Mexican Pasta

A lot of the same ingredients as the Minestrone Soup but in different amounts and with some spiciness.

Ingredients:

• vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 leeks, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 1 cup of tomato sauce
• 2 cups of pasta, mostly cooked (it will finish cooking in the sauce)
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
•  Parmesan cheese (or Cotija cheese if you can get it)

Directions:
1) Heat the oil in a pot.
2) Add the onion and cook until it is translucent, about 3 minutes.
3) Add the leeks and carrots until they soften a bit, about 3 minutes.  Add the salt and pepper.





4) Add the jalapeno, pasta, and tomato sauce and bring to a boil.
5) Allow to cook until the pasta is cooked and carrots soften.
6) Serve with cilantro and Parmesan.

Minestrone Soup

A good soup for when the weather is just starting to get cold. Even better when reheated!

Ingredients:

• vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 2 leeks, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 potato, diced
• 1 can of beans (I used kidney because it was all I could find)
• 1/2 a cup of parsley, chopped
• 1 bag of spinach, chopped
• marinara sauce
• water or vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup of cooked pasta

Directions:

1) Heat 4 TBSP oil in a pot.
2) Add the onions and let sweat until they become soft (you may need to add more oil to prevent burning).







3) Add the leeks, carrot, potato, salt and pepper and cook for a few mores minutes, until they begin to soften.








4) Add the beans, parsley and spinach until the spinach wilts.








5) Add the stock or water (to cover), and add half as much marinara sauce.
6) Simmer until the vegetables are soft.
7) Add the Parmesan cheese and pasta and cook until the cheese has mostly dissolved and the pasta is warmed.

 So much soup...

Creamed Spinach

Not the prettyist thing I've ever made, but delicious because it's cheese and spinach. Be great for Thanksgiving.

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1/2 an onion, chopped
• 1 bag of spinach, washed
• 1/4 stick of butter
• 2 TBSP flour
• 2 cups of milk
• 1 tube of Kraft Parmesan cheese (or the equivalent)
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1) Heat the olive oil in a pot (not a pan).
2) Add the garlic, and let cook for about 30 seconds, before it browns.
3) Add the onion until it softens.






4) Add the spinach and put the cover on the pot for about 3 minutes.
5) Remove the contents of the pot and place into a strainer or colander.
6) Add the butter until it melts.





7) Add the flour to make a roux.









8) Add the spinach mixture so the roux covers it.









9) Add the milk, Parmesan, salt and pepper.

Easy Egg Sandwich

Recipe taken from here where they call it a fried egg sandwich. I wouldn't call this a fried egg; its more like an omelet that you put on bread to eat on the go.

Ingredients:

• 1 piece of bread (or 2, I left mine open faced)
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• salt and pepper
• 1 slice of mozzarella cheese
• 3 green onions

Directions:

1) Toast the bread.
2) Put the oil in the pan and heat.
3)Put the eggs with the salt and pepper in a glass and mix with a fork.
4) Poor the eggs into the pan and heat until stiff.





5) Put the cheese and green onions on top.
6) Cook for 1 minute.
7) Fold the egg over the cheese like a 3 fold letter, and then the sides in.
8) Place on top of the toast.

Cheesey Scrambeled Eggs

Really simple one today. Inspiration from here, but then I misread the ingredients and ended up with just milk and already had sliced cheese.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 3 TBSP milk
• 1 clove of garlic
• 4 chives
• salt and pepper
• 1 TBSP vegetable oil
• 2 slices of Cheddar cheese

Directions:
1) Combine the eggs, milk, garlic chives and salt and pepper in a glass or bowl and mix with a fork. I prefer a glass because it is easier to mix.
2) Heat the vegetable oil in a pan.
3) Add the eggs and stir so it does not burn.
4) Cut the cheese into small squares. 
5) After the eggs are almost cooked, add the cheese.
6) Continue stirring as you cook until the eggs are done and the cheese is melted.

Grilled Cheese with Tomatoes and Garlic Mushroom Kale

 I wanted to try kale again, since I didn't get much of it in the Spanish Tortilla with Kale and had never had it at another time. I also saw grilled cheese with tomato in a store earlier so I made that as well to go with it.

Ingredients:

• Grilled Cheese
• butter
• 2 pieces of bread
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese, such as cheddar jack
• 2 slices of tomato
• Garlic Mushroom Kale
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup mushrooms
• 1/2 cup kale, stems removed and chopped

Directions:

1) Place a pan on medium heat and add some butter.
2) Assemble the grilled cheese and place it in the pan.
3) Heat the oil in another pan and add the garlic.
4) Once it starts simmering, add the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes.
5) Turn over the grilled cheese.





6) Add the kale to the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, or until wilted.
7) Both should be done.

Roasted Vegetable Tostada

Using the green pepper, red onion and some lettuce from the Boston Organics box. Recipe taken from here.

Ingredients:

• 8 corn tortillas
• 4 cups cherry tomatoes, chopped in half
• 2 cups green peppers, chopped
• 2 cups red onion, chopped
• spray olive oil
• garlic powder
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 cups Cheddar jack cheese (and more for toppings)
• 2 cups black beans
• lettuce
• sour cream
• salsa
• whatever else you want to put on top!

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 425F/220C.
2) Spray oil on a baking tray, place the tomatoes, peppers and onion on it and spray again. Salt and pepper.







3) Roast for 30 minutes.











4) Remove from the oven and toss with the beans and cilantro.
5) Decrease oven temperature to 375C/190F.
6) Spray each tortilla once with olive oil and dash garlic powder on it and then brush the oil and powder all over.





7) Spoon mixture evenly over tortillas and add the cheese on top.











8) Bake for 10 minutes.
9) Add the lettuce, sour cream and whatever else you like!

 Don't do this and try and make tacos. Corn tortillas are too fragile for this and they will break (as you can see the front left one is trying to do)

Mashed Potatoes with Cheddar and Chives

 As my last post will tell you, we get a box of fruit and vegetables once a week from Boston Organics. This box contained chives, thus this recipe was followed and altered a bit.

These do not turn into potato pancakes well. I think it is the cheeses and cream.

Ingredients:

• 4 lb baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-in chunks
• 10 oz sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1/2 cup low fat sour cream
• 1/3 cup low fat cream cheese
• 3 TBSP butter
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

1) Boil potatoes in a large pot in water for about 20 minutes, or until tender when stuck with a fork.
2) Scoop off 1 cup cooking water and reserve.
3) Drain.






4) Return potatoes to the pot and add the water and the rest of the ingredients.
5) Mash.