This recipe is from Arthur Schwartz’s book, The Southern Italian Table, via the City Cook. He says, “Lagane, a short, wide ribbon or rectangular fresh semolina-and-water pasta, is the traditional pasta used in this dish.  However, factory-made pasta with chickpeas is the norm in Italy today.  Prepared with chickpeas from a can or jar, seasoned with nothing more than garlic, either parsley or rosemary, and fragrant olive oil, it’s the best kind of convenience food.”

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 to 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes or 1/2 to 1 fresh or dried hot red pepper
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped
1 (15-16-ounce) cans chickpeas
8 ounces dried small pasta, such as lagane, ditali, pennette, or broken lasagne

In a small saucepan, combine the garlic, oil, red pepper flakes, and rosemary.  Over low heat, let the garlic sizzle until it barely begins to brown. Add the chickpeas with all of their liquid.  Simmer gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Boil the pasta in at least 3 quarts of water with 1 heaping tablespoon of salt. Just before the pasta is done, with a potato masher or the bottom of a tumbler (or more carefully with an immersion blender), mash about half the chickpeas right in the pot. When the pasta is done, scoop out a cup of pasta cooking water (in case you want to loosen the sauce), then drain the noodles well.

Combine the pasta with the chickpeas in a large serving bowl.  Toss well.  Add a little of the reserved pasta cooking water if the pasta is too dry.  (It should not be soupy, however.) Serve very hot with either olio santo (hot pepper oil) or condiment-quality extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle over the top. Serves 4 or 5.

The City Cook

I found this recipe in a Canadian blog and thought it sounded wonderful. Bubbat is a traditional type of stuffing served by Mennonite cooks.

Bubbat is really just a raisin quick bread that is baked inside the chicken while it is being roasted. It also can be baked along side the chicken or even baked in a 8 X 8 square pan and served with the chicken. Baking it inside the chicken gives it the best flavour since it is kept moist by the chicken drippings. Have you ever had this? I couldn’t find my mom’s recipe so this one is out of the Canadian Mennonite Cookbook … and it tasted the way I remember. I have a friend who always makes Bubbat to stuff her turkey. I think she adds other dried fruits chopped.

1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/3 cup milk
1 cup of fresh raisins

Mix the dry ingredients. Add the beaten egg, melted butter and milk. Mix well, and add the raisins. You can either spread it in a greased cake pan and bake it or you can spoon it into the cavity of the chicken. I used a ordinary 3 – 3 1/2 pound fryer. I would have doubled the recipe for a large roaster. Baste the chicken with melted butter and bake uncovered for about 2 hours at 375. The drumstick should move easily and the internal temperature of the chicken should be 180F.

Mennonite Girls Can Cook

This recipe is from Ina Garten, also known as the Barefoot Contessa. She serves it with Roasted Butternut Squash Salad.

3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Food Network.com

I was in the grocery store, holding a butternut squash, when a stranger told me that I should try making it into Ina Garten’s squash salad. “It’s wonderful,” he said. “Just look it up on the Food Network Web site.” And so I did. Ina, who calls herself the Barefoot Contessa, serves this salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette.

1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced
Good olive oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry
1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, prepare the Warm Cider Vinaigrette. Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Food Network

This is an old, simple Sicilian dish. A friend described it to me, but I lost my notes; the version I found on All Recipes seems to be a pretty close match to her family’s.

* 1 pound spaghetti or other pasta
* 3/4 cup olive oil, divided
* 6 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 (4 ounce) cans sardines packed in olive oil, drained
* 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
* 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti, and cook until al dente, or 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Toss with 1/4 cup olive oil, cover and keep warm.
2. Place another 1/4 cup olive oil in a skillet, and heat over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook just until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sardines, and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the bread crumbs and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. If necessary to give the mixture a crumbly texture, stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. Stir in the parsley and pepper, and remove from the heat. If desired, serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

All Recipes

This is a traditional dish of Greek tavernas, served with platters of olives before the entrée. The dish will make a tasty, and healthful, addition to your appetizer offerings.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced (about 1 ½ cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound green beans, trimmed
One 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley (see Tip)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in the beans, tomatoes with juice, and parsley.

When the liquid begins to simmer, reduce the heat to low; cover and cook until the beans are very tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Use tongs for serving and provide plates and forks for your guests.

Advance preparation

The beans will keep for up to 4 days in a covered container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.

From Paulette Mitchell

3 small eggplants (they should be the size of little cantaloupes)
2 red bell peppers
4 to 5 Tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper
minced garlic
2 onions
3 to 4 sprigs fresh parsley
basil
3 to 4 tomatoes
1 – 2 cups of raw (not roasted) nut pieces (walnuts, cashews or other “meaty” nuts)

Topping:
1 cup ground walnuts (for method 1)
1/2 cup wheat germ (for method 1)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs. melted butter
1 cup milk or light cream

Slice each eggplant in half lengthwise and cut out the meat, leaving 1/4 inch in the skin. Dice up the eggplant into fairly large pieces, and the red bell pepper into small ones, reserving about 1/3 of one of the peppers for decoration.

In a large skillet heat about 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and saute the eggplant and diced bell pepper in it, tossing the pieces lightly until they are evenly coated and the eggplant starts to get soft. Season it with salt and pepper and a little minced garlic if desired. Add 1 cup of the nut pieces. Divide this mixture evenly between the 6 eggplant shells, pressing it down into them.

Chop the onion, parsley & tomatoes. Saute the onions in the remaining olive oil, adding the chopped fresh parelsey and some crushed sweet basil along with a little minced garlic. When the oninos just beging to get soft, add the chopped tomatoes, simmer a few minutes, then spread the mixture on top of the eggplant pieces in the shells and pat it down. The eggpant shells sould be full to the top but not overflowing.

Method 1: (original) Combine the wheat germ, nuts and Parmesan cheese; moisten with the melted butter and enough milk to make soft paste and spread a thin layer of the mixture on top of each eggplant half. Decorate this crust with the reserved red pepper sliced into thin strips.
Method 2: (mine) Dot the tops of the eggplants with butter, pour the cream over, and top with the grated cheese. Decorate with the red pepper slices and the remaining nut pieces.

Bake in an oiled dish for about 45 mintues at 350 degrees. Serve hot; 6 servings.

This is adapted from Anna Thomas’s Vegetarian Epicure cookbook.

I don’t remember where I found this recipe, but I’ve had it for a long time. Easy & yummy, especially if you are serving people who can’t eat dairy foods.

1 lb tofu
2 small bananas
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Cups of sliced Strawberries
1/4 Maple Syrup
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Tbs. Tahini (or butter/margarine)
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp. Almond Extract

6 whole strawberries for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, mix until smooth. Pour into custard cups and chill for at least 1 hour. Garnish each serving with a strawberry.

I found this in Nami-Nami’s lovely Estonian cooking blog. I haven’t yet tried it, but I think it sounds wonderful and it will go on the stove when the first cold day arrives.

Meatless sauerkraut soup
(Lihata hapukapsasupp)

3 litres of water
1 kg fresh sauerkraut*
100-200 grams vegetable oil, lard or butter
1-2 large onions
3-4 carrots
1 Tbsp concentrated tomato paste
1-2 chopped floury potatoes
2-3 bay leaves
salt
black pepper
sugar

sour cream to serve

Drain the extra liquid from the sauerkraut, put aside (you may need this to make the soup more sour later on). Rinse lightly under cold water.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the cabbage and pour over enough boiling water to cover by a few centimetres. Bring to the boil, add 2 chopped carrots, diced onion, tomato paste, chopped potatoes and bay leaves. Simmer for 1-1.5 hours, until the cabbage is tender. Add the rest of the boiling water in batches during simmering.

Season with salt. Taste the soup – if it is too sharp and sour, add some sugar. If you think it’s not sour enough, add some of the preserved draining liquid. Being a sauerkraut soup, it’s supposed to be sour, of course. But you’re not aiming for gut-scratching sharp and sour that gives you tummy troubles later.
Add 1-2 finely grated carrots for some crunch and colour, and garnish with a dollop of sour cream.
Serve with rye bread.

* Sauerkraut is available either “fresh” or canned. The latter has been partially cooked already, so needs less simmering time. It also tends to be less sour.

Nami-Nami

Summertime soup

This cool treat bursts with antioxidants in pumpkin, onions, bananas and peanuts, and it has a touch of cinnamon to lower blood sugar.

Cool Caribbean Pumpkin Soup
1 Tb. each, canola oil and butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. each, cinnamon and ground cumin
5 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 15-ounce can pumpkin (not pie filling)
2 ripe bananas, sliced
1 cup coconut milk

Garnish: 3 Tbs. mango chutney, or more to taste

Heat oil and butter in a medium saucepan. Sauté onion until soft. Add spices and sauté 1 minute, stirring. Turn heat to low; add broth, peanut butter and pumpkin, and stir until peanut butter is dissolved.

Cool for at least 15 minutes in a large bowl. Put half of the soup in a blender; add 1 banana and 1/2 cup coconut milk. Carefully process until smooth. Put it in another bowl. Repeat with other half. Chill soup 1 hour or more. Serve with a dollop of chutney.

Serves 10
Per serving: 206 calories, 17g carbohydrates, 6g protein, 14g fat (6g saturated), 3mg cholesterol, 5g fiber, 268mg sodium

USA Weekend magazine

Escape the heat with a refreshing bowl of gazpacho.

Prep: 15 minutes Total: 20 minutes plus marinating

Ingredients

Serves 4.

• 2 pounds yellow heirloom tomatoes, cored and quartered
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium yellow squash (6 ounces), halved lengthwise and thickly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into large chunks
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup carrot juice (fresh or canned)
• 3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Coarse salt
• 1 avocado
• 1 small red heirloom tomato

Directions

1. In a food processor or blender, working in batches, combine yellow tomatoes, onion, squash, bell pepper, garlic, carrot juice, vinegar, and oil. Pulse until finely pureed. Season with salt. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
2. At serving time, halve, pit, and dice the avocado. Core and dice the red tomato. Serve soup in chilled bowls topped with avocado and tomato.

Whole Living

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped,
• 4 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 can (35 ounce) whole peeled tomatoes, drained
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• couscous, cooked according to package directions

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Lower the heat and sauté the garlic and onion for 5 minutes until translucent. Add the green pepper and cook 5 minutes more. Add the zucchini and cook for 15 minutes. Crush the tomatoes as you add them to the vegetable mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 20 minutes or until the zucchini is soft and translucent but still holds its shape. Stir in the chickpeas and capers and cook for another 5 minutes until the mixture is heated through. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve over couscous.

Serves 4–6

From Whole Foods Market

4 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons green tea leaves
1 to 2 tablespoons grated ginger root
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
8 firm pears, such as Bosc, peeled, cored and cut into quarters lengthwise
Toasted sliced almonds (optional)
Vanilla-flavored yogurt (optional)

In a pot, combine boiling water and tea leaves. Cover and let steep 5 minutes, then strain.

Add ginger root, honey, almond extract and lemon zest and stir well. Add pears. Cover and cook until pears are tender.

Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and chill thoroughly. Garnish with toasted almonds and a dollop of yogurt, if desired.

Per serving: 165 calories (3 percent from fat), 1 gram total fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 43 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, 2 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber.

- The Healthy Slow Cooker (Robert Rose) by Judith Finlayson

1 yellow onion, roughly cut into 1 ½ -inch pieces
1 green pepper, seeded and roughly cut into 1 ½ -inch pieces
1 red pepper, seeded and roughly cut into 1 ½ -inch pieces
1 yellow squash, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) can fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup dried pitted plums (prunes)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Hot cooked couscous or rice, optional
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted, optional

Preheat oven to 450 F. Coat a large baking sheet with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Place onion, peppers and squash in zip-top plastic food bag; drizzle with olive oil and mix together in bag. Pour vegetables onto baking sheet. Place chicken on another baking sheet that has been coated with nonstick vegetable cooking spray.

Place both pans in oven (on different racks if needed) and roast 10 minutes. Remove vegetables from oven and stir. Return to oven. Remove chicken from oven and turn over; return to oven and roast chicken and vegetables 10 to 15 additional minutes or until chicken is done and meat thermometer registers 170 F and vegetables are tender and golden.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine remaining ingredients except couscous and almonds. Simmer 10 minutes. Add roasted vegetables to saucepan. Dice chicken into cubes and add to saucepan. Stir well and heat through. Serve over hot couscous or rice and garnish with slivered almonds, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

COOKING TIP: To toast almonds, spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden.

PER SERVING:
Calories 245 (20% fat) Fat 5 g (1 g sat) Cholesterol 44 mg Sodium 369 mg Fiber 5 g Carbohydrates 25 g Protein 25 g

Dallas News

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 Tablespoons capers rinsed
• pinch of red pepper flakes or to taste
• 3 large yellow bell peppers cored, seeded, and cut into big pieces
• salt
• 2 vegetable or beef stock

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until golden, stirring often, for about 10 minutes. Add 1 Tablespoon of capers and the red pepper flakes, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring often.

Add yellow peppers and salt, cover, and cook 10 minutes, shaking often. Add stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes–until the peppers are soft.

Puree the mixture, then strain back into the saucepan. Ladle into bowls, garnish each with a few capers, and serve.

Soup Song