Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

I got this recipe off "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" website. We tried it out tonight, and I thought it turned out pretty good!

3 red bell peppers

2 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup heavy cream

Flat leaf parsley, finely minced

Fresh Parmesan, shaved or grated

1/2 to 1 pound pasta: orecchiette, penne, fusilli, etc.

Roast red peppers on your grill or using your broiler. Make sure they are nice and black!, Let them cool for just a minute or two, then place them in a Ziploc bag to allow to sweat. Next, peel the charred skins from the peppers, cut off the tips, then removed seeds. Cut into strips, set aside.
Lightly toast pine nuts in a skillet. Set aside.
Puree peppers with pine nuts in a blender or food processor. Set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions.
In a skillet or pot over medium heat, drizzle in olive oil. Add diced onions and garlic and cook until soft. Pour in pepper puree and stir together. Add plenty of salt.
Pour in cream and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt, if necessary. Add cooked pasta, then stir together.
Place pasta into a bowl, top with chopped parsley, and grated parmesan. Enjoy!

Rice and Bean Cassarole (Melissa Vogt)

1 15 ounce Pinto Beans
1 cup uncooked white rice
1 can (15.5 ounces) Corn (undrained)
1 1/2 cup Water
1 1/2 cup Salsa
1 cup cheese shredded

Mix all ingredients except the cheese. Put into a 9x13 casserole dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Make sure all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven until cheese is melted. Serve with flour tortillas and tortilla chips.

Spicy Black Beans with Coconut Milk (Melissa Vogt)

1 Sweet Onion - chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic - minced
2 Tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste (it's in the Asian section at stores)
2 Cans (15 ounce each)
Kidney Beans - rinsed and drained
1 Can (14 1/2 ounces) diced Tomatoes - undrained
1 Can (13 1/2 ounces) Coconut Milk (also found in Asian section at stores)
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Teaspoon salt
Zest and juice from 1 lime
2-3 green onions chopped
Fresh Cilantro chopped

Melt a little butter in and saute onion about 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Then stir in beans, tomatoes, coconut milk, sugar, salt, lime zest and juice. Heat mixture to boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cover and let simmer for 30-35 minutes stirring occasionally. Top each serving with some fresh chopped green onions and fresh cilantro.

Barbeque Black Bean Burritos

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained
2 cups cooked white rice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups shredded cheese
1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas

In a large saucepan (wok pans also work well) heat oil over medium-high and saute yellow onion, garlic, and bell pepper until onions become translucent. Add black beans,corn and tomatoes. Heat through.
In a medium size mixing bowl combine heated mixture with cooked rice, cilantro, 1 cup cheese, and 3/4 cup barbecue sauce.
Lay tortillas on flat surface. Spoon about 3/4 cup of filling onto each tortilla's center. Wrap tortilla so that mixture is captured on the inside .
In a casserole dish pour barbecue sauce to coat the dish's bottom. Place burritos in dish seam side down and pour more barbecue sauce on top of them. Sprinkle with cheddar or monterey jack cheese. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees for 30 min.

Cauliflower Soup (Girl in the Kitchen - Katie)

1 stick butter
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 to 2 heads cauliflower,
roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or dried parsley

2 quarts vegetable broth or stock
2 cups whole milk
6 tablespoons flour

1 cup half & half
2 to 4 teaspoons salt, to taste

1 generous cup sour cream, at room temperature

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, or until it starts to turn brown. Add the carrots and celery and cook an addition couple of minutes. Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine. Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour in chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Mix the flour with the milk and whisk to combine. Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the butter, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup half & half.

Easy French Bread

I had never made bread until I made this. It was very easy, and super yummy! Also, I did not have a mixer, so I just mixed and kneaded the dough with my hands. Thanks for the great recipe Cairen!

Combine in a large bowl, or mixer:
3 cups hot water
2 Tbls dry active yeast
2 Tbls sugar
1 Tbls salt
2 Tbls butter
7 cups flour

Mix all ingredients on low till mixed. Then mix on high for 4 minutes. Divide into four rolled logs. Grease cookie sheet and sprinkle bottom with corn meal. Let dough rest for 30 minutes. Bake for 20 min. at 400 degrees.

Delicious Pesto

1 16 pkg. penne pasta, cooked according to pkg. directions. Save one ladleful of pasta water for sauce.

Combine in a processor and mix until a thick sauce forms:
20 basil leaves
zest of one lemon
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3 cloves of garlic crushed, or minced
pepper

When pasta is almost done, add ladle of pasta water to pesto sauce and mix in processor again. Toss pesto with warm pasta and sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese.