Food column

[Marlys]

Here are a couple of my favorites.
Love & hugs,
Marlys

[Becky]

1 medium onion diced
1 bell pepper (any color) diced
8-10 fresh mushrooms sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Bay leaves
2 teaspoons cinnamin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 can diced tomatoes (14 - 17 oz can)
2/3 cup red wine
1 1/2 cups broth (can be chicken or vegetable - I use boullion cubes)
8 oz red or brown lentils (red makes a creamier "sauce" whereas brown lentils hold their shape)
8oz of elbow macaroni (or other similar shaped type - small shells)
1 1/2 cups of flavored white sauce (recipe below)
2 eggs
3/4 c strongly flavored shredded cheese (extra sharp cheddar, Monterray Jack)

Saute onion, pepper and mushrooms in olive oil until tender (about 5 minutes). Add tomatoes, wine, broth, spices, bay leaves and rinsed lentils. Stir well and bring to boil. Turn down heat, cover and simmer about 45 minutes until liquid is absorbed. (Sometimes, for me, this happens too quickly and I need to add more broth because the lentils (especially the brown lentils) are not soft. This does not happen with red lentils. I have never tried green lentils). Cook pasta to package directions.

Flavored White Sauce

Melt 5 tablespoons butter. When hot and bubbly, add 6 tablespoons flour. When well mixed, slowly add 1 1/2 cups milk whisking well. Add 2 teaspoons cinnamon (yes more! it is the secret ingredient. Its wildly outrageous in food that isn't sweet. 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 tsp onion powder or onion salt, 1/2 teaspoon salt (only if you use onion powder - not needed if you use onion salt) and a dash of pepper. Cook until bubbly and thickened. Take off heat.

Beat eggs with fork in small bowl. While beating, add tablespoons full of white sauce to "heat up" the eggs slowly. Then add eggs to white sauce whisking wildly.

Butter or spray with cooking spray a 13 X 9 pan. Add pasta and top with lentil mixture (fish out the bay leaves first or someone gets a surprise). Top pasta/lentil mixture with flavored white sauce/egg. Top all with shredded cheese (you can lighten this by not using cheese or just mixing the lentils and pasta hot and you're good to go). Bake at 350 about 30-40 minutes until hot and bubbly. You can premake this whole thing and put it in the frig but then you have to bake it longer since its cold.

An alternative is to make lasagna noodles and use the lentil mix (you will need to make more lentil mix than this recipe calls for) like red sauce and only use the cheese (no riotta) and layer (noodles, lentils, cheese, noodles, lentils,cheese). Add white sauce on top and cheese - bake. Serve with green salad and/or broccoli and a nice bread if you are having company or want bread too.

It takes time to prepare so it is a weekend thing but it reheats in the microwave well for a second go around another day.

This is one of my secret recipes for you

[BonnieR]

Becky, that sounds delicious but I am exhausted just reading the directions! It was all I could do to get to the grocery store today for simple things. I look forward to the time when I have the energy to prepare something from scratch again. You are an inspiration and a reminder that it DOES get better and we can eventually resume doing the normal things that we enjoy.