Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 jar (12 ounces) grape jelly
• 3/4 cup chopped roasted salted peanuts
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush a 9-inch square baking pan with butter and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter parchment.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. With a pastry cutter or your hands, work in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Add egg and vanilla extract; stir until dough just comes together. Set aside 1 cup dough and firmly press remaining dough into pan in an even layer. Using a small offset spatula, spread grape jelly over top.
3. Combine reserved dough, peanuts, and peanut butter chips; crumble over jam layer. Bake until topping is deep golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Run a sharp knife around edges, then, using parchment, lift cake from pan and cut into 12 squares.

Cook's Note

Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

Everyday Food, September 2011

Soy Chicken Strips (or Soy Shredded Beef) and Potato Hand Pies

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced medium
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 pound soy chicken strips or shredded soy beef
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, diced medium
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add soy chicken strips or shredded beef and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 5 minutes. Stir in paprika, potato, and raisins; season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
2. On a lightly floured work surface, gently roll out puff pastry sheets to smooth creases. Cut each sheet into 4 squares. Place 1/3 cup beef mixture in center of each pastry square. Brush edges lightly with water, fold over filling to form triangles, press to seal, and sprinkle with paprika. Transfer to two parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets and bake until pastry is golden and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Cook's Note

Fill these pies the day before and refrigerate in a single layer, covered, until ready to bake.

Roasted Cauliflower with Goat Cheese and Lemon

Preheat oven to 425.  n a medium bowl, toss 1 large head of cauliflower (about 2-1/2 pounds), cut into florets, with 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until tender and browned in spot, 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Return to bowl; add 1 Tbsp roughly chopped fresh parsley, 1 Tbsp crumbled fresh goat or feta cheese, 1 tsp oil, and 1 tsp fresh lemon juice. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.  Serves 4.

Corn, Zucchini, and Pasta Frittata

note: use leftover Corn and Zucchini Orzo Salad

Ingredients

• 4 cups reserved orzo salad from Corn and Zucchini Orzo Salad
• 8 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine orzo salad, eggs, and basil; season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large ovenproof nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add egg mixture and cook, undisturbed, until edges are set, about 3 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until top is just set, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let frittata sit 5 minutes. Invert or slide frittata onto a plate and cut into 6 wedges. Serve with lemon wedges.
   Everyday Food, September 2011

Orzo Veggie Fritters

note: make with leftovers from Corn and Zucchini Orzo Salad

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons honey
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 cups orzo salad from Corn and Zucchini Orzo Salad
• 12 slices bacon
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• 2 avocados, thinly sliced

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, and honey; season with salt and pepper. With a rubber spatula, fold in orzo salad.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium. Working in batches if necessary, cook bacon until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 10 to 12 minutes, flipping once. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain; reserve fat.
3. In batches, drop orzo mixture by 1/4 cupfuls into pan. With a small spatula, flatten each slightly and cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side; drain on paper towels. Serve fritters with bacon, tomatoes, and avocados.

Corn and Zucchini Orzo Salad

prep time:35 min. / total time: 35 min.

note: use leftovers for Orzo Veggie Fritters or Corn, Zucchini, and Pasta Frittata

Ingredients

• 6 medium zucchini, diced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound orzo
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 cups corn kernels (from 6 ears corn)
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 lemons)
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 4 ounces feta, crumbled (2 cups)

Directions

1. Place zucchini in a colander and toss with salt. Place colander in sink and let sit 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook orzo according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking; transfer to a large bowl.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 4 minutes. Add to pasta along with zucchini, 3 tablespoons oil, onion, jalapeno, and lemon zest and juice; season with salt and pepper. Stir in basil and feta. Transfer 4 cups salad to an airtight container; refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Beans and Greens Tacos with Goat Cheese

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 red onions, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 pound Swiss chard, stems and ribs removed, leaves washed well and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 white-corn tortillas
• 1/3 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled (2 ounces)
• 8 cilantro sprigs

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Cook onions until soft, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chard, beans, and stock. Cook until greens are wilted and beans are warmed through, about 4 minutes. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and some pepper.
2. Using tongs, hold each tortilla directly over a gas flame, turning, until heated through, about 5 seconds. (Alternatively, wrap tortillas in foil, and warm in a 350-degree oven.) Spoon filling onto tortillas. Top with cheese and cilantro.

Everyday Food, May 2011

Harvest Vegetable Pancake with Greens and Goat Cheese

active time: 20 min. / total time: 40 min.

Ingredients

• 3 large beets (1 1/2 pounds), scrubbed and peeled
• 3 medium carrots
• 1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, half roughly chopped
• 1 cup reserved cook diced russet potato
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 ounces salad greens
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled (1/4 cup)

Directions

1. Grate beets and carrots on the large holes of a box grater set in a large bowl (or shred in a food processor). Stir in chickpeas, potato, flour, and 1 teaspoon salt. Season with pepper. In a large nonstick straight-sided skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add beet mixture and, with a rubber spatula, firmly press evenly into pan. Cook, undisturbed, 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat, cover with a serving platter, and carefully invert pancake onto platter. Slide pancake back into pan and cook until crisp and brown around edge, 10 to 12 minutes. Invert pancake onto platter.
2. In a medium bowl, toss salad greens with 2 tablespoons olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, top pancake with salad and goat cheese.

Cook's Note

This bright dish gets its color, and cancer-fighting carotenoids, from beets and carrots.

Everyday Food, September 2011

Hearty Vegetable Stew

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 carrots, thinly sliced
• 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced medium
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 can (15.5 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 sprigs thyme

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add carrots, celery, and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes (reserving juice) and cook, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add tomato juice, kale, beans, thyme, and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until slightly reduced, 15 minutes. Divide soup among four bowls and serve. (To store, let cool completely, then refrigerate, in airtight containers, up to 1 week.)

Cook's Note

Diabetes-Friendly: Beans and plenty of vegetables make this stew high in fiber, which can help keep blood sugar stable.

Everyday Food, September 2011