Fresh Basil Pesto

Made by: Lynne

1 cup fresh basil leaves, firmly packed

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic (or 1 tsp garlic paste or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)

2 Tbsp sunflower seed kernels

Mix in food processor.

Serve over your favorite pasta. Enjoy!

Maria's Salsa

Made by: Maria

4 cups diced tomatoes

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1 finely diced jalapeno

juice of 1 lime

1 tsp salt

1 finely diced clove of garlic

1 diced green pepper

1/4 bunch of chopped cilantro

Mix it all together and let it sit for at least one hour, then refrigerate. The longer it sits, the better it will be!

Debbie's Fresh Salsa

Made by: Debbie

7-10 large tomatoes, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers (stems and seeds removed), chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1/4 tsp minced garlic

1/8 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp lime juice

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Mix together, let sit a minimum of 1 hour before serving for full flavor. (If more heat is desired, leave some seeds in the jalapenos).

Ratatouille

Made by: Marné

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves minced garlic

2 tsp parsley

1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

salt to taste

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 zucchini, sliced

1 onion, sliced into rings

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1 green bell pepper, sliced

2 large tomatoes, sliced

Preheat the oven the 350 degrees. Coat 1 1/2 qt casserole dish with 1 Tbsp olive oil.

Heat remaining oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until lightly browned, then mix in parsley and eggplant. Saute until eggplant is soft (around 10 minutes). Season with salt.

Spread eggplant over bottom of dish. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese. Next spread zucchini in an even layer on top. Lightly salt and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Continue layering in this fashion with onion, mushrooms, bell pepper and tomatoes, topping each layer with a sprinkling of salt and cheese.

Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 15 minutes or until soft.

* For softer onions, saute before adding to casserole.

* You can also layer the vegetables right into the skillet and then cook on the stove for 30-45 minutes.

Parmesan Roasted Corn on the Cob

Made by: Maria

1/2 cup mayonnaise

5 ears corn, husked

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Preheat grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil grate. Brush each ear of corn with a thin layer of mayo. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, chili powder, salt and pepper. Wrap individually in aluminum foil and place on the grill. Turn occasionally until kernels begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

Spinach Salad with Maple-Cider Vinaigrette

Made by: Lynne

Dressing:

3 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 Tbsp maple syrup

2 tsp Dijon mustard (or brown mustard)

salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup olive oil

Whisk together the first four ingredients. Gradually whisk in oil until well blended.

Salad:

6 oz spinach, washed and torn into pieces (or use baby spinach)

1 cup sliced strawberries

1/4 cup sunflower seed kernels

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1-2 green onions, diced (optional)

Combine ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle with desired amount of vinaigrette; toss to coat.

Variation: Substitute sliced apples, peaches or nectarines for the fruit; substitute cashews, almonds, walnuts or pecans for the nuts; use whatever cheese you have on hand: cheddar, Swiss, feta or blends.

Beef Sausage Kabobs

Made by: Debbie

1 pkg Hillshire Farms beef smoked sausages

1 green bell pepper

1 pkg mushrooms

1 sweet onion

olive oil

Wooden Skewers soaked in water for 10 minutes

Cut sausages into thirds, chop onion and pepper into large bite-size pieces. Thread sausages and vegetables onto skewer and brush with olive oil. Grill over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Serve hot.