Eat Like a Rabbit

This post refers to the product in the very front of the photograph. The plate was a sampler platter at a buffet. I created the dishes. Hopefully, recipes for the other dishes will be available soon.

This post focuses on delicious, quick meals and the estimated prices for making them. My goal is to help families prepare healthy menus in spite of the depressed economy.

In a floundering market consumers are looking for good food that is as cheap and nutritious as possible. I hope this post will be the first in a continuous series that focuses on time-saving dishes that don't break the bank while they impact your menu.

I have previously mentioned that applesauce is a annual tradition at our house. The following is my process.

Fried okra is special. Many people don't know what to do with it. And most people have had such bad experiences with it, they are afraid to try it again. We purchased some fresh okra from the Maitland Farmer's Market and it stayed in the refrigerator until I I decided I couldn't run away from it any more. I was going to have to find a way to cook it. I did a bit of research and created my own recipe for fried okra. Paul said he had never had such minimal batter on his okra and that he liked it that way. I was proud because I actually thought the vegetable was edible. Fried foods can find their way into the heart so easily.

Paul said this was the best risotto he ever had. He actually isn't much of a fan of risotto, but quite enjoyed this. I think this is my second favorite risotto ever; my favorite being in a quaint spot in Italy many years ago. You just can't beat the surroundings! But for home products, this is the best and most successful. And I have experimented a few times, which goes to prove not everyone becomes a cook overnight.

The recipes I checked out had many different seasonings to add. I passed on those. Aside from the long cook time, this is very easy.

One of my EMTs said this was his favorite squash. So, I purhased some on Friday. By Saturday, we were eating lunch at some friend's house and were served Spaghetti Squash. He answered all of my questions about preparation. And I excitedly created this fabulous dish on Sunday. With a salad, French bread, and pan-fried scallops, I was in heaven.

The biscuit recipe came from my mother and the gravy recipe came from Paul's mother through her mother-in-law.

I love scrambled eggs. Who doesn't? As a child, I watched my grandparents put chives in theirs and it made me sick. Now, I can't eat my eggs plain. Paul put his eggs on top of his English muffin, poured Cholula Sauce over it, and garnished it with Raspberries. All of my items were neatly separated. The differences between a husband and a wife! I will say, I was out of spinach this day. I missed it.

This was a very simple dessert made at peak season for fresh peaches. I always try to make such things when the oven is always hot from another baking experience. My guests had no complaints about the peaches being unsweetened. The ice cream made up for it. If I had had more time, I think I would have liked to serve the dish with mint ice cream (the mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe without the chocolate chips).

Paul bought me a new cook book that recommended some strudel recipes as show-stoppers. I didn't have the ingredients, but I used what I had on hand and was so excited with the results. I had a few extra pastry sheets and choose to make the Vegeburger Bites, which I have written about before. The purpose for using all the pastry sheets was to clean out the freezer. They are expensive; so I try to buy them from the Pepperidge Farm Thrift Store. I love using them because they taste like I've slaved all day!

I was so proud when I created this recipe. Because our wedding was mostly pink, I had wanted a "pink" pasta sauce. I wish now I had made this creation, then. This sauce was absolutely perfect. I think this recipe is a more elegant alternative to spaghetti sauce, but is healthier than straight fettucini sauce. Also, the mixture makes it great with vegetables. Paul told me to remember how I made it. I hope I always do.

The tubular pasta is a favorite of Paul's called Rigatoni. Because it's larger and hollow, you eat less than you think you do because there is so much air.

This post's guest photographer is Garrett Nudd, an excellent and talented photographer, but an even better friend.

I came across some mini-kabob sticks while in Sarasota for our anniversary. Ever since, I was very excited to make some and did a good bit of research before I finally put the meal together. I served the kabob with steamed brown rice and the Pad Thai sauce from "Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home."

This meal was much easier than I expected, and except for the delay of threading the sticks with my designer-husband, a fast creation as well. I did find a note somewhere in my research to soak the sticks in water before use to prevent splitting. This was my first step of the meal.

When asked what he wanted for lunch Garrett (Nudd of Garret Nudd Photography) said something about cheeseless pizza. I told him I try to have pizza once a week because it is healthy, often well balanced, and can be fast when we are on the run. He asked how long it had been since we had pizza. I estimated two weeks. He gave me a big smile.

Possibly, this idea came from allrecipes.com. I won't take the credit for it, but I do recommend it. I'm not generally a fan of oatmeal cookies, but with the additional ingredients, I will eat them with no additional encouragement.

This was such a fun activity last winter. The local Christian elementary school was selling cases of Washington Apples as a fund raiser. Now you don't have to support Christian education, but everybody wants fresh, tree-ripened fruits instead of the painted green objects from the grocery stores. I believe the variety we ordered was called Jon-a-Golds, but I have no record of that. They were a cross between sweet and sour.

I am very proud of this recipe. Becoming a vegetarian is a challenge, especially when some veggie meats don't taste the same as real meat. In my case, I prefer the meats that don't taste like meat because I'm a vegetarian because I don't like the taste of meat. For that reason, this recipe amuses me. I actually don't like this recipe because I think it tastes too much like meat. I recommend this as a taste-test for one who is debating making the switch.

Don't freak out! You don't need an ice cream freeze for this one. All you need is a blender, great serving dishes, and possibly a freezer-safe container to put the ice cream in. As for the taste, it's a fresh mint, not a fake, strong mint. Caution: the chocolate chips my be quite hard when cold. Eye appeal is great because it's a white background with brown and bright green specks in it. I was very proud of this. The recipe below serves two.

I love this sandwich. I have no idea what real bacon tastes like, but I've served it where I volunteer and this looks and smells better. This is great for lunches or for a quick dinner.

Notice this sauce is a bit chunky. There are some creamy spots and some chunky spots. My mother says a bit of flour would help with that.

Chicken Noodle Soup has always been a favorite to me. My mom has had this recipe forever and when my grandmother had a day care center, she cooked it for the kids. And the moms could never understand why their kids refused to eat the soup they warmed from a jar. Those were good memories.

I must confess, every time I buy a carton of eggs, I wish I won't use them quickly so I can have an excuse to make egg salad. I learned sometime somewhere to eat sprouts instead of lettuce on my egg salad sandwich, and now I prefer it 100%. Fresh tomatoes and good wheat bread make the sandwich look and taste gourmet.

Firstly, I guess I lied. I said I would never make mashed potatoes another way after having the Garlic and Rosemary ones. However, I made these mashed potatoes for a pot luck and know that most people like creamy, skinless potatoes with basic flavors. Secondly, I started this recipe using the Barefoot Contessa's "limited time availability" recipe on foodnetwork.tv. (As an FYI, this recipe is only published around the time a show airs due to legal reasons.) However, when I tasted her product, I was disappointed and chose to edit it my way.

I was so excited when the idea to make this came to me. When I was growing up in Louisiana, I visited a restaurant that made superb calzones. My last trip home was devastating because the restaurant had changed its menu and the calzones were not the same as they had been. So, I decided to make up the recipe at home and was so proud of the results. It was the exact taste I was looking for.

Don't get nervous, I use a soybean based vegetarian alternative to regular chicken. It comes in large rolls from health food stores and is very versatile. We find many uses from slicing like lunch meat to dicing for enchiladas to shredding for chicken salad.

This was an easy dessert that is best put together immediately before serving. Also, to conserve energy, I only make it when the oven has already been used for another part of the meal or for a baking project.

I love bruschetta. There are many varieties for creations from my "Moosewood Cooks at Home" cookbook. We had an excess of tomatoes this day, so I created my own. I wrapped the entire loaf in aluminum foil and placed it in the oven at 350 degrees to warm. If it were just the two of us, I would place a few slices in a regular toaster. Toasting to dark makes the bread crumble-y and not toasting enough makes the bread a bit tough so when you bite into it the toppings fall off. We regularly test slices of bread while heating to ensure it's the right texture.

Paul likes his Asian food the way he likes it. Sometimes, I have items that must be used and a stir-fry is about the best place to do it. So, there have been times I tell him he must eat what is served. I can't threaten him with cereal cause he'd be happy to eat cereal for dinner any night (and we have!)

At work one day, I was mentioning to a fellow coworker who loves to cook that I had purchased a beautiful eggplant at the Maitland Farmer's Market the previous day and hadn't a clue what to do with it now that I had acquired it. A patient in my room overheard me and gave me a recipe that has been a success with my family and that has been passed around the office. I've already sent my thank-you letter, but again, I say THANK YOU!

This is a little something of my own. The idea came from Bosphorous, a restaurant in Winter Park, Florida. I liked the concept of the dip at the restaurant and could not find a recipe on line; so, I made one up. It must have been good because it went for a potluck and none of it came home!

The French Toast recipe comes from my mother and is as follows:

• 1 egg
• Equal parts ground cinnamon and brown sugar to taste
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix. Dip both sides of toast. Cook on medium skillet until browned.

Yields three slices French Toast. Leftovers can be refrigerated and toasted another morning.

Note: White sugar tastes sweeter than brown sugar. You may wish to use less white sugar.