French Toast and Apples (closetcooking blog)

2 granny smith apples (peeled,cored and sliced)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 slices bread
butter
1/4 cup candied walnuts

1. Simmer the apples, butter, sugar, flour cinnamon and water until the apples are tender, about 10-15 minutes and set aside.
2. Mix the eggs, milk and vanilla in a wide dish.
3. Dip the bread into the egg mixture to coat on both sides.
4. Melt some butter in a pan and fry the slices of bread until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
5. Serve the french toast covered in the caramelized apples along with some candied walnuts.

Candied Walnuts

1 1/2 cups walnut halves
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (optional)

1. Spread the walnuts out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
2. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until nice and toasted, about 5 minutes, and set aside. (Watch them carefully.)
3. Melt the sugar in a sauce pan and wait for it to turn a nice shade of amber.
4. Add the walnuts and mix to coat.
5. Pour the walnuts onto a sheet of parchment paper, quickly separate them, sprinkle them with the salt and let them cool.

I try to buy seasonally and when cranberries were on sale after Thanksgiving, I stocked up on them and pawed through my "to try" file for everyday cranberry recipes. I think this one was from an old Taste of Home magazine. We really liked it but it's not a very good keeper, so the second time I made it, I cut the recipe in half and used an 8" round pan.

It's not too sweet so will be on our Christmas day brunch menu.

UPSIDE-DOWN ORANGE-CRANBERRY CAKE

1 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbs. melted butter
2 cups fresh cranberries, halved
2 medium naval oranges, peeled and chopped

BATTER:

1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup softened butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. grated orange peel
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup orange juice

Combine the brown sugar and melted butter. Spread evenly in a greased 13 X 9 X 2" baking dish. Sprinkle with cranberries and oranges. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening, butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and orange peel. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk and orange juice. Spread over the cranberry mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes and clean and cake feels done to the touch. Run a knife around the edges of pan; immediately invert onto a serving plate. 12 - 15 servings.

Notes: When spreading the brown sugar mixture, leave about a quarter inch border around the edges of the pan free of the topping. I cut the oranges in half crosswise and cut out the segments with a grapefruit knife, then squeezed the rinds for the juice. Watch carefully for overcooking.

Creamy Pumpkin Penne with Crispy Sage and Toasted Pecans (Chef Chloe blog)

Ingredients
1 pound penne, cooked according to package directions

Pumpkin Cream Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14-ounce) can organic pumpkin OR 2 cups roasted butternut squash
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups soy, almond, or rice milk
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons maple syrup
3 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Crispy Sage
2 tablespoons canola oil
8 fresh sage leaves, whole
Sea salt

1/2 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

Procedure
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.

To make the Pumpkin Cream Sauce: In a large skillet, heat oil and saute onions until soft. Add garlic and let cook a few more minutes. Remove from heat. In a blender, puree the onion mixture, pumpkin, tomato paste, nondairy milk, nutmeg, maple syrup, salt, and pepper until smooth.

To make the Crispy Sage: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small skillet until a small piece of sage sizzles when added to the oil. Fry the remaining sage leaves 4 at a time, flipping once, until crispy (about 1 minute total). Watch the sage leaves carefully to make sure that they do not burn. Let them drain on a paper towel and season lightly with salt.

To assemble the pasta: Toss hot pasta with Pumpkin Cream Sauce, toasted pecans, and fresh sage. Garnish with crispy sage and dig in!

Lee

I only used maybe one teaspoon of the maple syrup and just a sprinkling of nutmeg. I would suggest tasting it before adding the salt, syrup and nutmeg so you can get it how you want. I prefer it on the more savory side so I didn't want the sweetness but obviously everyone is different. :)

It's really interesting. You taste the pumpkin immediately but then it settles into a more savory sauce with the onions and garlic. I enjoyed it. I didn't do the crispy sage as I didn't have enough but the reviews suggest it adds a lot to the recipe.

Parma-Style Carrot Cake

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pine nuts (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 cups peeled and chopped carrots (about 6 carrots)
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
5 eggs
Powdered sugar, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

Place the pine nuts, 1/2 cup sugar, and fennel seeds in a food processor and pulse to mince the nuts. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and the carrots. Pulse to mince the carrots. Add the mascarpone cheese and pulse until the cheese is incorporated.

In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, until well blended.

Add the carrot mixture to the butter mixture and stir until combined. Add in the reserved dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated.

Place the mixture in a lightly greased and floured 8 by 10 by-2-inch baking dish. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes.

Let the cake cool for 1 hour, then dust with powdered sugar. Cut and serve.

/tricia

Lee

I will definitely make this again - but for now I still have two generous servings of the sauce in the freezer to enjoy when I'm dining alone.

Lee

Korean Chili Paste Spicy Chicken (매운닭구이: Mae-un Dak Gui)
Source: weekofmenus.blogspot.com

Requires marination of at least 8 hours, overnight is better.
Serves 6-8

2-3 lbs boneless, skinless thighs
1/4 cup chili pepper paste (gochujahng)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons mirin (or sake if you can't find mirin)
1/2 cup onion, pureed (done in a mini prep chopper is perfect)
3 tablespoons ginger
2 tablespoons garlic

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients EXCEPT chicken together. Make sure that the sugar is well incorporatd in the marinade. Wearing gloves (disposable kitchen gloves are perfect for this), use your hand and mix all the chicken into the marinade. Make sure each chicken piece is thoroughly coated and well mixed with the marinade. Try and get the marinade into all the nooks and crannies of your chicken thigh. Cover and marinate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Heat bbq. The chicken cooks better over lower heat than higher heat as the higher sugar content of the marinade lends itself to burning. Cook for about 7-9 minutes per side over lower heat.

Notes:
I used a whole cut-up chicken, trimmed of excess fat & excess skin.
Woosed out and used 3T. garlic-chili paste
Substituted sherry for the mirin.
2 T. powdered ginger (afraid 3 T. would be too much)
2 T. granulated garlic

Cut the onion into chunks & tossed all of the marinade ingredients into a blender. Yielded plenty of sauce for a large cut-up chicken.

I did marinate it overnight.

Cooked the chicken under the broiler (too cold to grill outdoors).

Anyways, it turned out very good and not overly 'spicey hot', i.e., don't be afraid of using the full 1/4 c. chili paste. Also, next time I'll use the full am't. of ginger because 2 T. wasn't at all too gingery.

Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Soup, from Dave Lieberman on Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 large onion, medium diced
6 to 8 cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 heaping teaspoon sweet paprika
1 (14.5-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
3 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
1 quart vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (5-ounce) package pre-washed baby spinach

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onions begin to turn translucent; lower heat if browning starts to occur. Add spices and saute a minute or so. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, and sugar. Season with a couple pinches of salt and 10 grinds fresh pepper. Stir well. Chickpeas should be just covered with liquid. If level is shy, add some water so the chickpeas are just covered.
Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to low and gently simmer for 45 minutes.
Remove soup from heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the chickpeas right in the pot. Stir in the spinach and let heat through until wilted, just a couple minutes.
Season again, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Serve soup, drizzled lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

Lpink's notes: I only used about a half cup of veg. broth because the rest of the broth was leftover from cooking the garbanzo beans. 3 CANS of garbanzo beans seems ridiculous, I'm sure this is a typo, it probably should read 3 CUPS, since that is about how much is in a typical large can of garbanzo beans. Well, use all 3 cans if you really love garbanzo beans I guess! I didn't have 3 cups left after I froze 3 pints, so I threw a generous heaping handful of red lentils into the cooked beans and broth. That's also traditional. Oh, and I used half a bag of frozen spinach instead of fresh, as I was kinda sick and wasn't up to grocery shopping.

Spice notes: I used 3/4 tsp. cinnamon and 1/4 tsp. ginger, and even so it seemed too cinnamon-y to me, and I LIKE tomato and cinnamon. Next time I'm only using 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. I also threw in 1/4 tsp. of fennel and a sauteed zuchinni. And used about half that garlic! Also no sugar, I tasted it and it didn't need it. Also threw in some dried parsley.

This is a great change of pace from minestrone or chili that I usually make.

Snoqualmie Wild Rice Salad

1 1/3 cups uncooked wild rice
3 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chopped tart apples in 1 inch pieces (Granny Smiths are good)
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1.Put rice in a bowl and rinse under running water for 2 minutes, then drain.
2.Pour rice into a large saucepan, add the water and salt, and bring to a boil.
3.Reduce heat to low and simmer for 35 minutes or until rice is just tender and al dente (how long to simmer, exactly, depends on your wild rice; the water will probably not be all absorbed).
4.Drain and place in a large bowl, then add the prepared apple, red bell pepper, currants (raisins can be substituted, but will be sweeter and salad won't taste the same - currants are preferred), pecans, and onion; stir to combine.
5.In a separate bowl, whisk together the balsamic, oil, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
6.Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and stir well.
7.Serve immediately or chill up to 4 hours (I prefer it chilled for at least an hour, then tossed again before serving).
8.Note: also good with 1/4 cup dried cranberries.

Sweet-and-Spicy Sesame Walnuts

� Ingredients
1. 1 pound walnut halves (about 4 cups)
2. 1 cup sugar
3. 1/2 cup water
4. 2/3 cup sesame seeds (4 ounces)
5. 1 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
6. 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350� and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large, wide saucepan, combine the walnuts, sugar and water and bring to a boil. Add the sesame seeds, cayenne and salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the water is nearly evaporated, about 4 minutes. Lower the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the walnuts are golden brown and sandy, about 4 minutes longer.
2. Immediately pour the walnuts onto the prepared baking sheet and spread in a single layer. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the nuts are deeply golden and covered with a sandy coating. Let the walnuts cool completely. Break any large clusters apart; transfer to a bowl to serve.

� FromAsian-American Thanksgiving
� PublishedNovember 2010

From Allrecipes...

Hearty Multigrain Bread [Debbie Wilson]

3/4 c. water
1 T. Butter
1 t. salt
2 T. sunflower seeds
1 T. sesame seeds
1 T. flax seeds
1 T. millet
1 T. quinoa
1 c. bread flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 T. dry milk powder
1/4. c. packed brown sugar
1 1/2 T. yeast

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select cycle; press Start.

Notes:

A lot of the reviews remarked that this made a small loaf so I decided to double the recipe.

Omitted the sesame seeds because I was too tired to go digging in the freezer for them.

Flaxseeds--I ground one half of the am't of seeds in my coffee grinder; the other half was added whole.

Millet & quinoa--Omitted because I didn't have any.

I added 2 T. of wheat germ to help make up for the stuff I didn't have.

Brown sugar--Used white sugar & molasses. Also, for the double batch, I used 1/3 cup sugar plus approx. 2 T. molasses. Will reduce the sweeteners for the next batch.

Used a total of 1 1/2 T. yeast for a double batch. i.e., reduced the yeast by one-half. The dough was plenty spunky.

***I had to add quite a lot more water as the dough was mixing. YMMV.

***Used the bread machine only to mix & knead. Removed the dough from the machine for the first rise. Punched down & shaped into two loaves, one small--7 3/8 x 3 5/8 pan, one larger--10 1/4 x 4 1/4 pan. Let rise & bake @375 degrees.

*The bread machine does a nice job of reducing the sunflower seeds to bits during the mix & knead cycles.

I made them last nite and we really enjoyed them. Will be making them again, for sure.

I used a 6-cup regular muffin tin, and shredded marble cheese. I also baked them at 375 as they were in with my meatloaf. They baked up nice and browned on the bottom and sides and tender throughout. I only realized now, that they should have been topped with cheese. I ended with potato slices with cream spooned over and they were perfect.

Muffin Tin Onion Gruyere Potato Stacks (Stonegable's Kitchen)

5 baking potatoes
2 onions, chopped
6 TBS butter
1 1/2 cups grated cheese, Gruyere or cheddar
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
heavy cream or half and half
cooking spray
thyme sprigs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Thinly slice raw potatoes. I use a Mandoline but they can be carefully hand sliced into thin even slices. Set aside.
Melt butter (about 4 TBS) in a large skillet and saute onion over a low heat until translucent and slightly golden. Add 2-4 TBS butter in the pan and melt the butter. Set aside.

Grate cheese. Gruyere is my favorite but cheddar works great too! Set aside.

Spray all twelve muffin cups of a regular size muffin pan.

Add 1 slice of potato to the bottom of each muffin cup. Salt and pepper. Add 1 more slice of potato. Top each potato evenly with 1/2 onion and butter. Add 2 more potato slices. Sprinkle 1/2 grated cheese evenly over potatoes. Add 1 more potato slice and salt and pepper. Add 1 more potato slice and evenly add the remaining 1/2 of onion and butter. Add 1 or 2 potato slices and top evenly with remaining cheese.

Pour 1 TBS cream over each potato stack.

Bake for 35 minutes until potatoes are tender. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

Run a sharp knife around the edges of each muffin cup and pop each stack out with a fork.

Not only did I scale the recipe down to serve 2, I used bacon instead of sausage, and I made major changes in the cooking methods.

My changes: Caramelize the onions on a low-ish heat with butter. Then dice the potatoes and mix them with the ingredients called for in the original recipe. However, instead of baking in the oven, put the sweet potatoes in the skillet with the onions, cooking the sweet potatoes on medium low heat until they are soft and lightly browned. Cut the cooked bacon into 1 inch pieces and add to the skillet with the sweet potatoes and onions. Make wells in the hash. Crack an egg into each well. Bake at 350 degrees until the eggs are set to your liking (we like ours totally done, so I baked for 15 minutes). I did not add the cheese, only because I forgot.

This is definitely a keeper!

Sweet Potato Hash with Caramelized Onions, Sausage & Eggs
serves 8

2 pounds onions, about 2 large
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Table salt
1 pound fresh Italian sausage or chorizo
3 pounds sweet potatoes, about 3 large potatoes, ideally organic
6 large garlic cloves
4 long stalks rosemary, about 1/4 cup of leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste if necessary
Freshly ground black pepper

To serve:
Large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese, to serve

To make the hash:
Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Peel the onions and cut them in half lengthwise, then cut them into thin half-moons. Cut the half-moons in half. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it foams up add the onions and sprinkle lightly with salt. (Don't worry if they are crammed into the pan; they will rapidly cook down.) Lower the heat slightly and cook the onions for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, and lowering the heat if they seem to be burning. Cook them until they are very dark brown.

Meanwhile, put the sausage in another skillet and brown over medium-high heat, chopping it up into fine crumbles with a spatula. Cook the sausage for at least 15 minutes, or until it is cooked through and quite crispy. Drain away any excess fat.

While the onions and sausage are cooking, chop the unpeeled sweet potatoes into cubes that are about 1/2-inch to a side. Finely mince the garlic and rosemary leaves, and toss them in a large bowl with the sweet potatoes. Toss with the olive oil, kosher salt, and a generous helping of black pepper.

When the onions are dark brown and the sausage is crispy, stir these into the sweet potatoes as well. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and spread out the sweet potatoes evenly. Roast the sweet potatoes for 30 to 45 minutes (roasting time depends on the size and uniformity of the sweet potato chunks, as well as the variety of sweet potato you buy) or until they are soft and browned.

Refrigerate the cooled hash for up to 5 days.

To serve:
Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spread a relatively thin layer of the (already cooked) sweet potato hash in a baking dish, such as a cast iron skillet or a 9x13-inch baking dish. You can also bake in individual ramekins. Make small wells in the sweet potatoes and crack in large eggs. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are hot and the eggs are baked through. (Test the eggs by prodding them with a fork to check the firmness of the white and the yolk; baked eggs are deceptive in that the white often looks much less cooked than it really is.)

Serve immediately, with shavings or sprinkles of Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Faith Durand
December 14, 2011 05:30PM

I made these last night as a trial run for New Years Eve and they were delicious!!!

The recipe ,when you bring it down to the essential elements, makes for an easy yet elegant appetizer.

Basically I ignored the Counterfeit French Onion Soup directions and simply caramelized 2 large onions. Once caramelized I added about a cup of beef broth and a splash of cognac and let simmer 10-15 minutes.

Then I strained the onions, and retained the liquid.

Next dip the won ton wrapper directly in the liquid, fill with a tsp or so of the onions and fold, as directed, to form a little bundle.

Place, seam side down, in a greased or Pam sprayed baking dish...touching but not crowded.

At this point, although not part of the original recipe, I baked them at 375 for 5 minutes because I wasn't serving right away and was worried the won tons would get gooey if left to sit.

Then I covered with the grated parm and Gruyere and dabs of butter and let sit until ready to serve. Then I placed them under the broiler for 5 or so minutes , until the cheese was bubbly and slightly golden.

As a trial I served in ramekins as a starter but IMO these are much better served with individual picks as part of a hot appetizer selection . They are rich!

BUTTER LETTUCE WITH APPLES, WALNUTS,AND POMEGRANATE SEEDS
4 servings

Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp finely chopped shallot
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/3 c vegetable oil

Whisk first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Salad
2 heads of butter lettuce leaves, gently torn
1 1/2 c store-bought glazed walnuts
1 Honeycrisp or Fuji apple, cored, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 c pomegranate seeds
1/4 c tarragon leaves
1/2 c crumbled Stilton or Maytag blue cheese (about 2 oz)

Place lettuce in large bowl. Add vinaigrette, walnuts, and apple; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, tarragon and blue cheese.
Notes: One pkg of torn butter lettuce leaves was plenty for 8 people. I probably should have doubled the vinaigrette recipe. Trader Joe's carries a 5 oz pkg of fresh pomegranate seeds in the refrigerated vegetable/salad case; it's plenty for the salad. I left out the blue cheese & didn't miss it at all.

Salted Peanut Chews

Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened (I used butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg yolks (I used one egg)
3 cups miniature marshmallows
Topping:
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup butter or margarine (I used butter)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 (10-oz.) pkg. peanut butter chips
2 cups crisp rice cereal
2 cups salted peanuts

Combine all crust ingredients except marshmallows until crumbly. Press firmly in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Bake at 350F. for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately sprinkle with marshmallow sand return to oven; bake an additional 1 to 2 minutes or until marshmallows just begin to puff. Cool while preparing topping.

In large saucepan, combine all topping ingredients except cereal and peanuts. Heat just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in cereal and peanuts. Immediately spoon warm topping over marshmallows; spread to cover. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars.

Carolyn's Orange Rolls (from Allrecipes)

"This is a sweet roll with a zesty orange filling that makes a citrusy alternative to cinnamon rolls."
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees
F/45 degrees C)
1 cup butter, diced
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups scalded milk 2 egg, lightly beaten
6 cups all-purpose flour
14 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons grated orange zest
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Combine the diced butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the hot milk, and mix to dissolve the butter. Let stand until lukewarm.
2. Mix the yeast, eggs, and flour into the milk mixture to form a sticky dough. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
3. Remove dough from the refrigerator 2 to 2 1/2 hours before baking. Divide the dough into halves. Roll each half out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick rectangle.
4. Mix the softened butter, one cup sugar, and orange peel in a bowl. Spread over the dough. Roll up the dough along the long edge. Cut the rolls into one inch slices with dental floss. Place in greased muffin cups. Let rise until doubled in bulk.
5. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F (205 degree C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

My new recipe is a White Bean and Kale Soup. I only used 6 carrots (instead of 8) and I still think it was too many. 2 - 3 at most or it will be oddly swwet, and I *like* carrots!

Alexa

Kale and White Bean Soup Gourmet

Yield: Makes 6 main-course servings
Active Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 3 hr

1 lb dried white beans such as Great Northern, cannellini, or navy
2 onions, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 cups chicken broth
2 qt water
1 (3- by 2-inch) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf (not California)
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 lb smoked sausage such as kielbasa (optional), sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
8 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 lb kale (preferably lacinato), stems and center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely chopped

Accompaniment:provolone toasts

Cover beans with water by 2 inches in a pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, 1 hour. Drain beans in a colander and rinse.

Cook onions in oil in an 8-quart pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beans, broth, 1 quart water, cheese rind, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and rosemary and simmer, uncovered, until beans are just tender, about 50 minutes.

While soup is simmering, brown sausage (if using) in batches in a heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning, then transfer to paper towels to drain.

Stir carrots into soup and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in kale, sausage, and remaining quart water and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper.