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.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

From eVite - posted by Grace

There are lots of delicious ideas for a turkey-less Thanksgiving: squash lasagna, veggie stew, your favorite stuffing as a main dish and now — drum roll, please — sweet potato gnocchi.

I have always loved any type of dumpling. When I was little, my mom’s Italian friend Isabella would always make gnocchi for me and her daughter Sara if we were well-behaved (sadly, that didn’t happen too often). The only ingredients were potatoes, flour and salt, and the sauce was just plain old melted butter. Sounds boring but so not!

The sweet-potato version here, flavored with brown sugar, is a little more elaborate, but it just seems sooo right place, right time. It’s vegetarian, hearty and has that simple butter sauce that’s like a taste of freakin’ heaven! Plus, wouldn't these be pretty on a Thanksgiving table?

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 1-pound red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), rinsed, patted dry
1 cup ricotta
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup Parmesan
¼ cup brown sugar
1½ to 1¾ cup flour
1 stick butter
8 sage leaves

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400° and roast the sweet potatoes until tender and fully cooked, between 50 and 60 minutes. Cut in half and let cool. Scrape sweet potato flesh into medium bowl and mash, then transfer 2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes to a large bowl. Add ricotta and blend. Add salt, pepper, Parmesan and brown sugar and mash to blend. Mix in flour, ½ cup at a time, until soft dough forms.

Turn dough onto floured work surface and shape into a ball; divide the ball into six equal-size pieces. Roll out each piece to make a cigar-shaped strip, about one foot long. Cut each cigar-shaped strip into 12 pieces. Gently press and roll down each piece on the tines of a fork. Transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment paper or kitchen towels (don’t use paper towels or the gnocchi might stick).

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add gnocchi and cook until tender but not mushy, about 5 or 6 minutes. Drain the gnocchi and tent with foil to keep warm.

Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and continue to cook, swirling the butter occasionally, until butter begins to brown. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add butter sauce to gnocchi and serve.

Ginger Ale Pork Chops

from "The New Basics Cookbook" by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins

When just a little ginger won't do…The sweetness of raisins and cream mellow the lively flavor.

4 portions

Ingredients

4 loin pork chops, about 1 inch thick

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3/4 cup ginger ale

1/4 cup minced fresh ginger

1/4 cup slivered crystallized ginger

1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Sprinkle the pork chops all over with the ground ginger.

3. Melt the butter in a large skillet, and brown the pork chops over medium-high heat, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a flameproof baking dish.

4. Add the ginger ale, fresh ginger, and crystallized ginger to the skillet, and cook over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour this over the chops, transfer to the oven, and bake for 30 minutes.

5. Sprinkle the walnuts and raisins over the chops, and bake an additional 15 minutes.

6. Transfer the chops to a serving platter and keep warm. Add the cream to the baking pan and place it over high heat. Cook, scraping up the brown bits, until the sauce is slightly reduced and thickened, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chops, and serve immediately.