Mimi's Cafe Corn Chowder

(photo courtesy of Tea Jenny)

4 tablespoons butter or margarine
6 tablespoons onion, chopped
3/4 cup celery, large dice
2 1/2 cups hot water
2 cups raw potato, peeled, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups frozen corn, thawed
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 pinch white pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 quart half and half, divided use


In large pot, melt butter using medium heat. Add onion and celery, simmer until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. 

Add water, potatoes, corn and seasonings. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. 

Whisk flour into 1 cup half and half, and stir flour mixture into soup. Add remaining half and half. Simmer about 15 minutes, until soup thickens. 

Add salt and pepper if needed. To thin soup, add milk. To thicken soup, simmer 5-10 minutes more as desired.

Zucchini Pie

4 c thinly sliced zucchini

1 c chopped onion
1/4 c butter plus 2 T olive oil
2 eggs beaten
1 c grated cheddar cheese
1 c grated monterey jack cheese
(you can use 2 c colby jack for the cheese)

seasonings:
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t garlic powder
2/ T parsley flakes
1/2 t basil flakes
1/2 t oregano flakes

one tube croissant rolls or dough of choice

here's the pie crust recipe i like to use  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Butter-Flaky-Pie-Crust/Detail.aspx

Saute zucchini and onion in butter and oil.  Add seasonings. Line 9" pan  with dough.  In large bowl mix eggs and cheese then add zucchini mix.  Pour into lined pan and bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 30 mins.

Lasagna

• 1 pound lean ground beef (sometimes I use cooked chicken instead)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
•  
• 12 ounces cottage cheese (or ricotta)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg (I've also made this without the egg and it turned out great that way too)
•  
• 9 lasagna noodles
• 1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese (or cheddar)

Note:  I usually like to add extra vegetables like zucchini, broccoli, or spinach

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook beef until brown. Drain. In another skillet over medium heat, cook onion until translucent. Combine beef and onion in a large saucepan with tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, water, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper and sugar. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour.
2. While sauce is simmering, blend cottage cheese, Parmesan and egg until smooth. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
5. Spread 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover sauce with 3 noodles. Cover noodles with one-third of remaining sauce. Top with half the mozzarella. Place another layer of noodles and one of sauce over the mozzarella; top that with the cottage cheese mixture. Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining sauce.
6. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top and bake 15 minutes more, until golden and bubbly.

Croque Monsieur

This recipe is easy and super delish!

(from a Rachel Ray recipe, but slightly revised)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

Salt and pepper

A few grates of fresh nutmeg

1 tsp Dijon mustard

2-3 tablespoons butter, softened

8 1/2-inch-thick slices good-quality bread (or regular size)

8 slices Swiss cheese, cheddar, or havarti

8 thin slices roasted ham

Place a griddle or large skillet over medium heat.

Place a small pot over medium heat with the butter. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and bring up to a bubble. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in some salt, pepper, nutmeg and the Dijon mustard.

Butter one side of each slice of bread. Build the sandwiches by smearing the dry side of each slice with some of the milk sauce then stacking the ham and cheese onto four slices of bread. Cap the sandwiches off with the remaining four slices of bread, buttered side out. Cook the sandwiches until golden brown and toasted and the cheese has melted, 3-4 minutes per side. Serve warm.

Pizza!

This is a very simple and totally delicious recipe that my mother in law makes, and I am completely addicted!

Pizza Dough

1 cup warm water
1 Tbsp or package of yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
¼ cup cooking oil
about 3 cups of flour (I like to use half whole wheat /half white)
(you can use a little less oil and add extra water instead if you prefer)
Dissolve yeast and sugar in water.  Add salt, oil, and half the flour to yeast.  Beat vigorously until smooth.  Mix in rest of flour until dough is very firm. Knead on floured breadboard until smooth.  Pat or roll in pan to desired thickness.  


Tip: you can use a bread machine to mix the dough, and just add all the flour at once.


I like to make it simple and use my favorite spaghetti sauce from the store, but when I have time I definitely prefer this homemade sauce:

Sauce

1 can tomato sauce
chopped onion
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning or ¾ tsp. oregano, dash garlic powder, pinch rosemary.  
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together.  Spread a thin layer on top of rolled out pizza dough.  
Top with shredded cheese and your favorite pizza toppings.  (My favorite toppings are red bell peppers, spinach, olives, mushrooms, artichokes, ham, and pineapple.  Sometime I want to try a chicken alfredo pizza with sliced tomatoes and green onions.)


Bake 425 for about 10-12 minutes.  Enjoy!


And if that isn't delicious enough, try this on for size...


Peach Cobbler Pizza Pie

Use the same dough as above, but top it with:
Peaches cut into bite sized pieces, frosting, caramel, and streusel topping!   Mmmmm!

Frosting (save half the frosting to put on after baking)

just make a basic butter vanilla frosting, but make it thin

butter

powdered sugar

milk

vanilla

Caramel  (heat all together in pan on stove, or in microwave)

 2 Tbsp butter

1/4 c cream (or half n half... but add a little flour)

1/4 c white sugar

1/4 c brown sugar

Streusel topping

1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter

dash of cinnamon

Bake 425 for10-12 minutes.