Vegetarian Lasagna

Ingredients

• 2 cups peeled and diced pumpkin
• 1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
• 5 tomatoes
• 1 pint ricotta cheese
• 9 ounces crumbled feta cheese
• 2/3 cup pesto
• 2 eggs, beaten
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• fresh pasta sheets
• 1 1/3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet and roast in oven until browned and tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grill eggplant on a charcoal grill or fry in a skillet, turning once, until charred and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Halve tomatoes and place on baking sheet in oven for last 15 minutes of pumpkin time; cook until tender and wrinkly.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, feta, pesto, eggs, salt and pepper until well mixed. Fold roasted pumpkin into ricotta mixture.
4. Spoon half of the tomato sauce into a 9x13 baking dish. Lay two pasta sheets over the sauce. Arrange a single layer of eggplant slices over pasta and top with half the ricotta mixture. Cover with two more pasta sheets. Arrange the roasted tomatoes evenly over the sheets and spoon the remaining half the ricotta mixture over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella. Top with remaining two sheets of pasta. Pour remaining tomato sauce over all and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
5. Bake in preheated oven 30 to 40 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

Fajita Mushroom Omelette (No Meat)

Ingredients
3 large eggs
½ 8 oz. package baby portabella mushrooms (white button mushrooms work too), sliced
1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
3/4 c red, yellow & green bell pepper strips (the frozen kind is fine)
1 t olive oil
1 t butter
¼ t granulated garlic
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1/8 t ground cumin
Salt & pepper to taste
Sour cream, salsa, and cilantro (optional)
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a small skillet and add the sliced mushrooms & onions and the salt, peppers, and cumin. Sauté together over medium high for about 2 minutes, add the pepper strips, and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until everything is heated through. Set aside.
- In a separate skillet or pan, melt the butter and swirl until the entire pan is coated. Add the beaten eggs and cook over medium heat until the omelette is set and there is only a small amount of unset egg left. Spoon a generous amount of mushroom fajita filling into the omelette, fold in half, and cook for a few more seconds to allow it to fully set.
- Garnish with a couple of sprigs of cilantro, serve with sour cream, salsa, or whatever your usual fajita fixin’s may be, and enjoy!

Baked Chili Cheese Fries

Ingredients 

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder

3 russet potatoes, peeled

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons grill seasoning or dry barbecue rub (these often include salt)

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup chopped scallions

Directions 

In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch, chili powder, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, cumin, and ancho chili powder.  Set aside.

Rinse potatoes and peel with a vegetable peeler.  You can leave some skin bits on the potatoes if you want to go for a more rustic fry.  Using a sharp knife, slice a  1/4-inch piece off the potato lengthwise.  This will give you a stable base to slice on.  Rest the potato, cut side down, and slice potato into 1/4 to 3/8-inch planks.

Stack planks in piles 2 to 3 planks high, and slice lengthwise into 1/4 to 3/8-inch strips.  And… you just cut French fries!!

In a medium bowl, toss the potato strips with olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, and grill seasoning or dry barbecue rub.  Sprinkle the cornstarch mixture over the potato slices and use tongs to toss together, making sure that every potato is coated with a bit of cornstarch and seasoning.

Spread potatoes in a single layer across the prepared baking sheets.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, removing the potatoes from the oven 2 or 3 times during baking to toss them together.  Cook until potatoes are cooked through and brought to your desired crispiness.  Remove from the oven, top with cheese and return to the oven for just a few minutes to melt the cheese.  Remove and place onto a platter.  Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.