Peanut Soup

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons grated onion
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 TBS flour
3 cups veggie broth
1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy is best but you can use chunky if you like
2 TBS dry sherry
2 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste
1/3 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts

In medium sauce pan (2qt), melt butter over medium heat.
Add onion and celery and sauté 5 minutes.
Stir in flour and mix until well blended.
Gradually stir in veggie broth, stirring to keep mixture smooth.
Simmer uncovered over low heat for 30 minutes.
Stir in peanut butter, sherry, and lemon juice.
Heat thoroughly and serve garnished with the chopped peanuts.

Serves 4

Chile Rellenos Quiche

27 oz can roasted whole green chiles
1 lb cheddar or monterrey jack cheese cut into 1 oz wedges
1/2 lb cheddar or monterrey jack cheese shredded
6 eggs
1/4 cup flour
2-3 handfuls of tortilla chips crumbled

Prepare 2 quiche or pie pans (or 1 9x13" baking dish) by greasing lightly or spraying with nonstick spray.

Sprinkle enough chip crumbs to cover bottom of dish, about half the chips.

Thoroughly blend eggs eggs and flour. Pour a thin layer over the chips on bottom of baking dishes saving more than half of eggs for topping.

Take chiles and stuff each one with a wedges of cheese and place in a single layer in the baking dish. If the chiles are in pieces not large enough to stuff or if you are pressed for time, spread out half the chiles in a single layer in the baking dish and layer cheese evenly over them. Top with the remaining chiles in another layer.

Cover the chiles with the remaining egg mixture. Mix the remaining crumbled chips with the shredded cheese and sprinkle over the top.

Bake at 375°F until cheese is melted and slightly browned, about 30 minutes.

Spinach and Cheese Casserole

1 pkg Fresh Baby Spinach leaves chopped
- or -
10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1/4 onion minced
1 clove garlic pressed or finely minced
1 cup ricotta or creamed cottage cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheese - Cheddar, Jack, or Mozzarella
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2 TBS flour
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly oil or spray a 1-1/2 quart casserole.
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Pour into prepared casserole dish.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

Optional: Recommend using ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. After oiling baking dish sprinkle bread crumbs to just cover the bottom, pour in the casserole, layer thin slices of tomato on top and sprinkle top with more bread crumbs and 1 tsp grated parmesan, romano, or asiago cheese, and bake as above.

Serves 2-3 as main dish, 4-6 as a side.

Vegetarian Lasagna

1 pkg Lasagna Noodles
2 cups fresh Broccoli florets chopped
- or -
10 ounce Pk frozen chopped Broccoli

14 1/2 ounce Can Chopped or Diced Tomatoes
15 ounce Can Tomato Sauce
1 cup Chopped Celery
1 cup Chopped Onion
1 cup Chopped Grn/Sweet Red Pepper

1 TBS fresh Basil leaves minced
2 tsp fresh Oregano leaves minced
- or -
1 tsp dried Basil & 1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano
2 Bay leaves
2 Cloves garlic crushed or finely minced

1 Egg Beaten
2 cups Low or No Fat Ricotta Cheese
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese
1/4 tsp Ground black pepper
1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Cook noodles and broccoli separately according to their package directions, just blanch fresh broccoli; drain well. Set aside.

For sauce: In a large saucepan stir together undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, celery, green or sweet red pepper, basil, bay leaves, and garlic. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 20-25 minutes or till sauce is thick, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaves.

Meanwhile, in a bowl stir together egg, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir in broccoli.

Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce on bottom of a 13x9x2" baking dish. Top with 1/3 of the noodles, half of the broccoli mixture, and 1/3 of the remaining sauce. Repeat layers twice more ending with the sauce.

Bake, uncovered, in a 350 deg F oven for 25 minutes; sprinkle with Mozzarella. Bake 5-10 minutes more or till mozzarella begins to slightly brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves about six to eight.