Recipes A to Z....."V" is for Vegetables

When we have bushels of vegetables from the garden, we start looking for different ways to serve all those vegetables. Tomatoes, green peppers, zucchini, onions, cucumbers can be enjoyed with a short trip to the oven, stuffed in a shell, cooked in a skillet or mashed on a sandwich.

4 medium zucchini squash

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine

1/4 cup chopped onion

3 bread slices, cubed

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1/4 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dash pepper

1/2 cup grated process cheese spread

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Remove ends from zucchini. Cook in boiling, salted water 7-8 minutes. Split zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out pulp. Leave about a 1/4 inch shell. Turn shell upside down on paper towel. Pat the pulp dry also.

Saute onion in butter. Cool. Chop pulp. Add to onion with bread cubes, seasoning and cheese spread. Lightly mix in egg. Spoon filling into shells and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Serves 8.

4 large tomatoes

4 slices bacon

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup green bell pepper

2 Tablespoons chopped celery

1 cup canned or cooked corn

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Remove slice from top of tomatoes. Carefully remove pulp and reserve. Lightly salt tomato shells and invert to drain.

Cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel. In bacon drippings, saute onion, green pepper and celery until tender. Chop reserved pulp and add to onion mixture.

Add corn, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Crumble bacon, reserving 1 Tablespoon and stir into filling mixture. Fill tomato shells. Bake at 350 degrees F 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle tops with reserved bacon. Makes 4 servings.

6 medium green peppers

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 cup long grain rice

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 can (13 3/4 oz approx) beef broth

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Cut tops from green peppers and remove seeds. Chop the tops and reserve. Parboil peppers in boiling water about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

With oil in saucepan, saute onion and reserved green pepper 2-3 minutes. Stir in rice and cook 1-2 minutes more. Do not let rice brown. Add tomato sauce, beef broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover pan and reduce heat to low. Cook 25 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed.

Spoon rice mixture into green pepper shells. Bake at 350 degrees 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Makes 6 servings.

3 Tablespoons oil

4 green onions, sliced thin 1/4 cup

1 Tablespoon each flour, sugar and dried parsley

2 Tablespoons Dijon-style mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 lb. sliced cooked potatoes, reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid

1/4 cup vinegar (I use cider)

2 Tablespoons bacon, cooked crisply (about 1 slice)

Heat oil in skillet. Add green onions and saute until tender. Stir in flour, sugar, parsley, mustard, salt and pepper. Gradually add potato liquid and vinegar. Cook until mixture thickens and boils. Stir in potatoes and heat through. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Serves 4.

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon oil

1 16 oz can pinto beans, drained and mashed

1 3 oz pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup shredded zucchini

1 Tablespoon oil and vinegar salad dressing

5 pita bread rounds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/2 cup shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack or Swiss cheese

Cook onion and garlic in oil till onion is tender but not brown. Add mashed beans, cream cheese, salt and pepper. Heat through. Combine zucchini and salad dressing. Cut off the top portion of each pita bread. Spread bean mixture in pitas on one side of the opening. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. Top with zucchini mixture, tomato and cheese. Makes 5 sandwiches.

Mash together avocado, grated carrot amd finely chopped watercress. Spread on whole wheat bread or a pita. Sprinkle on a few alfalfa sprouts, if you like.