Freezer Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (8 Tbsp) butter
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, preferably roasted garlic oil (see here for recipe)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced, preferably roasted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley
• 1 loaf French Bread

Preparations:

1. Allow the butter to come to room temperature. Combine it in a small bowl with the garlic, olive oil, salt, and dried parsley. Mix the ingredients together until they form a smooth paste.
2. Cut the bread loaf into one-inch slices. Scoop 1/2 Tbsp of the butter mixture onto each slice, then spread it over the surface with a knife.
3. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet and then place them in the freezer to allow the butter to firm up. Once firm, stack the slices two at a time and place in quart sized freezer bags. Store in the freezer up to three months.
4. To cook the frozen slices of garlic bread, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Once the oven is heated, take as many slices out of the freezer as you'd like, carefully separate the stacked slices, and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
    

Pizza Hummus

Ingredients:

• 6 cloves garlic, preferably roasted
• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas – drained, but liquid from can reserved
• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 6 basil leaves
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 Cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 Cup Ricotta Cheese
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp onion Powder
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Preparations:

1. Pulse the garlic in the food processor until roughly chopped, about 5 pulses.
2. Add in all the remaining ingredients, except the olive oil and reserved bean liquid. Process until combined and almost smooth in consistency, about 1 minute. stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
3. With the food processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil through the opening at the top of the processor and process until smooth. Add in the reserved bean liquid, 1-2 tablespoons at time. Process until desired consistency and thinness is achieved.

Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 5 potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 small carrot (or 4 baby carrots), finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 - 1, depending, onion, minced
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 - 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (4 - 8 oz)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preparations:

1. In a large saucepan, bring potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, vegetable broth and salt to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until potatoes are just tender, roughly 15 to 20 minutes. 
2. Mash mixture coarsely. Stir in milk. Return to a simmer.
3. In a small mixing bowl, blend butter, flour, parsley, and pepper; stir into potato mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
4. Add cheeses. Reduce heat to low and let barely simmer for another 10 minutes.

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 45 minutes

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

• Any fresh tomatoes you wish to use up, diced
• 1/2 an onion, finely diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced (or 1.5 tsp garlic powder)
• 1/2 a bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

Preparations:

1.  In a saucepan, saute onion in 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat for 10 minutes.
2. Add bell pepper, garlic, and fresh tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
3. Combine remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. 
4. Cover with a lid slightly askew and simmer on medium-low for 30 minutes.
5. Remove lid, lower temperature to low, and simmer for at least 30 more minutes.

Cheesy Zucchini Bake

Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini
• 2 medium-sized yellow squash
• 4 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 4 Tbsp thinly sliced green onion
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 shredded Italian cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preparations: 

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray an 8" x 8" baking dish with non-stick spray. 
2. Wash the squash and cut in slices or half-moon slices. Wash basil, spin dry or dry with paper towels and finely chop. Slice green onions. 
3. Combine the sliced squash, chopped basil, sliced green onions, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, half cup of shredded cheese, all the parmesan, and stir together until the veggies are coated with cheese and the herbs are well-distributed. 
4. Put the mixture in the baking dish and bake uncovered for about 40 minutes.
5. Take the casserole dish out of the oven and sprinkle over the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Put the dish back in the oven and bake 20 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted and nicely browned.

Cook Time: 1.25 hours

Serves: 9

Vegetarian Meatloaf

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pound soy ground beef (thawed) (2 bags 'Morningstar Farms' crumbles)
• 1 Tsp Italian-style seasoning
• 2 Tsp onion powder
• 1 Tbsp low-sodium vegetarian gravy granules
• 1/8 Tsp parsley flakes
• 1/8 Tsp paprika
• 1/8 Tsp ground black pepper
• 4-5 slices leftover bread (heels are great), cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup milk (add as needed)
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp mustard, divided
• 1/2 cup ketchup, divided
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
2. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix ground beef and spices. Mix in bread, milk, egg, 2 tablespoons mustard and 1/4 cup ketchup.
3. Press the meat mixture into a loaf pan. In a small bowl, stir together remaining mustard, ketchup and brown sugar; pour on top of the meat loaf.
4. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the edges are just crispy and the top has a crust.  

Cook Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 6

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

• 4 green bell peppers, tops removed and seeded
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium tomato - peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Pepper Jack

Preparations:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F . Lightly grease a 5x8 inch glass baking dish.
2. In a pot of boiling water, cook the bell peppers for 4 to 5 minutes; until they begin to soften. Remove them from the boiling water and plunge them into a cold bath.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion for 3 minutes, then add garlic in the olive oil saute for additional 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and mix in the tomato, parsley, bread crumbs, water, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, and black pepper. Fill the peppers with this mixture and place them into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over the peppers.
4. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove peppers from the oven, sprinkle Pepper Jack over the tops and bake for an additional 5 minutes. 

 Cook Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4 

Spiced Vegetable Dal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry lentils
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• Pinch of ground turmeric
• 3.75 cups vegetable broth
• 3 ripe roma tomatoes, seeded and diced (or 1 14.5 can whole tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped)
• .5 cup chopped Italian parsley (or 2 tbsp dried cilantro and 1 tbsp dried parsley)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups cooked brown rice

Preparation:

1. Rinse the lentils
2. In a large soup pot over medium-low heat, heat the butter and vegetable oil. Add the ginger, garlic, and onion. Saute until the onion turns clear, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin, cloves, and turmeric, and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the lentils and the broth, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add tomoatoes and parsley. Simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the lentils are very soft but not mushy. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Place 1 cup hot rice in each bowl. Spoon the dal over the rice. 

Cook Time: 1.25 hours
Serves: 6