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate until completely cooled.

With topping

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate chips, cream and honey; stir until smooth. Remove from the heat; cool for 5 minutes. Pour topping over the cheesecake. Chill for at least 4 hours or until topping is set. Refrigerate the leftovers.

From tasteofhome.com

Chicken Korma

1 large potato, peeled and diced

Korma cooking

1 large onion, chopped
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
3 cloves, whole
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. chicken breast, cubed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. ginger root, minced
1/2 tsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1/2 c. sour cream
Hot cooked rice

Place potato in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Korma with sour cream

In a large skillet, saute the onion, cinnamon, bay leaf, and cloves in oil until onion is tender. Add the chicken, garlic, curry, and ginger. Cook and stir 1 minute longer. Stir in the poppy seeds, salt, pepper, and potato.

Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from the heat; discard cinnamon, bay leaf, and cloves. Stir in sour cream. Serve with rice.

From Tasteofhome.com

Ratatouille

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, cut into rings
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 green peppers, cut into strips
1 medium eggplant, cut into bite sized pieces
1 zucchini, cut into bite sized pieces
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 bay leaf (I use dried basil if I don't have any bay leaves on hand)
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
black pepper

 In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Saute onions and garlic until golden. Add green pepper strips, and cook for 2 minutes. Add eggplant, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add zucchini, and continue stirring and cooking another 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and seasonings. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf. Serve immediately.

Maple Bars

Base:
2/3 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/3 c. all purpose flour

Topping:
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
3/4 tsp. maple extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. confectioner's sugar 

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a bowl, beat together butter, sugar, and salt until fluffy; stir in flour. Press into parchment paper-lined 13x9-in. cake pan; prick all over with fork.

Bake  until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack.

To make the topping: In a bowl, beat together butter, maple syrup, extract, and vanilla until creamy. Beat in sugar in 2 additions. Spread over base.

Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Cut into bars.

German Pizza

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
6 medium potatoes, peeled and finely shredded
3 eggs, beaten
1/3 c. milk
2 c. cheddar or mozzarella, shredded

In a 12-in skillet over medium heat, brown beef with onion, green pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper. Remove meat mixture from skillet and drain fat. Reduce heat to low. Melt butter; spread potatoes over butter, and sprinkle with remaining salt. Top with beef mixture. Combine eggs and milk; pour over all. Cook, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Top with cheese; cover and heat until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Cut into wedges or squares to serve. Serves 4-6.

Recipe courtesy of Mama Hess

Taco Salad

Beef and onion cooking

1 lb. ground beef
coriander, cumin, black pepper, and garlic powder to taste
1 medium white onion, diced
1 can black olives, drained and sliced
1 4oz. can green chilies, drained
1 15oz can dark red kidney beans, drained
1 8oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
1 head green leaf lettuce, torn
2 large avocados, chopped
8oz cheddar jack cheese, shredded
1 15oz. package fritos corn chips

Dressing:
1 c. salsa mild or medium (I used green)
1/3 c. sour cream

Cook ground beef, onion, and seasonings until cooked. Put in refrigerator to chill.

Mix all other ingredients except salsa and sour cream. Add meat and onions to the salad. Toss. For dressing, mix salsa and sour cream together, and drizzle over salad. Serve at once.

Adapted from recipe courtesy of Mama Hess

Sausage and Sauerkraut Soup

Kielbasa and onion

1 lb. kielbasa sausage
6 Tbsp. chopped onion
1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. crushed thyme
3 c. milk
1 c. half and half
8 oz. sauerkraut with juice*
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice, optional

Chop sausage coarsely by hand. Saute onion and sausage over medium heat in deep pan about 8 minutes until sausage is lightly browned. Combine flour, thyme, and pepper, and add to sausage and brown all together until mixture bubbles up (about 5 minutes). Add milk and half and half all at once and cook, stirring, until mixture again bubbles (about 5 minutes). Add sauerkraut and bring to a boil; the mixture will continue to thicken. Taste for tartness and add lemon juice if desired. Serve at once.

Ready to eat!

*I add a lot more sauerkraut, like 24 oz. for this recipe, but just not all the juice.

Also, this is a soup you must serve immediately. It is one of the only soups I've found that does not reheat well, so I make sure to make just enough. But it is delicious and one of my favorites!

Recipe courtesy of Mama Hess