Mollie Katzens Cozy Orzo With Cottage Cheese Food

SAVORY VEGETABLE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit.
• Butter a 10" springform pan and sprinkle with breadcrumbs, set aside.
• Put the grated zucchini into a colander.
• Salt lightly, and let is sit about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any excess moisture.
• Saute the onions in butter with 1/2 t salt.
• When they start to turn translucent, add the carrots, garlic, zucchini, flour, basil and oregano.
• Keep stirring and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in the parsley and lemon.
• Beat the cheeses and eggs together until well blended.
• (Hello, Kitchenaid mixer!) When the cheese and egg mixture is nice and fluffy, fold in the veggies.
• Season to taste with black pepper.
• Pour the mixture into the springform pan.
• Bake uncovered for 30 minutes-- then pull it out for a minute.
• Remember those tomatoes?
• Dredge them in the breadcrumbs and decorate the top of the cheesecake with them in a pretty spiral pattern.
• Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees, and bake another 30 minutes.
• Turn off the oven and just let the cheesecake sit in there for another 15 minutes.
• Then, take it out of the oven and let it cool about 10 more minutes before cutting and serving.

BROWN RICE VEGETABLE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a 3-quart baking dish combine broth, rice, 1 c onion, soy sauce, butter, and thyme. Cover and bake 65-70 minutes or until rice is tender.
• In a large skillet saute veggies, garlic, and remaining onion in oil until tender. Spoon over rice mixture.
• Cover and bake 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cashews and cheese, serve after cheese melts.

GREEN BEANS & TOFU WITH CRUNCHY THAI PEANUT SAUCE

Steps:

• For the stir-fry:.
• Place the peanuts in a blender, and grind briefly until they form a coarse meal. Set aside.
• Heat a medium-sized heavy skillet. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, and the ginger and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes, then add the crushed peanuts and the lemon zest. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the peanuts are lightly toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.
• As the peanut mixture is cooking, heat a large, nonstick wok or deep skillet. Drizzle in a little oil. When it is very hot, add the tofu and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook over high heat for 10 to 15 minutes to let the water evaporate, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with lemon juice, reduce the heat, and cook for a few minutes longer. Transfer the tofu to the pan containing the peanut mixture and set aside.
• Scrape out the wok or skillet if necessary, and return to the heat. Let it get very hot, then add the remaining scant tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the green beans. (The pan should sizzle when they hit.) Stir-fry over high heat for about 5 minutes, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and a small amount of red pepper flakes.
• Stir-fry just a few minutes longer, or until the beans are divinely tender-crisp (mostly crisp, but just tender enough). Add the peanut-tofu mixture and toss everything together. Serve right away, over rice.
• For the peanut sauce:.
• Combine peanut butter and water in a bowl; mash and mix until uniform. Add remaining ingredients, and stir until combined. Add a little more water it you prefer it thinner. Salt to taste. Serve warm or room temperature, drizzled over hot green beans.

PASTA WITH BITTER GREENS AND FETA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a deep skillet, pot, or Dutch oven with a lid. Add the onion and cook for 10-20 minutes over medium heat, stirring periodically. While the onions are cooking, start the pasta water on high heat in a separate large pot.
• When the onions are soft, add the chopped greens to the skillet, lightly salt, and stir until the greens start wilting. Cover and cook 10-15 minutes over medium-low heat. You can cook it for longer if the pasta still isn't ready, over a lower flame.
• Meanwhile, when the water in the pot starts boiling, add the pasta and cook until firm to the bite (it will cook further in the sauce so be careful not to overcook at this point). When it is almost done, add the crumbled feta to the sauce, keeping the heat on low.
• When the pasta is ready, scoop it up with a slotted spoon or strainer, holding it over the pot of water to drain, and then add the drained noodles in batches to the sauce in the skillet, mixing thoroughly.
• Cook the finished pasta on low heat for a few minutes. Then add a grating of Parmesan, if you like, and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately; the author recommends serving on plates pre-warmed in the oven.

CAULIFLOWER, RICE & SWISS CHEESE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• To toast the walnuts, heat them in a dry pan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until they are fragrant and showing some oil. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Sauté the onion and mushrooms in 2 Tbl butter over medium heat until onion begins to soften, and mushrooms give up some of their liquid -- about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the lemon juice and sauté a minute more.
• Separately, sauté the cauliflower in 1 Tbl butter along with the garlic, basil, salt and pepper, until the cauliflower is just tender.
• Combine the onions, cauliflower, rice, Swiss cheese and toasted walnuts and mix thoroughly.
• Place in a casserole dish and bake, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes.

HERBED POTATO WITH COTTAGE CHEESE

Steps:

• Place all ingredients except paprika, potato and cottage cheese into a cup and microwave 30 seconds or until butter is melted.
• Stir mixture well, cut two slices half way into potato, fill with mixture and place a little over the outside.
• Wrap with foil and bake for one hour at 180 celsius (350 Fahrenheit).
• Remove potatoes from foil, spoon cottage cheese over top and sprinkle with paprika.

TACO CASSEROLE WITH COTTAGE CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Coat a 2 1/2-quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat.
• Remove from heat and drain if necessary.
• Stir in tomato sauce, onion, taco seasoning mix, and garlic powder; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese; set aside.
• Place half of the tortilla chips in the casserole dish and top with half of the ground beef mixture, then half of the sour cream mixture.
• Sprinkle with half of the Monterey Jack cheese.
• Repeat layers.
• Bake, uncovered, 30 to 35 minutes, or until cheese melts and casserole is heated through.