Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound green lentils
3 medium-large onions, chopped
2 leeks, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ cup olive oil
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 ½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground cumin
3 cups chopped celery
3 cups chopped carrots
3 quarts vegetable stock
¼ cup tomato paste
Parmesan cheese

What to do:

Be warned -- this makes a ton of soup.

Boil water and pour over the lentils, allowing them to soak in the hot water for 15 minutes.

Combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin. Using a really big pot, sauté the onions and leeks in the olive oil mixture for 20 minutes. Add the carrots and the celery and sauté for another 10 minutes.

Add the vegetable broth, tomato paste, and lentils. Bring the mixture to a boil, covered, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for one hour

Drizzle with olive oil and Parmesan cheese.

Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:

1/2 box of linguine

S&P

2 tbsp olive oil

6 cloves of garlic, minced

~1/2 cup white wine

1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail optional

6 tbsp butter

3 tbs fresh lemon juice

1. Boil the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside in a large serving bowl.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large enough pan so that the all the shrimp can fit in one layer (but don't add the shrimp just yet). Add the garlic to the oil and cook until it smells really yummy, about a minute or so but be sure the garlic doesn't burn. Add the wine and some s&p. Bring the mixture to a boil.

3. Add the shrimp to the boiling mixture and cover. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the shrimp starts to change color. Bring the heat down a bit and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring several times to be sure the shrimp cook on all sides.

4. Remove the shrimps into the bowl with the pasta, leaving the liquid in the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook it down until it reduces to about half the original amount. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, one tbsp at a time. Stir in the lemon and some s&p to taste. Pour the sauce over the pasta-shrimp mixture and toss.

Easy Fried Rice

Ingredients:

1/2 tbsp butter (or oil)

2 eggs

salt and pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

1 cup onion

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup edamame

1/2 cup broccoli

1-2 cloves garlic

2 cups cooked rice, cold

1/4 cup soy sauce

1. Scramble the two eggs with the salt and pepper in a small bowl. Melt the butter (or heat oil) in a large skillet/wok. Add the eggs and scramble until cooked but not dried out. Place in a separate bowl and wipe the skillet clean.

2. Heat the oil in the clean skillet. Add the onion and simmer for about 4 minutes over low to medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for another two minutes. Then add the broccoli, edamame and garlic. Continue to sauté for 3 or 4 more minutes or until the broccoli is tender.

3. Add the rice and cook for about another 3 or 4 minutes. Add in the soy sauce. Cook another 4 minutes or so and then add in the egg. Cook for one more minute and then remove from heat.

This is listed as gluten free but only because I used gluten-free soy sauce. Most is not gluten free.

Jeremy's Risotto

Jeremy makes this and it is so yummy. He walked me through it and I tried to recreate. I didn't measure, so the amounts below are estimations.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp butter

2 tbsp oil

1 shallot

1 cup arborio rice

~ 1 carton stock, maybe a little less

1/2 cup of white wine

1 lemon

~ 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

salt & pepper

1. Melt the butter in a large pan and add the oil. Add the minced shallot and saute for a few minutes. Add in the rice and mix until completely covered in the oil and shallot mixture.

2. Add a bunch of stock, about 2 or 3 cups, and the white wine. Bring to a boil and then simmer - stirring continuously the entire time so that the rice can absorb the liquid. Keep adding stock as it cooks down. Simmer for about 20 minutes - again, stirring very frequently.

3. Add the lemon juice and the parm. Simmer for a few more minutes while stirring. Add salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook until it is no longer runny.

Ginger-Honey Salmon Marinade

Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter, melted

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients to make the marinade. Place fish in container with marinade, pink side down. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.

Bake at 350, tightly covered with tin foil, for 20 minutes.

Halloween Severed Finger Cookies

Cookie ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 egg

1 tsp spiced rum

2 3/4 cup flower

1 tsp baking powder

sliced almonds

Preheat over to 325.

Mix the butter and powdered sugar together in a large bowl. Add the egg and rum, mix. Stir in the flower and baking soda.

Roll the dough into finger-shaped cookies and place a few inches apart on a cookie sheet. Press an almond slice into the end of each cookie. Use a butter knife to make knuckle creases.

Bake for 20 minutes. Once cool, dip end into raspberry sauce, directions below.

Raspberry Sauce:

1 cup frozen raspberries

1 tsp corn starch

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/8 cup sugar

Combine all ingredients over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about five minutes.

Baked Flounder with Parmesan Breadcrumb Crust

Flounder was on sale! This is super easy.

Ingredients:

3 flounder fillets

3/4 cup grated parmesan

1/2 cup panko

4 tbsp melted butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1. Preheat over to 425.

2. Combine the parmesan, panko, melted butter and oil to form a crumbly mixture.

3. Lightly butter a baking dish.

4. Lay fish flat in the baking dish and cover with the breadcrumb mixture.

5. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven at let sit for 5 minutes before serving.