Cranberry Margaritas

¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup Grand Marnier
½ cup silver (agave) tequila
½ cup cranberry juice
ice
Frozen cranberries & wedges of fresh lime for garnish

Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, and shake like hell! Pour into ice-filled jelly (jar) glasses mixed with a few frozen cranberries. Serve with a lime on the rim!

Cowboy Sushi

1 Bar Cream Cheese
Handful of chopped scallions
Handful of chopped walnuts (optional)
1 small package of Oscar Meyer baked ham (the square kind)
8-10 spears dill pickles (garlic dill works best)

Take the bar of cream cheese and warm it a little in the microwave (for easy stirring); mix with some chopped scallions and chopped walnuts (to taste). Spread healthy dollops of the mixture over several pieces of “square” Oscar Meyer baked ham. Lay a spear of dill pickle (garlic dill is the best) along one edge (if the pickle is large, you may want to trim the spear to a smaller size), and roll up into a cigar. Chill for at least an hour in the fridge. To plate, slice into thick “sushi size pieces.” Real cowboys can’t resist, and they’re ridiculously easy!

Thanks to my friend Jessica Craig from Enid, OK (and her mom) for this recipe!

Zoe's brussel sprouts + black pig bacon

From ZaZu's Restaurant and Farm

4 ounces black pig bacon, cut into lardons
4 cups brussel sprouts, quartered
1 shallot, minced 1/4 cup banyuls (or sherry vinegar)
1 head frisee
cleaned 1 apple, diced
3 tablespoons roasted, peeled, and roughly chopped hazelnuts
1 tablespoon quality extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons gorgonzola
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large saute pan on medium high heat, render the bacon until slightly browned, a few minutes.

Add the brussel sprouts until browned on at least one side, about 3 minutes. Add the shallots and open up their fragrance, about 1 minute. Add the vinegar and toss. Add the frisee, apples,
hazelnuts, and extra virgin olive oil and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Plate and
garnish with gorgonzola.

serves 4

ZaZu Dungeness crab dip

From ZaZu's Restaurant and Farm

serves 20

At the restaurant, we serve this with salty root chips. It makes a great party appetizer, perfect

with a glass of chardonnay!

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup half and half

1/3 cup sour cream

3 pounds picked dungeness crab meat

2/3 cup mayonnaise (we make our own)

1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

1 bunch chopped green onions

1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

3 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon tabasco

kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a small sauce pan on medium heat, melt the cream cheese in the half and half. remove from the

heat. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese sauce with the sour cream. Add the rest of

the ingredients. Adjust seasoning. Serve with chips.

Dr. pPepper & Bing Cherry baby back ribs

From ZaZu's Restaurant and Farm

2 racks baby back ribs (1 1/2 – 2 pounds each)
for the spice rub: 2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons fennel seed
ground 1 tablespoon coriander seed
ground 1 tablespoon chili flakes
1 tablespoon allspice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cardamom

for the braise:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, roughly chopped
3 cups chicken stock
3 cans dr.pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 ancho chilis

to finish the sauce:
brown sugar
balsamic vinegar
a pinch of red pepper flakes
kosher salt
1# cherries, pitted and cut in half

Fire up your grill and preheat your oven to 350°F. Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. In a small bowl, combine the rub ingredients. Rub the spice rub all over the ribs. Grill the ribs until both sides are nicely browned. In a roasting pan on medium high heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil, add the onions. Once aromatic, within about 5 minutes, add the ribs with all the remaining braising ingredients. Cover with foil and place in the oven until the meat begins to pull away from the bone, about 2 hours. Remove the ribs from the braise and strain the braising liquid, discard the solids. In a saucepan on medium high heat, adjust the braising liquid to taste with brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, chili flakes and salt. Add the cherries. Cut the ribs and reheat in the sauce in a pan on the stove or in the oven.

Serves 4

Good Eats Roast Turkey

• 1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey

• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 gallon vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
• 1 gallon heavily iced water

For the aromatics:

• 1 red apple, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup water
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 6 leaves sage
• Canola oil

Directions

Click here to see how it's done.

2 to 3 days before roasting:

Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:

Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.

Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

Skillet Cornbread (No Sugar)

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking powder and stir together. Measure the buttermilk and milk in a measuring cup and add the egg. Stir together with a fork. Add the baking soda and stir. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork until just combined. Do not over stir. In a small bowl, melt 1/4 cup of the shortening in the microwave. Slowly add the melted shortening to the batter, stirring constantly until just combined.

In an iron skillet over high heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons shortening. Pour the batter into the hot skillet and spread to even out the surface. Cook on the stovetop for 1 minute, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. The edges should be crispy.

Slice into squares and serve. Cowboys will smile.

Cornbread Stuffing with Poblano Peppers

Ingredients
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
3 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 bunches green onions, sliced
2 (1-pound) packages frozen corn, thawed, divided
3 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds prepared cornbread, coarsely crumbled

Method
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9- x 13-inch casserole dish; set aside.

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add poblano and bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until just golden and tender. Add onions and 1 bag of corn and continue cooking until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Set aside to let cool then drain some of the liquid if too wet. Meanwhile, pulse remaining bag of corn in a food processor with eggs, salt and pepper until well combined and almost smooth.

In a large bowl, combine cooled pepper mixture with corn mixture then gradually fold in cornbread. Do not over mix; stuffing should have a coarse texture.

Transfer to prepared dish, cover with parchment paper, then snugly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden brown on top, about 15 minutes more.

Spiced Pumpkin Bars

Bars
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350°F.

Lightly grease bottom and sides of 15x10x1-inch pan. In large bowl, beat eggs, granulated sugar, oil and pumpkin until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and cloves. Spread in pan.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 2 hours.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth and spreadable. Spread frosting over bars. For bars, cut into 7 rows by 7 rows. Store in refrigerator.

Grain Salad

From Heidi

I took this really interesting course on Sustainable Living on a Budget that encouraged buying whole grains in bulk and rethinking our meal planning. One of my favorite recipes so far has been for the grain salad which I haven't made the same way twice (and like most of my favorite recipes, isn't meant to be followed exactly). Use it as inspiration, I've suggested a few substitutions in parenthesis. You could also make any kind of dressing really-- something with sesame oil and rice vinegar, tamari and ginger, etc. I had some today with a little maple yogurt-- yum!

*You'll need to soak the grains in advance! Look for a whole grain that is a berry or groat, not cracked, rolled, or quick cooking grains, you don't want them mushy.

Grain Salad

3 cups water
1 cup uncooked rye berries, wheat berries, or a mix of whole grains
1 cup hot water
2 Tablespoons currants (raisins)
1 1/2 cups apples (celery, something crunchy)
1/4 cup basil (parsley, fresh herb)
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot (green onion, chive)
1 Tablespoon grated orange or lemon rind
1 Tablespoon grated orange or lemon juice
2 teaspoons champagne or white wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Soak 1 cup uncooked grains overnight with a little lemon juice.

Combine 3 cups water with grains and bring to a boil. Cover and lower heat to a simmer for 1 hour. Drain.

Meanwhile, combine hot water and currants in a small bowl for at least 30 minutes-- drain.

Combine grains, currants, apples, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in a large bowl. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, shallots, rind, juice, and vinegar in a small bowl-- whisk in oil. Add dressing to grains-- toss to coat. Serve immediately or refridgerate-- keeps well for a day or two.

Grilled Duck with Dried Cherry Sauce

The method, which is called Kingman Duck, goes as follows:
1. With game shears, cut the backbone from a plucked duck.
2. “Butterfly” the bird by spreading the body cavity and pressing it firmly against the countertop (breaking the breastbone).
3. Sprinkle both sides liberally with salt (preferably sea salt).
4. Slap the duck on a hot grill for—get this!—just ten minutes on one side, then five on the other.

Note: if your grill has two burners, before heating it, put a pan underneath one burner to catch any drippings. Then, heat the grill until hot. Right before you slap the duck on the grill, turn one burner off, and place the bird over the pan!

Two other ideas - grind the meat and make duck burgers! Or, place duck pieces (this works well with legs and thighs) into a crockpot, add enough orange juice to soak (but not cover) the duck. Throw in a bit of chopped onion and some rosemary, and let cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Dried Cherry Sauce

2 medium shallots, minced
3/4 cup red wine
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tbs unsalted butter, cold
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

In a skillet, heat a little of the duck fat over medium high heat. Add shallots and cook until softened (2-4 minutes). Add wine and dried cherries and cook until liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistency (about 4 minutes). Add chicken broth and cook 5-10 minutes more (the liquid should reduce to about 1 cup total). Just before removing the pan from the heat, whisk in butter. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Slick duck and serve, passing sauce separately.

Secret Salsa Recipe

1 can pickled jalapenos (San Marcos brand)
4 big cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 red onion
1-2 tbs granulated garlic (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)

Pour juice from tomatoes in a large pot. In a food processor, pulse tomatoes until desired consistency (I like mine fine). Add to pot. Next, pulse peppers (drained) until desired to consistency (again, I like mine fine), and add to pot. Do the same with the onion. Add garlic, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat and refrigerate.

Makes a lot! Recipe can be halved or quartered.

NOTE: Depending on the "heat" of the jalapenos, the amount should be adjusted to your desired spiciness!

Oriental Chicken Salad - Kelley's Version

Adapted from Diana Marten's recipe...
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 warm, freshly roasted chicken (I buy mine at Costco)
1 bag fresh coleslaw, tri-colored, no dressing (or you can thinly slice 1 head green cabbage)
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
1/2 cup toasted almonds, sliced (plain or honey flavored work well, I use the Almond Accents brand).
1 cup chow mein noodles (optional)
1/3 cup sesame seeds (optional)
1/3 cup dried pineapple, small dice (optional)
1 cup canola oil
1 tbs sesame oil
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 tbs soy sauce

Directions:
In a large bowl, shred 1/2 the chicken (reserve the other half for another use) including a breast, wing, thigh and drumstick and skin. Add the coleslaw, onions, almonds, chow mein noodles, sesame seeds, and pineapple, and gently toss to combine.

In a small bowl, combine the canola oil, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and soy sauce. Whisk to combine, and pour over the salad.

Immediately toss and serve!

Overnight Sour Cream Coffeecake

From Cooks Illustrated. Makes two 9 inch cakes (each serves 8-10 people).

Streusel
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup pecans, chopped (you can substitute almonds or walnuts if you like)

Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sour cream
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs (large)
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the Streusel:
Using your fingers, mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the nuts and set aside.

For the Cake:
Spray two 9 inch cake pans with vegetable oil. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the sour cream, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and melted butter together until smooth. Gently whisk the egg mixture into the flour, until the batter looks smooth (do not overmix).

Scrape the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top of both cakes.

If making in advance, wrap the pans tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. You can also freeze the cake batter in the pans for up to one month!

To bake, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached. The bake time varies as follows:

25-30 minutes if NOT refrigerated or frozen
30-35 minutes if refrigerated
40-45 minutes if frozen

Let the cakes cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.

Banana Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Adapted from Paula Deen's recipe! Makes 24

Cupcakes
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup milk
pinch of salt

To make the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper bakery cups. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the eggs and oil and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened; do not beat! Stir in the bananas and vanilla. Fill the muffin pans about 3/4 of the way full, and bake for 23 to 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes, and then turn them out onto a rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting:
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and salt. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. Note: you may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. Use and store the frosting at room temperature; frosting will set if chilled.

Note: This recipe can also be made as a 3 layer cake; instead of a muffin pan, simply butter and flour three 9" round cake pans and divide the batter evenly between them. Bake as directed above.

Hash Brown Casserole

Great recipe for a brunch! Serves 12

Casserole:
1 (1 pound 14 oz) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 cup melted butter
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Topping:
2 cups crushed cornflakes cereal
1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Spray a 3 quart casserole dish with vegetable oil.

In a large bowl, combine hash browns, 1/2 cup melted butter, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, chopped onion, Cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Place mixture in prepared 3 quart casserole dish.

In a medium saucepan, saute cornflakes in 1/4 cup melted butter over medium heat, and sprinkle the mixture over the top of the casserole.

Bake covered in a preheated oven for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Potatoes Boulangère and Courgettes Provençal

Had this dinner at a friends house last night - it was really delicious! It is a Gordon Ramsay recipe.

Serves: 4

Ingredients :

2 large racks of Lamb cut in half with 3 bones each portion

1 liter chicken stock
1 sprig thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
3 crushed cloves of garlic
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
4 large Desiree potatoes peeled and finely sliced, on a mandolin if possible

Herb crust:

4 slices of stale bread made into crumbs.
100g grated parmesan.
Sprig parsley
Sprig thyme
Sprig coriander
Sprig rosemary
2 tablespoons English mustard

6 large courgettes* cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 sprig rosemary
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
500g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 sprig basil
1 sprig coriander

Olive oil
Salt and pepper

* Courgette is the British term for Zucchini also commonly called Italian squash.

Method: Preheat the oven to 200c (392 degrees Fahrenheit).

For the potatoes bring the chicken stock to a boil and infuse with thyme, rosemary and crushed garlic cloves. Strain before use.

Gently sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil until softened and lightly colored.

Rub an oven proof dish with olive oil and layer the onions followed by the potatoes, repeating until the dish is full finishing with a final layer of potato. Make sure to season each layer as you go.

Pour over the stock until it comes 2/3rds of the way up the dish. Press down on the mixture to help the liquid absorb and finally drizzle a little olive oil on top.

Bake in the oven at 200c for approximately 20 - 25 minutes or until soft and golden on top.

Next, season the lamb and seal in hot olive oil. Bake in the oven at 200c for 7 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a blender, thoroughly mix all the herb crust ingredients together, season and set aside.

Remove the lamb from the oven and brush with the mustard before dipping into the herb crust mix covering the fat thoroughly.

Allow to rest and before serving simply return the lamb to the oven for a further 2-3 minutes.

For the vegetables, sauté the courgettes and rosemary in olive oil, season and add a dash of vinegar. Add the tomatoes, basil and coriander and cook for approximately 5 minutes further seasoning with a little more oil and vinegar. Allow to cook until the vegetables have just begun to soften.

Slice the lamb into 3 chops per person, serve with the courgettes and a generous helping of the potatoes before spooning over a little of the vinaigrette from the vegetables.

Mendiants

From Jennifer Yee at Aureole

Mendiants are a French chocolate candy. These are featured on a petit four tray that is served to guests at the restaurant.

1. Temper some 70% dark chocolate.

2. Fill your chocolate mold (a mold with medium size rectangles is perfect) with chocolate. Make sure any excess chocolate falls back into the bowl. When the mold is full, tap it with a palette or metal scraper to release any air bubbles, and scrap off any excess chocolate on top and sides of the mold back into the bowl.

3. Immediately top the chocolate with whatever fruits and nuts you wish. A few granules of salt, green California pistachios, candied ginger (use only one or two pieces because it’s strong), pieces of dried apricot, and a couple of dried cherries each work nicely.

4. When you’ve filled the mold, settle the nuts and fruit by tapping the mold on the table a few times.

5. When the chocolate has hardened, unmold the chocolates and enjoy!

Tempering Chocolate
When melted chocolate returns to solid form the cocoa butter in the chocolate forms a crystal structure. The cool thing about cocoa butter is that the crystal structure they take on depends on the temperature at which they are formed.

If the chocolate is allowed to cool on its own, the crystals of fat will be loose, resulting in a chocolate that is dull in appearance, soft & malleable, and greasy to the touch. This loose crystalline structure has a slightly lower melting point than tempered chocolate crystals.

If instead, while cooling, the chocolate is kept at 88°F (31°C), the loose crystal structure will not form (88°F is above the formation point of the loose crystals). At this temperature the cocoa butter actually forms a dense crystalline structure. Holding the chocolate at this temperature and stirring will allow a whole bunch of these stable crystal structures to form providing a lot of seed crystals to form in the chocolate. When the chocolate is finally allowed to fully cool, if there are enough stable seed crystals, then the chocolate will harden into a very stable hard chocolate with a slight sheen, snap when broken, and will keep for months at cool room temperature.

Tempering using the Seed Method (as described in The Professional Chef) is easiest. Since almost all the chocolate that is sold is already tempered, you can use a piece of already tempered chocolate as a plentiful source of seed crystals.

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler while stirring to ensure uniform temperature.

2. Once the chocolate has fully melted and reached a temperature of over 105°F (41°C), remove it from the heat. At this temperature, all the crystals, loose or stable, should be melted.

3. Add a piece of un-melted chocolate to provide the seed crystals. This piece can be as big as 2 ounces (if you're melting a sizeable amount of chocolate) or can be chopped up into a few smaller pieces.

4. Stir until the chocolate's temperature enters the tempering range, 88-90°F (31-32°C). The chocolate should be kept at this temperature until used.

Specific Tempering Temperatures
Depending on the cocoa butter content of the chocolate and introduction of other ingredients, the tempering temperature of chocolate varies. Harold McGee's Book, “On Food and Cooking,” provides these values for the three broad categories of chocolate:

Type of Chocolate - Tempering Temperature
Dark (no milk content) - 88-90°F (31-32°C)
Milk - 86-88°F (30-31°C)
White - 80-82°F (27-28°C)

Note: although white chocolate does not contain any cacao solids, it is still subject to the same tempering procedures since it is made of cocoa butter.

Pineapple Teriyaki Burgers

Dinner last night really turned out well. So good, in fact, that I want to make it again tonight. We've been watching the SFGiants a lot lately and one of there commercials is for this pineapple teriyaki burger from Carl Jr.'s.

The commercial is kind of on (slightly over) the edge of too much sexiness for me, but the girl is cute and the burger does look appealing. (I don't think I've eaten anything from Carl's in probably 25 years and still don't have a good impression of that chain, but then I rarely eat fast food.)

Commerical is here is you care to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB2MDYzx5OY

Anyway, I was really hungry for something like that so I looked around for a recipe and actually had some trouble finding something that looked appealing because I wasn't interested in using a store-bought teriyaki sauce. I finally found one recipe that looked good and it was good.

Original recipe is here: http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2009/05/grilled-chicken-teriyaki-burgers-with.html

My adaptation:

Sauce
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoon sushi vinegar
1 small garlic clove, crushed
2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (I omitted this because I was out of ginger)

Makes 1/2 cup. Reserve 1/4 cup for burger and use remaining 1/4 cup for basting burger and pineapple slices.

Burger
20 ounces ground lean turkey breast (ground chicken would also be terrific)
1/4 cup of reserved sauce
1 cup fresh bread crumbs, toasted lightly to crisp up (panko would be a great substitute, but I was out of those too)
handful of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
5 scallions, white and green, thinly sliced

Mix all ingredients together and form into 4 patties.

Pineapple
1 fresh pineapple, cut into rings

I used a Vin-Vac pineapple slicer--costs about $10 and works great.

http://www.amazon.com/Vacu-Vin-4882250-Pineapple-Slicer/dp/B0000DE4FZ/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1248534279&sr=1-6

Cheese & Buns
4 slices Havarti cheese
4 hamburger buns with sesame seeds

Grill burgers and pineapple rings on BBQ, basting with remaining sauce until burgers are done and pineapple rings are nicely charred. Put cheese on burgers as soon as you flip them so the cheese gets completely melted.

Load burgers on buns and top with a grilled pineapple slice.

Gnocchi

Recipe Courtesy of Lidia Bastianich

I can't remember which recipe I used to use to make gnocchi! I've made them a gazillion times over the years but not since we moved to Santa Rosa. Do you remember the time that I made them for a party when we lived in Burlingame? I had them all laid out on that wooden table and covered up with large flour sack dish towels. When we came back home and I got ready to cook them, someone had squashed half of them. We finally figured out it was the work of our cats, Zephyr and Sterling. I used to serve them with pesto. --PKS

3 large baking potatoes, scrubbed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, or as needed

Boil potatoes in their skins. Drain and allow to stand until cool enough to handle. Scrape skin from potato with paring knife. Press them through a potato ricer. Spread the riced potatoes into a thin, even layer on the work surface and allow to cool completely.

In a small bowl, beat together the egg, salt, pepper and nutmeg. gather cold potatoes into a mound and form a well in the center. Pour egg mixture into the potato well. Knead the potato and egg mixture together with both hands, gradually adding the grated cheese and enough of the flour, about 1 1/2 cups, to form a smooth but slightly sticky dough. It should take no longer than 3 minutes to work the flour into the potato mixture; remember, the longer the dough is kneaded, the more flour it will require, and the heavier it will become. As you knead, repeatedly rub dough from hands and scrape it from the work surface back into the dough.

On a flour-dusted surface, dust dough and cut it into 6 equal pieces. Form dough into a rope. Slice rope into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Sprinkle rounds with flour and roll them into balls. Hold the tines of a fork at a 45-degree angle to the table with the concave part facing up. Dip the tip of your thumb in flour. Take one ball of dough and with the tip of your thumb, press the dough lightly against the tines of the fork as you roll it downward toward the tip of the tines. As the dough wraps around the tip of your thumb, it will form into a dumpling. Set on a baking sheet lined with a floured kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining dough. At this point, gnocchi must be cooked immediately or frozen.

To cook gnocchi, drop into salted boiling water. Cook, stirring gently until tender, about 1 minute after they rise to the surface of the pot.

Salad with Beets and Yogurt Dressing

From Everyday Food, July 2009

3/4 pound beets (2 large or 8 small), trimmed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (full-fat or 2 percent)
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 head Boston lettuce
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon (optional in my opinion)
1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, toasted


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place beets in a 12-inch square piece of foil. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper; fold foil into a packet. Roast until beets are easily pierced with a paring knife, 30 to 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel beets and cut into wedges.

Whisk together yogurt, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons oil; season dressing with salt and pepper. Thin as desired with 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Divide lettuce among plates and top with beets, tarragon, pistachios, and dressing. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Pastis Soaked Chicken

I had an amazing "roast chicken" sandwich at Houston's this week. It was a chicken breast served on an toasted egg bun with monterey jack cheese, tomato, arugula, and red onion. There was also a thousand island style dressing on the sandwich made with chopped hard boiled egg. It was delicious, and I loved the subtle undertone of licorice in the roasted chicken. I found this recipe, and feel positively inspired to try it now. Pastis soaked chicken...how novel!

1 roasting chicken – 6 – 7 pounds
1/2 cup pastis such as Ricard or Pernod
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
freshly ground black pepper – to taste
Kosher or sea salt – to taste
1 cup fresh tomato – seeded and diced
8 cloves garlic – quartered
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seed
1 cup black olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup each fresh basil and parsley – chopped

1. Several hours or up to one day ahead of roasting, mix together olive oil and pastis and pour over chicken. Rub well into skin and inside cavity. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and rub well again. Cover chicken and refrigerate until ready to cook.

2. Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, tomato, fennel seed, olives, parsley and basil and cook until onions are wilted and mixture begins to form a sauce.

3. Set chicken on top of onion mixture and cover with a lid or foil.

4. Roast at 350 degrees F for 2 – 2 1/2 hours, or until thigh meat is no longer pink.

5. Rest before carving and serve with ‘sauce’ from the pan.

*Adapted from Sarah Leah Chase’s ‘Pastis Soused Rabbit’ from ‘Pedaling Through Provence’

Crunchy Corn Guacamole

From Mark Bittman

Here's a new twist on the traditional guacamole (which you can find in the form of the first variation). The fresh corn kernels add texture and flavor without taking away from that of the avocado.

Serves 4
Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
--1 lime
--1 cup corn kernels, preferably just stripped from the cobs, but thawed frozen is acceptable
--1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
--1/2 cup chopped scallion
--1 serrano or jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced (optional)
--2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
--1/4 cup roughly chopped toasted pumpkin seeds
--3 medium ripe avocados, preferably Hass --salt

1. Grate the lime zest (or use a zester to make long strands) and reserve; cut the lime into wedges. Put the lime zest, corn, and garlic in a food processor; squeeze in half of the lime wedges and pulse to make a chunky purée.
2. Put the corn mixture along with the scallion, chile, and a large pinch of salt into a medium bowl and mash until the mixture is well combined. Add the cilantro and pumpkin seeds and mash a few more times.
3. Cut the avocados in half and reserve the pits if you will not be serving the guacamole right away. Scoop the flesh into the bowl and mash, leaving a few chunks of avocado. Squeeze in lime juice from the reserved lime wedges to taste.
4. Season with salt to taste and serve or tuck the pits back into the mixture and cover the surface with plastic wrap (this will help keep the guacamole from turning brown), then refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Remove the pits before serving.

Salade Nicoise

INGREDIENTS

Tuna
2 tuna steaks (8 ounces each), about 3/4 inch thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
Table salt and ground black pepper

Vinaigrette
1/2 cup lemon juice from 2 or 3 lemons
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Table salt and ground black pepper

Salad
4 large eggs
10 small new red potatoes (each about 2 inches in diameter, about 1 1/4 pounds total), each potato scrubbed and quartered
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dry vermouth
2 medium heads Boston lettuce or Bibb lettuce, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces (about 8 cups loosely packed)
3 small vine-ripened tomatoes (about 14 ounces), each cored and cut into eighths
1 small red onion (about 4 ounces), sliced very thin
8 ounces green beans , stem ends trimmed and each bean halved crosswise
1/4 cup niçoise olives
10 - 12 anchovy fillets (optional)
2 tablespoons capers , rinsed (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. For the tuna: Combine tuna steaks with 2 tablespoons olive oil in gallon-sized zipper-lock bag; seal bag, place in refrigerator, and marinate, turning several times, for at least one hour or overnight. Remove tuna from bag, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside. Build very hot fire (you can hold your hand 5 inches above cooking grate for only 2 seconds); heat cooking grate thoroughly, scrape clean with wire brush, and wipe with small wad paper towels dipped in vegetable oil (hold wad with tongs). Grill tuna uncovered, turning once with thin metal spatula, to desired doneness, about 3 minutes total for rare and 4 minutes for well-done.

2. For the vinaigrette: Whisk lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme, basil, oregano, and mustard in medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

3. For the salad: Place eggs in small saucepan, cover by 1 inch with cold water, and bring to boil over high heat. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fill medium bowl with 1 quart water and 1 tray ice cubes. With slotted spoon, transfer eggs to ice water; let stand 5 minutes. Peel eggs and quarter lengthwise; set aside (reserve ice water).

4. Meanwhile, bring potatoes and 4 quarts cold water to boil in large Dutch oven or stockpot over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender when poked with paring knife, 5 to 8 minutes. With slotted spoon, gently transfer potatoes to medium bowl (do not discard boiling water). Toss warm potatoes with vermouth and salt and pepper to taste; let stand 1 minute. Toss in 1/4 cup vinaigrette; set aside.

5. While potatoes cook, toss lettuce with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in large bowl until coated. Arrange bed of lettuce on very large, flat serving platter. Cut tuna into 1/2-inch thick slices and place in now-empty bowl. Add 1/2 cup vinaigrette and stir to combine; mound tuna in center of lettuce. Toss tomatoes, red onion, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in now-empty bowl; arrange tomato-onion mixture in mound at edge of lettuce bed. Arrange reserved potatoes in separate mound at edge of lettuce bed.

6. Return water to boil; add 1 tablespoon salt and green beans. Cook until tender but crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain beans, transfer to reserved ice water, and let stand until just cool, about 30 seconds; dry beans well on triple layer of paper towels. Toss beans, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in now-empty bowl; arrange in separate mound at edge of lettuce bed.

7. Arrange reserved eggs, olives, and anchovies (if using) in separate mounds at edge of lettuce bed. Drizzle eggs with remaining 2 tablespoons dressing, sprinkle entire salad with capers (if using), and serve immediately.

Mango with Ginger-Mint Syrup

Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves
• 2 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
• Ginger or vanilla ice cream (the best brand is Reed's)

http://www.reedsgingerbrew.com/icecream.html

Bring water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan and cook until sugar is melted, stirring occasionally. Add the ginger and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, stir in the mint and steep for 5 minutes. Place the mango in a bowl, strain the syrup mixture over the mango, cover, and let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Serve over ice cream or topped with vanilla yogurt.

Pecan Scones

4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup coarsely ground pecans
1/2 pound butter, chilled and cut into cubes
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add sugar and pecans. Cut in butter until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Combine sour cream and milk, add to dry mixture, and stir just until mixed.

On well-floured board, divide dough into 6 balls, flatten each to 5/8-inch thickness, and cut into wedges or circles. Bake at 375 degrees on ungreased sheet until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Makes 24 to 28 Scones

Kelley's Breakfast Scramble Timbales

Makes 12 timbales (10 if using refrigerated biscuit dough) - this is a great egg dish for a brunch!

Biscuits
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup heavy cream

Note: you can skip the above and use a 12 oz. can of refrigerated biscuit dough if you do not have time to make the biscuits!

Filling
¾ pound breakfast sausage
1/8 cup minced onion
1/8 cup minced red bell pepper
1/8 cup chopped jalapeños (optional)
5 eggs beaten
5 tablespoons milk or half-and-half
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 400° F (or 200° C). Spray a muffin tin with vegetable oil.

Make the Biscuits: In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in cream. Turn dough onto a flour surface and roll out to 3/4 in thickness. Cut with a medium size biscuit cutter. Using a rolling pin, roll each biscuit into a wide enough circle to fit in the bottom of each muffin tin...with enough overlap to come a little up the sides. If using refrigerated dough, roll each biscuit into a flatter round before placing in a muffin tin.

Make the Filling: Brown the sausage, onion, and red pepper (and jalapeños if using) in a sauté pan over medium heat. Make sure to break up the sausage into a fine consistency. Drain and set aside to cool. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, beat the eggs and milk or half-and-half. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble: Place a heaping spoonful of sausage mixture into each muffin tin. Then fill the tin with the egg mixture until each tin is 3/4 of the way full (do not overfill as the eggs will "puff up" during baking). Sprinkle tops with cheese.

Bake in preheated oven 18 to 20 minutes, until filling is set. Remove from oven and let cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Remove from tin with a fork (gently) and serve immediately with sour cream and salsa!

Note: You can do part of the prep work in advance (1-2 nights before). Simply brown and drain the sausage and veggies, and store overnight in the refrigerator. You can also beat the eggs and milk and store separately in the refrigerator.

Roasted Quail with Fig Puree and Balsamic-Chocolate Reduction

4 Quail, 4 to 6 ounces each
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt and ground white pepper
Marinate the quail in the parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper for about 30 minutes.

STUFFING

2 cups cooked wild rice
1 cup small diced toasted French bread
1 tablespoon minced herbs (equal parts thyme, chives and parsley)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and white pepper (season to taste)
Combine all ingredients and season to taste. You can stuff the quail with about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the stuffing mix.

FIG PUREE

1 1/2 cups dried black figs (cut in half)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup port wine
2/3 cup water
1/2 tablespoons minced herbs (equal parts parsley, thyme and chives)

In a sauce pot on medium heat, sauté the shallots in olive oil until translucent. Add and the walnuts and figs and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the port and water. Simmer all the ingredients until the walnuts have softened and there is about ¼ of the liquid left. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool slightly. Place the mix in a food processor and blend until uniform in color and appearance.

BALSAMIC-CHOCOLATE REDUCTION

1 quart balsamic vinegar
2 cups 64% milk chocolate

Simmer the vinegar on low heat until it reduces to about 1 cup of liquid. Melt the chocolate using a double-boiler. This provides a softer heating element than direct flame or microwave. While both ingredients are warm, slowly add the vinegar reduction to the chocolate while stirring. Combine the vinegar and chocolate flavors to suit your taste.

FINAL DISH

Pre-heat oven to 425F.

Season all the quail with salt and pepper to suit your taste. In a sauté pan on medium-high heat, sear the quail for about 2 minutes per side. (Sear the breast side first). Remove pan from heat. Using either a small spatula or spoon, evenly baste the fig puree on to the breast side of the quails. Place the pan with the quail in the oven for about 4 to 5 minutes to crisp up the fig puree. Remove the quail from the pans and place them on serving plates. Drizzle the balsamic-chocolate reduction over the quail. For an appetizer, garnish with fresh arugula and diced tomatoes marinated in olive oil and herbs.

Serves 4.

Boneless Smoked Quail

6 boned quail, about 3 ounces each
2 teaspoons Lawry’s seasoning salt
2 teaspoons Ac’cent seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
3/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

Mix spices together, adding water (about 7 to 8 teaspoons) until an almost thin consistency is reached. Be careful not to dilute seasonings too much.

Heat charcoal in a smoker or covered grill until white-hot. Sprinkle mesquite chips or pecan or hickory kindling on coals. Dip quail in sauce, then place on grill. Cover and smoke for about 25 minutes.

Serves 6

Wild Mushroom Venison Stew With Biscuits

VENISON STEW

1 poblano chile
1/2 cup clarified butter or olive oil
1 pound venison, cut into 1-inch squares
blend of 1 cup flour, 3/4 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
2 cups burgundy
4 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
1 quart rich veal stock
2 small Idaho potatoes, chopped
1 yellow onion, julienne cut
2 ribs celery, finely diced
1 small carrot, julienne cut
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
2 dashes Tabasco
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Blister skin on poblano. Peel, seed, and finely dice. Heat the butter or oil in a thick-bottomed pot or pan (such as a cast-iron skillet) until it just begins to smoke, about 350 degrees. Toss venison in seasoned flour, dusting off excess. Add meat to pot and brown in small batches. When done, remove from pot and keep warm.

Add garlic and red onion to pot and sauté briefly. Add burgundy and mushrooms and reduce liquid to approximately 1 cup. Add veal stock, potatoes, the remaining vegetables, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are soft. Return venison to pot.

BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 /2 sticks unsalted butter, cut in 1/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2/3 cup grated Monterey jack and cheddar
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion tops

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Sift together the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter to the consistency of coarse cornmeal. Make a well in the center of the dough and quickly mix in the buttermilk (about 30 seconds). Knead on a floured board, incorporating the cheese and onions (about 30 seconds). Pat out to 11/2 inch thickness and cut into 4-inch-diameter biscuits. Recipe makes about 24.

The last step is to finish cooking the stew in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. You may bake all of the biscuits on a greased baking sheet at the same time or you may put some on top of the hot stew to bake. If you do the latter, be sure your stew pot or pan is shallow enough that the biscuits sit above the level of the rim while cooking. Otherwise, they will be raw in the middle.

Venison with Pistachio-Cranberry Sauce

VENISON

24 ounces venison filet, either backstrap or loin (pork loin may be used)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Remove all membrane from meat and cut into 12 medallions. Rub with oil, salt, and pepper. Grill until medium-rare, being careful not to overcook.

PISTACHIO-CRANBERRY SAUCE

3/4 cup dried cranberries
2 cups white wine (such as Chardonnay)
2 shallots, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon roughly chopped garlic
1 1/8-inch slices ginger root
2 to 4 mesquite-smoked jalapeños, seeded, available from Stonewall Chili Pepper Company (800-232-2995) or in specialty stores; or canned chipotle chiles, rinsed and seeded
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup prepared demiglace, homemade or Knorr brand
2 teaspoons butter
2 dozen pistachios
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons butter to finish (optional)
Salt to taste

Reconstitute cranberries in enough hot water to cover.

In a medium saucepan, combine wine, shallots, garlic, ginger,jalapeños, and vinegar and cook over high heat until almost dry. Add demiglace and cook until hot. Strain and set aside.

Melt 2 teaspoons butter in large sauté pan over medium heat and add pistachios, sherry, and cranberries with their liquid. Reduce mixture over high heat for 5 minutes or less. Add strained sauce and cook approximately 5 more minutes to reduce volume by half. Add butter to finish sauce. Add salt to taste.

Espresso-Rubbed Venison with Shiner Bock “Beer Blanc”

Beer Blanc

12 ounces Shiner Bock or any bock beer
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 canned chipotle chiles, seeded if you wish and chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
juice of 1 lime
2 sticks butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, at room temperature
salt and white pepper

In a saucepan over medium heat, reduce beer to 1⁄4 cup (takes 35 to 40 minutes). Add shallots, garlic, chipotles, and cream and simmer until volume is reduced by half. Add lime juice and continue heating until liquid returns to a simmer. While mixture is still very hot, pour into a blender and purée, adding butter one piece at a time. Season to taste. If not using immediately, keep hot in an insulated container such as a thermal pitcher.

Venison

1/4 cup finely ground espresso coffee beans
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds venison backstrap or pork tenderloin
lump crabmeat, cooked (optional)

Note: Venison is available from Whole Foods and Central Market (may require advance order) or by mail from Broken Arrow Ranch, in Ingram (830-367-5871; brokenarrowranch.com). You will need a stove-top smoker such as the approximately 15-inch-by-11-inch one made by Camerons, available from Central Market, cookingfearlessly.com/store.htm (the Hudson’s Web site), or amazon.com. It comes with wood chips, but feel free to use different woods such as apple or pear or throw in a sprig of fresh rosemary or other herb you would enjoy. Smokers may be used on gas or electric ranges; if you have a flattop electric stove, consult smoker’s instruction manual.

Thoroughly combine first 4 ingredients. Coat meat with mixture an hour before smoking. Pile about 2 tablespoons of wood chips in middle of smoker pan. Place smoker drip tray over chips and put the wire rack on top of it. (Hint: To aid cleanup, spray rack with vegetable oil and spray tray as well or cover it with foil.) Put venison on rack.

Slide lid closed and center smoker on a stove burner over high heat. The wood chips will slowly burn, smoking the venison as it cooks. Continue cooking until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in middle of venison reads 130 degrees, 15 to 18 minutes (140 degrees, 18 to 20 minutes for pork). Remove meat and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then cut into 1⁄2-inch slices. Fan 3 slices across each plate and top with Beer Blanc and crabmeat. Serves 6 to 8.

Two-Tone Chili - Venison and Pork

bottles dark beer (Dos Equis) or 2 cans (15 ounces each) chicken stock
Juice of 4 limes
6 tablespoons Pickapeppa steak sauce
3 pounds venison stew meat
5 slices bacon
1 large white onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 pound ground pork sausage
1 tablespoon ground fennel seed
2 dried ancho chiles, seeded and finely chopped
1 can (6 ounces) chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (available at Mexican groceries), chopped (reserve sauce)
1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Combine 1 bottle beer or 1 can stock, lime juice, and 4 tablespoons Pickapeppa sauce, and pour over venison. Marinate 2 to 4 hours.

In very large skillet, fry bacon until fat is rendered. Remove bacon, and reserve. Sauté onion and garlic in bacon fat until tender. Drain marinade completely from venison, and discard. Add venison to onion and bacon fat. Brown lightly. Add chili powder and basil. Cook a few minutes longer.

In another skillet, brown sausage lightly. Add fennel, ancho and chipotle chiles, and 1 tablespoon reserved adobo sauce. Cook until sausage is done. Add pork mixture to venison. Add vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Chop bacon coarsely. Add to meat. Simmer until venison is fully cooked, about 20 to 30 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons Pickapeppa and remaining beer or stock for desired consistency.

Note: This is a spicy chili; chipotles may be reduced by half. For extra-hot chili, add ground or freshly chopped cayenne or Thai pepper, to taste.

Serves 12 - 15

Roasted Duck With Picadillo Stuffing

3 cups kosher salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 inches canela sticks, or substitute 2 inches regular cinnamon sticks
12 whole allspice
6 bay leaves
40 peppercorns
4 five-pound ducks
kosher salt and pepper to taste
cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Prepare brine: Four hours to a day ahead, put first 6 ingredients and 2 gallons water in a stockpot and boil just until salt and sugar are dissolved. Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 2 hours.

Prepare birds: Trim off and discard large, visible pieces of fat. Put ducks in brine, adding water to cover if necessary. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 8 hours. Remove, rinse, and pat dry.

Cook birds: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle birds inside and out with salt and pepper and prick skin in several places. Roast on rack, breast side up, for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 degrees and roast until a cooking thermometer stuck in the thickest part of thigh or breast reads 165 degrees, for medium, or 170, for medium to well-done. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

To serve, mound picadillo in center of plates. Carve ducks, slice breast meat, and arrange pieces on top. Garnish with sprigs of cilantro or parsley. Serves 6.

PICADILLO

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup seeded, deveined, and minced jalapeños
1 1/2 pounds (about 8 cups) mild-flavored exotic mushrooms, cleaned with damp paper towels and sliced 1/4 inch thick (if cost is a consideration, substitute white button mushrooms; get presliced if possible)
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 cup currants or diced cranberries (or less to taste)
1/2 cup shelled pistachios
1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon ground canela (or more to taste), also called Mexican cinnamon, an aromatic papery bark, available at Fiesta market; grind in a coffee grinder, or substitute 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon regular cinnamon (optional)
1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon toasted ground cumin, or more to taste (optional)
kosher salt to taste

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil and sauté onion for about 2 minutes; do not brown. Add garlic and jalapeños and sauté for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn garlic. Add mushrooms and sprinkle very lightly with salt, tasting as you go, until flavor is right. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release all their moisture, 15 to 20 minutes. As mushrooms begin to stick, deglaze pan with sherry vinegar. Add currants and pistachios and cook until currants are rehydrated. Add canela and cumin a little at a time, tasting, as they are quite distinctive

Pan-Roasted White-Winged Dove

2 green apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled and cored
1/2 large onion, peeled
2 thumb-size knobs of ginger
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup salt
1 cup sugar
juice and rinds of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons each of whole juniper berries, coriander seeds, star anise pods, and black peppercorns
24 to 36 doves (allow 4 to 6 per person)
kosher salt and pepper to taste
several tablespoons olive oil
12 or more basil leaves, for garnish (do not omit)

Note: White-winged dove are game birds not available in supermarkets. Squab may be substituted—order well ahead from Central Market or Whole Foods. Or use quail, 2 per person.

Prepare brine: Four hours to a day ahead, put apple, onion, and ginger in a food processor and lightly purée. Combine purée with vinegar, salt, sugar, lemon, spices, and 5 cups water in a nonreactive container. Cover and chill.

Prepare birds: If doves have breast bones intact, you will need to remove them. Lay each bird on a cutting board, breast side up, legs toward you. Using short strokes, cut from top to bottom of left breast, as close to the breast bone (keel bone) as possible; do not cut through to the back yet and do not remove skin. Repeat with right side. Discard keel bone. Fold breasts to each side, as if opening a book, and remove ribs from the front and back (they should come out easily); thighs and legs will still be attached. Now cut bird into halves, down center of back.

Brine birds: Place doves in brine (adding water if needed to cover), put a lid on container, and refrigerate 4 to 8 hours. Remove, rinse, and pat dry.

Cook birds: Put about 1/16 inch cooking oil in a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan. Heat on high just until oil starts to smoke. Put pieces in pan, skin side down. Lower heat to medium. Press to flatten with a similarly sized pan and, continuing to press, cook until skin is golden brown, about 1 minute. Flip and cook other side, still pressing, until medium rare, about 1 more minute. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes, then cut each piece in half between thigh and breast.

To serve, place sweet potato disks close together on dinner plates. Arrange dove on top of disks, with legs sticking up jauntily. Drizzle with any reserved butter and a little Spiced Apple Jus, then spoon Cherry—Cocoa Nib Sauce around edge. Garnish with basil. Serves 6.

SWEET POTATOES

6 medium whole sweet potatoes, preferably garnet or Japanese satsumaimo, available at Central Market
6 garlic cloves
6 pieces ginger, same size as garlic cloves
6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
6 tablespoons sake
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Prick potatoes with a knife and sprinkle each with a little salt and pepper. Place each one on a piece of aluminum foil with a garlic clove (halved), a piece of ginger (halved), and a tablespoon of butter. Drizzle with a tablespoon of sake. Seal and bake until tender, about 50 minutes. Carefully unwrap, reserving seasoned butter, if any. When ready to serve, slice into 1/2-inch disks (you may leave skins on or remove) and gently press an indentation into each disk with the back of a tablespoon.

SPICED APPLE JUS

1 cup fresh apple juice, preferably unfiltered
1 stick cinnamon
1 pod star anise
1 pinch coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Vietnamese fish sauce, preferably Squid brand, available at Asian markets (optional; do not substitute Thai or Chinese fish sauce)

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and reduce over high heat until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (not quite syrupy). Remove cinnamon and star anise.

CHERRY-COCOA NIB SAUCE

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
4 ounces dried cherries, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons cocoa nibs, available at Whole Foods or Central Market; grind finely using a coffee or spice grinder
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped shallot
kosher salt to taste

Put all ingredients in a nonreactive bowl, lightly whisk, and let stand for 15 minutes

Cinnamon Ice Cream

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, freshly ground preferred

In mixing bowl, whip eggs and sugar together. Bring milk to a boil in saucepan, remove from heat, and pour slowly into egg-sugar mixture, stirring continuously. Add cinnamon. Return mixture to medium heat and cook, stirring continuously, until it coats the back of a spoon (do not allow mixture to boil). Remove from heat and strain. Let cool to room temperature.

Pour into ice cream maker and follow directions. Store ice cream in freezer when done.

Persimmon Flan

Persimmon Puree
1⁄2 cup sugar
1 cone piloncillo (Mexican unrefined brown sugar, available in ethnic markets such as Fiesta)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1⁄2 stick cinnamon
10 ripe persimmons, unpeeled, stem end
cut off flat
1⁄2 cup orange juice

A day ahead, put all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat; cook for 3 to 4 minutes if fruit is very ripe and soft, up to 10 minutes if less ripe. Pour into a glass bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Purée in a food processor and pass through a sieve to remove solids.

Custard
1⁄2 cone piloncillo, finely chopped
12 ounces evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup persimmon purée (recipe above)
juice of half a lemon

Place piloncillo and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until piloncillo dissolves; set aside. Place sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in bowl of an electric mixer and blend while adding eggs, one at a time, then persimmon purée. Blend in piloncillo mixture and lemon juice.

Caramel
1 cup sugar
1⁄4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, heat sugar and water over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring, until mixture turns amber in color and reaches 325 to 355 degrees on a candy thermometer. Immediately pour 1 to 2 tablespoons of caramel in bottom of 8 four-ounce glass baking cups. Let cool briefly, then pour custard on top. Place cups in a water bath, cover with foil, and bake until a knife inserted in center of custard comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Chill before unmolding.

Makes 8.

Pork Chops Stuffed with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Spinach

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
• 1 (10-ounce) bag of frozen spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat cream cheese
• 4 (4-ounce) center-cut pork chops
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 lemon, zested
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions

Warm the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook until combined, about 2 more minutes. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the goat cheese and the cream cheese. Stir to combine and set aside.

Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the thickest portion of the pork chop. Stuff each pocket with 1/4 of the spinach and sun-dried tomato mixture and close the pork around the stuffing. Season the outside of the pork with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl combine the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mustard.

Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot add the pork. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a side dish and tent with foil to keep warm. Add the chicken broth mixture to the skillet over medium-high heat. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan as the chicken broth simmers. Reduce the broth by half to make a light sauce, about 8 minutes. Spoon some sauce over the pork before serving.

Meg's Fish Dip

5 small Mahi-Mahi fish fillets or other suitable white fish

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

cayenne pepper to taste

garlic powder to taste

salt and pepper

3 thyme sprigs

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 large bar cream cheese

1/2 c wine wine

1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese

Saute fish in 1 tablespoon olive oil with a little salt and garlic powder until broken down. Pour into a bowl and add cream cheese and sour cream.

Saute onions in remaining tablespoon olive oil until soft. Add wine and garlic and simmer until wine is absorbed, then add to bowl with fish.

Add cheese and season with cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste.

Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Sauce

Serves 6.

• 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 jars (16 ounces each) medium green salsa
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 12 corn tortillas (6-inch)
• 12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely shredded (3 cups)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper; place with garlic on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine salsa and cream.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, shred meat, discarding skin and bones. Peel and chop garlic. In a large bowl, combine chicken, garlic, and 1/2 cup salsa mixture.
• Stack tortillas flat, and wrap in damp paper towels; microwave on high for 1 minute to soften. Working with one tortilla at a time, dip in salsa mixture, lay flat, and fill with 1/3 cup chicken mixture. Roll up and arrange, seam side down, 8 enchiladas lengthwise and 4 crosswise in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with remaining salsa mixture, then cheese.
• Bake until cheese is browned and salsa is bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes; let rest 10 minutes. Serve, sprinkled with cilantro, if desired.

Kelley's Lemon Margaritas

Makes 3 large or 6 small margaritas!

Equipment:
1 Margaritaville DM1000 frozen concoction maker
1 Double shot glass - preferably an "I Survived Kelley & Roroc's Wedding" shot glass
1 Metal lemon juicer/press

Ingredients:
3 Large lemons (or 6 small lemons), cut in half
2 -3 Shot glasses of simple syrup (cooled) - made of equal parts sugar and water simmered together until sugar has dissolved
3 Shot glasses of Tequila (we like Hornitos Plata 100% Agave Tequila)
1 1/2 Shot glasses of Triple Sec (we like the generic brand called De Kuyper)
ice - you might want to buy a bag!

Load the Margaritaville ice reservoir with ice and close the lid! Set the machine to "ready" and "3 drinks." Into the blending jar, juice the lemons, and add the simple syrup, tequila, and triple sec! Put the lid on the jar and place on the blending base. Flip the "Shave 'n Blend" switch to on, and watch in amazement as the Margaritaville automatically mixes the right proportion of ice with the ingredients! Serve immediately to self, spouse, and friends!

Drink and repeat the process as many times as needed until you find that lost shaker of salt!

Tortilla Pie with Chicken

From Everyday Food, April 2009

12 corn tortillas (6-inch), toasted
2 cups cooked, shredded dark-meat chicken
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles
1 1/2 cups Green or Red Salsa
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (6 ounces)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an 8-inch square baking dish, layer 4 tortillas, 1 cup chicken, cup chiles, 1/2 cup salsa, 1/3 cup sour cream, and 1/2 cup cheese; repeat once. Top with remaining tortillas, salsa, sour cream, and cheese. Bake until top is browned and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes.

Serves 4.

Meat Loaf in a Breadbasket

This recipe is from the early 1980's--probably from the SF Chronicle; we made it a number of times for canoe trips when we lived in Minnesota. --PKS

It's not a poor man's Wellington, it's meat loaf in a breadbasket.

Wedges of meat loaf baked in a bread round make warming fare for wnter picnics.

Wrapped in an overcoat of crusty French bread, somewhat remindful of the celebrated Beef Wellington filet-in-a-wrapper, this warm, vegetable-laced meat loaf makes a satisfying and easy-to-carry entrée for cool-weather picnics. And with the help of a food processor, you can quickly prepare a meat mixture that's lean enough to bake right inside the bread.

First chop beef round or well-trimmed beef chuck in the food processor until medium-fine in texture. Then process bread crumbs, parsley, onions, and cheese in the machine, blend them with eggs and seasonings, and shape the mixture into a loaf.

Once the savory sandwich loaf is baked and wrapped in foil, it will keep warm as long as 3 hours. Serve it in wedges accompanied with a mild cheese, relishes, and wine or other beverage.

Meat Loaf in a Breadbasket

1 large round loaf (1 1/2 lbs.) French bread, 9 to 10 inches in diameter
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds beef round or chuck
1 small onion
1/2 cup packed parsley sprigs
2 eggs
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 teaspoon each oregano leaves and dry basil
4 ounces jack or Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons soft butter

Using a long serrated knife, slice the bread in half horizontally. Pull soft bread out of both halves, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell. Then with the metal blade of a food processor, chop enough bread to make 1 1/4 cups crumbs, save the remaining bread for other uses. Turn crumbs into a large bowl; stir in the milk and let stand 5 minutes.

Trim excess fat from meat and cut into 1-inch cubes; you should have 3 cups. With the metal blade, chop 1 cup of the meat cubes at a time with on-off bursts until medium-fine. (Or grind cubes in a electric meat chopper.) add meat to bread crumbs.

Peel onion and cut into chunks. Place in the food processor with the parsley and process with metal blade using on-off bursts until coarsely chopped. Add eggs, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil to vegetables and process 2 seconds to blend; add to meat mixture.

Using the shredding disk, shred the cheese in the processor; add to other ingredients. Mix together all ingredients until blended. Pack meat mixture into bottom half of the bread shell; press lid firmly into place. Rub butter all over loaf.

Securely wrap loaf in a single thickness of heavy foil or a double thickness of lightweight foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake in a 350º oven for 2 hours.

Loosen foil to allow steam to escape; let stand 10 minutes. To transport, rewrap in foil and pack into a picnic basket; it should keep warm 3 hours. Cut loaf in wedges.

Serves 6 to 8

Lentil Soup with Smoky Ham

From Whole Foods Market

We really enjoyed this soup. Jim though the combination of herbs made it very balanced, but it was a little too herbaceous for me. Next time I make it I will omit the rosemary and sage. --PKS

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for garnish
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup dried green lentils
1/2 cup dried French lentils
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 cup finely chopped ham
1 ham bone (optional)
6 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 1 tablespoon chopped, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 bay leaf
2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth, divided
Black pepper to taste
Balsamic vinegar (for garnish)

Heat oil in large soup pot. Add garlic, carrots, celery and onions and cook until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in green and French lentils, tomatoes, ham, ham bone, 6 sprigs fresh thyme, dried thyme, rosemary, sage, tarragon and bay leaf. Add 1 quart of the broth then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Serves 8.

Stir contents of pot then cover again and simmer, adding more broth as needed to maintain a soupy consistency, 30 to 45 minutes longer, or until lentils are soft and tomatoes are broken down. Remove and discard bay leaf and ham bone then stir in chopped fresh thyme and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with drizzles of oil and balsamic vinegar and thyme sprigs.

Per serving (about 13oz/366g-wt.): 160 calories (30 from fat), 3.5g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 15mg cholesterol, 420mg sodium, 22g total carbohydrate (6g dietary fiber, 5g sugar), 11g protein

Proper Chicken Caesar Salad

from Jamie Oliver

With my own versions of the classics, like Caesar salad, it's not about changing things entirely; it's about respecting the original while bigging up the flavors and textures where I can. My twists for this salad are to use chicken legs (not dry old breasts!), smoky pancetta and lovely rustic croutons to suck up all the juices. It's a lovely little salad with just a hint of attitude - and it's versatile, as you can serve it hot or cold.

P.S. Use your imagination - if you have any other unusual salad leaves, flowers or herb shoots lying around, chuck some in to make it look a little less predictable.

4 whole free-range or organic chicken legs, skin on
1 loaf ciabatta bread (about 9 ounces), torn into thumb-sized pieces
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves picked and roughly chopped
Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 thin slices pancetta or bacon
1/4 clove peeled garlic
4 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained
3 ounces freshly grated Parmesan, plus a few shavings to serve
1 heaped tablespoon creme fraiche
1 lemon, juiced
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 or 3 heads romaine lettuce, outer leaves discarded
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the chicken legs in a snug-fitting roasting pan with the pieces of torn-up bread. Sprinkle with the chopped rosemary, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix with your hands to make sure everything is well coated, then lift the chicken legs up to the top, so they sit above the bread. This way, the bread will soak up all the lovely juices from the chicken, giving you the best croutons! Pop the pan into the preheated oven.

After 45 minutes the chicken should be nicely cooked. Take the pan out of the oven, drape the pancetta or bacon over the chicken and croutons, and put back for another 15 to 20 minutes for everything to crisp up. The chicken legs are ready when you can pinch the meat off the bone easily. When they're cooked, remove the pan from the oven and set it aside for the chicken to cool down slightly.

Pound the garlic and anchovy fillets in a pestle and mortar or a Flavor Shaker until you have a pulp. Scrape into a bowl and whisk in the Parmesan, creme fraiche, lemon juice and 3 times as much extra-virgin olive oil as lemon juice. Season dressing, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Pull the chicken meat off the leg bones - you can use 2 forks to do this, or your hands if you're tough like me - and tear it up roughly with the croutons and the bacon. Wash, spin dry and separate the lettuce leaves, tear them up and toss with the chicken, croutons, bacon and creamy, cheesy dressing. Scatter with some Parmesan shavings.

The Most Moist Chicken Ever

This is Paula Wolfert's method for quickly preparing very moist chicken without butter, oil or periodic basting. For the richest flavor, marinate the chicken cold in the creme fraiche for at least 6 hours.

4 chicken breasts, split or boned (you can also use a whole chicken, cut up)

salt and fresh ground pepper

1 cup creme fraiche

Clean and dry the chicken. Remove the skin if you wish. Rub each piece with a touch of salt, and lots of pepper and creme fraiche. Put the pieces into a shallow pan and cover them with the remaining creme fraiche. Let the chicken marinate cold until 1/2 hour before serving. You can marinate the chicken up to 3 days if you wish, but cover it tight to keep other refrigerator tastes out of the creme fraiche.

Preheat your broiler. Toss the chicken pieces in the creme fraiche once more. Lay them on the rack of your broiler pan, bone side down if they are unboned. You must use a rack in your broiler pan so that chicken can steam on the bottom side. Pour the creme fraiche remaining in the marinating pan over the pieces. Broil the chicken at 2 1/2 inches from the heat on one side only until many crispy, brown spots dot the surface and the bottom side of the pieces is white, 6 to 10 minutes (if I'm using whole, cut-up chicken parts with skin, I position the broiler rack about 5 inches from the heat--PKS). If you broil the chicken too close to the heat its top side will brown before the underside steams white. Serve immediately.

You can broil other cuts of chicken with this method, but you have to broil them on both sides. Do the leanest of boney side first for 4 or 5 minutes. Do not cook the lean side to crispy brown spots. Turn it over and cook the second side until it has crispy brown spots.

"This is the most moist chicken ever," says Paula Wolfert, and she recommends using this technique for quickly preparing chicken for chicken salad. You can omit the marinating, but thoroughly cover the chicken with creme fraiche. It keeps the broiling chicken moist.

Chicken, Dill and Cucumber Salad

Creme fraiche tenderizes the chicken in this cold salad, and it thoroughly melds the cucumber and dill flavor. Creme fraiche also reduces the calories and fat in the salad because it has half the fat and calories of mayonnaise.

2 medium cucumbers

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 lemon-lime vinegar (optional)

2 teaspoons lime juice

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 cup creme fraiche

3 tablespoons coarsely choppped fresh dill

1 1/2 teaspoon coarse grain mustard (e.g., Moutarde de Meaux)

2 1/2 cups cooked chicken cut into strips 3/8" x 3/8" x 2"

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons white pepper (optional)

3 tablespoon thinly sliced scallions

1/4 cup whole roasted almonds for garnish

Clean peel, and seed the cucumbers. Wipe them dry with paper towels and then lay them on towels with the seed cavity down. Wrap paper towels tightly over the skinned surface of the cucumbers and set them aside for 10 minutes. Do not salt the cucumbers to extract their water.

While the cucumbers are draining, prepare your own mayonnaise using lemon-lime vinegar if you have it and add the lemon and lim juices (you can use prepared mayonnaise if you want to). Stir in the creme fraiche, chopped dill, and mustard. Mix all the ingredients to a smooth consistency.

Put the chicken strips into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle them evenly with salt. If you didn't broil the chicken with creme fraiche, add pepper. When the cucumbers are drained, wipe them dry again with paper towels, inside and out. Cut the cucumbers into 3/8 inch wide strips about 1 1/2 to 2 inches long. They'll be as long as the tines on a dinner fork and as wide as 3 tines. The cucumbers and chicken strips should be about the same size. Cut enough cucumber strips to equal the amount of chicken strips. Put them into the large mixing bowl with the chicken, and add the thin-sliced scallions. Add the creme fraiche-mayonnaise mixture and toss the salad in the mixture. Serve the salad on a bed of fresh greens like spinach and lettuce. Garnish with a short row of whole, toasted almonds. Makes 4 servings.

Bread, Potato, and Rocket Soup

Pain au Levain is the best bread for making Marcella Hazan's zuppa dei poveri (poor people's soup) of stale bread, potatoes, and rocket. This great recipe was one of the best of the many unaccountably left out of the unfortunate Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, which purported to be a single-volume reissue of her first two books, The Classic Italian Cookbook and More Classic Italian Cooking.

2 cups diced peeled potatoes (can leave unpeeled if potatoes are clean)
3 cups water
1 tbsp. salt
1 bunch / 1/2 lb. rocket (arugula), preferably the sharper "wild" variety, washed and coarsely chopped
2 cups stale Acme pain au levain, crusts removed and cut in cubes
1/4 cup Trader Joe's Kalamata olive oil or other flavorful, dark green extra-virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Put potatoes, water, and salt in a big pot, bring to a boil, and cook for 15 minutes. Add rocket, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for another 15 minutes or until potatoes are done. Remove pot from heat, add bread, cover, and let sit for ten minutes. Add olive oil and pepper, correct salt, and serve.

Serves 2-3 as a main course.

Waffle Iron Reuben Sandwich

from Emeril Lagasse

4 slices rye bread
Emeril's Russian dressing, recipe follows
8 ounces thinly sliced Swiss cheese
8 ounces sliced baked ham
8 ounces sliced corned beef
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sauerkraut, as accompaniment

Preheat a waffle iron.

Place 2 slices of the bread on a flat work surface. Spread one side of each slice with the Emeril's Russian Dressing. On 1 slice of bread, stack half of the cheese, ham, and corned beef in layers. Top with the other slice of bread, dressing side down, and push together to form a sandwich.

Spread softened butter on both sides of the sandwich and place in the hot waffle iron. Cook until the sandwich is golden brown on the outside and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill and cut into quarters. Serve immediately with the sauerkraut, and repeat with the remaining sandwich.

Emeril's Russian Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chili sauce
1 tablespoon minced yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced celery
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon Emeril's Red Pepper Sauce, or other hot sauce
Pinch sugar
Salt

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk until well blended. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

Creamed Kale

from Bobby Flay

2 pounds kale, center stalks removed (I used a bag of kale pieces from Trader Joe's)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Blanch the kale in lightly salted water until tender (about 5 or 6 minutes), rinse in ice water (I didn't rinse because my kale was already cut up), drain and cut into 1/2-inch ribbons. In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the kale, cream and nutmeg. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, or until the cream has reduced and thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Lemon Squares

It is important that both the filling and the crust be warm when assembling the bars in step 4; this ensures that the lemon curd will cook through evenly. Be sure to zest the lemons before juicing them.

CRUST
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and softened

FILLING
2 large eggs plus 7 large egg yolks
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup grated fresh lemon zest (from approximately 4 lemons)
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from approximately 4 lemons (Note: if using Meyer lemons, which are smaller, you will need 8 lemons)
pinch salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons heavy cream

confectioners' sugar for dusting

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position, and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil (use 2 pieces and lay opposite of one another to form a sling) and grease the foil.

2. FOR THE CRUST: Process the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt together in a food processor to combine, about 3 pulses. Sprinkle the butter over the top and pulse until the mixture is pale yellow and has the texture of coarse sand, about 8 pulses. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan and press into an even layer with the bottom of a glass. Bake the crust until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.

3. FOR THE FILLING: While the crust bakes, whisk the eggs and egg yolks together in a medium sauce pan. Whisk in the granulated sugar until combined, then whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Add the butter and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and registers 170 degrees on an instant read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture immediately into a bowl (to remove the zest), and stir in the cream.

4. Pour the filling over the warm crust. Bake the squares until the filling is shiny and opaque and the center jiggles slightly when shaken, about 15 minutes (rotating the pan halfway through baking).

5. Let the bars cool completely in the pan, set on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Remove the bars from the pan by lifting the foil. Cut into 16 squares, and dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Beef Pops with Pineapple and Parsley Sauce

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

3 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed chili flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
11/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil


For the Beef Pops:
1 1/2 pounds beef fillet, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 40 cubes)
1 (2-pound) pineapple, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 40 pieces)
20 (8-inch) wooden or bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Parsley Sauce: In the bowl of a food processor, blend together the parsley, garlic, vinegar, chili flakes, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until smooth. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil until incorporated. Place half of the mixture in a medium bowl. Place the remaining mixture in a small serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the Beef Pops: Place the beef in the medium bowl with the parsley sauce. Toss well until the beef is coated with the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Thread the skewers starting with a piece of pineapple, then a cube of beef. Repeat with another piece of pineapple and another cube of beef. Continue with the remaining skewers. Grill the skewers for 2 to 3 minutes each side (for medium rare) or until desired doneness. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, arrange the Beef Pops on a serving platter. Drizzle with the remaining reserved Parsley Sauce or serve the sauce on the side as a condiment.

Roasted Wood Ducks or Teal

Pluck and gut them. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash the bird, then cut out the backbone with a stout knife, like a chef's knife. Salt liberally, and sear skin side in an ovenproof frying pan until it gets reasonably brown and lovely. Put the ducks skin side up in the oven-proof frying pan (cast iron is perfect) into the hot oven and cook for no longer than 15 minutes. It might take as little as 8 minutes. If you have a meat thermometer, you're looking for 135-140 degrees.

Take it out and let it rest 5 minutes. Grind pepper on them and enjoy!

San Diego Salmon Tacos

from Bobby Flay

3 salmon fillets, 8 ounces each
Canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 head green cabbage, finely shredded
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup best-quality mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chipotle pepper puree
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
12 fried blue corn taco shells
Orange-Habanero Sauce, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat grill or grill pan over high heat.

Brush salmon with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill on each side for 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool slightly and shred the meat with a fork. Place in a bowl with the cabbage and green onions.

Combine the mayonnaise, chipotle and lime juice in a small bowl and season with salt. Add the mayonnaise and the cilantro to the salmon mixture and gently fold to combine. Season with salt to taste, if needed. Divide the salmon mixture among the taco shells and drizzle each with the Orange-Habanero Sauce.

Orange-Habanero Hot Sauce:
6 cups fresh orange juice
1 habanero chile
1 tablespoon honey
Salt

Place juice and habanero in a medium nonreactive saucepan and cook over high heat until reduced to 1 cup, stirring occasionally. Remove the habanero, whisk in the honey and season with salt. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

Kelley's Easy Mock-BBQ Chicken Thighs

This makes a simple weeknight dish, or double the recipe to feed a crowd with ease!

Serves 4

8 bone-on, skin-on chicken thighs
salt
pepper
1 cup barbeque sauce (Roroc's favorite is KC Masterpiece)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray rectangular baking dish (13x9 inch) with non-stick spray. Trim chicken thighs of excess fat and skin (this is an important step, as I do not enjoy too much fat or skin on my chicken). Arrange chicken, skin side up, in a single layer in the baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use a sharp knife to make two slashes in the skin of each chicken thigh. Squirt thighs generously with barbeque sauce (2-3 tablespoons per thigh), and use the back of a spoon to spread the barbeque sauce over the top of the thigh. Bake in oven, on the middle rack (uncovered), for 1 hour. Remove the dish from the oven and turn on the broiler. Raise the oven rack to the top. When the broiler is ready, return chicken to the oven for 1 minute 30 seconds (or so) to brown the skin (be sure to keep an eye on it as this part goes fast, and you don't want to burn the chicken). Remove from oven, let rest for 3-4 minutes, and serve hot!

For a really quick meal, prepare with frozen corn and a frozen biscuit or roll!

Bourbon Blinker

This is a version of a "serious cocktail" that I enjoy drinking at the Grand Lux Cafe here in Dallas!

1 Double Old-Fashioned Glass (Morgantown Crinkle is preferred)
Small amount of Fresh Ice
4 ounces Maker's Mark Bourbon
2 ounces Pomegranate Juice
6 ounces Grapefruit Juice (fresh)


Place enough ice in the glass to loosely fill 3/4 of the way. Fill glass 1/3 of the way with Bourbon. Add a splash of pomegranate juice, until glass is 1/2 full. Then, fill the rest with grapefruit juice. Stir and enjoy!

This is officially Kelley's favorite drink! Not too sweet, and very refreshing!

Almond Paste

Makes approximately 1 pound

Simple to make and delicious--PKS

2 cups whole almonds
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
a few drops of almond extract

Cover the almonds with boiling water and let them stand for at least a minute. Slip off the skins with your fingers. If they are very stubborn, cover them again with boiling water or let them soak and remove them just a few at a time to work on.

Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a pan and cook, without stirring, until the temperature is 235 degrees F. Then stir in the almond extract.

While the syrup is heating, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Put the peeled almonds on a cookie sheet and leave them just long enough to dry out and warm up, about 8 to 10 minutes. Then, while they're still warm, grind them in a food processor until the texture is fine and smooth. If necessary, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water to loosen the mixture and make it easier to process.

With the food processor going, gradually pour in the syrup in a slow, steady stream. Process until the paste is uniform. Remove it from the work bowl, wrap it well in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it until needed. To make it soft and easy to work with, put it in a warm place, such as on top of the stove while the oven is on, or heat it in a double boiler or a steamer set over simmering water.

Ruth Schmidt's Cinnamon Rolls

Make a batch of enriched bread dough (white, whole wheat, or whatever you want). Let it rise until double. Degas and proceed as follows:

1. Dough is rolled out, buttered, and sprinkled heavily (hum, is that an oxymoron?) with brown sugar and cinnamon.

2. Dough is then rolled up, cut, and panned.

3. More butter is then placed on top of each roll, and then more brown sugar and cinnamon.
Proof until nearly double.

4. Bake for about 25 mins. at 375 F.

5. Turn pan upside down and drizzle stuff in bottom of pan on top.

That's the way Jim's mom has been doing it since the around 1940.

They are pretty sticky, fairly sweet, and very cinnamony. They freeze well too.

Pesto Pizza à la Amici's

Follow the directions for Pizza Margherita à la Peter Reinhart. Pipe several tablespoons of Pesto Sauce onto the red sauce before cooking.

Pesto Sauce:

1 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
4 cloves garlic, cut in thirds
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse to combine. Sauce begins to degrade (color and flavor) after 24 hours.

Makes approx. 1 cup of sauce

Pizza Margherita à la Peter Reinhart

1/2 pre-ferment (8 oz.)

1 (28-oz.) can D.O.C. San Marzano tomatoes (my preference, but you can use any type canned tomatoes you like)

2 tablespoon plus 2 tablespoons fresh basil, rolled up and thinly sliced

5 cloves garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Take a pre-fermented pizza dough out of refrigerator two-hours before making pizza. Degas as little as possible, form into a ball, spray the ball with Pam, and place in a plastic bag on the kitchen counter (I reuse one of those vegetable bags from the grocery store).

Meanwhile make the red sauce. Pulse the can of tomatoes a few times in the food processor to achieve "crushed tomatoes". Add 2 tablespoons of the basil, dried oregano, pressed garlic, salt, and vinegar.

Any leftover sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Place a baking stone in the lower third of you oven. Preheat oven for at least 30 minutes before baking the pizza. When the pre-ferment has rested two hours, gently remove it from the bag, dust it heavily with flour, and gently press it into a disk about 1-inch thick. Heavily flour your knuckles, place them under the disk, and start working the dough out into a thin circle. If the dough resists during this process, just let it rest for a few minutes until it relaxes and begin working it out again. It doesn't have to end up in a circle; any shape that will fit on your stone if fine. When it is sufficiently thin, place it on a floured pizza paddle or sheet pan and thinly ladle on the red sauce starting in the center (if you use too much sauce you pizza will be soggy). Slide it onto the pizza stone and set your timer for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, check it and see if it needs to be rotated 180º for even cooking. After about six minutes, remove it from the oven and decorate it with small balls or slices of fresh mozzarella cheese. Return it to the oven, rotating it again and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, until sufficiently brown and crisp. Remove it from the oven, sprinkle it with a little kosher salt and remaining basil, and drizzle the whole thing with a small amount of olive oil.

Heidi's Turkey Salad with Cranberries and Almonds

A great lowfat way to use leftover turkey that is perfect in a pita, as a salad or just by the spoonful.

Diestel product: Heidi's Hens® Turkey Breast

Ingredients:
2 cups Heidi's Hens® Turkey Breast, roasted and diced
3/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup apple, chopped
1/3 cup parsley, minced
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup sliced almonds

Combine then add to turkey mixture in bowl:
3/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 T light mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. salt

Serves 8.

Rosemary Chicken Thighs with Roast Potatoes

from WeightWatchers Momentum Cookbook

4 (1/4-ound) skinless boneless chicken thighs, trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 carrots, cut into 1-inch chucks
6 small new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

Combine the chicken, 1 teaspoon of the oil, the garlic, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a large zip-close plastic bag. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag; turn to coat the chicken. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Toss together the potatoes and the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and spread the potatoes on the baking sheet. Place the potatoes and carrots in the oven and turn the oven on to 425ºF. When the temperature reaches 425ºF, remove the potatoes and carrots from the oven. Toss the potatoes and carrots, then push them to one side of the pan.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the baking sheet. Discard the marinade. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender and browned, about 20 mintues.

Serves 4. Per serving (1 piece chicken and 1/2 cup potatoes and carrots): 273 Cal, 11 g Fat, 2 Fib. POINTS value: 6.

Steak Fajitas

from WeightWatchers Momentum Cookbook

1 (1 1/4-pound) flank steak, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (7-inch) whole-wheat tortillas, warmed
2 tablespoons taco sauce

Spray a nonstick ridged grill pan with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the steak with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Place the steak on the grill pan and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the side of the steak registers 145º F for medium-rare, about 5 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, onions, and garlic; sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes.

Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let stand 5 miutues. Cut the steak across the grain into 20 slices.

Lay the tortillas out on a work surface and top evenly with the steak, onion, and bell peppers; drizzle with the taco sauce. Fold the tortillas in half.

Serves 4. Per serving (1 fajaita): 375 Cal, 15 g Fat, 4 g Fib. POINTS value: 8.

Potato-Watercress Soup

from WeightWatchers Momentum Cookbook

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 bunch watercress, tender sprigs only
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup fat-free halfand-half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, watercress, and broth; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes; let cool 5 minutes.

Puree the potato mixture, in batches, in a blender. Return the soup to the saucepan and stir in the half-and-half, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat until heated through, about 4 mintues.

Serves 4. Per serving (about 1 1/4 cups) 230 Cal, 3 g Fat, 4 g Fib. POINTS value 4.

Cod with Tomato-Oregano Sauce

from WeightWatchers Momentum Cookbook

This recipe is written for a microwave, but I made it on the stove and it turned out fine. --PKS

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 scallions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
8 kalamata olives, sliced (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried orregano
4 (6-ounce) cod fillets, skinned
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Stir together the oil, scallions, and garlic in a large shallow glass bowl or casserole dish. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and poke a few hole in the plastic. Microwave on High until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, olives, if using, and oregano. Cover and microwave on High until the flavors are blended, about 3 mintues.

Spray a shallow microwavable dish with nonstick spray. Place the cod in the dish in one layer. Sprinkle the fish with the salt and pepper. Cover the dish with wax paper and microwave on High until the fish is jus opaque in the center, about 6 minutes. Spoon the tomato sauce over the fish.

Serves 4. Per serving (1 piece cod and 5 tablespoons sauce): 194 Cal, 6 g Fat, 1 g Fib. POINTS value: 4.

Best-Ever Country Captain Chicken

from WeightWatchers Momentum Cookbook

2 teaspoon canola oil
1 1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast, but into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced peel fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Madras or Tone curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dark raisins
1 tablespoon sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a nonstick Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the Dutch oven and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, apple, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger; cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, cinnamon, and salt; cook, stirring, 1 minute longer.

Return the chicken to the Dutch oven along with the tomatoes, broth, and raisins; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through and the flavors are blended, about 15 mintues. Serve sprinkled with the almonds.

Serves 4. Perserving (about 1 1/2 cup stew): 309 Cal, 8 g Fat, 4 g Fib. POINTS value 6.

Smoked Turkey, Carrot, and Raisin Salad

from WeightWatchers Momentum Cookbook

1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 (6-ounce) piece smoked turkey breast, diced (you can also use cooked chicken breast)

6 carrots, shredded (about 3 cups)

1/3 cup dark raisins

8 cups lightly packed baby romaine

1/4 cup coarsely chopped peanuts

To make the dressing, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Add the turkey, carrots, and raisins to the dressing; toss to coat.

Divide the salt greens evenly among 4 plates. Top with the turkey mixture and sprinkle evenly with the peanuts.

Serves 4. Per serving (about 3 cups): 199 Cal, 2 g Fat, 4 g Fib. POINTS value 4.

Chicken and Roasted Pepper Sandwiches

from WeightWatchers Momentum Cookbook

1/4 cup light cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

8 thin slices whole-wheat bread

1 1/2 cups shredded deli roast chicken breast

1/2 cup roasted red pepper, thinly sliced

8 large fresh basil leaves

Mash together the cream cheese, lemon zest, Italian seasoning, and black pepper in a small bowl.

Spread the cheese mixture evenly over 4 slices of the bread. Layer evenly with the chicken, roasted red pepper, and basil. Cover with the remaining slices of bread. Cut each sandwich in half.

Serves 4. Per serving (1 sandwich): 246 Cal, 7 g Fat, 4 g Fib. POINTS value 5.

Grilled Chicken with Raspberry and Goat Cheese Salad

from WeightWatchers Momentum Cookbook

4 (1/4-pound chicken cutlets)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 (7-ounce bag mixed baby salad greens

2 tablespoon raspberry or red-wine vinegar plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, or 2 tablespoons Cindy's Raspberry Nectar Vinaigrette

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled soft (mild) goat cheese

2 (6-ounce) containers raspberries

3 scallions, thinly sliced

Spray a nonstick ridged grill pan with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat, or just use a nonstick frying pan. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Place the chicken on the pan and cook until cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile, toss together the salad greens, vinegar, oil (or purchased vinaigrette), the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper until coated.

Add the goat cheese, raspberries, and scallions to the salad and gently toss to combine. Divide the salad evenly among 4 plates. Have the cutlets and place 2 pieces on top of each salad.

Serves 4. Per serving (1 chicken cutlet and 2 cups salad): 252 Cal, 10 g Fat, 5 g Fib. POINTS value 5.

Chicken and Rice with Bell Peppers

Adapted from WeightWatchers Momentum Cookbook

I used regular brown rice; it took about 40 minutes to cook and I added some additional water after 20 minutes. We enjoyed this dish very much. --PKS

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 (5-ounce) skinned bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 red bell peppers, diced
2 green bell peppers, diced

1 onion, finely diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup brown rice

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 cup water

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with the oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the skillet. Add the bell peppers, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute longer. Add the tomatoes, water, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer covered, until the rice is tender, the liquid is absorbed, and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 40 minutes longer depending on the type of rice used.

Serves 4. Per serving (1 chicken thigh and 1 1/3 cups rice mixture): 422 cal, 10 g Fat, 6 g Fib. POINTS value: 8.

Fish Tacos

1 pound tilapia

6 (6-inch) corn tortillas

fresh salsa

limes

cilantro sprigs

Spray large non-stick frying pan with Pam. Saute tilapia on both sides until cooked through. Meanwhile, heat corn tortillas in microwave. Place cooked tilapia, fresh salsa, and cilantro sprigs on tortillas with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Makes 6 tacos @ 3 points per taco.

Corn and Green Chili Frittata

From WeightWatchers Momentum Cookbook

6 large eggs

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 (4 1/2-ounce) can chopped mild green chiles, drained

1/4 cup fat-free milk

2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 dashes hot pepper sauce

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

Whisk together the eggs, corn, chiles, milk, thyme, salt, black pepper, and pepper sauce in a large bowl.

Spray a medium nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-low heat. Add the egg mixture and sprinkle with the tomatoes. Cover and cook until the eggs are set, about 15 minutes. Cut the frittata into 4 wedges. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Per serving (1 wedge): 168 Cal, 8 g Fat, 2 g Fib. POINTS value 4.

Slow Cooker Shrimp Chowder with Dill and Corn

From WeightWatchers Momentum Cookbook

Jim really like this, but I thought it was just OK. --PKS

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

4 small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup fat-free half-and half

3 slices turkey bacon, crisp cooked and crumbled

Put the shrimp shells on a square of cheesecloth. Gather the ends of the cloth and tie them together with a length of kitchen twine. Refrigerate the shrimp and set the shells aside.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes longer.

Transfer the onion to a slow cooker. Add the package of shrimp shells, the tomatoes, potatoes, celery, pepper, frozen corn, and broth. Cover and cook until the vegetables are fork-tender, 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.

About 20 minutes before the cooking time is up, remove and discard the shrimp shell package and stir in the shrimp. Cover and cook on high until the shrimp are just opaque in the center, about 15 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half and cook 5 minutes longer.

Ladle the chowder evenly into 6 bowls and sprinkle evenly with the turkey bacon.

Serves 6: per serving (about 2 cups): 276 Cal, 4.5 g Fat, 5 g Fib. Points value 5.

Asian-Style Duck Roll-Ups

from WeightWatchers Momentum Cookbook

2 cups shredded cooked duck breast or chicken breast

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 scallions, thinly sliced

4 (7-inch) whole-wheat tortillas, warmed

1/2 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced

8 arugula leaves, trimmed

Stir together the duck, hoisin, and scallions in a medium bowl.

Lay the tortillas on a work surface and spread evenly with the duck mixture. Top evenly with the bell pepper and arugula. Roll up the tortillas and cut in half.

4 servings @ 4 points per serving.

Slow Cooker Firecracker Chili

Adapted from WeightWatchers Momentum Cookbook

You can make this chili as hot or mild as you like by adjusting the ingredients. --PKS

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound hot Italian-style turkey sausage links, cut into 3/4-inch slices, or 1 pound ground turkey breast, or 1 pound lean ground pork
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional add-in when using ground turkey or pork)
3 (14 1/2-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies (you can use just regular canned diced tomatoes and add a small can of diced mild jalapeno chilies)
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro
1 bunch scallions
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
6 tablespoons low fat sour cream

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage links and cook, stirring, until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a 4-quart, or larger, slow cooker. If using ground turkey or pork, save oil for sauteing onions.

Add onions to the skillet and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and coriander (and chili flakes, if using) and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Transfer onion mixture to the slow cooker and stir in the tomatoes and beans. Cover and cook 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.

Ladle the chili evenly into 6 bowls and sprinkle with the cilantro. Top each serving of chili with a tablesp0on-size dollop of sour cream and some chopped cucumber and scallion.

Serves 6 @ 4 1/2 points per serving.

Christmas Goose with Cranberry-Pomegranate Glaze

Adapted from Emeriel Lagasse's Roast Port Glazed Goose with Tawny Port Gravy

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion, plus 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, plus 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 domestic goose, about 10 - 12 pounds, well rinsed and patted dry, neck and giblets reserved
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine 1/2 cup of the onions, celery, carrots, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the cayenne in a mixing bowl. Remove any excess fat around the opening of the cavity of the goose. Prick other fatty areas with a fork at intervals. Do not prick the breast. Stuff cavity of goose with vegetable mixture. Season the outside of the goose with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, and the black pepper. Place the goose in a large roasting pan on a rack and roast for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the drumsticks and thighs are easy to remove.

Pomegranate-Molasses Glaze:
1 or 2 Valencia oranges
1 lime
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup pomegranate-molasses sauce

Combine the juice of one or two Valencia oranges with the juice from one lime in a small pan and reduce by half. Add 1/3 cup pomegranate-molasses sauce and 1 tablespoon honey, and reduce until it form a glaze, about 5 minutes.

Using a brush, glaze the goose with the pomegranate-molasses reduction, and return to the oven for 5 minutes to allow the glaze to caramelize and set. Remove from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes before carving. Serve with the Port Gravy.

Port Gravy:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Giblets and neck from the goose
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups Tawny port
2 cups water

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the giblets and neck, and brown, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the onions, celery, carrots, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and thyme and cook, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Add the wine, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 1 hour. Remove from the heat and strain into a clean container and keep warm until ready to serve. Yield: About 2 cups.

Pork Shoulder Braised with Oranges - Puerco en Naranja

recipe adapted from Diana Kennedy’s Essential Cuisines of Mexico

Puerco en Naranja
Pork Cooked in Orange Juice

5 pounds pork shoulder butt
5 garlic cloves, crushed
salt, to taste
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
12 peppercorns
zest of 1 orange (optional)
3 oranges

This dish could be adapted for a pressure cooker (about 50 minutes). --PKS

In the original recipe, the pork is roasted in an oven but I prefer adding a little water and braising on the stovetop. The braising liquid will be reduced to create a sauce so use a light hand when seasoning the pork. Crush the garlic, salt, oregano, and peppercorns. Moisten with the juice and zest of 1 orange then rub the mixture into the pork. Set aside for 1 hour or leave in the refrigerator overnight.

Place the pork in a dutch oven or heavy casserole and moisten with the juice of a second orange. Include the orange rinds in the pot. Add enough water to immerse half of the pork. Bring to a boil over high heat on the stovetop, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer while covered with a tight lid. Braise for 2 to 3 hours. Let cool to room temperature.

Horseradish crusted flank steak

from Everyday Food, May 2004

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pound flank steak
1/3 cup prepared horseradish

Heat broiler. Fill 1/3 cup with prepared horseradish that has been squeezed of excess liquid.

Combine in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Cut 1 1/2 pounds flank steak into four equal pieces. Generously season steaks on both sides with coarse salt and ground pepper. Place on broiler pan; pat horseradish mixture on top of steaks.

Broil until crust is slightly browned and steak is cooked to desired doneness, 5 to 7 minutes for medium-rare.

Note: I use one piece of 1-inch thick sirloin steak, Mezzetta horseradish, and a pressed clove of garlic, broil for about 10 minutes, and then let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing on the diagonal.

Serves 4.

per serv.: 291 cal; 15.9 g fat; 33.1 g protein; 2.2 g carb; 0.7 g fiber

Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa

from Everyday Food, January 2008

Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 Hass avocado, pitted and cut into chunks

In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne; rub all over chicken.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add chicken, and cook until browned on the outside and opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine onion and lime juice; set aside. Just before serving, fold avocado chunks into onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken topped with salsa.

Serves 4.

per serv.: 344 cal; 13.7 g fat (2.2 g sat fat); 47 g protein; 7 g carb; 3.5 g fiber

Jacques' Split Roasted Chicken

from Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home

5 1/2-to-6-pound roasting chicken
1 Tbs. butter, soft or melted

For the optional spice mix:
1 tsp. mustard seed
1/2 tsp. caraway seed
1 tsp. dried herbes de Provence
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. salt

For the deglazing sauce:
1 to 2 tbs. minced shallots
1/3 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 Tbs. or so unsalted butter (optional)

For serving:
a large bunch o fresh watercress

Butterflying the chicken:
Preheat the broiler. Trim off the excess neck skin. Remove the fat from the cavity and cut out the wishbone. With your knife or a cleaver, chop off the tips of the wings and the ends of the drumsticks. Lift a wing, exposing the "armpit," and slice into the shoulder joint to open it slightly, but not through it. Repeat with the other wing. To open the chicken , cut closely down one side of the backbone, starting at the side of the neck, cutting forcefully through the tail end. Cut down the other side to free the backbone (save it for stock with the other trimmings). Spread open the chicken, skin side down, and nick the breastbone with the blae of the knife to split it. Then press firmly on both sides of the breast to flatten the chicken. Lift the flap of skin that covers the leg and slice into the joint between the thigh and drumstick; open it slightly--just enough for the heat to get into the joint--but do not cut through it. Repeat with other leg joint. Fold the wing tips under the shoulder, to hold them in place.
Broiling the butterflied chicken:
Brush both sides of the chicken with the melted butter and arrange it skin side down in the pan. Place under the broiler, with the chicken about 6 inches from the heat, and broil for about 10 minutes, until the interior flesh is lightly browned. Remove the pan and set on a work surface. Set the oven temperature at 400ºF.

Coasting with optional spices and roasting:
Place all the spices and the salt in the grinder and process briefly to a coarse powder. Sprinkle about a quarter of the spice mix over the broiled inside of the chicken, then turn it skin side up, flat in the pan. Sprinkle the rest of the spices over the skin, in a thick, even layer. Place the pan in the center of the oven and roast for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, basting once or twice--quickly, so not to lose oven heat--with the pan juices. Near the end of cooking time, check signs of doneness, the thigh should be tender, the juices from the breast and leg joint should be clear, and the skin should be deeply colored and crisp.

Carving and serving:
Remove the chicken toa platter and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes in a warm oven. Deglaze the pan, using 1 1/3 cups of liquid in all, to make a sauce for serving. To carve, cut the butterflied chicken into 2 halves, straight down the middle of the breast. With parallel cuts, slice 2 thick slabs of breast meat (about 3/4 inch thick) from the inside of each breast half. The remaining outside piece of breast on each side is served with wing attached. Cut through the hip joint to separate 1 whole leg from the breast. Cut off the drumstick and split the thigh into 2 pieces. Repeat with the other leg. You should have 12 nice-sized pieces of chicken. Arrange the pieces on a serving platter and garnish with bunches of watercress. Drizzle the pan sauce over all the pieces, and over the watercress as well. Serve, passing more sauce on the side.

Serves 8 to 10.

Jacques' Split Roasted Chicken with Mustard Sauce

from Jacques Pepin's More Fast Food My Way

I often make this recipe at home when I am in a hurry, because splitting and flattening the chicken and cutting between the joints of the leg and the shoulder reduce the cooking time by half. I use kitchen shears to split the chicken pen at the back and to cut the cooked bird into serving pieces and a knife to cut between the joints. The mustard crust can be made ahead and even spread on the chicken a day ahead, if you like. I pour the cooked chicken juices into a fat separator with a spout and serve over Fluffy Mashed Potatoes, leaving the fat behind.

Mustard Crust
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco hot pepper sauce
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 chicken (about 31/2 pounds)
• Fluffy Mashed Potatoes

For the crust: Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut alongside the backbone of the chicken to split it open. Spread and press on the chicken with your hands to flatten it. Using a sharp paring knife, cut halfway through both sides of the joints connecting the thighs and drumsticks and cut through the joints of the shoulder under the wings as well. (This will help the heat penetrate these joints and accelerate the cooking process.)

Put the chicken skin side down on a cutting board and spread it with about half the mustard mixture. Place the chicken flat in a large skillet, mustard side down. Spread the remaining mustard on the skin side of the chicken. Cook over high heat for about 5 minutes, then place the skillet in the oven and cook the chicken for about 30 minutes. It should be well browned and dark on top.

Let the chicken rest in the skillet at room temperature for a few minutes, then cut it into 8 pieces with clean kitchen shears. Defat the cooking juices. If you like, mound some Fluffy Mashed Potatoes on each of four warm dinner plates and place 2 pieces of chicken on each plate. Pour some juice on the mashed potatoes and chicken and serve.

Serves 4.

Tandoori Chicken

from Cook's Illustrated

Very easy to prepare, moist and flavorful. If you are hungry for tandoori, this is a great recipe. I made is with store-bought garam masala. --PKS

We prefer this dish with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. If garam masala is unavailable, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. It is important to remove the chicken from the oven before switching to the broiler setting to allow the broiler element to come up to temperature. Serve with basmati rice and a few chutneys or relishes.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon garam masala (see note)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (see note)
4 tablespoons juice from 2 limes, plus 1 lime, cut into wedges
2 teaspoons table salt
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts (breasts, thighs, and drumsticks, or a mix, with breasts cut in half), trimmed of excess fat and skin removed

1. Heat oil in small skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garam masala, cumin, and chili powder; continue to cook until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds longer. Transfer half of garlic-spice mixture to medium bowl; stir in yogurt and 2 tablespoons lime juice and set aside.

2. In large bowl, combine remaining garlic-spice mixture, remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, and salt. Using sharp knife, lightly score skinned side of each piece of chicken, making 2 or 3 shallow cuts about 1 inch apart and about 1/8 inch deep; transfer to bowl. Using hands, gently massage salt-spice mixture into chicken until all pieces are evenly coated; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

3. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken and toss until chicken is evenly coated with thick layer. Arrange chicken pieces, scored-side down, on wire rack set in foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Bake chicken until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 125 degrees for breasts and 130 for legs and thighs, 15 to 25 minutes. (Smaller pieces may cook faster than larger pieces. Transfer chicken pieces to plate as they reach correct temperature.)

4. After removing chicken from oven, turn oven to broil and heat 10 minutes. Once broiler is heated, flip chicken pieces over and broil until chicken is lightly charred in spots and instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165 degrees for breasts and 175 for legs and thighs, 8 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate, tent loosely with foil, and rest 5 minutes. Serve with chutney or relish, passing lime wedges separately.

Serves 4.

Broccoli Crunch

Broccoli Crunch

1/2 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. sugar or to taste
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
8 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
3/4 c. raisins
1/2 c. red onion, finely chopped
1 head broccoli, chopped to small florets

Combine 1st three ingredients in a small bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in a large salad bowl. Pour dressing over salad, and stir to combine well. Make sure to refrigerate a couple hours before serving to let flavors combine.

This is sometimes served at my Whole Foods' salad bar, but it's pricey; however, it is easy and cheap to make!

Pressure Cooker Ham & Beans

1 or 2 ham hocks or ham ends or a combination of each

fresh thyme

1 onion, peeled and cut into 8 pieces

1 pound small white beans

Wash beans and place in pressure cooker. Add ham, fresh thyme, onion, and enough water to cover for 4 inches. Bring to full pressure and cook for 30 to 40 minutes depending on the size of the beans. Depressurize, remove thyme stems, and season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Steamed Barbecued Pork Buns

from Dim Sum by Rhoda Fong Yee

Filling:
4 c barbecued pork, diced fine
1/2 c dehydrated onion flakes

Sauce:
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons sherry
4 teaspoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons catsup
1 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 c chicken stock

TO MAKE FILLING: Soak onion flakes in a cup with just enough water to cover flakes. Mix sauce in a small sauce pan. Cook over medium high heat until sauce thickens. Stir in the diced pork and onion flakes. Chill 3-4 hours.

WRAPPING: Divide filling into 24 portions. Divide dough into 24 balls. Slightly flatten each ball then roll out into 4-inch discs, leaving the center of the disc twice as thick as the side. Place 1
portion of the filling in the center of the dough. Gather up the sides around the filling and twist dough to seal. Place on a 2 inch square piece of wax paper, twist side down. Put the
wrapped buns at least 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet and allow the buns to rise in a draft-free place (the oven) for another hour.

STEAMING: Steam for 15 minutes. Turn heat off and let the steam subside before lifting the cover. BAKING: Cha Siu Bow can also be baked. Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Set buns 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Brush with a mixture of 1 beaten egg white, 1 tsp. water and 1/4 tsp. sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter.

DO AHEAD NOTES: Cook and freeze. Reheat by steaming if steam-cooked originally. Steam frozen buns for 1/2 hour to reheat. If baked, thaw and wrap buns in foil or cover pan with foil and reheat in slow oven for 1/2 hour.

COMMENTS: A good filling should have some pork fat mixed in with the lean meat. Most importantly, Cha Siu Bow filling should be very juicy. That's why Ms. Yee uses so much liquid in the sauce mixture. By chilling the filling thoroughly, the sauce, which is very thick, adheres to the filling much better. Ideally, when you make the barbecued pork, you should try to save the pork drippings and use them as part of the sauce mixture. Ms. Yee deliberately leaves the center of the dough a bit thick because, if you roll it out to an even thickness, the top of the bun will ended up being too thin in comparison to the bottom due to of the way the dough is wrapped. In a pinch, you may use frozen bread dough as a substitute. However, frozen dough works best when baked. It does not steam well.

Source: "Dim Sum" by Rhoda Fong Yee.

White Pizzas with Arugula

Recipe courtesy Ina Garten for Food Network Magazine, Vol. 1, Issue 1

For the dough:
1 1/4 cups warm (100 to 110) water
2 packages dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
Good olive oil
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
Kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, sliced
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
For the topping:
3 cups grated Italian fontina cheese (8 ounces)
1 1/2 cups grated fresh mozzarella cheese (7 ounces)
11 ounces creamy goat cheese, such as montrachet, crumbled

For the vinaigrette:
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces baby arugula
1 lemon, sliced

Mix the dough.
Combine the water, yeast, honey and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. When the yeast is dissolved, add 3 cups of flour, then 2 teaspoons salt, and mix on medium-low speed. While mixing, add up to 1 more cup of flour, or just enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with the flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the bowl.
Knead by hand.
When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead it by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic.

Let it rise.
Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Make garlic oil.
Place 1/2 cup of olive oil, the garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 10 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn't burn. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. (Be sure your oven is clean!)

Portion the dough.
Dump the dough onto a board and divide it into 6 equal pieces. Place the doughs on sheet pans lined with parchment paper and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Stretch the dough.
Press and stretch each ball into an 8-inch circle and place 2 circles on each sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (If you've chilled the dough, take it out of the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes ahead to let it come to room temperature.)

Top the dough.
Brush the pizzas with the garlic oil, and sprinkle each one liberally with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the pizzas evenly with fontina, mozzarella and goat cheese. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon more of the garlic oil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crusts are crisp and the cheeses begin to brown.

Make the vinaigrette.
Meanwhile, whisk together 1/2 cup of olive oil, the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Add the greens.
When the pizzas are done, place the arugula in a large bowl and toss with just enough lemon vinaigrette to moisten. Place a large bunch of arugula on each pizza and a slice of lemon and serve immediately.

TIP Make sure the bowl is warm before you put the water and yeast in; the water must be warm for the yeast to develop.

TIP Salt inhibits the growth of yeast; add half the flour, then the salt, and then the rest of the flour.

TIP To make sure yeast is still "alive," or active, put it in water and allow it to sit for a few minutes. If it becomes creamy or foamy, it's active.

Sohui Kim’s Pork-and-Chive Dumplings

2 tbsp. canola oil, plus more for frying dumplings
1 cup diced onion
3 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. minced ginger
1 cup chopped garlic (or Chinese) chives
1 1/2 lbs. ground pork
1 8-oz. package firm tofu
3 tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 16-oz. package dumpling wrappers (look for the Twin Marquis brand, Hong Kong style, available in many Asian food stores)
1 egg, beaten and reserved in a small bowl
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pan, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, ginger, and garlic chives and cook for 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and let cool. In a large bowl, combine pork, tofu, and hoisin sauce with the chive mixture. Test-fry a small portion of the pork mixture and adjust seasoning. (1) Holding dumpling wrapper flour side down, place a teaspoonful of pork mixture onto the middle of the wrapper. (2) Dip your index finger into the beaten egg and rub it over half of the outer edge of the dumpling. (3) Fold dumpling in half, crimping it in the middle and sealing along the egg-moistened edge, taking care not to leave any air pockets. Repeat procedure and pan-fry the dumplings until crisp and brown on both sides. Serve with a combination of soy sauce and rice-wine vinegar to dip. Note: makes about four dozen dumplings; extras will keep in the freezer for two weeks or so.

Chinese Dumpling Soup

from Food Network Magazine, Vol. 1, Issue 1

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
1 tablespoon soy sauce, preferably dark
1/4 cup Chinese Shaoxing rice wine, dry sherry or white vermouth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt
2 carrots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 pound frozen Chinese dumplings, pork or shrimp (about 24) (no surprise, but I made my own--PKS)
3 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
4 cups baby spinach

Bring the broth, ginger, soy sauce, wine, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and a pinch of salt to a boil in a soup pot over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Add the carrots and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the dumplings and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the scallions and spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute.

Serves 4.

Shaoxing Wine

Shaoxing wine
Shaohsing, Shao hsing, Hsao Shing wine, Chinese Rice Wine

A Chinese rice wine used for drinking and cooking. The wine is named after a famous wine making city of the same name in China. Shaoxing rice wine is commonly aged for 10 or more years and it resembles the taste of dry sherry.

Buy in Asian grocery stores.
Ingredient Substitutions
Dry Sherry or Japanese Sake (sweeter)

Tandoori Chicken

from EatingWell.com

A highly seasoned yogurt marinade tenderizes these chicken thighs. Baking them at an extremely high temperature simulates a tandoori clay oven, creating a deliciously caramelized surface.

A highly seasoned yogurt marinade tenderizes these chicken thighs. Baking them at an extremely high temperature simulates a tandoori clay oven, creating a deliciously caramelized surface.

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
4 bone-in chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds), skinned and trimmed of fat

Stir together yogurt, onion and garlic in a shallow glass dish. Add lemon juice, cilantro, paprika, cumin, turmeric, ginger, salt, pepper, cinnamon and cloves. Add chicken and coat well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 500°F. Coat a wire rack with cooking spray and set it over a foil-covered baking sheet. Place the chicken on the prepared rack.

Bake the chicken until browned and no trace of pink remains in the center, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Serves 4.

Per serving: 227 calories, 10 fat, 1 fiber

Fruit, Nut, Cheese, and Vegetable Equivalents

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J9dqB62CSMw/STm_ldENcVI/AAAAAAAAARM/TRfK2FBHhZ4/s1600-h/Picture+1.jpg

Chicken Stuffed with Golden Onions and Fontina

from Eatingwell.com

A semi-firm cheese that's nonetheless quite creamy, fontina melts into pure heaven. Combined with caramelized onions, fontina becomes a nutty, gooey, irresistible filling for chicken breasts.

One reviewer commented: Recipe turned out very well. The gravy was delicious and the chicken was very moist. Make sure you don't combine the onion and the cheese until the onions have chilled, otherwise the cheese may melt too soon, making stuffing impossible.

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red onion
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, divided (I will use 1 tablespoon next time --PKS)
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2/3 cup shredded fontina cheese, preferably aged (about 3 1/3 ounces)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound), trimmed of fat (I used 2 8-ounce breasts--PKS)
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and 1 teaspoon rosemary; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool; stir in fontina (I used Italian fontina for it superior taste and melting quality).

Meanwhile, cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of each chicken breast half, nearly through to the opposite side. Stuff each breast with 1/4 cup of the onion-cheese mixture.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden, about 5 minutes per side (my opinion is that 5 minutes might be too long; you don't have to cook the chicken all the way though because it continues to cook as it rests on a platter and when it get transfered back to the pan). Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add wine and the remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Whisk broth and flour in a bowl until smooth; add to the pan, reduce heat to low and whisk until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Return the chicken to the pan and coat with the sauce. Cook, covered, until the chicken is just cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve the chicken topped with the sauce.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, arguably the most versatile cut of chicken, are very low in fat, only 1 to 2 grams of fat per serving. Conveniently, one 4- to 5-ounce breast, tender removed, yields a perfect 3-ounce cooked portion. When preparing, trim any excess fat from the outer edge of the breast. Chicken tenders, virtually fat-free, are a strip of rib meat typically found attached to the underside of the chicken breast, but they can also be purchased separately. Four 1-ounce tenders will yield a 3-ounce cooked portion. Tenders are perfect for quick stir-fries, chicken satay or kid-friendly breaded "chicken fingers."

Serves 2 to 4.

Nutritional Analysis Per serving: Calories 258, Carbohydrates 7 g,Protein 33 g, Fat12 g, Saturated Fat5 g, Cholesterol 88 g, Monounsaturated Fat 6 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sodium 328 mg, Potassium 388 mg .

Remoulade Sauce

from Wolfgang Puck

1 cup Mayonnaise, recipe follows
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon capers, minced
1 cornichon, minced
1 or 2 anchovies, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh chives
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients until well blended. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated until needed.

Yield: 2 cups

Sweet and Tangy Tartar Sauce

from Cook's Illustrated, Sept. 2008

This sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 small shallot , minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons drained capers , minced
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together in small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand to blend flavors, about 15 minutes. Stir again before serving.

Calamari Steak with Garlic & Capers

According to Randy Gruber from Restaurant Americana, the key to making non-rubbery calamari is to use high heat so it sears and cooks quickly. Have everything at the ready when you start - it goes fast.

1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley
1 teaspoon fresh chopped basil or parsley
2 Roma tomatoes, cut in half
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter
olive oil

Season calamari with salt & pepper
Heat olive oil in medium pan on high heat
Pan sear calamari until cooked on both sides - about one minute each side
Add butter, garlic, tomatoes, capers, 1/2 the parsley & basil or parsley and lemon juice
Cook for just a minute and serve with sauce from pan.

Serves 2.

Pressure Cooker Pork Shoulder Roast

Adapted from Pressure Perfect by Lorna Sass

This is the first time I have ever cooked this cut of meat and I highly recommend it. Although pork shoulder is fairly fatty (see image), when compared to pork loin roasts, much of its fat liquifies under pressure and can be strained off. The result of using this inexpensive cut of meat is a very tasty pork roast (much more flavorful than pork loin) that is ideal for a hearty dinner served with mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Left overs make great sandwiches. The longer you cook it the softer it gets. I cooked ours for 40 minutes, which left it tender for still firm enough to make nice even slices. I used some portobello mushrooms that were on their last legs. --PKS

3 to 4 pound boneless pork shoulder roast
2 tablespoon oil
10 ounces mushrooms (any variety), sliced thickly
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup white wine or vermouth
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
freshly ground pepper and salt
2 to 3 tablespoons cornstarch (use 1 tablespoon per cup of gravy)

Salt and pepper roast. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in pressure cooker and brown on all sides. Remove roast to a platter and discard oil. Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in cooker and sweat onion, carrot, and celery mixture with a little salt until softened, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste, wine, broth, and bay leaves. Place roast on top, add sliced mushrooms, wine, and chicken broth, cover and bring up to full pressure. Cook for 40 to 50 minutes. Let cooker decompress on its own. Remove roast and let rest 10 minutes. Strain broth to remove fat and thicken with cornstarch, if desired. Serve with mashed potatoes or cooked egg noodles.

Serves 6.

Cranberry Sauce with Pears and Fresh Ginger

From Cooks Illustrated

Hands-down, best cranberry sauce I've ever made! Even people who don't normally enjoy cranberry sauce helped themselves to large spoonfuls after trying a little taste! It will now make an annual appearance on my Thanksgiving table! And, I love the use of the pears, which are in season in the fall!

Makes about 2 1/4 cups.

The cooking time in this recipe is intended for fresh berries. If you've got frozen cranberries, do not defrost them before use; just pick through them and add about 2 minutes to the simmering time.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 (12-ounce) bag cranberries , picked through
2 medium firm, ripe pears (I use Bartlett) , peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

INSTRUCTIONS
Bring water, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and salt to boil in medium nonreactive saucepan over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Stir in cranberries and pears; return to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until saucy, slightly thickened, and about two-thirds of berries have popped open, about 5 minutes. Transfer to nonreactive bowl, cool to room temperature, and serve. (Can be covered and refrigerated up to 7 days; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

Turkey Spring Rolls with Quick Peanut Dipping Sauce

Look for bahn trang, the thin, round Vietnamese rice paper wrappers used to make spring rolls, in the ethnic foods section of most large supermarkets. If you can’t find them but still feel like a yummy peanut sauce, make an Asian-style noodle salad by tossing the ingredients below (with the cilantro chopped) with half a pound of cooked whole wheat pasta (or half a package of soba or rice noodles, if you have them).

If you use unsalted peanut butter, you may need to add salt to the peanut sauce.

2 cups shredded leftover turkey
1 small green cabbage (about the size of a softball), finely shredded
2 large carrots, peeled and shredded
8 sprigs fresh cilantro
1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup crunchy natural peanut butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup very warm water, plus more for softening bahn trang
2 teaspoons sriracha (Thai chili-garlic sauce) or Chinese chili paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons low-sodium rice wine vinegar
8 bahn trang (plus a few more, in case some rip while you’re folding)

Arrange the turkey, cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and chopped peanuts on a large plate.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the peanut butter, 1/2 cup warm water, sriracha, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar until smooth, and set aside.

Fill a large, shallow bowl with very warm water. Dip a clean, smooth tea towel in the water, wring dry, and place flat on a clean work surface.

Working with one rice wrapper at a time, dip half of it into the water, and turn it like you’re driving a car in circles, around and around in the same direction. When you feel the wrapper begin to soften between your fingers (but before it begins to fold over on itself all willy-nilly), transfer the wrapper to the towel. Place a sprig of cilantro horizontally on the wrapper about a third of the wrapper away from the edge of the wrapper nearest you. Top the cilantro with little handfuls of cabbage, carrots, and turkey, in layers, and sprinkle with a few chopped peanuts. Starting with the side closest to you, wrap the spring roll up like a burrito, tucking the sides in halfway through rolling. Transfer the roll to a serving plate, and repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Serve rolls whole or cut in half, with the peanut sauce, for dipping.

Makes 8 Spring Rolls.

Sprouted Wheat Parker House Rolls

Follow the recipe for sprouted wheat bread.

After it has risen, divide dough into 2 ounce portions. Form each into a ball and then flatten out into a disk. Place a small piece of butter in the middle of the disk and fold over into a half circle.

Let rise until doubled, then bake in a 400º oven on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper for 20 minutes.

Slow-roasted Turkey with Gravy

From Cook's Illustrated

Excellent recipe; the gravy was exceptional! --PKS

Instead of drumsticks and thighs, you may use 2 whole leg quarters, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds each. The recipe will also work with turkey breast alone; in step 2, reduce the butter to 1 1/2 tablespoons, the salt to 1 1/2 teaspoons, and the pepper to 1 teaspoon. If you are roasting kosher or self-basting turkey parts, season the turkey with only 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.

Turkey:
3 medium onions , chopped medium
3 medium celery ribs , chopped medium
2 medium carrots , peeled and chopped medium
5 sprigs fresh thyme
5 medium garlic cloves , peeled and halved
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 whole bone-in, skin-on turkey breast (5 to 7 pounds), trimmed of excess fat and patted dry with paper towels (see note)
4 pounds turkey drumsticks and thighs, trimmed of excess fat and patted dry with paper towels (see note)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
1 tablespoon table salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Gravy:
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 bay leaves
Table salt and ground black pepper

1. For the Turkey: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Arrange onions, celery, carrots, thyme, and garlic in even layer on rimmed baking sheet. Pour broth into baking sheet. Place wire rack on top of vegetables (rack will rest on vegetables, not on bottom of baking sheet).

2. Brush turkey pieces on all sides with melted butter. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over turkey. Place breast skin-side down and drumsticks and thighs skin-side up on rack on vegetable-filled baking sheet, leaving at least 1/4 inch between pieces.

3. Roast turkey pieces 1 hour. Using wads of paper towels, turn turkey breast skin-side up. Continue roasting until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in thickest part of breast and 170 to 175 degrees in thickest part of thighs, 1 to 2 hours longer. Remove baking sheet from oven and transfer rack with turkey to second baking sheet. Allow pieces to rest at least 30 minutes or up to 1 1/2 hours.

4. For the Gravy: Strain vegetables and liquid from baking sheet through colander set in large bowl. Press solids with back of spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard vegetables. Transfer liquid in bowl to 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Add chicken broth to measuring cup (you should have about 3 cups liquid).

5. In medium saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until flour is dark golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Whisk in broth mixture and bay leaves and gradually bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until gravy is thick and reduced to 2 cups, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Remove gravy from heat and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Keep gravy warm.

6. To Serve: Heat oven to 500 degrees. Place baking sheet with turkey in oven. Roast until skin is golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven, transfer turkey to cutting board, and let rest 20 minutes. Carve and serve, passing warm gravy separately.

Serves 10 to 12.

Breakfast Sausage

from Alton Brown


2 pounds pork butt (2 1/2 pounds with bone), diced into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 pound fat back, diced into 1/4-inch pieces (I omitted this and it was fine--PKS)
2 teaspoons kosher salt (I added a little more--PKS)
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I added a little more--PKS)
Special equipment: meat grinder

Combine diced pork with all other ingredients and chill for 1 hour. Using the fine blade of a grinder, grind the pork. Form into 1-inch rounds. Refrigerate and use within 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. For immediate use, saute patties over medium-low heat in a non-stick pan. Saute until brown and cooked through, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Oven-roasted Turkey Breast with Leeks and Cornbread Stuffing

from Florence Tyler

Incredibly delicious--I may be a cornbread stuffing convert now! I brined my turkey breast for 2 hours before stuffing it. Also, it was a pretty large breast so it took about an hour to cook. --PKS

4 whole leeks, white part only, roots trimmed and cut into rings
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups crumbled cornbread, store-bought
1 cup chicken stock
2 Boneless Turkey breasts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Fill a large bowl with water and add the leeks, swish around with your hands to get the sand out from in between the layers. In a large saute pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and olive oil. Add the leeks, sprinkle with the thyme, salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, turning every now and then, until the leeks are softened but not colored. Remove the leeks from heat to cool.

In a large bowl combine the leeks, cornbread, and chicken stock and season with salt and pepper.

Use a sharp, thin knife to cut down the length of the turkey cutting the breast parallel to the board, almost in half just stopping short of the outside edge. Open out the 2 halves as if you were opening a book. Now you've got a large piece of meat that will cook evenly and is thin enough to roll. Place 2 cups of the stuffing inside each of the breasts and then fold the turkey back over.

Place the remaining stuffing in a small baking dish and cook alongside the turkey.

Tie in 4 places with kitchen twine and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of butter and olive oil in a roasting pan over medium-high heat. Put the turkey in the roasting pan and sear all over. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for about 25 minutes (internal temperature should reach 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer). Take the turkey out of the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then cut crosswise into slices.

Emeril's Ruben Sandwiches with Russian Dressing

from Emeril Lagasse

2 pounds quality corned beef, very thinly sliced
12 slices Jewish-rye or marble-rye bread
1 recipe Emeril's Russian Dressing, recipe follows
12 ounces sauerkraut
12 slices good quality Swiss cheese
1 quart store-bought cole slaw, divided
4 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
6 kosher dill pickles, halved or quartered if large

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the corned beef in a shallow baking dish and drizzle with a little water. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.

Lay the bread slices on a clean work surface and spread 1 side of each slice with some of the Russian dressing. Layer 1/2 of the slices with some of the corned beef. Divide the sauerkraut evenly over the meat, then top the sauerkraut with the slices of cheese and cole slaw. Place the remaining bread slices on top, dressing sides down, and set aside.

Heat 2 heavy large skillets over medium heat. When hot, brush 1 side of each sandwich with some of the butter and place in the hot pans, buttered sides down, and cook until crispy and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Spread the unbuttered, top sides of the sandwiches with the remaining butter and turn the sandwiches to cook on the second side until golden brown, crispy, and the cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board and cut in half on the diagonal, then serve immediately, with remaining cole slaw and a kosher dill pickle, for garnish.

Makes 6 large sandwiches.

Russian Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chili sauce
1 tablespoon minced yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced dill pickle
1 tablespoon minced celery
1 tablespoon minced parsley leaves
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Salt

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except salt and whisk until well-blended. Add salt to taste, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yield: about 1 1/2 cups.

Creamy Coleslaw

from the Martha Stewart show

2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cabbage (3 pounds), finely shredded
2 large carrots, finely shredded
Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, salt, celery seed, and vinegar until well combined. Slowly whisk in mayonnaise until combined.

Toss cabbage and carrots together in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss until vegetables are fully coated. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour before serving.

Makes 8 cups.

The Rachel Sandwich

Chef Chris Schlesinger joins Martha Stewart to prepare his signature Rachel sandwich.

5 ounces sliced roasted turkey breast
2 slices sourdough bread
Unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Russian dressing (see recipe)
3 thin slices Swiss cheese
1/4 cup Creamy Coleslaw (see recipe)

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat. Layer turkey slices on griddle and let cook for 1 minute.
Butter one side of 1 slice of bread and spread opposite side with Russian dressing; place buttered-side down on griddle. Butter one side of remaining slice of bread and place buttered-side down on griddle; top with cheese. Turn turkey and top with coleslaw. Cook until turkey and bread are warmed through and cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Sandwich turkey and coleslaw between bread. Slice and serve immediately.

Serves 1.

Day-After Turkey Soup

From Body+Soul

This soup makes great use of leftover turkey. If you've already frozen the carcass, there's no need to thaw it out before using it in this recipe.

Per serving: 269 calories; 26 g protein; 7 g fat; 27 g carb; 5 g fiber.

1 turkey carcass, broken into 3 or 4 pieces
3 carrots, halved crosswise
2 celery stalks, halved crosswise
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Coarse salt
1 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
5 cups kale leaves, shredded
3 cups leftover diced cooked turkey
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels
1 can (15 1/2 ounces) white beans, drained and rinsed
4 scallions, thinly sliced

Place the carcass in a large soup pot or stockpot and add cold water to cover by 2 inches (about 14 cups). Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming any foam that rises to the surface.

Add carrots, celery, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon rosemary. Return to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until the broth is rich and flavorful, about 2 hours.
With a wire skimmer, remove and discard turkey carcass and vegetables. Strain and transfer 8 cups of broth to a large saucepan; freeze the remainder.

Bring broth to a boil over high heat. Add red pepper flakes and remaining 1/2 teaspoon rosemary; season with salt. Add kale, reduce to a simmer, and cook until kale is tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in turkey, corn, beans, and scallions and cook just until corn is heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt if desired.

Serves 8.

Apricot-and-Cheddar Chicken Melt

From Everyday Foods, September 2007

1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each), split horizontally (you can also use cooked turkey breast slices--PKS)
1 baguette (about 20 inches), split horizontally, then cut in half
1/4 cup apricot preserves
4 ounces thinly sliced deli ham
4 ounces white cheddar cheese, grated (1 cup)

Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a shallow dish or resealable plastic bag, combine vinegar, mustard, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; add chicken, and turn to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes (or cover and refrigerate in marinade up to 24 hours).

Lift chicken from marinade, and place on prepared baking sheet; broil (without turning) until opaque throughout. Transfer chicken to a work surface; discard pan juices from baking sheet.
Place baguette pieces on baking sheet, cut side up; dividing evenly, spread with apricot preserves, and layer with chicken, ham, and then cheese. Broil until cheese is melted, 4 to 6 minutes.

Serves 4.

Grilled Turkey with Pomegranate-Black Pepper Glaze

Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay

1 (15 pound) fresh turkey
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Pomegranate-Black Pepper Glaze:
1 1/2 cups pomegranate molasses
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
Salt

Whisk together all ingredients in a medium bowl and season with salt to taste. Truss the turkey. Place turkey on a work surface, breast side up. Rub it with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the grill to medium heat. Have the rotisserie shaft fitted with 1 spit fork. Making certain that the turkey is centered, push the rotisserie shaft through the turkey between the legs, exiting at the neck. Slide the spit fork onto the shaft. Insert the tines of the spit forks into the turkey, screw side up, and tighten the screws to secure firmly. Set the rotisserie shaft in place in the rotisserie ring. Loosen the retaining loop at the handle, and let the counterweight assembly hang down to counterbalance the weight of the breast. The rotisserie should rotate so that the heavy side of the turkey rotates down to the bottom. Swing the counterweight assembly so that the counterweight is directly opposite the heavy side of the turkey. Tighten the retaining loop. The counterweight travel should stick out a little bit above the shaft handle and retaining loop. You may need to adjust the travel of the counterweight as the food cooks, or if the motor sounds like it is straining. Insert the pointed end of the rotisserie shaft into the motor. Set the rotisserie shaft into the ring.

Cover the grill, and turn the motor on. Grill the turkey 11 minutes per pound if unstuffed. During the last 30 minutes, baste the entire turkey with 1 cup of the marinade. Remove the turkey from the grill and immediately brush with the remaining glaze. Let rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

To determine if the turkey is thoroughly cooked, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the inner muscle of the thigh, making certain not to touch the bone, and check that the temperature is 175 to 180 degrees F.

Serves 8.

Turkey Pot Pie with Sage Crust

Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay

1 (2 pound) boneless turkey breast
4 cups chicken stock
4 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
3 thyme sprigs
3 black peppercorns
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 pound turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large leek, white and pale green part, sliced thinly
1 large shallot, finely sliced
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons fresh sage chiffonade
Crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped sage
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup ice water

Butter a 4-quart baking dish.

Place turkey breast in a medium saucepan, cover with stock, and add parsley, bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns. Bring stock to a boil, reduce heat to low. Cover pot and simmer until turkey is just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer turkey to a plate, remove herbs and peppercorns with a slotted spoon. When turkey is cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces and transfer to the buttered baking dish.

Add carrots and turnips to the broth and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer carrots, turnips and thawed peas to the buttered baking dish. Strain broth into a bowl. Melt butter in the same pot over medium heat. Add leeks and shallots and cook until soft. Add flour and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in broth and white wine. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook until reduced slightly. Add cream and cook until sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon. Season with salt and pepper and add the parsley and sage. Pour the sauce over the turkey and vegetables in the baking dish.

For the Crust: Place flour, herbs, and salt in a food processor and process until herbs are finely chopped. Add butter and shortening and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add a few tablespoons of the cold water at a time and pulse until the mixture just comes together. Gather dough into ball and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Roll dough into a 15 by 10 1/2-inch rectangle and place dough over onto filling. Trim overhang, tuck dough edge inside dish. Bake until crust is golden and gravy is bubbling, about 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Serves 4-6.

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

From Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa

1 whole bone-in turkey breast, 6 1/2 to 7 pounds
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. (I test in several places.) If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the turkey.

Serves 6.

Cranberry Glazed Breast of Turkey

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Brine:
3/4 gallon water
2 cups white wine
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 cup kosher salt
1 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped ginger
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Turkey:
1 (6-pound) whole turkey breast
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows

Glaze:
1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
1/3 cup chopped ginger
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)

Combine all of the brining liquid ingredients in a large non-reactive container (a stockpot works well for this) and stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Rinse the turkey well under cold running water. Place the turkey in the brine, cover, and refrigerate, turning occasionally, for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.

While the bird is brining, make the cranberry glaze by combining the cranberries, ginger, orange zest, sugar, orange juice, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cranberries burst and sauce is very thick. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a mixing bowl to cool. When cooled, add the liqueur and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to glaze the bird. (Make sure to return the glaze to room temperature before serving. If the glaze gets too thick, thin it with a bit of water.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove the turkey from the brine and discard the brine. Place the turkey, breast side up, in an aluminum foil lined roasting pan. Pat dry with paper towels. Rub the turkey with the vegetable oil and sprinkle on all sides with Essence.

Roast the turkey until it is golden brown and almost done, about 1 hour and 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the turkey from the oven and brush all over with about 1/3 cup of the cranberry glaze. Return the turkey to the oven and continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers 160 to 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes longer. (If the turkey begins to get too dark before it is cooked through, cover loosely with aluminum foil until it reaches the desired temperature. Transfer to a platter and let rest at least 15 minutes before carving.

Carve into thin slices. Serve with the remaining glaze passed at the table.

8 to 10 servings.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Grilled Portobellos Filled with Wild Rice-Almond Pilaf and Piquillo Pepper Vinaigrette

Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay

8 medium-sized portobello caps
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Wild Rice Pilaf, recipe follows
Piquillo Pepper Vinaigrette, recipe follows
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted


Heat grill to high. Brush both sides of mushrooms with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill caps until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Fill the caps with the wild rice pilaf, drizzle the piquillo vinaigrette and sprinkle tops with the toasted almonds.

Wild Rice Pilaf:
1 1/2 cups wild rice
3 cups chicken stock, plus 1/2 cup
2 cups water
Salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place wild rice in a colander and rinse well with cold water. Combine 3 cups of the stock and the water in a large saucepan with a tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil. Add the rice and cook until the grains open and are very soft, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Drain well.

Heat oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the cooked wild rice, thyme, rosemary and remaining 1/2 cup of stock and season with salt and pepper and cook until heated through and flavors combine, 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and fold in the parsley.

Piquillo Pepper Vinaigrette:
5 piquillo peppers, chopped
1/2 small red onion, coarsely chopped
8 cloves roasted garlic, peeled
1/4 cup aged sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup canola oil

Combine peppers, onion, garlic, vinegar, honey, mustard, and salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and blend until emulsified.

Serves 8.

Brined Turkey Breast with Spanish Spice Rub and Sour Orange Sauce

Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay

Jim and I made this last night; we used half a bone-in turkey breast and did it on our gas grill. We made just one-quarter of the rub and orange sauce. The amount of rub was just right for our half-breast, but we ate all the sauce, so next time I would only half the sauce recipe. Read my review the recipe on the title link. This was one of the best dishes I've ever made and it was quick, easy, inexpensive, and didn't require a lot of clean up. We did it on the gas grill.


2 quarts cold water
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 boneless turkey breast, 4 to 5 pounds
Spanish Spice Rub, recipe follows
Vegetable oil
4 oranges, halved
Sour Orange Sauce, recipe follows
Flat-leaf parsley leaves

Place water in a large bowl or plastic container. Whisk in salt and sugar and let sit 5 minutes to dissolve. Add the turkey breast, cover, and let sit in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.

Heat grill to medium-high. Remove turkey from the brining solution, rinse well under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the skin side of the turkey with the rub. Using tongs, dip paper towels into the oil and oil the grates of the grill. Place the turkey on the grill, rub side down and grill until slightly charred and a crust has formed, about 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat of the grill to medium, turn the turkey over and continue cooking, with the lid closed for 30 to 40 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the breast registers 155 degrees F (the temperature will continue to rise off the heat). Remove from the heat, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Slice into 1/2-inch thick slices.

While turkey is resting, brush the cut side of oranges with oil and place cut side down on the grill and grill until slightly charred. Ladle sour orange sauce onto a platter and top with the sliced turkey. Garnish with grilled oranges and parsley leaves.

Spanish Spice Rub:
6 tablespoons Spanish paprika
2 tablespoons cumin seeds, ground
1 tablespoon mustard seeds, ground
4 teaspoons fennel seeds, ground
4 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Whisk together in a bowl.

Sour Orange Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 Spanish onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 cups fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup honey
8 cups homemade chicken stock
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat on the grates of the grill. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the orange juice, lime juice, zest, and honey and cook until reduced by half. Add the chicken stock and cook until thickened to a sauce consistency and reduced to about 2 cups.

Strain the sauce into a bowl, whisk in the butter and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the parsley and serve hot.

Serves 6-8.

Creamed Turkey and Fall Vegetables Over Wild Rice Recipe

6 T. butter
3/4 C. chopped leeks, white parts only
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large fennel bulb, stalk cut off and bulb halved, cored and chopped
Salt
3 1/2 T. flour
1 1/2 C. half and half
1 1/2 C. chicken or turkey stock
1/2 C. grated imported Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
3/8 t. freshly grated nutmeg
2 C. cooked 1/2-inch cubed turkey
1 1/2 C. wild rice
1 C. long-grain rice
1/3 C. chopped flat-leaf parsley

Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add leeks, carrots, parsnips and fennel and cook, stirring, until softened, about 15 minutes. Season vegetables generously with salt. Remove vegetables from pan and set aside.

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in same pan over medium heat until hot, then add flour and stir constantly for 1 minute. Do not let flour brown. Lower heat if necessary. Pour in half and half and stock and whisk constantly until mixture thickens and coats back of spoon, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in cheese, 3/4 teaspoon salt, cayenne and nutmeg.

Return vegetables to sauce along with turkey. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. You may need more salt depending on whether stock was salted or not. (Creamed turkey and vegetables can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Reheat, preferably in large, shallow skillet, stirring, over low heat.)

Cook each rice separately according to package directions. Drain and toss together, seasoning with salt as needed (see Note).

To serve, ladle mound of rice on each of 6 dinner plates. Stir half of the parsley into creamed turkey mixture, then ladle sauce over rice. Sprinkle each serving with some of the remaining parsley. Makes 6 servings.

Note: If you buy wild rice in bulk and do not have cooking directions, cook in the following way: Add the 1 1/2 cups wild rice to 3 quarts boiling salted water and cook 30 to 35 minutes. Rice will double in size and still should be somewhat crunchy when done. Remove and drain in a strainer.

Chinese Turkey Salad

Recipe courtesy Aida Mollencamp

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cups coarsely shredded cooked turkey
1/2 small head iceberg lettuce, halved lengthwise and thinly shredded (about 4 cups)
1/2 small head napa cabbage, cored, and thinly shredded (about 4 cups)
2 cups snow peas, cut into 1-inch pieces on bias
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into matchsticks
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions
1 medium carrot, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced on the bias
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds, toasted

In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, vinegar, and ginger until honey is dissolved. Whisking constantly, add oils in a slow stream until completely incorporated. Taste and adjust flavor, as desired.

Add turkey, toss to thoroughly coat, and let sit 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and toss again to combine.

Serves 6 to 8.

Waldorf Salad with Chopped Truffles and Walnut Dressing

Ingredients:
1 Granny Smith and 1 Red Delicious apple, julienned
3 egg yolks
4 oz. walnut oil
4 oz. créme fraiche
4 oz. plain yogurt
1-1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
Salt and white pepper to taste
1/8 tsp. chopped black truffle
Micro greens or baby lettuce
Candied walnuts (recipe below)

Whisk the yolks and walnut oil together to form a mayonnaise. Fold in créme fraiche and yogurt. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and white pepper. Fold in apples. Add the truffles and serve on a bed of baby lettuce or micro greens. Garnish with chopped candied walnuts.



Candied Walnuts

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups walnut halves
1 cup molasses
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup honey
Apple juice (to thin)
2 cups vegetable oil

Heat oil in a saucepan to 250 degrees. In a small saucepan, heat the molasses, maple syrup and honey. Thin the mixture down with apple juice (consistency should be thick, like paint). Add the walnuts and cook them until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain the nuts. Carefully add the nuts to the oil and fry until they are crunchy, about 2-3 minutes. Remove them from the oil and spread them out on parchment paper to cool.

Turkey Waldorf Salad

Recipe Courtesy Wes Martin

An American classic, Waldorf salad gets its name from the majestic Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, where it was first served in 1896. Crunchy, sweet, savory, and satisfying, it is the perfect use for leftover turkey and all those beautiful fruits and nuts from your Thanksgiving table centerpiece. Chopped ripe pears are a great addition; this tasty salad can also be served on a bed of crunchy butter lettuce in place of the celery root.

An American classic, Waldorf salad gets its name from the majestic Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, where it was first served in 1896. Crunchy, sweet, savory, and satisfying, it is the perfect use for leftover turkey and all those beautiful fruits and nuts from your Thanksgiving table centerpiece. Chopped ripe pears are a great addition; this tasty salad can also be served on a bed of crunchy butter lettuce in place of the celery root.

2 cups shredded leftover turkey meat
2 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 cup celery leaves, coarsely chopped, plus more whole leaves for garnish
1 crisp apple, such as Gala or Macintosh, cored and chopped
1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
1/2 cup pecans, toasted, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup non-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
1 small celery root, peeled and cut into matchsticks
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, gently toss the turkey, celery, celery leaves, apple, grapes, and pecans until combined. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined. Put the celery root in a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the dressing, and toss to coat completely. Add the remaining dressing to the turkey mixture, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to evenly dress the salad.

To serve, spread the celery root evenly onto a serving platter, top with the dressed salad, garnish with celery leaves and serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

Chicken or Turkey Divan à la Locke-Ober

Recipe courtesy James Villas, Crazy for Casseroles, The Harvard Common Press, 2003

Chicken Divan, created and served with great flourish in the Divan Parisienne Restaurant in New York's Chatham Hotel in the early twentieth century, remains one of America's most classic and delicious casseroles, a dish as appropriate to an elegant buffet as on the family supper table.

In my own lifetime, the casserole was a specialty at the renowned Locke-Ober restaurant in Boston, and it was there I learned to enhance the dish by adding a few slivered almonds.

Chicken Divan, created and served with great flourish in the Divan Parisienne Restaurant in New York's Chatham Hotel in the early twentieth century, remains one of America's most classic and delicious casseroles, a dish as appropriate to an elegant buffet as on the family supper table. In my own lifetime, the casserole was a specialty at the renowned Locke-Ober restaurant in Boston, and it was there I learned to enhance the dish by adding a few slivered almonds.

1 (2-pound) head broccoli, stems removed
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons dry sherry
12 slices cooked chicken or turkey
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup heavy cream

Place a collapsible steamer in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, pour in enough water to just reach the bottom of the steamer, and bring to a boil.

Break the broccoli into florets and place them in the saucepan. Steam until just tender, about 5 to 7 minutes and drain.

Preheat to oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a shallow 2-quart casserole and set side.

In a medium-size saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat, then add the flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually add the broth and milk and stir until thickened. Season with salt and pepper; add the nutmeg, 1/4 cup of the cheese, and the sherry. Stir until the cheese melts, and remove from the heat.

Arrange the broccoli in the prepared casserole in a single layer, sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheese over the top, arrange the chicken slices evenly over the broccoli, and sprinkle the almonds over the top.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, fold into the cheese sauce, pour evenly over the chicken and almonds, and bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 35 minutes.

Serves 6.

Pressure Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage Feast

from The New Pressure Cooker Cookbook by Pat Dailey

1 corned beef brisket, about 4 pounds

1 medium onion, quartered

1 tablespoon pickling spice

Water, about 12 cups

1 medium head cabbage, cut in wedges

6 to 8 small red potatoes, peeled

Carrots, parsnips, or rutabaga, as desired, cut into 1-inch chunks

Creamy Horseradish Sauce:

1/2 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish or to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Salt to taste

Combine the corned beef, onion, and pickling spice in the pressure cooker. Add water to cover, making sure it does not go beyond the recommended level for the pressure cooker. Cover pressure cooker and bring up to full pressure. Because of the large amount of water, it will take about 15 minutes to reach full pressure. Reduce heat to stabilize pressure and cook for 1 hour. Quick release pressure.

Remove the corned beef and set aside. Add the cabbage, potatoes, and any other vegetables you are using. Cover pressure cooker and bring up to full pressure. When full pressure is reached, stop the cooking and quick release pressure. The vegetables should all be properly tender.

To make the horseradish sauce, whip the cream with an electric mixer until it holds soft peaks, then fold in the remaining ingredients. The sauce can be made several hours in advance and refrigerated.

Cut the corned beef into think slices, going against the grain. Serve with the vegetables and horseradish sauce, if desired.

Serves 6.

Beef Rosettes with Duxelles and Green Peppercorns

From "The Cook's Magazine", Nov/Dec. 1983

Duxelles:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 medium shallots, minced (about 4 tablespoons)

1 pound fresh mushrooms, minced and squeezed dry in cheesecloth

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Pinch dried thyme

Rosettes:

4 1-1/2-inch-thick médaillons beef fillet or tenderloin (about 6 to 7 ounces each)

Freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons clarified butter, see note

16 sheets phyllo, approximately 12 b 16 inches each

1/2 pound melted butter, approximately

4 tablespoons fine, dry, white breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons green peppercorns, rinsed in cold water, drained, and crushed

1. To make duxelles, in a large frying pan melt butter. Add shallots and cook gently until soft, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until any remaining liquid evaporates and butter is absorbed, about 5 more minutes. Season well with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add parsley and time.

2. Pat médallions dry with paper towels and season with pepper.

3. In a frying pan, heat clarified butter (see note) and brown médaillons over medium-high heat just 1 minute on each side. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.

4. Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on work surface and brush evenly with melted butter. Place another phyllo sheet on top and brush with more butter. Put 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs in center and place médallion on top. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Press one-quarter of the duxelles on top of médaillon. Sprinkle with one quarter of the green peppercorns, pressing them evenly into duxelles. Wrap médaillon like a package in phyllo dough, folding the ends over the meat. Repeat with another layer of butter phyllo. Place package in center of a fourth sheet of phyllo, which has also been brushed with butter. Draw phyllo up around meat and squeeze together in the middle. Pull the ends up and out to resemble a flower. Make sure all outside surfaces of pastry are brushed with butter. Repeat with other médaillons.

6. Place rosettes in preheated 375ºF oven and bake 15 minutes for medium rare beef. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Note: To make clarified butter, melt somewhat more butter than needed over very low heat. When completely melted, remove from heat and allow to stand so sediment will sink to bottom of pan. Skim off any surface foam. Pour off clear butterfat from pan into a measuring cup or other receptacle and discard sediment.

How to Cook and Clean Dungeness Crab

Cooking:

1. Place the crab/s (either alive or recently killed) in boiling, salted water and cover the pot. There should be enough water so that the crab is completely submerged, plus an additional 4 or 5 inches on top of that. Use about half a cup of salt per gallon of water. Cook for about 15 minutes; 10 to 12 minutes for smaller ones, up to 20 minutes for large ones. When cooking live crab, you can put it in the freezer for half an hour beforehand so that it moves more slowly and is easier to handle when placing in the pot. Some people also feel this is a more humane method. They say the cold puts them into a dormant state and then they're not fully conscious when they're boiled.
2. Obviously, the crab will be hot. So, if you want to serve it warm, you’ll need to wear rubber gloves to clean it. Otherwise, put the crab in a bowl of ice water for several minutes and then drain before cleaning.

Cleaning

1. To remove the back, hold the base of the crab with one hand and pull the shell away from the body with the other hand.
2. Turn the crab over and pull on the triangular-shaped section and lift it away. Turn the crab again and gently scrape away the gills on either side with your thumb or a spoon. Also, throw away the intestine, which runs down the center of the back.
3. Most people wash away the "crab butter" (the yellow, mushy stuff in the cavity). But, some consider these organs a delicacy and there are recipes that call for them. So, set them aside if you like.
4. Twist off the legs.
5. Rinse the rest of the body under cold water and break it in half.
6. Crack the legs with a mallet.
7. Dig out the meat with forks or picks or however you can get to it. Eating crab is a messy affair, so just dig in and enjoy.
8. Crab meat is typically served with lemon wedges and melted butter. But, of course, there are many sauces and recipes you can experiment with.

Petits Pois à la Francaise

from Jacques Pépin's A Franch Chef Cooks at Home

8 ounces fresh tiny white onion (about 30 to 35), peel (these onions are the size of large olives), (frozen will do)
1 large head Boston lettuce, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 pound small shelled peas (frozen will do)

Place all of the ingredients, except peas, in a large casserole (not aluminum); bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the peas and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon flour

Mix the flour and butter together until well blended (this is called a beurre manié). Pour the liquid from the peas on the butter mixture and mix with a whisk to blend together. Pour the sauce back into the peas, cover and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes. Taste for seasoning, you may need a dash of sugar.

Serves 6.

100% Sprouted Wheat Bread

Proofing box: I use a heating pad underneath a plastic container into which I place the broiler trivet from my toaster oven and boiling water (I don't want the bowl or loaf pans to actually sit in the water). I cover the whole thing with a towel. It takes a few tries to figure out how much water you need to maintain the temperature.

See link for more elaborate instructions.

1340 grams sprouted hard red spring wheat berries
67 grams vital wheat gluten flour
18 grams sea salt
14 grams active dry yeast (you can also use instant yeast, which doesn't require activation in water)
57 grams honey
1/2 cup water

whole wheat flour for kneading

To sprout grains: generously cover wheat berries with water and store in a dark, cool place for  about 36 hours. Change the water every 12 hours. After 36 hours, drain the wheat berries, place in a covered container, and let them sit on the counter for about 3 to 6 hours until they are just beginning to sprout (until you just begin to see a little white tail form). At this point you can process sprouted grains to a fine pulp with fine meat grinder disk of a KitchenAid mixer. You can also store the sprouts in the refrigerator overnight and grind them the following day. I have also ground them right away and then stored the grind overnight in the refrigerator.

Mix all ingredients together in your mixer (if you are using active dry yeast instead of instant, you will have to activate it with some of the water first before putting it in the mixer) with the paddle attachment for a few minutes, then switch to the dough hook. It takes quite a bit of coaxing and scraping and hand-kneading to get the dough to knead correctly on the dough hook (in other words, I have to move it in and out of the bowl and reposition it multiple times before I'm able to get it to sit in a kneading position on the dough hook). Once the mixer really starts to knead it, I begin tapping tiny amounts of whole wheat flour in the side of the bowl whenever needed so as to keep it sliding around in the bowl. My mixer (4.5 quart 1976 vintage Kitchenaid) takes about 20 minutes to develop the gluten properly; I can tell when the dough starts to really develop because it makes a "slapping" sound as it hits the side of the bowl and undergoes a significant texture change. You have to make it several times until you get the feel for what is going on. I can knead the entire batch of bread at once in the 4.5 quart bowl.

When it is well kneaded, form it into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double, 45 to 60 minutes in a warm, humid environment (about 80º). Gently degas it and knead for a few minutes to redistribute yeast action, cut in three parts, form into three loaves and place into three lightly greased loaf pans (I use pyrex loaf pans). Let rise again until nearly doubled, about 50 minutes, in a warm, humid environment (about 90º). If you don't want to mess with the proofing box, just let it rise on the counter at room temperature; this seems to work almost as well.

Place in a preheated 425º oven on middle lower rack position, and immediately turn oven down to 350º. Let bake 20 minutes. Rotate loaves 180º and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until center of loaf reaches about 205º. Let cool 1 hour before slicing.

Makes three loaves.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Pears

Serves 4

2 pork tenderloins (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
2 garlic cloves
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 Bartlett pears, quartered and cored

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Trim pork, removing excess fat and silver skin. Using string, tie the two tenderloins together and season with salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof saute pan, heat oil over medium. Add pork, and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Add pears and garlic cloves to skillet, and transfer to oven. Cook, tossing pears once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of pork registers 145 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork and pears to a platter; let rest 5 minutes. Season pan juices with salt and pepper, and pour into a gravy boat or small bowl. Remove string and slice pork. Serve with pears and pan juices.

Adapted from Everyday Food - November 2008

Salmon Croquettes

I am a big fan of Paula's but this recipe needed some work. When I first saw it, I had a strange feeling it would be very bland although I have never made Salmon croquettes before and had no idea what went into them. I tasted the fish mixture once I was ready to form the croquettes and oh boy was that boring! I added old bay seasoning, a little cayenne, 2 tsp lemon juice, and a bit of salt and they came out fantastic! I also added a little mayo to the mix, not much only about a 1/4 cup and this made the filling nice and moist and delicious. I will definitely make these again! My boyfriend was raving and kept insisting they were the best he's ever had! --Anna, NY

We thought these were terrific--PKS.

2 fillets canned salmon, drained and flaked (one 6-oz. can)
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons green onions, diced
1/3 cup dried whole wheat bread crumbs
2 teaspoon oil oil oil, for frying

Over medium heat, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a medium, non-stick skillet. Combine canned salmon, beaten egg, green onions and half the bread crumbs. Form into 2 patties and dust with additional bread crumbs. Saute until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drizzle with remaining teaspoon olive oil, turn over and cook an additional 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Serves 2 @ 4 points per serving.