August 2014

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Recipe Index

AFRICAN VEGETABLE STEW BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASSEROLE

CABBAGE AND POTATOES SWEET POTATO & CRANBERRY QUICHE

CUBAN (PUERTO RICAN) BEANS

RED, WHITE AND BLUE/BLACK CASSEROLE SWEET POTATO & CRANBERRY QUICHE

TERONG BALADO STIR-FRIED EGGPLANT HOBBIT PIE JACK JUBILEE

LASAGNE-2 — A vegetable lasagne with spinach, mushrooms and corn

SPINACH LASAGNA SPICY LENTIL SOUP MATZO BREI

MUSHROOMS-1 — A rich treat for mushroom lovers

AUNT MILDRED'S NOODLE KUGEL POTATO PANCAKE CHILI RELLENO CASSEROLE

RICE AND BEAN CASSEROLE SAUTE-SWEEPTO — Sweet potatoes sautéed in lime and tequila

SPAGHETTI SAUCE SPANAKOPITA — Greek spinach and cheese pie

SPINACH AND CHEESE CURRY SPINACH CHEESE CASSEROLE IN PUFF PASTRY

RZ TOFU BALLS RUBEN VILLAVICENCIO'S VEGETABLE PIE

AFRICAN VEGETABLE STEW

AFRICAN-STEW — A spicy vegetable stew

I got this recipe from my mom, who got it from a friend. It's very easy to make.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

1 very large onion, chopped

1 bunch Swiss chard

1 can garbanzo beans (known also as chick peas, ceci, etc.)

½ cup raisins

½ cup uncooked rice

several fresh tomatoes (or 1 large can of canned tomatoes)

1 clove garlic (or more to taste)

2 yams

salt and pepper to taste

tabasco sauce to taste

PROCEDURE

(1) Fry onion, garlic, and white stems of chard until barely limp. Add chopped greens and fry a bit.

(2) Either peel the yams or scrub them well with a vegetable brush, then slice them into thick slices. Add garbanzos, raisins, yams, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook a couple of minutes.

(3) Make a well in the center of the mixture in the pot. Put the rice in the well and pat it down until it's wet. Cover and cook until rice is done—about 25 minutes.

(4) Add Tabasco sauce to taste.

NOTES

I find that the flavors of the vegetables don't stand out unless you put in a lot of tabasco. But then, I've got a cast-iron tongue. You should add enough to make the stew seem spicy to you.

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 15 minutes preparation, 30 minutes cooking. Precision: no need to measure.

CONTRIBUTOR

Jeff Lichtman

Relational Technology, Inc., Alameda, California

amdahl, sun!rtech!jeff

ucbvax, decvax!mtxinu!rtech!jeff

"Saints should always be judged guilty until they are proved innocent.."

Approved: reid@glacier.ARPA

Permission to copy without fee all or part of this material is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for direct commercial advantage, the USENET copyright notice and the title of the newsgroup and its date appear, and notice is given that copying is by permission of the USENET Community Trust or the original contributor. To copy otherwise, or to republish, requires a fee and/or specific permission.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASSEROLE

BUTTERNUT-SQSH — Butternut squash and carrot casserole

A delicious Thanksgiving or Christmas casserole. My mother makes this at the holidays. I don't know where she originally got the recipe.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 10)

2½–5 lbs butternut squash

1–2 carrots (depending on quantity of squash)

1 cup rolled oats (uncooked oatmeal)

12 oz green peas

1 Tbsp butter

2 eggs, beaten frothy

pinch salt

3–5 Tbsp cinnamon sugar

½ tsp vanilla

PROCEDURE

(1) Boil squash and carrot together until the carrot is tender. Allow both to cool. Slide skin off carrot. Being careful with squash, remove its seeds and peel. Blend carrots and squash together. Don't overblend: preserve some texture.

(2) Add cinnamon sugar and salt to taste.

(3) Add frothy eggs to carrot/squash mixture. Grease an 8-inch loaf pan. Coat the grease with oatmeal. Mix ½ cup oatmeal into casserole. Gently fold in green peas, then put mixture in casserole pan. Sprinkle remaining oatmeal on top and dot with butter.

(4) Bake at 350º F 30 to 40 minutes until brown on top. Once cooked, it can be served immediately or frozen for later consumption.

NOTES

Cinnamon sugar is a mixture of sugar and powdered cinnamon. Commercial cinnamon sugar mixtures are mostly sugar. My mom prepares her own mixture with the emphasis decidedly on the cinnamon.

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 40 minutes preparation, 40 minutes cooking. Precision: approximate measurement OK.

CONTRIBUTOR

Jan Russak

AT&T Information Systems, Lincroft, New Jersey, USA

Approved: reid@decwrl.dec.com

CABBAGE AND POTATOES

CABBAGE-SPUDS — Cabbage and Potatoes

With a nod toward Nancy Mintz who reminded me how good cabbage can be, especially in the winter time when other fresh veggies are scarce.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 8)

3 lb cabbage

4-6 Tbsp bacon fat or butter

2 onions (chopped)

a splash water or beer (whatever you're drinking)

1 Tbsp wine vinegar

2-4 white potatoes (washed and diced—I like the skins left on)

PROCEDURE

(1) Cut the cabbage in half and soak in salted water for 15 minutes. Agitate and drain well. Shred the cabbage.

(2) Heat the bacon fat or butter in a large heavy skillet and add the diced potatoes. Cook over medium heat until lightly browned.

(3) Add 2 chopped onions and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes.

(4) Add cabbage and toss well with two wooden spoons, à la stir-fry. When the cabbage starts to wilt, add salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste and a splash of that beer in your left hand and 1 Tbsp wine vinegar.

(5) Cover, with lid slightly askew, and simmer over low heat until tender (about 30–45 minutes).

NOTES

This recipe serves 8, and is good hot or cold. Like Nancy said, one cabbage goes a loooonnnngggg way, so I usually use a quarter to a half a head when cooking for 2

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 30 minutes preparation, 45 minutes simmering. Precision: no need to measure.

CONTRIBUTOR

Richard Newman-Wolfe

University of Rochester, Computer Science Dept.

nemo@rochester.UUCP

SWEET POTATO & CRANBERRY QUICHE

CRANB-QUICHE — Sweet potatoes, carrots and cranberries in cream cheese quiche

This recipe has become a real holiday favorite in our family. It is originally from The Vegetarian Epicure Book Two by Anna Thomas. It is sweeter than most quiches, but not as sweet as most pies, and can be eaten either as a side dish, or as dessert. We usually eat it with the turkey because no one wants to wait until dessert time!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 8)

½ lb sweet potatoes

½ lb carrots

½ lb cranberries

2/3 cup sugar

½ cup milk

4 eggs

½ lb cream cheese

dash nutmeg

dash salt

1 pre-baked quiche shell (11 inches)

PROCEDURE

(1) Start some salted water boiling. Preheat oven to 375º F.

(2) Peel and grate the sweet potatoes. Grate carrots. Put these vegetables into an empty saucepan.

(3) Pour the boiling water over the saucepan full of vegetables and bring to a boil. Cook five minutes; drain.

(4) Wash cranberries and pick out the ones that are soft or blemished. Put the cranberries in an enameled pot with the sugar and cook them, covered, over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and cook for five minutes more, stirring almost constantly.

(5) Add cooked drained potato/carrot mixture to cranberries and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, stirring constantly.

(6) Beat together the milk, eggs, cream cheese, a little nutmeg, and a dash of salt. Stir in the cooked vegetable mixture and pour this filling carefully into the prepared shell.

(7) Bake at 375º F for 40 minutes or until the top is golden and firm. Serve.

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 25 minutes preparation, 40 minutes baking. Precision: measure the ingredients.

CONTRIBUTOR

Moira Mallison

Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton, Oregon, USA

Approved: reid@decwrl.dec.com

CUBAN (PUERTO RICAN) BEANS

CUBAN-BEANS — Beans like they cook in many Caribbean countries

This recipe is from my mother, who undoubtedly got it from one of my father's relatives. I've seen it described as being from various countries, but it will always be Puerto Rican beans to me. Any dried beans can be used, but kidney beans and navy beans are the best. Chick peas aren't bad either. You can use a ham bone for flavoring instead of the olive oil if you don't mind using ham.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

1 lb dried beans

1 onion, diced

¼ green pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

8 oz tomato sauce

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp salt (You can vary the amount of salt according to preference. My mother uses 1 Tbsp)

PROCEDURE

(1) Soak the beans for at least two hours (overnight is okay too). Change the water and bring to a boil.

(2) Add the onion, pepper, and garlic; cover and simmer for 1 hour.

(3) Add the tomato sauce, olive oil, and salt: cover and simmer 1 more hour. (Be sure to keep the beans covered with liquid, adding more water if necessary.)

INGREDIENTS (Rice to go with it)

2 cups water

1 cup long-grain rice

1 tsp salt (You can vary the amount of salt according to preference.)

PROCEDURE

(1) Bring the water to a boil

(2) Add the rice and salt.

(3) Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.

NOTES

This makes a very good main course or side dish.

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 2 hours soaking, 5 minutes dicing, 2 hours cooking. Precision: the rice is the only part you need to measure.

CONTRIBUTOR

Evelyn C. Leeper

AT&T Information Systems, Holmdel NJ

RED, WHITE AND BLUE/BLACK CASSEROLE

EGGPLANT-1 — Eggplant casserole with tomato and cheese

(from "Victory Garden Cookbook" maybe? Anyway, that's an excellent source for ideas).

INGREDIENTS (serves 4–6)

1 large eggplant

cut into .AB ½-inch 1-cm slices

1½ lb mozzarella cheese, cut into .AB ¼-inch ½-cm slices

1 large white onion, cut into thin slices (optional).

PROCEDURE

(1) Cut the eggplant lengthwise once, then slice crosswise into semidisks about ¾ inch thick.

(2) In a shallow casserole dish (2 in deep), stand some slices of eggplant on the narrow cut edge, to make a row, then follow this with slices of tomato, then slices of mozzarella cheese. Repeat until the whole dish is full. It should appear from the top to have bands of red, white, and black.

(3) Use your favorite seasoning (basil/oregano is the default), and bake until bubbly (about 25–30 minutes at 350º F.

NOTES

You may wish to put a layer of onions on the bottom, horizontally, before you put the eggplant in the pan. This only works with European-style eggplant; Japanese and Asian eggplants are too narrow.

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 5 minutes preparation, 30 minutes cooking. Precision: no need to measure.

CONTRIBUTOR

Richard Newman-Wolfe

University of Rochester, Rochester NY

Nemo@Rochester.ARPA

Approved: reid@glacier.ARPA

TERONG BALADO

EGGPLANT-3 — Indonesian baked eggplant in chili sauce

I got this recipe originally from an Indonesian cookbook. It's a nice way to cook eggplant.

INGREDIENTS (serves 6)

1 large eggplant

3 garlic cloves, sliced or chopped

4 Tbsp chopped onion

1½ cups fresh ripe tomatoes

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tsp fresh red hot chili peppers

½ cup water

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

PROCEDURE

(1) Cut the eggplant into long quarter-round strips. Bake them at 400º F for 20–25 minutes, or until they are soft but not mushy.

(2) Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the onion, garlic, tomatoes, salt, sugar, peppers, and water, and mash with a wooden spoon until it forms a coarse paste.

(3) Fry the tomato paste in the oil until the liquid is reduced (about 10 minutes).

(4) Pour the sauce over the eggplant, and serve immediately.

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 30 minutes. Precision: Measure the spices.

CONTRIBUTOR

Brian Reid

DEC Western Research Laboratory, Palo Alto CA

decwrl!reid -or- reid@decwrl.DEC.COM

Approved: reid@glacier.ARPA

STIR-FRIED EGGPLANT

EGGPLANT-4 — A simple Chinese-style recipe for fresh eggplant

My favorite for eggplants out of the garden is to stir-fry them with garlic and hot peppers in sesame oil, according to this simple recipe.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

2 Tbsp sesame oil, or a mixture of sesame oil and clear vegetable oil, to taste

6 Szechuan peppers

1 large eggplant, cubed

2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

PROCEDURE

(1) In a wok heat the oil, then toss in the Szechuan peppers. After about 30 seconds (long enough for the scent to be released) toss in the cubed eggpant and the garlic.

(2) Stir-fry over moderatly high heat until the eggplant is tender (about 10 minutes.) Remove the peppers before serving.

NOTES

I've heard it said that the Armenians judge the value of a woman by how many ways she can cook eggplant.

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 15 minutes. Precision: no need to measure.

CONTRIBUTOR

Richard Newman-Wolfe

University of Rochester, Rochester NY

Nemo@Rochester.ARPA

Approved: reid@glacier.ARPA

HOBBIT PIE

HOBBIT-PIE — A rich pie with mushroom and onions

This recipe is from the Tao of Cooking, by Sally Pasley.

INGREDIENTS (1 9-inch pie)

2 deep dish unbaked pie crusts

2 beaten eggs

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1½ cups grated cheddar cheese

1½ lbs sliced mushrooms

chopped or sliced

3 Tbsp oil

1 cup cottage cheese

¼ cup chopped parsley

½ cup dry white wine

PROCEDURE

(1) Preheat oven to 375º F.

(2) Sauté mushrooms until soft, then add onions, and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent.

(3) Take mixture off heat, and add flour, then wine, mixing well. Add all other ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.

(4) Pour into crust and cover with lattice top and bake 40-45 minutes.

NOTES

I add a little garlic and horseradish, and sprinkle paprika or cayenne over the top.

RATING

Difficulty: easy to moderate. Time: 20 minutes preparation, 1 hour baking and cooling. Precision: measure the ingredients.

CONTRIBUTOR

Nicholas Horton

Aiken Computation Lab, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., USA

horton@harvard.harvard.edu

Approved: reid@decwrl.UUCP

JACK JUBILEE

JACK-JUBILEE — A casserole made with jack cheese

I got this recipe from the National Dairy Council. It's good winter food: easy to make, and rich. Don't let the corn chips put you off; normally, such an ingredient would make me think it's one of those recipes for people who don't like to cook and don't care about good food. Take my word for it: this recipe is an exception.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 Tbsp butter

8 oz tomato sauce (1 large can)

4 oz green chili peppers, chopped (1 can)

½ tsp salt

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup half-and-half (or light cream)

11 oz corn chips (one package)

½ lb Monterey jack cheese (cut into ½ inch cubes)

½ cup cheddar cheese (shredded)

some paprika

1 cup sour cream

PROCEDURE

(1) Preheat oven to 350º F.

(2) Sauté onion in butter until transparent.

(3) Stir in tomato sauce, chopped peppers, and salt. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

(4) Combine eggs and cream. Stir into sauce.

(5) Place half the corn chips in bottom of a 1½ quart casserole. Add in layers, half the Monterey Jack cheese, half the sauce. Repeat.

(6) Top with sour cream. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and paprika.

(7) Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

NOTES

Ingredient notes for non-US cooks: Monterey Jack cheese is a bland American cheddar from Monterey, California. Try substituting Dunlop (Scottish), Lancashire (English), or Cantal (French). Half and half is a dairy product that is 50% whole milk and 50% heavy cream; light cream makes a reasonable substitute. Corn chips, often sold as "Fritos" or "Doritos", are a packaged snack food made of deep-fried pressed cornmeal. I cannot think of any reasonable substitute for them in this recipe. [Ed.]

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 20 minutes preparation, 30 minutes cooking. Precision: approximate measurement OK.

CONTRIBUTOR

Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.; Alameda, California)

LASAGNE-2 — A vegetable lasagne with spinach, mushrooms and corn

This vegetarian dish can be served on its own or with a side salad. My thanks to Erica and Milica who gave me this recipe and who tried different vegetable combinations until the corn stopped falling out of the sides. Experiment for yourself—substitute different vegetables according to the season and your preference.

INGREDIENTS (Serves four to six people)

LASAGNE

1 medium onion, chopped

½ lb carrots, grated

1 lb spinach

5 oz sweetcorn, drained (½ tin)

¼ lb mushrooms, coarsely chopped

8 oz lasagne noodles (½ packet)

2 garlic cloves

¼ lb cheese, grated

SAUCE

2½ cups milk

2 oz cornflour (cornstarch)

2 oz butter

PROCEDURE

(1) Gently fry the carrots and garlic in some butter, set aside.

(2) Gently fry the onions and mushrooms in some butter, set aside.

(3) Wash the spinach and cook gently in a saucepan without adding any water. Stir frequently. This really does work and it stops it from going slimy. Add the corn to this and set aside.

(4) Now make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan, take it off the heat, add the cornflour. Mix this well. Slowly add the milk, stirring all the time. It is important not to stop stirring, even for a moment. Return it to the heat and keep stirring until it thickens.

(5) Now build your lasagne. Take a large square ovenproof dish at least 2 inches deep (we use one about 8×12 inches for the quantities given) and assemble in layers starting with a layer of lasagne, then a layer of sauce, then one of the previously-prepared vegetable pairs. Repeat the lasagne, sauce, vegetable pair combination twice more. At this point you should, if all has gone well, run out of vegetables. Finish off with lasagne and then sauce.

(6) Top with the cheese and sprinkle on a little paprika if you want.

(7) Bake for about 35 mins at 350º F.

(8) The servings should stay whole as you serve them.

RATING

Difficulty: easy, but remember to stir the sauce. Time: 20 minutes preparation, 35 minutes cooking. Precision: no need to measure.

CONTRIBUTOR

Calvin Sambrook

STC Telecomunications Ltd, New Southgate, London.

calvin@stc mcvax!ukc!stc!calvin

Approved: reid@decwrl.UUCP

SPINACH LASAGNA

LASAGNE-3 — Classic spinach lasagna

This recipe was posted to usenet by sridhar@spt.tek.com who got it from Sean Gilley (slg@e.ms.uky.edu). I modifed it slightly to my tastes (naturally).

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6–8)

32 oz tomato sauce

1 lb canned tomatoes

1–2 medium onions

8 cloves garlic

8 oz black olives, drained (optional)

8 oz green olives, drained (optional)

8 oz mushrooms (optional)

1 large bunch broccoli (optional)

12–16 oz mozzarella cheese

12–16 oz other cheese (cheddar, swiss, jack, etc.)

16 oz cottage cheese

½ cup parsley (optional)

8–12 oz spinach

3 eggs

2 lb lasagna noodles (approximately 2 boxes)

Italian spices, to taste

PROCEDURE

(1) Sauce: Put tomatoes and tomato sauce in large pot over low heat. Press garlic, add. Chop onions, olives, mushrooms, and broccoli, add. Add spices to taste. Simmer covered over low heat until the whole tomatoes have merged with the rest of the sauce and you can no longer tell where one begins and the other ends.

(2) Cheese: Grate the cheeses and mix. Add eggs, parsley, and spinach, mix well.

(3) Building the lasagna: In a lasagna pan, put in just enough sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Make a layer of noodles. Using about half of the available cheese mixture, make a layer of cheese. Another layer of noodles. Cover the noodles with sauce, the important thing being to make sure all noodles have at least some sauce on them. Another layer of noodles. Use the rest of the cheese mixture and make a layer of cheese. Put down the last layer of noodles, then use the remaining amount of sauce, or as much as possible, and cover the noodles in sauce.

(4) Bake at 375º F for 45 minutes.

NOTES

The lasagna noodles are uncooked when you build the lasagna. Be stingy with the sauce, if you aren't, you'll end up short at the end where you need it most. If you do things as specified here, you will end up with a lasagna layered as (s-n-c-n-s-n-c-n-s), (sauce, noodles, cheese, etc.) but some prefer the heretic's way: (c-n-s-c-n-s-c-n-s)

RATING

Difficulty: moderate. Time: 2–3 hours. Precision: Approximate measurement OK.

CONTRIBUTOR

Original recipe by Sean Gilley, Mathematical Sciences, U of Kentucky

slg@e.ms.uky.edu

Posted by S.Sridhar, Tektronix Inc., Portland, Oregon

sridhar@spt.tek.com

Submitted by

Dave Van't Hof, VLSI Cad, MIPS Computer Systems, Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif, USA

vanthof@mips.com

Approved: reid@decwrl.dec.com

SPICY LENTIL SOUP

LENTIL-SOUP — A simple soup with lentils, tomatoes, and hot pepper

This is a spicy vegetarian lentil soup. It makes a very good main course or side dish. You don't have to soak the lentils ahead of time!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

1 lb washed lentils

8 cups water

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, sliced

2–4 garlic cloves, diced

2 cups diced tomatoes

2 tsp cayenne

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

salt (to taste)

PROCEDURE

(1) Put all the ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Cook for about 45 minutes or until beans are tender. Sir occasionally; you will also need to add water during this 45 minutes.

NOTES

The spicing can be varied to taste.

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 15 minutes dicing, 2 hours cooking. Precision: no need to measure.

CONTRIBUTOR

Charles S. Geiger, Esq.

The University of Texas at Austin, Texas

cgeiger@ngp.UTEXAS.EDU ihnp4!ut-ngp!cgeiger

Approved: reid@decwrl.UUCP

MATZO BREI

MATZO-BREI — Traditional Passover breakfast

When I was growing up, the main thing that kept us kids happy about matzah-for-eight-days was my father making "matzah 'n' eggs" for breakfast nearly every morning. I didn't even know it had a "real" name. As I was beginning to stock my own kitchen, the very first Passover items I bought were a bowl, a colander and a frying pan.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 1–2)

2 matzot (plural of matzah)

2–3 eggs

salt and pepper, to taste

oil or margarine

¼ cup cottage cheese, well drained (optional)

PROCEDURE

(1) Break matzot into medium-sized pieces and place in colander or strainer. Pour boiling water over them and drain quickly (they should be slightly limp, not soggy).

(2) Mix together matzot, eggs and seasoning in a bowl. (You can add cottage cheese at this point.)

(3) Heat the margarine or oil in a frying pan, and pour in the mixture. You can either (a) heat one side until brown, then flip over, like an omelette or (b) heat while continually stirring, like scrambled eggs (my tradition). Serve hot.

NOTES

Any printed recipe for matzo brei that I've ever seen says "serve with honey or jam." However, in our family, this dish is considered a savoury, not a sweet, and we're much likelier to sprinkle a bit more salt and pepper on top.

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 5 minutes. Precision: is to laugh.

CONTRIBUTOR

Tovah Hollander

UCLA Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Los Angeles, California USA

Approved: reid@decwrl.UUCP

THE COUNTESS'S MUSHROOMS

MUSHROOMS-1 — A rich treat for mushroom lovers

This recipe originated in Ken Kelly Cooks, and is presented with only minor additions and changes.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2 gluttons)

1 lb fresh mushrooms sliced

4 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

2 tsp broth

1½ cups sour cream

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp tarragon

¼ tsp curry powder

½ tsp black pepper, fresh ground

¼ tsp salt (or to taste)

PROCEDURE

(1) In a large frypan, melt the butter. Sauté mushrooms in butter until tender (about 5 minutes).

(2) Mix flour and chicken base together. Sprinkle over mushrooms. Cook one more minute, stirring.

(3) Add sour cream, lemon juice, and all seasonings. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more, stirring.

NOTES

We use chicken broth or chicken bouillon. If you use a vegetable broth this is a vegetarian dish. If you can resist digging in right away, cook this ahead of time to give the flavors a chance to mellow. At serving time, rewarm carefully over low heat. This is wonderful as a main dish served over rice, noodles or fettucini Alfredo.

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 15 minutes preparation, 10 minutes cooking. Precision: approximate measurement OK.

CONTRIBUTOR

Kathy Marschall

Submitted for her by David Messer.

Lynx Data Systems, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

dave@viper.UUCP amdahl,ihnp4,rutgers!dayton,meccts!viper!dave

Approved: reid@decwrl.dec.com

AUNT MILDRED'S NOODLE KUGEL

NOODLE-KUGEL-2 — Noodle kugel using uncooked noodles

This recipe is interesting because you don't cook the noodles first.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6)

¼ cup butter

8 oz noodles, uncooked

3 eggs, beaten

4 oz cottage cheese

2 cups milk

1/3 cup sugar

1½ tsp vanilla extract

12 oz crushed pineapple with juice

cornflake crumbs, to top

PROCEDURE

(1) Melt butter in a 9×13 pan.

(2) Add noodles.

(3) Combine remaining ingredients, except crumbs, spread evenly over noodles.

(4) Top with crumbs.

(5) Bake at 350º F for about an hour.

NOTES

This recipe is very simple, but it does taste a little pastier than recipes that require the noodles to be cooked first. It also comes out very flat×most of the kugel recipes I've made in the past use twice as many noodles in the same size pan. I found that some of the things can be increased, i.e., add more noodles, more pineapple, more cottage cheese.

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 5 minutes preparation, 1 hour cooking. Precision: no need to measure.

CONTRIBUTOR

susan@sftig.UUCP (S.Eisen)

AT&T Bell Laboratories, Summit, NJ

Approved: reid@decwrl.UUCP

POTATO PANCAKE

POTATO-PANCAKE — German "Kartoffel Puffer"

A traditional German potato recipe. Not for people with weight problems.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

2½ lb potatoes, peeled

2 onions, chopped fine

1 egg, beaten

¼ cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 cup oil (or lard)

PROCEDURE

(1) Grate the peeled raw potatoes with a fine grater. Squeeze dry in a towel.

(2) Mix the potatoes with all other ingredients (except the oil). Leave it for a while.

(3) Heat the oil or lard in a frying pan. Form pancakes from 2 Tbsp of batter, press flat, and fry until both sides are golden brown.

NOTES

Serve the hot pancakes with any kind of stewed fruit. Be sure you make enough pancakes. They have the same effect as salted peanuts: you can't stop eating!

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 15 minutes preparation, 5 minutes cooking. Precision: approximate measurement OK.

CONTRIBUTOR

Heinz Kindlimann

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Electronics Dept., Zurich, Switzerland

UUCP: kindlima@ethz

X400: kindlimann@ife.ethz.CHUNET

BITNET: kindlimann@czheth5a

Approved: reid@decwrl.UUCP

CHILI RELLENO CASSEROLE

RELLENO-CASS — An easier way to make chili rellenos

A friend of mine, Cynthia Ojeda, cooked this recipe for me once. I told her it was good enough to share with the Usenet community, so she wrote it down for me. Serve it with plenty of Spanish rice and salsa.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4–6)

6 large eggs

1 lb jack cheese

1 lb longhorn cheese (colby)

8 oz whole green chilies (1 large can)

PROCEDURE

(1) Preheat the oven to 350º F.

(2) Separate whites from yolks. Whip whites until stiff. Beat yolks until smooth. Fold yolks into whites. Season, salt & pepper, as wished.

(3) Grate cheeses and combine together.

(4) Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.

(5) Spread small amount of egg mixture in dish.

(6) Split open green chilies and layer on top of mix in dish.

(7) Sprinkle grated cheese on top.

(8) Spread some more egg on top of that.

(9) Repeat steps 6–8 until the ingredients are gone (finish with egg).

(10) Bake for 25 minutes, or until brown.

NOTES

Serve warm with salsa.

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 15 minutes preparation, 25 minutes cooking. Precision: no need to measure.

CONTRIBUTOR

Ed Post

American Information Technology, Cupertino, Calif., USA

hplabs!lewey!evp evp@lewey.ait.com

Approved: reid@decwrl.UUCP

RICE AND BEAN CASSEROLE

RICE-BEAN-BAKE — A vegetarian bean, rice, and cheese casserole

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4–6)

3 cups cooked pink beans

2½ cups cooked brown rice

6 oz tomato paste

1 cup lowfat cottage cheese

¼ cup chopped onion

1 cup milk

¼ cup wheat germ

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp tamari soy sauce

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp basil

¼ cup sesame seeds (or use less or more, to taste)

PROCEDURE

(1) Mix the beans, rice, tomato paste.

(2) Blend the garlic, onion, milk, and soy sauce.

(3) Combine everything but sesame seeds into a baking dish.

(4) Shake the sesame seeds on top.

(5) Bake at 350º F for 40 min.

NOTES

Optional additions: 1 egg, ¼ tsp rosemary, 1 tsp molasses, grated parmesan cheese on top, mace (to taste). Substitutions: (I have not tried all combinations!)

beans: pinto or almost any kind

rice: barley for some or all

cottage cheese: plain yoghurt or tofu

wheat germ: grape nuts, bulgur wheat, oatmeal, etc.

milk: anything from water to whole milk

nutmeg: cinnamon

egg: tapioca flour and starch paste

molasses: blackstrap molasses or honey

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 15 minutes preparation (if rice is already cooked), 45 minutes cooking. Precision: approximate measurement OK.

CONTRIBUTOR

Dave Dameron dameron@glacier.ARPA

Organization: Stanford University, IC Laboratory

SAUTE-SWEEPTO — Sweet potatoes sautéed in lime and tequila

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

2 large sweet potatoes

¼ lb butter (1 stick)

2/3 cup tequila

¼ cup lime juice

3 Tbsp sugar

PROCEDURE

(1) Grate the sweet potatoes into pieces about 1 inch long and ¼ inch thick.

(2) Sauté the sweet potatoes in the butter for 5 minutes.

(3) Add the tequila, lime juice, and sugar, and cook covered, over moderate heat, for 5 minutes.

NOTES

Rosie's lime juice, a common brand, has a substantial amount of added sugar. Try to find lime juice wtithout added sugar, or leave all the sugar out of the recipe if you can't find it. Naturally you will get the best results if you squeeze fresh limes to get the lime juice.

RATING

Difficulty: trivial. Time: 10 to 15 minutes, most of it spent grating the potatoes. Precision: No need to measure.

CONTRIBUTOR

Mike Foster

Columbia University, New York

Foster@Columbia-20

SPAGHETTI SAUCE

SPAGH-SAUCE-2 — Very easy and cheap spaghetti sauce

This recipe is from Consumer Reports, which rated it as much better than most bottled sauces—and cheaper. You can add whatever additional ingredients you like (mushrooms, tomatoes, etc.) to this basic recipe.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove

1 small onion, chopped

28 oz crushed tomatoes

16 oz tomato paste

1 cup water

2 tsp dried basil

¼ tsp black pepper

¾ tsp salt (or less to taste)

oregano (optional)

PROCEDURE

(1) Brown the garlic in the olive oil in a 6-quart pan.

(2) Add the onion and brown until transparent. (You can sauté a tomato in here also if you want.)

(3) Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often. (Longer cooking won't hurt.)

NOTES

It is better than bottled sauces!

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 5 minutes chopping, 30 or more minutes cooking. Precision: no need to measure.

CONTRIBUTOR

Evelyn C. Leeper

...ihnp4!mtgzz!ecl

AT&T Information Systems, Holmdel NJ

Approved: reid@glacier.ARPA

SPANAKOPITA

SPANAKOPITA — Greek spinach and cheese pie

This recipe is from the Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas. It takes lots of time to make, but is well worth it.

INGREDIENTS (serves 8)

2 lbs fresh spinach

1 lb filo dough

½ lb feta cheese

7 eggs

1 onion, diced

PROCEDURE

(1) Dice the onion and sauté it until golden brown.

(2) While the onion is cooking, wash the spinach. Put it in a bowl and rub lots of salt into it. Let the spinach/salt sit for 15 minutes. This is meant to reduce the volume of spinach. An alternative to this is to barely steam the spinach (30–60 seconds).

(3) Beat the eggs. Crumble the feta cheese and add to the eggs. Note that feta cheese is fairly salty. You can replace half or all of it with ricotta cheese.

(4) Rinse all the salt out of the spinach. Add it and the onions to the eggs/cheese and mix. Also add some spices. The original recipes calls for salt, pepper, and oregano. I use basil.

(5) Melt some butter (at least 2 oz.)

(6) Butter the bottom of a 91/3 inch baking dish. Lay the filo down one layer at a time, brushing butter on each layer. Turn each successive layer a little so they are not all piled directly on top of each other. The filo will hang over the sides of the dish. Continue until you have 3–5 sheets of filo left.

(7) Pour the filling into the filo.

(8) Fold the filo that hangs over the side over the filling. Place the last pieces of filo on top, buttering each as you go. Trim off the filo that hangs over the edge of the dish. These last pieces serve to cover the filling.

(9) Make two or three slits with a knife in the top layers of filo that go all the way down to the filling.

(10) Bake at 375º F for 50 minutes.

NOTES

You can vary the filling to suit your tastes. We've thought of adding mushrooms.

My husband complains about how thick and hard to cut the bottom of the spanakopita is. His suggestions (none of which I've tried) include using more butter, and alternating laters of filo and filling.

RATING

Difficulty: moderate. Time: 45 minutes preparation, 1 hour cooking. Precision: no need to measure.

CONTRIBUTOR

Aviva Garrett

Excelan, Inc., San Jose, CA

Approved: reid@decwrl.UUCP

SPINACH AND CHEESE CURRY

SPINACH-CURRY — Indian vegetarian spinach and cheese curry

This is a dish I learned from an Indian lady, at a cooking class. It's simple to make and has a beautifully subtle flavor. As per true curries, it uses raw spices instead of some prepackaged curry powder.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4 to 6)

1½ lbs fresh spinach

½ lb fresh ricotta cheese (see note)

3 medium brown onions

1½ inches fresh ginger, chopped fine

1 medium tomato

1½ tsp cummin seeds

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp red chile powder (cayenne) (or more to taste)

2 cloves

pinch nutmeg

pinch mace

1 Tbsp ghee (or use melted butter or oil)

salt (to taste)

PROCEDURE

(1) Cook the spinach and chop it up.

(2) Cut the cheese into ¾-inch cubes and deep fry a few pieces at a time in oil (a wok is good for this).

(3) Fry the chopped onions in the ghee. When almost brown, add the finely-chopped ginger. Use a medium to high heat.

(4) When the onions are golden, reduce the heat and add the skinned and chopped tomato, then the spices and salt.

(5) Cover for a few minutes, then add the spinach and salt.

(6) Cover and simmer about 5 minutes to let spices penetrate.

(7) Add the cheese pieces, mix, and serve.

NOTES

We eat this dish as a meal with rice, although you can use it as one dish along with others. The quantities given for the spinach and cheese are very flexible. I never .AB measure weigh them, just putting in what seems right. Experiment. Similarly, it can be kept hot for a while with no loss in taste or texture.

In North America, most Ricotta cheese is packed as a pot cheese. This recipe calls for a more solid form of the cheese. Specialty ethnic markets in large cities will carry solid Ricotta. You can make your own by buying a tub of pot Ricotta and wrapping it in a clean cloth to wick the moisture out, leaving the whole assembly in the refrigerator for a week or so, and changing the cloth every day. With such treatment the cheese will gradually solidify enough that you can slice and fry it. Buffalo-milk Mozzarella is a fair substitute, and ordinary Mozzarella is a last-chance substitute.

Don't fry the cheese too long. It should have a golden exterior and have a marshmallow texture inside. Frying too long makes it hard and dry.

Use whole cummin seeds and cloves, not the ground variety.

Like most curries, this reheats splendidly.

RATING

Difficulty: easy to moderate. Time: 1 hour. Precision: Approximate measurement OK.

CONTRIBUTOR

Peter C. Maxwell,

Department of Computer Science,

University of New South Wales,

Sydney, AUSTRALIA.

peterm%cadvax.oz@seismo.css.gov

Approved: reid@decwrl.UUCP

SPINACH CHEESE CASSEROLE IN PUFF PASTRY

SPINACH-PASTRY — Spinach and cheeses in a puff pastry crust

A recipe of this type appeared in Cuisine Magazine. The dish is hearty enough to be a main course, but can also be a side dish to a meat entré.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4 to 6)

10 oz chopped spinach (fresh or frozen)

1 cup cottage or ricotta cheese

1 cup feta cheese (crumbled, and drained of any brine)

¼ cup grated parmesan or romano cheese

¼ cup chopped scallions

4 large eggs

2 Tbsp butter

pinch salt

pinch pepper

12 oz puff pastry (frozen pastry thawed to room temperature, or homemade)

PROCEDURE

(1) Preheat oven to 350º F. Cook the spinach in boiling water. Drain, rinse with cool water, and squeeze out as much moisture as you can.

(2) Melt the butter in a small skillet. Cook the scallions until slightly soft.

(3) In a large mixing bowl, combine the cheeses and the eggs. Mix well. Add the spinach, the butter and scallions, the salt and pepper and mix again.

(4) Lightly butter the bottom and sides of an 8-in square baking dish.

(5) Roll out a sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface to make a 14-in square. Roll out a second sheet to make a 9-in square.

(6) Lay the bigger pastry sheet in the buttered dish, draping the extra pastry over the edges.

(7) Spread the spinach and cheese mixture evenly in the dish.

(8) Put the remaining pastry sheet on top. Trim excess pastry if necessary and seal the edges closed. Use scraps of pastry dough to decorate the top of the pie. Brush top with additional melted butter if desired.

(9) Bake for 45 minutes at 350º F or until pastry is golden brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

NOTES

The casserole may be prepared through step 3, then covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours. As an alternative to puff pastry, you might try using sheets of filo dough, overlapped to make the bottom and top crusts. I have also baked this dish in a pie pan using filo dough. One way to cut down on the calories in this dish is to omit the bottom crust entirely. This is a very flexible recipe. Other vegetables can be substituted for the spinach, and other ingredients like sautéed garlic and mushrooms can be added.

RATING

Difficulty: moderate. Time: 30 minutes preparation, 1 hour baking and cooling. Precision: approximate measurement OK.

CONTRIBUTOR

Robin Harris Foster

AT&T Information Systems, Lincroft New Jersey, USA

Approved: reid@decwrl.UUCP

.RZ "TOFU BALLS" "Vegetable and tofu This recipe comes from the New Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant cookbook. They said that these vegetarian balls are "one of our most popular standard lunch items". I was skeptical, so I gave it a try and indeed, they are quite tasty.

INGREDIENTS (3 dozen)

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 large carrot, grated

1 green pepper, finely chopped

1½ tsp dried basil

1 tsp ground fennel

¾ tsp dried oregano

2 large eggs

1 cup bread crumbs

¾ cup walnuts, very finely chopped

¼ cup fresh parsley

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1½ Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp tamari soy sauce

3 firm tofu cakes

black pepper

PROCEDURE

(1) Preheat oven to 350º F.

(2) Sauté the garlic, onion, carrot, pepper, basil, fennel and oregano in the oil for 10 minutes or until tender.

(3) In a large bowl, beat the eggs, then add all other ingredients except the tofu.

(4) Mash the tofu and add it to the other ingredients. Mix well.

(5) Form the mixture into 1½-inch balls. Spread on a greased baking sheet.

(6) Bake for 20–30 minutes at 350º F or until golden brown.

RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: 30 minutes preparation, 30 minutes baking. Precision: approximate measurement OK.

CONTRIBUTOR

Nicholas Horton

Reed College, Portland, Oregon, USA

Approved: reid@decwrl.dec.com

RUBEN VILLAVICENCIO'S VEGETABLE PIE

VEGETABLE-PIE — A wonderful vegetable pie

This recipe is originally from the Los Angeles Times. It takes a lot of time to make, but it's quite good.

INGREDIENTS (serves 3–4)

3 cups packed, grated raw potato (about 3 large potatoes)

1 tsp salt

4 eggs

1¼ cups onion, grated (or more to taste)

2 Tbsp oil

1 garlic clove, crushed (or more to taste)

3 Tbsp butter

1 bunch broccoli, broken into small florets

½ tsp dried basil

thyme

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

1 cup milk

paprika

PROCEDURE

(1) Drain the potatoes and squeeze dry. Add ½ tsp salt, 1 egg, and ¼ cup (or more to taste) grated onion.

(2) Pat potato mixture into well-oiled 10-inch pie pan and bake at 400º F for 30 minutes. Brush potato crust with oil, reduce oven temperature to 375º F and bake for another 5–10 minutes, until crust is brown.

(3) While crust is baking, sauté 1 cup chopped onion and garlic in butter. If you like a lot of onion and garlic, use more. Add broccoli, ½ tsp salt, basil, a dash of thyme, and cook covered, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes.

(4) Spread half of cheese over baked crust. Top with sautéed vegetables and remaining cheese.

(5) Beat together remaining 3 eggs and milk, and pour over vegetable/cheese mixture. Sprinkle paprika on top.

(6) Bake at 375º F for 35 to 40 minutes until custard is set.

NOTES

This recipe can be made in two stages: you can make the crust in advance and then can make the vegetable topping and bake it later. An electric grater is a real time-saver for the crust ingredients.

RATING

Difficulty: moderate. Time: 1½–2 hours. Precision: no need to measure.

CONTRIBUTOR

Aviva Garrett

Santa Cruz, CA

Excelan, Inc., San Jose, California, USA

Approved: reid@decwrl.UUCP

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