Bev's Recipe Collection

• 3 C dry pasta (8 oz.), your choice
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 C frozen peas
• 1/2 C red sweet pepper, diced
• 8 oz. cheddar cheese, cubed
• 1 C cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 T fresh basil, chopped (or 2 t dry) (may substitute oregano)
• 1/2 C vinaigrette (also on this site)

Cook pasta and rinse with cold water; drain.  Combine pasta with other ingredients and chill.

(Auntie Karen served this to us in Ohio.  It’s a big hit!)

• 24 oz. cheese and garlic tortellini, uncooked
• 20 oz. salad greens
• 1 1/2 C grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 1/4 C croutons (see Creamy Caesar Salad recipe on this site)
• 1 C Caesar salad dressing, divided (see Creamy Caesar Salad recipe on this site)

Cook pasta according to package directions.  In bowl, toss salad greens with tomatoes, croutons, and half of the dressing.  In another bowl, toss cooked pasta with the remaining dressing.  Serve pasta mixture over salad greens.

(recipe from Ronzoni tortellini package)

• 1 large eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 C bread crumbs or matzo meal
• 1 T Italian seasoning
• 48 oz. spaghetti sauce
• 8 oz. shredded cheese
• 1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 t dried basil

Mix bread crumbs with Italian seasoning.  Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumb mixture.  Place in a single layer on parchment covered trays and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes on each side.  Spread spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 13×9″ baking pan.  Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce, followed by more sauce, shredded cheese, and Parmesan cheese.  Repeat, ending with the cheeses.  Sprinkle basil on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve with noodles and some extra sauce.

• 2 cans (15 oz.) red beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cans (15 oz.) great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cans (15 oz.) black beans (undrained)
• 1 can (28 oz.) Bush’s Vegetarian Baked Beans (undrained)
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 2 t salt
• 2 t lemon juice
• 1/2 t each dried basil, dried oregano, ground cumin, garlic powder, and pepper

Saute onion in a large pot with a little olive oil, then add the remaining ingredients.  Stir, heat through and serve over rice.

• 3 T coconut oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 large green or red pepper, thinly sliced
• 48 oz spaghetti sauce
• 12 oz lasagna noodles
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 24 oz small curd cottage cheese
• 9 oz. fresh spinach (or 6 cups packed)
• 12 oz shredded cheese of your choice

In large skillet, saute onion in oil on medium-high. Add garlic halfway through.  Add zucchini and pepper.  Cook on medium heat until tender.  Stir in spaghetti sauce; lower to simmer for 5 minutes.  Set aside. Cook noodles following package directions, soaking in water till ready to use.  In bowl, mix together eggs and cottage cheese.  Oil bottom of 2 (13″ x 9″) glass baking dishes.  Start layering lasagna with a little sauce on bottom, then half the noodles, half the cottage cheese, half the spinach, half the sauce mix, and half the cheese.  Repeat.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Serves 10

This is a time consuming recipe; great to make ahead and bake later.  A side fruit and fresh bread is all that’s needed to complete the meal.

(slightly adapted from The Maximum Energy Cookbook)

Gluten-free version (half recipe):

1 1/2 T coconut oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
25 oz. spaghetti sauce
6 oz. spiral noodles
3 C (packed) fresh spinach (4 or 5 ounces)

Saute onion in oil on medium-high. Add garlic halfway through. Add zucchini and pepper. Cook on medium heat until tender. Stir in spaghetti sauce; lower to simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside. Cook 6 ounces of noodles according to instructions. Oil a baking dish. Place a little sauce in the bottom. Add the noodles and top with spinach. Spread sauce mix on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

• 2 (15 oz.) cans black beans
• 1 (15 oz.) can great northern beans, drained
• 1 (15 oz.) can red beans, drained
• 1 (15 oz.) can organic corn (or 2 C frozen)
• 1 (10 oz.) can Ro-tel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
• sweet onion, chopped
• shredded cheese
• sour cream
• rice

In a pot, saute onion in a small amount of olive oil, then add beans, corn, and tomatoes.  Simmer and serve with rice, topping with shredded cheese/sour cream/salsa.

(Betty Jo got this recipe from her friend Stormy.)

• 2 pkgs. 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach
• 3 1/2 C water
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 56 oz. chicken broth
• 2 cans (15 oz.) diced tomatoes
• 18 oz. tortellini
• 1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 2 eggs
• couscous

Cook spinach in water listed, just until thawed.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat and cook onion until wilted.  Add garlic and cook 1-2 more minutes.  Add chicken broth, spinach and water.  Turn heat to high and bring to a boil.  Add cans of tomatoes and mix well.  Add tortellini and bring pot back to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and egg.  Stir vigorously with a fork.  When soup has cooked 5 minutes, slowly drizzle egg mixture into the pot, stirring constantly.  Stir and cook 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and serve over couscous.

Already doubled.  From St. Petersburg Times.

• 1/4 C olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 T ground cumin
• 6 (15 oz.) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 3 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes
• thyme (12 sprigs fresh, 1 1/2 t. ground, or 1T dried leaves)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 T honey
• 42 oz. vegetable broth
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• parsley, optional (1/2  c chopped flat leaf or 3 T dried leaves)
• couscous, rice, or quinoa

Place onion in the oil over medium heat.  Cook until wilted.  Add garlic; cook another minute.  And cumin; cook 1 more minute.  Add next ingredients (through pepper).  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes.  Stir in the parsley and serve over couscous.

Tripled and adapted from the St. Petersburg Times decades ago.

• 3 pizza crusts, baked
• Nanny’s Veggie Dip
• 8 oz your favorite cheese, shredded
• various vegetable toppings, sliced thin (carrots, celery, peppers, cucumber, tomatoes)

Spread dip on baked crusts.  Top with cheese and vegetables.  (My little ones prefer creamy peanut butter on the crust, topped with carrots.)