Albondigas Soup

Ingredients:

5 large sausage links
2 Tbs olive oil
12 oz can diced tomatoes
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 red potatoes, diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 C frozen sweet corn
2 Tbs cumin seeds
1 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
8 C beef stock
1/2 C cilantro, chopped
1 lime
1 C cooked rice
Salt to taste

Heat olive oil in large pot, add onions and cook until translucent. In seperate pan pop cumin, coriander and peppercorns over medium heat until fragrant then grind into powder. Cut sausages into small pieces and add to onions. Cook until browned then add garlic, potatoes and bell peppers. Saute 2 min. Add tomatoes, beef stock and all spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sausage is cooked and potatos are soft. Add frozen corn and rice and turn off heat. Garnish with cilantro and lime!

Crockpot Arroz Con Pollo

Ingredients :

3 lbs chicken chopped into 1" cubes
1 1/4 C chicken stock
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C diced mushrooms
1/2 C diced green pepper
1 Tbs black peppercorns
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cloves
4 Tbs annatto seeds
8 allspice
1 C frozen peas
1/4 C orange juice
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 C brown rice

Cook onions with oil in large sauce pan until translucent. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook another minute. Spray inside of crockpot with nonstick and put onions and garlic inside. Brown chicken in same pan. Once all sides of chicken pieces are browned add to crockpot. Put rice in sauce pan, with tomatoes and their juice, orange juice and chicken stock. Grind all spices and also add to pot. Bring to boil and then add to crockpot. Put lid on pot and cook on low for 5 1/2 hours. Add frozen peas and peppers then cook another 30 min. Enjoy!

Vegan Mini Rose Pies

Whole Wheat Pie Crust :
1 C whole wheat flour
1/2 C white flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C cold vegetable shortening
4 Tbs ice water

Mix dry ingredients then cut in shortening and add water until dough is formed. Roll out to 1/8" thick and use the  top of a glass or circle cutter to cut out 12 dough circles. Grease a muffin tin and line with dough circles, then put in fridge to chill.

Apple Filling :                                                

2 large apples (halved, seeded and sliced as thin as possible)

Juice of one lemon

1 Tbs strawberry jam

1 Tbs vegetable shortening

1 Tbs honey

4 Tbs raw sugar

Melt shortening and stir in honey, sugar and jam. Pour over apples and then stir in lemon juice. Microwave apple mixture for 45 sec. Line apple slices on cutting board in a horizontal line slightly over lapping each other. Have skins facing you. Make row of about 10 slices then, beginning with the first apple slice, roll the line of apples to the end and place in refrigerated pie cups. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 min. Brush hot pies with extra jam, lemon, honey and sugar mixture. Let cool and enjoy!

Vegan Vanilla Chai Cream Pie

Whole Wheat Pie Crust:
1 C whole wheat flour
1/2 C white flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
8 Tbs cold vegetable shortening
4 Tbs ice water

Mix dry ingredients then cut in shortening and add water until dough is formed. Refrigerate 30 min then roll out and put in pie tin. Poke bottom of crust with fork to keep air pockets from forming and weight pie crust with oven safe sauce pan and bake for 20 min at 350 degrees. Let cool.

Coconut milk pudding filling:
16 oz coconut milk
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 C corn starch
1/8 C water
1/3 C honey or sugar (or 1/2 C for a sweeter pie)
1 tsp vanilla
3 tsp chai spice (equal parts black peppercorns, allspice, cloves, star anis, nutmeg, cinnamon, dried ginger, cardamom. Pop whole spices in dry sauce pan over heat until fragrant then transfer to grinder and grind until fine powder is formed.)

Put milk, honey and salt into sauce pan and cook until melted together. In a seperate bowl mix together corn starch and water into a paste. Slowly stir into milk mixture. Cook on a low temperature,  never letting the pudding boil too vigorously. Cook until thick, about 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Turn off heat and add vanilla and chai spice. Let cool completely then put in pie crust. Top with sprinkled cinnamon.

Gluten Free Spinach and Mushroom Quiche with Fresh Mozzarella

Quiche Crust:

2 1/2 C cornmeal flour
1 stick cold butter
1 tsp salt
7 Tbs vegetable shortening
2-4 Tbs water

Mix all ingredients together and chill for 20 min. Roll out into disc and put in well-greased pie tin. Place second pie tin, weighted with dry beans, on top and bake for 15-20 min at 350 degrees (until edges begin to brown.) Remove from heat and let cool.

Filling:

1 C spinach
1 C sliced mushrooms
1 C fresh shredded mozzarella
4 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
6 eggs
1 1/2 C cream
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper

Line pie crust with spinach and mushrooms. Cover with cheese. In seperate bowl combine all other ingredients and pour over veggies and cheese. Bake for 45 min at 425 degrees, or until quiche solidifies. Enjoy!

Crockpot Vegetable Lasagne

Ingredients:
1/2 medium onion
2 C diced zucchini
3 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper
2 C diced mushrooms
8-10 large lasagne noodles, uncooked
3 C shredded mozzarella
2 1/2 C marinara sauce
1/4 C water
1/4 C chopped basil
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper

Grill or broil the zucchini, pepper, onion, mushrooms, and garlic until they begin to blacken and become soft. Place into food processor with basil and blend until everything is finely chopped. Add to bowl with marinara, water, salt and pepper. Mix together. Coat inside of crockpot with oil or nonstick spray and pour in 1/3 of the sauce mixture. Cover the sauce with 1/4 of the cheese. Place lasagne noodles over the cheese, breaking them to make them fit evenly. Repeat process 2 more times and cover the last noodle layer with the last of the cheese. Put the crockpot lid on and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

Grilled Squash Pesto

Fantastic on pizza or pasta. Put extra squash to good use with this easy recipe.

Ingredients:
1 lb squash
1/4 C fresh basil leaves
1/2 of a medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1 Tbs olive oil
Freshly ground pepper

Grill squash on the grill, about 5 min per side or until the skin begins to darken all over. If you choose to broil, dice squash into 1" cubes and cook for 12-15 min.
Slice onion and heat olive oil in sauce pan. Add onions and saute on low until they turn translucent. Let cool then add onions, garlic, basil and cooked squash to food processor and blend until smooth. Return to sauce pan, add salt and pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 5 min. Use hot over pasta or let cool and use on pizza dough.