Squash and Goat cheese Penne pasta

1 - butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ¾ - inch cubes

2 - medium yellow onions diced into 1 inch pieces

1 pound of penne pasta

1 - 8 oz. Log of goat cheese

1 - cup of chopped baby spinach

1/3 parmesan cheese

2 - tablespoons of dried basil

Olive oil

Kosher salt and pepper

  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss the squash and onion with olive oil and salt and pepper and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until vegetables are golden and cooked through.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta. Cook until tender but firm.  Drain and reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Put the pasta, goat cheese and 1 cup of pasta water in a large bowl, the hot pasta and water will make the goat cheese melt into a cream sauce. Add the squash and onions along with the basil and baby spinach, toss well add in the parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper if needed. And serve.

Strawberry Goat cheese Bruschetta

1 - 8 oz baguette sliced

1-½ cups - sliced strawberries

1 tbs - sugar

1 tbs - balsamic vinegar

1 - 4 oz log of goat cheese

¼ cup heavy cream

Mint

 Preheat oven to 300, slice bread and place on a  greased baking sheet and bake until crispy on bottom. Take the pan out of the oven and  leave the bread on the baking sheet. Leave the oven on also.
  Put the strawberries in a small sauce pan with sugar and balsamic vinegar, stir  and cook  on medium heat until slightly warmed.   Don’t over cook and remove from heat.          Wisk goat cheese in a bowl with heavy cream until creamy.          Place about 3 strawberries slices on each piece of bread and drizzle with remaining liquid in sauce pan. Place 1 teaspoon of the goat cheese mixture on top of each and place back In the oven for about 5 minutes. Put on a platter and sprinkle  garnish with mint.

Curry Chicken Salad

3 cups - cooked diced chicken

½ cup -  chopped celery

½ cup - chopped walnuts

1 - apple with peeling, chopped

1 ½ cups of mayonnaise

1 ½  tsp. of curry powder

 Mix well and serve over greens or in a pita or pocket bread.

Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables

This is a amazing dish, while it is roasting it just fills your kitchen with wonderful aromas. This dish presents very well with all the beautiful colors and it goes well with any meat .

Ingredients for  Roasted  Mediterranean Vegetables Recipe
1 Sweet Potato
1 Onion
1 Green Pepper
1 Red Pepper
4 Carrots
1 cup Cherry Tomatoes
1-2 Medium Tomatoes

For the Marinade
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Kalonji Seeds
½ tsp  Basil
½ tsp. Thyme
1 tsp  Parsley
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
¼ cup Olive Oil



.
Peel and chop the vegetables up into similar sized pieces
Place onto a large baking tray.
Mix all of the marinade ingredients together.
Pour the marinade all over the vegetables.
Cover with  foil.

Roasted Vegetables

Place into a hot oven at 350 for 20 minutes. Take the tray out of the oven and remove foil, place back into the oven for another 10 minutes or until the roasted vegetables are cooked.

Sprinkle roasted vegetables with salt and pepper and serve

Curried Couscous with Cranberries

Ingredients

1- 8.8 ounce bag  Israeli Couscous(Pearl couscous)
¾  cup dried Cranberries
1 tbs. Curry powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
½  Orange. Juiced
3 tbs. Olive oil
3-4 Scallions trimmed and sliced thinly on a angle
2 tbs. chopped Parsley
1/4 cup Lemon juice
¾ cup Walnuts, toasted
Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Fix the Couscous according to the package. Stir in the Cranberries, Curry powder, salt, and sugar and the Orange juice while the Couscous is cooking. Give it a big stir and let set till Couscous is tender.
   Fluff up the Couscous  with a fork and add the Olive oil , Scallions, Parsley, Lemon juice and toasted Walnuts and mix well. Make 2 hours ahead of time and keep at room temperature until ready to serve. Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.


* to toast the walnuts, spread them out on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees oven until they turn a shade darker about 8 min.

Roasted Za`atar Carrots

Preheat baking sheet in a 450  degree oven.  Quarter 1 1b. Carrots lengthwise and toss with …

¼ cup Olive oil

¾ tsp. salt

¾ tsp. pepper

Spread carrots on the  hot baking sheet and roast until browned, 18 -20 minutes. Toss with …

4 tsp. Za`atar

3 tbs. chopped Parsley

And the juice of 1 lemon 

Put  on a platter and serve


* Za`atar  is a spice blend that can be purchased at  middle eastern markets or online at http://www.penzeys.com/

Babaganoush Dip

1 large Eggplant
       2 tb Lemon juice
       1 ts Salt
       2 ts Minced fresh garlic
       2 tb  Tahini
       1/4 c  Chopped parsley                                                
       3 tb Olive oil                                                                                               
    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Prick eggplant all over with a fork.                                                                          
   Bake whole until tender (about 30 minutes).  Remove from oven, halve
   and scoop out the flesh.  Blend the Eggplant with a food processor until smooth. Then add the other ingredients.  Then stir in the
   Parsley.

Cannellini Bean Salad

3 -   cans of Cannellini beans rinsed and drained
½ -  yellow onion minced
1½ -tablespoon of chopped parsley
1 -   tablespoon of ground rosemary
2/3- cup of olive oil
2 -   tablespoons of lemon juice
2 -   crushed garlic
1 -  tablespoon of white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to  taste



Mix all ingredients  in a bowl and toss and allow to marinate at least for 2 hours at room temperature before serving.

Pumpkin Cake

3 cups of sugar

1 cup of melted coconut oil

4 eggs

2 cups of pumpkin

3 ½ cups of all purpose unbleached flour

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

2/3 cup of water

½ cup walnuts

½ cups raisins

 Mix together ingredients and bake in a greased and floured bundt cake pan at 350 for about 1 hour until a knife comes out clean.

For the icing

1 stick of melted butter ( not margarine )

6 tsp of milk

1 box of confectioners sugar

 Melt butter  in a sauce pan on stove and add milk, then stir in the sugar a little at a time  until smooth then drizzle on the cake before it cools.

Israeli Tomato Cucumber salad

3  Roma tomatoes

1 English cucumber

1  bell pepper-  your choice red, orange or yellow

3 tablespoons Olive oil

2 tablespoons Lemon juice

1 heaped tablespoon of Fresh or dried mint

Salt and pepper to flavor


Finely chop all the vegetables ( you can peel cucumber if you  like). Combine them in a large bowl, right before serving toss with olive oil, lemon juice, mint and salt & pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Roasted Greek Potatoes

3 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon Garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried  Greek Oregano
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place the  cut potatoes in a  bowl and add Olive Oil, Garlic Powder, Oregano, Salt, Pepper and Lemon juice  and toss together  and put on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake the potatoes for 20 minutes. Then uncover and toss  and drizzle  with a little more Olive Oil and bake for 20 minutes more or until golden brown and tender..

Spinach Salad with Spicy Pecans

Spinach and Citrus Salad with Sweet and Spicy Pecans

Ingredients
3 cups fresh  baby spinach,
2 green onions, chopped
1 can mandarin oranges, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup pecan halves
1 teaspoon powdered rosemary
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Citrus Dressing, recipe follows
Directions
Put the spinach and green onions in large salad bowl and sprinkle with the oranges. In a small sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter and sugar and stir until the butter is melted. Add the pecans and toss until the pecans begin to brown. Stir in the rosemary and cayenne and stir just a few seconds to release the aroma. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the pecans on the salad while still warm. Drizzle the dressing over salad and serve.
Citrus Dressing:
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons orange juice, ( not juice from can of mandarin oranges)
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl, add all the ingredients and whisk until emulsified

Butternut Squash Muffins

Butternut Squash muffins


Ingredients
1 banana, mashed
1 package of frozen squash
4 eggs
1/3 cup applesauce
1/3 cup sugar in the raw
6 Tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
Optional Topping:
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
Directions
1. In stand mixer or mixing bowl, mix banana, butternut squash, eggs, applesauce, sugar, and oil, until well blended.
2. In separate mixing bowl, combine salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, wheat flour and white flour.
3. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until batter forms.
4. Pour into greased baking cups or muffin tins, and sprinkle with brown sugar-cinnamon topping. Makes 24 regular size muffins, 48 mini muffins, or 12 regular muffins and 24 mini muffins .
5. Bake at 350. Regular size muffins for 16-18 minutes. Mini muffins for 13-15 minutes.

Peppernata

                Pepperonata

    

2 or 3 bell peppers ( any color will do )

1 tablespoon of chopped  Garlic

Olive oil

fresh Basil ( you can also used dried basil if needed)

Salt and pepper

 Slice bell peppers into wide strips and sauté them in olive oil over medium high heat until they are tender. Add chopped garlic and let cook for another minute or two, but make sure garlic does not burn.  Add in your basil, salt and pepper stir for another minute or two and your done! These peppers are healthy and delicious!  Use as a side dish or on sandwiches.