Vegetarian Recipes from My Sons Wedding

I recently shared my sons wedding, that was just an amazing day. My biggest obstacle was that Kevin and Amanda had picked Dinosaur Bar-B-Que which is a famous restaurant in Syracuse, NY. With me being a Vegan/Vegetarian what was I going to eat? Corn and Lettuce? And you know it was going to be iceberg lettuce (which has no nutritional value) drowned in processed salad dressing.  So, I asked Kevin and Amanda if I could make a vegetarian option for those people who don't eat meat. I knew there were at least 3 of us, my daughter Liz, and my brother-in-law Kerry. But as I thought Kevin and Amanda had friends who were also Vegetarian or Vegan. I had been cooking from a cookbook that I discovered while visiting Mike's cousin at their family lake house in New Jersey. It is the cookbook from  the Moosewood restaurant in Ithaca, NY. If you have ever been there before you know what I mean. Needless to say I have cooked from it every night since. We recently went to a book signing dinner which I will share soon. My plan is to start sharing with you the recipes that I have discovered from their cookbooks. I now have three of them. 

                                   





The first recipe I made for the wedding was Bulgarian Pepper Casserole. If you like peppers you will love this one.  It will take you about an hour and a half to make from start to finish. Garlicky herbed sauteed peppers and onions that are blended with feta cheese, dilled lemon rice, and whipped cottage or ricotta cheese, then topped with tomatoes, olives, and more garlic, and baked until bubbly hot. 
The peppers can be sauteed and the rice prepared several days in advance. Assemble and bake the casserole just before serving.

Bulgarian Pepper Casserole

1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice
2 3/4 cups water
1 Tbs. lemon juice
2 - 3 Tbs freshly minced dill (or 2 tsp. dried dill)
1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
4 - 5 green or red bell peppers, chopped into 1/2 - inch pieces
3/4 tsp salt (more to taste)
fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp of oregano
2 tsp. basil
8 cloves garlic, half of them minced, half of them sliced
(keep minced and sliced garlic separate)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 1/2 cups cottage or ricotta cheese (may be low fat)
2 medium size fresh ripe tomatoes
1 cup sliced kalamata olives

1) Place rice and water in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down as low as possible, and simmer without interruption for about 40 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork.

2) Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions, and saute over medium heat 5 to 8  minutes, or until the onions become soft. Add peppers, salt, pepper, and herbs, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 more minutes, or until the peppers are tender. Stir in the minced garlic (save the sliced garlic for later) and cook for just a minute more. Remove from heat, and stir in the feta cheese.

3)When you are ready to assemble the casserole , preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 9 X 13 - inch baking pan.

4) Place the cottage or ricotta cheese in a blender or food processor fitted with a steel blade, and whip until smooth. 

5) Combine rice, pepper saute, and whipped cheese in a large bowl, and mix until very well combined. Transfer to the prepared pan, and spread into place. Top with tomato slices, then scatter olives and sliced garlic in a liberated, random fashion over the tomatoes.

6) Bake uncovered at 375 degrees until bubbly ~ about 30 to 40 minutes.