Roasted Carrots

Ingredients

• 1 bag (16 oz) baby carrots
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp honey
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400. Line a large baking tray with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. 
2. In a large bowl, toss carrots with oil, salt and pepper until well coated. Spread carrots in a single layer on the prepared baking tray and drizzle with honey. 
3. Bake uncovered, turning once, until just tender or cooked to your desired level of doneness, about 25-35 minutes.
4. Refrigerate any leftovers. Serves 4-6

Contributed by: Sarah Rapoport

Grilled Pork Chops and Sweet Potato Wedges

Ingredients

• 4 small sweet potatoes (about 1.5lbs total) cut into 1/2-in thick wedges
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 4 1-in thick bone in pork chops (about 2lbs total)
• 4 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp ground cumin

Directions

1. Heat grill to medium-high. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the oil and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Grill (reserve the bowl), turning often, until tender and slightly charred, 12-14 minutes. Transfer the potatoes back to the bowl and toss with the scallions.
2. Meanwhile, season the pork chops with the cumin and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Spread both sides of each pork chop with the mustard and grill until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Serve with the potatoes.

Contributed by: Sarah Rapoport
Source: Woman's Day June 2011

Cinnamon-Apple Baked French Toast

Ingredients

• 1 large loaf French or Italian bread
• 8 large eggs
• 3-1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tbs vanilla
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 6-7 medium size cooking apples (Cortland, Macintosh or Granny Smith)
• 1/4 of 1 stick butter

Directions

1. Slice bread into 1-1/2 in slices. Spray 9x13 glass pan with non-stick spray
2. Place bread in glass dish, placing slices tightly together.
3. In separate bowl, beat together eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, milk and vanilla (by hand, with whisk, for about 30 seconds). Pour one half of egg mixture over bread.
4. Peel, core and thinly slice apples. Place sliced apples on top of bread to cover, overlapping quite a bit. 
5. Pour balance of egg mixture evenly over apples.
6. Mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon and nutmeg and sprinkle evenly over top of apples. 
7. Dot with butter, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
8. Next day, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover dish and bake for about 1 hour. It will rise high and brown nicely. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. 
9. Cut into squares and serve warm with apple syrup. Top with whipped cream and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint. 

 Contributed by: Gretchen Biggins

Uptown Down-Home Chili

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 pounds ground sirloin
• 2 tablespoons grill seasoning (recommended: McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning) a palm full
• 1/2 pound baby Portobello mushrooms, chopped
• 1/4 pound shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
• 1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped, with their juices or 1 generous palm full ground chipotle chili powder, about 2 tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin, half a palm full
• 1 bottle imported beer (recommended: Stella Artois (...imported just 'cause we're Uptown and that's all they drink here.)
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup beef stock (8-ounce box)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 8-ounce piece smoked Gouda, shredded
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped

 Directions

1. Heat a deep, large skillet or a pot over high heat. 
2. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and the meat. Season it with grill seasoning and sear it up, browning and crumbling it, for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer meat to a plate and return pot to stove. 
3. Reduce heat to medium- high and add another tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Add the mushrooms and begin to brown them before adding the other veggies. After 2 or 3 minutes the mushrooms will begin to shrink and soften. Push the mushrooms off to one side of the pot and add all the remaining veggies to the opposite side of the pot surface. 
4. Once the onions, celery, peppers and garlic have been working for a few minutes as well, mix the veggies with the mushrooms. 
5. Add the meat back, season with Worcestershire sauce, chipotle in adobo or chipotle powder and cumin. Add in beer to deglaze the pot, scraping up all the pan drippings. Reduce the beer by half, about 2 minutes.
6. Add the black beans, tomatoes, stock and thyme to chili and simmer 10 minutes for flavors to combine. Taste to adjust seasonings. 
7. Top bowls of the chili with shredded smoked Gouda and finely chopped raw onions. 

Notes: this recipe takes some time and effort...lots of ingredients and lots of chopping, but it's super yummy so it's worth it. It is a little bit spicy so you may want to adjust seasonings for younger kids.

Contributed by: Heather Vataha

Source

Mexican Two Bean Chicken Chili

Ingredients

• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (8 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 1 (16 ounce) jar thick & chunky salsa
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 3 cups cooked chicken breasts, shredded (I buy the rotisserie chickens at the supermarket)  

Directions

1. Put all ingredients in a stock pot.
2. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream and tortilla strips

Contributed by: Heather Vataha

Source

Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 2 cucumbers, diced
• 3 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 1/2 cups tomato juice
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• Tabasco

Directions

In large glass bowl combine vegetables. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Add half the mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. Combine puree with original mixture. Chill for 4 hours and serve. 

Contributed by: Heather Vataha

Source

Rice Pilaf

Ingredients

• a few handfuls of pasta nests, crushed
• 4 Tbs butter
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups old-fashioned rice (not instant)
• salt, to taste

Directions

1. melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat
2. add the crushed pasta nests and brown evenly
3. add the broth and rice, stir
4. bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until liquid is absorbed
5. fluff with a fork and serve

 Notes: This makes a very large batch. I often halve the recipe, which will yield 4 hearty portions.


Contributed by: Heather Vataha