Gorilla Bread

Food Network, Paula Deen

Makes 12 servings
    1/2 cup sugar                                                  
    3 teaspoons cinnamon                                           
    1/2 cup butter                                                 
    1 cup packed brown sugar                                       
    8 ounces cream cheese                                          
    12 ounces buttermilk refrigerator biscuits (may need 2 packs)  
    1 1/2 cups coarse chop walnuts or pecans 
                     
Prep Time: 10 minutes/Cook Time: 50 minutes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon. In a saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over low heat, stirring well; set aside.

Cut the cream cheese into 20 equal cubes. Press the biscuits out with your fingers and sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar. Place a cube of cream cheese in the center of each biscuit, wrapping and sealing the dough around the cream cheese.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the nuts into the bottom of the bundt pan. Place half of the prepared biscuits in the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, pour half of the melted butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle on 1/2 cup of nuts. Layer the remaining biscuits on top, sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar, pour the remaining butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of nuts.

Bake for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Place a plate on top and invert.

MY NOTES: These are too big. I would say each biscuit can go into quarters. Also, I wonder if some kind of jam (apple butter or orange marmalade) inside would also work? The ones that aren't against the edge of the dish don't get the proper browning, so a bundt pan is good to use.

MXF

Coconut Macaroons

Food Network, Paula Deen

Makes 20 servings
    3 cups shredded coconut                                        
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract                                     
    1/8 teaspoon salt                                              
    2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk                               
    2 egg whites stiffly beaten                                    
    1 teaspoon cream of tartar 
                                    
Prep Time 10 minutes/Cook Time 8 minutes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine coconut, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix in condensed milk to form a thick paste. Fold in egg whites with cream of tarter.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

MY NOTE: Originally called for almond extract, but I don't like it so I switched it for vanilla.  Do not make cookies very big or they won't cook inside.  Remember not to make them on a humid day.

MXF

Bubba's Beer Biscuits

Food Network, Paula Deen

Yield: 12 to 16 biscuits

    4 cups biscuit mix (rec. Bisquick)                             
    1/4-1/2 cup sugar                                              
    12 ounces can beer                                             
    2 tablespoons melted butter      
                              
Prep Time: 5 minutes/Cook Time: 20 minutes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix all ingredients well, adjusting the sugar according to how sweet a biscuit you prefer. Pour into well-greased muffin tins. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with honey (and) butter.

Brie en Croute

Food Network, Paula Deen

Makes 8 servings
    1 sheet puff pastry shells                                     
    1 tablespoon unsalt butter                                     
    1/2 cup walnuts                                                
    1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon                                   
    8 ounces brie cheese or Edam or other                          
    1/4 cup brown sugar                                            
    1 egg beaten                                                   
    Cracker for serving    
                                       
Prep Time: 10 minutes/Inactive Prep Time: 20 minutes/Cook Time: 28 minutes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Defrost puff pastry for approximately 15 to 20 minutes and unfold.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Saute the walnuts in the butter until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon and stir until walnuts are coated well. Place the walnut mixture on top of the Brie and sprinkle the brown sugar over the mixture. Lay the puff pastry out on a flat surface. Place the brie in the center of the pastry. Gather up the edges of the brie, pressing around the brie and gather at the top. Gently squeeze together the excess dough and tie together with a piece of kitchen twine. Brush the beaten egg over top and side of Brie. Place Brie on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

Serve with crackers.

To give a special look, cut extra pastry into heart or flower shapes and bake until golden.

MY NOTE: I would totally shave the rind off the cheese first since I don't like to eat it.  I would also remove twine before serving.  It should not come undone once baked. Also, camembert might be a better choice.

Ol' No. 7 Yams

Food Network, Paula Deen

Makes 4 servings

    4 lg. sweet potatoes                                           
    3 cups water                                                   
    1 1/2 cups brown sugar                                         
    4 tablespoons butter                                           
    1 stick cinnamon                                               
    1/4 teaspoon fresh grate nutmeg                                
    1/3 cup bourbon whiskey                                        
    1 strip orange peel    
                                       
Prep Time: 10 minutes/Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash and dry sweet potatoes and bake for 1 hour or until potatoes are soft to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly then remove skin from potatoes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. While the potatoes are baking, combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened. Slice the potatoes 1/2-inch thick into a medium casserole dish. Pour syrup over them and return to the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes.

Portuguese Chorizo and Kale Soup

Food Network, Rachael Ray

Makes 4 servings
    2 tablespoons evoo                                             
    3 med. white potatoes like Yukon gold, peel and dice           
    2 med. onions diced                                            
    4-6 cloves garlic chopped                                      
    2 bay leaves                                                   
    1 pound kale coarse chop                                       
    Salt and pepper                                                
    15 ounces chickpeas drain and rinse                            
    1 can diced tomatoes                                           
    1 pound diced chorizo sausages no casing                       
    1 quart chicken broth                                          
    Bread for dipping           
                                 
Heat oil in a deep pot over medium high heat. Add potatoes and onions, cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic, bay leaves, and kale to the pot. Cover pot and wilt greens 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add beans, tomatoes, chourico, and broth to the pot and bring soup to a full boil. Reduce heat back to medium and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

Serve soup with hunks of crusty bread and butter.

Whisky-Soaked Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake

New York Time Dining

MAKES 10-12 SERVINGS

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, more for greasing pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, more for dusting pan
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup bourbon, rye or other whiskey, more for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish (optional).

Time: About 1 1/2 hours, plus cooling
Grease and flour a 10-cup-capacity Bundt pan (or two 8- or 9-inch loaf pans). Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In microwave oven or double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate. Let cool.

Put espresso and cocoa powders in a 2-cup (or larger) glass measuring cup. Add enough boiling water to come up to the 1 cup measuring line. Mix until powders dissolve. Add whiskey and salt; let cool.

Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until well combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract, baking soda and melted chocolate, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula.

On low speed, beat in a third of the whiskey mixture. When liquid is absorbed, beat in 1 cup flour. Repeat additions, ending with whiskey mixture. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes for Bundt pan (loaf pans will take less time, start checking them after 55 minutes).

Transfer cake to a rack. Unmold after 15 minutes and sprinkle warm cake with more whiskey. Let cool before serving, garnished with confectioners’ sugar if you like.

Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter

Smitten Kitchen

Another thing that blew my mind about this sauce: I, for one, am a grated parmesan junkie. I not only sprinkle it over my bowl of pasta, I like to have additional nearby, to apply a fresh coat to the layers of pasta that follow. So you can imagine my shock to find that I liked this dish even more without the parmesan. The flavor of the sauce is so delicate, fresh and sweet that it needed nothing at all.

Serves 4 as a main course; makes enough sauce to lightly coat most of a pound of spaghetti

28 ounces (800 grams) whole peeled tomatoes from a can (San Marzano, if you can find them)*
5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter
1 medium-sized yellow onion, peeled and halved
Salt to taste

Put the tomatoes, onion and butter in a heavy saucepan (it fit just right in a 3-quart) over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a slow, steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free of the tomatoes. Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, discard the onion, add salt to taste (you might find, as I did, that your tomatoes came salted and that you didn’t need to add more) and keep warm while you prepare your pasta.

Serve with spaghetti, with or without grated parmesan cheese to pass.

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

Smitten Kitchen

A root beer float is a tall glass of root beer with a scoop of vanilla ice cream inside. I tried to turn this into a cupcake a few ways, first with a plain whipped cream frosting (hoping the cream could stand in for ice cream) and then with both whipped cream and a tiny, nested scoop of ice cream. Both are delicious. Neither are particularly portable. The whipped cream is good for two hours at room temperature but the ice cream, only a few minutes. If you’re bringing them somewhere else, I suggest bringing the ice cream and/or whipped cream separately and assembling them on the spot; get others involved, I am sure it could be fun. You could also swap out both toppings for a more traditional, stable frosting such as a Quick Buttercream or a Seven Minute Frosting (my vote, because it tastes like marshmallows).

I also want to note that while the root beer flavor is present in the cakes, it’s not the loudest root beer flavor (unsurprising as most root beers today are pretty subtle). One way to make it more pronounced, as suggested in Baked, is to swap out half a cup of root beer for root beer schnapps, which looks like it is available from a few places online.

MAKES 22 MINIS

CUPCAKES
2 cups root beer (I used Boylan because it was easy to find and made with cane sugar)
1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs

TOPPINGS
1 1/2 cups heavy or whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pint of vanilla ice cream (you’ll have leftover; you’re welcome)
Maraschino cherries (optional)

Make the root beer cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 22 cupcake cups with paper liners. In a small saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined. Fold the liquid and flour mixtures together in the large bowl. The batter will be slightly lumpy; this is okay. If you overbeat it, it will get tough.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 to 3/4 full (a 1/4 cup scoop or measuring cup will filled mine perfectly) and bake cupcakes, rotating trays back to front and top to bottom halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Assemble cupcakes: Whip heavy or whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until it holds soft peaks. You can do this with an electric mixer, but if you do it by hand, not only will you get a killer arm workout (which you can trade in for a cupcake, very soon), it will be nearly impossible to overbeat the cream. (Which I almost always do with a mixer.)

Use the tip of a knife to cut a small cone of cake out of the top center of each cupcake; feel free to snack on these, I won’t tell anyone. Using a spoon or a small cookie scoop, nest a scoop of ice cream in each indent. Surround ice cream with dollops of whipped cream. Top with a cherry, if using. To keep cupcakes in a holding pattern while you assemble the remaining ones, you can put them in the freezer, but try to do so for no more than 5 minutes or the whipped cream will harden.

Eat immediately.

Apple-Glazed Barbecue Baby Back Ribs

Food & WineMakes 4 servings
    1/2 cup dark brown sugar                                       
    4 teaspoons garlic salt                                        
    4 teaspoons ancho chile powder                                 
    2 teaspoons salt                                               
    1 teaspoon ground black pepper                                 
    1/2 teaspoon celery salt                                       
    1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper                                    
    1/4 teaspoon cinnamon                                          
    1/4 teaspoon ground white peppers                              
    1/2 cup apple cider                                            
    1/4 cup apple jelly melted                                     
    1/4 cup honey                                                  
    2 racks beef baby back ribs (4 lbs)                            
    1 cup barbecue sauce  
                                         
ACTIVE: 30 MIN/TOTAL TIME: 4 HRS 30 MIN

Preheat the oven to 250°. In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup of the sugar with the garlic salt, chile powder, salt, black pepper, celery salt, cayenne, cinnamon and white pepper. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the spice mix to a medium bowl and whisk in the cider, apple jelly, honey and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar.

Pull the membrane off the underside of each rib rack using a towel to grasp the corner. On a rimmed baking sheet, rub the ribs with the remaining spice mix; bake, meaty side up, for 2 1/2 hours. Pour the cider mixture over the ribs and turn to coat. Tightly cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.

Light a grill. Uncover the ribs and brush with the barbecue sauce; grill over moderate heat, turning and brushing, until glazed, 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes, then cut between the bones and serve.

MY NOTE: Pretty easy and pretty delicious. I used chipotle instead of ancho because that's what I had. I also couldn't find apple jelly so I used pear. I actually wouldn't have minded more apple taste, so I might increase jelly to 1/3-1/2 cup. Also, make sure your grill isn't on high or you'll burn these suckers in two minutes.

MXF

Thai Vegetable and Smokey Eggplant Salad

Food & Wine, 2006
Makes 4 servings
    2 long, purple eggplant (1 1/2 lb. ea)                         
    8 fresh kaffir lime leaves mince or 1 tsp lime zest            
    1/2 cup lime juice                                             
    1/4 cup soy sauce                                              
    1 red thai chili mince                                         
    1 tablespoon light brown sugar                                 
    1 clove mince garlic                                           
    1 teaspoon fine grate lemon zest                               
    1 avocado thin slice                                           
    1 carrot julienned                                             
    1 med. english cucumber thin slice crosswise                   
    1/2 pound cherry tomatoes                                      
    1/2 red onion halved, thin slice                               
    Chives 4G                                                      
    3 tablespoons chop mint leaves                                 
    1/2 cup roasted cashew nuts coarse chop 
                       
TOTAL TIME: 40 MIN

Light a grill. Using a fork, prick the eggplants in a few places. Grill over high heat, turning occasionally, until the eggplants are very soft and blackened all over, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and let cool slightly. Cut the stems off the eggplants and scrape off the charred skin. Tear the eggplants into long strips and discard the seeds. Transfer to a bowl.

In a small bowl, mix the lime leaves with the lime juice, soy sauce, chile, brown sugar, garlic and lemon zest. Stir 3 tablespoons of the dressing into the eggplant. Arrange the eggplant, avocado, carrot, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and red onion on a platter. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the vegetables. Sprinkle the chives, mint and cashews over the salad and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The smoky eggplant salad can be prepared through Step 1 and refrigerated overnight.

NOTES One Serving 314 Calories, 16 gm Total Fat, 2.6 gm Saturated Fat, 41 gm Carbohydrates, 13 gm Fiber.

Spicy Snapper Sandwiches

Food & Wine, 2006
Makes 4 servings
    1 teaspoon lemon zest                                          
    2 tablespoons lime juice                                       
    2 cloves garlic mince                                          
    1 serrano chile mince                                          
    1 tablespoon evoo                                              
    4 6- ounce red snapper fillets                                 
    Salt and pepper                                                
    1/4 cup mayonnaise                                             
    1/2 tablespoon capers chop                                     
    4 hoagie buns split                                            
    Lettuce                                                        
    4 slices red onions    
                                        
TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a bowl, mix half of the lime zest, lime juice, garlic and chile. Stir in the olive oil. Make 3 shallow 2-inch slashes into the skin of each fish fillet. Spread the garlic-chile paste over the fish. Transfer the fish to a baking dish, skin side up; season with salt and pepper. Bake for 8 minutes, until the fish flakes easily.

Meanwhile, in another small bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the capers and the remaining lime zest, lime juice, garlic and chile. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Toast the buns. Spread the sauce on the buns and top with the fish, lettuce and onion. Close the sandwiches and serve.

NOTES One serving 441 cal, 20 gm total fat, 3.2 gm saturated fat, 68 gm carb, 2 gm fiber.

Polenta Gratin with Spinach and Wild Mushrooms

Food & Wine, 2006
Makes 8 servings
    2 tablespoons evoo                                             
    12 ounces wild mushrooms (5 c)                                 
    1 shallot mince                                                
    8 ounces baby spinach (8 c)                                    
    1/2 teaspoon thyme                                             
    Pinch nutmeg                                                   
    Salt and pepper                                                
    1 tablespoon unsalted butter                                   
    1 tablespoon flour                                             
    3/4 cup chicken broth                                          
    1/2 cup heavy cream                                            
    18 ounces log of prepared polenta 1/4-in slice                 
    3 ounces shred gruyére cheese (1 c)       
                    
ACTIVE TIME: 30 MIN/TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 15 MIN

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the shallot and cook over moderately low heat for 3 minutes. Add the spinach, thyme and nutmeg and cook over high heat until the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the spinach evenly in a 2-quart baking dish.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour over moderately high heat. Add the stock and cream and whisk until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper and pour over the spinach. Arrange the polenta slices on top of the spinach in overlapping concentric circles, pressing to submerge the polenta slightly. Sprinkle the Gruyère on the polenta, cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Uncover the polenta and broil 6 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes, or until golden. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

MAKE AHEAD The unbaked gratin can be refrigerated overnight.

Manhattan Ice Cream Float

Food & Wine, 2006
Makes 4 servings
    2 pints vanilla ice cream slightly soft                        
    1/4 cup + 2tbsp bourbon whiskey                                
    1/2 pint heavy cream                                           
    1 1/2 tablespoons sweet vermouth                               
    1 tablespoon sugar                                             
    Dash angostura bitters                                         
    1 liter cherry soda (or 3 12-oz bottles) chilled               
    Maraschino cherry 4G   
                                       
Total time: 30 minutes

Put the ice cream in a food processor. With the machine on and working quickly, add the bourbon and process just until combined. Spread the ice cream in a large, shallow plastic container and freeze until firm enough to scoop, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, whip the heavy cream with the vermouth, sugar and bitters until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until chilled.

Pour the cherry soda into 4 tall glasses, filling them two-thirds full. Scoop the ice cream into each glass and top with a dollop of the whipped cream. Garnish with the cherries and serve.

Chilled Grapefruit Caramel Pie

Food & Wine, 2006
Makes 12 servings
    Caramel Sauce                                                  
    1 cup pink grapefruit juice                                    
    1/2 cup grapefruit zest (3 grapefruits)                        
    12 eggs separated                                              
    3/4 cup +1 1/3 c sugar                                         
    2 sticks unsalted butter soft, +4 tbsp melted                  
    9 graham crackers                                              
    1/2 pound cream cheese soft                                    
    3/4 cup heavy cream           
                                
ACTIVE TIME: 1 HR/TOTAL TIME: 3 HRS plus 5 hr freezing

Bring a medium saucepan filled with 2 inches of water to a simmer over moderate heat. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the grapefruit juice and zest with the 6 whole eggs, 6 egg yolks and 3/4 cup of the sugar. Set the bowl over the saucepan and cook, stirring frequently, until a thick curd forms, about 15 minutes; don't worry if the curd looks slightly curdled. Strain the curd through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing on the solids; discard the solids. Whisk the softened butter into the curd until blended. Place a sheet of plastic directly on the curd and refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, crush the graham crackers; pour in the melted butter and pulse just to combine. Pat the crumbs over the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in 3/4 cup of the Caramel Sauce. In another medium bowl, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Fold the heavy cream into the caramel cream cheese.

Spoon the grapefruit curd into the springform pan and tap gently to form an even layer. Spoon the caramel cream on top in a smooth, even layer. Drizzle the remaining 3/4 cup of Caramel Sauce all over the caramel cream and freeze until slightly set, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan filled with 2 inches of water to a simmer. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, combine the 6 egg whites with the remaining 1 1/3 cups sugar, set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk over low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the egg whites are hot to the touch. Transfer the bowl to the mixer fitted with a whisk and beat at medium-high speed until the whites are stiff and glossy, about 8 minutes. Spread the meringue over the caramel. Swirl decorative peaks in the meringue. Freeze the pie until firm, at least 4 hours.

Before serving, preheat the broiler and position a rack 8 inches from the heat. Broil the meringue just until it begins to brown, about 2 minutes, shifting the pan for even browning. Alternatively, brown the meringue with a propane torch. Carefully remove the ring and transfer the pie to a platter. Let stand in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

MAKE AHEAD The pie can be prepared through Step 5 and frozen for up to 2 weeks. Cover once it's frozen solid.

Caramel Sauce

Food & Wine, 2006
Makes 1.5 cups

    1 1/2 cups sugar                                               
    2 tablespoons water                                            
    3/4 cup heavy cream                                            

TOTAL TIME: 15 MIN

This thick, gooey caramel sauce can be gently heated and used as a dip for apple wedges or banana slices—or even salty pretzel sticks.

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Using a wet pastry brush, wash down the side of the saucepan to remove any sugar crystals. Cook over high heat until a medium-amber caramel forms, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Return to the heat and cook for 1 minute, stirring the caramel until smooth. Transfer the caramel to a bowl and let cool.

MAKE AHEAD The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Bananas in Coffee Bean Syrup

Food & Wine, 2006
Makes 6 servings
    2 cups water                                                   
    1/2 cup whole espresso beans                                   
    1/2 cup sugar                                                  
    2 strips 3-in. lemon zest                                      
    1 stick cinnamon broken                                        
    8 firm med. bananas                                            
    1 tablespoon lime juice                                        
    Vanilla ice cream or yogurt for serving   
                    
ACTIVE TIME: 15 MIN/TOTAL TIME: 2 HRS 45 MIN

Every morning in Nha Trang, Kiesel topped yogurt with these bananas steeped in warm, bittersweet coffee syrup; they're also delicious over vanilla ice cream for dessert. Make sure the bananas you choose for this recipe are ripe but still firm, so they don't get mushy.

In a medium saucepan, combine the water with the whole espresso beans and bring to a boil. Simmer the beans over low heat for 20 minutes. Add the sugar, strips of lemon zest and pieces of cinnamon stick and simmer over moderate heat for 5 minutes or until syrupy.

Meanwhile, peel the bananas and slice them 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal. In a large, shallow dish, toss the bananas with the lemon juice.

Pour the hot espresso syrup over the bananas and let stand until cooled to room temperature, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 2 hours. Spoon the bananas and coffee bean syrup over the yogurt and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The espresso syrup can be prepared one day ahead; let cool then refrigerate overnight. Gently reheat the syrup before pouring it over the bananas.

White Asparagus and Ham Gratin

Food & Wine, 2005
Makes 6 servings
    2 pounds fat white or green asparagus spears peel, tie into 6 bundles, save peel
    Salt and pepper                                                
    3 tablespoons unsalted butter                                  
    3 tablespoons flour                                            
    1 teaspoon lemon juice                                         
    Pinch nutmeg                                                   
    6 thin slice smoked ham (Black Forest or Virginia)             
    1 cup shredded Comte or gruyére cheese (1/4 lb) 
               
This recipe comes from Jean Georges Vongrichten.

Preheat the oven to 350° and lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch shallow baking dish. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a very large, deep skillet. Add the asparagus peels and salt the water. Add the asparagus bundles to the skillet and cook over high heat until tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to a platter and pat dry. Strain the asparagus broth into a large glass measuring cup.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook over moderately high heat for 1 minute. Add 1 1/2 cups of the asparagus broth and cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, lemon juice and nutmeg.

Remove the strings from the asparagus and loosely roll a slice of ham around each bundle. Transfer the asparagus and ham bundles to the prepared baking dish and pour the sauce on top. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake the gratin in the upper third of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.

Vanilla-Bean-Whipped Sweet Potatoes

Food & Wine, 2005

Makes 10 servings

    4 pounds sweet potatoes                                        
    1 cup heavy cream                                              
    4 tablespoons unsalted butter                                  
    1/2 vanilla bean split, scraped                                
    Salt and pepper   
                                            
ACTIVE TIME: 15 MIN/TOTAL TIME: 45 MIN

New York chef Gerry Hayden, a friend of the Minas, was staying with the family one Christmas and contributed this side dish to the holiday meal.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Poke the sweet potatoes several times with a fork and bake for about 35 minutes, or until tender. Let cool slightly, then peel and transfer them to a food processor. Puree until fairly smooth.
In a small saucepan, combine the cream with the butter and the vanilla bean and seeds. Bring to a simmer. Remove the vanilla bean. With the processor on, carefully pour the vanilla cream into the sweet potatoes and process until smooth. Season the sweet potato puree with salt and pepper, transfer to a bowl and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The sweet potatoes can be refrigerated overnight.

Summer Vegetable and Potato Salad

Food & Wine, 2005
Makes 4 servings
    4 ounces yellow wax beans                                      
    4 ounces thin green beans                                      
    6 cloves garlic                                                
    2 bay leaves                                                   
    1 sprig thyme                                                  
    1 sprig rosemary                                               
    1/2 teaspoon peppercorns                                       
    12 sm. fingerling potato scrub, skin on                        
    2 oil-packed anchovy fillets                                   
    1/4 cup milk                                                   
    1/4 cup evoo                                                   
    2 tablespoons red wine vinegar                                 
    1 tablespoon chop parsley                                      
    1/2 teaspoon chop marjoram                                     
    12 cherry tomatoes halved    
                                 
ACTIVE TIME: 25 MIN/TOTAL TIME: 40 MIN

Recipe comes from Jonathan Benno.

In a saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the yellow beans until just tender, 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to a baking sheet and let cool. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until just tender, 2 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, add the green beans to the baking sheet. Let cool, then pat dry.

Add the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and peppercorns to the boiling water. Add the potatoes and simmer over moderately high heat until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes, reserving the garlic cloves. Discard the seasonings.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, soak the anchovies in the milk for 10 minutes. Drain the anchovies, then coarsely chop them and transfer to a blender. Add the olive oil and the reserved garlic and puree. With the machine on, slowly add the vinegar. Scrape the dressing into a bowl, season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley and marjoram.

Slice the boiled potatoes 1/4 inch thick and put them in a large bowl. Add half of the anchovy dressing and toss gently. Add the yellow and green beans, the cherry tomatoes and the remaining dressing, toss gently and serve.

MY NOTE: The herb-infused fingerlings were amazing!!! My own photo.

MXF

Spinach and Tofu Dumplings

Food & Wine, 2005

Makes about 45 dumplings

    DUMPLINGS                                                      
    5 ounces baby spinach (5 c packed)                             
    5 ounces firm tofu 1/4-in dice                                 
    2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch                                   
    2 sm. jalapeno chiles seed, mince                              
    1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce                                    
    1 1/2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil                               
    Salt and pepper                                                
    45 wonton wrappers      
                                      
    DIP                                                            
    1/4 cup + 2tbsp soy sauce                                      
    2 tablespoons unseason rice vinegar                            
    1 teaspoon honey   
                                            
TOTAL TIME: 1 HR

MAKE THE DUMPLINGS:
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook for 20 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the spinach to a colander. When the spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze it dry, then coarsely chop it. Keep the water hot.

Transfer the spinach to a medium bowl and stir in the tofu, cornstarch, jalapeños, soy sauce and sesame oil and season with salt and pepper.

Working with 4 wonton wrappers at a time, dampen the edges and mound 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each wrapper. Fold 1 corner of each up over the filling and seal to make triangles. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

MAKE THE DIPPING SAUCE:
In a small serving bowl, stir the soy sauce with the vinegar and honey.

Return the water to a boil. Add the dumplings and simmer over moderate heat, stirring gently, until the edges are al dente, about 3 minutes. Carefully drain in a colander and transfer to a platter. Serve with the dipping sauce.

One Dumpling 32 cal, 0.4 gm total fat, 0 gm saturated fat, 6 gm carb, 0.3 gm fiber.

MY NOTE: Does not make 45 dumplings.  I practically doubled the recipe and only got 40.

MXF

Spicy Cashew Crunch with Ginger

Food & Wine, 2005
Makes about 2 cups

    Vegetable oil                                                  
    1 tablespoon sugar                                             
    1 tablespoon hot water                                         
    2 teaspoons soy sauce                                          
    4 cloves garlic very thin slice                                
    2 cups skinned salt cashew nuts SLW                            
    1 tablespoon grated ginger squeeze dry                         
    2 teaspoons crushed red pepper                                 
    1 teaspoon lime zest                                           
    2 tablespoons raw sugar                                        
    Salt    
                                                      
ACTIVE TIME: 30 MIN/TOTAL TIME: 1 HR

Preheat the oven to 325°. Lightly oil a large baking sheet. In a small bowl, dissolve the granulated sugar in the hot water. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the soy sauce.

In a saucepan of boiling water, blanch the garlic for 10 seconds. Drain and pat dry. Transfer the garlic to a bowl. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of soy sauce and the cashews, ginger, red pepper and lime zest and toss well. Toss the cashews with the soy syrup. Add the raw sugar; toss again.

Spread the nuts on the prepared baking sheet. Season with salt. Bake for 25 minutes, or until bubbling and golden. Let cool until warm but still pliable. Using a metal spatula, loosen the nuts from the baking sheet; let cool completely.

Soupe au Pistou

Food & Wine, 2005

Makes 6-8 servings

    Classic Pistou                                               
    1 cup dried white beans soak overnight, drain                  
    1 ounce pancetta                                               
    1 sm. onion 1/2ed                                              
    1 med. onion coarse chop                                       
    4 cloves garlic 2 whole, 2 smash                               
    1 bay leaf                                                     
    2 quarts + 3c water                                            
    1 tablespoon evoo                                              
    1 sm. fennel bulb, core, coarse chop                           
    2 red potatoes peel, 1/2ed (10 oz)                             
    4 sm. zucchini 1/2-in cubed (1 lb)                             
    3/4 pound green beans 1/2-in chop                              
    3 med. tomatoes peel, seed, 1/2-in dice                        
    1 tablespoon unsalted butter                                   
    1 cup small shape pasta                                        
    Salt and pepper                                                
    Basil for garn.     
                                           
ACTIVE TIME: 1 HR/TOTAL TIME: 2 HRS

Unlike many other soups, this one is delicious served hot or at room temperature.

Put the drained white beans, pancetta, halved onion, whole garlic cloves and bay leaf in a medium saucepan. Add the 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan and simmer until the beans are tender, about 11/2 hours. Discard the pancetta, onion, garlic and bay leaf.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy pot, heat the olive oil. Add the fennel, potatoes, chopped onion and smashed garlic. Cover the pot and cook the vegetables over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the fennel and onion are softened, about 10 minutes. Add the 2 quarts of water and gradually bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the zucchini and green beans to the pot and simmer for 20 minutes. Mash the potatoes against the side of the pot using a large fork; the potatoes will thicken the soup. Add the diced tomatoes and the white beans and their cooking liquid and simmer the soup over moderately low heat for 5 to 10 minutes.

In a small skillet, melt the butter. Add the pasta and cook over moderate heat until golden brown and toasty, about 4 minutes. Stir the pasta into the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Cover, remove from the heat and let stand until the pasta is tender, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Put the Classic Pistou in a large soup tureen. Gradually stir in some of the liquid from the soup, then pour in the rest of the soup and stir well. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with basil sprigs and serve hot or at room temperature.

MAKE AHEAD The soup can be prepared through Step 4 and refrigerated overnight (stop after cooking pasta). Reheat gently before proceeding.

One Serving 323 Calories, 14 gm Fat, 4.2 gm Saturated Fat, 39 gm Carbohydrates, 12 gm Fiber.