Here's a sampling of recipes that have been submitted:

Warm Custard (from the Passionate Palate)
4 eggs
2 2/3 cup milk
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 unbaked pie shell (for pie, if desired)

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Beat eggs slightly with rotary beater, then beat in rest of ingredients. Pour into 6 custard cups or a 1 ½ quart baking dish and set in pan of hot water (1-inch deep). Sprinkle a little nutmeg over the tops. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or just until a knife inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean. Remove from oven. Serve cool or well chilled with fruit or whipped cream.

Per serving: 98 calories, 11 mg cholesterol, 16 g fat, 16 g carbs, 3 g protein

Avocado/corn salad
1 cup fresh or frozen cut corn
1 T vegetable oil
2 T water
1 t ground cumin
Pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes (optional)

1 medium avocado
2 T fresh lime or lemon juice
½ medium red bell pepper
2 T minced red onion
Salt to tast
Dash of Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce (optional)
Whole or chopped cilantro leaves (optional)

In a skillet or saucepan, combine the corn, oil, water, cumin, and optional cayenne or red pepper flakes. Cook, covered, on medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the corn is tender. Uncover and cook for an additional minute or two to evaporate the excess moisture. Set aside to cool.

Slice the avocado in half lengthwise, and gently twist to remove the pit. Make lengthwise and crosswise cuts into the flesh every ½ inch. Scoop the avocado cubes out of the shells and into a large bowl. Gently stir in the lemon or lime juice. Cut the bell pepper into ½ inch or smaller pieces and add to the bowl. Stir in the red onion and cooked corn. Add salt and the optional Tabasco to taste, and top with cilantro if you like. Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes and then serve.

Pork chops
6 pork steaks or chops
2 T shortening
½ to 1 t salt
2 T brown sugar
1 T dry mustard
2 t Worcestershire sauce
½ cup catsup
1/3 cup water
2T vinegar
4 t minced onions
Brown steaks in shortening; place in baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over steaks and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until pork is tender.

Banana bread
1 ¾ cup flour
½ t salt
2 eggs
¾ c sugar
¼ t baking soda
½ c shortening
2 bananas
½ cup chocolate chips (optional)

Mix flour, salt, sugar, baking soda and baking powder together. Add shortening, cut into pea sized chunks. Add eggs. Add bananas and chocolate chips. Grease and flour pan; bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Oliveta (olive spread)
1 can black olives, drained
2T olive oil
1 tsp capers (I used more)
2 cloves garlic
Salt & pepper

Puree in food processor and serve with warm bread and red wine

Gallo Pinto (beans and rice) Recipe; (in memory of my recent trip to Costa Rica)
1 lb (450 gr.) Black beans. Fresh are best but most likely you’ll find them dried.
8-10 sprigs cilantro (coriander leaf) fresh or frozen, not dried!
1 small or medium onion
½ small red or yellow sweet pepper (optional)
3 cups (700 ml) chicken broth or water
2 cups (350 ml) white rice
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
1-3 Tablespoon oil to fry the Gallo Pinto

If beans are dried, cover with water and soak overnight, if they are fresh, just rise them off. Drain the beans and add fresh water to an inch (2.5-cm) above the top of the beans, salt, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and reduce heat to very low simmer until beans are soft (~3 hours).

Chop cilantro, onion, and sweet pepper very fine.

Add 1 Tablespoon oil to a large pan and sauté the dry rice for 2 minutes over medium high flame then add half of the chopped onion, sweet pepper and cilantro and sauté another 2 minutes. Add water or chicken broth, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer until rice is tender (20-35 minutes). This is also the recipe for Tico rice used in other favorites like tamales.

Once the rice and beans are cooked you can refrigerate or freeze them. Keep a significant amount of the “black water” with the beans (½-1 cup 120-240 ml). This is what gives the rice its color and some of its flavor. Sauté the rice, beans reserved chopped onion, sweet pepper and cilantro together in vegetable oil for a few minutes. Sprinkle with a little fresh chopped cilantro just before serving.

Once the rice and beans are cooked you can also refrigerate or freeze them. Make up small batches of Gallo Pinto when you want it by simply sautéing them together.

Chicken Quinoa Soup

3 – 4 chicken breasts, cut up

1-2 cups sliced or diced carrots

2 cups spinach or celery stalks, chopped

2 small onions, diced

2 cups cooked quinoa

6-8 cups water

Seasonings to taste

[I used garlic powder (but garlic cloves may be better);

salt, pepper, lemon pepper, and tarragon]

Stir-Fry and Pasta Salad

Spinach with garlic, tofu, & almonds
serves 4 as a side, 2 as an entrée total · time: 15 minutes

2 10-oz. pkgs. of frozen spinach
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 block of tofu, cubed
red pepper flakes, to taste
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
salt & pepper to taste

1. Defrost spinach and squeeze to remove excess moisture.
2. Add red pepper flakes to olive oil in pan, heat to medium-high.
3. Add tofu and stir-fry at medium-high heat, approx. 5 min.
4. Add garlic and cook briefly, approx 1 min.
5. Add spinach and cook until heated, approx. 5 min.
6. Remove from heat, add toasted sesame oil and almonds and toss.

Per entrée-sized serving: 300 Cal. · 21 g. protein · 21 g. fat (<1 g. sat. fat.) · 7 g. fiber

Mike’s favorite green beans

(This is a recipe my brother made up one summer when he had a bunch of fresh stuff! They have become a family favorite and really “bump green beans up a notch.”

Pound of fresh green beans (you can use frozen or canned too)
1 large onion sliced thinly
Package of fresh mushrooms (you can use canned)

Heat 2 T canola or olive oil in a large skillet
Add onions and sauté, add green beans and turn heat down a bit.
Cook until beans are beginning to get tender
Season with a favorite seasoning (We like bit of Lawry’s seasoning salt or some Mrs. Dash flavors or just a bit of garlic)
Add mushrooms and cook all until mushrooms are tender

Pomme doux frites
Serves 2-4
A healthier and tasty side—sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A and other anti-oxidants

2 large sweet potatoes, washed thoroughly
extra virgin olive oil
sweet curry powder
cinnamon
sea salt
cayenne pepper or black pepper


1. Cut sweet potatoes lengthwise into 1/2–1” thick strips (the size does not matter, but keep the strips of even thickness to assure even cooking).
2. Place potatoes in a bowl and toss with olive oil to coat lightly.
3. Sprinkle spices to taste and toss to coat evenly.
4. Arrange potato strips on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 ° F for approx. 20-30 minutes or until desired doneness (depends on thickness of strips).
If serving two: 220 Cal. · 4 g. protein · 7 g. fat (<1 g. sat. fat.) · 3 g. fiber

Slow-Cooker Pinto Bean-Sweet Potato Chili
Serves 4

Note: The amounts of the ingredients are not set in stone; the slow-cooker is pretty flexible.

1 T. olive oil
1 medium to large onion, chopped finely
2 tsp. chili powder
3 cups vegetable broth (*I use Knorr brand vegetable bouillon cubes added to the appropriate amount of boiling water; mix it up good before adding to pot)
A couple of medium sweet potatoes (peeled), or 5-6 small red potatoes and cut into cubes--size not too important
1 15-oz. can Mexican-style stewed or diced tomatoes, with ALL the juice
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained/rinsed (black or kidney beans fine too)
1-1/2 tsp. grated orange peel

Saute the chopped onion in the oil for five minutes or so. Add chili powder and stir one more minute. Put cooked onion into slow-cooker with all other ingredients. Stir well, cover, and turn slow-cooker to low. Chili will be done in 8 hours or so, but can go longer if you can't get to it in time. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you like, garnish bowls with chopped fresh cilantro.

Firehouse Meatloaf:

Serves 6

1 lb ground beef; 1 egg, 1/2 C. bread crumbs, 1 can 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 C. corn, 1/2 C. peas, 1 lb. tater tots, 1/2 C. low-fat cheddar cheese.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 9-inch casserole mix beef, egg and breadcrimbs. Pat down. Spread soup on top. Sprinkle vegetables on top of soup layer. Place tots on top and press in.

Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake an additional 20-30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.

Veg-Head 3-Bean Chili

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 red pepper, seeded and chopped

1 green pepper, seeded and chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

1 cup vegetable broth

1 can crushed tomatoes (32 oz)

1 can black beans (14 oz)

1 can kidney beans (14 oz)

1 T. cumin

2 T chili powder

Several drops hot pepper sauce

1 tsp. salt

1 cup Spicy refried beans

Topping: 8 oz. Monterey Jack or smoked cheddar cheese, shredded

Over moderate heat, add olive oil to a deep pot and combine onion, peppers, garlic. Saute for 3-5 min. to soften vegetables. Deglaze pan with broth, add tomatoes, beans, and stir to combine. Season with cumin, chili powder, hot sauce and salt. Thicken chili by stirring in refried beans. Simmer over low heat about 10 minutes longer, then serve up bowls of chili topped with shredded cheese.

Parmesan Potatoes

4 medium potatoes, scrubbed

2 TBL. flour

2 TBL Parmesan cheese

Pepper to taste

2 TBL margarine

Cut each potato into 4 to 6 chunks. In a plastic bag, combine flour, parmesan an pepper. Shake potatoes a few at a time, in cheese mixture. Melt the margarine in a 9X13 baking pan. Place potatoes in a single layer and bake, turning once during the baking.

Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour ( Fat 4.2 g, 115 caloreis)

Herbed Garlic Chops

2 T Flour
1 T cooking oil
1 t Basil
1 t Oregano
2 Cloves Garlic
4 Pork Chops
1/4 t Salt and Pepper

In shallow dish combine flour, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Coat
port chops on both sides with flour mixture and set aside.

In large skillet cook garlic in hot oil for 30 seconds. Add chops
and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 5 minutes, turn over and
cook for an additional 5-7 minutes or until no more pink remains.