Planting Where You Live

One element to gardening that is important to consider is that plants grow better when they are cultivated in a climate and soil condition that they are designed to flourish in. For example, our weather is very temperate – it never gets very hot or very cold – which is great for growing year-round, but not so wonderful for growing heat-loving vegetables like tomatoes and peppers. We hope to remedy this by growing them in the hoop house my husband constructed; however, we learned the hard way that simply sticking plants or seeds in the soil, watering, and weeding does not guarantee gardening success.

Know Your Frost Dates

The first key to gardening is to not plant too early (or too late). You can’t always know how the weather is going to turn out during any given year, but you can look up weather patterns to find the last frost before the planting season and the first frost of fall. This information is helpful to prevent damage due to unexpected frosts.
 

Climate and Season Length

Consider the humidity levels and temperature in your location. You may struggle with growing long season or heat-loving vegetables like me, or you may have trouble growing cool season plants. Whatever your growing situation is, be sure to factor it into the plants you choose to grow. The Plant Hardiness Zone Map can be helpful in determining what will develop successfully in your area.
 

Know Your Soil

It is very helpful to know the type of soil you have to work with. There are three basic soil types: sandy, loamy, or clay. You can also test the pH of your soil with a simple test available at most garden centers. Some plants grow best in sandy soil, while others prefer another type, or a certain mix. The same is true of soil pH. Once you determine your soil type, you will have a better understanding of what will grow well in your garden. You can always amend your soil through different methods to achieve a different soil environment.
 

Talk to Your Neighbors

One of the best resources for growing in your area is a local gardener. Talk to people about what has worked for them, and what dates they recommend planting. Those of us who have learned by trial and error can save you some wasted efforts.

 

About Author: 

Krystle writes from Long Beach Washington where she is a wife, mother, photographer and modern day homesteader. Krystle has a passion for whole foods and simple back to the land living.

Checkout Krystle's Photography or connect with her on Facebook.

Fresh this Season

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Creamy Asparagus Soup

You might remember from a previous post that I enjoy asparagus season. Asparagus has recently become one of my favorite vegetables, so it was a special surprise when my husband brought a bundle of green spears home for our anniversary. We decided to try making a soup with part of the asparagus. The soup turned out more delicious than I anticipated; it will definitely be a repeated recipe in our home.

 

Creamy Asparagus Soup Recipe

About 8 oz of asparagus
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup of whole milk
Salt to taste

Trim tips off of asparagus spears; set aside.

Chop asparagus stalks and place in medium saucepan. Add stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes. *Transfer asparagus and stock to a blender and puree until smooth. Work in batches, if necessary.

Return puree to saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and add milk and the reserved asparagus tips. Heat soup through and adjust seasoning with salt

* When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

About Author: 

Krystle writes from Long Beach Washington where she is a wife, mother, photographer and modern day homesteader. Krystle has a passion for whole foods and simple back to the land living.

Checkout Krystle's Photography or connect with her on Facebook.

Vegetarian Meal Ideas

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Spring Pea Hummus

My mother has always taken delight at the patches of mint that thrive along the edges of her house. "It keeps away the ants!" she insists. I have no idea if this actually works, but having her advice firmly imprinted into the core of my being, I too cultivate patches of mint here and there. Which means, that right about now, mid to late spring, we have lots of it. Good for tea, good for jelly, and awesome in a agua fresca with lime and cucumbers, mint also pairs perfectly with peas.

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Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins

Are you an oatmeal lover? Recently I started adding strawberries to my breakfast oatmeal and thought the combination would make a pretty good muffin too. Several experimental batches later I now have a strawberry oatmeal muffin that I'm proud to share with you. Here's the deal, you don't just want to toss some chopped strawberries into an oatmeal muffin batter. You can if you want, but they won't turn out as well as they could. Macerate the strawberries first in a little sugar with some balsamic vinegar, to concentrate and intensify the flavor of the strawberries. Macerating the berries first also releases some of the strawberries' moisture, which will go into the batter where you want it.

One ingredient you might find odd in this recipe is the 1/4 teaspoon of finely ground black pepper. I don't know what it is about black pepper, but just this small amount brightens the overall flavor of the muffin.

The muffins get plenty of leavening from eggs, baking powder, and baking soda. The baking soda and the baking powder will react with the yogurt and vinegar as soon as they come together, so work quickly. Do not let the batter sit around. Get it into a muffin tin and into the oven as soon as you can after you mix the wet and dry ingredients.

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Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

When I was a kid, my mother often used to add sliced raw jerusalem artichokes to our salads. I have no idea why. She doesn't do it any more, and hasn't for years. At the time I just thought they were weird looking and didn't taste like much. Nothing at all like the real artichokes that we kids fought over at the dinner table. My kid's mind decided that they didn't grow very good artichokes in Jerusalem. Hah! Well, mystery solved. Turns out jerusalem artichokes are neither artichokes, nor are they from Jerusalem. They're tubers, native of North America, and the plant is related to and resembles sunflowers. (In fact, these days they are often called "sunchokes".) "Jerusalem" is thought to have evolved from the Italian name for the plant, "girasole" for sunflower. Why "artichoke"? If my mom had only cooked them, then that part of the mystery would have been solved for me. Cooked, they taste surprisingly like artichokes. Yum!

A traditional and wonderfully easy way to prepare these chokes is as a soup. If you like the taste of artichokes, I urge you to try your hand at making this soup with jerusalem artichokes. This is lick-the-bowl good.

Word to the wise. Sunchokes are known for ... well, how can I say it politely... causing flatulence, especially when raw. In fact, Hank calls them "fartichokes". (He grows them in his garden, he should know.) He tells me that slow cooking them, like this soup preparation, greatly reduces the problem. Eh hem, although I'm sure I'm risking telling you Too Much Information, I had no particular gaseous issue with this soup. Thank goodness, because I can't wait to make it again.

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Sweet and Spicy Mushroom Stir Fry

Please welcome guest author Garrett McCord as he shares a lip-smacking recipe for mushroom stir-fry he recreated from one he enjoyed in China.

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Meyer Lemon Risotto

February, March, not much is growing this time of year, and usually the weather is blustery and rather gray. That is, except for the citrus. All over Sacramento, and most of California, orange, grapefruit, and lemon trees are laden with bright fruit. Meyer lemons in particular are well suited for home landscapes, which is why so many people have their own backyard tree. Supposedly they don't orchard well, but if they are spaced out enough, as in one in my backyard and one in yours, they're fine. The fruit is a cross between an orange and lemon, so the peel is a little more orangey than a regular lemon, and the juice is not nearly as tart. The peel itself is also mild. Sometimes we look out into the backyard to find that some critter has eaten all of the peel off of a few Meyer lemons, leaving whole globes of lemon segments naked.

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Watercress Soup

One of my earliest memories as a kid was my father taking the family out on excursions to Antelope Valley, about an hour and a half outside of Los Angeles where we lived. We used to go out there to pick pears, look at the jack rabbits, and just wander around the rugged terrain. There was a creek that ran along where we would hike, and in this creek grew watercress. It was rather miraculous to my six year old brain that we could find what we often ate for salad, growing over boulders, in and around tumbling and churning creek water. "Well that's why they call it 'water' cress," explained my dad.

We loved it then, and still do now, though it seems to be more difficult to find in the market these days. Have you ever had watercress? The real kind with thick stems and a spicy bite? They sell some aquaculture baby watercress at Whole Foods, but I refuse to buy it because to me it's not the real stuff. Watercress shouldn't be delicate, it should pack a punch. It's great in a salad with a hot bacon dressing. It also makes a terrific soup. This has a potato base and is topped with just a little sour cream.

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Colcannon Cakes

Have you ever made colcannon? It's a traditional Irish mashed potato dish with lots of greens. If there's a heaven for kale, it's this, mixed in with mashed potatoes and butter. , sort of an Irish version of potato latkes, are what you make with leftover colcannon. The only thing is, colcannon is so good, who has leftovers? So, you may just have to make a new batch to make these cakes. Or just make twice as much colcannon as you think you might need, just so you have enough to make these cakes. Oh my these are good. We liked them with a little fresh lemon juice squeezed on top. I had one with a runny egg for breakfast. Yum!

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Green Beans with Bacon

There is nothing better than garden fresh green beans. Even when my parents abandoned their garden beds for ten years, they still had their green bean "tee-pees" every summer. My father is rather picky about his beans. They must snap and break when you bend them, not wiggle around like a rubber band. That's how you know they're fresh. I have a couple rows of green beans this year, planted from seed right after I pulled out the fava beans and spring peas. (BTW, if you grow green beans from seed, it helps to soak the beans over night in water before planting them, or place them between two layers of wet paper towels for a couple of days, so they germinate first.) They like heat, and at least in our part of the world, come into their own in August and September. When I left for vacation the plants were only a foot high, two weeks later they are climbing over the fence.

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Beef Roast Braised in Zinfandel

Updated from the recipe archive. First posted 2006. Enjoy!

"This isn't your everyday pot roast," my father declared as we sat down for dinner to enjoy the roast that he had been cooking all afternoon. No, indeed it isn't. The sauce includes an entire bottle of bold red Zinfandel wine. The vegetables in the sauce are cooked until every ounce of flavor is extracted from them, and then the sauce is pressed through a sieve and reduced even further. The beef, braised for hours is fork tender. Enjoy.

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Veal Goulash with Sauerkraut

Years ago in Manhattan, there was a rather famous German restaurant by the name of Luchow's. It was established in 1882 and operated continuously for a hundred years, finally shutting down in 1984. In its heyday Luchow's was well known as a hang out for musicians and entertainers such as Steinway, Dvorak, and later, Oscar Hammerstein. It even had a room named after Diamond Jim Brady, a regular.

I don't recall how it happened, but my father came across a used copy of Luchow's German Cookbook, a compilation of recipes from that now long gone restaurant.

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Blanched Cabbage with Butter and Caraway

Gobsmacked. I thought I was pretty well versed in what one could do with cabbage, addicted to the stuff as I am. Whether it's braised, in stewed, stuffed, boiled, or made into coleslaw, we eat cabbage in every which way around here. But this my friends, this has to be the easiest way to prepare cabbage and still have it taste great. (Boiled cabbage is probably the easiest, but then what you have is just boiled cabbage.) My mother made something like this the other day with curly cabbage. You just simply blanch the torn or roughly cut cabbage leaves in boiling salted water, drain them, and toss with butter, and seasonings. Butter and cabbage together? A dream team. And caraway and celery seeds just make them dance.

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Glazed Oxtails

"Now this is how oxtails should taste," my father declared after taking a bite of these . I couldn't agree more. We have a thing for oxtails in our family. Oxtail stew was a favorite winter dish my mom prepared when we were growing up. If you are unfamiliar with oxtails, they are tails of steers, typically sold cut into segments. Most of what you buy is bone, and the meat is well exercised and fatty, so oxtail preparations lend themselves to slow cooking. Much like short-ribs, but in my opinion, even better. Think of the best pulled pork imaginable, but with beef. In this recipe the oxtails are first browned, then slow cooked with red wine and stock. Then the segments are removed so you can strip the meat off of them and the liquid is reduced to a glaze. It's actually pretty easy to make, most of the cooking time is hands-off while the oxtails are simmering.

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Filet Mignon with Red Wine Sauce

Have you ever noticed how crowded restaurants are on Valentine's Day? Every table is a two-top, the menus are often fixed, and the staff frantically busy. After several misfires over the last few years, I've given up with going out that night, and instead focus on lovely dishes we can make at home. Here is a classic date night meal

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Eggs Nested in Saut�ed Chard and Mushrooms

This is my lazy girl's lunch. Lazy, because even when I've eaten every last pickle in the fridge, I can usually find a few fresh eggs, a couple mushrooms, and half an onion there. Lazy, because when I can't be bothered to go to the store, I have to look for what I can scrounge in the garden, and the only things thriving in my garden bed at the moment (early March) are parsley and chard. And who wants to eat a big plate of saut

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Broccoli, Chicken, and Almond Saut�

One of the things I love about cooking is how some ingredients, tossed together on a whim, can turn out unexpectedly well. Like two people meeting for the first time, instantly recognizing they will be friends forever (has that ever happened to you?) Dear broccoli, meet toasted almond, and her friends grilled chicken, sesame oil, and red chili flakes. You are all going to get along swimmingly.

This was one of those what-can-we-put-together-for-dinner-with-what-we-have-on-hand meals that was a surprising success. We almost always have broccoli in the fridge, because it keeps well, and I could eat it practically every day without tiring of it. Toasted almonds are another well-loved pantry item

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Asparagus Salad with Shrimp

Even though the weather has been rather dreary and cold the last week or so, spring is officially here, which means it's time for asparagus. This is a quick and easy salad, made with fresh asparagus spears that have been blanched for a few minutes, thinly sliced on the diagonal, and tossed with shrimp in an olive oil, garlic, parsley, lemon juice dressing. So good!

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Creamy Asparagus Soup

Elise

Spring here means strawberries and rhubarb, sweet peas and asparagus, and dreams of the summer bounty to come. Asparagus are everywhere, big, fat, and fresh. And yes, although we can get them all year round, I'm especially happy to eat them in Spring. Not only are they likely to have been grown in the same Hemisphere, and could even be local, their very abundance signals the renewal of the season and a good-bye to Winter. Here is a fresh and easy asparagus soup recipe, a perfect excuse to buy more than one bunch.

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Seared Sugar Snap Peas

Sugar snap peas are a garden staple in the spring. At least around here you plant them in November or December and see them poking out of the ground late February to early March, depending on how warm or cold a winter it has been. In my garden they snake their way up a loosely put together bamboo trellis and if I'm not paying attention, climb over the fence into my neighbor's yard. As soon as it really starts to get hot, usually sometime in May, the pea vines dry up, telling me it's time to plant green beans.

And just so we are clear, I don't cook my garden peas. Why? Because I'm greedy. I snap the peas off their tendrils and eat them fresh and fresh right in the garden as soon as they get big enough. It's my garden snack bar. One of these days I'll compost and fertilize and mulch enough to have a harvest big enough to cook and/or share. Still, peas in the garden means local peas at the market, and this easy stir-fry with green onions, lemon zest, and mint, is a great way to prepare them.

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Green Gumbo

Elise

, or gumbo z'herbes, is a Lenten tradition in Louisiana. Ironically, it is not always vegetarian, as this hearty stew is often served on Holy Thursday to fortify the faithful for the Good Friday fast. Our version includes a ham hock and smoked andouille sausages, but you can leave them out to make a vegetarian gumbo.

The tradition for gumbo z'herbes is to include many different kinds of greens in the gumbo

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Saffron Rice Pilaf

When my friend Kerissa Barron first told me about this buttery rice pilaf, I couldn't wait to try it. Then she told me it had saffron in it. Uh oh. For some reason, saffron is a spice that sort of tastes like soap to me. Not a big fan. But, I'll try just about anything once, and in this case, thank goodness. I couldn't stop eating this rice. Browned in clarified butter, with cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, cooked in a saffron infusion, and tossed with nuts and raisins, this rice is the bomb.

Kerissa came over the other day to make it with me. Here's what she says about it:

Throughout college and beyond, I've always loved spending time at my friend Heather's family home. While it doesn't hurt that her family lives on a gorgeous bluff overlooking sunny Santa Barbara, or that they keep one of those pantries any cook dreams of, stocked with every size and shape of pan imaginable and five types of baking cocoa, I think one of my fondest memories and one of the many reasons I'm always finding/inventing a reason to visit, is this golden, buttery, delicious rice. I've had it on nearly every occasion I've visited and with good reason. Whether you are making it to accompany a homemade Indian feast or simply serving alongside a roast chicken from the supermarket, this rice, specked with nuts and raisins, imbued with the golden color of saffron, and fragranced with cardamom, cinnamon, clove and orange can truly hold its own.

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Buttery Tomato Pasta

About once a week, for my entire upbringing, my mother would prepare a very simple side of pasta with a sweet, buttery tomato sauce. Usually she used elbow macaroni pasta, because usually a small bowl of tomato pasta would be served alongside tuna macaroni salad, our standard Catholic fish-on-Fridays family meal. Mom would just make extra macaroni and stir in the tomato sauce for it. She did this because my dad requested it, and he wanted it because that's what his mother in Minnesota used to make for him. Oddly, the hot was, and still is, a perfect taste complement to the cool, crunchy, acidic tuna salad.

This is my father's comfort food. Mom made it the other day with corkscrew pasta instead of elbow macaroni and I liked the way that the ridges in the corkscrews capture the sauce better. Apparently, a simple tomato sauce cooked with butter instead of olive oil is a classic in Italian cuisine. (News to us, my grandmother was German Austrian!) If you haven't tried making tomato sauce with butter, I recommend it. It's actually crazy good. We add a bit sugar to the sauce, because the sauce just tastes better to us when it's sweeter. My mother also adds a little bit of fresh or dried basil, not much, just a pinch. Not so much that you get distracted from the sweet, buttery tomatoes.

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Avgolemono Soup

Elise

The mixture of eggs, lemon and hot broth is a classic combination in Greek cooking. And if there is a classic dish that highlights this combination, it is the chickeny . Avgo-wha? Ah-vo-LEMEN-o, or at least that's how I remember the Greeks at the local diner in New Jersey saying it. The "g" isn't always pronounced.

Like gumbo, goulash or chili, there are untold versions of this soup. Some, like this one, have bits of chicken in them. Some start with a whole chicken and take hours. A few have nothing more than chicken broth and the egg-lemon sauce. Most, however, have a starch such as rice or orzo pasta.

The key to avgolemono is the egg-lemon sauce. It is what make this version of chicken soup special. What starts as a pretty ordinary mix of chicken, onions, pasta and broth becomes silky, tangy and unforgettable.

This is a weeknight version of avgolemono, one you can whip together in less than 30 minutes; some versions take all day. The only tricky part of this whole recipe is when you add the egg-lemon mixture: You need to temper the eggs so they don't scramble when you add them to the hot broth. But this is not rocket science, and if you can whisk with one hand and pour with the other you are good to go. And if you can't? Find a helper. Kids love to help cooking, so maybe ask your daughter or son to whisk while you pour. Or vice versa.

One thing about this soup: Never let it boil once you've added the egg-lemon mixture. The soup can break and you essentially get a Greek version of egg drop soup. Still edible, but ugly. Same goes for reheating leftovers: Do it gently, and don't let the soup boil.

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Smoked Salmon Hash

Try this one for breakfast. A reader from Alaska recently mentioned to me that instead of fried with corned beef or ham, the way he likes his potatoes in the morning is as , potatoes cubed and fried with onions and mixed in with flakes of hot smoked salmon. Uh, yes, please! I love them with a runny egg and extra sour cream.

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Crema di Limoncello

With the warming weather, our lemons are practically falling of the trees. Here's a lovely way to use them, homemade limoncello from guest contributor Garrett McCord. Enjoy!

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Seared Sugar Snap Peas

Sugar snap peas are a garden staple in the spring. At least around here you plant them in November or December and see them poking out of the ground late February to early March, depending on how warm or cold a winter it has been. In my garden they snake their way up a loosely put together bamboo trellis and if I'm not paying attention, climb over the fence into my neighbor's yard. As soon as it really starts to get hot, usually sometime in May, the pea vines dry up, telling me it's time to plant green beans.

And just so we are clear, I don't cook my garden peas. Why? Because I'm greedy. I snap the peas off their tendrils and eat them fresh and fresh right in the garden as soon as they get big enough. It's my garden snack bar. One of these days I'll compost and fertilize and mulch enough to have a harvest big enough to cook and/or share. Still, peas in the garden means local peas at the market, and this easy stir-fry with green onions, lemon zest, and mint, is a great way to prepare them.

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Cajun Chicken Salad

This little chicken salad went to the market. This little chicken salad stayed home. This little chicken salad took a tour through Louisiana and ran off with some cheeky spicy remoulade sauce and who knows where they'll end up?

In my belly. Or your belly if you decide to make this Cajun twist on the classic chicken salad. It's easy enough, you can basically prep the ingredients as the chicken is poaching. I love the spicy kick that the Cajun seasoning brings to the salad. It makes for great leftovers and works well on lettuce or in a sandwich. Enjoy!

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Spring Pea Hummus

My mother has always taken delight at the patches of mint that thrive along the edges of her house. "It keeps away the ants!" she insists. I have no idea if this actually works, but having her advice firmly imprinted into the core of my being, I too cultivate patches of mint here and there. Which means, that right about now, mid to late spring, we have lots of it. Good for tea, good for jelly, and awesome in a agua fresca with lime and cucumbers, mint also pairs perfectly with peas.

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White Fish Stew (Bianco)

View Our Nutrition Guidelines » Ingredients 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 head garlic, cloves separated, peeled and minced 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt Pinch of freshly ground pepper 2 1/2 cups water 4 medium red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks 1 1/2 pounds cod (see Tip), cut into 6 portions 1 lemon More Healthy Recipe Ideas Healthy Chorizo Recipes Heart-Healthy Dinners Low Calorie Casserole Recipes Quick Casserole Recipes Best Casserole Recipes You Might Also Like Tuscan Tuna & White Bean SaladFennel-Crusted Salmon on White BeansTuna & White Bean SaladBaked Cod with Chorizo & White BeansSeared Salmon with White Beans & Fennel Preparation Heat oil in a 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add potatoes and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Place fish in the sauce. (The fish should be at least halfway covered with liquid; if necessary, add more water.) Return the potatoes to the pot, cover and simmer until the fish is opaque and the potatoes are tender, 25 to 30 minutes more. Squeeze lemon juice over the stew just before serving. Tips & Notes Tip: Overfishing and trawling have drastically reduced the number of cod in the U.S. and Canadian Atlantic Ocean and destroyed its sea floor. For sustainably fished cod, choose U.S. Pacific cod or Atlantic cod from Iceland and the northeast Arctic. For more information, visit Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch at seafoodwatch.org. Nutrition

Per serving: 203 calories; 3 g fat ( 0 g sat , 2 g mono ); 45 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 18 g protein; 4 g fiber; 512 mg sodium; 863 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (57% daily value), Potassium (25% dv)

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

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Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

View Our Nutrition Guidelines » Ingredients 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, sliced 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced 1 red or green bell pepper, sliced 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 pound sirloin steak, trimmed and thinly sliced (see Tip) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1/2 cup sliced hot banana peppers (optional) 1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 3 slices reduced-fat provolone cheese (about 3 ounces) 4 whole-wheat buns, split and toasted More Healthy Recipe Ideas Slimming Vegetarian Dinners Healthy Burrito Recipes and Healthy Wrap Recipes Vegetarian Wrap & Sandwich Recipes St. Patrick’s Day Recipes Healthy Hamburger Recipes and More Burger Recipes You Might Also Like Portobello "Philly Cheese Steak" SandwichGuinness-Marinated Bison Steak SandwichesGrilled Portobello

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Cashew Salmon with Apricot Couscous

4 servings

Active Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Low cholesterol

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Lasagna with Slow-Roasted Tomato Sauce

View Our Nutrition Guidelines » Ingredients Sauce 3 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 teaspoons dried basil, divided 1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano, divided 1 medium onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup water 1 6-ounce can tomato paste 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Lasagna 1 15- to 16-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat shredded mozzarella, divided 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 9 lasagna noodles (uncooked), preferably whole-wheat 10 ounces baby spinach More Healthy Recipe Ideas Top Crock Pot Recipes of 2011 Best Vegetarian Recipes Healthy Dinner Recipes for the Super Bowl Best Dinner Recipes Easy Slow Cooker and Crock Pot Recipes You Might Also Like Shellfish LasagnaMushroom & Butternut Squash LasagnaSlow-Cooker Vegetarian LasagnaRoasted Tomato & Preserved Lemon SauceTurkey Lasagna Preparation To prepare sauce: Preheat oven to 300

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Chopped Tandoori Chicken Salad

F, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Grill the tomatoes, turning or stirring occasionally, until slightly charred, 5 to 6 minutes. Let cool while you prepare the dressing and the rest of the salad. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon each cumin and garam masala and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk in cilantro, vinegar, oil and cayenne. Add romaine, cucumber and chickpeas. Chop the chicken and add to the salad; toss well. Serve with the tomatoes. Tips & Notes Make Ahead Tip: Marinate chicken for up to 24 hours.

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Shrimp Pad Thai

Shrimp Pad Thai

 

Easy French Onion Soup

Have a great dinner with only 20 minutes of prep time!

French onion soup:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 yellow onions (about 1 3/4 pounds), thinly sliced with the grain to hold their shape
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup grated Swiss
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
• 4 (1-inch thick) baguette slices, cut on the bias

Directions

In a heavy bottomed Dutch oven or large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions, sprinkle with salt, cover, and cook until deeply caramelized, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Turn the heat up to medium and sprinkle the onions with the flour. Stir and allow to cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the red wine. Add the thyme, bay leaf, lemon juice, and stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. Ladle the soup into 4 ovenproof crocks.

Heat the broiler to high. Mix the cheeses together in a small bowl. Top each crock with a baguette slice and evenly distribute the cheese on top of each. Place the crocks under the broiler just until the cheese is bubbly and browning, about 1 minute. Serve hot.

Slow Cooker/Crockpot Tacos

Great recipe for easy to make tacos:

 

Ingredients

For Pork:

• 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 to 2 chipotle peppers, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 4 to 5 pound pork shoulder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For Pickled Onions:

• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

For Tacos:

• 24 corn tortillas
• 1 small green cabbage, shredded
• 2 avocados, peeled and thinly sliced
• Pickled red onions
• 1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
• Chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

For Pork:

Directions

To the sleeve of a slow cooker add onion, garlic, tomatoes, chipotle peppers, Worcestershire sauce, and cilantro. Add pork and season with salt and pepper. Cover and slow cook on high for 4 to 6 hours until tender.

For Red Onions:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes and salt, heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add onions and dried oregano. When mixture is cool pour into a quart container. You may need to add a bit of water just to cover. (Keep at room temperature for about 6 hours then place in the refrigerator.

Remove pork from slow cooker and shred using 2 forks. Toss with 1/2 cup of the liquid from the slow cooker.

To serve place 1/4 cup of the pork on a tortilla, top with cabbage, avocado, onions, sour cream and cilantro. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Great Guacamole Recipe - Made it last Sunday!

Made this last Sunday, really good.  From Alton Brown at the Food Network.

Most of the stuff, just do to taste.. measuring isn't entirely necessary.

Ingredients

• 3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated. Using a potato masher add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

World's Best Sloppy Joes

World's Best Sloppy Joes

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 3 teaspoons brown sugar
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids.
2. Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Lemon Bars

Lemon Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 lemons, juiced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.
4. Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool. For a festive tray, make another pan using limes instead of lemons and adding a drop of green food coloring to give a very pale green. After both pans have cooled, cut into uniform 2 inch squares and arrange in a checker board fashion.

Banana Crumb Muffins

Banana Crumb Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Pizza Casserole

Pizza Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked egg noodles
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup sliced pepperoni sausage
• 16 ounces pizza sauce
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cook noodles according to package directions.
3. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onion, garlic and green bell pepper. Drain excess fat. Stir in the noodles, pepperoni, pizza sauce and milk, and mix well. Pour this mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes, top with the cheese, then bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.

"Over the Top" Nachos

Over the Top Nachos

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion finely diced 
• sale and pepper to taste
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 1 (14.5 ounce) package tortilla chips
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, sliced

Directions

1. In a large frying pan, brown ground beef with onion, salt and pepper over medium heat. Break the meat into very small pieces while it is cooking. After the meat is thoroughly cooked, drain off the grease.
2. Arrange chips on a microwavable platter. Spread beans over the chips. Layer with 1/2 of the cheese, the ground beef mixture, and remaining cheese. Arrange jalapeno peppers on top.
3. Microwave on medium-high until cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

Stuffed Red Peppers

Stuffed Red Peppers

Ingredients

• 2 large red bell peppers, halved and seeded
• 1 (8 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
• 1/3 cup quick-cooking brown rice
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained
• 1/2 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Arrange pepper halves in a 9 inch square glass baking dish. Cover dish with plastic wrap. Poke a few holes in the plastic wrap for vents, and heat 4 minutes in the microwave, or until tender.
2. In a medium bowl, mix tomatoes and their liquid, rice, and water. Cover with plastic, and cook in the microwave for 4 minutes, or until rice is cooked.
3. Stir green onions, corn, kidney beans, and red pepper flakes into the tomato mixture. Heat in the microwave for 3 minutes, or until heated through.
4. Spoon hot tomato mixture evenly into pepper halves, and cover with plastic wrap. Poke a few holes in the plastic to vent steam, and heat in the microwave 4 minutes. Remove plastic, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese, and allow to stand 1 to 2 minutes before serving.