I post recipes here the way that I make them, so of course you should feel free to adapt these to what your family likes! To make this blog user-friendly, I put tags for each major ingredient of each recipe, as well as for type of dish, and ethnicity, so you can go to the list on the side here (scroll down) and search for specific things. If you like a recipe, please comment! If you have a yummy adaptation, please leave that in the comments as well!
I got this from a cookbook compiled from ladies at church, but I've modified it quite a bit since then. The original recipe was huge, so I've adapted it to serve about 6 people. This has some 'western' ingredients, and we like them so we just do it this way...however I'm sure it would be good with olives, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, or whatever you like best in an omelet. I didn't include a photo because the truth is this one isn't very pretty...the eggs especially end up looking quite weird. But it tastes great! It's convenient to be able to put it in before we go to bed, and then have a hearty breakfast waiting for us when we get up. We like to do it for Christmas morning.
2 cups of cubed potatoes (I like using red or gold, with the thin skins, or else peel them. Cut to about 1cm cubes. The original recipe called for using a bag of hash browns, if you do, we like 'country style' best)
1/2-3/4 lb pre-cooked meat (cubed leftover ham, sausage, etc)*
1 medium onion (about 1/2-3/4 c) chopped
1 medium bell pepper, chopped (about 3/4-1c, I often use frozen strips chopped up)
1-1 1/2 c grated monterey jack cheese
8 eggs
2/3 c milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
*the original recipe calls for ham. This last time we didn't have any though, so I used sausage and it was really good. The spiciness did permeate all the other foods, so the other flavors were not as clear...but it was still good!
I used a 4 qt crockpot
Chop all the ingredients. Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom of the crockpot, followed by a layer of meat then onions, peppers, and cheese. Repeat the layering process two or three more times, ending with a layer of cheese.
In a separate container, beat the eggs, add the milk, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture around over everything in the crockpot, cover, and turn on low. Cook about 8-10 hours (we find it always gets done in the lesser time).
I encountered this idea at a local cafe. It's very simple, and really good! They served the rolls plain, or you could get it sliced in half and get it as a sandwich filled with ham, melted cheese, peppers, onions, and other veggies. It's a nice food for taking on picnics and sack lunches, because the whole sandwich is rolled into the bun before it's baked--nothing slides apart en route!
Use your favorite roll recipe (not a sweet roll, just a regular dinner roll)
Roll out the dough as though you were going to make cinnamon rolls, but instead of putting in butter and cinnamon and sugar, put in cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, spinach, bits of ham or bacon, or whatever other savory thing strikes your fancy.
I did ham, spinach, and mozzarella in these ones.
Try turkey with cranberry, beef with swiss, or all kinds of veggie combinations!
We found this recipe when looking for something scottish to celebrate Saint Andrew's Day. Stovies are a great way to use up some leftover beef and gravy. Of course you can work from scratch also, but I have a feeling this is really meant as a sort of "inspired leftovers" meal. I got this recipe from epicurean, who recommends serving them with oat cakes. I've just copied the recipe from there, and added my own notes. These were a big hit, and will definitely be regularly seen on our menu in the future.
50g (2 oz.) oil, drippings or butter (I used bacon grease)
3 medium onions, roughly chopped
1 kg (2 pounds) floury potatoes, main crop or new
125ml (4 oz.) meat stock or gravy (I used a handful of my beef-stock 'ice' cubes)
125-250g (4-8 ounces) cooked meat (I threw in ground beef because I didn't have leftovers handy. I just browned it, drained it, and set it aside, then added it back in later as per the recipe.)
2 -3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, chives, or spring onions
Seasoning salt, freshly ground black pepper, allspice, or grated nutmeg
Directions:
You will need a large heavy-base pan with a tight-fitting lid. Heat the fat in it and add the onions. Cook until lightly brown. Peel potatoes if they are "main crop", but leave the skins on new potatoes. Slice about 5mm (1/4-inch) thick. Or slice roughly in different thickness so that the thin go into a mush, while the others stay whole. Add them to the pan with the onions and stir well. coating all sides with the fat.
Put the lid on the pan and leave on a low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times. (I used a cast iron pan that didn't have a lid, so I used a piece of foil which worked great. You do need some kind of lid though.)Then add the gravy or water. Cover and cook over a very low heat, stirring once or twice until the potatoes are cooked. Add the meat, mix through, and turn up the heat to brown a little.
Taste for seasoning. Mix in some freshly chopped parsley, chives, or green onion and serve with oatcakes and a glass of milk.
I stumbled across a Lebanese cookbook on the "new arrivals" shelf at our library, and as I started flipping through it I realized that all my life I'd been craving Lebanese food, and I'd never even known it! Most of this recipe is just copied straight from that cookbook, however I have added a couple of notes of my own as well. These are a bit labor-intensive, but they are fun, and they are yummy. If you're not into spinach, try stuffing them with cheese, sausage or other spiced meat, or a combination.
Preparation time: Dough--5 min, plus 1 hr 15 min rising Filling--10 min (do it while the dough is rising) Putting it together--an hour Bake time--18-20 min They are time and labor-intensive, however they keep well in the fridge or freezer, are good cool or cold, and reheat well too.
BASIC DOUGH
1 cup + 1 Tbs lukewarm water
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1/4 tsp sugar
3 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
3 Tbs olive oil
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water. Mix well. Set aside for several minutes, allowing the yeast to proof (foam). Combine the flour and salt in a separate bowl.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour the yeast mixture into the well, followed by the olive oil. Using one hand, quickly mix and knead the ingredients to form the dough. (If the dough seems sticky, which it probably will, sprinkle in a little more flour.)
Use both hands to lift the dough out of the bowl and tuck and shape it into a ball. Sprinkle flour around the sides and bottom of the bowl, then set the ball back in. Sprinkle the top of the dough with some more flour. Cover the bowl with a dish and set it aside in a warm place to rise for 1 hour 15 min.
FILLING
2 lbs frozen chopped spinach (thawed, drained, and squeezed dry) (I use 3 10oz boxes, but you can also fill it out with some shredded zucchini or other mild vegetable)
1-1 1/2 cups chopped onion (chopped little)
1 Tbs salt (yes that's a tablespoon)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/3-1/2 c olive oil
1/3-3/4 c lemon juice
1 Tbs lemon zest if available
Squeeze the thawed spinach over a colander with small perforations. It is very important to make sure that all the moisture has been hand-squeezed out of the spinach, otherwise the filling will be wet and the pastries may open while baking.
In a bowl, combine the spinach and onion. Just before you are ready to fill the pastries, add the salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest, and mix well. (Mixing the salt with the onions at the last minute prevents the onions from producing additional moisture in the filling.) [The original recipe calls for 1/3 c olive oil and 3/4 c lemon juice, however I find that is a little tangier than I like. So I prefer to make it closer to 1/2c of each. It's still tangy.]
Once the dough has risen, roll out half the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 1/8" thickness. [It will be around 16" across. If you make it thinner/bigger, it still works, however you will end up with more dough than filling...when that happens to me I grab a little cheese or whatever to fill up the leftovers. Also, use as little flour as you can to do the job. If you get too much flour, the dough will not stick closed very well.] Gently hold the rolled-out dough by the edges and lift it about 2 inches off the counter (this will allow any contraction in the dough to occur before cutting). Cut the dough into 3 inch rounds with a cookie cutter; make one cut directly next to another to maximize the number of rounds.
Preheat the oven to 450*F. Foil-line a baking sheet, lightly brush it with olive oil, set it within reach.
Pick up one dough circle at a time and hold it stickier-side up in your hand. Put about 2 Tbs of filling into the middle of the round (this will probably seem like too much filling, but you want it stuffed so they will be plump once they are baked). Use a fork [or one of your fingers] to push the filling inside as you close up the dough. Be sure to keep all the edges free of filling, or they will not stick together. Form a triangle by raising three sides of the dough up and over the filling until they meet in the center. Press them closed.
[this video is made by the guy who wrote the cookbook, showing how he stuffs and closes the puffs]
Pinch each seam closed, securing the filling inside the triangle. Remember to keep the seams free of filling. Repinch the seams so that the pastry will not open while baking. Reshape the pastry into a triangle as needed, and place it on the greased foil-lined baking sheet. Fill and close the remaining dough rounds in the same manner, and place them on the baking sheet about 1/4 inch apart. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
Dip a pastry brush in a few tablespoons of olive oil and generously dab the tops and sides of each triangle puff. Place the tray in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes.
Traditionally, spinach puffs are served at room temperature. Our family likes them a little warmer than that, but as I said before, they are also pretty good straight from the fridge.
* To prepare ahead, you can keep them in the fridge for a few days, or in the freezer for a few weeks. Freeze uncovered on a baking sheet, then transfer to an air-tight bag or container. Reheat thawed puffs at 350* for 5-7 minutes.
I got this recipe from my aunt. Of course it can be adapted (some of our adaptations are mentioned at the bottom). I like it chunky and fresh, (and I can it that way--just put it raw in the jar) but it doesn't develop a thick sauce that way. If you like a thick sauce, you'll need to simmer it on the stove a while. I can't give you any specific directions for that though, because, as I said, I don't do it. ☺
makes about 3-4 cups of salsa (I usually 6x it or more for canning)
3 med/large tomatoes
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 sweet pepper (bell, any color)
1 hot pepper (I use jalapenos, but if you like it hot use something hotter or use more of them)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbs something acidic (apple cider vinegar or lime juice is what we usually use, but lemon juice or other vinegar would work also)
cilantro, if desired
Chop it all up--I like my tomato, onion, and bell pepper chunks bigger and my garlic and hot pepper minced into oblivion...do what you like.
Toss all the veggies into a big bowl, and then sprinkle the spices and vinegar/juice over the top. Mix mix mix! Yum yum yum!
If you're canning it, put it straight into the jars, and process following the directions for tomatoes (it is acidic enough to process in a waterbath or steam canner, you don't need a pressure cooker).
Some of our favorite variations Lime/garlic/cilantro ~ Use lime juice instead of vinegar, double the garlic, put in a bunch of cilantro. Spicy ~ Use a habanaro pepper instead of jalapeno, or use 2-3 jalapenos instead of just one. Cilantro will add kick as well if you like that flavor. Southwest ~ add a (drained) can of corn and a (drained) can of black beans to the recipe above.
This isn't a true Indian recipe in that I didn't get it from a cookbook or anything, but it's a combination of traditional Indian spices, even if not traditional cooking methods, so I surmise that it's 'authentic' in that it's the sort of thing an Indian housewife might throw together... The flour in the coating is merely to spread the spices around evenly. I used rice flour and it was gluten free. ☺
1/4 c butter Cut up butter into a 9x13inch pan and put it in the oven to melt as the oven preheats to 350* (don't forget to get it out as soon as it's melted!) Set aside.
COATING (mix in a shallow dish or pie tin) (all amounts are approximate, I just dump stuff in) 1/2 c flour (or rice flour ☺) 1 Tbs salt 1 tsp pepper 1 Tbs onion powder 1 Tbs garlic powder 1 Tbs turmeric 1 Tbs cumin 1-2 tsp cardamom 1/2 tsp cloves (1 Tbs cinnamon would also be authentic, but I forgot it, so either way...)
8 chicken pieces (I used thighs because they were on sale, but any pieces would work) I skinned them but left the bones in. Press each chicken piece into the coating and get it fully covered on both sides. Then lay the pieces in the melted butter in the pan. Bake for about 20 min, then turn each piece over and bake for another 20 min. (Meanwhile cook the rice and veggies)
RICE 1 chopped onion 3-4 cloves chopped garlic 1 tsp salt *2 cups white rice 4 cups broth and/or water and/or coconut milk (I used about 2 cups homemade broth then the rest water) Put a little oil in a pan and saute the rice, onion, salt, and garlic until the onion and rice get glassy. Then add the liquid and let it simmer (without stirring) until all the liquid is absorbed (about 15min for white rice)
*adjust the amount of rice accordingly if you use brown or a white/brown mix
VEGGIES I just used some frozen peas/carrots/green beans and steamed them, which is very not authentic. If you want something more authentic, try peas, carrots, potatoes, or tomatoes. You can steam them or saute them in a little oil or cook them in with the rice.
Serve everything together in a heap. Or not. However you like it. ☺
I adapted this recipe from the ones I found at allrecipes and recipezaar. It has a lot of ingredients, and no, you shouldn't leave anything out. There's a delicate balance at work here, and everything plays a part. The sauce is very sweet, and it needs the salty chicken to balance it; if you use the sauce alone you'll need to add some salt. I like steaming some broccoli, onions, and carrots and serving them with the rice/sauce as well. Alternately, make just the sauce, and use it as a stir fry sauce (rather than making the fried chicken part). Cornstarch can usually be replaced by using double the amount of flour...I don't recommend that for this recipe though because the thickening properties of the cornstarch are really important to the texture, and flour really doesn't do it as well. To make this dish gluten-free, replace the flour with half the amount of cornstarch OR (better) with rice flour or a GF flour blend. Chicken Marinade mix in a medium sized bowl 2 Tbs soy sauce 3 drops *toasted sesame oil 2 Tbs flour 2 Tbs cornstarch 2 Tbs water 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 tsp vegetable oil *the "toasted" part is important, it means the seeds were toasted before the oil was expressed, and it has a much stronger flavor. It's available in the asian section of the grocery store
Use fresh or thawed chicken--about 3 breasts or 4-5 thighs. Cut it into 1 inch chunks and then put into the marinade to sit for about 20 minutes (the marinade is thick so the chicken is not so much 'soaking' as it is 'coated' with the marinade).
Meanwhile get some rice going. ☺
Sesame Sauce mix in a medium sized saucepan 1 1/2 c chicken broth 6 Tbs cornstarch dissolved into 3/4 c cold water 1/2 c sugar (this could probably be reduced, but I haven't played with that yet) 3 Tbs soy 2 Tbs rice wine vinegar (or white vinegar) 3 Tbs toasted sesame oil 1 1/2 tsp chili paste (or same amount of chili oil, or you could probably use red pepper flakes) 2-3 cloves chopped garlic 2 Tbs sesame seeds (you can sprinkle them on top at the end, but I find it easier to just mix them right into the sauce) Mix over high heat, stirring continuously, until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low so that the sauce stays warm and thickens while you fry the chicken.
To Deep-Fry the chicken, I recommend using a wok if you can, because of its shape you'll be able to use less oil. To be really authentic, use peanut oil. Vegetable oil also works fine. (Light olive oil might be ok, but don't use EVOO--extra virgin--as it has a stronger flavor that just won't work for this.) Put enough oil in your pan to be about 1 1/2 or 2 inches deep, and heat it until very hot. Carefully add the chicken pieces a few at a time--they will want to stick together if you add them at once, so add them individually. Cook for 3-5 minutes (I always cut open the largest chunk from my first batch or two to check for doneness). Remove chicken from oil and set on paper towels to drain. You can set the cooked portions in the oven on low to keep warm while you cook the remaining chicken.
Place chicken on a large platter and pour sauce over it, then serve over rice. Or, if you're like me, just serve everything in it's own dish and let people choose their own ratios. ☺
Thanks to Katrina for submitting this recipe (her second!). She says: "Here's another one. I'm hoping it qualifies as a "pie" in this case, since it's in a crust. It's far and away the best quiche recipe I have ever made OR tasted!"
I have never been a big fan of quiche, but I have to agree this one was the best I've ever had. The family all seemed to enjoy it as well--Hubby requested it for pie night. ☺ I had trouble with it overflowing all over the place (thank heaven I put the cookie sheet under it!), but I suspect that was because I didn't measure the broccoli very carefully, I just chopped a bunch and put it in there...if I'd backed off on the broccoli I think it would have been ok. Alternately I could have reduced the milk a bit. I did find that I needed to cook it for about 30 minutes longer than the recipe says. (I didn't manage to get a picture of this one because after dinner when I went to take one, I found that Hubby had already put all the leftovers into a dish to take for his lunch the next day.)
Pastry for 9" one-crust pie (preferably homemade) 12 slices bacon, crisply fried and crumbled (I use much less--at least half as much--and it's still delicious. Usually I cram as much chopped broccoli in as I can instead.) 1 c. shredded cheese 1/3 c. minced onion 4 eggs 2 c. whipping cream or 1 can of milk (in a pinch I have also used regular milk--still very good, just not as rich) 3/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. red or cayenne pepper 1/2 to 1 c. chopped broccoli florets
Prepare pastry. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle bacon, cheese, and onion into pastry-lined pie pan. Beat eggs slightly. Beat in remaining ingredients. Pour cream mixture into pan. Bake 15 min. Reduce oven temp to 300 and bake 30 min longer or until tested. (Done like custard.) Let stand 10 min before serving.
I used swiss cheese because I had it on hand, and it added a very nice touch flavor-wise. I had 1cup of cream, so I used that, and then did the other cup with regular milk.I sauted the onion in the bacon grease for a couple of minutes before adding it to the pie, and I think that added a nice touch as well.
The original recipe I found used ground beef and an onion soup mix, but I've adapted it, added some things, and made it yummier and healthier to boot!
1 c Leftover beef (from steak, roast, etc) chopped into bite-sized pieces 1 chopped onion 3/4-1 c sour cream 1-2 cans cream of mushroom soup 4 Tbs Worcestershire sauce 4 c cooked pasta (amounts are pretty flexible, I just put approximately what I use--I don't measure!)
Set noodles to cook (they will need around 15 min, and everything else will cook within that time) If beef is not pre-cooked, then put beef and onion in a hot skillet and saute until meat is cooked and onions look glassy (to prevent sticking, add a little oil if beef is not fatty). If beef IS pre-cooked, then just saute onions, and add beef after onions are glassy. Mix in Worcestershire as the beef cooks. Dump in sour cream and cream of mushroom soup with the meat/onions, and stir in pan until mixed and warmed-through. Serve over noodles!
I got this recipe from my friend here. It's actually Arab, but when made with the spices it's very reminiscent of Indian cuisine.
It's a lot like the simple lentils that I make, only with some ethnic spices and sweet caramelized onions on top. It's the same ingredients, but it's a very different meal. We liked it!
I just wanted to add my recipe for masala (nope, you don't have to buy the fancy spices, you can use combinations of your own!
MASALA 1 tsp cardamom 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp ginger 1/4 tsp cloves 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
Alright, so I figure this is a 'cheating' sort of recipe, because it involves almost no real cooking--just a lot of dumping and stirring. On the other hand, it is yummy, and everybody needs an easy meal sometimes, right?
Prep time--about 5 minutes.
Cooking time--oh, another 5-10 minutes...
Meat (1 lb ground beef or 1 can chicken) (optional--lentils make a nice meat substitute too)
1 med onion, chopped
2-4c broth (anything that goes with your meat choice, amount varies by how thick you like your soup!)
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 can tomatoes (diced or stewed)
1 small can diced chilis
1 packet taco seasoning (or chili powder, salt, etc as desired)
(The soup here was made with canned chicken) --------->
If using beef, place in a large saucepan to brown. Saute onions in with the grease. If using chicken, add a Tbs of oil to saute the onions, then add the chicken second. If using lentils, cook them first. Add taco seasoning to the meat. Drain off extra grease as applicable.
Dump in all canned ingredients--do not drain. Stir a bit, then add as much broth as it takes to get the consistency you want.
Let simmer for a few minutes until warmed through.
Serve topped with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, and/or fritos or crumbled corn chips.
I got this recipe here, from Epicurean.com (one of my favorite sites). I had to give credit, since it's not my original recipe...but we sure love it! The recipe makes 2 9x13 pans, so there's LOTS of food. It usually lasts us two dinners plus a couple of lunches. Cook once, eat four times...I like that kind of recipe! We have tried several swedish meatball recipes, and we like this one best because it doesn't skimp on the gravy!
Meatballs: 4 eggs 1c.milk 8 slices bread, torn 2 pounds ground beef 1/3 c. finely chopped onion (don't do more or the balls will fall apart) 4 tsp. baking power 1 to 2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper
Sauce: 2 cans (10-3/4 oz)condensed cream of chicken soup 2 cans (10-3/4 oz)condensed cream of mushroon soup 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
In large bowl, beat eggs and milk. Add bread; mix gently and let stand for 5 minutes. Add beef , onion, baking power, salt and pepper; mix well (mixture will be soft). Shape into 1-in. balls. In a large skillet, brown meatballs, a few at a time, in afew Tbs shortening or oil. Place in two ungreased 9x13 baking dishes. In a bowl, stir soups and milk until smooth; pour over meatballs. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 1 hour.
GLAZED SALMON(on the left) My dad's cousin showed me this. She does it on her grill, but since I don't have a grill I just do it in the oven and it works well enough.
salmon (I prefer fillets, but a steak would work too) brown sugar butter
Use about equal parts sugar and butter, and melt them together to make a glaze. Peiodically as the salmon cooks, paint it all over with the glaze. It works best with several thin coats rather than just one thick one. Let it cook until caramalized!
CRANBERRY RISOTTO (on the right) I invented this myself. I am calling it a risotto rather than fried rice because it is still soft--it's not fried in butter to get any crunchy parts, it's merely prepared in a little oil in a frying pan...I don't know if that's a true risotto, but it looks close enough to me!
about 3 c cooked rice 1 onion, chopped (I used a leftover half a red onion, as well as half a white--it added lovely color, but of course any onion would be fine) 1/2-3/4 c craisins juice of one orange (around 1/3 c) herbs oil
Saute the onions and rice in a little oil until the onions begin to look glassy. Stir in herbs to taste (I used a costco seafood rub blend because I was serving it with fish, but any mild herbs will work). Squeeze in juice from the orange, using a fork to get some pulp in too. Throw in craisins, and stir well. Fry everything together for a few minutes to blend all the flavors.
Last night we held our annual pie night. Since I didn't feel like veering off my pie-making binge for dinner, I made a savory pie for dinner.
uncooked pie shell 1 lb ground sausage 2c gravy (can use bullion or from a package if desired) 1/2 large onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic 2+ cups assorted veggies (we used carrots and cauliflower, but anything's great) salt and pepper grated cheese (I used monteray jack)
Fry sausage until well crumbled. As the juices come out, add in onion and cook until soft and golden. Add garlic and other veggies, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Cook until everything starts to soften a little. Pour all into pie shell, pour in gravy, and sprinkle top with 1+ c cheese (depending how much you like!) Bake at 350 for around 20 min--long enough to cook crust and get cheese melted and golden.
This one was really popular at pie night! I'll have to make it again!
One leftover potroast, sliced thin One large onion, thinly sliced Spices Mozzarella cheese Homemade rolls
Saute the onion in a little oil and some spices (I cheated and used the 'steak rub' from costco) until it is soft. Grate the cheese. Fry the beef lightly with the onion until browned on both sides. Slice a roll, lay in a piece of hot meat, sprinkle on a goodly pile of cheese, then a nice heap of onions. Close roll. Devour with gusto.
It's not quite a philly cheesesteak...but dang it was good!
I adapted this from a recipe I found online, and it was yummy! Depending on whether you use the chicken broth or not, this can also be a vegetarian recipe.
I always do these things slightly different each time, based on what veggies I have in the house...but here's what I did this time:
2 carrots, chopped into matchsticks (about 1 c) 1 sweet onion (walla walla) chopped in strips about 2" long 1/4 c olive oil 3 Tbs chopped garlic (a couple of clusters) 2 Tbs basil 1 c broccoli--bite size pieces 1 c cherry tomatoes, halved (or chopped tomatoes, or stewed tomatoes) 1 medium zucchini, sliced 1-2Tbs cornstarch (opt) 1/4 cup chicken broth (I used two frozen cubes--ice cube size) mozzarella and/or Parmesan cheese about 1/2 package of linguine or fettuccine noodles, cooked
Get the noodles cooking. Put the olive oil in a cast iron skillet and get it warm, then add the onion, garlic, and carrots. Stir and saute for a few minutes until carrots begin to soften. Add basil and stir. Add tomatoes, zucchini, and broccoli, and broth (or a little other liquid--unless you used stewed tomatoes, then you won't need extra liquid) along with the cornstarch, and stir and cook for about 5 more minutes, or until everything is well mixed and seems to thicken a little. Sprinkle in about 2/3 c cheese (I used mozzarella), and stir until all melted together. Serve over noodles, sprinkle Parmesan on top.
