Because I have more options with tags and don't have a limit on how many posts a month show up as individual posts I'm moving this journal to http://community.livejournal.com/pejasrecipes/  New recipes will be posted there

Sorry for any inconvenience

Creamed Spinach Soup
Serving Size: 4

nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped onion
10 ounces cleaned spinach leaves
4 cups nonfat chicken broth
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup nonfat sour cream
1 teaspoon cumin
chopped cilantro
lemon peel strips, garnish

Spray saucepan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Add onion and saute over medium-low heat until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in spinach leaves and cook, stirring, until leaves are wilted, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in chicken broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until leaves are tender, about 5 minutes.

Puree soup with immersion blender or pour into blender and puree until smooth.

Return soup to pot if removed to blender. Stir flour into sour cream until smooth. Stir cream mixture and cumin into soup. Bring to boil.

Reduce heat and simmer over low heat until soup is thickened and flavors are blended, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over top.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 79 Calories; trace Fat (1.4% calories from fat); 16g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 6mg Cholesterol; 544mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

Quick Creamy Tomato Soup

2 (15 oz) container chicken or vegetable broth
1 (28 oz) can concentrated crushed tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
coarse salt to taste
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
20 fresh basil leaves - cut into chiffonade

=== SOUP TOPPERS ===
4 slices crusty bread, 4" across by 1/4" thick
2 fresh garlic cloves - cracked optional
extra-virgin olive oil
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1/2 pound shredded cheese (provolone, Asiago, cheddar, Gruyere, Swiss, etc.) -- to compliment soup

Combine broth and tomatoes in a medium saucepan over moderate heat. When soup bubbles, stir in heavy cream and reduce heat to low. Season with a little salt and pepper and simmer gently 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. With an immersion blender, puree soup. Serve bowls of soup with basil chiffonade and floating soup toppers.

Soup Toppers: Toast bread slices in your toaster until golden. Rub the toasted bread rounds with crushed garlic, if using. Arrange bread on cookie or baking sheet. Drizzle each slice with extra-virgin oil and top with a grind of black pepper and a layer of shredded cheese. Place under hot broiler to melt cheese until toppers are golden brown in color.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 205 Calories; 22g Fat (94.5% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; 82mg Cholesterol; 22mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Non-Fat Milk; 4 1/2 Fat

Avacado Corn salsa

1 cup salsa(bottled or homeade)
1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled, and coarsely chopped
2 cups corn kernels
1/4 cup each, red and green bell pepper
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready.

makes about 3 cups or so

SPINACH LASAGNA ROLL-UPS

2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 egg
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 jar (15 oz.) Prego spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 c. shredded cheese, Provolone or Fontina
1 (12 oz.) pkg. mushrooms
1 med. onion, chopped
2 med. garlic cloves, chopped
1 container Ricotta cheese
8 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1 (10 oz.) pkg. chopped spinach, thawed and drained

In 10 inch skillet over medium heat, cook mushrooms and onions with garlic until tender and liquid is evaporated. In large bowl combine cheeses, spinach, salt, pepper and egg. Mix well. Spoon about 1/2 cup mixture down center of lasagna and roll up. Spoon 1/2 cup sauce in 12x8 inch baking dish.

Arrange roll-ups seam side down. Spoon remaining sauce over roll-ups. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake 5 minutes more.

12 Gorilla Casserole
This recipe serves 20!!

2 1/2 lb hamburger
2 large onions, chopped
3 stalks celery & Leaves, chopped
3 large carrots, grated
2 (3oz) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder (I used 1/2 tsp minced garlic for my 1/2 recipe)
24 oz macaroni (I used 10 oz wide egg noodles for my 1/2 recipe)
2 pkgs frozen spinach, thawed not drained

Optional: 30oz jar spaghetti sauce

1.. Brown ground beef in dutch oven; Drain.
2.. Return to pan; Add onion, celery, and carrots.
3.. Cook 5 minutes.
4.. Stir in tomatoes, salt, oregano, pepper, garlic, and spaghetti sauce.
5.. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered 1 hour.
6.. Cook noodles according to directions and set aside.
7.. After sauce is done, stir in pasta and spinach.
8.. Mix thoroughly.
9.. Put in (2) 9x13" Pans, and sprinkle with enough parmesan to cover.
10.. Cover, label, and freeze.
11.. To serve, thaw completely and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

Bean Burrito Casserole

12 whole wheat, fat-free tortillas
1/2 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup water
2 cans fat-free refried beans
1 cup salsa
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Sauce:
2 cups low-sodium tomato sauce
3 cups water
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
3 TBSP chili powder
4 TBSP corn starch or arrowroot

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Saute the onions, green peppers and garlic in the water for about 10 mintues. Add beans, salsa and yeast and mix thoroughly. Keep warm while making sauce.

For sauce: Place all ingredients in a saucepan and mix thoroughly. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils (about 7 minutes).

Place about a cup of sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish. Place some bean mixture in the middle of each tortilla, then fold up and place in casserole dish, seam down. When all the ingredients are used up, top with remaining sauce, cover dish and bake for 30 minutes.

Optional: Brown rice would be good. Top my burritos with fresh diced tomatoes; shredded lettuce and diced green onions.

All To Myself Cheesecakes

12 oreos cookies
2-8oz packages of softened cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup choc chips
2 tspshortening

Split cookies.
Keeping filling on 1 side.
Line muffin pans with FOIL baking cups.
Place filling covered cookies in baking cup, filling side up.
Set aside.
In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and eggs until smooth.
Spoon cream cheese mixture into baking cups.
Crush remaining cookies and sprinkle over cream cheese mixture.
Bake uncovered at 325°F for 25 minutes or until set.
Cool.
In small saucepan, melt chocolate chips with shortening over low heat, stirring frequently.
Drizzle over baked cheesecake.
Cover and chill.
 
12 single serving cheesecakes