Swiss Pumpkin Recipe

1 pumpkin - 4.5 pounds
14-in. baguette, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices, then toasted lightly
1/4 pound Gruyere cheese, grated
1 3/4 cups half-and-half
2 large eggs
1 1/2 t. kosher salt
1 t freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350.
Carefully cut a 1-inch slice off the top of pumpkin. Reserving the top, scoop out and discard the seeds and strings. Make 3 layers of tast and cheese in the pumpkin cavity, alternating layers and ending with cheese.
Whisk together the half and half, eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg and slowly pour the mixture into the pumpkin. Replace the top of the pumpkin and bake on a shallow baking pan in the middle of the oven until the pumpkin is tender, about 2 hours.
Serve by scooping out the pumpkin flesh with the bread and cheese.

Curry Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds boneless and skinless cooked chicken, cooled
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup raisins
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup cashews
Serving suggestion: sandwich bread or salad greens
Directions
Cut chicken into small cubes and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine yogurt, mustard, curry powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Add the cubed chicken and raisins. Season with salt, pepper and more cayenne, if desired. Mix in the cashews right before serving so they stay crunchy. Serve as a sandwich on bread or on a bed of lettuce as a salad.

Healthy Hazelnut Biscotti Recipe

Nonstick cooking spray
3 T light olive oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and coarsely copped
3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c firmly packed light brown sugar
2 T granulated sugar
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray, set aside.

In small bowl, combine the olive oil and egg until well blended.

In large bowl, combine the hazelnuts, flour, sugars, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the egg-oil mixture to form a dough, kneading by hand as needed. Form into a 9 x 2 x 1/2 inch log. Place on prepared pan.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and place on wire rack; cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes. Slice diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices.
Reduce oven temp to 330 degrees. Bake, cut side down and additional 15 minutes.
Cook completely on wire rack.

Triple-Berry Granola Crisp

1 bag (8 oz) frozen organic blueberries
1 bag (10 oz) frozen organic strawberries
1 bag (10 oz) frozen organic raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups organic oats & honey granola
Vanilla reduced-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt, if desired

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In ungreased 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish, mix frozen berries, sugar and flour until fruit is coated. Bake 20 minutes.
2. Stir. Sprinkle with granola.
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until light golden brown and bubbly. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with ice cream.

Chicken with Artichokes and Melted Lemons

Chicken with Artichokes and Melted Lemons

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 whole lemons
2 Tablespoons capers with juice
¾ cup chicken stock or canned low sodium chicken broth
1 14 oz. can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Heat an 8" skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is heated, swirl to cover bottom of pan. Add chicken breasts and sear until browned. Turn chicken and brown on other side. Remove chicken breasts to a plate and increase the heat to high. De-glaze the pan with the juice of 1 lemon, scraping up any browned bits into the sauce. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Thinly slice remaining lemon. Add lemon slices to the pan, reduce the heat to medium and place the chicken breasts on top of the lemon slices. Add the capers, cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and add the drained artichoke hearts. Cover and continue cooking for 5 minutes or until breasts are cooked through. Remove chicken to a warm plate. Increase the temperature and reduce the sauce to a glaze. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Just a little salt will reduce the acidity of the lemons, capers and artichokes and balance the flavors. Serve the chicken with the artichoke hearts, capers and melted lemons drizzled with the glaze.

Black Bean Chipotle Burger with Corn Salsa

Corn Salsa:
1 cup frozen corn kernals
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 green bell pepper, sedded and diced
2 T diced red onion
2 T sliced fresh chives
salt and freshly ground pepper
dash of tabasco sauce

Black Been Chipotle Burger

Two 15-ox. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 T chopped cilantro
1/2 chipotle chile, rinsed and chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper
Cornmeal for coating
3 T low-fat mayo
1-2 t. adobo sauce from chipotle chiles
Nonstick cooking spray
4 whole wheat burger buns
Lettuce leaves and tomato slices

Blance the corn in rapidly boiling salted water until the water returns to a boil. Drain and rinse the corn with cold water. Transfer it to a mixing bowl.
Add the bell peppers, onion, chives and miz.
Season mixture with salt, pepper and Tabasco.

Place half of the beans in a small bowl and mash into smooth paste.
Stir in teh remaining beans along with cilantro and chipotle chile. Season this mixture with salt and pepper.
Form it into 4 patties. Dip each patty in cornmeal to coat it lightly.
Refrigerate the patties on a waxed paper-lined tray for at least 30 minutes.

Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat skillet over a medium flame. Carefully add the bean patties and saute them for about 1 minute. Carefully turn the patties and saute them for 1 minute longer, or until heated through.

Spread the bun botooms with the mayo mixture. Top them with lettuce, tomato and hot bean patties. Top each patty with corn salsa and cover it with the bun top.

Quinoa with Corn, Peppers and Cilantro

Ingredients
1⁄2 cup uncooked quinoa 1 cup Water Step 1Place quinoa in a fine strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water. In a small saucepan, bring the water and quinoa to a boil. Reduce the flame to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the grains are translucent and the germ has spiraled out from each grain. Transfer to a large bowl and chill.


Ingredients
1 cup Red Bell Pepper, seeded, diced 1 cup Frozen Corn, cooked 1⁄2 cup Red Onion, chopped 1⁄2 cup cilantro, chopped Step 2Add the bell pepper, corn, onion, and cilantro to the chilled quinoa. Toss to combine.


Ingredients
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1⁄4 Ground Cumin 1 lime juice and zest Freshly Ground Pepper Salt Step 3In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, lime zest, cumin, and oil. Pour over the quinoa mixture and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.

Easy Mushroom Soup Recipe

1/2 pound mushrooms
1/2 stick unsaltedbutter
1 small onion, diced
4 T flour
1 C beef broth
2 C half-and-half
salt, pepper
1/4 t nutmeg
1 bay leaf

Thinly slice the muhrooms.
Melt the butter in a heavy saute pan When the foam subsides, add the onion and saute until golden. Add the mushrooms and saute until brown.
Stir in the flour, and then slowly add the broth, stirring contastantly.

Heat the half-and-half i a saucepan or in the microwave. Add it to the mushrooms, along with the salt, pepper, nutmeg and bay leave.
Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, do not boil.
Remove the bay leaf and serve.
Serves 4.

Roasted Fennel with Parmesan

Nonstick cooking spray
2 fennel bulbs (just under 2 lbs), cut horizontally into 1/2-in. thick slices
3 T toasted whole grain bread crumbs
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 T extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 x 9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place the sliced fennel in a dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Drizzle with the olive oil.
Roast until the fennel is tender and the top layer is starting to brown, about 1 hour. Season with more salt and pepper, if necessary.

Tarragon Chicken Salad (lowfat)

1/4 c. slivered almonds
1 t canola oil
1 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 lb.
salt and white pepper
1/2 c water
3/4 c diced celery (2 large stalks)
1/2 c sliced white button mushrooms
2 T fresh French tarragon, minced, plus sprigs for garnish, or 2 t dried tarragon
3 T plain, strained nonfat yogurt
3 T low-fat mayo

Toast almonds in saute pan over medium heat until just brown. Transfer to a plate.
Heat oil on medium-high. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and white pepper.
Add the chicken to the oil in pan until lightly browned on both sides.
Add the water to the pan, cover and reduce heat to medium.
Cook the chicken, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove after cooked through to cool.

Place the celery in large mixing bowl with mushrooms, add tarragon. Add yogurt, mayo and cooled almonds. Toss mixture.
Cut cooled chicken into 1/2 in. pieces and add them to the dressing. Gently toss the chicken and salad together and taste. Season with salt and white pepper.

Cover and chill until time to serve, garnish with fresh sprigs of tarragon.

Sweet Potato Pie

2 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. whole milk
3 large eggs
1 t vanilla
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 t salt
1 T dark rum
1 T all-purpose flour

1 unbaked 9-in. pie shell.

Preheat oven to 350.
Prick the potatoes with a fork and roast them until very tender in shallow pan for 1 1/4 hours. Cool to room temp.
Raise the oven tem to 400 and place a shallow baking pan on the bottom rack.
Scoop the flesh from potatoes into a bowl and discard the skins. Mash the sweet potatoes with a fork until smooth.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the sugar.
Add the melted butter mixture to the sweet potatoes with the milk and the eggs and beat with a whisk until smooth.
Whisk in remaining ingredients. Pour the filling (will be quite liquid) into the pie shell.
Carefully transfer the pie to the heated shallow banking pan on the bottom rack of the oven and bake until the filling is just set, about 40 minutes.
Cool. Serves 8.

Apricot Pie

A favorite.

1 recipe pie dough
2 pounds apricots
1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. flour
1/2 t. nutmeg

Roll out the pie dough and fit it into a 9 inch pie pan. Crimp the edges and put the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Peheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Wash and dry apricots. Do not peel them. Break in half with fingers and remove pits.
Melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the sugar. Add the flour and nutmeg.
Put the apricots into the unbaked pie shell. Cover them evenly with the sugar mixture. Put the pan in the oven, on the bottom rack.

After 10 minutes turn the oven down to 350. Bake for 35 minutes more, or until top is crusty and brown.

Cool on rack before serving.

Soy Sauce Chicken

10 C. water
20 whole star anise (1/2 cup)
1/4 c. anise seed
2 oz. dried licorice root
10 c. soy sauce
8 c. sugar
1 large piece dried mandarin orange peel
1 cinnamon stick
1 (1 ich) piece peeled fresh ginger
1 3.5 lb. free-range chicken.

In an 8-qt. pot, boil the water with the str anise, anise seed, and licrice root, uncovered, for 1/2 hour. Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh straier set over a large bowl and, reserving the spices in the strainer, pour the liquid back into the pot. Transfer the spices to the middle of a 120in. square of cheesecloth. Gather the cheesecloth up and around the spices and tie it closed tightly with a piece of string to form a purse. Add the soy sauce, sugar, orange peel, cinnamon and ginger to the pot and bring the liquid to a boile.
Put the cheesecloth bag into the pot, along with the chicken, simmer, covered, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1/2 hour.
Use tongs to put chicken on a platter and discard the cheesecloth bag.
Pour the sauce through a strainer set over a bowl, discarding the solids, and keep warm.

Remove the wints and legs with a sharp knife. Split the chicken lengthwise down its back and cut crosswise into 1 inch wide pieces.
Serve over rice with sauce.

Note: Recipe makes a lot more sauce that you would need. Delicious over rice or as a dip. Can keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Boil it for a minute before using it again.