Southwest Pasta Salad

Super easy and fast to make!!!

8 oz whole wheat pasta, cooked
15 oz frozen corn
15 oz can black beans
1 C. salsa
1 C. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 green bell pepper, diced
Optional: add garlic powder, black pepper, or cayenne pepper to taste (in any combination)

Combine ingredients and serve cold. Serves 8.

Jenna's Incredible Chocolate Raspberry Cake!

Ingredients

1	pound semisweet chocolate, good quality
3	tbs instant espresso powder
1/2	cup creme de cassis
4	eggs, separated
12	tbs unsalted butter
1/3	cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2	pints fresh raspberries
2/3	cups sugar
1	pinch of salt
1	tbs water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with waxed paper. Butter and flour the waxed paper; shake to remove the excess.
   
2. Combine 8 oz of the chocolate, 2 tbs of the espresso powder and 1/4 cup of the cassis in a heavy saucepan, and stir over low heat until the chocolate is melted. Stir to blend the mixture. Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
   
3. Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring, for two minutes. Remove the pan from the heat once more and add the butter, beating it in 1 tbs at a time. Stir in the flour.
   
4. Combine the raspberries, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and 1 tbs of the cassis in a bowl. Toss to combine and set aside.
   
5. Combine the egg whites and the salt, and beat until they form soft peaks. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup sugar over the whites, and beat until glossy, 30 seconds.
   
6. Fold the whites, in thirds, into the chocolate mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake until the cake is slightly puffed but not completely cooked in the center, 20 minutes.
   
7. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 45 minutes. Then unmold it onto a serving platter. Turn the cake right side up. Leaving a 1-inch border around the edges, scoop out the top 1/2 inch of cake. Fill the cake with the reserved raspberries, patting them down gently. (Nibble on the scooped out cake scraps while you finish the cake.)
   
8. Combine the remaining 8 oz chocolate with the water, the remaining 1 tbs espresso powder, and the remaining 3 tablespoons cassis in a heavy saucepan. Place over low heat and stir until melted and blended. Remove the pan from the heat, and glaze the cake while the icing is still warm, covering the top and the sides.

Savory Golden Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients

1/2	c. dried lentils, soaked
3/4	c. sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (or 1 medium sized)
1	c. red onions, diced (or 1 medium sized)
3	garlic cloves, minced
1/2	c. carrots, thinly sliced
1 1/2	c. chicken or vegetable broth (low-sodium)
2	c. water
1/4	c. red wine
1 1/2	tsp. cumin
1 1/2	tsp. cinnamon
1	tsp. chili powder
1	dash red pepper
1	Salt, to taste

Directions

1. Soak the lentils in roughly 1 cup of cold water or green tea for at least 30 minutes.
   
2. In a medium-sized stock pot over medium-high heat, sautee the diced onions and garlic in 1/4 cup of the chicken broth until the onions become translucent (around 5 minutes).
   
3. Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, and red wine. Cook for around 1 minute or until the wine becomes very fragrant.
   
4. Add the lentils, water, and chicken broth. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring the mixture occasionally.
   
5. Reduce the heat. Add the spices and cover, allowing the soup to simmer for about 20 minutes or until the lentils and sweet potatoes begin to fall apart. (Also suggested: 1 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds at this point, if desired)
   
6. If you would like to get a thicker consistency, kick the heat back up and reduce until it hits the desired thickness. You may want to adjust the amounts of salt and pepper, depending on your own tastes.
   
7. Serve the soup either on its own or over a starch with a dollop of raita (thick yogurt mixed with vegetables) or sour cream. Garnish with whatever you like (Featured in the photo is yogurt, carrot, and a dash of paprika).

I just found this online and it looked tasty, so I figured this was the easiest way to save the recipe.

Another quiche recipe

This one can be made with any combination of vegetables and meat. I've done ham and peas, and chicken and broccoli.

ingredients:
1 pie crust
3 eggs
1 c milk
1/2 lb shredded cheese (about 1 1/3 - 1 1/2 c)
1 1/2 c vegetables
1 c meat, chopped (or you can just add more vegetables)

put pie crust in a pie pan and bake for 10 min at 450
mix everything else together and pour into crust
bake for 10 min at 450, then turn oven down to 325 and cook until it's firm, 20+ more min