Quesadillas

This is a new dish for us, inspired by Wendy Smith, who once brought both vegan and cheese quesadillas and we loved them.  Of course "vegan quesadilla" is goofy, like vegetarian meatballs, since quesadilla means cheese sandwich.
The recipe is, like many of mine, just a technique.  Getting the fixings in place is the recipe.  The process of making them is kind of awkward, you just get more coordinated at it with practice.
whole wheat tortillas  (3 or 4 for two people)
grated cheddar cheese (or white Mexican cheese)
chopped onion
other vegetables you like, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach [peppers]
sliced olives, optional
vegie refried beans  (one can is too much for us, so I freeze what is unused, like half a can) OR my new favorite alternative, a boiled sweet potato, mashed.
sour cream
salsa
guacamole
olive oil for frying

Start with 2 frying pans that each fit one flat tortilla.  Saute the onion +  other vegetables you are including until soft. Move to another dish and add the beans or sweet potato.

In the fry pan, spread some oil over medium to high heat and place a tortilla flat.  Once it browns and inflates, turn down the burner.  Spread 1/3 of the filling on the tortilla.  Sprinkle very generously with cheese, and place another tortilla on top. When the bottom is browned, gently flip. Repeat the same process with a 2nd fry pan.
Slip the finished quesadilla onto a plate/platter. When it cools a bit, I slice it in sixths with a pizza wheel.

Obviously you can change the ingredients if some people don't like something, like - say - green peppers.

Set out all the accompaniments - sour cream, salsa, guacamole.  In a restaurant, they use the sour cream to make attractive designs.

Pete Schwager's Pear Pies

I've not tasted these, but when I headed out to Salt Lake City for Aunt Ruth's funeral, Judy Rose and I were at Pete's several times.  There were still pears on his tree in the backyard, and he reported he had baked 24 pear pies earlier in the month.
These have no sugar added, so they are basically baked fruit in a pastry shell.  He pies pie dough and rolls it out and puts it in aluminum tins (which I presume he has collected from store-bought pies over the years) but you could also just use ready-made pie shells.

pie crusts (quantity depends on how many pears.  Presume you could use other fruits, like apples)
tapioca to coat the pie crust
peeled, pared, sliced ripe pears
cinnamon
raisins and/or craisins for color

Roll out dough, line pans.  Sprinkle a layer of tapioca on the crust, to absorb liquid.
Fill the crust with sliced fruit
Sprinkle with cinnamon and raisins and/or craisins to add texture and color

Bake open face for about a half hour at 350°

Yellow Split Pea Soup

I found this online, trying to figure out how to cook yellow split 
Not hard, quick, beautiful, very filling and delicious.

Egyptian Yellow Lentil Soup (adapted from Dinner With Julie)
Yield: 4 – 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 cups yellow lentils, rinsed and picked over - this is a 16 oz bag (1 lb)
• 6-7 cups stock
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 tomato, diced
• optional: one c. shredded cabbage
• 3 – 4 sprigs fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. In a large pot heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat, then sauté 1 onion, diced until translucent and starting to caramelize, about 10 minutes.
2. Add 2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp turmeric, and 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper, if using. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3. Add 2 cups yellow lentils, rinsed and picked over, 6 cups stock, 1 carrot, diced, and 1 tomato, diced, and bring to a boil, then lower heat, and let simmer until the lentils are cooked and nearly falling apart, about 20 – 30 minutes.
4. Stir in 3 – 4 sprigs fresh parsley, roughly chopped.
5. If desired, using a blender or immersion blender, puree the soup to desired consistency. I like it to retain some of the chopped vegetables.
6. Add salt and pepper, to taste.