Red Rice

Great side dish with Taco Meat Loaf or as a main dish - just add a can of rinsed/drained black beans.

3 Roma Tomatoes

2 Tbl Vegetable Oil

2 Tbl Minced Onion

4 Cloves Garlic, Minced

1 Cup Uncooked Long Grain Rice

1 3/4 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth

1/4 Cup Canned Tomato Sauce

1 Jalapeno Pepper, Chopped

1 Tsp Cumin

2 Sprigs Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

Salt to Taste

Run the tomatoes to a food mill, discard the skins.  If you do not have a food mill, you can grate them and discard the skins.  Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat, add onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Stir in the rice and stir until lightly toasted.  Add the tomatoes, chicken broth and tomato sauce.  Bring to a boil.  Add the jalapeño, cumin, cilantro and salt.  If you want to add black beans, do so now.  Reduce heat to low, cover, simmer until rice has absorbed the liquid without lifting the cover.  It will take about 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes.  Fluff and serve.

Bacon and Tomato Haddock

Tasty tomato and bacon topped haddock - baked.  I know it is spring, that means rainy days.  Make this on one of those days.

4 Bacon Strips, chopped
1 Garlic Clove
1/2 Cup Panko
2 Plum Tomatoes, chopped
2 Tbl Fresh Parsley, minced
1 Tbl Olive Oil
1 Lb Haddock
1 Lemon
1/4 Tsp Each Salt and Pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Spread oil into a 9 x 13 pan.

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, remove from pan.  In bacon drippings, col garlic for 1 to 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, return bacon to pan and add bread crumbs, tomato and parsley.  Set aside.

Drizzle fish with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place in prepared pan and cover with bread crumb mixture.  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until fish is flaky.

Roasted Pepper and Tomato Soup

I made this soup using the olive oil that I purchased at Tastemaker's in Lemoyne.  If you don't have this specific olive oil, you can use any olive oil with italian herbs or add some sun dried tomatoes to the soup, as well.  If you do not have an immersion blender, this soup can be pureed in a blender, but be VERY careful and do small batches at a time.  Makes 6 servings.

  10 Ounce Grape Tomatoes                                                      2 Tbl Garlic Clove

  3 Large Red Bell Peppers                                                         1 Bunch Basil Leaves

  2 Tbl Tuscan Herb Olive Oil                                                    1 Tsp Dried Oregano

  28 Ounce Tomato Puree                                                          1/2 Tsp Rosemary

  1/2 Cup White Wine                                                                4 Ounce Romano, Grated

  2 Cups Vegetable Stock                                                           1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

  1 Tbl Tuscan Herb Olive Oil                                                    Salt

  1 Tbl Leek                                                                               Pepper

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Put a layer of foil in the bottom of a baking sheet.  Wash tomatoes and coat in Tuscan Herb Olive Oil.  Place on baking pan.  Core, seed and quarter the bell peppers.  Coat in Tuscan Herb Olive Oil.  Add to pan with tomatoes.  Bake for about 45 minutes until soft.  Once the tomatoes and peppers are done, remove from the oven and set aside.

Mince the leek and the garlic.  Heat 1 Tbl Tuscan Herb Olive Oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat and sauté the garlic and leek until fragrant.  Add the stock, tomato puree, basil leaves and oregano.  Dice the tomatoes and peppers and stir in.  Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes.   Remove from the heat, add the heavy cream and cheese, puree with an immersion blender.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Per Serving: 277 Cal (53% from Fat, 16% from Protein, 31% from Carb); 11 g Protein; 17 g Tot Fat; 7 g Sat Fat; 8 g Mono Fat; 22 g Carb; 5 g Fiber; 10 g Sugar; 252 mg Calcium; 3 mg Iron; 786 mg Sodium