Tasty and Easy Recipes

Ingredients:
Dressing:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon (up to 2) Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad:
1/2 pound uncooked spiral, shell or elbow pasta
Water for boiling
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 pound fresh asparagus
1/4 pound carrots
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Method:
Combine oil, vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper to make a dressing.
Cook pasta according to package directions.
While pasta is cooking, slice asparagus lengthwise in quarters, then across in 1-1/2″ pieces. Cut carrots in similar-size julienned pieces. Steam or blanch vegetables for a few minutes.
Drain pasta well. Stir in oil to prevent pasta from sticking together. Combine with vegetables, dressing, capers and parsley. Adjust flavor with more vinegar or salt, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients:
8 cups home made turkey stock
1 tsp. garlic, chopped
2 cups celery stalks, chopped
1/2 cup leek, shredded
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups cooked turkey meat, shredded (leftovers)
1 medium rutabaga, peeled and diced into 3/4″ pieces
1 cup barley
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:
Place turkey stock, garlic, celery, leek, onion, carrot, and 1/2 of the parsley in a medium-sized soup pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the shredded turkey meat, rutabaga, and rest of the barley and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low heat and simmer covered for about 45 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve in soup bowls and sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Ingredients:
2 zucchini, cut into chunks
4 large carrots, peeled, cut into chunks
2 parsnips, peeled, cut into chunks
2 potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
2 sweet potatoes or 1 small butternut squash, peeled, cut into chunks
1 sweet red pepper, in chunks
1 medium onion, in chunks
2 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 to 2 sprigs fresh basil leaves
1 to 2 sprigs fresh parsley leaves
1 to 2 sprigs fresh dill or marjoram or thyme leaves, whatever your preference
Water to cover
Salt, pepper, cayenne, etc. to taste

Method:
Put all ingredients in a pot. Heat to boiling, boil until tender.
Remove in batches to food processor, using SOME liquid in each batch. Process until smooth.
If soup seems too thick, add more of the cooking water until soup is a consistency you want. Season with salt, etc. to taste. Serve hot or cold