Cheesy Mushroom Sliders

Add this to your Super Bowl spread for a bit of variety. Not much can go wrong here except you might run out! Amazingly simple with few ingredients. Add Italian Hot Sausage bits for the meat lovers.

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Enchilada Soup

When you’re craving enchiladas but don’t have the time try this perfect substitution that only takes about 10 minutes. My fav enchilada is made with just cheeses. And this is how I love this soup too. If you like chicken enchiladas just add cooked chicken to this recipe. It works! This recipe can serve 6 easily with a side salad for a complete meal. I love this soup! Hope you do too!

Yep, this is a repost. It is soup season but it’s really just something I’m craving today.

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Basque Vegetable Soup

It’s 1982 and my husband takes a position as a Deputy DA in Bakersfield, California. Really, you did? It was the first time I would live a distance from my hometown. It was a unilateral decision that significantly changed the lives of many.

It didn’t take long to establish ourselves in this community. We were within walking distance of our new favorite restaurant, Mama Tosca’s. And in old town Bakersfield we loved Luigi’s, quite a hangout for Bakersfieldians. In this same area of town several Basque restaurants were longtime establishments. Can’t forget the Pyrenees Bakery! Basque is a part of Bakersfield culture. The food is delicious and overwhelmingly plentiful at these family style restaurants. Just ordering the setup was more than enough for our family. This included a vegetable soup, beans, salad, pickled tongue, spaghetti, bread … And was there a salsa?

This soup recipe is very much a taste-alike of the cabbage soup served at one of Bakersfield’s Favorite Basque Restaurants. It’s light yet flavorful … a year around soup. Enjoy!

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Summer Minestrone

With a vegetable garden this is so easy to put together. A bit of a pantry recipe, versatile, whatever you have on hand. Even add a bit of meat, Italian sausage my suggestion, for the meat lovers. My secret to a well melded minestrone is to simmer for over an hour even if it’s cooked through in 30 minutes.

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Au Gratin Potatoes and Peas

This is a side dish with a main dish capability. It’s a great vegetarian meal. Add a hardboiled egg on the side per person for a hearty meal. The recipe comes together quickly with pantry ingredients.

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One Pan Pasta

William Sonoma make over to fit my available ingredients and to serve the pasta and tomatoes al dente without high alcohol content for the kiddos. Vegetarian perfect with amazing flavor.

Add Anchovies if you like. And for my idea of a true puttanesca sauce add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes when adding the garlic.

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Tex Mex Vegetarian Lasagna

Today is Pasta Sunday, and I decided to do a changeup! You know how some vegetarian lasagna recipes are just missing something (like meat!). Well, with this recipe you don’t even go there! This recipe has all the ingredients it needs to be perfectly delicious. My guest was surprised to find the sauce has V-8 … mainly because he doesn’t like V-8, or is it Worcestershire? Actually, I use both in cooking and normally don’t mention it to him. No Worcestershire in this recipe!

Lots of good ingredients. And a very surprising vegetarian lasagna!

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Creamed Portabella and Spinach

Sometimes you want something rich and ‘meaty.’ I’ve just come off a cleanse and meat dishes seem too heavy today. I’m over the clear broths with spinach and mushrooms. Yep, I’m into a little richness. What might surprise you … there’s very little fat here but the taste is as rich as those heavily laden cream dishes. For me, this is a main dish but realistically it’s a side for two. Enjoy!

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Roasted Cabbage with Sausages

While normally I’d make this with a meaty Kielbasa I decided to make a meatless dish and chose a vegetarian Brat. It’s your choice! Just a word about Bratwurst & Kielbasa. They are not to be confused. They are seasoned differently and are usually cooked a bit differently. You might even notice a difference in the texture. Obviously, a vegetarian Bratwurst is slightly different from the real deal. But I must say, this one is pretty tasty and with a great beer who knows the difference?! Ha! I promise I’m not advertising.

Whether you use meat or go meatless you’ll find this recipe easy and full of flavor! Enjoy!

 

 

 

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