Cozy Fall Salad

Cozy and salad are hardly words that one thinks of in the same phrase, but this salad is just that. It has roasted sweet potatoes, tangy cranberries, and a kick of chipotles with a crunch from pepitas. We paired this wonderful fall salad with a bed of spinach and a veggie sausage for an easy and fulfilling meal. One suggestion: put a little more water into the cranberry-chipotle dressing to allow the dressing to coat the potatoes more.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Cranberry-Chipotle Dressing (Cooking Light, October 2011, Mark Bittman)

2 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

3 Tbs. olive oil, divided

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

1/4 cup water

2 tsp. honey

1 (7-oz.) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkinseeds)

3/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1. Preheat oven to 450.

2. Place sweet potatoes on a large jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with 2 Tbs. oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Bake at 450 for 30 minutes or until tender, turning after 15 minutes.

3. Place remaining 1 Tbs. oil, cranberries, water, and honey in a saucepan. Remove 1 or 2 chiles from can; finely chop to equal 1 Tbs. Add chopped chipotle and 1 tsp. adobo sauce to pan (reserve remaining chiles and sauce for another use). Place pan over medium-low heat; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes or until cranberries pop, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Mash with a potato masher or fork until chunky.

4. Place pepitas in a medium skillet; cook over medium heat 4 minutes or until lightly browned, shaking pan frequently.

5. Combine potatoes, pepitas, onions, and cilantro in a bowl. Add cranberry mixture to bowl; toss gently to coat.

Overcoming Fears

The thought of making a soufflé has always terrified me. But once you make one, you realize that they really aren't that difficult! In fact, they are quite easy. The only even slightly difficult part is beating the egg whites to a stiff peak. And once you get that part down, you are good to go. This soufflé recipe took about 15 minutes to put together and 45 to bake, so it can definitely be done for a special weeknight dinner. We paired it with a salad and homemade bread.

Ricotta and Pesto Souffle (The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest, Mollie Katzen)

a little melted butter and grated parmesan for the soufflé dish

1 lb. (2 cups) ricotta cheese

6 eggs, separated and at room temperature

2 Tbs. unbleached white flour

1/2 tsp. salt

lots of fresh black pepper

1/3 cup grated parmesan

1 cup pesto [homemade or store-bought]

1. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly brush a 2-quart souffle dish with melted butter, and sprinkle it with grated parmesan.

2. Place the ricotta in a large mixing bowl. Add all, some, or none of the egg yolks, the flour, salt, pepper, 1/3 cup parmesan, and the pesto. Beat with a whisk until well combined.

3. Place the egg whites in a separate large bowl, and beat until they form stiff peaks. Gently but persuasively fold the beaten whites into the ricotta mixture. Use a firm rubber spatula, and turn the bowl as you fold. Transfer the batter into the prepared soufflé dish.

4. Without a moment's hesitation, place the soufflé into the oven, and reduce the temperature to 350. Let it bake undisturbed for 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

Ragin' Cajun

Cajun food is probably my Dad's favorite genre of food. He has certainly passed that love on to me. The only problem is that it tends to be very heavy on butter, meats, and seafoods. Paul Prudhomme is especially known as a butter, oil, and lard-heavy chef. Here is his version of Crawfish (or Shrimp) Étouffée, which is absolutely delectable. When we made it, we used veggie sausage and mushrooms instead of the shrimp and cut the butter to about 1/2 a stick. The étouffée was still incredibly rich and satisfying, but I didn't feel quite so terrible about eating it. I hope you enjoy this Cajun meal as much as I did.

Crawfish (or Shrimp) Étouffée (Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen, Paul Prudhomme)

Seasoning mix:

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)

1 tsp. white pepper

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. dried sweet basil leaves

1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

1/4 cup chopped onions

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers

7 Tbs. vegetable oil

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups, in all, Basic Seafood Stock [or vegetable stock]

1/4 lbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, in all

2 lbs. peeled crawfish tails or medium shrimp

1 cup very finely chopped green onions

4 cups hot Basic Cooked Rice

1. Thoroughly combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl combine the onions, celery, and bell peppers.

2. In a large heavy skillet (preferably cast iron), heat the oil over high heat until it begins to smoke, about 4 minutes. With a long-handled metal whisk, gradually mix in the flour, stirring until smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until roux is dark red-brown, about 3 to 5 minutes (be careful not to let it scorch in the pan or splash on your skin). Remove from heat and immediately stir in the vegetables and 1 Tbs. of the seasoning mix with a wooden spoon; continue stirring until cooled, about 5 minutes.

3. In a 2-quart saucepan bring 2 cups of the stock to a boil over high heat. Gradually add the roux and whisk until thoroughly dissolved. Reduce heat to low and cook until flour taste is gone, about 2 minutes, whisking almost constantly (if any of the mixture scorches, don't continue to scrape that part of the pan bottom). Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Heat the serving plates to 250 in an oven.

5. In a 4-quart saucepan melt 1 stick of the butter over medium heat. Stir in the crawfish (or shrimp) and the green onions; sauté about 1 minute, stirring almost constantly. Add the remaining stick of butter, the stock mixture and the remaining 1 cup stock; cook until butter melts and is mixed into the sauce, about 4 to 6 minutes, constantly shaking the pan in a back-and-forth motion (versus stirring). Add the remaining seasoning mix; stir well and remove from heat (if sauce starts separating, add about 2 Tbs. more of stock or water and shake pan until it combines). Serve immediately.

6. To serve, mound 1/2 cup rice on each heated serving plate. Surround the rice with 3/4 cup of the étouffée.

Sensational Sandwiches

This sandwich will blow your mind. Adam and I have recreated it several times since we made the original. We cannot get enough. The lavash bread becomes wonderfully crispy and golden when preparing it in this way. The tomato, spinach, and mozzarella go perfectly with the chile dipping sauce. The next time you are looking for a super quick and satisfying meal, this is it!

Spinach and Mozzarella Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Chile Dipping Sauce (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

Chile Dipping Sauce:

1 tsp. hot chile sauce

2 Tbs. mayonnaise

2 Tbs. plain whole, low-fat, or nonfat yogurt, or nonfat sour cream

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1 small garlic clove, minced

Sandwiches:

6 oz. fresh spinach (large stems removed)

2 fresh pieces of lavash bread, or 1 large split pita pocket

2 plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced thin crosswise

2 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated (or sliced, if it's fresh mozzarella)

salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

2 Tbs. olive oil

1. Make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, combine the chile sauce with the mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, cider vinegar, and garlic. Stir well.

2. Steam the spinach over high heat for 2 minutes. Let the spinach cool.

3. Lay one of the pieces of lavash or pita on your work surface, with a short side of the bread directly in front of you if you are using lavash. Lay half of the tomatoes across the bread, about 3 inches from the side closest to you. Squeeze any excess water from the spinach, then lay half of it on the tomatoes. Sprinkle or lay half of the mozzarella on top of the tomatoes and spinach. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Then roll the bread, starting with the side closest to you, as tightly as possible. Follow the same procedure for the second sandwich.

4. Heat the olive oil in a large (preferably non-stick) skillet over medium heat. Place the two rolled sandwiches in the skillet, and place another skillet or sandwich press on top to weigh the sandwiches down. Cook the sandwiches for about 4 minutes or until they are golden brown, then turn them and cook them on the other side for 4 minutes more, checking the undersides frequently. Cut the sandwiches in half, and serve each with a small bowl of the dipping sauce.

Cream of the Crop

It isn't very often Adam chooses to have soup, but he did twice in two weeks! I take every advantage of it that I can too. This soup was definitely a winner with an avocado and sweet corn base topped with chicken and/or baked tofu. Before avocado season ends, you must try this recipe as it is a completely healthy and perfectly summery soup.

Avocado-Corn Chowder with Grilled Chicken (Cooking Light, August 2011)

Baked tofu is a great, flavorful, and chewy meat-substitute. I replaced my chicken with savory-flavored tofu, which worked perfectly!

2 ripe avocados, divided

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1 tsp. honey

1 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (optional)

12 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast

1 tsp. olive oil

1 small garlic clove, cut in half

1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

4 lime wedges

1. Peel and coarsely chope 1 avocado; place in a blender. Add water, orange juice, honey, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, and red pepper, if desired; blend until smooth. Place in freezer to chill while chicken cooks.

2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush chicken with oil; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Place chicken in pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; rub chicken with cut sides of garlic halves. Let chicken stand 10 minutes; cut or shred into bite-sized pieces.

3. Peel and dice remaining avocado. Stir diced avocado, corn, bell pepper, and onions into chilled avocado puree. Spoon chowder into bowls; top with chicken and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Twist on Thai

I've looked at this recipe for years with interest, but I have never made--until now. The crepes are a bit time consuming, however it's a fun and different meal to mix things up a bit. If you're in the mood to try something new, these should definitely be on your list. You may want to add some stir-fried tofu to make this a completely nutritious meal--we will next time.

Thai Vegetable Crepes with Peanut Sauce (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

1 recipe Peanut Sauce (recipe follows)

Filling:

1 1-lb. eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 Tbs. canola or corn oil

3 carrots, cut into 3-inch-long julienne strips

10 scallions, halved lengthwise, cut into 3-inch lengths, then cut into julienne strips

2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into julienne strips

1 Tbs. soy sauce

2 cups cooked rice, or 4 cups chopped nappa cabbage

Crepes:

1 3/4 cups unbleached white flour

2/3 cup glutinous rice flour (available in Asian markets)

1 tsp. salt

4 eggs

1 3/4 cups water

About 1 Tbs. canola or corn oil (or some spray oil)

Garnish:

Whole chives

1. Make the filling: Preheat the oven to 375. Spread the eggplant cubes on a baking sheet that has been lightly coated with oil. Bake the eggplant for 15 minutes or until it has softened.

While the eggplant bakes, heat the 1 Tbs. oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the carrots, scallions, and peppers. Saute them for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the soy sauce, then the rice or nappa cabbage. Cook for 2 minutes more, stirring frequently. Take the pan off the heat, and stir in the baked eggplant.

2. Make the crepe batter: In a large bowl, mix the white flour, the rice flour, and the salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs and the water. Slowly add the liquid to the dry ingredients, whisking continuously. Whisk until the mixture is almost smooth.

3. Cook the crepes: Over medium-high heat, coat a griddle, a crepe pan, or a large skillet with oil. Ladle 1/3 cup of the batter onto the surface, and let the crepe cook for 1 minute. Flip the crepe over with a spatula, and cook it another minute. Transfer the crepe to a plate, and ladle another 1/3 cup batter onto the hot surface. Continue cooking the crepes in this fashion until you have twelve. Keep them warm by covering them with a kitchen towel.

4. Assemble the crepes: Warm the filling in the skillet. Warm the peanut sauce over low heat in another skillet. Then ladle some sauce (about 1/4 cup) onto each large dinner plate. Spoon about 3 Tbs. filling onto each crepe, roll the crepes, and plate two on each plate. Serve the crepes garnished with whole, crisscrossed chives.

Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter

1/2 cup coconut milk (you can freeze the rest of the milk in the can for later use)

1/4 cup finely chopped dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts

2 Tbs. Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce, or 1 Tbs. soy sauce

3 Tbs. rice vinegar

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbs. chopped cilantro (optional)

hot chile sauce to taste (optional)

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and the coconut milk for a minute or two, until the mixture is smooth.

2. Add the peanuts, fish or soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and, if you like, cilantro. If you want some heat, add a bit of chile sauce.

Better Breakfast

I am in a bit of a cooking and baking kick, so I'm taking advantage of it. I thought I would spruce up our usual eggs and toast breakfast by making a a coffeecake. Adam couldn't resist the apples and cinnamon in this coffeecake, as they are two of his favorite things. Add coffee, and it's a perfect match for my perfect match. (Although, I have to say that you need quite a sweet tooth for this one--a little sweet for my taste.)

Apple-Cinnamon Coffeecake (Cooking Light, November 2007)

Cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 oz)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

2 Tbs. butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1 cup diced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 1 apple)

cooking spray

Streusel:

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 Tbs. chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. To prepare cake, lightly spoon 1 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk and next 3 ingredients, stirring with a whisk; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in apple. Pour batter into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray.

3. To prepare streusel, combine brown sugar, 2 Tbs. flour, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon; cut in chilled butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle streusel evenly over batter. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Serve warm.