Jenn’s Cook Book

I am constantly scouring the bookstore for new cookbooks, not necessarily because I need more recipes but because I often draw inspiration for recipes for a variety of sources. Over the past two years, I have become more adapt at creating my own dishes, but still need a little guidance. Often, I will see a recipe and image how I would make that dish. This is one of those instances, from my new cookbook The Vegetarian Bible.

Through the Veganomics project, it is obvious that I am not a vegetarian but I do enjoy vegetarian cuisine. My goal was to eat less meat, not necessarily to give it up completely. This meal, however, makes me want to be a vegetarian because it is wholesome, satisfying, and delicious. The fact that eggplant is usually sold for less than $1 per pound does not hurt either.

Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan
adapted from The Vegetarian Bible

2 cups dried pasta, such as penne, rotini, or another short shape
2 eggplants, about 1 lb each
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14-16 oz) diced tomatoes, do not drain
2 tsp dried oregano (or 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped)
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs with Italian Seasoning
1 jar marinara sauce, without meat
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil, as needed

Preheat oven to 400F and cover a baking sheet with foil. Brush foil with olive oil and set aside.

Bring a medium to large stockpot of water to boil. Add 1 tsp salt and pasta, preparing according to package directions until just tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to pan, tossing with a small amount of olive oil to prevent sticking, cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and score around the insides with a sharp paring knife, being careful not to pierce the shells. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Brush the insides of the shells with olive and and place in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Chop the flesh and set aside.

Heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in a large skillet. Cook onion over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, until softened and golden brown. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chopped eggplant and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add additional olive oil if needed. Reduce heat to medium-low and add tomatoes and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, reducing heat if necessary. Add pasta, tossing gently to combine until mixture has absorbed all the liquid, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese in the shells of the eggplant. Spoon tomato and pasta mixture into the shells, then top with marinara sauce. Combine Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the prepared shells. Bake eggplant for 15-20 minutes, until topping is golden brown.

Serve topped with additional mozzarella cheese, if desired.

Economically Friendly: Most everything in this recipe was a pantry staple: pasta, onion, garlic, canned tomato, bread crumbs, seasonings, even marinara sauce. I will indulge and buy high quality Parmesan cheese, but a little goes a long way. The recipe called for penne pasta or a short, shaped pasta and I had whole wheat rotini on hand, which worked great. As previously mentioned, eggplant is an inexpensive substitute for meat.

Environmentally Responsible: Aside from being inexpensive, discovering eggplant has helped me reduce the amount of meat I consume without feeling like I am making a sacrifice, which makes my carbon footprint smaller. In the current grain and rice crisis, I am not sure where pasta fits into the picture, but the amount in this recipe is rather small (only 2 cups dried as oppose to a box or even half a box).

Excellently Healthy: Whole wheat pasta, plenty of vegetables, part-skim mozzarella, and some healthy fat from extra-virgin olive oil are all part of a healthy diet with moderation and variety. To complete the meal, I served this with my Spinach & Quinoa Salad, made with zucchini instead of cucumbers. Lightly saute zucchini in olive oil with garlic, fresh basil, salt and pepper until warmed through, then toss with spinach, quinoa and golden raisins. Sprinkle with some balsamic vinegar and that is one tasty salad.

For this meal, we had guests visiting. By serving two dishes with meat substitions, eggplant and quinoa, no one felt hungry afterwards. The combination was very filling without being heavy. It also helps that our guests enjoy vegetarian cuisine, and that I have restored James faith in eggplant.

Another remake of an old recipe, I’ve been making these noodles since I started this whole cooking thing about two years ago (I didn’t write about it right away, so it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when it all started). This recipe has been modified and adjusted several times, and every time I seem to change something. I’ve swapped dried herbs for fresh, butter for olive oil, Parmesan cheese for feta, added sauteed mushrooms and onions, a splash of lemon juice, and served baked chicken on top. I have also halved and doubled the ingredients. It is a very versatile recipe.

It is also very satisfying. I made this often when James worked frustrating and demanding jobs, like at the ambulance company, because after a long day it really is comfort food: warm, fulfilling, and tasty.

Parmesan Egg Noodles
adapted from Cooking for 2 magazine

3-4 cups dry egg noodles
3/4 tsp salt, divided
2 tbsp unsalted butter 
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried thyme  
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Bring a medium to large pot of water to boil. Add 1/2 tsp salt and dry egg noodles. Cook according to package directions, about 8-10 minutes, and drain.

Add butter, olive oil, and garlic, stirring to melt butter. Add remaining 1/4 salt, basil, thyme, and black pepper. Toss to coat the noodles. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top, fold into noodles. Serve immediately.

Economically Friendly: These are all ingredients I keep on hand, and adjustments can be made when needed.

Environmentally Responsible: I do not know what the impact of egg noodles is on the environment, but this is a good alternative to rice or wheat products.

Excellently Healthy: Served with steamed veggies and baked chicken, this is part of a well-balanced meal. Swap butter for more olive oil for some healthy fat.

This is a remake of the Super Easy Sausage & Egg Noodle Dinner. Italian sausage were on sale and to stretch the dollars even further, I used some for this dish and saved the rest for another dinner. Pork, like beef, is not very eco-friendly, which is why I used less than the original recipe.

4-5 cups dry egg noodles
1 tsp salt
3 sweet Italian sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
8 oz mushrooms, such as mini bella, sliced
1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 jar marinara or spaghetti sauce
Parmesan cheese, optional

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add salt and egg noodles. Prepare according to package directions (about 8 minutes). Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet and saute mushrooms over medium-high heat. Saute until almost soft, add water if needed. Set aside in a small bowl.

Add sausage to hot skillet and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, add a bit of marinara sauce if the pan is dry. Continue to saute until sausage is cooked through and add mushrooms back to pan. Add jar of sauce of pan along with prepared egg noodles. Toss all ingredients until sauce is warmed. Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Economically Friendly: The pack of 5 sausages was $2.19 on sale, leaving 3 for this recipe and 2 for another meal. Normally, I would have used 4 and the remaining sausage would have sat in the freezer (and probably suffered from freezer burn). Egg noodles are a fairly inexpensive pantry staple, and you can usually find it on sale.

Environmentally Responsible: Well, I am not sure what to say here, other than I used less meat than usual. It’s a small step, but a step nonetheless. This is a great dish to serve with steamed, seasonal veggies.

Excellently Healthy: Served with steamed veggies, this isn’t bad for you, as long as it’s in moderation. Another option is to make your own sauce to monitor ingredients and sodium content.  

Looking for a quick and easy dinner idea? Try this all-in-one meal, full of flavor and fresh vegetables. If zucchini isn’t your thing, try asparagus or sugar snap peas.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz (half box) linguine or fettucine
1 lb zucchini, halved cross-wise and sliced into thin moons
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
5 oz soft goat cheese 
2-3 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350F and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a large skillet. Season chicken with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Sear chicken on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Arrange chicken on prepared baking sheet and bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until done.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 1 tsp salt and pasta, cooking according to package directions until al dente, about 8 minutes. 

Heat additional 1-2 tsp oil in skillet chicken was seared in and add onions and zucchini. Saute for 5 minutes and stir in garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Saute another 2 minutes.

Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the water. Add goat cheese to pasta and reserved water, stirring well until creamy. Stir in zucchini mixture. Top with 1/4 tsp pepper.

Nestle cooked chicken breasts into pasta and serve immediately. 

This recipe is a combination of inspiration. Back when I worked at the unversity’s main campus, the buffet would serve “Sweetza” every Thursday, which is pizza with some kind of a sweet cream cheese sauce, cinnamon apples, and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. It was absolutely delicious (I know for a fact that several other people would visit the buffet that day solely for this “apple pizza”). Recently, I read an article on Slashfood about the rise of dessert pizzas, pizzas made with chocolate, peanut butter, and other sweet goodies. It reminded me of the Sweetza, which really was a genius hybrid of regular pizza and these new dessert pizzas.

Enter Midnight Snacks. In the first section of the book 10:15 PM Past Your Bedtime Repast, the first recipe is for “Impromptu Pizza.” Basically, the recipe provides ideas for making a personal size pizza out of everyday food items such as flour tortillas, sliced tomatoes, and shredded cheese. After reading through some of the variations, I decided to try my hand at my own Apple-izza in the spirit of the Sweetza.

I started with a flat whole wheat tortilla and added a couple ounces of cream cheese mixed with a pinch of cinnamon and a splash of milk. Then I thinly sliced an apple and created a layer over the cream cheese, slightly overlapping the slices. Next, I seasoned with a small pinch of salt and cinnamon sugar. I then topped it all with a light sprinkle of cheese and baked until bubbly. Once out of the oven, I sprinkled with a bit more cinnamon sugar and cut into pieces. 

I served this for brunch, but it could also be a great dessert or appetizer to a meal. Be sure to cut the apple thinly so the slices cook and soften quickly in the oven. Cheddar cheese and apples are a classic combination, but mozzarella also works. I would recommend a firm, crisp apple like Braeburn or Fuji, or you could use a Granny Smith and substitute caramel for the shredded cheese and add some chopped nuts to make a delicious caramel apple pizza.

Jenn’s Apple-izza 
1 flour tortilla
3 oz cream cheese
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1-2 tsp milk
1 apple, thinly sliced
1/4 cup shredded cheese
cinnamon sugar 

Preheat oven to 400F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, cinnamon, and milk. Stir until smooth and spread over tortilla.

Arrange apple slices in a single layer, slightly overlapping the pieces. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and top with shredded cheese.

Bake 10-12 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and the edges of the tortilla are golden brown. Remove and sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar if desired.

Allow to cool 2-3 minutes and cut into pieces.

Here is another great recipe for Spring Fever! The original recipe comes from Simply in Season, but I have adjusted the ingredients and the method of serving. The first set of ingredients and directions is more or less the original, with some additions. The second set is my own creation, created to compliment the flavors in the chowder.

I created this meal to celebrate a new apartment for my friend Leah. On the first evening in a new place, I felt the kitchen needed to be “broken in” as a welcoming gift. Both she and I loved this dish, and it makes plenty of leftovers for lunch (or enough to feed a crowd). Of course, I had to serve this with my favorite Coconut-Ginger Rice. We also had fresh cantaloupe on the side, which complimented the dish perfectly.

2 tbsp butter
2 ribs of celery, minced
1/2 medium onion, minced
2-3 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into half-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn or chopped into small pieces
1/3 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups water
3 vegetable bouillon cubes (or chicken)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 can (14-16 oz) diced tomatoes, not drained
1 can (14-16 oz) corn kernels, drained
1 1/2 cups (12 oz) evaporated milk

In a large stockpot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add celery and onions, saute 3-5 minutes until tender. Add zucchini and basil, saute an additional 3-5 minutes until tender.

Stir flour, salt, and pepper into vegetables. Gradually stir in water to make a smooth stock. Add bouillon cubes and lemon juice, mix well. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes until bouillon cubes have dissolved.

Add tomatoes and juice, corn, and evaporated milk to pot. Return mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and cover, cooking for 5 minutes until corn is tender.

At this point in the original recipe, 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese are stirred into the chowder just before serving and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese is sprinkled on top of the serving bowls. In my recipe, the sauteed beef is prepared while the chowder cooks and everything is served over hot, cooked rice.

1 lb beef, cut into thin strips 
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 ribs celery, minced
1/2 medium onion, minced
6 scallions, cut into half inch pieces, white and green parts separated
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp allspice
1 cup water

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Saute garlic for 1 minute. Add celery, onion, and white scallions to skillet and saute 3-5 minutes. Remove onion mixture from skillet and set aside.

Toss beef in cornstarch, cumin, cayenne pepper, and allspice until coated. Add beef to hot skillet and cook 2 minutes on one side, do not stir. Add water to pan and turn beef, scrapping the bottom of the skillet to loosen any browned bits. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium.

Return onion mixture to pan and toss with beef. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes.

Serve sauteed beef and zucchini chowder over hot, cooked rice. Top with green scallions.

 Dinner is served!

Here is a quick recipe that works for one or more! Bright lemon mixes with dill and whole wheat pasta for a great weeknight dish. Adjust the recipe for the number of servings you would like.

whole wheat pasta
salt and pepper
1 lemon
olive oil
fresh snipped dill, or dried dill
parmesan cheese

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Measure the number of pasta servings and cook to package directions. Drain pasta and seperate into bowls.

Into each bowl, add 1 tsp olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, 1 tsp fresh dill or 1/4 tsp dried dill, 1 tbsp parmensan cheese, and fresh ground black pepper. Grate a little lemon zest on top of each bowl. Toss well and serve!

Shown below, with whole wheat angel hair pasta:

Here is a hearty dinner dish with a kick of spicy flavor. This recipe uses the Spicy Paprika Rub from Everyday Food with ground beef and boxed Velveeta shells and cheese. You could also use ground chuck or sirloin, and pick the meat/fat ratio you like best (I used 94/6).

1 lb ground beef
3 tsp Spicy Paprika Rub
1 family-size pkg of Velveeta Shells ‘n Cheese boxed dinner

Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add shells and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

Meanwhile, brown beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Once beef is no longer pink, add Spicy Paprika Rub (drain beef first if desired). Saute for 3-5 additional minutes.

Add shells to beef and pour cheese pouch over dish. Mix well, combining beef with shells and cheese (to warm the pouch, place on a non-burner part of the stove while everything else cooks).

Serve immediately.

Shown below, with Apples Roasted with Root Vegetables:

This recipe has appeared in several different forms, and here is the latest reincarnation. If you like cheesy broccoli soup and one-pot dishes, this is the recipe for you.

1 small onion, minced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp smoked paprika
3 cups chicken broth
1 pkg frozen broccoli florets, thawed
2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp black ground pepper
1 pkg (12-14 oz) processed cheese, such as Velveeta, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Coat a large stockpot with cooking spray. Over medium heat, saute onions and garlic for 3-5 minutes or until onion begins to soften. Add paprika and saute 2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add chicken broth and broccoli, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Whisk flour into milk and add to soup. Add pepper and stir well until thickened, about 5 minutes (do not boil).

Remove from heat and stir in cubed cheese. Stir until melted. Serve topped with shredded cheese.

From Everyday Food magazine, this recipe combines seasonal pears with crisp amaretti cookies and rich mascarpone cheese. Select pears that are just ripe in order to keep the best shape. Pears ripen best after they have been picked, so purchase under-ripe pears a few days prior to making this dish and store the pears at room temperature, standing upright. To speed things up, add an apple. The skin will change from bright red or green to a dull yellow-red or -green when ripe.

4 firm, ripe Bartlett pears, red or green
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
pinch of salt
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
amaretti cookies (Italian almond macaroons)

Preheat oven to 375F

Halve pears lengthwise and use a melonballer or spoon to remove core. In a baking dish or roasting pan, toss pears with sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Arrange pears in a single layer, cut side down.

Pour 1/4 cup water over pears and cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until pears are tender. The skins will begin to turn amber.

To serve, place a pear half cut side up on a plate and top with a tablespoon of mascarpone cheese. Crumble 1-2 amaretti cookies on top.