basic Brussels sprouts

from Alton Brown

1 lb Brussels sprouts

1/2 c water

1/4-1/2 t kosher salt

Cut off the stem end of the Brussels sprouts and remove any yellowing outer leaves. Cut each Brussels sprout in half from top to bottom. Place the Brussels sprouts, water and salt into a 3 to 4 qt saucier and cover. Place over high heat and cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Remove, toss with a bit of butter, and serve immediately.

cinnamon-almond snaps

These are strangely addictive, especially with tea or coffee. Excellent for the holidays. I have no idea where we found this recipe, but we didn't create it ourselves.

makes about twelve dozen small cookies

3 c all purpose flour
2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1 c unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t salt
1 3/4 c blanched sliced or slivered almonds

Sift first four ingredients into medium bowl. Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in both sugars. Add egg and egg yolk; beat to blend. Beat in vanilla and salt.

Add flour mixture and beat until dough comes together in moist clumps. Add almonds and knead gently in bowl wiht hands until blended.

David dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each into 10" long log, about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2" in diameter. Wrap dough in 2 layers of plastic and place in freezer until frozen, at least 4 hours. (Can be prepared 1 month ahead. Keep frozen.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Working with one log at a time, remove plastic and cut crosswise into 1/4"-thick-rounds. Place rounds on ungreased baking sheet, spacing 1" apart. Bake until light golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer cookies ot rack and cool completely. Store airtight at room temperature.

Russian tea cakes

from Epicurious.com

2 1/4 c all purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1 c butter, room temperature
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla extract
3/4 c finely chopped husked hazelnuts, toasted
powdered sugar for rolling

Sift flour and salt together. using electric mixer, cream butter in large bowl until light. Gradually add 1/2 c powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Add vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients in three batches. Mix in hazelnuts. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Form dough into 1" balls. Space 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until just firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool slightly. Roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely. Roll cookies in powdered sugar again. Store in airtight container for at least a few days.

cranberry orange oatmeal cookies

adapted from several similar recipes to suit our tastes

1 3/4 c all purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
3/4 t salt
2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t ground cloves
6 T unsalted butter, room temperature
10 T vegetable shortening (preferably Crisco butter flavor), room temperature
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 t vanilla extract
1/4 t orange oil
1 1/3 c old-fashioned oats (not quick cooking)
1 1/2 c dried cranberries, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two light colored baking sheets.

Stir dry ingredients in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars in large bowl until blended and smooth, about 1 minute. Add egg, vanilla, and orange oil, and mix thoroughly. Stir in flour mixture and just incorporated, then stir in oatmeal an cranberries.

Using a tablespoon or a #50 disher, drop dough onto sheet. Bake until tops and bottoms are lightly golden, rotating baking sheets, front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking to ensure even browning, about 10-13 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool completely.

Will keep for several days in airtight container. Should freeze well.

quick italian breaad

from recipeland.com

makes 1 loaf

2 1/4 t yeast, active dry
7/8 c warm water
2 1/2 c bread flour
1 1/2 t sugar, divided
1 1/2 t salt
cornmeal

Proof yeast and 1 t sugar in 7/8 c warm water for 10 minutes in a warm place. In food processor fitted with dough blade, mix flour, remaining 1/2 t sugar and the salt for 20 seconds. With processor running, pour in the yeast mixture in a continuous stream. Dough should combine and pull away from the sides of the bowl within a few seconds. Add more warm water by the teaspoon if necessary. After dough combines, let processor run for 30-40 seconds to knead.

Remove dough and roll it with your hands to about 18 inches long. Place on baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal to prevent dough from sticking. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 minutes. Remove plastic and diagonally slash loaf with sharp knife at about three-inch intervals. Put in middle of the oven. Spray loaf with water and bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

rustic shrimp stew

from wholeliving.com

makes 4 servings

2 T olive oil
1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed, halved and thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, quarted and sliced crosswise
2 links (3 oz each), fully cooked Italian-style chicken sausage, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/4 t cayenne pepper
2 T all-purpose flour
2 c reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 c parsley leaves, chopped
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add potatoes, carrots, garlic, onion, sausage, and cayenne; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are crisp-tender, 15 to 17 minutes.

Sprinkle flour over potatoes and vegetables. Stir in broth, bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes more. Top mixture with shrimp. Cover and simmer 3 to 4 minutes until shrimp are opaque throughout. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.

chicken and white bean soup with greens

from health.com

1 T olive oil

2-3 thinly sliced leeks, white parts only

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1/2 c carrot, cut into 1/4" thick slices

6 c low sodium low fat chicken broth

1 1/2 c shredded rotisserie chicken

1 fresh rosemary sprig

1 19oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 c packed roughly chopped fresh kale

1 c packed baby spinach

1 T chopped fresh parsley

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, 3-4 minutes or until tender but not browned. Add carrots and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add broth, chicken and rosemary and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add beans and kale, and simmer for about 5 minutes more. Add spinach and cook 2-3 minutes more or until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove rosemary sprig (and garlic cloves, if desired). Ladle soup into 6 warm bowls; sprinkle each with fresh parsley.

6 servings, 209 cals, 6 g fat, 20 g protein, 21 g carbs, 5 g fiber

oriental chicken salad

this is our attempt to recreate the chinese chicken salad from california pizza kitchen

chicken:

1/4 c teriyaki sauce

2 t olive oil

1 t minced garlic

1 t minced fresh ginger

1 to 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

salad:

greenleaf or iceberg lettuce, washed, dried, and cut into 1/8"-wide strips

romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and cut into 1/8"-wide strips

1 c shredded carrots

1/3 c sesame seeds, toasted

1/3 c minced fresh cilantro

1 red or yellow bell pepper, julienned

1 cucumber, seeds scooped out and julienned

12 large fresh basil leaves, cut crosswise into thin strips

1 large bunch scallions, thinly sliced, both green and white parts

dressing:

1 c bottle hoisin sauce

3 oz red wine vinegar

2 T minced fresh ginger

2 T Dijon mustard

1 1/2 t Vietnamese chili sauce

1/2 c olive oil

2 T toasted sesame oil

Put all the dressing ingredients except the 2 oils in a mixing bowl. Blend thoroughly with a handheld electric mixer or a whisk. Then, mixing or whisking continuously, slowly pour in the olive an sesame oils, stirring until thoroughly blended. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Preheat a stovetop grill or the broiler. In a mixing bowl, stir together the teriyaki sauce, olive oil, garlic and ginger. Coat the chicken with the marinade and leave them to sit for 10 minutes at room temperature. Grill or broil the chicken until cooked through, 5-6 minutes per side. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, then cut crosswise into 1/4" strips. Cover and refrigerate.

Combine lettuces, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, and basil. Add most of scallions and some dressing. Toss to combine. Transfer to serving plates. Arrange chicken strips on top of each salad. Drizzle a little salad dressing on top and garnish with remaining scallions.

French Tuna Salad

(From the New York Times Magazine 9/5/04)

10 to 12 ounces good-quality solid tuna packed in olive oil, well drained
2 scallions washed, trimmed and chopped fine
6 pepperoncini peppers, destemmed and julienned
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup roasted or smoked almonds, chopped roughly, or a small handful toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup good-quality olive oil (or the oil the tuna was packed in)
1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or more to taste
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Mix all the ingredients well with a fork in a medium-size, nonreactive bowl. Taste and adjust the lemon juice and pepper. The salad can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated.

Yield: About 2 cups.

chicken broccoli ziti skillet dinner

from America's Test Kitchen

cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into bite sized pieces on the diagonal, season with salt and pepper.

heat a tablespoon of veg oil in a large nonstick skillet, when pan is hot add chicken, leave for a few minutes to brown on one side, then stir to cook other sides.

mince half a large onion and three cloves of garlic. when chicken is mostly cooked, remove it, add another tablespoon of oil, the onion, and 1/2 t salt. cook for 3-5 minutes until onion begins to soften, then add 3 cloves minced garlic, 1/4 t oregano, 1/8 t red pepper flakes, 8 oz ziti, 1 can low sodium chicken broth (1 3/4 c), 2 c water. turn up heat to high and simmer uncovered.

meanwhile cut broccoli into evenly sized bite sized florets. rinse 3-4 oil packed sun dried tomatoes, then chop them finely.

once liquid is almost completely absorbed, add 3/4 c water, the broccoli florets, and the sun dried tomatoes. cover and steam for 2-3 minutes.

meanwhile, shred 1/2-3/4 c asiago cheese. uncover skillet, add the chicken, 1/2 c heavy cream and the shredded cheese, and simmer for a minute or two until the sauce starts to thicken. serve with a little shredded asiago on top.