Angel Hair Cabbage Salad

This salad has a oriental taste, but is very good. Eay to make, and makes lots of dressing. Your guests will eat it up. Be sure to not dress the salad until right before serving.

2 bags angel hair cabbage
1/2 cup slivered almonds
! package Ramen noodle, seanoning discarded, and noodles crushed uncooked

Mix in a large bowel, then prepare the dressing.

3 Tbs Tamari sauce or other good quality soy sauce
1 Cup oil
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 cup sugar

Shake well to combine the dressing.

Immediatly before serving, add dressing and toss well to coat.

Serves: 8-10

Robin's Roast

3-4 bay leaves
1 package onion soup mix
1/2 cup sweet red wine the sweeter the wine the better
1/2 cup water
a peice of roast, size isn't too much of an issue, see note

PLace the bay leaves on the bottom of a oval large baking dish. rinse the meat off and place ontop of the bay leaves. Add the wine and the water. Finally, sprinkle half the soup mix ontop. COver the roast and bake at 350 degrees for 1-1 1/2 hours. Take out, flip, and sprinkle remaining soup mix, re-cover and bake another 1-1 1/2 hours. Let cool before slicing. can be eaten hot or cold.

Note: If you have a large dish that you are baking in, be sure to put in enough liquid to come up at least half way to cover the roast. If you need to add, just add equal amouonts of wine and water.

Homemade Bread

3 Cups warm water
3 Tbs dry active yeast
1 1/4-1/2 cup sugar
8 cups all purpose or whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oil
2 tsp salt

In a large bowl proof the yeast ( add the water, the yeast, and a Tbs of sugar, mix then let sit until the yeast starts to foam.) After it proofs add the rest of the ingrediants. If oyu have a stand mixer, using your dough hook, mix until just combined and dough is velvety smooth. YOu may need ot add a little more flour.
If you don't have a stand mixer, knead dough until smooth and velvety. Then set aside and let rise for 1 hour.
You may then shape the bread by making a long snake and tying it like a knot, of placing it in loaf pans or into bundt pans. Bake about 25-30 minutes or until it is browned on top at 350 degrees. The large the bread the longer it takes. Mine usually takes about 32-40 minutes. It also depends on your oven.

Yield: 3 large loaves or a dozen rolls

Mushroom Barley Soup

This recipe has so few ingrediants, yet is out of this world! It does well in a crock pot too, once you get to the point that it needs to boil for a couple of hours, sdtick it in the crock pot on low. It tastes great!

2 tsp garlic, chopped
2 small onions, chopped
1 lb sliced mushrooms
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1/2 cup barley
7 1/2 cups water
7 tsp beef boullion powder
4 Tbs soy sauce

Saute the onion and garlic in a little olive oil, in a large pan until translucent. Then add mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook for a while, until mushrooms get good and dark and a dark water fills the pan. About 15 minutes. Meanwhile in a large pot bring 1 and 1/2 cups water to boil, add in the barley, boil 10 minutes. Then add in the mushroom mixture, and remaining ingrediants. Boil 2 hours. Best tasting when reheated. Freezes pretty well too.
Serves 8

Freestlye Mashed Potato Pie

This is a sure crowd pleaser and serves a great number of people. It freezes well, too. Think of it as a free style mashed potato pie.

Prepare the dough in advance:

3 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbs sugar
6 Tbs vegetable shortening
1 1/2 sticks margerine cut into chunks
1/2 cup + 2Tbs ice water

Mix flour, salt, and sugrar together in a stand mixer or food processor. Then add margerine, and shortening. Pulse until crumbs form. Then add water and pulse until the dough comes together. Remove and wrap in plastic wrap and refridgerate 45 minutes or overnight.

Potatoe Filling:
2 large garlic heads, roasted ( 400 degree oven, cut 1/2 in off the top of the garlic heads. then wrap in tin foil and bake 50-60 minutes or until very soft. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3 lb red potatoes, cut into medium chunks
3 Tbs margerine
3 Tbs olive oil
1/2 cup reserved cooking water from potatoes

Put potatoes in a large pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender apprx 30 minutes. When done drain, reserving 1/2 cup of water. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add margerine, olive oil, reserved cooking water, chives, salt and pepper. Mash until light and fluffy. Take the raosted garlic, using plastic bags as gloves on your hands, squees the garlic until it comes out directly into the potatoes. repeat with the second head of garlic. Mix the potatoes well one more time.

Roll the dough out on parchment paper into a 14 in diameter circle. PRessing the dough with thte balls of your hands, try to get it pretty even. mound the potato mixture in the center of the dough, leaving a 3 in rim all around. Fold up the edges all around overlapping in some areas, so it looks kind of like a pie, I call it my free style pie. Bake at 400 degree oven for 40-50 minutes or until edges start to brown.

Serves 10-15 people

Cream of Sweet Potato Soup

This soup is really good, and chok full of vitamins.

1 Tbs olive oil
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 leek, white and pale green parts cleaned well and chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup pumpkin puree from a can
1tsp cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream


In a large pot heat the oil over a medium flame, then add celery, leek and shallot. Saute for 4-6 minutes then add the sweet potatoes. Saute 2 minutes longer then add 4 cups of the stock reserving 2 cups for later. Bring to a boil, turn down and simmer covered 20-30 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft. Then add pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, mixing well. Puree the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth. Then add remaining 2 cups of stock and 1 cup of soy milk or cream, puree 1 minute longer then return to pot and heat thru to serve or place in small batchs for the freezer.

Serves 8-10

Lamb and Chick-pea Soup

This rustic soup has a mediteranian flair to it, and is change of taste from the norm. Try it, it too freezes well.

1 1/4 cup dried chickpeas soaked in cold water for 12 hours. Be sure to sort thru them to remove any impure beans. After 12 hours soaking drain and set aside.
2 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2lb lamb shoulder in one peice (beef short ribs can be substituted)
salt and pepper
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped finely
1 carrot finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
3/4 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
5 cups meat or chicken stock
2 large plum (roma) tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 large lemon, quartered

Heat oil in a large pot. Add meat and saute until evenly browned on both sides, apprx 3-4 mintues each side. Remove the meat and set aside. Addonion, carrot and garlic into the pot and saute over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until translucent. Add the coriander, cumin,and cayenne, and saute for 1 minute more. Pour stock into pot, and deglaze (ie scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to dislodge any food). Return the meat to the pot, add drained chickpeas, tomatoes and lemon wedges. Bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer, covered, until chiskpeas are soft and meat is done, apprx 2-2 1/2 hours stirring the soup occassionally.
When meat is done, take out the meat and cut into small chunks, removing the bones and any excess fat. Besure to keep meat out of the soup to cool while pureeing the rest. Remove the lemon and discard. Ladle about half of the chickpeas into a processor and process until smooth. If making for an infant, you can puree all the chickpeas, and thin with a little extra stock. Otherwise, stir all back into the soup, chickpeas, and meat.

Serves: 6-8

Carrot Soup

This soup is so sweet with the carrots. Peanut loves it. I make sure to puree hers with the spinch as it is hard to chew for a baby.

2 Tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion chopped

Heat oil in a large pot, saute 5 minutes.

Then add:

4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 lb carrots, peeled and chopped into small chunks
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbs fresh dill

Bring all to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes covered.
Uncover and remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf.
Add: 1 sweet potato already cooked or 1/2 cup canned sweet potato drained. Puree the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth and no lumps remain.
You can add 2 cups fresh baby spinach and cook until slightly wilted (apprx 10 minutes.) If you want too.

Serves 10-12

Cream of Asparagus Soup

This is another great soup for veges that can be adjusted to be low fat.

1/4 cup unsalted butter or margerine
1 mild onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk with leaves, finely chopped
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
3 lb asparagus, trimmed,a dn cut into one inch pieces
2 baking potatoes, peeled and cut into one inch chunks
1 Tbs dried basil
2 cups heavy cream or soy milk
salt and pepper

In a large pot melt butter and add onions and celery. Saute until translucent, appx 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Ass the stock, asparagus, potatoes and basil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cimmer covered, for about 30 minutes, or until veges are tender.
In small batches puree the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return to pan and add the cream or if doing low fat at soy milk, it won't be quite as creamy, but will still be ok.
Freezes well.

Serves: 6-8

Broccoli Leek Soup

Want your kids to eat theier broccoli? THis is the way! My kids wouldn't touch broccoli if you paid them, until they had this soup. They ask for seconds everytime!

2Tbs Olive oil
2 leeks, white and tender green parts, cleaned and sliced in to 1 inch peices
1 1/2 pouns broccoli (apprx four heads of broccoli) with stalks, cut into 1 in peices
4 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c sour cream or plain yogurt
garlic croutons for garnish

In a large pot over med-high heast oil add leeks and saute until softened 3-5 minutes. Then add broccoli and saute until slightly softened anothe 2-4 mintues longer. Then add stock , bring to a boil, cover partially and cook until veges are tender when peirced with a knife , appx 20-40 minutes. Remove from heat. In blender or food processor blend soup until smooth.
To serve ladle into bowls and garnish with a spoonful of sour cream and croutons.

Serves 4

Beef Soup with Noodles

Here is a great one bowl dinner, perfect for those cold nights.

3 short ribs (apprx one and a half pounds)
1 pound stew beef peices
freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4 in dice
3 large celery ribs, sliced and chopped into small peices
2 cloves garlic minced
pinch of dried basil
5 tsps beef boullion powder
6 1/2 cups chicken stock
spaghetti already cooked

Heat oil in large soup pot over medium high heat. Add ribs and stew beef peices, searing until brown on both sides. Remove the meat from the pot. Into the same pot, add the onion and celery. Place over a mdium heat and saute for 1 minute. Add in the garlic and basil. Saute for 2 minutes. Return meat to the pot. Add beef powder and stock, stirring well to mix everything. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Cut the meat off the bones from the short ribs and rerturn to the pot. Mix noodles into soup right before serving.

Yeild: 6-8 servings

Split Pea and Vegetable Soup

This is the best soup! My family loves to chow down and always asks for seconds. Freezes very well so make a double batch.

1 Tbs oil
2 short ribs
12 cups water
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced
1 leek, washed well, white and pale green parts only, sliced
1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
3 small mushrooms, chopped
1 3/4 cups dried yellow split peas
1/3 cup pearl barley
3 chicken boullion cubes
1 cup chicken stock

heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the meat and sear for 5 minutes on each side. Then add the water to the meat, add all the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Stir every so often to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Yield : 10-12 servings