Spaghetti Squash Italian Style

1-2 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups tomatoes chopped
3/4 cup feta, crumbled
3 Tbs. sliced black olives
2 Tbs. fresh basil

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Place
squash cut side down on baking sheet. Bake 30 min until tender enough to string.  Set aside

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Saute onion in oil till tender/translucent.  Add garlic and saute for 2-3 min. Stir in tomatoes.  Scoop out pulp of squash and add feta, olives and basil.  Serve warm.

Makes 6-8 servings

Carrot Soup with Orange and Ginger

3 Tbs Olive Oil
2 Leeks thinly sliced (sub 1/2 onion?)
6 carrots (1#) peeled and thinly sliced
1 red potato peeled and coursely diced
1.5 tsp peeled minced ginger
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup fresh Orange Juice
2 tsp grated Orange Zest
Salt and White Pepper
Thin orange slices for garnish

In saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the leeks and saute until just slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, potato and ginger and saute until the vegetables are just softened, about 5 minutes longer.
Add the stock, cover partially, and simmer until veggies are completely softened, about 20 min. Remove from heat.
In a blender or food processor, puree the soup in batches, leaving some texture, and return the soup to the pan. (or use a handheld blender in the pan) Return the soup to medium heat and stir in the orange juice and zest. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
Ladle in to warmed bowls and garnish with an orange slice.

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

1 yellow onion, chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 Tbsp butter

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, chopped
1 tart green apple, peeled, cored, chopped (squash and apple should be at a 3 to 1 ratio)
3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth if vegetarian)
Pinches of nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper

Combine butter, onion, celery, and carrot in large saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes. Add squash, apple, and broth. Bring to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or until squash is soft. Puree. Add spices to taste. Dollop of sour cream if desired.

Cabbage Slaw with Asian Dressing

3 cups shredded white and red cabbage

6 baby carrots, thinly sliced

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari

2 Tbs rice wine vinegar

2 Tbs sesame oil

3 Tbs pickled ginger

1 Tbs sugar

salt

pepper 

Combine all dressing ingredients in a processor and blend to puree
pour over cabbage mixture and toss to coat
let refrigerate for 2-4 hours to blend flavors. 

April 1, 2010 Cooking Exchange

Here's the final tally of who's cooking what.  Julie Sims has offered to host at her house in Marshdale.  More info to come regarding time.

Kristy Canaday:
Braised Chicken Thighs with Shallots, Dates & Apricots & Turkey Rolls Cordon Blue
Ash: Pork Pulled Tacos & Beef Daube Provencal (Cooking Light)
Katie Metzger: Smothered Steak with rice & Island Jerk Chicken
Julie Sims:  Mango Curry Chicken & Last Minute Lasagna w/ground turkey
Lisa Carr:  Pecan-crusted Chicken with Rice & Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
Jolene: Some What Spicy Pot Roast & Shrimp Creole
Bethany Van Beek: Upside Down Pizza, Glazed Pineapple Pork Chops

Yellow Squash Casserole

1 3/4 pounds crookneck yellow squash or other yellow summer squash
1/4 pound zucchini or additional yellow summer squash
1/2 cup coarse-chopped carrots
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 large onion, preferably yellow, chopped
1 plump garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 cups saltine or Ritz cracker crumbs
1/2 cup grated mild to medium Cheddar cheese
Hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a medium baking dish.
Slice the yellow squash and zucchini lengthwise into quarters, then cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Place the yellow squash, zucchini and carrots in a saucepan, barely cover with water and salt well. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat to medium and cover. Cook about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft.
Meanwhile, warm 3 tablespoons of the butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the onion and cook slowly until very soft and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute. Scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl. Wipe out the skillet, return it to medium-low heat, and add to it the remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cracker crumbs and cook briefly until the crumbs are golden. Scrape them onto a small plate and reserve them.
Drain the squash mixture, mashing the vegetables just a bit. Spoon it into the mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining 3/4 cup of cracker crumbs, cheese and a good splash or two of the pepper sauce. Salt and pepper generously to taste. Stir in the eggs and spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Scatter the toasted cracker crumbs over the top. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, until golden brown and lightly firm in the center. Serve hot.

Cranberry Chipotle Pork Chops

Ingredients: •  5 pork loin rib chops, cut 1-1/4 inches thick (about 3 pounds total) •  1 8-ounce can jellied cranberry sauce •  1/3 cup apricot or peach preserves or apricot or peach spreadable fruit •  1/4 cup chopped onion •  1 tablespoon lemon juice or cider vinegar •  1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce or 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped

Directions: Trim any fat from the pork chops. In a grill: - with a cover arrange the preheated coals around a drip pan. Test for medium heat above the drip pan. Place the pork chops on the grill rack directly over the drip pan. Cover and grill the chops for 35 to 40 minutes or until the juices run clear. To broil:  - prepare sauce and pork chops as directed above, except instead of grilling place pork chops on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil with the surface of the chops 3 to 4 inches from the heat for 18 to 22 minutes or until juices run clear, turning once. Serve as above. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small saucepan combine the cranberry sauce, preserves or spreadable fruit, onion, lemon juice or vinegar, and pepper. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. To serve, brush the chops with sauce. Pass remaining sauce with chops.

Braised Chicken with Shallots, Dates & Apricots

8 chicken thighs
salt and ground pepper
3 TBS EVOO
10 bay leaves
4 large shallots, cut in 1/4 inch (6-mm) rounds
2/3 cup dry red wine
3 TBS red wine vinegar
8 dates, halved and pitted
4 dried apricot halves, quartered
(serves 4)

Serve with Basmati rice pilaf or couscous and a crisp salad.
Recipe from Williams Sonoma, the best of Taste

1. Trim fat from chicken and remove skin, if desired.  Rinse, pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in Dutch oven or large heavy pot with lid over med/high heat.  Add chicken and bay leaves.  Cook until browned, or 7-10 minutes each side. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, reduce heat to low. Cook 35-45 mins.

3. Pour off pan liquid and reserve.  Pile chickn on one side of pan and raise heat to medium adn add shallots.  Cook until they soften and color about 2 mins.
Add wine and vinegar.  Stir to sctape browned bits from bottom of  pan. Add dates adn apricots.  Redistribute chicken in pot, add reserved liquid adn simmer till chicken is heated through, about 12-15 minutes.

Pork Pulled Tacos

2 Cups store bought salsa
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
salt
1 1/2- 2 1/2 pound pork boneless pork butt or shoulder trimmed

18 corn tortillas ( I used flour)
1/2 C cilantro
3/4 C. Sour Cream

Crock pot 1st 5 ingredients 7-9 hours on low.
Remove meat and shred. Place back in sauce to warm.
Serve in tortillas.
Garnish with Sour Cream & Cilantro.

Beef Daube Provencal (Cooking Light)

2 tsp Olive Oil
12 crushed garlic cloves
1, 2# boneless chuck roast, trimmed, cut into 2" cubes (stew meat?)
1.5 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup red wine
2 cups chopped carrot
1.5 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup low sodium beef broth
1 Tbs tomato paste
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
Dash of ground coves
1 - 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
3 cups cooked medium egg noodles (4 cups uncooked)

For freezing:
Meat and garlic in one bag
All else in anther bag (except noodles)
Uncooked noodles in seperate bag.

To cook:
Brown meat mixture in EVOO 5 min, set aside
Note: You can use dutch oven for this, or skillet if you are going to cook in crock pot.
Deglaze pan if you used the skillet.

Add everything (except noodles) to the crock pot or dutch oven.

Dutch oven: Cover an bake at 350 foro 2.5 hours
Crock Pot: Cook on low 10 hrs, or high 5 hrs

Cook noodles and serve meat mixture over.

Thicken sauce with cornstarch if desired.