Vegetarian Pizza Sauce
Nuked Zukes
Vegetable Burritos
Vichyssoise (potato-leek soup)
3-Bean 3-Day Vegetarian Chili
Cold Avocado Soup
Ratatouille
Quick Burritos
Steam Fried Garlic Broccoli
Broccoli and Monterey Jack
Potato Dill Sauce
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
Broccoli with Sesame Seeds and Soy Sauce
Broccoli Salad
Stuffed Cabbage Leaves
Pickled Okra
Maple Crunch Pumpkin Pie
Traditional Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Butter
Pumpkin, Squash or Carrot Pie
Pumpkin Soup
Fried Green Tomatoes

Thick Crust Beer Bread Vegetarian Pizza Sauce

8 tomatoes
1 medium eggplant
2 zucchini
1 green pepper
6 cloves garlic
herbs: a handful of fresh basil, thyme, oregano
olive oil

Crust:
3 cups self-rising flour
1 12-oz. beer
3 cloves garlic

In a large saucepan, saute the whole garlic, cloves, and chopped garlic. Cut tomatoes into eighths and add to the pan. Boil for two hours. Dice the eggplant and green pepper, slice the zucchini, and chop up the herbs. Add to mixture and boil for another hour or until very thick.

During the last hour of the sauce, make the crust. Preheat oven to 375F. Put flour into a mixing bowl. Mince the garlic and fine chop the tops. Add to the flour. Add the beer, after first taking a swig to make sure it is fresh. Mix with a large spoon. Self-rising flour requires no kneading. Put the dough on a pizza pan, oiled or sprinkled with corn meal to prevent sticking. Roll it out with a rolling pin. Place in oven for forty five minutes.

Remove and cover with the sauce, smoothing it out with the bottom of a large spoon. Return to the oven and set on broil for five to ten minutes, checking frequently. Remove, cool, cut into eighths, and serve. Makes one large pizza.

Options: Sprinkle with cheese, add minced chilies, olives, mushrooms, and/or artichoke hearts to sauce. Add chopped sage or mashed avocado to dough. Punch up the sauce with lemon juice, bay leaves, sage, parsley, cayenne, cinnamon and/or wine.

Nuked Zukes

2 medium or 3 small zucchini
grated parmesan cheese

Slice zukes into bite-sized pieces and spead one layer deep on a microwave-safe plate. Sprinkle with cheese. Microwave on high for two to four minutes.

Vegetable Burritos

2 flour tortillas
three ripe roma tomatoes
1 small zucchini
1 handful of fresh herbs: parsley, oregano, thyme, sweet basil, purple basil, garlic chives
1 small thai dragon chili pepper

Dice up evrything and wrap up in tortillas. Makes a good breakfast.

Vichyssoise (potato-leek soup)

1 potato
3 leeks
1 onion garlic
1 to 2 cups cream butter

Chop up and cook potato, garlic, onion, and leeks in butter in saucepan. Put cream in blender and add 2/3 cooked vegetables. Blend til smooth. Return to saucepan and heat. Good served hot or chilled.

3-Bean 3-Day Vegetarian Chili

1 bag red kidney beans
1 bag black beans
1 bag lentils
garlic
onion
olive oil
6 tomatoes
crushed red chili peppers
Curry, black pepper, bay leaf

Soak dry beans in water overnight. Drain, rinse and sprout for two days. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add sprouted beans and cover with water. Simmer at least two hours. Add chopped tomatoes, bay leaf, and more water if necessary. Simmer two more hours. Add peppers and other spices and simmer one more hour.

Cold Avocado Soup

ripe avocados
squirt lemon juice
garlic
cold water

Liquify avocado pieces in blender with garlic, lemon juice, and water as needed to make a smooth mixture. Suck down immediately or chill in fridge. Options: 1/2 cup chilled cream or vegetable stock instead of water. Garnish with chopped garlic chives or parsley.

Ratatouille

eggplant
zucchini
tomatoes
garlic
onion
herbs: parsley, oregano, thyme, marjoram, basil
olive oil

Use a small iron skillet on the stovetop or cook in lasagne pans in the oven if you make a large batch. Start with garlic and onion in olive oil, then toss in the chopped up eggplant, followed by diced tomatoes. While this is cooking, gather and chop up parsley, oregano, thyme, marjoram, basil, more garlic, and slice up the zucchini. Add to the mixture and stir. Add black pepper and curry if desired. A splash of wine is good, too.

Cook the eggplant and tomato until pulpy, and the zucchini until done but firm. Top with grated parmesan. To make it fancier, transfer from skillet to lasagne pan, top with cheese, pop in oven for a nice little crust, and garnish with fresh basil, parsley, cherry tomatoes, and squash blossoms. Use two or three times as much eggplant as zukes, and only as much tomato as necessary to keep it from drying out.

Quick Burritios

refried beans
ripe tomato
tortillas

Spoon out about three tablespoons per burrito. The beans go on the tortillas and they go into the microwave. Heat on high for two minutes while you dice up half the tomato per burrito. As soon as the tomatoes are diced, open the door and add them to the beans. When the time is up, remove and wrap up into burritos.

Steam Fried Garlic Broccoli

Put a little olive oil in a skillet, along with a smashed garlic clove or two. Heat it up, and then put in the broccoli and stir it around at high heat for a few minutes. Add a bit of water, put the lid on, and cook for just a minute or two. Put some salt on to taste. The broccoli comes out bright green, slightly crunchy, and somehow much more flavorful than when you steam it.

Broccoli and Monterey Jack

1 large onion, halved and peeled
2 pounds fresh broccoli
1/2 cup reserved vegetable broth
4 ounces low-fat Nuefchatel cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vegetable seasoning
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon arrowroot
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
lemon juice to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
1 hard-cooked egg, chopped 2 tablespoons scallions, chopped 2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated

Place onion in saucepan and cover with water. Cook covered about forty five minutes until the onion is tender. Cool. Trim stems from broccoli, leaving flowerets with 1 1/2 inch stems. Set flowerets aside. Peel stems, cut into 1 inch chunks, place in small saucepan and cover with water. Cook, covered, about twenty-five minutes or until tender.

Drain, reserving the vegetable broth for later use. In blender or food processor, puree onion, broccoli stems and (if necessary for blending) 1/2 cup reserved vegetable broth. Add Neufchatel cheese, vegetable seasoning, nutmeg, arrowroot, cardamom, squirt of lemon juice and dash of cayenne. Mix sauce in blender until smooth and creamy. Place in saucepan and warm over low fire. Check seasonings. Before serving sauce, add chopped egg and scallions. Quarter brocolli flowerets and steam about 7 to 10 minutes, until tender yet firm. Place in individual serving casseroles. Coat broccoli with sauce; sprinkle with grated jack cheese. Broil until cheese melts and browns slightly.

Potato Dill Sauce

1/2 onion chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon oil or butter
1 cup vegetable stock
1 potato, cubed
1 teaspoon dillweed (leaves of dill)
1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Saute onion and garlic in oil. Add stock, potato and dillweed. Cook partially covered until potato is soft, then puree. Add seasonings and parsley. Thin with milk or stock if desired. Alternate: follow above directions except that when onion is nearly done, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder and cook for one minute. Add a small carrot, cut up, to the cooking vegetables. Omit dill. Puree. Stir in 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese and taste for salt.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

2 heads broccoli, cut into flowers
4 large cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound Muenster cheese (or more), sliced fresh parmesan cheese (optional)

Prepare broccoli and steam about five minutes. Drain and cover to keep warm. Melt butter in small pan, add garlic and simmer five minutes (careful not to burn). Pour over broccoli and gently mix together. Put broccoli and garlic in the bottom of an oiled casserole dish. Spread a layer of sliced cheese, then the rest of the broccoli/garlic, then the rest of the cheese. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Bake at 350F for fifteen to twenty minutes.

Broccoli with Sesame Seeds and Soy Sauce

8-12 ounces fresh broccoli, steamed
1 tablespoon salad oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Combine all the ingredients except the broccoli and heat to boiling. Pour over the broccoli and serve.

Broccoli Salad

4-5 cups broccoli (small pieces)
1 cup yellow raisins
1 cup sunflower seeds (roasted)
1/4 cup red onion

Dressing:
4 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar
3/4 cup salad dressing

Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

8-10 large cabbage leaves

Assorted fillings:
Cheese and spinach
Rice and mushrooms

Carefully remove the leaves from the cabbage and parboil them for a few minutes until they are soft enough to be rolled up without breaking. If the head of cabbage is too tight for you to be able to unfurl the leaves without rearing them you can try sticking a couple of forks into the neck of the cabbage and dipping it into a big pan of boiling water for a few minutes so that the outer leaves are soft.

Prepare the fillings. Make a tasty risotto (a spoonful of white wine in the water is nice) with onions and mushrooms, add a few chopped nuts if you like, and your favorite herbs. Season to taste.

Add to a leaf and roll it up. Place rolled leaves together in an ovenproof dish and bake for thirty minutes at 450F.

Or lightly cook some chopped spinach, season with a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, spread it on the cabbage leaf and add a few cubes of Greek feta cheese or your favourite tasty cheese before you roll up the cabbage leaves and bake them for thirty minutes at 450F.

Pickled Okra

1-1/2 lb. freshly picked, small, young okra
3 cloves garlic
3 small hot peppers
1-1/2 teaspoons dill seeds or 3 good-size sprigs fresh dill (fresh from the garden is best!)
3 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 cups cider vinegar
1-1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons pickling or kosher salt

Wash okra well, removing fuzz and stems. Leave the caps on; do not cut into the pods. In each of three pint jars, place 1 garlic clove, 1 hot pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dill seed or 1 sprig fresh dill, and 1 teaspoon mustard seeds. Pack okra evenly into the jars, alternating tips and caps up and down so they fit in snugly.

Bring vinegar, water and salt to a boil and pour over okra to within 1/2 inch of the jar rim. Fasten lids and process in a hot water bath for five minutes. Put jars on a rack in a kettle; cover with boiling water, topping by two inches. Bring the water to a boil, cover kettle, and boil for five minutes. Remove jars and cool on a rack. Let sit for four weeks before using for best flavor. Makes three pints.

Maple Crunch Pumpkin Pie

2 eggs
3/4 cup light cream/evaporated milk/soy milk/liquified soft tofu
1/2 cups maple syrup
2 cups to 3 cups cooked pumpkin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon. nutmeg topping
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans are good...walnuts okay)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter

Do your pastry. Fit into a nine inch pie plate....for a larger plate use the more amount of pumpkin. Heat oven to 425F. Lightly beat eggs. Blend in cream, syrup, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, salt (if using), and nutmeg. Pour into pie shell. Bake fifteen minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake thirty-five to forty minutes longer. Remove from the oven. Let Cool. Meanwhile, combine nuts, sugar and butter. Spoon evenly over the top of the pie. Place five inches under the broiler for two minutes. Cool. Serve with freshly whipped cream, or ice cream on top.

Traditional Pumpkin Pie

2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 1/2 cups fresh scorched pumpkin
1/4 cup half and half

Preheat oven to 425F. Beat the eggs and add the sugar, milk, spices and boiling water. Combine with the pumpkin and half and half. Pour into pastry shell. Bake for fifteen minutes then lower to 300F and bake for twenty-five additional minutes.

Pumpkin Butter

3 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

To cook pumpkin, wash and cut in half crosswise. Remove strings and seeds. Place it in a pan, shell side up and bake it in a 325F for 1 hour or more, depending on size, until it is tender and begins to fall apart. Scrape the pulp from the shell and put it through a ricer or strainer or blender. Cut the rind away from the cooked pumpkin, cubing the flesh, and whizz it in the blender with just enough water to make it smooth.

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook until thick, stirring often to prevent scorching. Pour into hot, sterilized jars and seal.

Pumpkin, Squash or Carrot Pie

1 3/4 cups pumpkin, squash or carrot puree
1/2 cup honey or 3/4 cup white or brown sugar
1 cup milk, cream, or evaporated milk (use 1 1/2 cups if not using honey)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice or cloves
3 eggs
unbaked 9" pie shell

Preheat oven to 425F. Blend all ingredients in a blender and pour into pie shell. Bake at 425F for fifteen minutes, then reduce temperature to 350F and bake forty five minutes longer or until set. Cool at least thirty minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Soup

2 pounds cooked fresh pumpkin
3 cups vegetable broth, heated
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup milk salt and pepper ginger and cinnamon (optional)

Place pumpkin in warm vegetable broth. Knead together butter and flour. Sdd to pumpkin broth mixture. Add remaining ingredients. Heat but do not boil. Serve at once.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Take several fully formed, but firm, green (yellow, pink, even red work also) tomatoes. Slice as thin as possible, set aside. Beat 2 eggs until lemony yellow. Pour prepared bread crumbs into a medium bowl. Heat liquid cooking oil in a large pan, preferably cast iron, at a depth of about 1/2 inch/ 1 cm over medium flame.

When the oil looks hot, begin assembly line. Dip tomato slices into eggs, then bread crumbs, then slide into oil. Do not turn until the edges look cooked. If oil starts to smoke, turn it down a bit, but every time you add more tomatoes, it cools it and maintaining proper temperature is vital. Add more oil as necessary, but keep it medium hot. This prevents greasy tomatoes.