I love Kale!  When your craving something salty, this is the recipe for you.  I’ve also been known to add a little cayenne pepper; it’s a great addition.

Ingredients

One bunch of Kale

~1 Tbs olive oil

Kosher salt to taste

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
3. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

Peach and pecan danish

• Pack of Pillsbury crescent rolls (I bought the jumbo size, and would buy the regular next time)
• Peach preserves (I used Smucker’s), about half a jar
• Whipped cream cheese (regular works, I find the whipped easier to spread)
• Pecans, about 1 cup
• Sugar, about 2 Tablespoons
• Cinnamon, about 1 teaspoon
• Nutmeg, a dash
• Parchment paper, optional, but helpful

Preheat oven as directed on crescent can. On each triangular roll, spread a smear of cream cheese starting about 1 inch from the bottom and about 1 inch wide. (You want the bottom part cream cheese free so it doesn’t leak out.) Spread a think layer of preserves above and below your cream cheese smear line. Sprinkle about 2 Tablespoons of pecans on top of the preserves and cream cheese.  Roll up the crescent and place on pan.  Mix the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, then sprinkle on top of rolls.  Bake as directed.  Enjoy!

There is this soup that we love from Olive Garden called  Zuppa Toscana.  The recipe below (found on A Feathered Nest ) is not just as good as OG’s, it’s so much better!  It’s great with some crusty bread and an amber ale (or drink of your choice).

YUM!!!  Enjoy.

SO YUMMY and just as easy as Amy’s recipe, but a little spicier.  I adapted the original recipe from Martha Stewart, lightening it with light sour cream instead of heavy cream and substituting rotisserie chicken (or leftover chicken if you have it).  Hands down, James’ favorite dish and great for a crowd.  I made this over Christmas for the now 13-person Colvin family and we had leftovers.  Goes well with cumin-spiced black beans, avocado and cilantro.

Enchiladas Verdes (Serves 6)

1 rotisserie chicken, breast and thigh meat shredded

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 (16 oz.) jars salsa verde (I like Herdez)

1 cup light sour cream

12 corn tortillas

2-3 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (or similar Mexican cheese)

1 bunch cilantro

1-2 avocados, sliced

Preheat oven to 350° and grease a large casserole dish or cast iron skillet.

In large bowl, combine shredded chicken and garlic cloves.  In a separate bowl, combine salsa and 1/4 – 1/2 cup sour cream (depending on how creamy you prefer).  Add a 1/3 cup salsa mixture to chicken mixture and combine to moisten.

Heat tortillas to soften and prevent from breaking.  To assemble enchiladas, dip a tortilla in the salsa mixture, lay flat in prepared dish, add 1/4 cup chicken mixture, roll and place to one side in dish.  Repeat with remaining tortillas, salsa and chicken.  You want the tortillas tucked in closely so they maintain their shape while baking.  Pour remaining salsa mixture over rolled tortillas and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes until bubbling and cheese is golden brown.  Serve with avocado, sour cream and cilantro.  Salud a mis amigas!

This simple and delicious recipe comes from the pages of Sunset Magazine.  Serve with a side of steamed edamame and voila! asian flavors night.  I used buckwheat noodles, but udon noodles would be delicious (doughy noodles that really soak up the sauce).  I used beef broth since we had some on hand, but if keeping with vegetarian fare, use vegetable broth.  You could also saute thin slices of beef instead of tofu…I imagine shrimp would be good with this as well.  James and I both thought it needed a little spice, so I recommend adding red pepper flakes or serving with sriracha sauce.  Happy 2012…Enjoy dear friends!

1 pkg. (7 oz.) udon or other Asian noodle

2 TBSP soy sauce

1 TBSP toasted sesame oil

1 cup vegetable or beef broth

1 pkg. (14 oz.) firm tofu

2 TBSP vegetable oil, divided

1 TBSP each minced fresh ginger and garlic

4 baby bok choy, bottoms trimmed & leaves separated

4 green onion, trimmed and sliced

 Cook noodles as package directs.  Drain and divide among 4 bowls.  Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, and broth and set aside.

Drain tofu and press gently to remove excess liquid (I wrap tofu in a kitchen towel and press with a plate).  Cut tofu lengthwise into 3 pieces.  Cut crosswise into 1/2 in. sticks and blot dry.  Heat 1 TBSP oil in large frying pan (or wok, if you have it) over high heat.  Brown tofu (don’t stir), approx. 4 minutes each side.  Set on noodles

Add remaining 1 TBSP oil to same pan over medium-high heat.  Cook ginger and garlic until fragrant (approx. 30 seconds), making sure garlic doesn’t burn.  Add bok choy and cook until wilted, 5 minutes.  Add reserved broth mixture and cook until hot, about 1 minute. 

Spoon over noodles and tofu and sprinkle with onions.  Salud!

Makes 5-6 miniature loaves (3×5 in. pans)

• 1 c.  chopped pecans, toasted (325* oven for 5 minutes)
• 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• ¾ c. butter, softened
• 2 c. sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 c. all-purpose flour
• ½ t. baking powder
• ½ t. baking soda
• ½ t. salt
• 3 mashed very ripe bananas (if not totally brown, sprinkle with brown sugar then microwave for 30-45 second to soften for mashing)
• 1 c. chopped fresh cranberries
• 1 t. vanilla (Mexican vanilla preferred)
• ¾ t. orange extract
• 1 ½ T. orange zest (avoid the white rind, this requires about 1 ½ oranges. I then chop the longer pieces of rind with kitchen shears)
• Brown sugar to sprinkle on top

1. Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
2. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended.
4. Stir in mashed bananas, chopped fresh cranberries, pecans, orange zest, orange extract and vanilla.
5. Spray five or six mini loaf pans with Pam. Divide batter between the pans, about 1 1/2 c. each. Sprinkle the top of each loaf with brown sugar.
6. Place pans on shallow baking sheet and bake at 350 40-44 minutes (rotate half-way through) or until wooden pick inserted comes out clean and sides pull away from pans.  Cool in pans 10 minutes.  Transfer to wire racks.

Mix together:

• One package of steam-in-bag edamame (about three cups)
• 1/3 c. feta cheese, smaller pieces (use a fork to break up big chunks)
• 1/2 c. dried cranberries
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Enjoy!

This lasagna is surprisingly delicious and adds a fun twist to typical lasagna…a recipe from the BHG cookbook that would be great for a crowd.  James really enjoyed it and said the bacon made all the difference (although I think it would be fine without it).  I imagine this would be great with shredded chicken to add more protein.  It pairs well with a spinach salad or sauteed kale.  Salud!

Pumpkin Lasagna

Serves 12

12 dried lasagna noodles

8 oz. shitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

8 oz. cremini or button mushrtooms, sliced

3/4 tsp. salt

2 TBSP olive oil

12 slices bacon, cut crossways into 1/4-inch strips

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

3 TBSP snipped fresh sage (or 2 tsp. dried crushed sage)

2 15-oz. cans pumpkin

3/4 cup milk or half-and-half

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. cider vinegar

1 tsp. salt

1 15-oz. carton ricotta cheese

1 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices

6 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely shredded (1 1/2 cups)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside.

In skillet cook mushrooms and 3/4 tsp. salt in hot olive oil over medium heat until tender and no liquid remains.  Remove and set aside.  Add bacon to skillet; cook until crisp.  Remove and set aside.  Reserve one tablespoon drippings in skillet.  Add onion and cook until tender.  Add sage, cook 30 seconds.  Add pumpkin, milk, pepper, vinegar, and 1 tsp. salt.  Heat through.

In greased 3 qt. oval baking dish spread 1/2 cup pumpkin sauce.  Cover bottom of dish with 4 noodles, trim to fit.  Spread one-third sauce over noodles.  Layer with one-third each mushrooms, bacon, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Repeat layers twice.  Bake, uncovered, 40-45 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes.