A Recipe Share for a Vegetarian

Jordan and Eli came to happy hour on Friday night. I had invited them to stay for dinner as I made spaghetti and meatballs, gnocchis, salad and cheesy garlic bread. I made a mandarin orange cake for dessert (recipe following).

When they got here, Jordan informed me that she is now a vegetarian. I said, "You're kidding me! For how long?" She said "Two days!" We all chuckled. She said she had to start sometime. She loves animals so much that she said she just had to make the decision. If she really pulls this off, it will be a miracle. This is going to be so hard for her. She's a meat lover and always has been. She orders cheeseburgers or pizza anywhere we go. I know that as a college kid, she's spreading her wings and trying to figure out who she is and where she fits in to the world. If she really wants this, then more power to her. Thank goodness she didn't choose vegan. I don't know how anyone can do that unless you are Ellen with a personal chef. Just about everything has some sort of animal by-product in it (think, eggs, milk, cheese).

Jordan says that she's going to drink protein shakes and take supplements so she gets all the proper nutrients now that she's given up meat. We'll see how it goes---Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Turkey will be hard to pass up!

On Sunday, I made a Mexican dinner with Rotel Chicken, refried beans, corn casserole and cornbread. Jordan wasn't here for that, but if she was, she would have liked the corn casserole.

And now, to share the recipes:
Corn Casserole
1 bag (large) of frozen shoe peg corn (I couldn't find shoe peg, so used regular)
1 can cream of celery soup
8 oz. of sour cream
1T. finely chopped onion
Dash of salt and pepper
1 1/2 sleeves of Ritz crackers, crushed.
1 stick melted margarine

Mix soup, sour cream, onion, salt and pepper. Fold in corn. Pour in to sprayed casserole. Top with crushed crackers and pour melted cheese over the top. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes until lightly browned and heated through.

Mandarin Orange Cake
1 yellow cake mix
2 cans (11 oz.) mandarin oranges (drain only one can---lightly drain the second)
1 stick melted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
Cool Whip for topping

Grease a 9x13 pan. Mix all of the ingredients with a mixer for 4 minutes. Bake at 350 for 24 to 27 minutes until lightly browned and inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool (cake will fall). Top with Cool Whip and chill until serving.

Enjoy!!