Quinoa and Pomegranate Salad

Serves 3-4

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
2 cups reduced salt chicken stock
50g baby spinach leaves, shredded
1/4 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
1/2 pomegranate, seeds extracted
1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Dressing
4 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tblsp red wine vinegar
1 tblsp pomegranate molasses
salt and pepper

Method
1. To cook the quinoa: rinse the quinoa in a fine sieve, drain, then place in a medium saucepan with the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until the quinoa is soft and the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
2. For the dressing: Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a jug or bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. To assemble the salad: Fluff up the quinoa with a fork, then combine with the spinach, craisins and pomegranate seeds. Pour over the dressing and toss through. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve.

From Ooh-Look

Oven Hot Dogs

8 hot dogs
8 hot dog buns
1 can of chili
1/2 an onion, diced
cheddar cheese
mayonnaise
mustard
sweet relish

Line inside of hot dog buns with mayonnaise and sweet relish. Evenly add mustard. Fill with hot dogs and squish into a 13×9″ baking pan.

Top hot dogs with chili, cheese, and diced onion. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350F for 45 minutes.

Carefully remove from the pan with a spatula–I dropped one on the floor the other day :(

From InTheWabe

Ground Chicken Lettuce Wraps

adapted from The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook: 101 Asian Recipes Simple Enough for Tonight's Dinner, by Jaden Hair
serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground chicken
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated on a microplane
1/2 cup chopped red onion
8 shiitake mushrooms, diced
4 peeled water chestnuts, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 teaspoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 head Butter lettuce
1 1/2 cups cooked jasmine rice
1 - 11 ounce can mandarin orange sections, drained

Directions:
In a bowl, marinate the ground chicken with the soy sauce, wine, and cornstarch for 10 minutes at room temperature.

Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat. When hot, add the oil, swirling to coat. Stir in the garlic, ginger, red onion. Fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add the ground chicken, cooking and stirring until lightly browned, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, water chestnuts, rice vinegar, and oyster sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through. Stir in the red bell pepper and simmer until it is tender-crisp, about 30 seconds to a minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired.

Assemble the lettuce wraps by spooning a heaping tablespoon of rice and filling onto each lettuce leaf. Top with 2-3 mandarin orange sections.

from GoodLifeEats

Baked Mushroom Risotto

Preparation Time: 45mins
(+ 30mins to soak the mushrooms + prepare the eggplant)
Serves 4

¼ cup dried mixed or shitake mushrooms
1 cup warm water
1½ cups Arborio rice
2 cups vegetable stock

Sautéed Eggplant
1 large eggplant
2 tbs sunflower oil
3 garlic cloves, diced
1 red chilli, diced
1 tbs rice wine vinegar
1 tsp dark soy sauce
pinch of white pepper
4 shallots, finely sliced
250g (9 oz) cherry tomatoes
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Soak the dried mushrooms in the cup of warm water for about 30 minutes.

Dice the eggplant and lay out on a clean tea-towel or absorbent paper, sprinkle over a little salt and allow to sit for about 30 minutes, and then pat dry.

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/356°C

Strain the mushrooms reserving the liquid. Finely dice the mushrooms and combine with the Arborio rice in an oven proof dish.

Combine the stock and reserved liquid from the mushrooms, topping up with a little more stock to make three cups total.

Pour the stock mixture over the rice and mushrooms and place in the pre-heated oven for 40-45 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

{Start to sauté in the last 15-20 minutes of the risotto cooking time.}

Heat the oil in a good sized frypan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the eggplant and toss over a medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes until soft and golden.

Add the rice wine vinegar, fry for a few seconds then add the soy and white pepper, continue to toss, add the shallots and cherry tomatoes and cook for a further few minutes until the cherry tomatoes begin to blister.

Remove from the heat, check seasoning, add a little more soy if need be and toss through the parsley.

Serve immediately piled on top of warm baked mushroom risotto and sprinkled with a little toasted sesame seed. Perfect for a great vegan meal the whole family will enjoy!

From VeggieNumNum

Baked Risotto w/ Green Veggies

Preparation Time: 45 mins
Serves 4

1 cup Arborio rice
2 ½ cups homemade or good quality vegetable stock
Juice of 1 orange

Tossed Green Veggies
70g (2.5 oz) almonds, roughly chopped
1/3 cup vegetable stock
Juice of 1 orange
1 tsp Dijon mustard
250g (9 oz) green beans, topped & tailed
1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed
1 tbs olive oil
zest of 1 orange
1 bunch spinach, roughly chopped
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/356°F

Add the Arborio rice, stock and orange juice to a baking dish and combine. Cover with a tight fitting lid or with foil and bake in the pre-heated oven for 40-45 minutes until nearly all liquid is absorbed and rice is al dente.

Prepare the green veggies just before serving so within the last 10 minutes of the baked risotto cooking time.

Whisk the stock, orange juice and Dijon mustard in a small jug or bowl until smooth, set aside.

Heat a good sized frypan or wok add the almonds and dry roast tossing continually, cooking over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes until just brown.

Add the beans and asparagus and drizzle with olive oil, toss in the pan to coat with oil, add the stock and mustard mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the zest and spinach and cook for a further minute or until the spinach is just wilted.

Serve immediately accompanied by spoonfuls or warm baked risotto. Yum!

From Veggienumnum

Sweet Breakfast Couscous w/ Fresh Fruits

Serves 4-6

2 cups cranberry or apple juice
1 cup couscous
½ cup dried cranberries
250g (9 oz) strawberries, halved or red apple, diced
250g (9 oz) mixed fresh berries and/or grapes and/or cherries or figs, dates or diced pear and/or tinned fruits
¾ cup nut & seed mix (walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds etc.)
to serve

fresh mint leaves
maple syrup or honey
non-dairy or dairy yoghurt
In a small saucepan bring the juice to boil, remove from heat. Combine the couscous and dried cranberries together in a large bowl, pour over the hot juice, cover and stand for 10 minutes.

Once the juice is absorbed, fold through the nuts, seeds and fresh fruits.

Best served warm topped with yoghurt, a good drizzle of maple syrup and a few mint leaves on top.

A great veggie or vegan breakfast for a healthy Christmas or anytime of the year; it would also make a delicious addition to your lunchbox for a healthy and sweet snack or lunchtime meal.

From VeggieNumNum

Warm Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Sage

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups cubed sweet potatoes
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped or torn into small pieces
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup slices almonds

Directions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss cubed sweet potatoes with one tablespoon of olive oil. Bake until potatoes are tender when pricked with a form, for about 15-20 minutes.

Step 2: Meanwhile, rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa cook until mixture returns to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes. Remove the lid and add spinach for the last 2 minutes of cooking. Remove pot from heat.

Step 3: Whisk red wine vinegar, oil, thyme sage and salt together rin a large bowl. Add quinoa mixture, almonds and toss combine. Garnish with additional herbs, if desired.

From Craft

Full recipe has 1550 calories , 66g faT, 200g carb, 30g fiber, 44g protein...
With only 1TBS of oil = 1315cal, 39g fat, no change in others.
With NO oil = 1200cal, 26g fat, no change.

JT update...
Made this 2/23/11 - Roughly followed the recipe ;)  Ended up with 4.5 cups of cooked quinoa, 3 cups of roasted sweet potatoes (which took MUCH longer to roast that the recipe indicates), and 5-6 cups of greens (spinach and arugula combined).  The quinoa came out a bit too wet at this ratio.  Used chicken broth instead of veggie broth (not recommended - the flavor is strong).  Didn't add a ton of dressing because of the dampness.  Used only 1TBS of dressing, extra vinegar, and dried herbs.  Overall, I liked this, it wasn't amazing, but it was good.  Perhaps next time I'll follow the recipe more closely.  The flavor/seasonings just weren't that stellar -- needs tweaking.  Made 8 servings out of the batch @ 225cal each.  I froze the leftovers in individual servings - will report back on the effectiveness.

Stuffed Portobello Mushroom

Yields: 6 servings
7 Portobello mushrooms
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 cup sushi rice
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14-ounce) can vegetable broth, warm
½ cup canned black beans, rinsed
2 celery stalks, peeled and diced
½ cup roasted red bell pepper, diced
3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
1/3 cup Dubliner (cheddar) cheese, shaved

Preparation
Prepping the rice:

Wash and rinse the rice thoroughly in several water baths (about three times). Drain as much water as possible.

Fill about 3 quarts of water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Add the rice. Bring the liquid back to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to a gentle boil. That way the rice is cooked evenly all the way through. Cook for about 7-8 minutes at a bubbly simmer. Add 1 teaspoon of salt half way through the cooking process (it will enhance the natural flavor of the rice and keep it more tender). Keep stirring the rice every now and then so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. The grains of rice should still be a little hard, about 2/3 of the way cooked. Drain the liquid from the rice using a fine mesh colander. Do NOT rinse. Discard the liquid.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prepping the Portobello mushrooms: Remove the stem from 6 mushrooms. Using the edge of a spoon, scrape and remove the gills of the Portobello mushrooms. (For appearance only, keeps dish from turning dark.)  Wipe the inside clean using a paper towel (see tips). Drizzle the mushrooms with olive oil.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Making mushroom filling:
Dice the reserved Portobello mushroom.
In a deep non-stick pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onions and cook until nicely golden and tender (it may take 5-8 minutes). Once the onions are cooked, add the garlic and coriander. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another minute so the garlic is cooked and fragrant. Add the celery, diced Portobello mushroom and the black beans. Transfer the onion mixture to a plate, leaving as much oil as possible in the pan. Set aside.

In the same pan, add another tablespoon of oil. Add the rice. The oil should coat all the grains and gently separate the grains. Add tomato paste and warm vegetable stock. Stir constantly. After bringing the liquid to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low; add the parsley, caramelized onion mixture, green onions and bell peppers and continue cooking for about 12 minutes. Check the liquid; it should all be absorbed. adjust seasoning. Season with more salt if necessary and pepper.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assembly time:
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Brush a hot grill with olive oil.
Top the Portobello mushrooms with the rice filling, dividing among the 6 mushrooms. Tightly stuff them, by gently pressing the filling using a spoon.
Place the whole mushrooms on a hot grill, hat side down. Cook until you get grill marks. Remove from the grill.
Sprinkle with Dubliner cheese. Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake for 20 minutes until the top is melted and forms a crust. Broil for about 2 minutes, until golden.
Serve warm.

From PhamFatale

Crispy Potato Roast

Serves 8
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 1/4 hours

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
4 shallots, thickly sliced lengthwise
course salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
8 sprigs thyme

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine butter and oil. Brush bottom of a round 9-inch baking dish with some butter mixture. With a sharp knife or mandoline, slice potatoes very thinly crosswise.

2. Arrange potato slices vertically in dish. Wedge shallots throughout. Sprinkle with salt and red-pepper flakes (if using); brush with remaining butter mixture. Bake 1 1/4 hours. Add thyme and bake until potatoes are cooked through with a crisp top, about 35 minutes more.

From The Bitten Word (Originally from Everyday Food)

JT -- I made this with sweet potatoes.  It was easy and good, but not exceptional.  The potatoes were a little too soft for my taste, not really roasted.  Tasty though.  May try again without packing them so tightly.

Brussels Sprout Salad with Pomegranate Seeds

Makes a full medium size soup bowl of salad, perfect for a light lunch; we doubled for dinner for two

6 brussel sprouts, washed, patted dry and thinly sliced
2 red onion, sliced thinly, 2 tablespoons
pomegranate seeds, handful, about 1/4 of a large pomegranate

1/4 cup tea seed oil
1/8 cup sherry vinegar
1/8 cup fresh meyer lemon juice
sprinkle of maldon salad
sprinkle of fresh cracked black pepper

In a small bowl, soak the red onion in ice cold water, while you mandoline or thinly slice the brussel sprouts. Drain the onion, pat dry and mix with the sprouts. Add the pomegranate seeds and lightly toss. In a small jar with a lid, add the oil, vinegar and lemon juice; shake well, about 45 seconds. Drizzle over the salad. Add as little or more, depending on your personal preference. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lightly toss. Serve. Eat.

From ChezUs
.

Reindeer Cookies

3/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt

Chocolate-covered mini pretzels
Mini brown M&Ms
Regular-sized red M&Ms

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, milk, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add egg; beat until just blended.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.

Form dough into 1/2-inch balls. To make reindeer-shaped cookies, pinch the bottom of the ball slightly to form a point, then gently flatten with your hand. Space cookies about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until set or just beginning to brown.

Remove from oven and immediately (and gently) press two mini pretzels into the tops of the cookies for the reindeer's antlers. Press two mini brown M&Ms in for the eyes and one red M&M for the nose (or any other color... some of mine ended up with green noses. They might be South Pole reindeer.).

Allow to cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack or paper towel to cool completely.

Makes about 40 reindeer cookies.

from Bakergirl

JT -- I made these at Kris' house.  They came out cute, but you have to work fast!  I couldn't find mini M&M's or mini chocolate pretzels (check Trader Joe's next time!), so I made substitutions.  They came out cute.  They don't travel real well - the pretzels are a bit loose.  Also, the pretzels tend to get stale.  Chocolate covering would help on both counts.

REINDEER BITES

-1 box Nilla Wafers
-8 oz chocolate, melted
-1/4 cup toasted coconut

Melt the chocolate in the microwave and few seconds at a time, stirring in between.  Toast the coconut in a pan over medium-low heat until golden brown…make sure you keep stirring!!!  Once the chocolate is melted and the coconut is toasted, dip the Nilla wafers in chocolate and then dunk in the coconut. Set on a piece of wax paper (or foil or parchment…whatever) til they harden. This is a great meal little snack to have if you’re craving chocolate, vanilla, sugar, or just plain goodness. Or really anytime.
From Heather'sDish

JT -- I made these at Kris' house.  They are very easy to do and tasty too.  I added some shopped up roasted almonds.  I found they looked better if I dipped them in chocolate, layed on parchment, then placed a bit of coconut and/or almonds right on the cookie.  The Nilla wafer has a tendency to go soft pretty quickly.  I think they might hold the crisp better if the whole cookie was covered in chocolate (or maybe I shouldn't store them in the same bin as the peanut butter cookies!).

SOUTHWEST SPAGHETTI SQUASH

SERVES 4 

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash (3 pounds)
1 (14 ounce) can Mexican-style tomatoes, undrained
1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup monterey jack cheese, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1Preheat oven to 350°F.
2Cut squash in half lengthwise.
3Remove and discard seeds.
4Place squash, cut side down, in greased baking pan.
5Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until just tender.

6Using fork, remove spaghetti-like strands from hot squash and place strands in large bowl.

7Add tomatoes with juice, beans, 1/2 cup cheese, cilantro, cumin, garlic salt and pepper; toss well.
8Spray 1 1/2 quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray.
9Spoon mixture into casserole.
10Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
11Bake uncovered, 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through.
12Serve immediately.

PUMPKIN SPICE CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE

PUMPKIN SPICE CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 eggs
1/4 c. water
1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin
1 (16 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips

Blend cake mix with dry ingredients. Mix in eggs, water and pumpkin. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into greased and floured 10 inch bundt pan. Bake 350 degrees 45 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool on rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely. Mix glaze and drizzle over cake.

GLAZE:
1 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. cinnamon
Few drops of orange food color

Applesauce Cookies

Makes 24

Ingredients:
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup applesauce
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F ( 195 degrees C ). Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream the shortening, sugar, and egg. Stir in the applesauce. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Then mix in the raisins and nuts.
3. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove to cool on wire racks.

Servings Per Recipe: 24
Calories: 158  Total Fat: 6.8g  Cholesterol: 9mg  Sodium: 81mg 
Total Carbs: 23.4g  Dietary Fiber: 0.6g  Protein: 1.7g

from Allrecipes.

My Mom made these cookies and they are really good. The texture is was makes them special for me - they are sorta crispy on the outside, but fluffy on the inside. So good!

HG’s Spinach, Mushroom and Mozzarella Supreme

Ingredients
•2 bags Frozen Chopped Spinach, Thawed, Drained, And Thoroughly Patted Dry (16 Oz Each)
•1-½ cup Canned Sliced Mushrooms (about 2 Medium Cans Or 1 Large), Drained
•3 whole Wedges Of The Laughing Cow Cheese, Any Light Flavor, Room Temperature
•1 cup Diced Onions
•⅓ cups Shredded Fat-free Mozzarella Cheese
•¾ teaspoons Garlic Powder
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a pan sprayed with nonstick spray, cook onions over high heat until browned (about 3 minutes).

Make sure all excess water has been removed from spinach. In a mixing bowl, combine spinach, onions, cheese wedges, and garlic powder. Mix well.

In a medium casserole dish sprayed with nonstick spray, spread half of the spinach mixture along the bottom.

Layer half of the mushrooms evenly over the spinach mixture in the casserole dish. Then spread the remaining spinach mixture over the mushrooms. Layer the rest of the mushrooms over that.

Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the shredded cheese. Then place dish in the oven to cook for 25 – 30 minutes (until the shredded cheese layer begins to crisp slightly). If you like, season your serving to taste with salt and pepper.
Makes 6 servings
From HUngryGirl.com

Potato, Chicken, and Fresh Pea Salad

Fast: Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled for maximum versatility. Leftovers make an easy and satisfying lunch.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups)


1 pound fingerling potatoes, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
2 cups fresh sugar snap peas
2 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until almost tender. Add peas; cook 2 minutes or until peas are crisp-tender. Drain; place vegetables in a large bowl. Add chicken, bell pepper, and onion.

2. Combine oil and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over salad; toss gently to combine.



CALORIES 316 ; FAT 9.3g (sat 1.7g,mono 5.8g,poly 1.3g); CHOLESTEROL 60mg; CALCIUM 50mg; CARBOHYDRATE 29.2g; SODIUM 680mg; PROTEIN 26.4g; FIBER 3.6g; IRON 2.4mg

Cooking Light, APRIL 2009

Slow-Roasted Mushroom Lasagne

Roasted Mushrooms:

500g button mushrooms, cleaned and thickly sliced
3-4 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt & pepper to taste

Lasagne:

1 batch slow roasted mushrooms
4 fresh lasagne sheets
150g ricotta cheese
100g soft goat’s cheese
1/2 cup thin or cooking cream
1 large organic egg
1 large onion, roughly diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp butter

method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C, then toss the sliced mushrooms in olive oil, crushed garlic, lemon and salt and pepper. Scatter the mushrooms onto a baking tray lined with non stick baking paper, then roast for 30 to 40 minutes or till browned on the bottom. Flip over all the mushroom slices and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and cool.

2. Melt the butter in a non stick frying pan over medium heat, then add the onion and garlic to the pan and sauté till translucent and soft. Once soft, mix together with the ricotta, goat’s cheese, thin cream and egg till the mixture is well incorporated.

3. Line a non-stick loaf tin with the first lasagne sheet, then layer with 1/4 of the cheese mixture and add 1/4 of the slow roasted mushrooms. Repeat till you’ve used up all of the mushrooms and cheese, then bake in an oven at 180 degrees C for 30 minutes or till a skewer poked through the pasta sheets goes through cleanly.

4. Allow to cool slightly in the pan before carefully removing onto a plate, and serve while still warm with a fresh garden salad.

from the mighty mushroom

Cold Sesame Noodles

Serves 4

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1" chunk of peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
water, to thin
8 ounces spaghetti, or soba noodles
4 scallions {light & dark green parts}, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded & sliced in matchsticks
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Optional added protein: Cubed extra firm tofu, or shredded cooked chicken breast

Puree the peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, light brown sugar & red pepper flakes in the bowl of a food processor, until smooth. With the motor running, add some water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the sauce has a fluid consistency.
Cook the pasta, according to the package instructions, until cooked al dente. Drain & rinse under cold water to cool. Add the pasta to a large mixing bowl & add in the scallions, bell pepper & cucumber. Pour in about half of the sauce & toss to combine well. Add more sauce, as necessary to get the desired consistency. You may not need all the sauce. But, save it, as it helps to have some on hand to moisten leftovers, which tend to dry out once chilled.
If adding some tofu, or chicken to the salad, add that now. Toss to combine & garnish with the sesame seeds.
from The Parsley Thief

Peach Grilled Cheese

Makes 2 sandwiches

- 4 slices of rustic bread (I used a sourdough loaf)
- 2 very ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
- 4-6 ounces Gruyere cheese, sliced
- Handful of arugula
- Butter

Directions:  You know what to do..

Ingredients from Macheesmo

Pasta with Smashed Peas

Serves 4

1 pound pappardelle, tagliatelle, fettuccine, or linguine
1 16-ounce package frozen peas, thawed
3/4 cup ricotta
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
1.Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2.Meanwhile, pulse the peas in a food processor or blender until chopped but not pureed. Add ½ cup of the ricotta, season with the salt and pepper, and pulse to combine.
3.Drain the pasta, reserving 1/3 cup of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the pea puree and reserved pasta water and toss.
4.Divide the pasta among individual bowls. Top with the remaining ricotta, a sprinkle of chives, and a drizzle of oil.
from RealSimple

Good with lemon juice in peas too.

Raw Asian Noodle Salad

1 zucchini, julienned
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
a handful of sprouts of some sort (I used the ones typical in Asian stir fries)
1 tsp fresh chopped ginger
1/2 hot chili pepper, minced (or to taste)
1/3 an onion, thinly sliced and marinated in some soy sauce for 5 minutes to soften (in separate bowl)
a handful of fresh cilantro, minced
(optional) a handful of fresh basil, minced
1-2 tbsp sesame oil
3-4 tbsp soy sauce
(optional) a couple of chopped almonds to garnish

Place your julienned zucchini noodles in a bowl. Chop up all your veg and add to noodles. Add the oil and soy sauce and toss with salad. Let this sit for a couple of minutes and it will soften the noodles and veg. Add in the onions. Next top with fresh herbs. Chop a couple of almonds and sprinkle over the top of the salad to give it some crunch.
from Innocent Cooking

Spinach and Sweet Potato Salad

The Ingredients (for a very big salad like this one)
a big pack of spinach salad (350 g)
3 sweet potatoes
herbs (rosmarin, thyme, cumin)
goat cheese (1 standard box)
pine nuts

1.Cut the potatoes into cubes. Put them into a dish, sprinkle with olive oil and herbs, salt and pepper.
2.Bake for about 40 minutes at 180℃, depending of your oven...Let it become crispy.
3.Bake the pine nuts into a pan, until they become slightly brown.
4.Mix all the ingredients, with the salad and the goat cheese.
5.Add your favorite dressing (mine was just simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar).
from About Food

Serrano Cocktail

In our conversation with Tony Abou-Ganim, the cocktail legend revealed his affinity for Campari. Playing around with the bitter orange liqueur for several recipes in his new book, The Modern Mixologist, Abou-Ganim introduces the Serrano Cocktail (which is named for James Beard award-winning chef Julian Serrano). With vodka as its backbone, this drink combines Campari, limoncello and fresh orange juice for a vibrant sipper.

1 1/2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. Campari
1/2 oz. limoncello
1 1/2 oz. fresh orange juice
Ice cubes
Tools: shaker, strainer
Glass: coupe
Garnish: lime twist

Combine all ingredients and shake well. Strain into a chilled glass and garnish.

From Imbibe magazine

Quinoa Summer Salad

serves 8

2 C. water
1 1/2 C. quinoa

kernels from 3 ears of white corn
1 large (1/2 lb) zucchini, diced
1/2 lb. mini sweet peppers (or one large orange bell pepper), diced
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
3 large jalapenos, veins and seeds removed, diced small
1 C. cilantro leaves, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1. In a smallish (2 quart) saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the quinoa and bring back up to a simmer. Turn heat down to lowest setting, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand, covered, for another 10 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, combine the warm quinoa with the rest of the ingredients. Stir until evenly mixed.
from Opera Girl Cooks

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz package cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 C butter (1/2 stick) at room temperature
4 C sifted powdered sugar (You can decrease this amount if you don't care about it being as stiff for piping)
1/2 C cocoa powder

Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
Mix in powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
Mix in cocoa powder.

from Cupcake Project

TOFU MAYONAISE

Blend together in blender or mini-prep:
6 oz soft or regular tofu
1/4 cup olive oil
5 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
1/4 tsp turmeric (adds flavor, nourishment and yellow color)
pinch of powdered stevia (to taste)
(Herbs and minced garlic may be added if desired)

When well-blended and thickened, it’s ready to use.

Will keep in refrigerator for 5 or 6 days

Let me know what you think of it: Any changes or additions to suggest?

Sometimes I use 1 Tbs sesame oil for part of the oil, and when I have pomegranate juice I might use it instead of the stevia.

from Georgia Pellegrini

Pasta Puttanesca

Servings Per Recipe: 8
Cost per serving: $0.84
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 20 min. Total: 25 min.

INGREDIENTS COST
1 lb. pasta (your preference)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
3 filets anchovies
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 (28 oz.) can diced or crushed tomatoes
10-15 ea kalamata olives
1/3 bunch fresh basil (or 1 tsp. dry)
2 Tbsp. capers
1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar (optional)

STEP 1: Fill a large pot with water (about 2/3 full) and bring to a rolling boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions (boil 5-7 minutes or until al dente). Drain in a colander.

STEP 2: While the pasta boils, dice the onion and mince the garlic. In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Cook the onion, garlic, anchovy filets and red pepper flakes over medium heat until softened (5 minutes).

STEP 3: Add the canned tomatoes, roughly chopped kalamata olives, capers and roughly chopped basil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the pasta is done cooking (about 10 minutes). If the sauce has too much of a bite for you, add 1/2 Tbsp. of brown sugar to mellow it out.

STEP 4: Once the pasta is cooked and drained, add it to the skillet with the puttanesca sauce. Stir well to combine. Alternatively, place cooked past on a plate and top with a scoop of puttanesca sauce.

from Budget Bytes

Moroccan Chicken

Makes 1 Serving

3-4 ounces chicken breast
1/4 cup eggplant, cubed
1/4 cup zucchini, cubed
1 small tomato, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2-1 cup Israeli couscous, cooked
lemon & cilantro for garnish 1 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. powdered ginger
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1. Mix together everything from the paprika to the pepper to create your very own spice blend.

2. Cut your chicken up into chunks and place in small bowl. Sprinkle about half of the spice mix over your chicken and coat the chicken thoroughly. Set aside.

3. Heat a sautee pan with a tablespoon of the chicken stock. Place your garlic in the stock and mix around. Let cook for 3-4 minutes until garlic release aroma and starts to brown.

4. Add in eggplant, zucchini, tomato, the rest of the chicken stock and the remaining spice mix. Cover and let simmer for about 8 minutes until the eggplant and zucchini are soft.

5. You should have a gravy in your pan by this point as well as mostly cooked vegetables. Check for salt. Then, place your chicken in the pan and nestle it in. Cover and let cook 5-6 minutes or until cooked through.

6. When chicken is almost done, throw couscous into pan to quickly reheat (or serve couscous separately). Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve with lime.

from The Baking Barrister

Spicy Sweet Potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

2.5 tbs olive oil

2.5 tbs brown sugar

1 tsp chili powder

0.5 tsp salt

0.25 tsp cayenne pepper

Honey

1. In a ziploc bag, combine brown sugar, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper; shake to mix the ingredients. Add olive oil. Add sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Allow sweet potato mixture sit on counter for 10 minutes, turning once.

2. Spray a 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add sweet potato mixture to dish and drizzle with honey.

3. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring every 10 minutes.

from SweetPea's Kitchen

Fall Cocktails

Pear Vanilla Sparkler

1/4 of a ripe pear, cut into pieces
1/2 oz. honey syrup
1/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 oz. Navan (vanilla cognac)
1/2 oz. Light Rum
2 oz. Champagne

In the bottom of a shaker, muddle the pear in the honey syrup and lemon juice. Add the Navan, rum and stir briefly with ice. Strain into a chilled champagne flute or martini glass and finish with Champagne. Garnish with a couple slices of pear.

Honey Syrup
In a small saucepan add equal parts of honey and water, bring to a simmer until the honey has melted into the water then allow to cool.

Winter Rum Punch

2 parts light rum
1 part apple cider
1 part Benedictine or Orange liqueur
1/2 part maple syrup
1/2 part fresh lemon juice

Combine ingredients in a shaker (or punch bowl if preparing a large batch). Add ice when ready to serve, and stir well then pour into high ball or wine glasses. Garnish with a cinnamon stick. Can be made ahead.

from Inspired Taste

Mediterranean Vegetables & Poached Egg

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small potato, peeled, cubed
1 zucchini, cubed
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons chopped roasted red pepper
2 teaspoons capers
5 kalamata olives, pitted, halved
chopped fresh parsley
1 poached egg

Directions
1. Cook potatoes for a few min. Add zucchini and paprika. Cook till the vegetables are tender and browned.

2. Add roasted peppers, capers and olives. Heat through. Add parsley.

3. Pile the vegetable medley on a plate and top with a poached egg.

from Mango and Tomato

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Quinoa Salad

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen sweet white corn
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When shimmering and hot, add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and stir for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the quinoa and cover with broth. Stir in cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed).

Stir in the frozen corn and black beans. Cover and let the pot sit off the heat until the corn and beans are heated through, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Serve warm or chilled

from My Kitchen Cafe )

Quick-No-Cook Breakfast

Ingredients
1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese*
1/2 cup of no-fat plain yogurt
1/2 a peach, chopped
1/2 a banana, chopped up
Big handful of blueberries
Tbsp. of walnuts
Dash of cinnamon


Directions:

Combine cottage cheese and yogurt with cinnamon. Add fruit and nuts and enjoy!!

If you want to sweeten it up a bit, try a little honey or agave nectar.
from Dani Spies

Quinoa with Oranges and Yogurt

Ingredients
1/2 cup of cooked Quinoa
1/4 cup of Greek-style yogurt
1 orange, cut into chunks
1 tbsp walnuts
2 tsp of honey

Directions

Place quinoa in a bowl and top with yogurt, oranges, and walnuts. Drizzle with honey and enjoy!

Serves 1.
from Dani Spies

Turkey and Avocado Super Sandwich

I have made and really like this sandwich --JT

Ingredients
1 slice of Cinnamon Raisin Ezekiel Bread
2 ounces of store baked turkey breast
¼ avocado
A pinch of salt

Directions
Pop the Ezekiel bread in the toaster and get it good and toasty.
Mash up the avocado with the back of a fork and then smear onto your toasted bread. Add a little pinch of salt to the avocado and layer on your turkey.

from Dani Spies

Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini

yield: Makes 4 to 6 main-course servings

Koosa - Kussa (Lebanese)

6 medium yellow or Clarita zucchini (6 to 8 oz each)
[or a few GIANT zucchini]
1/2 cup long-grain rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 lb ground beef chuck or ground lamb (not lean)
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups canned diced tomatoes including juice
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1/2 lemon

Hollow out each zucchini, working from both ends with a small melon-ball cutter or an apple corer, removing all seeds and leaving shells about 1/3 inch thick. Discard pulp and seeds.

Wash rice in several changes of cold water in a bowl until water runs almost clear, then drain in a sieve. Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute, then remove skillet from heat.

Transfer 1/4 cup onion mixture to a bowl and cool slightly. Add rice, meat, allspice, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and mix well with your hands. Stuff zucchini shells with meat mixture, being careful not to pack tightly (rice will expand during cooking).

Add tomatoes with juice, stock, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper to onion in skillet and bring to a simmer. Put stuffed zucchini in tomato sauce and simmer, covered, until rice is cooked through, 1 to 1 1/4 hours (cut 1 zucchini in half crosswise to check).

If sauce is watery, transfer zucchini to a plate and boil sauce, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes, then return zucchini to sauce. Squeeze lemon over dish before serving.

From Epicurious

Peach and Tallegio Panini

Recipe from Giada DeLaurentis

Makes 4 sandwiches

1 (1-pound) loaf ciabatta bread (or 8 slices country bread)
1/4 cup olive oil
8 ounces Taleggio cheese or brie, sliced
2 medium peaches, cored and cut into 1/4-inch wedges (or pears)
2 tablespoons honey
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces arugula or spinach

Preheat the panini machine. Cut the ciabatta loaf into 4 equal pieces. Halve each piece horizontally to make 4 sandwiches. Brush the bread on both sides with olive oil and place the bottom-half of the bread slices in the panini machine in a single layer. Heat until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Continue with the remaining top slices of bread.

While the top slices of the bread are in the Panini machine, begin forming the sandwiches. Divide the cheese among the warm bread. Cover the cheese with slices of fruit. Drizzle the fruit with honey. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with a handful of arugula. Place the warmed top half of the bread over the arugula and return the completed sandwich to the panini machine for 1 to 2 minutes more to finish melting the cheese. Remove from the panini machine. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve immediately.
from a cozy kitchen

Black Bean & Potato Tacos

Filling
6 new potatoes
2 T canola oil
1/2 - 3/4 c canned black beans
1/2 t Mexican oregano
1/2 t ancho chili powder
1/2 t salt

5 corn tortillas

Toppings
sliced radishes
salsa
sliced scallions
queso fresca
sour cream

Halve the potatoes & cook them in a pot of salted boiling water until just tender about 20 minutes. Drain & let cool until they can be handled. Cut each half into 4 pieces.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Add the beans, potatoes, oregano, ancho powder & salt. Sauté for about 5 minutes until everything is coated with seasoning & hot.

Divide the filling between the 5 tortillas & add toppings. Makes 5 tacos.

from a good appetite

Oma Ingrid's German Potato Salad

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 - 1/3 cup hot vegetable broth (water with a vegetable bullion cube dissolved)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon brown deli mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped

Preparation:

Wash potatoes, place in a double boiler/steamer basket over hot water and cook until tender. Remove and let cool for about 5 minutes, then peel and cut into quarters which are then cut into 1/8 inch slices and place in a large bowl.

Immediately after slicing the potatoes, add the oil, vinegars, and 1/4 cup of the broth. Carefully toss to coat. Add onions, mustard, herbs, and season with salt and pepper. If your potato salad seems dry, add the rest of the broth. Serve or refrigerate until ready for use.
from susi's kochen

RASPBERRY APPLESAUCE JELLO

3 sm. pkgs. raspberry Jello
3 c. boiling water
2 pkgs. frozen raspberries with juice
2 c. applesauce

Add 3 cups boiling water to Jello. Stir in raspberries and applesauce. Set until firm.

Dark Chocolate Frosting

adapted from My Baking Heart
makes enough for 24 cupcakes
Printable Recipe
6 Tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk (or Baileys)

Cream butter and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture.

Slowly add milk until frosting reaches desired consistency, then beat another 5 minutes creamy.

from bean town baker

Peanut Butter Bars

Recipe Source: How to be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson

Ingredients - Base
50g brown sugar
200g icing sugar
50g margarine (you can use butter, but I think it tastes better with margarine)
200g smooth peanut butter

Ingredients - Topping
150g dark/milk chocolate (I use dark)
1 tablespoon margarine/butter

Method
1. Combine the ingredients for the base. I use my Kitchenaid with the K beater attachment.

2. Sample the dough. If you want it more peanutty, add more peanut butter; but know that this will make the dough softer and more squidgy.

3. Line a 23cm square tin (or equivalent) with baking paper. Press the dough evenly into the tin and refrigerate.

4. Make the topping. Put the chocolate and butter into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until mostly melted. Stir.

5. Pour the chocolate mixture onto the base and spread. To get the chocolate flat, rap the tin on the tabletop and it should flatten out.

6. Refrigerate until chocolate is just set. Occupy yourself with other tasks so you don't die of anticipation.

7. Cut the peanut butter bar into little squares with a hot knife. If the chocolate is too hard and the base too soft - meaning that when you try to cut, the base all squidges out of shape - then turn the bar upside down and cut.

For a bit of class, instead of having Peanut Butter Bars you can have Peanut Butter Balls. Instead of forming the dough into a bar, roll the dough into small balls and freeze them. Then dip in chocolate. If desired, you can drizzle more chocolate over the top once the bottom layer is hard.

Another change you can make is to add Rice Bubbles to the dough. This is a good thing - the crunchiness is good, and the addition of another ingredient means the volume of dough is greater. Therefore, you can get more yum out of the same recipe!
from food for torte

Snow Pea, Edamame and Ground Turkey Stir Fry

Ingredients
1lb extra lean ground turkey
2 cups snow peas
1 cup edamame
3 garlic cloves, minced

Marinade
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon mirin or 1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

Directions
1. Mix the ground turkey with the marinade ingredients and leave for at least 15 minutes.
2. Mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
3. Heat oil in pan and add garlic. Cook until fragrant.
4. Add the ground turkey to the pan and cook until 3/4 cooked through.
5. Add the snow peas and cover for 3-5 minutes until the snow peas are bright green and cooked but still crisp.
6. Add the edamame and sauce and stir quickly to mix everything together. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve immediately with fluffy white rice (or not for a carb free meal).
From the kitchen slave

Chicken and Potato Crisp Salad with Watercress

8 servings

2 pounds small red potatoes, washed but not peeled
3/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 pounds onions, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
6 cups cooked chicken, pulled into bite-sized pieces (I use chicken tenders)
2 bunches watercress, large stems removed
(optional) 2 ripe tomatoes, quartered, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Slice the potatoes 1/8 inch thick. (You can use a mandoline). Place in a bowl, add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss until coated. Season with ½ teaspoon each of the salt and pepper.

3. Cover 3 baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable spray. Arrange the potato slices in a single layer on the baking sheets and roast in the oven, 2 sheets at a time, for 10 minutes. Turn and switch the sheets and bake for 5 to 7 minutes longer, until browned around the edges and crisp. Loosen the potatoes from the sheets as soon as they are done and transfer to paper towels to cool. Repeat with the remaining potatoes.

4. Meanwhile, in a large casserole, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the onions and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cover tightly and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to moderately high and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are well browned, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer.

5. In a bowl, combine the grainy and Dijon mustards with the lemon juice, parsley, rosemary and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Whisk in the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil. Set aside ¼ cup of this dressing.

6. Add the mustard-lemon dressing (less the ¼ cup) to the onions and stir well to blend, scraping up any browned bits adhering to the bottom of the casserole. Scrape the onion into a bowl. Add the chicken and potato crisps and toss well. Add additional olive oil by tablespoons if needed.

7. In a bowl, toss the watercress with the reserved ¼ cup dressing. Fold the watercress into the salad and serve.

from cook and be merry

Italian Street Salad

Serves 4

Salad
3/4 lb. new potatoes, scrubbed
fine grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 bag of mixed salad greens (arugula, radicchio, romaine, et.) or 3-4 handfuls
large handful fresh mint, torn
1 cup fresh peas

Dressing
juice of 1 orange or blood orange
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
generous pinch dried oregano
2 tablespoons capers

1.) Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and boil until fork tender; 20-40 minutes, depending on your potatoes. Drain and set aside.

2.) Whisk together orange juice, vinegar, olive oil, oregano, and capers. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3.) Combine potatoes, greens, mint, and peas in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and use your hands to gently coat the salad with the dressing.

from Habitually Hungry

Chicken Picatta

You will need: adapted from a Cuisine-At-Home magazine
4 chicken cutlets
2 TBS oil
1/4 cup dry white wine(or chicken stock)
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 TBS capers, drained
2 TBS butter
fresh lemon slices
chopped parsley for garnish
salt and pepper to taste
flour for dusting chicken


Directions:
Season chicken with salt and pepper. If your chicken breast is thick, you might want to pound it a bit to make it thinner. It will cook much faster. Dredge the chicken in flour and shake off excess flour.
Add oil in a saute pan and heat on med-high. Saute chicken 2-3 minutes on one side.
Turn chicken on second side, cover pan, and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a warm plate. Pour off fat...if you have any.
Deglaze pan with wine. Add garlic. Cook until the garlic is just brown (don't overcook as it will become bitter) another minute or so.
Add 1/2 cup broth (if you want a bit more sauce in the final stage you can add a bit more stock) and lemon juice. Add the capers as well.
Return the browned chicken and cook on each side for 1 minute.
Transfer the chicken (again) unto a warm plate. Add butter and lemon slices to the sauce in the skillet. Cook until the butter melts.
Once the butter melts, add the sauce and lemon slices over the chicken cutlets.
Sprinkle some chopped parsley.
from  home cooking in montana