Split Pea & Sausage Soup

Prep time: 20 mins to overnight

Cook time: 2 hours

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS:

8 cups of basic vegetable or chicken stock

1 onion, chopped

4 leeks, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

3 celery stocks, chopped

1 tart apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1 2/3 cups split peas, soaked overnight in cold water to cover, drained and rinsed

1 bouquet garni (2 fresh parsley sprigs, 1 fresh thyme sprig, and 1 fresh mint sprig)

1 tbsp molasses

4 Bockwurst, Wienerwurst, or frankfurters, cut into 1-inch lengths

Salt and pepper

Crusty bread, to serve

DIRECTIONS:

Pour in the basic vegetable stock.  Add the onion, carrots, celery, apple, peas, bouquet garni, and molasses and bring to a boil.  Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, skim off any foam that rises to the surface, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours.

Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper and remove the discard the bouquet garni.  Stir in the sausages and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Cherry-Pistachio Biscotti

This was my first attempt at making biscotti and I was quite pleased at how they turned out.  Golden-green, mildly salty pistachios and deep red, sweet and tangy dried cherries complement one another beautifully, both in color, and flavor. I see many more biscotti recipes in my future!

Prep time: 25 mins

Cook time: 60 mins – 1 hour

Makes: 3 dozen

INGREDIENTS:

6 tbsp butter

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 large eggs

2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 cup coarsely chopped pistachios

1 cup dried cherries

coarse white sparkling sugar for sprinkling on top, optional

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) one large (about 18" x 13") baking sheet.  

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, and baking powder until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs; the batter may look slightly curdled. At low speed of your mixer, add the flour, stirring until smooth; the dough will be sticky. Stir in the pistachios and cherries.

Divide the dough in half, and plop both halves onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between them.  Shape each half into a long rectangle about 10 1/2" x 2" wide x 3/4" tall; remember, you need to leave space for expansion between the pieces of dough. Straighten the rectangles, and smooth their tops and sides; a wet spatula or wet bowl scraper works well here.

Bake the dough for 25 minutes. Remove it from the oven. Using a spray bottle filled with room-temperature water, lightly but thoroughly spritz the two pieces of dough, making sure to cover the sides as well as the top. Softening the crust just this little bit will make slicing the biscotti without crumbling easier. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

Wait 5 minutes, then use a sharp chef's or serrated knife to cut the biscotti crosswise into 1/2" to 3/4" slices. Or cut the biscotti on the diagonal, for fewer, longer biscotti. As you're slicing, be sure to cut straight up and down, perpendicular to the pan; if you cut unevenly, biscotti may be thicker at the top than the bottom, and they'll topple over during their second bake.  If you've used parchment on your baking sheet, remove it; save it for another day. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet, on edge; they can be very close together. 

Return the biscotti to the oven, and bake them for 35 to 40 minutes, until they feel very dry and are beginning to turn golden. They may still feel a tiny bit moist in the very center, if you break off a piece; but they'll continue to dry out as they cool. You'll want to start checking the biscotti around the 30-minute mark; the ones on the ends of the pan, or any smaller biscotti, may be ready to come out of the oven earlier than the larger/middle-of-the-pan biscotti. Remove the finished biscotti from the oven, and cool them right on the pan.

Black Bean & Roasted Pumpkin Salad

Pumpkin season is upon us! After a long hiatus from my kitchen, I am ready and in full swing to embrace this wonderful season and squash. This recipe proposed an interesting challenge as I have never cut up a pumpkin before (other than to turn it into a jack-o-lantern).  I chose a large garden variety, rather than a small sweet pumpkin, which I suspect would have turned out better in flavor and color. This recipe only calls for 2 cups of pumpkin, so you are left with an abundance of left over squash.  Moral of this story: Sometimes smaller IS actually better!

Prep time: 25 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups cubed pumpkin
¼ cup olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained rinsed, drained
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup sliced red onion
¼ cup sliced cucumber
¼ cup sliced celery
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Roast the pumpkin: Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss pumpkin in 2 tablespoons olive oil with garlic and place in a glass baking dish. Drizzle 3 tablespoons water in dish and bake until softened, 20 minutes. Removed and cool.

Prepare the salad: Combine black beans, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, celery, and parsley in a large bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Add cooled pumpkin, toss gently, and serve.

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

 

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Makes: 3 dozen

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

8 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, 4oz coarsely chopped, 4oz cut into 1/4-inch chunks

1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.  Melt coarsely chopped chocolate with the butter in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.

Transfer chocolate mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla; mix on medium speed until combined.  Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture.  Fold in chocolate chunks. 

Scoop batter using a 1 1/2 inch ice scream scoop; place 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.  Bake until cookies are flat and surfaces begin to crack, about 15 minutes. Transfer on parchment to wire racks.  Let cool 5 minutes.  Cookies an be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

NOTE: The cookies should seem a bit soft when you take them out of the over.  They firm up as they cool, so be careful not to over bake them.

Tomatillo Green Chili

Prep time: 40 mins

Cook time: 2 hours 10 mins

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS:

3 lbs tomatillos, husks removed, washed

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 large white onion, diced small

2 poblano chiles, diced small

3 jalapenos, diced small

coarse salt and ground pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

DIRECTIONS:

In a food processor, puree tomatillos until smooth.  In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat oil over high.  Add pork and cook until browned, 9 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, transfer pork to a plate.  

Add onion, poblanos and jalapenos to pot and cook until onion is translucent, 4 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. 

Return pork to pot and add tomatillo puree and 2 1/2 cups water.  Bring to a boil over high.  Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer until pork is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Shiitake and Sweet Pea Risotto

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 30-40 min

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 tbsp butter

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 1/2 tsp minced garlic, divided

1 cup uncooked Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, divided

3/4 cup frozen green peas

6 tbsp grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan; keep warm over low heat. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/2 cup broth; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes).

 

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic and 1 teaspoon thyme; sauté 1 minute. Set aside.

Stir mushrooms, remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, peas, 1/4 cup cheese, and pepper into risotto; cook 3 minutes. Spoon about 1 1/4 cups risotto into each of 4 bowls; sprinkle each with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese.

Brussels Sprouts with Maple and Cayenne

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 20 min

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

coarse salt

1 tbsp pure maple syrup

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat over to 400 degrees.  On a rimmed baking sheet, toss brussels sprouts with olive oil; season with salt. Roast until brussels sprouts are browned in spots and tender when pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. 

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine maple syrup and cayenne pepper.  Drizzle brussels sprouts with maple syrup mixture, stir to coat and roast 1 minute.

Cheater's Chicken Pot Pie

I named this "Cheater's Chicken Pot Pie" because it is a lighter version of a favorite American comfort food. By cutting out the fat, there is nothing to feel guilty about when eating this delicious pie!

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups stemmed and quartered white or cremini mushrooms

2 cups frozen pearl onions

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

¼ cup flour

1-2 cups chicken broth, warmed

1 cup 2% milk

½ cup half-and-half

1 ½ cups frozen peas

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 sheet puff pastry or philo dough, defrosted

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the butter in a large sauté pan or pot over medium heat.  When it’s melted, add the onion, carrots, and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent and the carrots begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and pearl onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.  Stir in the chicken and the flour, using a wooden spoon to ensure the vegetables and meat are evenly coated with flour.

Slowly pour in the chicken broth, using a whisk to beat it in to help avoid clumping with the flour (having the broth warm or hot helps smooth out the sauce).  Once the broth is incorporated, add the milk and half-and-half and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened substantially and lightly clings to the vegetables and chicken.  Stir in the peas.  Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Cut the pastry into quarters.  Roll out each piece on a floured surface to make a 6’’ square.

Divide the chicken mixture among 4 ovenproof bowls.  Place a pastry square over the top of each bowl and trim away the excess with a paring knife; pinch the dough around the edges of the bowl to secure it.  Brush the tops with egg whites and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Crisp Salted Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

The original recipe called for white chocolate, but I used dark chocolate since that was all I had on hand.  Don't be fooled, the salty crunch on top is what makes these cookies so good!

 

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 16-18 mins
Makes: 24 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp table salt
14 tsp (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

6 ounces good-quality chocolate bar, chopped (not chocolate chips, they are almost always artificial).

1/2 tsp flaky sea salt (like Maldon or fleur de sel) (for sprinkling on top)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and table salt in a medium bowl.

Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula, then add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down bowl again. Add flour mixture gradually and mix until just incorporated and smooth. Gradually add oats and white chocolate and mix until well incorporated.

Divide dough into 24 equal portions, each about 2 tablespoons. Roll between palms into balls, then place on lined baking sheets about 2 1/2 inches apart. Using fingertips, gently press down each ball to about 3/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle a flake or two of sea salt on each cookie.

Bake until cookies are deep golden brown, about 13 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack to cool.

Black Bean, Avacado, Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Prep time: 30 minutes

Makes: 5 cups

INGREDIENTS:

1 seedless cucumber, peeled and diced
2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
2 Hass avocados, diced
15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp red onion, minced
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
2 limes, juice of
salt and fresh pepper  

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Place salad inside a pita pocket or eat with pita chips.