Squash and Red Pepper Pilaf

by Ruth Cousineau
from Epicurious

yield: Makes 6 servings
active time: 20 min
total time: 50 min

A pilaf enriched with butternut squash, red pepper, and toasted pumpkin seeds is wonderful with Spanish white beans and spinach.  It would also be terrific with roast chicken.

Ingredients

3/4 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces (2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 cups water
1/4 cup raw green (hulled) pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted

Preparation

Cook squash, bell pepper, onion, and bay leaf in oil with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add rice and stir until well coated, then add water and bring to a vigorous boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, tightly covered with lid, until vegetables and rice are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with seeds.

Light and Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Recipe adapted from Bromberg Bros. Blue Ribbon Cookbook (Clarkson Potter)

Yield: 15 pancakes

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2½ cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus more for serving
Pure maple syrup

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and oil. Gradually stir the wet ingredients into the dry.

3. In a large skillet or griddle, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Working in batches, spoon ¼ cup of the pancake batter into the pan. Cook the pancakes until the edges have begun to brown and air bubbles form on the surface, about 3 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve hot, spread with butter and drizzled with maple syrup.

Variation: To make banana pancakes, fold 2 cups of sliced fresh bananas into the batter just before cooking.

Hot Sausage Burgers with Broccoli Rabe and Provolone

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Show: 30 Minute Meals
Episode: Hot, Sweet and Cool

Cook Time: 20 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds coarsely ground pork (ask butcher to do this)
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1/3 palmful
• 2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika, 2/3 palmful
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground fennel, fennel pollen or 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon ground sage, 1/3 palmful
• 1 teaspoon granulated onion, 1/3 palmful
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/3 palmful
• Salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1 tablespoon
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small bundle broccoli rabe, tough ends discarded
• 1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, finely chopped
• A few grates nutmeg
• 4 thick deli slices sharp provolone cheese
• 4 ciabatta rolls or other crusty rolls, split
• Store-bought olive oil-rosemary or herb flavored fancy potato chips 

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the pork, red pepper flakes, paprika, fennel, sage, onion, garlic and salt, to taste. Form the meat into 4 patties, put on a plate and coat with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Heat a small pot over medium-low heat and add the brown sugar, Worcestershire, vinegar, tomato sauce and black pepper, to taste. Simmer until the mixture becomes a thick steak sauce consistency, about 15 minutes.

Add a couple inches of water to a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then salt the water and add the broccoli rabe. Cook for 5 minutes, then drain. Transfer the broccoli rabe to a cutting board and chop it into 2-inch pieces. Set aside. Return the skillet to the stove over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil. Stir in the chopped garlic and the broccoli rabe. Saute for 2 minutes, then season with a few grates of nutmeg, to taste.

Heat a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, add the patties and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Top the patties with a slice of provolone during the last minute of cook time and tent with foil to melt.

Divide the broccoli rabe on the bottoms of the rolls and top with the cheesy sausage patties. Slather some of the warm sauce on the roll tops and cover the burgers. Serve the burgers on individual plates with a few chips alongside.

Savory Bread Pudding with Sausage and Mushrooms

Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee 2009

Show: Sandra's Money Saving Meals
Episode: Cheaper by the Dozen

Cook Time: 45 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 12 mini bread puddings

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 (8-ounce) package sliced white mushrooms
• 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 baguette, day old, cubed

Directions

Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the mushrooms. Add the sausage and stir over the heat until browned and cooked through.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Add the cubed bread to the egg mixture and let the egg and bread mixture sit for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator to allow the bread to absorb the liquid.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Remove the egg mixture from the refrigerator, add the sausage and mushrooms and stir to combine. Ladle the bread pudding mixture into the muffin tins and bake until set, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the puddings from the muffin tins to a serving platter and serve.

Farmhouse Hash with Pot-poached Eggs

Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee 2009

Show: Sandra's Money Saving Meals
Episode: Cheaper by the Dozen

Cook Time: 12 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 large red potatoes, small diced
• 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 4 eggs

Directions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, sausage, paprika, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, to taste. Saute stirring frequently, until the potatoes and carrots are tender, and the sausage is cooked through, about 12 minutes.

Bring a medium pot of water to a simmer over low heat and add the vinegar. Crack an egg into a small bowl and carefully slide it into the simmering water. Quickly repeat with remaining eggs. Using a slotted spoon, carefully corral the white of each egg around its yolk. Poach the eggs until the whites are firm, or to the desired degree of doneness, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Divide the hash among 4 serving plates and top the hash with a poached egg. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.

Cabrales Phyllo Rolls with Sherry Dipping Sauce

Recipe by Jeff Koehler

El Faro, the exceptional fish restaurant in the city of Cadiz, serves these flaky cheese-and-leek-filled pastries called Frituritas de Pasta Brick Rellenas de Queso y Puerro. They are the world's best finger food.

Pairing Suggestion
The combination of tangy blue cheese and sweet sherry sauce suggests a sherry made from Pedro Ximénez grapes, such as Alvear Oloroso Asuncion NV.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/2 cup for brushing and frying
1 medium leek, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 pound cream cheese
2 ounces Cabrales or other blue cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup sweet sherry
1/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
8 sheets of phyllo dough, plus more in case of breakage

Directions

1. In a skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering. Add the leek and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the cream cheese and Cabrales and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Scrape the filling into a bowl; let cool.

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the sherry, beef broth and raisins and simmer over moderate heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Stir the cornstarch mixture, whisk it into the sauce and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

3. On a work surface, stack the phyllo sheets and cut them crosswise into 4 strips, each 4 inches wide by 12 inches long. Arrange 4 strips on a work surface with the short sides facing you; keep the remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Brush the strips lightly with olive oil. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the cheese filling at one end of each strip and roll them up, making about 3 turns to create small cylinders, then fold in the sides. Brush the folded sides with olive oil and continue to roll up the cylinders. Set the rolls on a plate. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and filling.

4. Place a wire rack on a large baking sheet and cover with paper towels. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of olive oil until shimmering. Add 10 to 12 of the rolls and fry over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer the rolls to paper towels to drain while you fry the rest, adding more olive oil as needed. Transfer the phyllo rolls to a platter and serve with the sherry dipping sauce.

Make Ahead
The phyllo rolls can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated overnight. Fry directly from the refrigerator. The sauce can be refrigerated overnight.

Shrimp and Salmon Chowder

Chowder so rich you won’t believe it’s made with our fat free Oikos Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream!

Ingredients
1 tbs. salt
8 Maine potatoes, washed and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. unsalted butter
2 medium onions, chopped
4 stalks of celery, cleaned and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 lb. salmon filet cut into 2" pieces
1 1/4 lb. raw shrimp (about 24 medium sized), peeled and de-veined
3 cups Plain Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt

Directions

In a large stock pot bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and cubed potatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes so they’re slightly undercooked.

In a 10 quart soup pot, over medium heat add olive oil and unsalted butter. Once small ripples form add onions and celery and cook until onions are transparent. Stir in minced garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Reduce heat to medium-low and add white wine and chicken broth. Add salmon, shrimp, and potatoes. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually fold in yogurt.

Reheat slowly to avoid curdling yogurt and serve.

From our Oikos Organic kitchen.