1 lb (500 g) elbow macaroni
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1 tsp salt
4 cups whole milk
1 tbsp sriracha
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 butternut squash, roasted and flesh mashed
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese
Directions
1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Rinse under cold water to cool and set aside.
2. In a large pot melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and salt and whisk to combine. Let cook, 1 minute. Add milk, mashed butternut squash, sriracha and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Let mixture simmer until thickened, about 4 min. Reduce heat to low and add cheese. Add in pasta and stir to combine.
3. Serve with a green salad or bake in the oven in a 9 x 13” casserole dish and top with more cheese and bread crumbs for a crispy topping.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Total Time: 30 min.
Makes: 24 fritters
Ingredients
Fritters
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups corn kernels
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
Vegetable oil, for frying
Dipping Sauce
½ cup plain yogurt
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tsp srirarcha
1 tbsp lime zest
1 tbsp lime juice
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
Lime wedges, to serve
Directions
1. In a large bowl combine egg and milk. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients into milk mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in corn kernels and cilantro.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium high heat. When oil has reached 350F add fritter mixture by the tbsp. Cook until golden brown, turning halfway through cooking, about 2-3 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.
3. To make dipping sauce combine yogurt, mayonnaise, sriracha, lime juice, lime zest and cilantro. Serve with warm corn fritters.
2 lb new potatoes
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
4 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
2 green onions, finely sliced
½ cup finely diced red onion
3 celery stalks, finely diced
¼ cup finely chopped dill
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Preparation Instructions
1. Place potatoes in a large pot of salted, cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, until tender, about 10 min. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool. Cut each potato into quarters. Place in a large bowl.
2. To potatoes add mayonnaise, Dijon, crumbled bacon pieces, green onions, red onion, celery, dill, salt and pepper. Mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2 small plain goat cheese logs, very cold
2 eggs
3/4 cup panko crumbs
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp salt
8 cups packed baby spinach, arugula or mache
Preparation Instructions
Slice each goat cheese log into 6 1/2″ rounds. Whisk eggs in a shallow bowl. Pour panko into another bowl. Dip cheese rounds into egg, then in panko until well coated. Place on a large plate. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, 2 hours, or overnight.
Heat a small non-stick frying pan over medium high. Add 2 tbsp oil, then 3 frozen cheese rounds. Cook until golden, about 2 min per side. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining cheese.
Whisk remaining 2 tbsp oil with vinegars and salt in a large bowl. Season with fresh pepper. Add greens, and toss until coated. Divide amongst 6 plates. Top each with one or two rounds of cheese.
Every time I go out for Italian food, I end up ordering some variation of this salad, so I thought it was time I developed my own recipe for it so I can enjoy it at home too! I’m happy to report this version does not disappoint!! I’ve listed the ingredients to serve 2, but this is the type of thing that’s easily cut down or increased to feed as many as you need.
Ingredients
4 oz mixed mushrooms (cremini, oyster, shitake are good)
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp truffle oil
1/4 cup grated good quality parmesan cheese
2 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
2 cups mixed greens, like arugula, baby spinach or dandelion leaves
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to broil. Wash the mushrooms and slice them roughly. Toss mushrooms with 2 tsp olive and truffle oils. Coat with grated parmesan cheese. Transfer the mushrooms to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place under the broiler (not at the top rack or they will burn) and cook 4 minutes. Take out of the oven, stir, and return to broiler for an additional 4 minutes.
While the mushrooms are browning, mix olive oil, vinegars and salt and pepper in a bowl to make a dressing. When the mushrooms come out of the oven, toss the greens in the dressing. Plate onto two plates, and top with warm mushrooms. Note: This salad comes together at the last minute as you need to plate it right away once you’ve dressed it. The vinegar in the dressing bruises the baby greens quickly, and once you put the hot mushrooms on, they will start to wilt. Using strong greens like arugula and spinach makes for a nice warm salad.
My husband hates brussels sprouts. Here’s a true story that changed his mind: One day we were at a restaurant when the steak he wanted to order was accompanied by brussels sprouts. He asked to have potatoes instead. When his meal arrived, the chef came out of the kitchen with a small plate of brussels sprouts, and insisted that while he may hate most brussels sprouts, he was sure he would not hate these. And he was right. I’ve spent a long time trying to decipher the recipe, and I think I finally got it. Try them, they just may change your mind about this tiny cabbage!
Ingredients
1 lb brussels sprouts
1/2 cup pancetta, or sliced bacon
1 tblsp olive oil
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Trim the ends and yellow leaves off of the brussels sprouts. Wash. Place in a large bowl. Add the pancetta or bacon, olive oil and salt and pepper. (not too much salt as the bacon has salt in it).
Toss to coat evenly.
Place brussels sprouts on a cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
Stir. Roast for an addition 10 minutes.
Mix dijon mustard and sour cream together.
Remove sprouts from over, pour sour cream mixture over top and mix to coat evenly.
Return to over for an additional 10 minutes.
These amazing food processor latkaes literally take 5 minutes to whip up! And their chopped-up texture make them distinctly hash-brown like! Thanks to Norene Gilletz of Gourmania for sharing this traditional Hanukkah dish! It’s from her Book, the NEW Food Processor Bible. It’s simply delicious- we had them for lunch the other day with a green salad and loads of home made applesauce to dip!
Ingredients
4 medium potatoes peeled or scrubbed (or substitute Purple Sweeties)
1 medium onion
2 eggs (or 1 egg plus 2 egg whites)
1/3 cup flour or matzo meal
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp oil (plus more as needed for frying latkes)
Preparation Instructions
Cut potatoes in chunks and onion in half. Place in processor with eggs. Process on the Steel Blade until pureed, 20 to 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients except oil; process a few seconds longer to blend into a smooth mixture.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drop potato mixture into hot oil by large spoonfuls to form pancakes; brown well on both sides. Drain well on paper towels. Add additional oil to pan as needed. Stir batter before cooking each new batch. Latkes can be placed on a parchment-lined baking sheet and kept warm in a 250 degree F oven.
(To bake latkes instead of frying, place oven racks on lowest and middle positions in oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Drop potato mixture by spoonfuls onto well-oiled baking sheets; flatten slightly. Bake 10 minutes, until bottoms are browned and crispy. Turn latkes over. Transfer pan from upper rack to lower rack and vice versa. Bake 8 to 10 minutes longer.)
Yield: about 2 dozen or 5 dozen miniatures. Freezes well.
Another great warm and cozy meal that’s put together in 10 minutes…
Ingredients
3 tblsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 small can chickpeas
1 large can diced tomatoes
3 cups of chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation Instructions
Heat the oil in a large saucepan
Add the onions and garlic. Cook for about ten minutes, until translucent.
Add cumin, cayenne, herbs. Cook 2 minutes stirring constantly.
Drain chickpeas. Add to onion mixture. Drain tomatoes (reserve juice for bloody marys!). Add chopped tomatoes to onion and chickpea mixture. Cook 10 minutes.
Add broth and bay leaf.
Cook 20 minutes.
Here’s a lovely dish to make in the early fall or late summer, when those long thin red peppers are in season. They’re easier to barbecue than traditional rounded bell peppers!
Ingredients
6 marconi (the long thin mild bell peppers) peppers
8 roma tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 clove garlic
10 greek olives (optional)
For dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 tblsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
Preparation Instructions
Roast pepper on the bbq, or in the oven, under the broiler, until skins are blackened. Remove from heat and immediately wrap in newspaper or place in a paper or plastic bag. Seal bag and put aside.
Cut tomatoes in half. Remove seeds (run your finger or a spoon inside the tomato to loosen the fleshy pulp and seeds- they will fall right out).
Put 1/4 cup of olive oil and salt in a plastic bag or bowl, add tomatoes, and toss/mix until coated.
Arrange the tomatoes on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and place in a low temperature oven (300 degree Farenheit) for about an hour and a half, turning half way through cooking time.
Peel peppers and remove seeds.
Pull peppers apart with your hands to make long sections of pepper (you can use a knife, but this is so much easier to do while you are seeing the peppers!) Place in bowl. Add the tomatoes, crushed garlic and olives if using. Sprinkle with salt. Add oil and vinegar (balsamic is great if you tend to like a slightly sweeter sauce.) Toss. Serve cold or room temperature.
This salad is best if you can leave it for an hour or two for the flavors to develop.
This recipe is perfect alongside Chicken Marvelosa. It comes from our friend Norene Gilletz’s book Norene’s Healthy Kitchen (Whitecap books), and is the ideal side dish to serve at a family gathering. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots, or add a dash of honey for the High Holidays.
Ingredients
1 large onion, sliced
2 lb (1 kg) carrots, peeled and cut in 2-inch lengths
3 to 4 cloves garlic (about 3 to 4 tsp minced)
2 to 3 Tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9- × 13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Place the onion, carrots, and garlic in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste; mix well. For best results, the carrots should be in a single layer in the dish.
3. Roast, uncovered, for 45 to 60 minutes or until golden and tender, stirring the carrots occasionally. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Yield: 6 servings. Keeps for up to 2 days in the refrigerator; reheats well. Don’t freeze.
Find variations on the recipe here. Thanks Norene!
