Day 29--Couscous Salad with Apples and Spinach

Couscous Salad with Apples and Spinach
8 Apples, Gala or Fuji work well
2 cups fine grain Couscous
1 quart fresh spinach, washed and julienned
1/2 cup chopped scallions

Dressing:
1 cup orange juice
2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons Rice Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons Lime juice 
1 Tablespoon light soy sauce
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Core and chop apples.

Prepare couscous according to package directions. Make dressing by whisking together all the ingredients together. Place the warm couscous in a large bowl, pour the dressing over the couscous then stir well to combine.

Add apples, spinach, and scallions. Chill until serving.

Serves 8 

Day 28--Steak and Asparagus Quiche

Steak and Asparagus Quiche

2 Tablespoons butter, softened (plus more for pan)
1 pound frozen, shredded hashbrowns
4 eggs
2 cups half and half
coarse salt
ground pepper
1 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
4-5 oz soft goat cheese at room temperature
3/4 cup steak, cubed
1/4 cup asparagus chopped in 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup roasted red peppers cut in 1 inch pieces
scallions-thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush 9 inch springform pan with butter then line the sides with strips of waxed paper. Brush paper with butter.

Squeeze excess water from hashbrowns. Mix with butter, 1 teaspoon salt and 1.4 teaspoon pepper.  press into bottom and side of pan. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until set, 15 to 20 minutes.

In a large bowl whisk sour chream, goat cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until well combined. Whisk in eggs and half and half. Add steak, asparagus and peppers. Pour into crust and sprinkle with scallions.

Bake unti set, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from pan and peel off wax paper.

Serves 6

Note: gently tap or shake the pan to test if the quiche is done. If the filling jiggles slightly in the middle but not on the sides, the quiche is set.

Day 27--Mozzarella-Tomato Skewers

Mozzarella-Tomato Skewers

Grape Tomatoes

Fresh Mozzarella Boconccini, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup vinaigrette dressing

splash of red wine vinegar

splash of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Marinated vegetables such as olives or mushrooms

Toothpicks

Halve or quarter the boconccini (The size should correspond to the size of the tomatoes) Add red wine vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper to vinaigrette. Add the cheese. Marinate for several hours. This step can be done up to a week prior to serving!

Skewer a tomatoe, a chunk of cheese and olive or mushroom on a toothpick.

Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper then garnish with chopped fresh herbs if desired.

Day 26--Chinatown Vegatable Medley

Check out http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/ for more recipes like this quick and tasty stirfry.  This dish is an excellent source of vitamins A and C.

Remember: Fruits and Veggies--More Matters!

Chinatown Vegetable Medley

1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced diagonally
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite size pieces
1/2 yellow onion cut into 1" pieces
2 ounces baby corn
1/4 cup broccoli florets
1/4 cup cauliflower florets
1/2 cup snow peas

SAUCE:
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Place wok or large frying pan over HIGH heat until hot. Add oil to coat. Add vegetables and stirfry for 1 minute. Add sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to MEDIUM-HIGH, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Serves 4.

Day 25--More Brownies

Here's a magical recipe. It's been given out throughout the family, but no one makes them like Char! She's got that special touch. But even without her knack, these are some durned good brownies.

Brownies #2

Melt: 2 squares unsweetened chocolate

Cream together: 1 cup sugar
                             1 stick margarine

Add: 2 eggs
         1 teaspoon vanilla
          2/3 cup flour

Stir in: melted chocolate and 1/2 cup nuts (always optional)

Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes

FROSTING
2 Tablespoons cocoa
2 Tablespoons hot water
2 Tablespoons margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
enough powdered sugar to make desired consistency

Mix ingredients together and spread on brownies...

Day 24--Brownies #1

As a chocolate lover, of course Brownies are a favorite. And I don't have just one favorite. This recipe comes from a tattered much used and much loved Hershey's Cocoa cookbook.
.

"The Best" Brownie 

1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (Always optional for me)

Blend oil, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Add eggs and beat well with a spoon. Combine dry ingredients then gradually add to egg mixture until well blended. Stir in those optional nuts. Spread in a greased 9x9 inch pan.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes--or until brownie begins to pull away from edges of the pan. Cool in pan. Frost if desired.

Note: One of my favorite 'frostings' for brownies is to simply pour chocolate chips on the brownie just after it comes out of the oven. When the chips have melted, spread them over the surface. Let cool and enjoy!
 

Day 23--Sour Cream Banana Bread

  

When I worked for the University, one of my titles was the queen of bananas. When bananas got too ripe to serve, they were frozen. By the end of the year, there was a good chance of there being a fairly substantial amount of bananas. So I would take some workdays and do nothing but make banana products for summer camps. Here's one of the recipes. This bread freezes well, so I made loaf upon loaf. This recipe is cut back for the home kitchen.

Sour Cream Banana Bread

1 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons butter

1 egg

2 ripe bananas

2 Tablespoons sour cream

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the egg, banana and sour cream and mix well.

Mix in the dry ingredients. Pour into loaf pan.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 50 minutes or until pick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.