Rice & Veggies

Quinoa Chili (and dip)

1/2 cup onions
1 bell pepper
1 T olive oil
3/4 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cup water

Place olive oil, onions and bell pepper in a large pot and cook until semi-tender. Add quinoa and water, then bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until water is mostly soaked up.

2 cans chili beans in chili sauce, do not drain
1 can sliced olives, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, do not drain
1 can tomato paste plus one can water
1 t cumin
2 t chili powder
1 t garlic powder
1 T dried onions
1/2 t pepper
1 T sugar

Place the rest of the ingredients into the pot and stir well. Cook on low-medium heat for 20-30 minutes. Serve with chips and cheese.

This can be warmed up and served as a dip for chips the following day.

Mexican Quinoa Casserole

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
2 cups diced zucchini
2 cups bell pepper strips
1 can (14 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 T taco seasoning
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup sliced black olives
sour cream (optional for topping)

Bring the water and quinoa to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.

Spread the diced zucchini on the bottom of a greased 9 by 13 pan. Layer bell pepper strips on top. Mix the quinoa with the black beans, green onions and the taco seasoning. Place mixture on top of the veggies in the pan. Spread the salsa on top and cover with cheese and black olives.

Bake for 30 minutes in a 350 oven or until cheese has fully melted. Serve immediately with sour cream, if desired.

(found in the Quinoa 365 cookbook)

Refried Bean Soup

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 can (31 oz) refried beans
1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or dried if necessary
tortilla chips, optional, for topping

In a large saucepan, bring the tomatoes, onion and garlic to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Stir in the refried beans, broth and cilantro; simmer for 15 minutes.

Found in "Taste of Home: Simple and Delicious Cookbook"

Macaroni Coleslaw

1 package ditalini (ring macaroni)
1 package coleslaw mix
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 medium cucumber, finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small can of sliced olives
1 package (6 ounce or so) precooked chicken

Dressing:
1 1/2 cups Miracle Whip
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again well. Place pasta into large bowl and add the rest of the non-dressing ingredients. In small ball, whisk the dressing ingredients together and then toss into salad. Cover and refrigerate before serving.

Optional: add chicken

(Adapted from a Taste of Home magazine)

Ravioli Bake

1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, drained (I've found this to be optional)
2 pkg. (1 pound each) frozen ravioli
2 cups shredded Italian/mozzarella cheese
2 T grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400.

Mix spaghetti sauce, tomatoes and water. Spoon one cup into bottom of 13*9 inch baking dish.

Layer half the ravioli and 1 cup shredded cheese over tomato mixture. Top with remaining sauce and then ravioli. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and cover.

Optional: diced zucchini and/or Italian sausage

Bake 30 minutes and then uncover. Bake 15 minutes more. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Sweet Country Cornbread

1/2 cup milk (powdered milk works fine)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 egg or substitute
1 cup flour or masa (corn flour)
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can creamed corn

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottom and side of 8*8 pan.

Beat milk, butter, egg and creamed corn in a large bowl. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. The batter will be lumpy.

Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Macaroni Salad

1 16 ounce box macaroni or salad noodles
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/4 cup black olives, chopped
1/4 cup dill pickles, chopped
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise or Miracle Whip (more or less to taste is okay)
1/2 t finely ground dry mustard
1/2 t celery seed (optional)
1 t apple cider vinegar

Prepare noodles according to package directions. Rinse with cold water and let drain. Mix well with the rest of the ingredients.

Stir-fried Rice

3 cups cooked rice
1 bag frozen stir fry vegetables
1 can water chestnuts
2 T. vegetable oil
2 or more T soy sauce

Place oil in a large frying pan and heat. Add in vegetables and water chestnuts. Cook until the vegetables are heated through. Dump the rice in the pan and add the soy sauce. Mix together and continue to cook for an additional five minutes, being careful not to burn the rice. Add soy sauce to taste.

Add ins (to add in right before you mix the rice in):
Scrambled eggs
Chopped ham

Cabbage Crunch Salad

2 T sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped

Mix together with 1 package Ramen noodles (chicken flavored), uncooked and broken into tiny pieces. Add just before serving.

Dressing:
2 T sugar
4 T rice vinegar
1/4 t salt and pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil (NEVER use olive oil)
1/2 package chicken flavor from Ramen noodles

Combine all ingredients. Pour over salad just before serving and toss.

(We have tried other flavors of Ramen noodles and chicken really is the best)

Scrambled Eggs

2 eggs per person
1 T. milk per egg
1/8 t. salt per egg
1/8 t. white pepper per egg
1 t. butter per egg

Mix above ingredients well. Melt butter in pan and dump egg mixture in. Cook until dry.

Add ins (to be cooked before the eggs):
chopped red or white onion
chopped red or green bell pepper
chopped tomatoes
chopped leeks
chopped cilantro

Top with shredded cheese.

Baked Potato with Chili

1 potato per person
1 can chili (Staggs Country Brand)
grated cheese
chopped tomatoes
sliced olives
chopped onions
butter
salt
pepper
season salt

Bake potato until done inside. Ususally 1 hour in 400 degree oven or hit the baked potato button on the microwave, one hit for every potato. Top with toppings.

Homemade Macaroni & Cheese

1 pound macaroni or other small noodle
2 1/2 cups cheese
3 T. butter
3 T. flour
1 1/2 cup milk
2 t. salt
1/2 cup bread crumbs (italian style is good)
2 t. white pepper

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain noodles and leave in strainer until next step is done. In the same pot melt butter and then add flour until mixture is very thick. Pour in milk slowly and stir constantly. Add cheese and salt and stir until melted. Dump drained noodles in and stir until all noodles are coated. In a casserole dish (3 quarts or larger) sprinkle half of the bread crumbs and half of the pepper. Dump the cheese covered noodles in the dish and place the other half of the bread crumbs and pepper on top.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350.

Cheese Sauce

3 T butter
3 T flour
2 cups milk
2-3 cups shredded cheese
1 t salt
1/2 t white pepper

Stir constantly throughout! Melt butter in pot. Add in flour. Pour in milk a little bit at a time. The mixture will be thick at first and gradually become thinner. Dump cheese in and let melt. Add in salt and pepper.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

4 bell peppers (with core removed)
2-3 cups cooked rice
1 can chili beans in chili sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
3 T chopped garlic
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Mix together rice and beans. Stuff bell pepper with mixture. In 3 quart baking dish, spread out tomatoes and mix garlic in. Place each stuffed pepper on top of tomato mixture. Bake at 350 for an hour. When dishing up, place a spoonful of tomato mixture on top of bell pepper. Top with cheese.

This can also be made in the crock pot, cooking for 3-4 hours on high.

Spanish Rice

1 cup uncooked regular rice
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 T vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups water
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 small green bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 1/2 t salt
3/4 t chili powder
1/8 t garlic powder

Cook rice and onion in oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is golden brown and onion is tender.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender.

You can also add a pound of ground beef to this.

Enchiladas

1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 can enchilada sauce
1 t garlic salt
12 corn tortillas
2 cups cheese
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (optional)

Empty contents of cans into deep pan and stir in salt. Heat sauce on a low heat setting, so you won't burn your fingers. When sauce is warm, place a tortilla in the pan and cover it with sauce. After about 10 seconds remove tortilla and carefully scrape some of the excess sauce back into the pan. Place tortilla in a baking dish and fill center with cheese and meat. Roll up and move to one end of the pan. Continue doing this until sauce is gone.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Lentil Soup

2 T olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
3/4 t marjoram, dried
3/4 t thyme, dried
7 cups broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
1 pound lentils
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
3/4 cup grape juice
2 T parsley, dried

Saute onion, carrots, marjoram, and thyme in oil, just until onion is soft. Transfer mixture to a large pot and add broth and lentils. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour (expect the soup to be thick). Add remaining ingredients and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.