Ryan Recommends: Pasta w/ Asparagus, Green Beans and Walnuts‏

Pasta w/ Asparagus, Green Beans and Walnuts‏

1 lb pasta

1 lb asparagus

1/2 lb green beans

1 cup heavy cream

3 tbsp butter

1 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup fresh or 2 tbsp dry parsley

3 tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dry basil

1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

salt and pepper

Cut asparagus to 1 inch lengths

Steam asparagus and green beans together for 3 minutes OR plunge into boiling water for 3 minutes

Rinse w/ cold water to stop cooking. Set aside

In a small saucepan combine cream and butter until butter is melted

Stir in cheese, basil and parsley and cook to desired cream sauce consistency

Season w/ salt & pepper

Return drained pasta to pot, add veggies, combine w/cream sauce, top w/walnuts and serve w/extra cheese on the side

Tom Recommends: Cannellini with Pork and Rosemary

Cannellini with Pork and Rosemary

yield: Makes 12 to 14 (main course) servings

active time: 20 min

total time: 2 1/2 hr

Few can resist this soup-stew of tender cannellini beans, silken pork shoulder, tomatoes, and herbs.

ingredients

• 2 pounds dried white beans, such as cannellini or Great Northern (4 3/4 cups), picked over and rinsed
• 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
• 4 quarts water
• 2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 4 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
• 1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 6 cups flat-leaf parsley (from 3 bunches), very coarsely chopped

• Accompaniment: extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

http://www.epicurious.com:80/recipes/food/views/Cannellini-with-Pork-and-Rosemary-350926#ixzz1mvFZ4eDx

Vin Recommends: Light Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheesei

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• Light Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese
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• YIELD: Serves 8 (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)
• HANDS-ON:1 Hour
• TOTAL:1 Hour, 25 Minutes
• COURSE: Casseroles, Main Dishes

Ingredients

• 3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 [1-pound] squash)
• 1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth for vegetarian)
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated pecorino Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 1 pound uncooked cavatappi
• Cooking spray
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Place the hot squash mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Place blended squash mixture in a bowl; stir in Gruyère, pecorino Romano, and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir until combined.

4. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Add pasta to squash mixture, and stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.

5. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add panko, and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the hot pasta mixture. Lightly coat topping with cooking spray.

6. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/creamy-light-macaroni-cheese-50400000115195/print/

Patrick Recommends: Ranch Style Beans

Ranch style beans
Ingredients:

16 oz. of dried pinto beans
6 ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 15 oz. can of tomatoes (or 2 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 cup of water
6 cups of beef broth
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:
1. Soak the beans covered in water—either overnight or the quick soak method in which you place the beans in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat and let sit for one hour.
2. Drain the soaked beans.
3. In a cast-iron skillet heated up to medium high, cook the anchos on each side for a couple of minutes (or until they start to bubble and pop), turn off the heat and fill the skillet with warm water. Let them sit until soft and rehydrated, which should happen after half an hour or so.
4. In the pot you’ll be cooking your beans, heat up a teaspoon of canola oil and cook the onions for ten minutes on medium. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Throw the cooked onions and garlic in a blender and add the tomatoes, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, paprika, cumin, oregano, water and hydrated ancho chiles. Puree until smooth.
5. Add the pinto beans and beef broth to the pot and stir in the chile puree. On high, bring the pot to a boil and then cover; turn the heat down to low and simmer for two and a half hours, stirring occasionally. At this point, I check my beans for tenderness as depending on the freshness of the beans I find that the cooking time can be as short as two and a half hours and as long as four hours. When you're satisfied that the beans are done, salt and pepper to taste.
Feeds four to six.
Notes: If you can’t find dried ancho chiles, you can substitute either ancho chile powder or regular chili powder. I’d use 1/4 of a cup. These are not fiery beans, but if you want a bit more heat I'd throw in a bit of Cayenne. And I always add a pinch of baking soda to my soaking beans to help with digestion issues. You may do the same.

Dan Recommends: Sauteed Kale with Tahini Sauce

Oh my, this is a good one. I never would have thought to pair kale with tahini (thank you to my friend Peg for the suggestion), but it's great. Sort of reminiscent of a popular Japanese dish with spinach and sesame gomasio. The slightly bitter green kale does a happy dance with the acidic lemon and salty richness of the tahini sauce. Very easy to pull together. Would make an excellent addition to a Thanksgiving or holiday spread. Enjoy. (And as my dad says, eat your greens!)

Sautéed Kale with Tahini Sauce Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound kale, well rinsed

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• Salt

• 4 Tbsp tahini (use tahini made with toasted sesame seeds, not raw)

• 2 Tbsp lemon juice

• 3-4 Tbsp water

• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds for garnish

1 Using a sharp paring knife, cut out the rib of each kale leaf. Discard or compost. Slice the leaves roughly 1/2-inch thick.

2 Heat olive oil on medium high heat in a large sauté pan. When hot, add the chopped onion. Cook for a couple of minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.

3 Add the kale to the sauté pan. Even if you have a pretty large pan, the kale will be practically falling out of it. Put in as much as you can and use tongs to turn over and mix with the oil and onions. After a couple minutes the kale should wilt a bit so you can add the rest of the raw kale. Cook, turning the kale leaves over occasionally until the kales leaves have wilted and are tender. Sprinkle a little salt over the kale leaves while cooking.

4 While the kale is cooking, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, water, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and dark sesame oil. Add more salt and sesame oil to taste.

5 Once the kale is done, toss in the sauce, reserving a little to drizzle on top. Serve, topped with a little sauce and toasted sesame seeds.

Yield: Serves 4.

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/sauteed_kale_with_tahini_sauce/

Marie Recommends Barefoot Contessa's corn pudding

barefoot contessa's

Sagaponack Corn Pudding

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 5 cups fresh yellow corn kernels cut off the cob (6 to 8 ears)
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) grated extra-sharp cheddar, plus extra to sprinkle on top
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Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the inside of an 8 to 10-cup baking dish.

Melt the butter in a very large saute pan and saute the corn and onion over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Cool slightly.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, and half-and-half in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal and then the ricotta. Add the basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked corn mixture and grated cheddar, and then pour into the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with more grated cheddar.

Place the dish in a larger pan and fill the pan 1/2 way up the sides of the dish with hot tap water. Bake thepudding for 40 to 45 minutes until the top begins to brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/sagaponack-corn-pudding-recipe/index.html

Marie Recommends Homemade Sweet and Savory Cranberry Relish

Homemade Sweet and Savory Cranberry Relish

1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 c. dried cherries
1/2 c. sun or oven dried tomatoes, diced
3/4 c grape juice
1 tbspn. vegetable oil
3 shallots, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, seeded cored and cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/2 cup fresh, halved cranberries
2 teaspoons orange zest
1/4 tspn. kosher salt.

1. Combine dried fruit, tomatoes, juice and 3/4 c water. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

2. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes. (Do not let them brown.) Add the dried fruit mixture, the apple, fresh cranberries and zest. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the relish reaches the desired consistency. (10 mins to 2 hours depending on heat. The slower you go, the less you'll have to stir to prevent browning.)

Barbara Recommends LuLu Wilson Kale Salad

Hi G.E.E.E.,

I'm not quite sure how you're gathering recipes -- if there's a way for me to directly deposit it, let me know. Here's a recipe for a great kale salad served in a few restaurants in Aspen (same owner). The recipe appeared in Aspen Magazine, and I happily ate it many times this past summer.

The only thing to clarify is that the currants are dried, maybe obvious to most, but not to me initially.

Babs

LuLu Wilson Kale Salad

One serving. Can be made a few hours ahead, but better if prepared just before serving.

2 ounces dark green kale with no yellow edges

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup currants

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup pine nuts, not toasted

Using a very sharp knife, cut away the kale leaves’ tough center stems. Roll the leaves like a cigar and cut them into very fine thin slices, about 1/8th-inch wide. Put kale and olive oil into a bowl and toss by hand. Add the lemon juice and toss again. Add the currants, parmesan, and pine nuts and toss by hand until the mixture is soft. Taste and adjust quantities if needed. Serve on a cold plate.

http://www.aspenmagazine.com/article/dish-du-jour