Baked Potato Soup

1 head garlic

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts halved lengthwise, washed, and chopped small
5 to 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (I used 5 cups; add the extra cup after pureeing if you’d like a thinner soup)
2 bay leaves
Table salt
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup sour cream
Ground black pepper

Toppings, optional:
Minced fresh chives or scallions
Bacon bits
Sour cream
Grated cheddar
A drizzle of melted (or melted and browned) butter

Rinse the head of garlic to remove any outside grit or dirt. Cut the top third off the head and peel any loose papery skins off the bottom two-thirds. Instead of discarding the top third (CI’s suggestion), pop out a bunch (or all) of the garlic clove tips and mince them. 

In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add leeks and cook them until soft (but not brown), about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute. Add the larger part of the garlic head (whole, not chopped), broth, bay leaves and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat and simmer until garlic is very tender when pierced with tip of knife, 30 to 40 minutes. Add potatoes and continue to simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Discard bay leaves. Remove garlic heads. Optional: If you’d like an extra garlic boost to the soup, using tongs or paper towels, squeeze garlic head at root end until cloves slip out of their skins. Using a fork, mash the garlic cloves to smooth paste and add it back to the soup. [I felt our soup was garlicky enough without this. It had a great suggestion of garlic without overpowering the baked potato flavor.]

Add sour cream to soup and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper to taste. Using immersion blender, process soup until chunky-creamy, leaving lots of potato texture intact. (Alternatively, transfer a portion of the potatoes and broth to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.) Serve with whatever makes you happy on top, or nothing at all.

Serves 6

Source: Smitten Kitchen, via Cooks Illustrated

Winter Fruit Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 teaspoon diced green onion (or just onion)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 head Romain lettuce or a mixture of different kinds of lettuce

4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese

1 cup slivered almonds. (or you can use cashews if you want)

1/4 cup dried cranberries 

1 apple-peeled, cored and diced

1 pear-peeled, cored and diced

In a blender or food processor, combine sugar, lemon juice, onion, mustard and salt. Process until well blended. Add oil in slow steady stream until mixture is thick and smooth. Add poppy seeds and process just a few seconds more to mix.

In a large serving bowl combine the lettuce, shredded Swiss cheese, almonds, dried cranberries, cubed apple and cubed pear. Toss to mix then pour dressing over salad just before serving and toss to coat.

Source: See Jane in the Kitchen, via Pedaling Fast

Chard and White Bean Stew

1 pound Swiss chard (can also swap kale, spinach or another green), ribs and stems removed and cleaned
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup (5 1/4 ounces) chopped carrots
1 cup (5 ounces) chopped celery
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) chopped shallots, about 4 medium
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
2 15-ounce cans (or about 3 3/4 cups) white beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups (or more to taste) vegetable broth
1 cup pureed tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

Toasted bread slices, poached eggs, chopped herbs such as tarragon, parsley or chives or grated Parmesan or Romano to serve (optional)

Bring medium pot of salted water to boil. Cook chard (or any heavier green; no need to precook baby spinach) for one minute, then drain and squeeze out as much extra water as possible. Coarsely chop chard.

Wipe out medium pot to dry it, and heat olive oil over medium. Add carrots, celery, shallots and garlic and saute for 15 minutes. Barber warns not to brown them but I didn’t mind a light golden color on them. Add wine (scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pot) and cook it until it reduced by three-fourths. Add beans, broth, tomatoes, a few pinches of salt, freshly ground black pepper, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add chard and cook for 5 minutes more. Remove thyme and bay leaf. Add more broth if you’d like a thinner stew and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Serve as is drizzled with sherry vinegar. Or you can ladle the stew over thick piece of toasted country bread or baguette that has been rubbed lightly with half a clove of garlic, top that with a poached egg and a few drops of sherry vinegar and/or some grated cheese.

Source: Smitten Kitchen

(Healthy) Peanut Butter Balls

1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter 

1/2 cup honey

3/4 cup nonfat powdered milk (I suspect protein powder would work too)
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats

Combine all ingredients in a bowl; mix well. Using your hands, roll the dough into balls about the size of large gumballs. Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, and refrigerate until set. Makes about 20 balls.

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything, via LuLu the Baker

Sweet Potatoes with Pecans and Goat Cheese

1 1/2 pounds sweet potato, scrubbed, unpeeled, in 3/4- to 1-inch coins

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup toasted and cooled pecan halves
2 tiny or 1 small shallot
2 stalks celery
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon dried cranberries or cherries
2 ounces firmish goat cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet generously with olive oil, about 1 to 2 tablespoons. Lay sweet potatoes in one layer on the oiled sheet. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast, without disturbing, for 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully flip each piece: the undersides should be blistery, dark and a bit puffy and should release from the pan with no effort. If they’re not, let it cook longer. Sprinkle them with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper and return the pan to the oven for another 10 minutes or so, until the undersides match the tops.

Meanwhile, prepare your salad. Chop your pecans well, mince your shallot, chop your celery and parsley, mince cranberries if using them. Crumble your goat cheese. If you, like me, got too soft of a goat cheese for mixing, set it aside and sprinkle it on top. If it’s firmer, stir it into the mixture. In a small dish, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon dijon. Pour half over salad.

When the sweet potatoes are done, set a couple coins aside just in case the baby isn’t into the toppings. Lay the rest on a serving platter. Scoop a spoonful of the salsa over each round. Pour remaining salad dressing over top, to taste. Eat immediately.

Serves 2 1/2

Source: Smitten Kitchen

Best Baked Manicotti

Tomato Sauce
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (in juice)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dried basil

Cheese Filling and Pasta
3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (or 2 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
16 no-boil lasagna noodles (Barilla brand is best)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan chese, mozzarella cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs; set aside.
To assemble, pour 1 inch boiling water into 13 by 9-inch baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry baking dish.
Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soupspoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. (You should be able to fit 8 manicotti in each row, allowing all 16 to fit in the dish). Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.
Cover manicotti with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes, then remove foil. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 cup Parmesan. Bake until cheese is browned and bubbly, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
The manicotti can be prepared right up until the baking step then covered with a sheet of parchment paper, wrapped in aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. (If frozen, thaw the manicotti in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.) To bake, remove the parchment, replace the aluminum foil, and increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Serves 6 to 8

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe, adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Winter Greens Pasta

• 2 heads escarole, leaves removed from core, washed and roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 5 to 6 anchovy fillets (omit these to make this dish vegetarian)
• 5 to 6 large garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (eyeball it)
• Salt
• 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
• 1 pound spinach leaves, thick stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons drained capers (eyeball it)
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 3 cups (about 3 large handfuls) arugula leaves
• A few grates nutmeg

Breadcrumb Topping:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• A handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of water up to a boil over high heat to cook the pasta. Once boiling, add some salt and the pasta. Cook according to package directions to al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta-cooking water before thoroughly draining the pasta.

Once the water is almost up to a boil to cook the pasta, start the greens: Place a large skillet over low heat with 4 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 4 tablespoons. Add the garlic, anchovies and the crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring every now and then, until the anchovies have completely melted. If you don't use anchovies, cook until the garlic is golden in color.

Once the water is almost up to a boil to cook the pasta, start the greens: Place a large skillet over low heat with 4 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 4 tablespoons. Add the garlic, anchovies and the crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring every now and then, until the anchovies have completely melted. If you don't use anchovies, cook until the garlic is golden in color.

Turn the heat up to high and add the escarole, spinach, some salt and pepper. (The greens may have to be added in batches; adding a handful and cooking it down before adding more.) Once all of the greens are in the skillet, add the reserved cup of pasta-cooking water, capers, lemon zest and juice, arugula, nutmeg and the drained pasta. Toss to combine and cook about a minute. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Place a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat and melt the butter. Add the breadcrumbs and toast until dark golden brown. Remove from heat and add the parsley and some pepper.

To serve, divide between 4 serving bowls and top with a handful of the breadcrumb mixture.

Serves 4

Source: Rachael Ray 

Baked Lemon Pasta

1 pound Thin Spaghetti
4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested
2 cups Sour Cream
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste
Plenty Of Grated Parmesan Cheese
Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
Extra Lemon Juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.

In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.

Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.

Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.)

When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

Serve with crusty French bread and a simple green salad.

Source: The Pioneer Woman

Mediterranean Salad with Chickpea Patties

• 1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup low-fat yogurt (preferably Greek)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 8 cups mixed greens
• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• Pita chips (optional)

In a food processor, pulse the chickpeas, parsley, garlic, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper just until coarsely chopped and the mixture comes together when gently squeezed. Form into eight 1/2-inch-thick patties and coat with the flour, tapping off excess.

Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties, turning carefully, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Divide the greens, tomatoes, onion, and chickpea patties among plates. Drizzle with the dressing and serve with the pita chips, if using.

Serves 4

Source: Real Simple

Spanikopita

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound baby spinach

1 large egg

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped

6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

1/4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

10 sheets phyllo dough (each 17 by 12 inches), thawed if frozen

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add spinach, and cook, stirring often, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in egg, herbs, feta, salt, and pepper.

Lay 1 sheet phyllo on a parchment lined baking sheet (cover remaining phyllo with a damp towel), and brush with butter. Repeat twice. Spread spinach mixture on center. Top with 3 more buttered sheets. Fold in sides. Butter remaining 4 sheets, crumple over top. Bake until dark golden, about 40 minutes.

Serves 4

Source: Martha Stewart

Cheddar and Beer Soup

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 2 small carrots, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups whole milk
• 12 ounces beer (not dark)
• 3 cups grated sharp Cheddar, plus more for garnishing
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
• 1 baguette
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 
  
• Heat oven to 350° F.
• 
  
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stirring constantly, add the flour and cook for 3 minutes; the mixture will clump. Still stirring constantly, add the broth slowly and cook until a thick, smooth paste forms, 3 minutes. Still stirring, slowly add the milk, then the beer. Cook until the foam subsides and the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the Cheddar, salt, pepper, sugar, and hot sauce (if using) and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• 
  
• Meanwhile, thinly slice the baguette. Arrange on a baking sheet and brush with the oil. Bake until golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and top with additional grated Cheddar and the baguette slices.

Serves 4

Source: Real Simple Magazine

Summer Tomato and Basil Soup

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 tablespoon dried basil

2 cans (28 ounces each) whole Italian-style tomatoes in puree

2 cans (49 ounces each) low sodium chicken broth

2 cups heavy (whipping) cream

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons, lightly packed fresh basil leaves, cut into fine ribbons

In a 6 to 8 quart saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the carrots, onion, and dried basil and saute, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the tomatoes, including the puree, and the broth and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes to blend the flavors.

Remove from heat. Puree with immersion blender. Add the cream, and place over medium heat. Warm until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into warmed soup tureen or individual bowls, garnish with basil, and serve immediately

Serves 8 

Source: Nordstrom Cafe