Trim stems and remove any wilted outer leaves from Brussels sprouts; wash. Cut any large sprouts in half lengthwise.
In a large Dutch oven bring a large amount of salted water to boiling. Carefully add Brussels sprouts and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until just tender (centers should still be slightly firm). Drain and spread out in a shallow baking pan.
Place sprouts in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
When ready to serve, heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto to skillet, half at a time, and cook until crisp; remove from skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and shallots to skillet. Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until shallots begin to soften.
Add Brussels sprouts, salt, and pepper to skillet. Cook and stir Brussels sprouts about 8 minutes or until heated through. Add vinegar and stir to coat. Transfer Brussels spouts to a serving bowl. Top with prosciutto and serve. Makes 12 servings.
1 10.5-ounce can lower-sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
2 tablespoons diced pimento
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Directions
Cook the green beans according to the package directions, except omit salt. Drain well.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan cook the onion in margarine until onion is tender. Stir in the bread crumbs; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl stir together the soup, yogurt, pimiento, and pepper. Stir in the beans. Transfer mixture to a 1-quart casserole. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture atop beans in casserole.
Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the mixture is heated through and the crumbs are golden. If desired, garnish with additional pimiento pieces. Makes 5 side-dish servings.
In an extra-large bowl combine the kale, salt, and olive oil. Using your hands, rub the kale to help soften it and brighten its color. Rinse the kale in a colander under cool running water; drain well and return to the bowl. Add the savoy cabbage, purple cabbage, and carrots; toss to combine. Set slaw aside.
For the dressing, in a food processor or blender combine the parsley, mayonnaise, sour cream, green onion, vinegar, tarragon, sugar, and garlic. Cover and process or blend to combine.
Add the dressing to the vegetable mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle pepitas over the salad.
3/4 cup chopped fresh apple, in 1/2" pieces (about half a medium apple); leave the skin on, if you like
3/4 cup cinnamon chips
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened preferred
Topping
3 tablespoons coarse white sparkling sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and spice. Work in the butter just until the mixture is unevenly crumbly; it's OK for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated. Stir in the chopped apple and cinnamon chips.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and applesauce. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until all is moistened and holds together. Line a baking sheet with parchment; if you don't have parchment, just use it without greasing it. Sprinkle a bit of flour atop the parchment or pan. Scrape the dough onto the floured parchment or pan, and divide it in half. Gently pat and round each half into a 5" to 5 1/2" circle about 3/4" thick.
To make the topping: Stir together the coarse sugar and cinnamon. Brush each circle with milk, and sprinkle with the topping.
Using a knife or bench knife that you've run under cold water, slice each circle into 6 wedges. Carefully pull the wedges away from the center to separate them just a bit; there should be about 1/2" space between them, at their outer edges.
For best texture and highest rise, place the pan of scones in the freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered. While the scones are chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.
Bake the scones for 18 to 22 minutes, or until they're golden brown. When you pull one away from the others, it should look baked all the say through; the edge shouldn't look wet or unbaked.
Remove the scones from the oven, and cool briefly on the pan. Serve warm. When they're completely cool, wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to several days.
Cut one lemon half into slices or wedges; set aside. Juice the remaining lemon half into a large bowl. For slaw, combine mayonnaise and honey with juice; reserve 2 tablespoons juice mixture. Stir celery, apple, and cabbage into juice mixture in bowl; set aside.
Sprinkle catfish fillets with salt and brush with reserved juice mixture. In a shallow dish combine cornmeal and chili powder; coat fish with mixture.
In a 12-inch skillet heat oil over medium heat. Cook fish in hot oil 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden and fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve fish with slaw and the lemon slices or wedges.
1 pound boneless beef top loin steak, trimmed of fat and cut in thin strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
2 carrots, thinly diagonally sliced
3.5 cups broccoli florets (8 ounces)
6 green onions, cut in long thin strips
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed, or orange juice
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans
Directions
In 12-inch skillet with flared sides or a large wok heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef, garlic, and ginger until beef is browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from skillet. Heat remaining oil. Add carrots and broccoli; cook and stir 3 minutes. Add green onions; cook 1 minute more.
Add orange juice concentrate, soy sauce, and crushed red pepper; toss to coat. Add cooked beef and beans; cook until heated through. Makes 4 servings.
1 pound beef top sirloin steak, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
In a medium bowl whisk together beer, honey, tomato paste, mustard, caraway seed, salt, and pepper; set aside.
Place cabbage and carrots in a 2-quart baking dish; add 2 Tbsp. water. Microwave, covered, on 100% power (high) for 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring once. Set aside; keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a very large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add beef. Cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes or until just slightly pink in the center. Remove beef from skillet; keep warm.
Add onions to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Pour beer mixture mixture into skillet. In a small bowl stir together the 2 Tbsp. water and flour; stir into onion and beer mixture. Return beef to skillet; cook and stir 3 minutes or until bubbling.
Serve beef mixture with cabbage wedges and carrots. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.
1 9-ounce package refrigerated herb chicken tortellini or vegetable ravioli
1/2 cup fresh baby spinach leaves or shredded fresh spinach
Directions
Lightly coat an unheated large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Carefully add broth, leek or onion, ginger, and, if desired, saffron.
Bring to boiling. Add tortellini or ravioli. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 9 minutes or until tortellini or ravioli is tender, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Top individual servings with spinac.
1 cup bottled nopalitos (cactus leaves), drained, or 1 green sweet pepper, cut in strips
1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2.5 cups chopped cooked chicken
Snipped fresh herbs (optional)
Directions
In 4-quart Dutch oven combine chicken broth, black beans, hominy, salsa, nopalitos, undrained green chiles, chili powder, and cumin. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
For the grilled cheese croutons
4 slices wheat bread
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a grill pan over medium-high heat. Spread 1/2 tablespoon butter over 1 side of each bread slice. Turn the slices over and top 2 slices with cheddar and please remaining 2 slices of bread on top, buttered sides up. Add sandwich to pan and grill until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes per side. Let cool for 1 minute and cut into 1-inch cubes.
Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and bay leaf and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes and mash, using a potato masher, until broken down into smaller pieces. Stir in heavy cream and brown sugar.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
Puree with an immersion blender. Stir in vegetable broth until heated through, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately with “croutons”, garnished with parsley.
4 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 to 1-1/4 pounds total)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, green onions, mint, cumin, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Transfer half of the yogurt mixture to a small bowl; set aside. For cucumber-yogurt sauce: Stir cucumber into remaining yogurt mixture.
Sprinkle chicken breasts with 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
Place chicken on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F), turning once halfway through grilling and brushing with reserved yogurt mixture for the last half of grilling. Discard any remaining yogurt mixture.
In medium bowl, whisk together yogurt and one-fourth of the pudding mix until smooth. Gradually add remaining pudding mix to yogurt, whisking until smooth after each addition. Fold in whipped topping, half at a time. Serve lemon cream and berries over cubed cake. If desired, garnish with mint sprigs.
Thinly slice steak across grain. If necessary, flatten slices with palm of hand or meat mallet to 1/4-inch thickness. In medium bowl combine beef, soy sauce, and five-spice powder; toss to coat beef. Thread beef on skewers (soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before threading).
For charcoal or gas grill, grill kabobs on rack of covered grill directly over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes or to desired doneness, turning once.
Meanwhile, in small bowl combine yogurt and snipped mint. From one lime, finely shred 1 tsp. peel. Juice the lime. Stir peel and 1 Tbsp. juice in to yogurt. Cut remaining lime in wedges, if desired. Serve kabobs with yogurt sauce, mint, and lime.
Serve skewers with yogurt sauce and lime wedges. Top with additional fresh mint.
In a large skillet cook ground beef, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic over medium heat until browned. Drain fat. Transfer meat mixture to a 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker. Add beans, tomatoes, beans, broth, cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, and paprika.
Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Top with baguette slices and green onions, if desired.
Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel. Set aside.
Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, saute the chicken in the fat, skin side down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn with tongs or a spatula; you don’t want to pierce the skin with a fork. If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium. When a batch is done, transfer it to a plate and continue to saute all the chicken in batches. Remove the last chicken to the plate and add all of the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add 2 tablespoons of the Cognac and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done.
Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot. Raise the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of Cognac and the cream, and boil for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste; it should be very flavorful because chicken tends to be bland. Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken and serve hot.
Make the pancakes: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Whisk together flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk in buttermilk, oil, eggs, and pumpkin. Let stand 10 minutes (if batter thickens, stir in 1 tablespoon water).
Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Spoon in 1 tablespoon batter for each pancake. Cook until bubbles appear. Flip, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Keep warm in oven while you cook remaining batter. Serve with compote.
