Moussaka

 Directions:

• Fry 2-3 large eggplant in 1/4 inch slices 
• Saute 1 chopped onion and lots of garlic
• Add 1 lb lean ground beef and cook 
• Add 3 tbsp tomato paste (one tin)
• Add 1 can broth  (15 oz)
• Add dried oregano 
• Add salt
• Add pepper
• Add 1/8 tsp cinnamon(opt)
• Bring above to boil, cook 5 min until thick and set aside
• At the same time:Combine 1 1/4 milk, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp nutmeg with wisk
• Boil, reduce heat and add 1 egg - stir in with wisk
• Arrange 1/3 eggplant on pan, sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp parmesan cheese, top with 1/3 meat... Repeat twice.
• Pour milk mix over layers
• Sprinkle with cheese
• Bake @ 350* for 25 min  until sauce is set 
• Broil 5 min if you like or not.

 Serves 4-6 

Mediterranean Penne with Sausage

Ingredients

·         2 red bell peppers, chopped

·         1 small bulb fennel, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced

·         1 large onion, chopped

·         1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into small chunks

·         1 clove garlic, minced

·         3/4lb Italian-style turkey sausage, casings removed

·         1 jar (25.5 oz)pasta sauce (any flavor)

·         2 cups water

·         2 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed

·         ½ teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes 

      8oz penne pasta

 Directions

1. Coat large skillet with cooking spray. Add bell peppers, fennel bulb (made without bulb and added more seeds which worked fine), onion, eggplant, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, over medium heat 5 minutes, or until fennel starts to soften. Add sausage. Cook, breaking up sausage with back of spoon, 3 minutes, or until no longer pink.

2. Add pasta sauce, water, fennel seeds, and red-pepper flakes. Stir to mix. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 20 to 25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Place pasta in serving bowl. Top with sauce. Add up to 1/2 cup of reserved cooking water, if needed, for sauce to coat pasta.

Serves approx 6

Apple Pie with Oatmeal Streusel

Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch) pie shell
• 5 cups apples - peeled, cored and sliced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup butter

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Fit pastry shell into pie pan and place in freezer.
2. To Make Apple Filling: Place apples in a large bowl. In a separate bowl combine 2 tablespoons flour, white sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Mix well, then add to apples. Toss until apples are evenly coated.
3. Remove pie shell from freezer. Place apple mixture in pie shell and dot with 2 tablespoons butter or margarine. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil lightly on top of filling, but do not seal.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
5. While filling is baking, make Streusel Topping: In a medium bowl combine 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, brown sugar, oats, and lemon peel. Mix thoroughly, then cut in 1/2 cup butter or margarine until mixture is crumbly. Remove filling from oven and sprinkle streusel on top.
6. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bake an additional 30 to 35 minutes, until streusel is browned and apples are tender. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning. 

If you’d rather make your own pie crust:

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cups butter
• 1 tsp salt
•  4 Tbsp ice water (1 at a time, up to 8 depending on weather, temp, etc)

 Directions

Add first 4 ingredients in food processor, or cut with pastry knife. Add water until dough is mendable. Put in fridge for at least 20 minutes before adding filling.
For top and bottom crust, cut in half if just making bottom

(We cut the recipe in half because we only made the bottom crust - the top is the oatmeal streusel!)

Lamb Kabobs with Yogurt Marinade

Lamb
1. Trim the white membrane off of a large piece of lamb (this is not totally necessary but apparently reduces the toughness and gamey flavor), and cut the trimmed meat into approx. 1.5 in cubes.
2. Set meat aside.

Yogurt marinade
There are lots of different options here.  This is the general recipe, but you can use almost any herb, spice, or flavoring that you want.  The yogurt penetrates the meat to tenderize it and leaves a tart and slightly creamy flavor when cooked.  Additional spices add interest.  Measurements are very rough.

Combine:
1 c. plain yogurt
2 tbs fresh rosemary, minced
2-3 tbs fresh mint, minced
2 tbs pomegranate syrup (the potluck kabobs were actually made with cherry syrup--the kind made from real fruit, not grenadine, but pomegranate syrup is significantly easier to find.)
juice of one lemon
1 tbs cinnamon
1.5 tsp coriander
1.5 tsp black pepper

Cut one red onion into 1/8 wedges, then half each of these.  Briefly microwave or steam the onions in order to partially cook them. 

Put lamb, onions and marinade in ziplock bag.  Mix to make sure that all meat is well-coated. Refrigerate for several hours.

Soak bamboo kabob sticks in water for 5-10 minutes.  Dry skewers with paper towels, then fill each with alternating pieces of lamb and onion.  I usually put about four pieces of meat on each skewer. 

Cook on a grill, or broil in an oven.  Flip kabobs after 6-8 minutes.  Continue to cook until desired doneness is reached.