Angie's Favorite Substantial Snacks

Main Dishes

Joanne's Spinach Lasagna:

When I was in college, I used to baby-sit for a wonderful little girl. Sometimes, while she was napping, I would curl up in a chair and feast on a piece of the great lasagna her mother would make.

 

Mix Together: 1 chopped onion
1 or 2 cloves of garlic
2 TBSP Ricotta or small curd Cottage Cheese
1/4 LB grated Parmesan
3 beaten eggs
a little salt
lots of black pepper
2-3 TBSP. fresh chopped parsley
1 1/2 LB frozen spinach
Prepare: 1/2 LB Mozzarella Cheese shredded or sliced thin
1 LB Lasagna Noodles cooked 8 minutes with a little salt (or you can use the no-cook noodles)
Simmer Together: 2 small cans of tomato paste and 2 small cans or tomato sauce. Add oregano and basil.
Layer (at least 2 times): Noodles
Ricotta/onion/egg mix
Mozzarella
Sauce
Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes (or more if you like your cheese browned a bit!) This can be frozen and reheated if you so desire.

 

Tomato Soup
with Funky Grilled Cheese
on Batter Whole Wheat Bread:

When Brek and I first started dating, we were very into bread making and cooking from scratch. We made this recipe a few times and dazzled ourselves, so we decided to make it for Brek's family over summer vacation. We forgot the salt in both the bread and the soup. Brek's family smiled kindly and told us how great the meal was as they discreetly peeled back layers of their grilled cheese and covered them with salt.

 

The Soup:
(stolen and adapted from Molly Katzen's Moosewood Cookbook)
You need: 1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 big minced onion
4 cloves chopped garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dill (or more!)
lots of freshly ground pepper
6-8 fresh tomatoes or a 1 LB, 12 oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
1 TBSP Honey (optional)
1 TBSP plain yogurt or sour cream
2 medium size fresh tomatoes, diced (only need these if using canned above)
Fresh spinach (optional)
plain yogurt or sour cream (for the top!)
parsley and or basil (for the top!)
finely minced scallions or chives (for the top!)
1. Fresh Tomato Preparation (Use this step only if you choose the 6-8 fresh tomatoes instead of the canned):Boil enough water to cover all of the tomatoes. When water is boiling, plop in the tomatoes. When the skins are loose, take out tomatoes with a fork and run them under cold water. Pull off skins. Cut tomatoes in half horizontally, then scoop out the seeds. Chop tomatoes and put them in some boiling water on the stove.
2. Chop onions, garlic, spinach (if using). Heat olive oil in a skillet, add onions, garlic, , dill, some salt and some black pepper. Add optional spinach and honey to tomatoes.
3. When onions are translucent, add skillet mixture to boiling tomatoes. Let it cook until the tomatoes area s you like them. Mix in yogurt or sour cream 5 minutes before serving. Top with additional yogurt, sour cream, parsley, basil, scallions or chives.

The Funky Grilled Cheese:

(I first heard this name used by Brek's mom Lynn, who is a famous cook to all who have tried her meals!) My version of this sandwich basically consists of being as creative as possible with the bread and veggies and cheese you have in your kitchen. It's always best on homemade bread (see recipe below for "Whole Wheat Batter Bread") but is also great on any hearty wheat or rye bread. Some great veggies to try are: tomatoes, eggplant, spinach, red onion, mushrooms, and sprouts. You can saute' the vegetables in a little olive oil or butter with your favorite herbs, or just layer them on the bread with cheese and grill them up. Some great cheeses to try are: muenster, havarti, swiss, cheddar, colby, cream cheese, or neufschatel cheese (a version of cream cheese that has 1/3 less fat. Can usually be found near the cream cheese in similar packaging at the grocery store.) Mmmmmm, I love grilled cheese.

 

Sizzlin' Multi-bean and Veggie Chili:

Brek and I made this chili for a house concert we hosted in our living room for the famous and dazzling Michael McNevin. At one point in the evening, before all of the audience members arrived, I looked at the 8 gallon pot of chili on the stove and said "is that going to be enough?" Brek guffawed in my face and assured me that we would be eating leftover chili for the next 6 years. I doubted this very much, and the voice of my Italian mother kept invading my brain, whispering, "it's not enough! It's not enough!" Michael kindly tried to settle the argument by estimating how many ladles of chili were in the pot, and how many ladles it would take to fill a bowl. Michael and Brek, with their logistical skills, estimated that there would be plenty of chili. I still doubted this very much, but since it was 2 to 1, I let it go with a mild "Well, I still don't know…" The evening turned out to be grand, with over 40 guests. About halfway through the night, I went to get a bowl of chili, but Alas! It was all gone! I didn't even get to try any of it! Now, whenever Brek and I ponder, "is that going to be enough?" I get to say, "remember the chili."

 

Simmer in olive oil (in a large pot):

Onion, whole baby carrots (or cut if you like them smaller) garlic, sweet potatoes, celery, spinach, corn.

Add cans of chopped tomatoes and tomato sauce. (Add water as needed to control thickness.) Add black beans, chick peas, red beans, white beans, and just about any beans you like.

Add spices: Cumin, Chili Powder, Cayenne, Coriander, Salt, black or white pepper.

I like to let this simmer for at least a few hours to let the vegetables cook thoroughly and to let the flavors saturate the chili. Tasty with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream and a sprinkling of shredded cheese on top.

 

Anne's Veggie Quiche:

My friend Anne is the master of doing it all. She taught me how to make this quiche. I didn't even know that I liked quiche until she and her man Scott cooked up a spinach quiche and had Brek and I over for dinner. (Anne has great taste except that her favorite thing is peanut butter and jelly. She even likes something called a Little Debbie Peanut Butter and Jelly Snack Cake. But don't think about those when you are making this quiche.)

 

Have ready on the side: An unbaked pie crust (only one for bottom layer) (can be homemade or store- bought).
2 cups shredded cheese (I like mozzarella and cheddar, but use your favorite!)
Saute' in Olive Oil (or butter): any mixture you like of fresh chopped red onions, mushrooms, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes (total yield of cooked veggies should equal about 1 cup.)
Pinches of any of the following: Oregano, basil, dill, tarragon (fresh is always best, but dry will work just fine too.)
1. Spread half of the cheese on the bottom of the pie crust.
2. Mix veggies into the milk/egg mixture and pour over cheese into crust.
3. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top .
4. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes (until middle is cooked thoroughly.)