Caramelized onion pasta

2-3 small onions, sliced thinly
1 T olive oil
1 red pepper, sliced thinly
4 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
1/2 C frozen peas
3-4 T cream cheese
2 T sour cream

• Place onions in a shallow sauce pan with olive oil and saute on medium until softened.
• Continue to cook covered over low heat for several minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Once the onions are caramelized, add the peppers and garlic and continue cooking until softened.
• Add the frozen peas and cook until heated through.
• Stirr in cream cheese and sour cream and stir until everything is coated.
• Serve atop freshly cooked pasta.

Farmer's market sausages and apples

4-6 large sausages (Italian work well)
3 small onions, cut in wedges
3 small, firm apples (Gala work well), peeled, cored and cut in wedges
1/2 C apple juice
1/4 C apple jelly or hot pepper jelly
2 T Dijon mustard

• Heat large frying pan over medium-high heat
• Prick sausages and add them to hot pan
• Cook until well browned all over, turning often (5-7 minutes)
• Remove sausages and reduce heat to medium
• Add onions to the pan, stirring often until brown
• Add apple wedges, stirring often until brown
• Meanwhile, whisk juice, jelly and mustard in a small bowl
• Pour into pan and stir until jelly melts
• Return sausages to the pan and reduce heat to medium-low
• Cover and stir occasionally until sausages are cooked through (8-10 minutes)
• Serve over wide egg noodles

Carrot and chickpea saute

1 T olive oil
pinch curry
2 medium carrots
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T fresh dill, chopped

• Heat oil over medium-high heat and add curry
• Add carrots and cook, tossing frequently until tender (6-10 minutes)
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute
• Add the chickpeas, pinch of salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until heated through (2-3 minutes)
• Stir in the lemon juice and dill

Broccoli and Potato Soup

3 T olive oil
3 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
6 C chicken stock
2 large potatoes, peeled and grated
1 head broccoli, stems cut in chunks
pinch nutmeg
1 C cheddar cheese, grated

• Heat oil in large stock pot
• Sautee onions until softened
• Add garlic and sautee a minute longer
• Add stock, potatoes and stems
• Season with salt and pepper and simmer until potato breaks down
• Add nutmeg, florets and cheese
• Simmer until florets are tender
• Puree before serving

Green pea hummus

1 (19-oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 C frozen peas, thawed
2 T tahini or peanut butter
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Juice of one lemon (2-3 T)
Salt to taste
2-4 T olive oil
1/4 C plain yogurt

• Pour everything but oil and yogurt into a food processor and pulse until well combined.
• With motor running, drizzle in oil gradually until mixture is smooth, then add yogurt.

Tomato soup

1/4 C olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 T minced garlic
2 (14-0z) cans whole peeled Italian tomatoes with juice
2 1/2 C chicken stock
3 T tomato paste
1/8 t ground nutmeg
1 C whole milk

• In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Add onion and saute until translucent, 3-5 minutes.
• Add garlic and saute for about 1 minute.
• Add the tomatoes, stock, tomato paste and nutmeg.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer uncovered until the flavours meld together (30-40 minutes)
• Puree the soup (in batches if necessary)
• Return to stock pot and add whole milk.
• Bring to a simmer over low heat.

Banana split pancakes

1 large egg
1 C buttermilk
2 T unsalted butter, melted
1/2 C very rip banana, mashed
1 T sugar
1 C all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
large pinch ground nutmeg

• Whisk together egg, buttermilk, butter, banana and sugar.
• In a separate bowl, sift together four, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
• Pour liquid ingredients and stir together with a fork or small whisk just to combine (lumps are OK)
• Cook the pancakes over medium-high heat in a greased pan until the batter starts to brown around the edges and little bubbles start to form over the surface of the batter.
• Flip and cook 1-2 minutes longer.

Bruce trail pancakes

1/2c quick-cook rolled oats
1 3/4c milk
1c all-purpose flour
3/4c whole-wheat flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 eggs
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla

• Combine oats and milk, let stand for 5 minutes.
• Mix flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
• Beat eggs, oil, and vanilla into oat mixture with a whisk just until blended.
• Stir liquid mixture into flour mixture just until moistened (don't worry about lumps).
• Lightly grease a skillet and place on medium heat.
• Cook, using about 1/3 cup batter for each pancake, until bubbles form on the surface.
• Turn and brown other side.
• Makes 8 medium-sized pancakes.