Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes:
6 ½ c. mashed sweet potatoes, 4 eggs Beaten, 1/2 C butter, 1 C Milk, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ tsp lemon extract, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, brown sugar to taste
Mix all ingredients, cook on low in slow-cooker 5-6 hours, top with chopped pecans before serving
Roasted
Veggie Soup: 1 pound carrots peeled,
1/2 pound parsnips peeled, 1 large sweet potato peeled, 1 small butternut
squash (about 2 pounds) peeled and seeded, 3 tablespoons good olive
oil, 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black
pepper, garlic - ~2 cloves, 1 medium onion.
Cut all veggies into 1-1.5 inch cubes. Place veggies in a single layer
on two sheet pans. Drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Toss well. Bake for 25-35 minutes (I usually bake a bit longer to
get the nice brown color and flavor). Turn once with spatula while
baking. Put cooked veggies in blender with 6-8 cups chicken stock.
You will need to do this in 2-3 batches. Return to pan and reheat.
Season with more salt and pepper to taste. The real recipe suggests
serving with olive oil on top with some brioche croutons. Becky made
this in Idaho when the weather was turning cold and the leaves were
falling off the trees - it was awesome. Beck adds nutmeg and ginger
too. You could also throw in a rind of parmesan (remove after simmering),
or it serves well with sourcream on top too.
Vodka Cream
Sauce Pasta (Rachel Ray's
- "You won't be single for long"): Boil water for pasta -
and cook it while you make sauce. Then In a pan saute 2 minced shallots
and 2 garlic cloves with 1 Tbsp Xtra Virgin Olive Oil and 1 Tbsp butter.
Saute until clear - then add 1 C Vodka (pouring in a swirling motion
around pan 3 times as you stir) and reduce mixture by half (about
2 - 3 min), then add 1 C Chicken Stock (pouring in like the vodka)
and reduce by half again (2-3min). Next add 1 large can of crushed
tomatoes stir and bring to a bubble and then add 1/2 C Heavy Cream
and stir it all together. Remove from heat and before you ladel over
noodles - add some chopped fresh basil. Then garnish with parmesean
cheese before serving.
Maple-Glazed Green Beans (The Jenni Allis special): 4 cups (2-inch) diagonally cut green beans (about 1 pound), 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
½ teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger or bottled ground fresh ginger
Place the beans in a large saucepan of boiling water; cook 5 minutes. Drain well; return to pan. Add 1/3 cup water and remaining ingredients; cook over medium-low heat 10 minutes or until beans are tender. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: ½ cup).
Curried Peas
with Cilantro ( this recipe
is from Nicole, and it's awesome): 3 tbsp unsalted butter,
2 shallots (finely chopped), 1 tsp curry powder, 1/2
tsp cumin, 1/3 c water, 2
- 10 oz. boxes of frozen peas, 1/2 c chopped
fresh cilantro.
Heat butter in saucepan over moderate heat, cook shallot until softened. Stir in curry powder, cumin, water and peas and simmer until peas are just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and salt and pepper to taste (this recipe can easily be halved).
Pesto (My sister's famous recipe): In a blender or food processor add 2 C fresh basil, 1/3 C Pine Nuts, 1/2 C fresh grated parmesan cheese, 4 or 5 cloves garlic (depending on size), salt, and as you process add 1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Blend until it looks like Pesto. It lasts for a few weeks and rumor is you can freeze it. Don't freak out if the top layer discolors, just mix it in and it's fine.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (William Sonoma-kitchen companion): Wipe or pick off any pumpkin flesh or strands. Sauté pumpkin seeds in a little canola oil until lightly browned. Transfer them to a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake in a preheated 350degree oven until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels, cool, and store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Pot O' Beans (from the kitchen of Karen Durham): 1 lb. pinto beans , Thin pork chops (¾ – 1 lb) , 4 oz. can of green chiles (not jalapeños) , 2 T. cumin seeds , 2 T. chili powder , 4 cloves garlic , salt to taste , cilantro , pico de gallo
Cover beans with water and soak overnight. Drain water. Put beans in pot and recover with water. Cut off fat on pork chops (leave on bone). Add remaining ingredients and slow cook for 3-4 hours on low heat. If water remains, remove cover. When ready to eat, add 1 T. oregano or cilantro. Serve with Pico de Gallo (see recipe below), cheese, etc.
Pico
de Gallo (from Ruth Allis):
2 tomatoes, 1 onion, 2 T.
cilantro, 3 or 4 serrano or jalapeño peppers, 3 cloves of garlic,
1 T. salt, 1 T. lime juice
Chop ingredients and mix together.
Jim &
Mary Lynn's, Pesto Pasta Salad: 2
C. Farfalle pasta (bow ties), 1/2 C. Carrots, 1/2 C. Green Pepper, 1/2
C. Sweet Onion, 1/2 C. Celery, 2 Tbsp. Pesto Paste (found in tube at
specialty store - or make your own), 6 Tbsp. Olive Oil (extra virgin),
1 C. pitted Italian Olives (both green and black, salt & pepper
to taste.
Boil pasta 'til al dente. In same water cook chopped vegetables for 3 or 4 min and drain (don't overcook they are supposed to be crunchy). Mix Pesto Paste and olive oil. Add to pasta and vegetables. Add olives and salt and pepper to taste. Chill and enjoy! Top with fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano if desired.
Baked-Potato Soup (low-fat): Bake 2 large Baking Potatoes (12oz each) for 1 hr on 400 degrees. Remove from oven and cut in half scoop out pulp into large bowl, leaving 1/4 in thick shell. Mash pulp with potato masher add 1/2 C. skim milk, 1/3 C. (3oz) of 1/3 less fat cream cheese, and whisk. Add 1/2 C. (2oz) feta cheese, 2 tsp dried oregano (if fresh use 2 Tbsp.), 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper; stir well. Spoon mixture back into potato shell and bake for 15 more minutes at 400degrees. - STOP HERE if you only want stuffed potatoes; continue on for the soup.
In a large pot over med heat melt 3 tsp butter. Add 1 C. chopped onion and 1/2 C. diced celery; sauté 3 min. Add 2 cloves garlic (minced) and 1 bay leaf; sauté 2 min. Add 1 & 1/2 C. skim milk 1/8 tsp dried thyme (if fresh use 1/2 tsp), 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, chopped up stuffed potatoes (from above), and 1 (16oz) Can of fat free Chicken broth (low sodium, or veggie broth for my veghead friends). Bring this all to a boil an then simmer on low for 10 min.
Serve w/ chopped green onion, or a sprinkling of shredded cheese on top; or whatever you like to put on your baked potatoes.
Makes 4 servings (340 Calories, 8 grams of fat per serving)
This recipe is out of the Jan/Feb 99 Cooking Light. I tried it and it's totally fabulous (of course I accidentally added way to much oregano - OOPS)
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