Mini Pizzas Served on Toasted English Muffins

This might not seem like much of a recipe but these little mini pizzas are easy to prepare and make for a most satisfying brunch or evening snack. When the craving hits, you just don't want to be bothered ordering pizza and instead just want an essentially homemade cheesy bite. If you want a truly homemade version, you might consider making your own English muffins from scratch ahead of time and have them on hand when you need a fix. If you want to spice things up, you may also consider my Spicy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce or perhaps my Gingered Tomato Sauce. Any extra sauce that you don't need for the mini pizzas will keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for a few days.

The possibilities for these satisfying bites are endless. Consider using goat cheese instead of the cheddar, some sliced onion and perhaps some herbs.

Mini Pizzas Served on a Toasted English Muffin

4 - 6 english muffins, sliced in the middle
pasta sauce
shredded extra old cheddar cheese
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
Jalapeno peppers, seeded and sliced into rounds
red chili powder flakes

Toast the english muffins.

Cover each round with pasta sauce, top with cheddar cheese, Parmesan if using, olives, Jalapenos and red pepper flakes. Transfer to the oven rack and broil until the cheese is melted - about five minutes.

Note: Just in case you are over zealous with the toppings, you will want to ensure you have an oven liner or a strip of aluminum foil on the rack below the pizzas just in case the cheese spills over. Us cooks know what it is like to have a spill over in the oven and what a mess it can be to clean up.

This recipe can be increased or decreased as desired.

Other quick savory treats to please your palate from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Devilled Curried Eggs
Goat Cheese Olive Balls
Wine Inspired Popcorn
Lisa's Spicy Nachos

On the top of the reading stack: blogs that I have been meaning to keep up with.

Audio Accompaniment: A tribute to Alvin 'Kojo' Brown. Nice chillin' music. Apparently he was a mentor to Black Uhuru among other reggae musicians.

Chickpea Flour Pissaladières with Caramelized Fennel & Onions

Pissaladières are simple but stunning little savoury pies from Provence in the south of France that are traditionally topped with little more than caramelized onions, anchovies and olives, befitting the bounties of the coastal Mediterranean region. Well, no anchovies for me, thank you, but for the sake of creativity and tastes pissaladières can also be considered a kind of pizza, even if the natives might disagree.

But even omitting anchovies from any conception of a Provençal pizza, I still craved the simple elegance and joyously intense flavours of Mediterranean ingredients, and the inspired pairing of pungent saltiness with sweetness suggested by the placement of anchovies with caramelized onions. So in place of anchovies, this version of a pissaladière has plenty of full-flavoured good quality kalamata olives and some generous rounds of fresh soft unripened goat cheese, while the sweetness comes from caramelized fennel as well as onions, in addition to some colourful roasted grape tomatoes.

Pissaladières are also typically made with a bread dough, but I loved the idea of making little savoury pancakes from chickpea flour as a base for these "pizzas", as suggested in Yotam Ottolenghi's beautiful and inventive cookbook "Plenty". Quite honestly, the aroma of these pancakes alone is so inviting you'll be tempted to eat them without any topping at all. You can easily find chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour in Italian, Middle Eastern, Indian or Asian grocers, or at many natural food stores.

Chickpea Flour Pissaladières with Caramelized Fennel & Onions

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes From London's Ottolenghi Cuisine: French (Southern) Published on December 15, 2011 Savory Mediterranean "pizzas" loaded with pungent olives, salty and creamy goat cheese, and sweet roasted tomatoes and caramelized fennel and onions Print this recipe Tomatoes: 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved olive oil for drizzling sea salt and fresh ground black pepper Onions and Fennel: 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 large onions, thinly sliced 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and thinly sliced 2 tablespoons fresh thyme (or 1 tablespoon dried) 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar fresh ground black pepper Pancakes: 1 3/4 cups chickpea flour 2 cups water 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon sea salt fresh ground black pepper 2 egg whites olive oil for frying Finish: 10 oz soft unripened goat cheese, cut into rounds 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved Instructions: Preheat an oven to 275°. Arrange the tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Roast for 25 minutes or until cooked and slightly shriveled but not dry. Remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and fennel and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to medium and sprinkle the vegetables with salt. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for another 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and lightly browned. Stir in the vinegar, heat for 30 seconds, and remove from heat. Season with fresh ground black pepper and additional salt if desired, and set aside. When the tomatoes are done, raise the temperature of the oven to 325° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper brushed with a little olive oil. Whisk the chickpea flour, water, olive oil, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter. Brush a small non-stick frying pan with a little olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. When hot, pour a quarter of the chickpea flour batter in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes or until air bubbles appear on the surface and the bottom is set. Use a rubber spatula to gently turn the pancake and cook for another minute. Transfer to a lined baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the chickpea flour batter. When all the pancakes have been made, arrange the goat cheese rounds on the pancakes, scatter with fresh ground black pepper, and place the baking sheets in the 325° oven for 5 minutes. Remove the pancakes from the oven and spread the onion and fennel over the pancake surfaces. Arrange the tomatoes and kalamata olives on top, and return to the oven for 4 to 5 minutes. Serve warm. Makes four 8-inch pissaladières (4 - 8 servings)

Other recipes from my kitchen you may enjoy:
Grape Tomato and Goat Cheese Clafouti
Brown Rice and Blue Cheese Gratin with Cauliflower and Broccoli
Cassoulet with Bread Topping
Farfalle Pasta with Cannellini Beans and Asparagus in a White Mushroom Yogurt Sauce

On the top of the reading stack: the web

Audio Accompaniment: Nulleins

Jalapeño and Tomato Macaroni & Cheese

An occasional craving for comfort food is one that most of us share when stresses or anxieties abound, an impulse to revisit times or places of simplicity and security, no matter how real or perceived our memories. It's a pleasure of mine to indulge my loved ones with kitchen comfort at those times, not to mention that fussing with pots, pans and food can be a welcome relief to myself when others around me are feeling strains. Into these dishes I can pour the love and care that aren't always easy to express in words.

One of my husband's favourite comfort foods — and one shared by many others — is a big helping of macaroni and cheese. In his case, he remembers the Kraft Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese that his father baked with a can of crushed tomatoes. Of course, now that he's eating out of my kitchen he gets my own brand of comfort food, meaning fresh quality ingredients assembled by hand and with a little spicy touch of my own tossed in. I'm happy to say that a big helping of warm and creamy homemade jalapeño and tomato mac'n'cheese did just the comfort trick for him while giving him a taste of something new at the same time. After all, moving forward is important even when we want to indulge our nostalgic feelings.

This is my submission to Presto Pasta Nights, a very popular weekly event started by Ruth of Once Upon a Cook, and hosted this week by Pictures of all my princesses. I am running on about two hours of sleep in the last 48 hours and sick besides, but I wanted to share this recipe because it is so good and easy to prepare.

Jalapeño and Tomato Macaroni & Cheese

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on June 13, 2011 A classic comfort food with an extra loving homemade touch Print this recipe Ingredients: 3 plum tomatoes 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs 1/4 cup cornmeal 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1/2 pound uncooked macaroni 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 12 oz can evaporated milk 2 eggs 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1 teaspoon sea salt fresh ground black pepper, to taste 16 oz cheddar, colby or Monterey Jack cheese, grated 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and cut into thin rounds Instructions: Chop the tomatoes and place in a fine sieve to drain the juices, tossing occasionally. Meanwhile, combine the bread crumbs and cornmeal with the melted butter and set aside. Cook the macaroni to al dente in a large saucepan according to instructions on the package. Drain and return to the saucepan. Add the remaining butter. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, mustard, salt and black pepper. Add 3/4 of the cheese and combine. Stir the cheese mixture into the macaroni and butter over medium heat. Keep stirring for 5 - 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens and is hot and bubbling. Remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes and jalapeños. Preheat an oven to 350°. Pour the macaroni into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese, followed by the bread crumb and cornmeal mixture. Bake uncovered for 30 - 40 minutes or until the bread crumbs and cornmeal are browned. Remove from heat and serve.. Makes 6 - 8 servings

Other great mac'n'cheese recipes from Lisa's Kitchen:
Classic Macaroni & Cheese
Macaroni & Paneer Cheese
Greek Macaroni & Cheese

On the top of the reading stack: Sukham Ayu: Cooking at Home With Ayurvedic Insights

Audio Accompaniment: Rustling Leaves

Penne Pasta with Ricotta, Parmesan and Tomatoes

Midweek meals are often a challenge for cooks on the run, so sometimes an easy pasta dish is the best way to go to feed the family. Add some fresh tomatoes and some cheese into the dish and you are in for one satisfying meal, especially if served with some crusty bread and a healthy salad. Pure comfort food to help fight the rainy spring blues. You can simplify this dish further by using canned tomatoes, though I think fresh cherry tomatoes along with a plump chopped tomato really make this dish, especially with the addition of sun-dried tomatoes and dried mushrooms. Red pepper flakes can also be used instead of the chopped fresh chilies. Cheese lovers will be coming back for seconds.

This is my submission to Presto Pasta Night, a popular event started by Ruth and hosted this week by Kitchen Alchemist.

Penne Pasta with Ricotta, Parmesan and Tomatoes

1 pound (450 grams) of penne pasta
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 - 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
2 hot green or red peppers, finely minced (or a teaspoon of crushed red chili flakes)
a dash of asafetida (optional)
a dash of cayenne pepper
2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
1 cup of sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes and finely chopped (squeeze out excess liquid but reserve the soaking water
14 grams of dried mushrooms (oyster and / or portobello), soaked in hot water for 20 minutes and chopped
1 cup of ricotta cheese
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
a scoop of sour cream (optional)
1/4 - 1/2 cup of pitted black olives, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of fresh basil, chopped
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium low heat. When hot, toss in the garlic, hot chilies, asafetida (if using) and garlic. Stir and fry for a few minutes. Now add all of the tomatoes to the pot, along with the dried mushrooms, increase the heat to medium and simmer for roughly 10 - 15 minutes. Add some of the reserved soaking water from the sun-dried tomatoes to reach your desired consistency.

While the tomatoes are cooking, bring a large of salted water to a boil and then add the pasta. Cook until the pasta is just tender. Drain well.

Mash or blend the tomatoes together with a hand blender or food processor. Add the pasta to the sauce, adding more water if it is too thick for your liking. Remove the pot from the hot element and stir in the ricotta, Parmesan, olives and fresh basil. Add a dollop of sour cream to the pot if desired, along with salt and pepper and gently stir until well combined.

Yields 6 generous servings.

More pasta recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are sure to enjoy:
Rye Pasta with Sun-dried Tomato Sauce and Goat Cheese
Pasta and Feta Cheese Casserole
Cheese-Filled Tortellini with a Spicy Mushroom Sauce
Farfalle Pasta with Cannellini Beans and Asparagus in a White Mushroom Yogurt Sauce

On the top of the reading stack: more and more cookbooks

Audio Accompaniment: Terry Lee Brown Jr.

Pasta with Marinated Tempeh and Goat Cheese

My dear friend Susan recently sent me a copy of The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook by Kim O'Donnel. Carnivores won't be disappointed and vegetarians are sure to find lots of creative ideas to serve to their meat eating friends, along with their vegetarian diners. The book is divided into sections focusing on the four seasons, along with some Wild Card recipes, but any of the recipes in this book would suit the palate anytime of year.

52 menus are offered up to tempt the palate and nourish the soul. Ignoring the mention of climate change and obesity, this book offers plenty of ideas for grains, legumes, pasta, vegetables and salads, along with some solutions for cooks wanting one-pot meals, and those looking for slightly more complicated meals complete with side suggestions. There are not many pictures presented, but do not let that discourage you from obtaining a copy of this resourceful book.

This is my contribution to Presto Pasta Night, a popular event started by Ruth and hosted this week by Fuss Free Flavours. Congratulations to Ruth, as this week will be the 200th edition.

Pasta with Marinated Tempeh and Goat Cheese

Adapted from The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook

12 ounces of tempeh, cut into small cubes or strips
3 tablespoons of tamari
3 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons of sesame oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
juice from 1 fresh lime
1 - 2 teaspoons of hot sauce
sesame oil for frying
3 shallots, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1 cup of dried pasta (penne, rotini, shell pasta or whatever you have on hand)
3 - 4 ounces of goat cheese
4 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
a generous handful of Asiago cheese
small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

In a small bowl, marinate the tempeh, tamari, mustard, sesame oil, garlic, lime juice and hot sauce for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to coat evenly.

Heat 1/4 cup of sesame oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. When hot, add the shallots and stir and fry for about 10 minutes. Add the tempeh to the pan, along with the marinated mixture and thyme. Fry, stirring often, until the tempeh is browned evenly and the liquid is reduced.

While the tempeh is cooking, prepare the pasta. Drain well.

To serve, line a serving bowl with the goat cheese, cover with the hot pasta and toss. Add the tempeh along with the parsley and some salt and pepper and stir gently to combine. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and Asiago.

Serves 4 - 6

More tempeh recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Thai Tempeh Patties with a Red Chili Dipping Sauce
Oseng Oseng Tempe
Tempeh-miso Breakfast Patties

On the top of the reading stack: Sarabeth's Bakery: From My Hands to Yours

Audio Accompaniment: Markus Guentner

Korean Glass Noodles (Japchae)

Well, the best laid plans of mice and men. I meant to submit this noodle dish to last month's No Croutons Required, but tardy girl as I often am, missed the deadline. Jackie did a lovely job of rounding up the entries and you will find lots of delicious noodle dishes to satisfy your palate. This month, I am hosting NCR, and the theme is quinoa. Submit a soup or salad featuring this most wholesome food by the 20th of the month. I will be serving up a submission soon.

Japchae is a Korean noodle dish that can be served hot or cold. Made with cellophane noodles and typically served with finely chopped vegetables, and soya sauce, garnished with sesame seeds and chilies, this is surely a treat anytime of year.

Korean Glass Noodles (Japchae)
1/2 pound of Korean Noodles
3 teaspoons of sesame oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, scrubbed and cut into strips
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 - 3 green onions, chopped
1/2 pound of cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 ounce of dried mushrooms, soaked for 20 minutes and drained
2 fresh chilies, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 pound of spinach, washed and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of tamari
1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds

Boil the noodles for 7 minutes. Drain and toss with 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil. Chop up the noodles with a knife and set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a wok over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, green onions, carrots and stir and fry for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms, chillies, and cook for another few minutes. Toss in the spinach, tamari and noodles and simmer for another few minutes or until the veggies are cooked to your preference. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

On the top of the reading stack: The Best Quick Breads: 150 Recipes for Muffins, Scones, Shortcakes, Gingerbreads, Cornbreads, Coffeecakes, and Moreby Beth Hensperger

Audio Accompaniment: Apollo Atmospheres And Soundtracksby Brian Eno.

Kamut Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

Recently I posted a recipe for a Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing that I adapted from Once Upon a Tart: Soups, Salads, Muffins, and More by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau. I decided to adapt it further and turn it into a pasta sauce. To make this recipe you will need to make some Marinated Sun-Dried Tomatoes. As I noted before, I plan on having a batch of these on hand as a staple ingredient. They are very easy and quick to prepare and keep in the fridge for a few weeks in a covered container. They are absolutely delicious and so much better than the jarred variety. Do take care to purchase sun-dried tomatoes free of salt, sugar and other additives.

I was fortunate enough to have a few dinner guests to share this dish with. I was even told this sauce was probably the best one of my diners had ever tasted. Give it a try and you'll see how rich, luscious and thick it is.

This is also my submission to Presto Pasta nights, a popular event created by Ruth and hosted this week by Pam.

Kamut Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

454 grams / 16 ounces of kamut pasta

For the sauce:

2/3 cup of marinated sun-dried tomatoes
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup of pine nuts
1 - 2 jalapeno peppers or green chilies
1/3 cup of fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup of olive oil

crumbled feta for garnishing

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the pot and cook until el dente or to your desired consistency - roughly 10 - 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a food processor, combine the marinated sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, balsamic vinegar, pine nuts, hot peppers, parsley, sea salt, black pepper and Parmesan cheese until well blended. With the food processor still running, pour in the olive oil.

Drain the pasta, cover with sauce and crumbled feta.

Serves 4 - 6.

Other pasta dishes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you will be sure to enjoy:
Pasta and Feta Cheese Casserole
Greek Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and Paneer Cheese
Rye Pasta with a Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce and Goat Cheese

On the top of the reading stack: Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness by William Styron

Audio Accompaniment: Laughing Stock by Talk Talk

Cheese-Filled Tortellini with a Spicy Mushroom Sauce

Here is another classic from Raghavan Iyer's indispensable book 660 Curries. This recipe has been adapted from his Contemporary Curries section that includes many inspired vegetarian recipes that are sure to please fans of Indian creations. I'd be willing to sacrifice a lot to actually eat this man's food cooked by his own hands. Thankfully, I was fortunate to come across his book when I used to work at a local branch library. As I have noted before, this treasured cookbook has made a delightful gift on more than a few occasions.

This is a rich meal, but one that you will remember for years afterwords and also one that you will well consider making to wow your dinner guests. I admit I didn't prepare my own fresh tortellini, but it is summer after all, and warm weather in Ontario is too sacred not to enjoy while it lasts.

I am sending this off to Mansi of Fun and Food who is hosting this week's edition of Presto Pasta Nights, a popular food event started by Ruth.

Cheese-Filled Tortellini with a Spicy Mushroom Sauce

2 tablespoons of ghee, or a mixture of butter and oil
1 1/4 pounds of wild mushrooms (I used cremini)
14 grams of dried mushrooms (I used lobster mushrooms)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 - 6 dried red chilies, crumbled
2 1/2 cups of sour cream
1/2 cup of mashed goat cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt
2/3 teaspoons of garam masala
1/2 cup of finely chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 pounds of fresh cheese filled tortellini

Heat the ghee, or butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium - high heat. when hot, add the mushrooms, garlic and chilies and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms shrink and brown and begin to lose their liquid, roughly 10 - 15 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium low, stir in the sour cream and goat cheese, along with the garam masala and salt. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for roughly 15 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking, prepare the pasta. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta, reduce the heat to medium - high, and cook until tender. Drain and transfer to a serving dish.

Stir the dill into the sauce and cover the pasta with the mushroom sauce.

Yields roughly 6 servings.

More pasta recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen that you will be sure to enjoy:
Mushroom Marinara Sauce with Quinoa Pasta
Rye Pasta with a Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce and Goat Cheese
Macaroni and Paneer Cheese with Spinach
Penne with Fennel, Tomato Sauce and Blue Cheese

On the top of the reading stack: Hitch-22: Some Confessions and Contradictions by Christopher Hitchens

Audio Accompaniment: street noise, chirping birds, rustling leaves and a dripping tap

Mushroom Marinara Sauce

I've always wanted to make my own marinara sauce and when I recently found some quinoa pasta, I was inspired to come up with my own version. As tomatoes are rather pricey right now, I sort of cheated and used canned tomatoes instead of the fresh ones that I usually use. Easy to make and a good idea to serve with vegetables, your favorite pasta, tempeh, and of course Northeast African Millet Patties and just plain good enough to eat by the spoonful. Your friends and family will thank you. There is really no comparison between store bought sauces and homemade ones.

This one is going off to Ruth's popular Presto Pasta Event.

Mushroom Marinara Sauce with Quinoa Pasta

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
14 ounces / 397 grams of portobella mushrooms, chopped
1 - 2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
28.5 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
14.5 can of diced tomatoes
splash of balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of dried basil
1 teaspoon of dried pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of sugar
1/4 - 1/2 cup of olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup of goat cheese

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the onion to the pan and stir and fry for roughly 5 minutes. Now add the jalapenos, mushrooms, and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes, raising the heat slightly. Add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, herbs and spices, salt and pepper and bring to boil. Simmer for 25 minutes with the lid slightly ajar, stirring often.

Add the sugar to the pot, along with the olives and simmer for another few minutes. Stir in the goat cheese or sprinkle over the dish you serve the sauce with.

I served this sauce over quinoa pasta.

Makes roughly 4 cup - 5 cups.

More sauces you will be sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Devil's Nightmare Pasta Sauce
Gingered Tomato Sauce
Hot Green Chili Sauce
Best Ever Mushroom Sauce
Homemade Pasta Sauce

On the top of the reading stack: Food and Drink

Audio Accompaniment: Evening Star by Robert Fripp and Brian Eno

Scottish Pizza

I am delighted once again to feature a guest post from a dear friend of mine. Since Fenris moved to London, we have had many enjoyable experiences in the kitchen and he has indeed become an accomplished cook. I am sure you will also want to try Ivan the Terrible's Scalloped Potatoes.

Distressed by the high cost and questionable quality of take out pizza, my sensible and Scottish mother created this delightful substitute that kept me happy in my youth.

Scottish Pizza

2 small onions
2 small beets
1 small potato
2 tomatoes, cut into cubes
3/4 cup frozen peas

paprika
turmeric
chili pepper
salt
black pepper

Peel the beets and shred them with a grater. Take the onions, peel them and cut them up into small bits. Then, in a pan, fry them up with the beets. Now, the beets are moist so you have to stir frequently, and do so until the onions become soft. You won't be able to see the onions, but you can check on them by feel. Around the time that the onions are nearly done, add the spices.

Add the thinly sliced potatoes and a little bit of water. Turn the heat down to a quarter speed, cover. Stir occasionally to see how the 'taters are doing.

When the potatoes are done, you can add in the tomatoes. Add more spices if the mixture is not potent enough. You should catch the aroma of paprika and the turmeric as it cooks. Put the peas in last, and cover. Leave them in long enough to cook to your taste.

When the mixture is done, prepare a baking sheet and put some bread on it. I use a German light rye, which is readily available here in Ontario. On the bread, spoon on the mixture, then cover with some grated cheese. There is a good three year old cheddar available here which I use. You can store the mixture in the refrigerator (like my Mom did) and use as desired when your tummy starts rumbling.

Broil in the oven.

More pizza recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Paneer Pizza on Naan Bread
Mushroom, Ricotta, Asiago Cheese Pizza

Greek Macaroni and Cheese

Peter is always an inspiration for authentic Greek food, and I finally got around to making his Greek Macaroni and Cheese for a precious lady friend of mine. As usual I tweaked the recipe a bit, but a big thanks to Peter for the inspiration. I served this with Jalapeño and Cheddar Scones for an especially cheesy meal. Soon it will be time to go vegan for a few days to cleanse myself of all of these rich dinners! Spring can't come soon enough.

Greek Macaroni and Cheese

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Kalofagas Cuisine: Greek Published on March 30, 2010 This easy-to-prepare Greek-style macaroni cheese is loaded with Kalamata olives and fresh Gruyère and Feta cheeses — absolutely heavenly Print this recipe Ingredients: 4 cups (16 oz) dried penne or macaroni 3 generous handfuls fresh spinach 1 cup fresh grated Gruyère cheese 1 1/4 cup Feta cheese, crumbled 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 small onion, grated 2 small cloves garlic, crushed or minced 12 oz can evaporated milk or 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste 1/2 - 2/3 cup cornmeal or breadcrumbs Instructions: Grease a 8 × 11 casserole dish with butter. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with some sea salt and cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente, just tender. Add the spinach to the pot and cook for another few minutes. Drain and set aside. In another large pot, melt the butter over medium heat and then add the grated onion and garlic. Stir and fry for 5 minutes. Add the flour to the pan and stir and fry for another few minutes. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups of the evaporated milk or cream, and bring to a slow boil over medium-high heat. Continue to whisk constantly until the mixture is creamy and thickens. Stir in the Gruyère cheese. Turn the heat off, and add 1 cup of the Feta cheese along with the olives, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Toss in the cooked pasta and spinach, along with a bit of olive oil, stir and transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Add the remaining evaporated milk or cream to the casserole dish and top with the cornmeal or breadcrumbs and the remaining Feta cheese. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until nicely browned on top. Makes 6 – 8 servings

More pasta recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you will be sure to enjoy:
Macaroni and Paneer Cheese
Vegetarian Mushroom Bourguignon
Pasta and Feta Cheese Casserole
Rye Pasta with a Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce and Goat Cheese

On the top of the reading stack: The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy

Audio Accompaniment: Vantage Isle Sessions by Deepchord