Roasted red pepper and gabranzo bean dip

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 (16-ounce) can garnazo beans, rinsed and drained
1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, rinsed and drained
2 large garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place first 5 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. With processor on, slowly add oil through food chute. Stir in salt and black pepper.

Moroccan Couscous

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 red, green, or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces
2 zucchinis, halved lengthwise and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon kosher salt
grated zest of one orange
1 (14.5 ounce) can low sodium garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup whole wheat couscous


Place a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Stir in the cumin, ginger, cloves, cayenne, cardamom, coriander, and allspice; gently toast until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in oil and onion, cook until softened. Stir in the bell pepper, and zucchini; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the raisins, salt, zest, and garbanzos.
Pour in the broth and orange juice; turn heat to high and bring to a boil. When the mixture is boiling, stir in the couscous and remove from heat; cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

4th of July Cheesecake

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
2 (8 ounce) packages 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup light sour cream
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs
about 1/2 cup blueberries

about 1/2 box strawberries, quartered

Combine crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar and butter. Pat mixture into the bottom of a 7 x 11 inch rectangular pan. Bake on 325 for about 10 minutes.
Mash cream cheese until soft and creamy. Gradually beat in sour cream, 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla and flour. Beat in eggs one at a time.
Pour mixture into crumb-lined pan. Bake in a preheated 325 degree F (165 degrees C) oven for 1 hour or until firm to the touch.

place blueberries in the top left corner, and create lines with the strawberries.

Polenta pizzette with bruschetta and parmesan topping

1 tube polenta with garlic and basil
1 jar tomato bruschetta
4 tbsps freshly grated parmesan
freshly grated black pepper

Preheat boiler, line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Coat aluminum foil with vegetable spray. Slice polenta in 1/4 inch thick slices, arrange on prepared sheet. Broil each side until they start turning golden around the edges. Spoon about a tbsp of bruschetta on each polenta slice, and top with parmesan and pepper. Broil until cheese melts on top.

Ginger carrot soup with thyme

1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp butter
2 tsps fresh ginger
1 tsp thyme
2 lbs baby carrots
1 large potato, chopped
5 cups of vegetable stock
about 1 cup milk
salt and pepper according to taste

Saute chopped garlic and onion in melted butter until onion is translucent. Add ginger and thyme, and saute for a minute. Add carrots and chopped potato, saute for a couple of minutes. Add stock, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Simmer until veggies are tender, then puree with a hend-held blender or in a food processor. Add milk to desired consistency, and bring back to a boil.

Blackberry cheesecake

1 prepared graham cracker crust
2 packages cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tbsp half and half, or cream
2 large eggs
2 cups fresh or defrosted blackberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and half and half in large bowl until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until well mixed in. Pour mix in graham cracker crust. Place crust on middle shelf in preheated oven, bake for 35-40 minutes, or until set in middle. Cool on wire rack, top with berries.

Trader Joe's rice mix, peas and parmesan

1 cup Trade Joe's brown rice medley
2 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp butter
about 1 cup frozen peas
freshly grated parmesan, according to taste

Bring water to boil. Add butter and rice medley, simmer for about 35 minutes. Add peas, cook until peas warm up. Add freshly grated parmesan.