Purslane Cucumber Salad Purslane and cucumbers are a match made in heaven. Don't hesitate to add purslane to any good cucumber recipe. INGREDIENTS 2 to 3 cucumbers, sliced 1 cup Purslane leaves 3/4 cup yogurt 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 tsp red wine vinegar (or try one of your herbal vinegars) 2 Tbsp chopped mint 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper DIRECTIONS  • Slice cucumbers and mix together with Purslane in a salad bowl. • In a blender, mix together the rest of the ingredients for your dressing. • Coat the cucumber-purslane mixture well with the dressing. Serve chilled. • Note: It's best to put the dressing on just before serving. The salad becomes watery if prepared too much in advance. Makes about 8 servings. Peas and Cucumber Salad INGREDIENTS 1 can of peas drained 1 cucumber 2 boiled eggs 2-3 tbsp of mayo (add more if desired) salt and pepper to taste DIRECTIONS  • Pour drained peas into a bowl. Dice up cucumbers and eggs and add to the bowl. Add mayo and salt and pepper mixture to the bowl. Cover and chill in the fridge before serving. Cucumber and Dill Salad INGREDIENTS 2 cucumbers 3 tbsp of white vinegar 3 tbsp of sugar 1 tsp of sea salt 1/8 tsp of pepper 1/2 cup of mayo 1 cup of sour cream 2 tbsp of chopped fresh dill DIRECTIONS  • Peel and dice up cucumbers. Combine all of the above ingredients and pour over the cucumbers. • Chill and serve. Summer Squash Casserole INGREDIENTS 1/2 lb of yellow squash 1 lb of zucchini 1 small sweet onion 2 tsp salt 1 cup of grated carrots 1 (10 oz) can of cream of chicken soup 1 (8oz) container of sour cream 1/2 cup of butter DIRECTIONS  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash and zucchini into 1/4 inch thick slicers; place in a Dutch oven. Add chopped onion, 2tsp salt, and water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook for 5 mins and drain well. Stir together 1 cup grated carrots, next 3 ingredients and remaining 1/2 tsp of salt in a large bowl; fold in squash mixture. Stir together stuffing and 1/2 cup of melted butter, and spoon half of stuffing mixture in bottom of a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Spoon squash mixture over stuffing mixture and top with remaining stuffing mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown, shielding with aluminum foil after 20-25 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Makes 6 servings Favorite Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad INGREDIENTS Yields 6-8 servings 1 bunch broccoli separated into florets 1 head of cauliflower separated into florets 8 bacon strips fried and crumbled 1/3 cup chopped onions 1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes 2 hard cooked eggs sliced 1 cup of mayo 1/3 cup sugar 2 tbsp of vinegar DIRECTIONS  • In a large salad bowl, combine broccoli, cauliflower, bacon, onions, tomatoes and eggs - set aside. • In another bowl, combine mayo, sugar and vinegar and mix until smooth. Just before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss. Cauliflower Curry and Lamb Sausage Steam one head of cauliflower until tender. Mix 3/4 cup of mayo, 1/4 cup of milk, and 2 teaspoons of curry powder. Heat and pour over the cauliflower. Serve with lamb sausage - YUM! Mom's Broccoli Casserole INGREDIENTS 1 lb of organic broccoli 1/2 cup mayo 1 tbsp lemon juice 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese , shredded 1 cup cream of mushroom soup 1/2 cup of butter, melted 1 cup of ritz cracker crumbs 1/4 cup slivered almonds salt and pepper to taste Yields 4-6 servings DIRECTIONS  • Arrange lightly steamed broccoli in buttered casserole dish. Salt and pepper it. Combine mayo, lemon juice, cheese and soup. Pour over broccoli. Top with buttered bread crumbs and almonds. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

Fettuccine with Sausage and Kale Makes 4 to 6 main-course servings INGREDIENTS 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 lb hot turkey or pork sausage, casings discarded and sausage crumbled 1/2 lb kale, tough stems and center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely chopped 1/2 lb dried egg fettuccine 2/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 oz finely grated Pecorino Romano (1/2 cup) plus additional for serving DIRECTIONS  • Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook sausage, breaking up any lumps with a spoon, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. • Meanwhile, blanch kale in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, 5 minutes. Remove kale with a large sieve and drain. Return cooking water in pot to a boil, then cook pasta in boiling water, uncovered, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander. • While pasta cooks, add kale to sausage in skillet and sauté, stirring frequently, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, then add pasta and 1/2 cup reserved cooking water to skillet, tossing until combined. Stir in cheese and thin with additional cooking water if desired. • Serve immediately, with additional cheese on the side. Sautéed Swiss Chard Ribs with Cream and Pasta Recipe INGREDIENTS 1 lb swiss chard, yielding 2 cups of chopped ribs 1/4 cup (half a stick) butter 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream Enough dry pasta to make about one quart of cooked pasta Salt and pepper DIRECTIONS  • Separate the ribs from the greens in the manner described here. Cut the ribs into 1/2-inch to 1-inch pieces. Blanch the ribs in lightly salted boiling water for 3 minutes. • Melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Add the drained, blanched ribs and simmer for 4 minutes. Add heavy cream and cook until cream reduces by two-thirds. • While the cream is reducing, cook up your pasta according to the pasta's package directions. • Mix creamed chard with pasta. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. • Serves four. Swiss Chard Recipe DIRECTIONS  • Cut the ribs in 1 inch chunks and then cut the leaves as well. • Put water on to boil for noodles (I used Udon) • Boil the ribs (not the leaves) for about 3-4 minutes in the water that is getting ready for the noodles. Once they have cooked, scoop them out and use the water for the noodles. • Meanwhile, saute the leaves, carrot slices, and minced garlic in ½ stick butter for a couple of minutes. • Then I added some milk, sea salt, and a little corn starch to thicken the sauce • Last, but not least, I added white wine Steamed Cabbage and Beef Sausages DIRECTIONS  • Cut up cabbage. Place in pan and add 1/4 cup of milk, 1/4 stick of butter, and water until the pan bottom is covered. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and allow to steam for five minutes and then remove lid and allow to boil down and become tender. Cut up 3 inch segments of Beef Sausages or Polish Sausages and allow to heat and simmer with the cabbage. Taste great with some mashed potatoes on the side. Serves four. Takes only 10 minutes!