Vegetarian Green Chili

This is my kind of chili. With six different green veggies and a salsa verde kick. Serve it over rice and top it all off with sour cream. Yummy!
2 cups long grain rice
2 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
1 bunch green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large green peppers, chopped
3 stalk celery, chopped
12 oz bag shelled frozen soybeans (edamame)
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 16 oz jar salsa verde (green salsa)
6 cups fresh spinach
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 avocados, peeled, pitted and chopped
sour cream or plain yogurt (optional)

Cook rice according to package directions set aside. Meanwhile, in pot cook and stir onions and garlic in hot oil for 2 minutes over medium-high heat. Add peppers and celery, cook 5 minutes, until crisp tender. Add edamame and cook 5 minutes. Add broth and salsa verde; bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered , 15 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook about 1 minute, until wilted. Removed from heat; stir in cilantro and avocados. Serve over rice. Top with sour cream and remaining avocado.

Makes 8 servings. This does take a bit of prep time around 25 min (there is a lot of cutting) same amount of time cooking 25 min.

Recipe from Better Homes and Garden October 2011 issue.

A great fall dish

It has been a while since I posted on this blog. Summer was hot and busy. However this is my favorite time of the year to cook. I love fall menus and all the fall produce recipes that come out. My Better Homes and Gardens magazine came last week and I had to try this pumpkin mac and cheese. I love pumpkin and thought this would be a fun new twist on the classic. We tried it last night and we all liked it. I love it because the pumpkin and the fontina cheese makes it all so creamy. The sage gives it such great and unexpected taste. I also loved the orange fall color of the cheese and pumpkin mixture. The only thing I would add to this recipe is a little more salt and pepper to taste before eating. The cheese and pumpkin mixture are a little more mild than the regular cheddar cheese version.

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

2 cups dried elbow macaroni
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup milk
4 oz. Fontina cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1 Tbsp. snipped fresh sage, crushed or 1/2 tsp dried sage,crushed
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 Tbsp. olive oil
sage leaves

Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta in a large pot following package directions:drain. Return to pot.
In medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. Add cream and milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in Fontina, pumpkin, and sage until cheese is melted. Stir sauce into pasta. Transfer to ungreased 2-quart rectangular baking dish.
In bowl(or food processor) combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, nuts and oil: sprinkle over pasta. Bake uncovered, 30 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sage.
The taste might be a little mild so salt and pepper to taste before eating.

Recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens October 2011 issue.