Stuffed Summer Squash Aug 5, 2005 4:08 am 741 Views 3 - 4 large summer squash sliced lengthwise 1 10-oz. package frozen mixed vegetables 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp. butter 1 cup herb stuffing 2 tomatoes, chopped 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded Place squash in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Remove from water and allow to cool. Meanwhile cook vegetables with garlic and butter drain excess water. Combine stuffing and tomatoes in a large bowl and add vegetables. Scoop out seeds in the squash and place stuffing mixture in each squash. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Squash should be crisp-tender and not mushy. The Skinny: Use low fat stuffing and cheese 0 Comments

Pete's Grilled Eggplant and Tomato Soup Aug 5, 2005 4:07 am 794 Views Ingredients: 2 large eggplant (or 4 small) one half cup olive oil 2 large yellow onions 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp gray salt or sea salt 2 tsp ground black pepper 1 tbsp basil 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp cumin 8 large (or more) garden tomatoes, diced. (Damaged, bruised are fine!) Juice of one half of a lemon 6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock thin lemon slices sour cream Italian parsley for garnish Instructions: Peel eggplant, and cut in half-inch slices, lengthwise. Arrange on hot grill and cook until lightly charred on both side, (about half-black) Remove from grill and let sit on cutting board until cool. Cut into small pieces, 1" or less. Heat olive oil in large soup pot and add onion, stirring until translucent, on medium high heat. Add garlic, salt, pepper and herbs and cook another 2 minutes. Add eggplant and cook 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Add tomatoes, lemon juice and stock and bring to a boil. Cook at a low boil for 30 minutes, covered. Remove from burner and let cool. In several batches, put mixture into a blender or food processor and blend until you get a rich brick red-orange color and it is smooth and chunk-free. Return to pot and reheat when ready to eat. Float a dollop of sour cream on a lemon slice in the soup and garnish with Italian parley or other fresh garden herbs. This is a great late summer and fall soup because you can use excess garden produce, and less-than-perfect specimens. I make it year round and serve it with good crunchy bread and some Wisconsin specialty cheese. It freezes beautifully, and one doesn't have to be exact in the ingredients. If I have leftover zucchini or other vegetables, I throw them in the mix. People remark about the lovely color, an orange-red brick color, with flecks of black from the charred eggplant. It is very healthy, and even people that don't like eggplant think it's delicious. Best of all, it can be made entirely with local produce! 0 Comments

Orange Mojitos By the pitcher Aug 5, 2005 4:06 am 894 Views OJ with no pulp Club soda Mint Orange-flavored vodka (optional) Two-thirds of your pitcher you'll fill with orange juice, one-third with plain club soda. Chop a handful of fresh mint leave and add them to the pitcher. Stir vigorously. Serve in a tall glass over ice with a straw. If you don't use a straw you'll be picking mint out of your teeth. One other hint...As you serve it keep the mint stirred in. If you let it all float to the top, the first person will get all the mint and the rest of the guests will be left without. No fair. The mint is what really makes this a mojito. If you want to make this a real orange mojito, add a shot of orange flavored vodka to each portion. 0 Comments

Scallion Scramblers Aug 5, 2005 4:04 am 941 Views Serves 4 1 Tbl butter 1 carton of egg substitute or 8 large eggs 6 scallions, cleaned and quarter-inch diced with some of the green part too 4 oz cream cheese pinch of cayenne-optional salt and pepper-optional Heat butter on medium in a medium-sized sauté pan. Add the scallions and cook until loosened; just a minute or less. Add the eggs. Stir just to incorporate the scallions and then let rest until the eggs begin to form. The secret to scrambled eggs; especially when you use egg substitute is not to over-stir them. Just fold periodically until they get to form large clumps and begin to dry up to the consistency you like them. Cut your cream cheese into small globs and scatter them across your finished eggs. Fold the eggs over once or twice to sort of bury the cream cheese and it will begin to melt. Sprinkle on your optional cayenne and salt and pepper and you're ready to serve. 0 Comments

Green Eggs and Ham Aug 5, 2005 4:03 am 999 Views You will like them Sam I am Serves 2 and can be doubled or tripled 4 eggs or 1 cup of egg substitute 1 tsp of butter 2 tsp of prepared pesto salt and pepper cherry tomatoes cut in half for garnish 4 slices of quarter-inch sliced ham. Melt your butter in a small sauté pan on medium heat. Add your eggs and stir. Add the pesto and stir again to incorporate. If you're using the egg substitute the secret to successful scrambled eggs is not to stir too much. Just let them settle in and use a wooden spoon if you have one to mix them up so they form large clumps. Season with salt and pepper when they get to the consistency you like them and garnish on your plate with the cherry tomatoes for color. Heat your ham while the eggs cook. You can do this in a warm oven or in a separate sauté pan or even the microwave. Serve under the eggs or on the side. 0 Comments

Stuffed Zucchini Aug 5, 2005 4:01 am 1018 Views 4 large zucchini 1 pound lean ground beef 1 large onion, chopped 1 cup cooked rice 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 tsp. paprika Dash of ground nutmeg 1 Tbsp. lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. Par boil zucchini in water for about 10 minutes and set aside to cool. Scoop out pulp and set aside. Brown ground beef and onion in a skillet. Drain off any excess fat. Add zucchini pulp and cook for several minutes. Add rice, parsley, paprika, nutmeg, lemon juice and salt and pepper and cook several minutes more. Stuff each zucchini with ground beef mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 - 25 minutes. If you don't want to use ground beef, you may substitute pork, lamb, or chicken. You may also leave out the meat all together and substitute 1 cup of bread crumbs. The Skinny: Use the leanest ground beef you can find and low fat cheese. 0 Comments

Spinach Soup Aug 5, 2005 3:59 am 1030 Views 3 pounds fresh spinach, or 3 10-oz. packages of frozen spinach 1/3 cup butter 2 and 1/2 cups milk 2 and 1/2 cups water 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg Salt and fresh ground pepper 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped 7 Tbsp. fresh grated Parmesan cheese Wash spinach, remove stems and then cook damp spinach in covered pan over medium heat until just wilted. Drain and allow to cool. With the frozen spinach, you can just let it thaw. Drain spinach and squeeze to remove excess moisture, then chop. Heat butter in pan and saute spinach for a minute or two. Add milk, water, salt, pepper, nutmeg and heat to just boiling. Lower heat immediately to simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cream, parsley and cheese and serve immediately. The Skinny: Use low fat milk and fat free Half and Half in place of the cream 0 Comments

Not Asian Enough Aug 3, 2005 2:45 pm 1219 Views I was just told that!! Okay, some background: a couple of weeks ago I get a wink from a guy here in Vegas. I check his profile, he is a standard member looking for an Asian girl. I sent him an email thanking him for the wink, asking if he read my profile, and attaching a copy of my profile. He sends me a reply with an invitation to call him. I again ask if he has READ or SEEN my profile. Anyway, we made arrangements to meet for lunch but he bowed out saying I didn't look Asian enough!! When have I ever claimed to be anything but your basic Euro mutt? And my profile clearly states that I am CAUCASIAN!!!! Does this "hearing" problem you men have extend to your eyes and reading too!!!! Jeesh!! 2 Comments

To Cairo or Not to Cairo Aug 1, 2005 6:12 am 1388 Views That is the question. Recently I was offered a job with a Cairo based company that would pay well , but required me to travel there for a month of training. I have decided NOT to take the job. Why? 2 reasons... 1...I could never get a clear answer to "that includes a round trip ticket, yes?" 2...I recently recieved an email from the potential employer saying he would like to marry me. Anybody else getting alarm bells going off? So while it would have been great, I think I shall pass. 4 Comments

Weather Observations Jul 30, 2005 4:35 am Mood: silly, 1334 Views Recently I was watching the lightening show and thought how it looked like a flash going off. So I thought to myself, God is using flash photgoraphy!! I mentioned this to a friend who was quick to point out that if God is All Powerfull and All Knowing, why would He be using flash photography? Well, I replied, He is, but His camera ain't!!!! Oh, then how do you explain the thunder? he asked. When I was little my mom told me that thunder means He's bowling. Okay, so it's silly.... 1 comment

 Ilsaeng

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