Thai Spiced Tofu

8 oz. firm tofu, cut into 4 1/2-inch slices
3 tbsp. Thai red curry paste
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. fish sauce or tamari
1/2 lb. green beans
1/2 c. vegetable broth
1 tbsp. peanut oil

Place tofu between layers of paper towel and weigh down with a heavy skillet to remove excess water. Set aside to drain for 10 minutes.

Combine curry paste, sugar, and fish sauce; put half of the sauce in a resealable plastic bag. Add tofu, seal, and set aside for 15 minutes.

In a saucepan, combine green beans, broth, oil, and remaining curry sauce. Simmer until beans are tender, about 5 minutes. Cover to keep warm.

Lightly coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place it over medium heat. When hot, add tofu and cook until golden, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a dinner plate and cover. Serve with green beans. Makes 4 servings.

Glazed Tofu with Bok Choy

1 (14 oz.) pkg. firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 tbsp. canola oil
2 heads bok choy, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 c.)
3 garlic cloves (1 thinly sliced, 2 minced)
1 (14 oz.) can vegetable broth
1 (1-inch) pc. fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 tsp. fish sauce or tamari
1/4 c. soy sauce
4 tsp. dark brown sugar
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp. cornstarch

Drain tofu on paper towels. Heat 1 tbsp. canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bok choy and sliced garlic; cook, stirring, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Add 1-1/2 c. broth; simmer until reduced by half.

Meanwhile, combine minced garlic, ginger, fish and soy sauces, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Heat remaining canola oil in another skillet over high heat. Add tofu and brown, about 3 minutes per side. Add soy mixture and coat tofu with it. Simmer, uncovered, until sauce is syrupy, about 4 minutes.

Stir cornstarch into reserved broth; add to bok choy. Stir gently until thickened, about 2 minutes. Divide bok choy onto 4 plates and layer the glazed tofu on top. Makes 4 servings.

Pizza Sauce II

28 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. salt
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow to cook for at least 15 minutes. Once finished cooking, remove from heat. If you prefer a smoother sauce, use a potato masher or immersion blender to break up the chunks of tomato. Alternatively, simply leave it as is if you prefer a chunkier sauce. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Crispy Baked Chicken Strips

1/4 c. salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
1/4 c. flour
7 tbsp. butter, melted
2 c. finely crushed Corn Flakes cereal

Dissolve salt in 1 qt. cold water. Add chicken to brine, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove cutlets from brine and pat dry with paper towels.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Place an oven-safe baking rack on a baking sheet. Place flour and butter in separate bowls. Place crushed cereal flakes in a shallow pie plate. Dip chicken pieces in flour, then butter, then crushed cereal, shaking off excess in between each step. Place coated chicken strips on prepared baking rack.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with your choice of dipping sauces.

Braised Chicken

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cumin
4 to 5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
1 onion, sliced
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 c. chicken broth
Cilantro, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine garlic, paprika, curry powder, cinnamon, salt, cumin, and olive oil. Whisk together until well-combined. Heat 1 to 2 tbsp. olive oil in a skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts to pan and cook until just golden brown on both sides, a few minutes per side. Once browned, remove chicken to a plate.

Toss about a third of the sliced peppers and onions onto the bottom of your baking dish. Lay chicken pieces on top of vegetables. Brush tops of chicken pieces with spice-olive oil mixture. Distribute remaining peppers and onions around and on top of the chicken pieces, and top with chopped tomatoes. Brush remaining spice-oil mixture on top of the veggies. Pour chicken broth into baking dish around the edges. Transfer baking dish to preheated oven to bake for 1 hour. After 30 minutes of baking, remove from oven, flip chicken pieces over, toss vegetables, and spoon some of the cooking juices from the bottom of the dish over the top of the chicken. Return dish to oven to bake for 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.

Chicken Lo Mein

6 oz. lo mein noodles
1 tbsp. oyster sauce
2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 c. chicken broth
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 tbsp. canola oil
1 med. chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 sm. onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
1 c. snow peas
4 oz. sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. sesame oil

Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook lo mein noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In the meantime, make sauce by combining oyster sauce, soy sauce, chicken broth, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Whisk well and set aside.

Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan and cook until browned and cooked through. Add vegetables, each a few minutes apart, starting with onion and bell pepper and ending with mushrooms. Cook just until tender-crisp. Add garlic and saute just until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add sauce to pan, and then cooked lo mein noodles. Toss mixture well to coat everything. Drizzle with sesame oil and toss once more. Serve immediately.

Baked Ziti

1 lb. whole milk or 1% cottage cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 c.), divided
Salt
1 lb. ziti
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
20 oz. turkey Italian sausage
1/2 c. yellow onion, finely chopped
5 med. cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves, divided
1 tsp. sugar
Ground black pepper
3/4 tsp. cornstarch
1 c. heavy cream (or whole milk)
8 oz. low-moisture mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°F. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 c. parmesan cheese together in a medium bowl; set aside. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Stir in 1 tbsp. salt and pasta; cook until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Crumble in turkey sausage and cook until nearly browned. Add onion and garlic and continue to cook until onion is softened and sausage is completely browned. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 c. basil and sugar, and season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl stir together cornstarch and heavy cream. Transfer mixture to the now-empty stockpot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add cottage cheese mixture, 1 1/2 c. tomato sauce, and 3/4 c. mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add pasta and toss to coat thoroughly with sauce.
Transfer pasta to a 9- x 13-inch baking dish and spread remaining tomato sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and parmesan over the top. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil from pan and continue to cook until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tbsp. basil and serve.

Szechuan Noodles

Dressing:
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 c. fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. tahini
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. dry sherry
1/4 c. sherry vinegar
1/4 c. honey
1/2 tsp. hot chili oil
1 tbsp. dark sesame oil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Noodles:
1 lb. thin spaghetti
2 bell peppers (red, orange, or yellow), julienned
4 scallions, sliced diagonally

Place garlic and ginger in bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade. Process until finely minced. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add remaining dressing ingredients and puree until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and store in refrigerator while preparing the pasta.

Cook spaghetti until al dente according to package directions. Drain pasta in a colander, transfer to a serving bowl, and while still warm toss with about half of the dressing. Add bell peppers and scallions; toss. Add remaining dressing to taste and serve warm or at room temperature.

Herb Roasted Turkey Breast with Vegetables

5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. olive oil
2 to 3 lb. turkey breast
4 to 6 carrots, unpeeled and cut into 3/4-inch rounds
1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
6 red potatoes, quartered
3/4 c. dry white wine

Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Pat herb mixture all over entire surface of the turkey breast. If your turkey breast still has the skin on, rub some of the herb mixture underneath the skin as well. Place turkey breast in a roasting pan. Toss vegetables into roasting pan surrounding turkey breast. Pour wine over vegetables, as well as a few splashes over the turkey breast itself.

Bake uncovered for approximately 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until internal temperature of the turkey breast reaches 170 to 175°F. Transfer turkey breast to a serving platter and surround with roasted vegetables. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tequila-Lime Grilled Chicken over Black Beans

Chicken:
1/4 c. tequila
1/2 c. freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 c. freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp. chili powder
1 jalapeno pepper, ribbed, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Beans:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. chicken or vegetable broth
Cumin, fajita seasoning, and cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
Dash of hot sauce
1/2 to 3/4 c. frozen corn

Combine tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeno, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl or zippered plastic bag. Mix well; add chicken breasts to container. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours.

When you are ready to cook the chicken, heat grill to medium-high heat. Oil grates to prevent meat from sticking. Once grill is heated, cook chicken until nicely browned and cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

While chicken is cooking, prepare beans. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno to pan and saute for 1 minute more. Add black beans to pan and cook for a few minutes until warmed through. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Season with cumin, fajita seasoning, and cayenne pepper to taste. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. Allow mixture to simmer until most of the liquid has reduced. Stir in hot sauce and frozen corn, and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Divide bean mixture between two serving plates and top with grilled chicken. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

Greek Salad

Dressing:
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. minced fresh dill
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

Salad:
Romaine lettuce
Sliced red onions
Sliced black or kalamata olives
Grape tomatoes, halved
Cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
Crumbled feta cheese

To make dressing, in a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients. Whisk together until well combined.

To make salad, add romaine lettuce to a salad bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss well to coat. Top as desired with red onions, black olives, tomatoes, cucumber, and feta cheese. Store leftover dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and shake well before using again.

Pita Bread

3 c. flour, plus 1/2 to 3/4 c. more, as needed
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar or honey
1 packet instant yeast
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 c. water, roughly at room temperature
2 tbsp. olive oil, vegetable oil, butter, or shortening

Mix yeast in with flour, salt, and sugar. Add olive oil and 1 1/4 c. water and stir together with a wooden spoon. All of the ingredients should form a ball. If some of the flour will not stick to the ball, add more water.

Once all of the ingredients form a ball, place ball on a work surface, and knead dough for approximately 10 minutes. If you are using an electric mixer, mix at low speed for 10 minutes. As dough is mixing, continue to add flour, 1 or 2 tbsp. at a time, until dough clears sides of bowl and is tacky but not sticky. (I add a significant amount of flour, so don’t be afraid to keep adding more until you reach the right consistency.)

When you are done kneading dough, place it in a bowl that has been lightly coated with oil. Form a ball out of the dough and place it into the bowl, rolling the dough around so that it has a light coat of oil on all sides. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside to rise until it has doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.

When it has doubled in size, punch dough down to release some of the trapped air and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, cover balls with a damp kitchen towel, and let them rest for 20 minutes. This step allows the dough to relax so that it will be easier to shape.

While dough is resting, preheat oven to 450°F. If you have a baking stone, put it in the oven to preheat as well. If you do not have a baking stone, turn a cookie sheet upside down and place it on the middle rack of the oven while it is preheating. This will be the surface on which you bake your pitas.

After the dough has relaxed for 20 minutes, spread a light coating of flour on a work surface and place one of the balls of dough there. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on top of the dough and use a rolling pin or your hands to stretch and flatten the dough. You should be able to roll it out to between 1/8- and 1/4-inch thick and about 6 inches in diameter. If the dough does not stretch sufficiently, you can cover it with the damp towel and let it rest 5 to 10 minutes before trying again.

Place discs on a lightly greased baking sheet or parchment paper and let rise, uncovered, until barely doubled in thickness, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Open oven and place as many pitas as you can fit on the hot baking surface. They should be baked through and puffy after 3 minutes. If you want your pitas to be crispy and brown you can bake them for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, but it isn’t necessary.

Chicken Gyros

Tzatziki Sauce:
16 oz. plain yogurt (not nonfat, if possible)
1/2 hothouse cucumber or 1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded
2 to 3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press (or finely minced)
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil

Chicken:
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping tbsp. plain yogurt
1 tbsp. dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 lb. chicken pieces, whatever you prefer

To Assemble:
Pita bread
Fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
Red onion, sliced thin

To make tzatziki sauce, strain yogurt using cheesecloth over a bowl. Let strain for several hours or overnight, if possible, to remove as much moisture as possible.

Shred cucumber. Wrap in a towel and squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

To prepare chicken, combine garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well. Add chicken pieces to bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Cook chicken as desired, either in skillet or with broiler. Once chicken is completely cooked through, transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into strips.

Heat pitas. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, diced tomatoes, and sliced onions. Serve immediately.

Cinnamon-Raisin Pull-Apart Muffins

Dough:
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
1 c. lukewarm water
2 tbsp. olive oil
Ground cinnamon and sugar, for coating dough

Cinnamon-Raisin Mixture:
8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Raisins (about 1/2 c.)

Combine flour, salt, and yeast in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add in water and oil, and mix together until a dough has formed. Switch to dough hook and knead on low speed until you have a homogenous dough, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.

Once dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured work surface. Gently deflate dough with the palms of your hands, form into a ball, and recover loosely with plastic wrap. Let sit for about 20 minutes.

While dough is resting, make cinnamon-raisin mixture. Combine butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Toss well to combine and then cut butter into dry ingredients using two forks or a pastry cutter, until mixture is crumbly. Add raisins and toss to combine.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease wells of a muffin pan and dust with flour. Once dough has rested, flatten to about 3/4-inch thick. Cut into small chunks (about 6 to 8 chunks per muffin, depending on the number and size of muffins you want). Sprinkle chunks of dough with a little bit of flour, a handful of granulated sugar, and a generous dusting of cinnamon. Toss to combine well.

Fill muffin tins halfway with chunks of dough (about 3 to 4 chunks). Top each with some of the cinnamon-raisin mixture, then top with remaining dough chunks, packing lightly. Sprinkle tops with a bit more cinnamon-raisin mixture.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes, then run a sharp knife around edges of each muffin, and gently scoop out of the muffin tin.

Grilled Portobellas Stuffed with Sausage, Spinach, and Mozzarella

3/4 lb. turkey sausage
1 med. yellow onion, sliced
1/2 c. dry red wine
8 oz. fresh spinach leaves, stems removed and coarsely chopped
1/2 c. water
Salt and pepper
4 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves
3 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, diced
6 to 8 lg. portobello mushrooms, stems removed
Olive oil, for brushing
1-2 tomatoes, thinly sliced

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Oil grates.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage and break into small pieces. Add sliced onion and cook until tender and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add wine and cook until wine is completely reduced. Add spinach and water to pan, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tbsp. basil, 2 tbsp. parsley, and cheese. Stir together and allow to cool slightly.

Brush mushroom caps on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on grill, cap side down, and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove mushrooms from grill and place on a flat surface, cap side down. Fill mushrooms with sausage mixture and top each with one or two slices of tomato. Return to grill, cap side down, and close cover. Cook until mushroom and filling have heated through, cheese is melted, and tomato is soft, about 5 minutes. Remove to a serving platter and sprinkle with the remaining basil and parsley.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/3 c. sugar, divided
3 lg. eggs
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Glaze:
1 c. confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a metal loaf pan.

In a small mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together yogurt, 1 c. sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk in dry ingredients. Add vegetable oil to bowl and fold into the batter with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, combine 1/3 c. lemon juice and remaining 1/3 c. sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is clear. Set aside.

When cake is done, allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While cake is still warm, pour lemon syrup over cake and allow to soak in. Cool.
To make glaze, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle over cake. Garnish finished cake with fresh berries, if desired.

New York Cheesecake

Crust:
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 additional tbsp., melted (for greasing the pan)
4 oz. (approx. 8 whole) graham crackers, broken into rough pieces and processed into fine, even crumbs*
1 tbsp. sugar

(*Note – if you have a kitchen scale, definitely weigh the graham crackers. The amount is usually significantly different than the number of whole crackers they suggest. Of course, it varies depending on size/brand of cracker.)

Cheesecake:
2 1/2 lb. (5 8-oz. pkgs.) cream cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks, at room temperature
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. sour cream
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 lg. egg yolks plus 6 large eggs, at room temperature

To make crust, adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat oven to 325°F. Brush bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with 1/2 tbsp. melted butter. In a medium bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, 5 tbsp. melted butter, and sugar. Toss with a fork until crumbs are evenly moistened. Transfer crumbs to springform pan and use the bottom of a ramekin to firmly press crumbs evenly into pan bottom. Bake until fragrant and beginning to brown around the edges, about 13 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while preparing filling.

Increase oven temperature to 500°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese at medium-low speed to break up and soften it slightly, about 1 minute. Scrape beater and bottom and sides of bowl well with a rubber spatula; add salt and about half of the sugar and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; beat in remaining sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat at low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add egg yolks and beat at medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add remaining eggs 2 at a time, beating until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute, scraping bowl between additions.

Brush the sides of the springform pan with the remaining 1/2 tbsp. melted butter. Set pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills in case the pan leaks. Pour filling into cooled crust and bake 10 minutes; without opening the oven door, reduce oven temperature to 200°F and continue to bake until cheesecake reads about 150°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer cake to a wire rack and cool until barely warm, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Run a paring knife between cake and springform pan sides. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours.

To unmold cheesecake, remove sides of pan. Slide a thin metal spatula between crust and the bottom of pan to loosen, then slide cake onto a serving plate. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve. (Use a long, thin, sharp knife that has been run under hot water and then dried for slicing. Wipe the blade clean and rewarm between slices.)

Pacific Pork Kebabs with Pineapple Rice

Kebabs:
Juice reserved from draining 1 (8 oz.) can pineapple tidbits (for rice)
1/3 c. honey, warmed
1 (1 lb.) pork tenderloin, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 bell peppers (red, orange or yellow), cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

Rice:
1 c. long-grain white rice
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 (8 oz.) can pineapple tidbits, drained (reserve juice)
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

Lime wedges, for serving (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine 2 tbsp. reserved pineapple juice and honey. Mix well. Season pork cubes with salt and pepper. Add to bowl with glaze, toss well to coat, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat grill to medium heat. Lightly oil grates with vegetable oil.

To assemble kebabs, alternately thread pork and bell pepper pieces onto skewers. Brush with any remaining honey mixture. Grill until pork is cooked through and peppers begin to char, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make rice, cook according to package directions. Once cooked, mix in scallions, pineapple tidbits, and ginger. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fluff with a fork. Serve kebabs with rice and lime wedges.

Strawberry Ice Cream Brownie Cupcakes

Brownies:
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 lg. eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 1/8 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Ice Cream:
1 batch strawberry ice cream, slightly softened

Ganache:
3/4 c. mini semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 c. heavy cream

Garnish:
Fresh strawberry slices

To make brownie bottoms, preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cupcake pans with foil liners. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; stir together and set aside. In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, combine butter and chocolate. Heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk to blend. Stir in warm chocolate mixture, and then dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

Scoop 1 tbsp. batter into each cupcake liner. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 6 to 8 minutes. Leaving the brownies in the cupcake pans, cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Freeze for at least 30 minutes. Top with strawberry ice cream until cupcake liner is full. (If ice cream is freshly made, it is just the right consistency for filling the cupcake liners.) Return cupcake pans to freezer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

To make ganache, place chocolate chips in a small bowl. Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Pour cream evenly over chocolate, let stand for 1 minute. Stir until smooth with a rubber spatula. If ganache is too thin, allow it to stand at room temperature to cool and become more easily spreadable. Once ganache is at the correct temperature, scoop it by the teaspoonful on top of the ice cream cupcakes and spread over the tops. Garnish with fresh strawberry slices, if desired.

Remove cupcakes from the freezer 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Blueberry Applesauce Muffins

1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c. oats
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. low-fat buttermilk
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 lg. egg, lightly beaten
3/4 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl combine applesauce, buttermilk, brown sugar, oil, and egg. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add applesauce mixture. Stir together just until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Gently fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula.

Divide batter evenly between prepared muffin cups. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 12 muffins.

Pioneer Woman's Baked Mac & Cheese

4 c. uncooked macaroni
4 tbsp. butter
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 c. whole milk
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 egg, beaten
1 lb. cheese, grated (any variety/combination)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 to 1 tsp. ground black pepper
Dashes of cayenne, paprika, and thyme (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook macaroni according to package directions until slightly firm. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly and being careful not to burn. Add milk to pot, stir in dry mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook mixture for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.

Add beaten egg to a small bowl. Take 1/4 c. warm sauce and slowly pour it into the beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid scrambling the egg. Whisk until smooth. Pour tempered egg mixture back into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth. Mix in cheese, reserving a handful for topping, and stir until completely melted. Add salt and other seasonings. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. Add drained cooked macaroni to pot and mix well.

Pour mixture into a baking dish, top with reserved cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and bubbly on top.

English Muffins

2 1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
1 tbsp. butter, at room temperature
3/4 to 1 c. milk, at room temperature
Cornmeal, for sprinkling

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Mix in butter and 3/4 c. milk. Add just enough of the remaining milk to form a dough and incorporate the dry ingredients. Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed, about 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and roll to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for about an hour.

Divide dough into 6 equal pieces and shape into balls. Lay parchment paper on a baking sheet and spray or coat lightly with oil. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Move dough balls to baking sheet, spacing them evenly with room to rise. Cover pan loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise another hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat a skillet on medium heat on the stovetop. Brush skillet lightly with oil and gently transfer dough balls to skillet a few at a time. Allow to cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Carefully flip and cook the other side for 5 to 8 minutes more. They should flatten as they cook.

Remove muffins from skillet and transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Do not wait until all the muffins have been browned in the skillet before moving them to the oven. As the first batch is baking, move the second batch to the skillet.

Transfer baked muffins to a cooling rack and let cool at least 30 minutes before slicing or serving. Store in an airtight container.

Baked Shrimp in Tomato Feta Sauce

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 med. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, with juices
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
1 tbsp. minced fresh dill or 1 tsp. dried dill
1 to 1 1/4 lb. med. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (thawed if frozen)
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 oz. feta cheese (about 2/3 c., crumbled)

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and let sauce simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until juices thicken a bit. Remove sauce from heat, and stir in herbs, shrimp, feta cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer to a baking dish, if desired, and bake until shrimp are cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately.

Black Bean, Chicken, and Red Pepper Stew

2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 to 3 chicken breasts, cut up into chunks
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (12 oz.) jar roasted red peppers, chopped (or fresh roasted peppers)
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles
2 c. reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and cook, stirring, until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside. Heat remaining tbsp. oil. Add onion to pot and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Mix in black beans, diced tomatoes, red peppers, green chiles, chicken broth, cumin, and cayenne. Return chicken to pot. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. When finished, remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and stir in fresh cilantro.

Lobster Ravioli in a Champagne Cream Sauce

Ravioli:
4 lobster tails
4 tbsp. butter
3 to 4 shallots, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 to 4 oz. cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
1 1/2 c. ricotta cheese
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
2 1/2 to 3 batches homemade pasta

Sauce:
6 tbsp. butter, divided
2 shallots, finely minced
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tbsp. tomato puree
1 1/2 c. chicken stock
3/4 c. champagne
3 tbsp. flour
Heavy cream

Remove meat from lobster tails. Roughly chop and set aside. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic and saute for a few minutes. Add chopped mushrooms and saute a few minutes more. Once shallots are tender, add lobster meat to the skillet and cook, stirring, just until cooked through (this only takes a few minutes). When lobster is cooked, transfer mixture to a cutting board and chop fine with a large knife. Transfer to a bowl. Add ricotta and parmesan cheeses, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

Roll out pasta into long sheets. Scoop a couple tsp. lobster filling and roll into a ball. Place on one sheet of the pasta. Continue topping with filling balls every few inches. Once the sheet is covered with filling balls, lay another long sheet of pasta over the top. Press the top sheet down and mold around filling balls (if sheets don’t stick together easily, wet your finger with water or egg and brush lightly between the two sheets). Cut ravioli into desired shapes with a pastry or ravioli cutter. Repeat this process until remaining filling and/or pasta is used up. At this point, you can cook ravioli in boiling water or freeze.

If freezing, transfer finished ravioli to a lightly floured surface and allow to dry for 30 to 60 minutes. Place in a plastic freezer bag and freeze until ready to cook. To cook, drop frozen ravioli into boiling water and boil until cooked to your liking (about 7 to 9 minutes).

To make sauce, melt 3 tbsp. butter in a skillet. Add shallots and carrots and saute until shallots are tender. Add tomato puree; stir and cook until tomato has begun to caramelize a bit, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken stock and champagne and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and allow to reduce to about 1/3. Once sauce has reduced, in small saucepan melt remaining 3 tbsp. butter. Add flour and whisk, cooking 2 to 3 minutes to form a roux. Add roux to skillet and mix well. Whisk in heavy cream until sauce has reached desired consistency (can also add in a bit more champagne at this point). Pass sauce through a strainer to remove carrots and shallots. Serve warm atop the ravioli.

Makes about 70 ravioli.

Pineapple Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp. butter, melted
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapples
1/4 c. lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. mustard
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. soy sauce

Coat a glass dish with nonstick cooking spray. Brush chicken with butter and place in dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine all other ingredients and pour over chicken. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes.

Pasta Salad with Roasted Broccoli

2 lb. (2 heads) broccoli
3 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise (skin on)
2 tbsp. olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 oz. penne pasta
1 to 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
8 oz. jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed and cut into 1/2-inch strips (1 c.)
1/4 c. pitted Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
1/2 c. walnuts, broken into pieces

Preheat oven to 450°F. Trim 1 inch from stems of broccoli. Peel outer layer of stems; cut diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Separate florets into bite-size pieces. On one large or two small rimmed baking sheets, toss broccoli, garlic, and 1 tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer; roast, rotating sheets and turning broccoli halfway through, until tender and beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 c. cooking water; rinse under cold water until cool, and drain. Return to pot.

Remove skin from roasted garlic. In a small bowl, mash garlic until it forms a paste; whisk in lemon juice and remaining tbsp. oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture over pasta; toss in broccoli, red peppers, olives, and walnuts. Add some reserved cooking water, if needed. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Chickpea, Cherry Tomato, and Feta Salad

1/4 c. canned chickpeas
1/2 c. quartered cherry tomatoes
1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. salt
Ground pepper

Rinse and drain chickpeas. Combine chickpeas with tomatoes, feta, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, and a pinch of pepper. Makes 1 serving.

Salami and Cream Cheese Sandwich

1 tsp. grainy mustard
2 slices rye bread
2 oz. salami, thinly sliced (about 6 slices)
1/2 sm. bunch arugula, trimmed and washed
1 tbsp. cream cheese

Spread mustard on one slice of bread; top with salami and arugula. Spread cream cheese on the other slice of bread; close sandwich. Serve, or refrigerate, wrapped tightly in wax paper or plastic, up to overnight. Cut in half. Makes 1 sandwich.

Turkey Sandwich with Ricotta, Red Peppers, and Arugula

2 slices multigrain bread
1/4 c. part-skim ricotta cheese
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 to 4 arugula leaves
2 to 3 large pieces of jarred roasted red pepper
3 thin slices cooked turkey (about 3 oz.)

Dividing evenly, spread bread with ricotta cheese; season generously with coarse salt and ground pepper. Sandwich with arugula, roasted red pepper, and turkey. Makes 1 sandwich.

Spinach and Artichoke Wrap

1 can (15 oz.) artichoke hearts in water, well-drained
2 whole wheat sandwich wraps (12-inch)
8 slices provolone cheese (4 oz.)
1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into strips
1 c. baby spinach, packed
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Wrap artichoke hearts in paper towels; squeeze out liquid and coarsely chop. Set sandwich wraps on work surface. Lay 4 cheese slices down center of each, leaving a 1-inch border at top and bottom. Dividing evenly between wraps, layer artichoke pieces, bell pepper, and spinach on top of cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in tops and bottoms of wraps by about 1 inch, then roll tightly from one of the open sides to enclose filling.Wrap tightly in plastic or waxed paper. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to overnight. Makes 2 wraps.

5-Can Bean Soup

Olive oil
1 sm. onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 chicken breast, diced (optional)
Cumin, to taste
Chili powder, to taste
1 can vegetarian refried beans
1 can black beans
1 can Ro-tel spicy tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 can chicken or vegetable broth

In large pan, saute onion, garlic, and chicken (if using) in olive oil. Season with cumin and chili powder. Add 5 cans to pan. Cook about 15 minutes, uncovered.

Fusilli with Spinach and Asiago Cheese

1 lb. fusilli pasta
1/4 c. olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (9-oz.) bag fresh spinach, roughly chopped
8 oz. (1/2 pint) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 c. (about 3 1/2-oz.) grated Asiago cheese
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 c. cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, warm olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add spinach and tomatoes and cook until spinach wilts, about 2 more minutes. Add cooked pasta and toss. Add cheeses, salt, pepper, and pasta water and stir to combine.

Transfer pasta to a serving plate and serve.

Barley-Asparagus "Risotto" with Balsamic Vinegar

2 tsp. olive oil
1 med. onion, minced
1 c. uncooked barley (quick-cooking pearl variety works best)
3 c. fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 c. fresh chives, sliced
1 1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp. table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Warm oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until onion is tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in barley and cook, stirring, about 1 minute more. Add broth, cover and simmer over low heat for 8 to 12 minutes; stir in asparagus and simmer 2 minutes more. Remove from heat, stir in chives and vinegar; season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

3 WW points per 1 c. serving.

Tenderizing Kiwi Marinade

1 kiwi, chopped
2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
4 tsp. worcestershire sauce
2 cloves minced garlic

Combine everything in a bowl and then add your choice of meat. Works best in a Ziploc. Marinate for 2 to 6 hours.

Chocolate Chip Cookies in a Chocolate Chip Cookie

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 lg. eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Sift flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until blended, about 1 minute. Stop mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until blended, about 1 minute. On low speed, add flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Mix in chocolate chips.

Drop 10 heaping tbsp. of dough, 3 inches apart, onto one of the prepared baking sheets.
Set aside remaining dough. Bake until edges of cookies are lightly browned but centers are golden, about 13 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Break cooked cookies into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces. Add pieces to reserved dough and mix on low speed to distribute evenly, about 10 seconds. Drop heaping tbsp. of new dough about 3 inches apart, and bake for about 13 to 15 minutes, until browned but still soft in the middle.

General Tsao's Chicken

3/4 c. canned chicken broth
1.5 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. peanut oil
2 scallions, chopped
2 med. garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 c. cooked rice

In medium bowl, whisk together broth, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger. Set aside.

Using a wok or medium-sized skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add scallions, garlic, and pepper flakes, cooking for about 2 minutes. Add chicken, toss to coat with oil, and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Mix up the sauce again (it will have settled) and pour over chicken. Simmer and allow to thicken while chicken finishes cooking, about 3 minutes.

Serve sauce and chicken over rice.

6 WW points per serving. Serving size is 1/2 c. rice and 1 c. chicken and sauce.

Creamy Mexican Dip

1 c. plain fat-free Greek yogurt (doesn't have to be fat-free)
1/2 c. salsa
3/4 c. avocado, diced (set aside some for garnish)
2/3 c. fresh cilantro, chopped (set some aside for garnish)
1 med. red onion, chopped (set some aside for garnish)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt

In a medium bowl, blend together yogurt and salsa. Stir in remaining ingredients except garnishes. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 day. When ready to serve, garnish with some chopped avocado, cilantro and red onion.

(1 WW point per 1/4 c. serving)

Italian Meatloaf

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl combine the following:

1/2 lb.ground beef
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 med. onion, chopped
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
3 slices cooked, chopped bacon
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Spread mixture into loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes. After 60 minutes, spread small can of tomato paste on meatloaf and bake for 10 more minutes.

Chicken Cacciatore

1 tbsp. olive oil
4 slices turkey bacon, chopped
2 chicken breasts, butterflied in half (4 pc. total)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
12 oz. white button mushrooms, cleaned and halved
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 sprigs fresh oregano
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 c. red wine
1 c. reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes with garlic and herbs

In a deep saute pan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crisp, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon; set aside.

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan and brown on both sides, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Add onion to pan and cook until tender and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add bacon, chicken, mushrooms, garlic, oregano, thyme, red wine, chicken broth, and tomatoes (including juices) to pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Honey Yogurt Waffles

3 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. old-fashioned oats
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/4 c. milk
3/4 c. vanilla yogurt
1/3 c. honey
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Melt butter; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk together milk, yogurt, honey, eggs, and vanilla until well-blended. Pour liquid ingredients over dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Gently fold in melted butter.

Preheat and lightly grease waffle iron. Pour batter into wells of waffle iron and bake until waffle is golden and set. Place in an oven preheated to 200°F to keep the finished waffles warm while you use the rest of the batter. Serve with maple syrup or honey and top with fresh fruit.

Allspice Crumb Muffins

Streusel:
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
5 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

Muffins:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 lg. eggs
3/4 c. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 375°F. Center a rack in the oven. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

To make streusel topping, put flour, brown sugar, and allspice in a small bowl. Sift together with a fork. Add the bits of cold butter and toss to coat, then use your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until you’ve got irregularly shaped crumbs. Set aside in refrigerator.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, allspice, and salt. Stir in brown sugar, making certain there are no lumps. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla together until well-combined. Pour liquid ingredients over dry ingredients and gently but quickly stir to blend with whisk or a rubber spatula; batter will be somewhat lumpy. Stir in lemon zest. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups. Sprinkle some streusel over each muffin, then use your fingertips to gently press crumbs into the batter.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins to the wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Dinner Spanakopitas

2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. yellow onion, chopped
2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
1 (10-oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Plain dry bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 c. small-crumbled feta cheese
2 tbsp. toasted pine nuts, chopped
12 sheets frozen phyllo dough, defrosted
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan, add onion, and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat. Add green onions and cook for another 2 minutes until they are wilted but still green. Meanwhile, add thawed and drained spinach to a large mixing bowl. When onions are done, add them to the bowl. Mix in eggs, Parmesan cheese, 1 1/2 tbsp. bread crumbs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Gently fold in feta and pine nuts.

Place one sheet of phyllo dough flat on a work surface. Brush dough lightly with butter. Working quickly, place another sheet of phyllo on top of the first, and brush it lightly with butter. Continue this process until you have a stack of 4 sheets of phyllo. Cut the stack of phyllo in half lengthwise with a pizza cutter. Place 1/3 c. spinach filling on the shorter end and roll the phyllo up diagonally as if folding a flag. Then fold the triangle of phyllo over straight and then diagonally again. Continue folding the first diagonally and then straight until you reach the end of the sheet. The filling should be totally enclosed. Continue assembling phyllo layers and folding the filling until all of the filling is used. Place on a sheet pan, seam sides down. Brush tops with melted butter, sprinkle with flaked salt, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until phyllo is browned and crisp. Serve hot. Makes 6 strudels

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Cake:
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. sour cream
2 1/2 c. cake flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Streusel:
1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
3 to 4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 c. chopped walnuts, optional

Maple Glaze:
1/2 c. confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp. real maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream the butter sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and sour cream, scraping down bowl between additions. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture to batter until just combined.

To make streusel, place brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and mix together with a fork. Add butter and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in walnuts, if desired.

Spoon half of the batter into prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 c. streusel mixture. Spoon the rest of the batter into the pan, spread it out, and sprinkle with remaining streusel. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk together confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup, adding a few drops of water if necessary to make it runny. Drizzle as much glaze as you'd like over the cake with the whisk, a fork, or a spoon.

Sausage with Escarole and White Beans

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. Italian sausage
2 sm. onions, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 c. dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
1 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 19-oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 sm. head escarole, tough stems removed and roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
Crusty bread (optional)

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook sausage, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Add onions to pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine and broth and bring to a boil. Add beans, escarole, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until escarole wilts, about 3 minutes.

Spoon into individual bowls and top with parmesan. Serve with sausage and crusty bread, if desired. Serves 4.

K-K's Notes:
If you are unable to find escarole, Swiss chard or spinach will work fine.

Halibut with Oranges and Angel Hair Pasta

3 navel oranges
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 1-inch pc ginger, thinly sliced
4 6-oz. pcs halibut, skin removed
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 bunch scallions (white and light green parts), thinly sliced
1 lb. angel hair pasta
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Cut oranges into segments, removing surrounding membranes. To do this, cut away the peel and white pith with a knife. Then, working over a bowl to catch juices, with the orange in one hand, make a cut on either side of each segment, inside its surrounding membrane. The sections will be free in no time.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.

Sprinkle halibut with 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and cumin. Cook for 4 minutes. Turn, add scallions and oranges with any liquid, and continue cooking until fish is the same color throughout and flakes easily, 4 to 5 minutes.

While halibut cooks, cook pasta according to package directions.

Divide pasta and fish among individual plates. Spoon oranges and sauce over the top and sprinkle with cilantro.

Serves 4.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

3 c. fresh mint leaves (not stems), rinsed, drained, packed
1 c. milk
2 c. heavy cream, divided
2/3 c. sugar
Pinch of salt
6 egg yolks
6 oz. semisweet chocolate or dark chocolate, finely chopped (keep in freezer until used)

Put mint leaves in a heavy saucepan with milk and 1 c. cream. Heat until just steaming (do not boil), remove from heat, cover, and let stand 30 minutes. Reheat mixture until steaming, remove from heat and let stand 15 more minutes.

While mint is infusing, prepare remaining cream over an ice bath. Pour remaining cream into a medium size metal bowl, set in ice water (with lots of ice) over a larger bowl. Set a mesh strainer on top of the bowls. Set aside.

Strain mint mixture into a bowl, pressing against mint leaves with a rubber spatula in the sieve to get most of the liquid out of them. Return mint mixture to saucepan. Add sugar and salt. Heat until just steaming again, stirring until sugar has dissolved.

Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly pour heated milk cream mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly so that egg yolks are tempered by the warm mixture, but not cooked by it. Scrape warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Return saucepan to stove, stirring mixture constantly over medium heat with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom as you stir, until mixture thickens and coats the spoon so that you can run your finger across the coating and have the coating not run. This can take about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Pour custard through strainer (from step 2) and stir into cold cream to stop the cooking. Chill mixture thoroughly in refrigerator (at least a couple of hours) or stir mixture in bowl placed over ice bath until thoroughly chilled (20 minutes or so). Freeze mixture in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

Once the ice cream has been processed in the ice cream maker it should be pretty soft. Gently fold in finely chopped chocolate. Put in an airtight container and place in freezer for at least an hour, preferably several hours. If it has been frozen for more than a day, you may need to let sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften before serving.

Note that there is no alcohol in this recipe. A few tsp. of some spirits such as rum or bourbon will help keep ice cream soft over several days. Even the alcohol in vanilla extract will help. If you have no added alcohol in a homemade ice cream recipe, it is recommended that you eat it up quickly, in a day or two; beyond that point the ice cream will quickly get very very hard.

Makes 1 quart.

Lazy Wife Cake

1 1/2 c. pastry flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
3 tbsp. cocoa
1 c. white sugar
7 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 c. cold water

Sift dry ingredients into a 9x9-inch ungreased cake pan. Mix with fork. Make three holes in dry ingredients. Into one pour the vanilla, the next the oil, and into the third the vinegar. Pour cold water over all. Mix with fork. Do not beat. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.

Crab Pasta Salad

1 (12 oz.) pkg. tri-colored spiral pasta
1 sm. head broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 sm. head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 chopped tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped chives
12 oz. crabmeat or imitation crabmeat
1 (16 oz.) bottle oil and vinegar salad dressing

Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse. In large bowl combine broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, chives, crabmeat, and pasta. Pour entire bottle of salad dressing over all and toss to coat. Makes 6 servings.

Veggie Appetizer Wreath

2 (8 oz.) pkg. refrigerated crescent rolls
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sour cream
1 tsp. dried dill weed
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
3 c. finely chopped green vegetables (bell peppers, broccoli, cucumber, etc.)
1/4 c. chopped red bell pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove dough from cans in rolled sections; do not unroll. Slice each section 7 times to yield 8 rounds each (16 per package). Place custard cup on ungreased cookie sheet. Lay flat dough circles around center cup touching each other to form wreath shape, then arrange an outer ring. The circles should all be touching each other, but do not press together. Remove cup and bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool one minute; loosen with spatula and slide onto wire rack to cool completely. Place wreath on platter.

In small bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, dill, and garlic powder; blend until smooth. Spread mixture over wreath. Decorate wreath with assorted green vegetable pieces, then sprinkle with red pepper. Refrigerate until serving time. To serve, pull apart the slices of the wreath. Makes 32 pieces.

White Candy Cane Fudge

12 oz. white chocolate, coarsely chopped
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 c. coarsely chopped peppermint candies

Butter an 8-inch square baking pan; line bottom and sides with foil, allowing foil to extend over sides of pan by about 1". Butter foil. Over medium-high heat in top part of double boiler, combine white chocolate and condensed milk. Cook, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth, 5 minutes. Pour mixture into pan; sprinkle candy over the top. Using a knife, lightly swirl candy into chocolate mixture. Refrigerate until firm, about 6 hours or overnight. Cut into 1" squares, diamond shapes, or retangles. Store in refrigerator. Makes about 64 pieces.

Turkey Day Sausage Stuffing

1 lb. bulk breakfast sausage
3/4 c. finely chopped onion
1 1/2 c. finely chopped celery
1 c. (combined) melted margarine and drippings from sausage
8 c. bread cubes
5 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Cook sausage. Drain. Combine sausage drippings and margarine to make 1 c. Saute onions and celery in margarine/dripping mixture until onion is tender. DO NOT BROWN. Stir in about 1/3 of the bread cubes. Put in large bowl and add remaining bread cubes, poultry seasoning, and pepper. Mix well. Bake at 350°F (or at whatever temperature the oven is set).

Pumpkin Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Cake:
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 c. oil
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. pumpkin (about 16 oz.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix ingredients well. Grease tube or Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool completely and frost.

Icing:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 box confectioners' sugar
1 stick butter, softened

Mix all ingredients together and spread on cake.

Cinnamon Waffles with Caramelized Apples

Caramelized Apples:
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
6 Fuji apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Waffles:
3 eggs, separated
1 3/4 c. buttermilk
8 tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
Whipped cream, for serving

To make caramelized apples, in a skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add apple slices, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until apples are evenly coated. Cook about 18 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove skillet from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside.

To make waffles, in a large bowl whisk together egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk flour mixture into yolk mixture until smooth. In another clean bowl, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. Gently fold 1 c. egg whites into batter; carefully fold in remaining egg whites.

Preheat waffle maker on medium-high. Pour 1/3 c. batter into each well of waffle maker; close lid. Cook 5 to 6 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve waffles with caramelized apples and whipped cream.

Kaiser Rolls

Pate Fermentée:
1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. bread flour
Scant 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. instant yeast
6 to 7 tbsp. water

Dough:
1 batch pate fermentée
1 1/4 c. bread flour
3/4 tsp. plus a pinch salt
1 tsp. instant yeast
1 lg. egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp. molasses
2 tbsp. honey or 3 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
10 tbsp. to 3/4 cup water
Milk, for brushing
Poppy or sesame seeds, for topping (optional)

To make pate fermentée, stir together flours, salt, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 6 tbsp. water, and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Adjust flour or water according to need, so that dough is neither too sticky nor too stiff. Switch to dough hook and knead on low speed for 6 minutes, or until dough is soft and pliable, tacky but not sticky.

Lightly oil a bowl and transfer dough to bowl, rolling once to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and ferment at room temperature for 1 hour, or until it swells to about 1 1/2 times its original size. Remove dough from bowl, knead it slightly to degas, return it to bowl and cover again with plastic wrap. Place bowl in refrigerator overnight (or it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen in an airtight bag for up to 3 months).

Take pate fermentée out of refrigerator 1 hour before making dough. Cut into 10 pieces, cover with a towel and let sit at room temperature to take off the chill.

To make dough, combine flour, salt, and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add pate fermentée, egg, molasses, honey or sugar, vegetable oil, and 10 tbsp. water. Mix on low speed with paddle attachment until ingredients form a ball. If there is still some loose flour, add remaining 2 tbsp. water. Switch to dough hook and knead on low speed about 7 minutes, adding flour if needed to make a dough that is soft and supple, tacky but not sticky. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer dough to bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap. Ferment at room temperature for 2 hours or until dough doubles in size. If dough doubles in size before the 2 hour mark, remove it from bowl, knead lightly to degas, and return to bowl to continue fermenting until doubled from original size or until 2 hours have elapsed.

Remove dough from bowl and divide it into 6 to 9 equal pieces, depending on the size of roll you would like. Form dough pieces into balls. Mist lightly with spray oil, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with baking parchment, lightly mist with spray oil and dust with cornmeal or semolina flour.

To shape individual rolls, roll a ball of dough into a 12-inch strand. Tie a simple knot in the middle of the strand. Loop the loose ends around and into the center of the knot (one over, one under). Place roll onto parchment. Repeat with remaining dough balls. Lightly mist shaped rolls with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap.

Proof rolls for 45 minutes at room temperature, then flip them over so the opposite side is facing up. Recover with plastic wrap, and continue to proof for 30-45 minutes at room temperature, until the rolls are double their original size.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 425°F. Uncover rolls and prepare them for baking. If you want to top the rolls, brush lightly with milk and sprinkle with desired topping. If not topping the rolls, just brush with milk.

Place pan in oven, spray oven walls with water and close oven door. After 10 minutes, rotate pan for even baking and lower oven temperature to 400°F. Continue baking until rolls are a medium golden brown and register approximately 200°F in center (about 15 to 20 minutes for larger rolls, less for smaller rolls).

Remove rolls from pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

1 lb. lg. shrimp
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. dry white wine
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tsp. minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
2 tbsp. minced shallots
1 1/2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 lg. egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/3 cup panko
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails on. Place shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with olive oil, wine, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make butter and garlic mixture.

In a small bowl, mash softened butter with garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a pinch of black pepper until combined.

Starting from the center of an oval or round baking dish, arrange shrimp in a single layer. Pour remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Place under broiler for 1 additional minute to brown the top. Serve with lemon wedges.

Chicken Stir Fry

2 or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 c. soy sauce, plus extra for drizzling
1/2 tsp. sesame oil, plus extra for drizzling
3 tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. chicken broth, divided
2 rounded tsp. arrowroot
3 tbsp. peanut oil, divided
1 med. onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
2 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
8 oz. sliced white mushrooms
1 can baby corn, cut into pieces
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

Place chicken pieces in a medium bowl. Drizzle lightly with soy sauce and sesame oil. Set aside.

Have all of the vegetables cut up and ready to be added as you cook. In a small prep bowl, combine 1/2 c. soy sauce with sugar. Stir well and set aside. In another small prep bowl, combine 1/4 c. chicken broth and arrowroot. Stir and set aside. Measure an additional 1/4 c. chicken broth and have it ready.

Heat a skillet or wok over high heat. When it is heated, add 2 tbsp. peanut oil. Add chicken to skillet and fry quickly, stirring around for 2 to 3 minutes. When brown and just cooked through, remove to a separate bowl with slotted spoon. Add remaining 1 tbsp. peanut oil to skillet. Add onions and cook for 1 minute. Add red pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Add garlic and ginger, and stir well. Add mushrooms, stir well, and cook for 45 seconds. Add baby corn, and stir well.

Pour in 1/4 c. chicken broth and soy sauce mixture. Add in rice vinegar and 1/2 tsp. sesame oil. Return cooked chicken to skillet and stir. Pour in chicken broth/arrowroot mixture. Stir together, then turn off heat. Sauce should be thicker. Just before serving, stir in fresh cilantro. Serve over cooked rice.

Variations: You could also add in broccoli, water chesnuts, snow peas, green onions, zucchini or carrots to suit your taste.