Simple Crockpot Dressing

• 1 (8 inch) pan cornbread
• 8 slices dry white bread
• 4 eggs
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 1 tsp. sage
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• Celery to taste
• 1 med. onion
• 2 tbsp. butter

Combine all ingredients except butter in crockpot. Dot butter across the top. Cook on high for two hours and then reduce to low for four hours. .

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cranberries

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 sweet onion, julienned
• 1 cup cranberries
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• Sprigs of fresh , sage, rosemary and thyme as desired
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a roasting pan or shallow pan and thoroughly coat with oil. Lightly salt and pepper. Roast at 400 for 30-45 minutes or until onions start to brown. .

Collard-Stuffed Acorn Squash

• 2 medium acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• ½ teaspoon salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 8 cups chopped collard or chard leaves
• 1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
• 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
• ⅓ cup coarse dry breadcrumbs
• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Place squash halves open-side down on a baking tray and bake at 400 for one hour. Allow to cool slightly. Cut a sliver off the ends of the squash so they can be flipped over and sit flat. In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon oil and sauté onion until soft and translucent, add garlic and cook for 1 additional minute. Add water, tomato paste, salt, pepper and collard greens. Cover and cook until collards are soft, about 10 minutes. Add beans and olives, and stir. Allow to cook for 5 minutes or until cooked through. Position rack in center of oven; preheat broiler. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl, set aside. Fill squash halves with collard mixture. Cover with breadcrumbs and broil in center of the oven until breadcrumbs are browned.

Crisp Wedge Salad

• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 1 pkg. crumbled blue cheese
• 1 pkg. fully cooked bacon, crumbled
• 1 bottle Balsamic vinaigrette or blue cheese dressing
• Dried cranberries

Cut lettuce in half and then into wedge quarters. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon, blue cheese, cranberries and dressing. Serve immediately.

Quick and Easy Miso Soup

This recipe is very easy and quick, with a milder flavor than miso soup with seaweed. Cabbage is recommended, but it can be made with any fresh greens and makes a tasty way to get your veggies.

• 1 tbsp. white or brown miso
• 1 qt. water
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped
• 1 head bok choi or savoy cabbage, coarsely chopped

In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add miso and dissolve in liquid. Add vegetables and boil until they are bright green and slightly soft. Serve immediately.

Fresh Tomato & Cucumber Salad

• 2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
• 6 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• « red onion, finely chopped OR 1 bunch green onions chopped
• ¬ c. cider or other light vinegar
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Broccoli Salad

• Package of broccoli florets
• 2 bunches scallions
• 1 lb. bacon, crumbled (sub. Bacon bits)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sugar
• ¼ cup vinegar
• Sunflower seeds or mixed nuts
• Raisins

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate overnight.

Spicy Asian Slaw

• 1 bag cole slaw
• 1 bag stir fry mix (snow peas, broccoli florets, cabbage)
• 1 poblano pepper, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 bottle spicy soy-ginger dressing

Combine ingredients and chill overnight.

Pesto Pasta Salad

• ¾ lb. penne pasta
• ¼ c. mayonnaise
• ¼ c. refrigerated pesto sauce
• 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ¾ tsp. pepper
• 2 c. julienned smoked chicken or turkey or cooked, peeled shrimp
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 c. julienned fresh basil

Cook pasta as package label directs. Meanwhile in medium bowl, combine mayo, yogurt, pesto, lemon juice, salt and pepper, mix well. Drain pasta, rinse with cold water. Place in bowl. Add mayonnaise mixture and remaining ingredients. Toss. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving. Serves 6.

Watermelon and Tomato Salad

• 2 cups cubed or melon-balled watermelon
• 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup freshly chopped mint

Combine watermelon and tomatoes in a medium bowl. Whisk lime juice, oil and pepper and drizzle over fruit. Sprinkle mint over salad, toss well.

Steph’s Giant Batch of Corn and Black Bean Salad

• 5 ears corn cut off the cob
• 2 cans black beans, rinsed well
• 2 finely chopped medium onions
• ½ c. chopped cilantro
• 2 chopped zucchini
• 2 chopped poblano peppers
• Chopped Roma tomatoes
• Chopped avocados
• 1 batch Chili Lime Dressing

Mix together, chill for at least an hour and serve. If you are making in advance, don’t add the tomatoes and avocados until ready to serve. Also great with grilled chicken, shrimp or crab meat.

Chili Lime Dressing – makes 1 cup

• 5 tbsp. Lime juice
• 2 finely chopped jalepenos
• 2 tbsp. Minced garlic
• 2 tsp. Very finely minced fresh ginger
• 1 tsp. Sugar or Splenda
• 2 chopped poblano peppers
• 1/3 c. EVOO
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix well and chill.

Judy’s Cuban Bean Casserole

• 2 c. black beans
• 1 c. red onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 c. rice
• ¼ green chiles, minced
• 1 c. tomatoes, chopped
• ½ c. yogurt
• Chopped cilantro

Mix red onions and minced garlic. Separately mix rice and green chiles. Use these mixes, beans and tomatoes as layers. Top with yogurt and fresh chopped cilantro.

Setas Salteadas (Spanish Mushroom Salad)

• 1 lb. mushrooms
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. parsley, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Lemon juice, salt and pepper

Quarter mushrooms. Saute mushrooms with salt and pepper for about one minute. Add garlic and parsley. Saute until soft. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve.

Easy, Breezy, Capreze Salad

• Fresh Basil leaves
• Fresh ripe tomatoes, sliced
• 2 tbsp. parsley, minced
• A log of Mozzarella, sliced
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Alternate a single basil leaves, slices of tomato, and slices of cheese in a shallow pan or serving dish. Drizzle liberally with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for an hour and serve.

Fruit Salad in a Watermelon

• 1 whole or half watermelon
• Peaches
• Strawberries
• Grapes
• Blueberries

To save on serving dishes without skimping on presentation slice a watermelon in half lengthwise and remove watermelon in chunks. Replace some watermelon chunks, and continue to add layers of fruit going from largest to smallest – watermelon, sliced peaches, strawberries, grapes, blueberries. Be creative, use whatever looks good at the local produce stand. When the salad is gone it allows for easy clean up. If you are staying in a particularly green resort, you may even be able to compost the remains!

Kelly’s Stuffed Zucchini

• 1 c. couscous
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise and cored
• 1-2 tbsp. chopped parsley

Cook couscous according to directions. Place 4 zucchini halves in a pan with a half inch of salted water and allow to steam until firm but heated through. Saute onions and parsley. Add onions, parsley tomato and whatever other veggies you have available to the couscous. Spoon couscous mixture into zucchini. Makes a great lunch or an impressive side for a special dinner.

Jeanne Salad

Salad Ingredients:

• Fresh spinach leaves
• bean sprouts
• mushrooms
• bacon (can use bacon bits or make real bacon)
• eggs

Salad Dressing Ingredients

• small onion (shred small)
• 1 cup salad oil
• 1/4 cup sugar (splenda worked well)
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• dash of salt

Put all the above ingredients for dressing in bottle and shake well, heat if desired. Layer salad, and pour dressing as needed. A little of the dressing goes a long way. Can be used as a side or tossed with chicken or shrimp for a light main course.

Foil Asparagus

Take one bunch of fresh asparagus and cut 2 inches off the bottom. Place all asparagus spears in the middle of an 18-inch sheet of aluminum foil. Add several pats of butter or olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap up asparagus so that it is airtight in its foil packet. Cook at 350 for 20 minutes or grill until blackened on the outside.

Grilled Corn

Take unshucked corn on the cob and pull back one side – add generous pats of butter and sprinkle with salt. Replace the pulled-back side. Grill at 350 for 20 minutes or grill until blackened on the outside.

Noodle Slaw

• 1 pkg. broccoli slaw mix
• 1 cup sesame seeds
• 2 pkg. chicken ramen noodles (broken up)

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup oil (some recipes call for up to 2/3 cup)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• seasoning packet from ramen noodles

Mix oil, sugar and vinegar. In large bowl, mix together broccoli mix, sesame seeds and broken ramen noodles. Add dressing and toss. Let stand for a few hours.

Ratatouille

• 3 tsp. EVOO
• 1 thinly sliced onion
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled & sliced
• 1 sm. bay leaf
• 1 small eggplant, cubed (about 3 c.)
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 4 Roma tomatoes, cubed
• 1 tsp. salt (sea salt or Kosher are best)
• ½ c. torn basil leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add onion, garlic and bay leaf, stirring occasionally just until onions start to become clear. Transfer to a large roasting pan and add all remaining ingredients. Mix and thoroughly coat in oil. Roast at 300 for 45 minutes or until all ingredients are soft but still bright.

All recipes, unless stated otherwise, are from Stephanie W, Duluth, GA

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