Cajun Alfredo

I ordered an amazingly tasty cajun alfredo dish while I was in New Orleans and attempted to recreate it at home (with a few lower-fat changes). It came out tasting pretty close to the real deal.

INGREDIENTS

4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 (8 ounce) container of tofutti

2 c. milk

2 tsp crushed garlic or garlic paste
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground white pepper
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp onion powder

1 c. corn
1 c. finely diced carrots
1/2 diced red bell pepper

5-6 c. cooked pasta

DIRECTIONS

Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add tofutti and stir with wire whisk until smooth and creamy. Add milk a little at a time while stirring with whisk. Stir in spices (garlic, parmesan, the three ground peppers, paprika, and onion powder).

Continue stirring over medium heat until sauce thickens. Add corn, carrots, and bell pepper. Toss with hot pasta and done.

My pasta was served with grilled chicken.

Pizza Dough from Rachel's Blog

Neo-Neapolitan Pizza Dough (makes 4 - 10 oz pizza doughs)
5 cups bread flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp yeast
2 tbsp olive oil
1 3/4 cups water, room temperature

Directions: In a standing mixer, stir all ingredients together.  Switch to dough hook and knead for 4 minutes.  Let dough rest for 5 minutes, then knead again for 2 minutes. Dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick a little to the bottom. Add more bread flour or water as necessary. (I have successfully done this by hand as well - just use a spoon or your hand to mix/knead the dough and add a couple minutes to the kneading time.)

Divide dough into 4 pieces, round into balls, and brush with olive oil.  Place into ziplock bags and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, then refrigerate overnight.  If you're using it in the next day or three, just remove from fridge 2 hours before shaping and baking.  You can also freeze it the next day and return it to the fridge for defrosting a day before you want to use it.

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Dressing:
5 T. fresh lime juice
1t. salt
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 t. cumin
1/3 c. olive oil
1/2 t. pepper

Salad:
1 1/2 c. quinoa (uncooked)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 c. corn
1 chopped red or yellow bell pepper
1 minced jalapeno
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 c. chopped green onion

Dressing: 
Combine all ingredients in blender and set aside.

Salad:
Wash quinoa and cook according to package directions, I pretty much cook mine like rice.  Boil water in medium saucepan (2 water to 1 quinoa) and add quinoa.  Cook on medium for fifteen minutes with lid on then remove from heat, fluff, replace lid and let sit for 15 min.

Combine the rest of the salad ingredients in a bowl then add quinoa.  Toss gently with the dressing and serve.  Tastes even better the next day.

This is my variation on a recipe I found on the Tasty Kitchen blog.

Ben's Lit'l Smokies

1 pack Lit'l Smokies
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup orange juice (or 1/4 cup concentrate)
1 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp mustard
1 Tbsp vinegar

Combine in crock pot and heat for 2 hours on high. Or low. Or whatever.

Perfect appetizer for New Year's Eve! (And reheat for breakfast in the morning!)

Lemon Cookies

1 cup butter

2.5 cups powdered sugar

2 Tbsp lemon zest

.5 tsp salt

2 c flour

2 Tbsp sugar

4 oz cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp lemon zest and salt until combined. Add flour. Turn dough onto piece of plastic wrap; pat into 1/2 in thick disk; wrap and chill until firm, about 1 hr. Un wrap dough; place on lightly floured parchment paper and roll about 1/8 in thick. Cut out cookies and place 1 in apart on baking sheets; sprinkly with granulated sugar. Bake until barely beginning to brown, 15-20 min. Cool. Make lemon filling by mixing cream cheese and 1 Tbsp lemon zest until smooth; gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar, mixing until smooth; mix in another 1/2 cup powdered sugar or enough to create a firm but spreadable filling. Form sandwiches by placing 1 tsp filling between two cookies, sugar side out, and squeezing gently.

Dilly Bread

Start yeast with 3/4 cup warm water, 2 Tblsp yeast, 1 Tblsp honey
Heat in separate pan:  6 Tblsp butter, then add the following and heat to lukewarm
      3 cups cottage cheese
      6 Tblsp. honey
      2 Tblsp minced onions
      2 Tblsp. dill weed
      3 eggs
      2 tsp. salt
      3/4 tsp. soda
Pour this into yeast mixture.
Add 6 3/4 cups flour (dough will be very sticky).
Knead in bowl 1-2 minutes.
Let rise 1 hour or until double in bulk.
Punch down and put into greased pans.  Rise 1/2 hour.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
3 regular loaves or 7 small

Scottage Cream

Scottage cream is a yummy sour cream substitute. It was originally made as a sauce for asparagus but has since become a favorite for smothering over potatoes.

Tub of cottage cheese
1/3 c. Milk
1 Tbsp Lemon juice

Blend all ingredients until creamy. Consistency should be similar or slightly thinner than sour cream.