Rice a Munee

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup broken vermicelli
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
• 1 cup diced yellow onions
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

In a large saucepan or skillet with a lid, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add in the vermicelli and rice and saute until lightly browned. Add in prosciutto and saute 2 minutes more. Stir in onion and peppers, and saute for another 2 minutes. Add the garlic and peas, saute for 1 more minute and deglaze with white wine. Pour in the chicken stock, bring mixture to a simmer, cover and cook for 18 to 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

Crunchy Egg Salad

• 4 eggs
• 1 (4 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts,
• drained and chopped
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sweet pickle relish
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• salt and pepper to taste

Place the eggs into a saucepan in a single layer and fill with water to cover the eggs by 1
inch. Cover the saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once the water is
boiling, remove from the heat and let the eggs stand in the hot water for 15 minutes. Cool the
eggs under cold running water. Peel and chop.

Combine eggs, water chestnuts, mayonnaise, pickle relish, dry mustard, and paprika in a
large bowl. Stir until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Baked Spaghetti Pie

• 1/2 lb spaghetti
• 2 large eggs
• 1 (15 ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 tablespoons fresh Romano cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease 9-inch glass pie plate.

In large bowl, with fork, beat eggs. Stir ricotta and Parmesan cheese until blended. Add spaghetti to ricotta mixture and stir until well coated.

Transfer spaghetti mixture to prepared pie plate; top with marinara sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining Romano cheese.

Bake pie 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes for easier serving. Cut into wedges to serve.

Tex-Mex Rice and Black-Eyed Peas

• 1 cup white rice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup fresh salsa, plus more for topping
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 14-ounce cans black-eyed peas (1 undrained; 1 drained and rinsed)
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted and sliced
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt

Cook the rice as the label directs. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the salsa and cumin and cook, stirring, until the salsa is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas, plus the liquid from one of the cans and 1/4 cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are creamy and tender, about 12 minutes.

Fluff the rice with a fork and divide among bowls. Add the spinach and cilantro to the black-eyed pea mixture and stir until wilted, about 1 minute; spoon evenly over the rice. Top each serving with a few avocado slices, some cheese and more salsa. Serve with sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole

• 2 cups 1% low-fat milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice
• 3 cups small broccoli florets
• Cooking spray
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 2 ounces light processed cheese, cubed
• 2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine milk and water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Add rice; cook 10 minutes. Remove rice; keep warm. Return milk mixture to a simmer. Add broccoli; cook 5 minutes. Drain; discard milk mixture.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper; sauté 5 minutes. Add cream cheese and processed cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat; stir in rice, broccoli, chicken, salt, and black pepper. Spoon 1 cup rice mixture into each of 4 (10-ounce) ramekins coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

Sesame Soba Noodles

• Salt
• 1/2 pound soba
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 large clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
• 1/3 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
• 2 large carrots, coarsely grated
• 1 small bunch scallions, very thinly sliced on an angle
• 3 tablespoons mixed black sesame seeds and toasted white sesame seeds

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the soba and cook until al dente. Drain.

Meanwhile, combine the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and garlic in a large bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Add the edamame, carrots, scallions and soba to the bowl and toss to combine. Garnish with the sesame seeds.

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder

Divide a head of cauliflower into florets that are all roughly the same size.

Steam cauliflower pieces over boiling water (15 to 20 minutes), or until the cauliflower is tender.

Drain the cauliflower and toss it in a bowl of ice water to bring the cooking process to a screeching halt.

When the cauliflower has cooled, put the florets in a food processor along with 1/2 cup of water.

Puree the cauliflower on high speed until smooth, but with some very small pieces of cauliflower remaining in the mix for just a bit of texture.

Pour all of the pureed cauliflower into a medium sauce pan.

Dissolve the corn starch in the remaining 1/4 cup of water and add the solution to the cauliflower.

Add the cream, salt, white pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to the cauliflower and stir.
Set the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring often, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thick.