Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup chopped tomato (I used grape tomatoes)
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded fresh parmigiana cheese
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh or 1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary or basil or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
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• 4 (5-inch) portobello mushroom caps
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• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
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• Combine the tomato, cheese, 1 teaspoon oil, rosemary or basil, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl.

• Remove brown gills from the undersides of mushroom caps using a spoon, and discard gills. Remove stems; discard. Combine 1 teaspoon oil, juice, and soy sauce in a small bowl; brush over both sides of mushroom caps. Place the mushroom caps, stem sides down, on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 5 minutes on each side or until soft.
• Spoon 1/4 cup tomato mixture into each mushroom cap. Cover and grill 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Ingredients

·         1 pound ground chuck (or ground turkey)

·         1 green bell pepper, chopped

·         1 cup finely diced onion

·         2 tsp. minced garlic

·         2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

·         1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

·         1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth

·         1 (14 ounce) can beef broth (opt. if needed)

·         1 teaspoon dried thyme

·         1 teaspoon crushed red pepper or cayenne

·         1 teaspoon dried oregano

·         1 teaspoon basil

·         salt and pepper to taste

·         1 cup cooked white rice (great way to use up that rice left over from Chinese Food)

Directions

1.     In a large stock pot brown ground meat. Drain fat and add pepper and onion. Cook until onion is translucent, not letting them brown.

2.     Add minced garlic, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, seasonings, & salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until peppers are tender.

3.    Add rice.  Heat soup through and serve. Add beef broth if needed to liquefy soup.  Top with some cheddar cheese if you wish.

Zuppa Tuscanna (Like Olive Garden)

½ pound of bacon fried crisp and crumbled

6 Italian sausages (I use hot – remove skin)

3 diced onions (about 3 C)

2 Tb Olive Oil

6 teas minced garlic
8 C Water

2 Tb chicken base

4 lg. potatoes, cubed

2 C chopped kale

1 C heavy whipping cream

Add red pepper flakes, salt and pepper as desired (I didn't add these as the meat and chicken base was plenty spicy and salty)

In a soup pot fry the bacon (I cut up the bacon with scissors before frying to save on crumbling the hot bacon), add the chunks of sausage, stir and fry until brown.  Drain the oil.  Add olive oil if needed.  Throw in diced onions.  Stir all this until onions are tender and meat is cooked thoroughly.   Use a little bit of oil to sauté these if you are not using the bacon drippings.    Add water, garlic, chicken base (GFS sells a nice base) and potatoes.  Simmer until potatoes are soft.  Add whipping cream, kale and seasoning as desired, simmer and serve.

Makes lots, 8 - 10 bowls I figure.

No Bake Cookies with High Protein Option

2 C Sugar
1/4 C Cocoa
1/2 C Butter (1stick)
1/2 C Milk (whole or evaporated works best)

Mix in large sauce pan until comes to rolling boil for a minute or two.  Then add the remaining ingredients, stirring quickly.  Spoon onto wax paper.

1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 C Peanut Butter
3 C Oatmeal (I prefer Old Fashioned Oats)
      
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or instead of 3 C Oatmeal


1 C Oatmeal
1 C TVP (Textured Vegatable Protein - Soy)
1/3 C Dried Cherries
1/3 C Nuts
1/3 C Coconut
This adds protein and a fun variety to the cookie

Broccoli Soup

2 Tb Butter
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
2 cans Chicken Broth
1 ½ pounds Broccoli (frozen or fresh)

¾ C diced Celery

½ C diced Onion

1 teaspoon minced Garlic optional
Salt as desired

(Optional Creamy, but not as healthy – you can add 1/2 C heavy whipping cream or 4 oz. cream cheese just before serving, heat through though, picture shown has Velveeta and some 1/2 and 1/2)

In a soup pan, melt 2 Tb butter (or use 2 Tb Olive Oil) add the broth and pepper, stir again until smooth.  The veggies can be added.  Cover and simmer until veggies are soft.  Then smash or blend in food processor ( I like to leave some broccoli chunky).  Add creamy stuff here if you want and heat through until the right consistency.

Simplified Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits

Ready to Assemble for tomorrow's picnic.  I'll try to remember to take a picture of the finished product before it's gone ?!?!?

Food Processor makes this a simple dessert.

*2 C Vanilla Wafer Crumbs – 1 box of cookies makes about 4 C crumbs with blade– set aside in bowl

*4 C Fresh Sliced Strawberries (or any berry) using slicer in food processor, set aside in a bowl (add sugar optional) Two quarts seems to work as long as you don't eat too many while cleaning.

*2 C Cottage Cheese
  2- 8 oz. Cream Cheese
  1 C Sugar

Place cottage cheese, cream cheese and sugar in food processor with blade, and whip until creamy, may need to scrape side.  Set aside in a bowl.

*Whipped Cream

I go in the order above and don’t have to clean the food processor in between steps.  Once you have your layers, you can store until just before you want to serve.  Layer the cookies, berries, cream and whip cream as you wish and enjoy.  This can be assembled an hour or two before hand, but the cookie can get a bit soggy if you do it the day before.  Looks nice in parfait glasses or a large clear bowl for a large group.

Adapted from Cooking Light Five Star Recipes – I took a lot out to keep it simple and it is a family favorite.

Gazpacho-Summery Liquid Salad

Enough for 12-15 people

3 large English cucumbers or zucchini diced small

1 green pepper finely diced

1 red or any color pepper finely diced

1 lg red or white onion or sweet white diced

½ C or so of Fresh Parsley

½ C or so of Fresh Basil

2 T minced Garlic

3-14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes (I replaced one can of diced with Rotel tomatoes with chilies)

1 C Italian dressing (I used Zesty Wish Bone)

1 liter (33.8 oz) Bold & Spicy Bloody Mary Mix (non-alcoholic) – could use V8 or tomato juice if you want

1 teaspoon pepper

Optional fresh cilantro (and Tabasco sauce if you don't use Rotel) to taste.

Mix it all up.  Use an immersion blender if you want it to be a thicker consistency; chill for several hours if you can, it tastes better as it sits.

Taste of Summer.