Recipes from this past week that you may have missed

Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins

3 c. cornbread mix
2 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. salad oil
3 beaten eggs
1 lg. onion, grated
1 c. canned cream style corn
1 1/2 c. Colby cheese,
grated1/2 c. jalapeno peppers

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Pour into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes, or longer. This is a very moist bread. Serve with any soup. Serves 6 to 8.

Veg. Vietnamese Pho

for the broth ...
1 onion, quartered
2 shallots halved
8 garlic cloves halved
2" piece of ginger, coarsely sliced
2 whole star anise
1 cinnimon stick
4 cloves
8 cups clear veg. stock
3 tablespoons soy sauce
salt

To make the broth, heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, shallots, garlic, ginger, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cloves and dry-roast or "char", stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to char. Add the stock and soy sauce and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 25 minutes. Strain into a clean pot and discard the solids. Taste the broth and add salt if necessary. Keep warm over low heat.

for the soup ...
1 pound rice noodles
8 ounces seitan or fried tofu, sliced
6 scallions, thinly sliced (both green and white parts)
2 carrots -julienned
1-1/2 cups bean sprouts
handful of basil/cilantro leaves, whole 1 lime, cut into wedges
hoisin sauce
sriracha chili paste

While the broth is simmering, prepare the rice noodles. Place the noodles in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over the noodles to cover and soak for 20 minutes.

When you are ready to assemble the soup, add the seitan or tofu, carrots to the warm broth and allow to heat through. Drain the soaked rice noodles and divide evenly among 4 to 6 large bowls. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the seitan or tofu out of the broth and distribute among the bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles. Serve the bowls of pho with the scallions, bean sprouts, herbs, lime wedges, hoisin sauce and chili sauce on a seperate platter so that everyone can season their own soup as they wish.

Makes 4 to 6 servings