I did not have time to read all of the replies but to offer a bit of friendly support from someone who has recently been there and done that...we fnally sold our house about 9 months ago after a year on the market. Prospective buyers, especially in today's market, are just very fickle sometimes and trying to predict what they will go for is beyond me. We had redone our kitchen with Wolf/SZ etc (all top end appliances) nice granite etc so it was very updated (and the house was only 7 years old anyway). In the beginning everyone said "That kitchen will sell your house in a minute and bring a premium. Well, as the market tanked, the most common comment was "Nice kitchen but we really don't cook that much" or..."Kitchens are not our thing" etc. Another dig was the wall color in one small room. Many people did not like it at all. Hello! It was one room...2 gallons of paint at most...paint it whatever floats your boat for about $200. I even stipulated in the fact/seller allowance sheet that we would repaint rooms for an allowance up to $1,000. My point is that in such a down market, people focus on what is wrong or they don't like (not what is right or they do like) to negotiate the price down even further. What a difference 24 months makes! Anyway, good luck. I know selling right now is stressful at best. FWIW, when you least expect it, someone will walk in and say, "I love it!".

* Posted by lisazone6_ma (My Page) on Thu, Feb 19, 09 at 12:05 I make this dish all the time - I never measure tho, so I don't have exact ingredients, but exact measurements aren't necessary anyway, so it doesn't matter! Roasted Carrots Slice carrots into thick "coins" and place in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Mix 1 cup orange juice with 1 or 2 shots of whiskey and pour over the top. I fill the pan about half way with carrots when I make it, so that amount of whiskey/juice is good for that amount of carrots - you can reduce or increase the amount if you're making more or less - it's not critical if you're off a little. And I HATE whiskey, but in this dish it adds a great taste! Grind fresh sea salt and pepper over the top, dot with butter all over, cover with foil, and bake at 350 until done to desired. I like my carrots with a bit of bite still in them. I also uncover them for the last 10-15 minutes to make sure the liquids turn into a "glaze" and the carrots brown a bit. You might need to add a bit more juice at this point if there isn't enough liquid left so what's left doesn't just burn up. You can also drizzle some maple syrup over the top after you dot them with the butter, but I find they're sweet enough without it. Sometimes I add it and sometimes I don't. Lisa o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Thu, Feb 19, 09 at 13:31 Warning, I have not made that carrot-cumin tart either, but with cheese and cream and carrots and cumin . . . how can you go wrong? I am leaning towards making the carrot tart for a dessert, (I don't know if it will be good or not, it is mostly a curiosity thing) but we'll see, because my weekend plans haven't firmed up yet. o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by mustangs (My Page) on Thu, Feb 19, 09 at 13:39 Lisa, Roasted Carrots w/whiskey is calling my name! o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by lisazone6_ma (My Page) on Thu, Feb 19, 09 at 15:30 mustangs - as I said, I'm really not a whiskey fan, but in this dish, it's really good. It just adds a special taste that you can't quite put your finger on! Lisa o Coconut Carrots clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by jeri (My Page) on Thu, Feb 19, 09 at 16:12 This has got to be one of the simplest carrot recipes ever – and delicious too! :-) Simmer Carrots in Coconut Cream. That’s it! I always have baby carrots on hand and a can of Coconut Cream in the pantry. It *has* to be Coconut Cream which you find in the Liquor Isle. It doesn’t contain liquor – but I guess it is used for certain mixed drinks? Anyway – this will *not* work with Coconut Milk. The Coconut Cream is slightly sweet. o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by mustangs (My Page) on Thu, Feb 19, 09 at 16:41 Lisa, Strangely I don't drink (well there was that time in December Sheshebop made me) but I am drawn to recipes with liqueur, beer, or wine. In fact I just shared your recipe with the guy ahead of me at the checkout line. He had a huge bag of carrots. Turns out the carrots were for his horse. o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by posie4u (My Page) on Thu, Feb 19, 09 at 17:48 I love carrots. The following recipe was given to me by a co-worker (a dietitian) who advised that for he and his wife, it is a must have dish for Thanksgiving. It is yummy. Horsey Carrotts 1 bag of baby carrots or 12 carrots, pared/sliced 1 cup mayonnaise 2 Tbs grated horseradish, more or less to taste 1/4 - 1/3 cup grated onion 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 cup fresh, buttered bread crumbs Cook carrots until tender; drain. Put in 1 quart baking dish. Preheat oven to 300. Combine mayonnaise and horseradish. Add onion, salt and pepper. Mix well and stir into carrots. Sauté breadcrumbs in enough butter to coat and put on top of carrot mixture in baking dish. Bake 15 minutes. Can be done ahead and baked before dinner. o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by punamytsike (My Page) on Thu, Feb 19, 09 at 17:48 LOL, Cathy. When we had horses, we always bought large bags of carrots as a treat. They got them in the evening, and we always had to cut up one extra carrot for one of our dogs who loves raw carrots as well :) o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by caliloo (My Page) on Thu, Feb 19, 09 at 17:52 Okay - I don't know how to count this... BUT Last night I made the following carrot heavy recipes: Piquant Carrots Worlds Best Meatloaf Which both met with huge approval.... And I am making Marilyns Carrot Cake for DHs Birthday celebration this weekend.... Do I qualify? LOL! Alexa o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Thu, Feb 19, 09 at 19:59 Coconut-nj, you add milk to the carrots without draining the water? I'm not understanding how "soupy" your recipe is supposed to be. Lisa, the roasted carrots sound really good, but so does the carrot cumin tart. Hmmm, decisions, decisions. Sally o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by coconut-nj (My Page) on Thu, Feb 19, 09 at 23:43 Sally, it's not supposed to be soupy at all. You're basically making a white sauce using the carrot "broth" as the base. After the carrots cook, the liquid has usually come down a little below the level of the carrots, so when adding enough milk to cover the carrots it will turn it white. The great flavor comes from the carrot cooking liquid, which is basically a single vegetable broth. When you add the slurry, you make it nice and thick, then stir in some butter. I just put several tablespoons [or more] of cornstarch into a cup and add enough cold water to dissolve it while stirring. Then when the carrots with liquid come back to a boil/simmer, stir in the slurry while stirring until it gets as thick as you want it. We like it rather thick, but you make it how you like cream sauces. I usually make more slurry than I think I'll need since cornstarch is cheap and I'd rather have more ready then have to go back and make some more if it didn't make it thick enough. I hope I explained this clearly. o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by cloudy_christine (My Page) on Fri, Feb 20, 09 at 15:27 I had this salad at a restaurant in Chicago called Russian Tea Time. It's much greater than the sum of its parts. Tashkent Carrot Salad Carrots — 2 lbs. Coriander — 1 tsp Garlic — 4 cloves Olive oil — 6 T White vinegar — 6 T Paprika — to taste Salt — to taste Pepper — to taste Sugar — 2 T Thinly shred carrots, mix with sugar and crushed garlic. Let stand for 10 minutes to get the juices out. Mix with the rest of seasoning. Let marinate for 6 hours. Mix thoroughly before serving as juices tend to collect on the bottom of the dish. Serve chilled. (serves 6) o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Sat, Feb 21, 09 at 9:36 Your explanation cleared it up for me, Coconut-NJ. Thanks. Sally o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Sat, Feb 21, 09 at 9:52 I eat carrots almost every day, and carrot muffins are one of my favorites. I have several recipes. Here's a nice seasonal one. Maple Carrot Muffins 1 1/2 cups unsifted flour (can use some oatmeal if you like) 1/4 cup packed brown sugar (optional, I am a health nut who is always trying to cut the sugar) 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 1/3 cup melted margarine (I think butter would be OK too. Or 1/4 cup vegetable oil) 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. salt (or less) 1 cup finely shredded carrots 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (or less) 2 eggs, beaten Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Grate carrots and set aside. Combine the carrots with the wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients and MIX WELL! Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 18-20 min. (or more) Cool 5 min. Store in the fridge because these muffins are moist and they'll mold otherwise. Notes: The reason I have so many "optional" notes in this recipe is because I am always trying to cut the high calorie/fat ingredients down to the minimum levels without sacraficing good taste. Everyone has their own ideas about this, so you'll have to use your judgement. I am probably on the more "healthy" side of taste, which is not for everyone. Also, I usually use paper lined muffin tins, but if you don't want to do that you have to grease the muffin tins with some type of shortening. With the variability of the baking time, I suggest inserting a toothpick in the muffins to test them. When the toothpick comes out clean, the muffins are done. But watch carefully, because maple syrup burns easier than white sugar sweetened baked goods. But the taste is worth the trouble, IMHO. o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Sat, Feb 21, 09 at 13:58 I'm surprised no one has posted a Tsimmes recipe, that classic Jewish mix of carrots, dried fruit and meat. Being vegetarian, it's not something I make, but I actually have a recipe I like, although this is a "company" dish. A "tsimmes" in yiddish is slang for a confusing fuss, lol! Carbonada Criolla (Argentinian Tsimmes) I think I got this recipe from the Detroit Free Press and I think it came from Joan Nathan. I make this as a stuffing for baked squash. The best time I ever made it I stuffed a small baked hubbard squash with it. The squash was about the size of a smallish football. Start by baking the cleaned squash halves at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. I always have trouble baking squash perfectly, so use whatever method works best for you. Meanwhile, make the tsimmes. Traditionally tsimmes is put in an oven or on the back of the stove on the evening of the Sabbath so it will be ready to eat the next day after a long slow cooking, and no more work will have to be put into it. This would work in a crockpot too, I think. 2 TBLSP vegetable oil 2 cups dark red kidney beans, or fake meat or baked or smoked tofu. (The original recipe called for some kind of meat, probably ground chuck?) 1 large coarsely chopped onion 2 cloves garlic 1 12 oz. can chopped italian style tomatoes 1 tsp. dried oregano 1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes (parboil for faster prep. time) 1 large or 2 small white potatoes (I always cook with Yukon gold, parboil as above if you want) 1 cup vegetable broth 2 med. carrots, large dice 1 small can corn or 2/3 cup from a frozen bag 4-8 pitted prunes (to taste, I like the lesser amount) 4-8 dried peach halves or dried apples Saute onions, garlic and protein source until onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, and veg. broth, bring to a boil then simmer. Add potatoes and carrots. Simmer 30 min. Add some water or more broth if needed. Add corn and fruit, simmer 15 min. more. Stuff tsimmes into squash, bake in the oven for 15 min. more. You can top this with bread crumbs, parmesean cheese, or grated white cheddar, or any type of mixuture, but it is not necessary. Could also add a dollop of lowfat sour cream and sprinkle with chopped parsley. That's how I like it. Here's a carrot pie that is lower in fat than that carrot-cumin tart and something I have made before. The recipe comes from "The Enchanted Broccoli Forest" by Mollie Katzen. Russian Carrot Pie TBLSP butter 1 cup onions, finely minced 1 lb. carrots, very thinly sliced 1 TBLSP unbleached white flour Saute the onions in butter, add the carrots and cook until tender. Can add up to 3 TBLSP of water to keep from sticking. At the end, sprinkle in the flour to brown slightly. Combine 1 1/2 cups firm cottage or pot cheese 1/2 cup grated mild white cheddar 1 beaten egg lots of freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp. dill weed Mix this with the carrots. Put into prepared pie crust (not prebaked) and sprinkle top with 3 TBLSP wheat germ and some paprika. Bake 15 min at 375 then turn down to 350 for 39 min. Cool 5 min. Here's my regular pie crust recipe. It is very different from a shortening crust, but I still like it. I got the recipe and technique from my friend Martha Pie Crust (makes top and bottom crust) 2 cups flour - I usually use half whole wheat pastry flour 2 tsp. salt Mix these together Put 4 TBLSP COLD water into 1/2 cup oil. Stir until it bubbles/starts to emulsify if that's the right word (gets well combined) Pour liquid into flour and stir. Separate into two piles and roll out into rounds between layers of WAXED paper. You can cut this recipe in half for just a bottom crust pie. If you want to get fancy with the crust for this pie, your can mix in some poppy seeds or ground sesame seeds, maybe 2 TBLSP. o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by punamytsike (My Page) on Sat, Feb 21, 09 at 14:18 Cathy, like promised, I tried my Mom's carrot pie/bread and results will be below. First let me share another carrot experiment my DH did, as he is the carrot lover in this family :) He did bacon wrapped carrots in our Advantium microwave/oven Here is how the carrots looked like going in: we tried potato as well. The carrots cooked at H10,L10,M5 for 6 minutes and then looked like this: My DH loved the result, told me that the bacon added an interesting touch to it. The potatoes did not get anything extra from the bacon, I guess the potato skin is too thick to let bacon juices through. Now today I did the carrot pie/bread and at the same time the other half was roasted beef mozzarella cheese. I use sweet dough recipe from my Cuisinart bread machine recipe book. Any dough recipe that is meant for rolls or probably even pizza will do. The carrot mix for 1 lb of dough is supposed to be: 1 lb of cooked and shredded carrots, 2 cooked eggs, chopped to little pieces, 2 table spoons of melted butter, salt and pepper to taste. Mix it all together and spread on the dough like on the photo: Roll it and let it rise another 30 - 40 min before baking. I baked this in 375F for 30 min. For me it was little over cooked, so next time I will try 350F for 30 min. Also, next time I will double the amount of carrot mix, as for me it was not nearly enough. But it did taste like my moms. And the roasted beef side, just heaven :) o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by cabogirl (My Page) on Sat, Feb 21, 09 at 15:29 We had a monthly poker game last night and I had everything in the house for carrot cake. I put in a 13x9 pan just to make it easier to eat and it went.... Ingredients Cake: * 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour * 2 cups sugar * 1 teaspoon salt * 1 Tbsp baking soda * 1 Tbsp cinnamon * 1 1/2 cups olive oil or grapeseed oil * 4 large eggs, lightly beaten * 1 Tbsp vanilla extract * 1 1/2 cups shelled walnuts, chopped (more whole or chopped for topping) * 1 1/2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut * 2 cups of finely grated carrots * 1 cup of drained crushed pineapple Frosting: * 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature * 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp * 2 1/2 cups of confectioners' sugar * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract * 2 Tbsp lemon juice Method 1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9 inch cake pans. Cut out rounds of wax paper and place at bottoms of cake pans. Butter the top of the wax paper rounds. 2 Sift dry ingredients into a bowl. Add oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well. Fold in chopped walnuts, coconut, carrots and pineapple. 3 Pour batter into pans. Set on the middle rack of oven and bake for 45-50 minutes (shift positions of cakes front-to-back if necessary about halfway through), until edges have pulled away from sides and a toothpick or sharp knife tip inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a cake rack. 4 To prepare frosting, cream together the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl. Slowly sift in the confectioners sugar and beat until mixture is free of lumps. Stir in vanilla and lemon juice. 5 Once cakes have cooled, frost. Sprinkle top with chopped walnuts or arrange walnut halves in a crown around the top. Serves 12-16. recipe from Simply Recipes o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by bri29 (My Page) on Sat, Feb 21, 09 at 15:35 We just had ragu bolognese for dinner. It has carrots in it, it's healthy! So what if there's a ton of meat in it!? That's totally beside the point. :) 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons butter 1 carrot, finely, diced 1 medium onion, diced 1 rib celery, finely diced 1 clove garlic, sliced 1 pound veal, ground 1 pound pork, ground 1/4 pound pancetta or slab bacon, ground 1/2 tube tomato paste 1 cup milk 1 cup dry white wine Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Parmigiano-Reggiano, for grating In a 6 to 8-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the carrot, onions, celery, and garlic and sweat over medium heat until the vegetables are translucent and soft but not browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the veal, pork, and pancetta and stir into the vegetables. Add the meat over high heat, stirring to keep the meat from sticking together until browned. Add the tomato paste, milk, and wine and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and remove from the heat. o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by katiec (My Page) on Sat, Feb 21, 09 at 22:30 This is timely for me...I have five or six pounds of hairy carrots from last years garden (still better than storebought!). It will be easy to use them up now. We use a lot of carrots but I don't care much for them cooked, I always eat mine before they go in with the pot roast. Julienned in a stir fry, diced/pureed in soup or shredded in cakes etc. are ok. Lars, I had some wonderful ginger carrot soup at a fundraiser soup and bread dinner. I have the recipe in a local cookbook at the library...I'll find it next week. Jeri, we prowled a cool little Asian market yesterday and I bought some coconut cream. Was wondering what to do with it. My carrots are all small...this is perfect. We've been making plain old carrot and raisin or carrot, raisin and pineapple salad. Mayo for the dressing. Makes the kid feel like she's 5 again, she says. Our favorite carrot cake is very much like cabogirl's, but with a cream cheese glaze/ not-quite-frosting....just softened cream cheese and honey to taste. This was in a recipe booklet I found in a box of donations - Taste of Home,I think. Maybe next year I'll get carrots big enough to stuff. * Exported from MasterCook * Baked Stuffed Carrots Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 12 medium carrots 1/4 cup mayonnaise 4 teaspoons grated onion 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg Salt and pepper to taste 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs 2 tablespoons butter -- melted, divided 1/8 teaspoon paprika Place carrots in a skillet; add 1 in. of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until crisp-tender. drain. Cut a thin lengthwise slice out of each carrot. Scoop out carrot, leaving a 1/4-in. shell; set shells aside.Place the removed carrot in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl; add mayonnaise, onion, horseradish, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Spoon into carrot shells. Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Combine the crumbs, 1 tablespoon butter and paprika; sprinkle over carrots. Drizzle with remaining butter. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Yield: 6 servings - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I'm sorry I missed that garlic cookalong... o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by compumom (My Page) on Sun, Feb 22, 09 at 2:46 Our dinner tonight (sorry, no photos) was spinach salad with bleu, craisins and candied pecans, filet mignon on the grill, shredded zucchini tossed with fresh lemon and grated parmesan, fingerling potatoes, AND of course our carrots steamed slightly and then sauteed with orange juice concentrate, freshly zested orange peel and butter(margarine for me) topped with some sweet basil from Penzey's. Dessert was fresh berries with Grand Marnier and brownies. Our guests were very complimentary and enjoyed it all! Thanks to Nancy (and Sherry) for inspiring us to have this little impromtu dinner party--I visited 2 markets and Costco and was able to be ready to go by 7pm! o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Sun, Feb 22, 09 at 12:34 I made the honey date carrot muffin recipe teresa posted for breakfast yesterday and they were delicious. I didn't change anything in the recipe, except that I was a little short on the amount of dates and made up the balance with dried apple bits. They weren't very sweet but that's the way we like them. DH instructed me to make sure I saved the recipe. Thanks for posting it. Katie, I had saved the same stuffed carrot from and old Taste of Home magazine and pulled it out for carrot week. I cooked and carved out the carrots yesterday and refrigerated them and the centers to finish off for dinner one night this week. I'm not sure about the mayo but I'll never know unless I try it. o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Sun, Feb 22, 09 at 14:37 Got to looking for recipes w/carrots and found these in my old (80's) Land O'Lakes cookbook. HONEY GLAZED PEA PODS AND CARROTS 3/4 c. water 2 c. (4 med.) diagonally sliced 1/4 inch carrots 8 oz. fresh pea pods, washed, remove tips and strings 3 tbsp. butter 1/2 tsp. cornstarch 2 tbsp. honey In 2 quart saucepan bring water to a full boil. Add carrots, cover; cook over medium heat until carrots are crisply tender (10 to 12 minutes). Add pea pods. Continue cooking until pea pods are crisply tender (1 to 2 minutes). Drain; set aside. In same pan melt butter; stir in cornstarch. Add carrots, pea pods and honey. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through (2 to 3 minutes). 2 (6 oz.) pkg. frozen pea pods can be substituted for 8 oz. fresh pea pods. Makes 6 servings. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CHUCKWAGON CARROTS Crisp bacon gives smoked flavor to hearty chunks of carrots. 3 cups carrots, sliced 1/2 inch (6 med) 1/4 cup cooked crumbled bacon 3 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons green onions, sliced 1/8 inch 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper In 2-qt saucepan place carrots; add enough water to cover. Bring to a full boil. Cook over medium heat until carrots are crisply tender (8-12 minutes). Drain and return to pan. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through (5 minutes). Serves 4-6 Nancy o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by fearlessem (My Page) on Sun, Feb 22, 09 at 14:51 Oooh -- glad I saw this thread, as I have a Tried and True recipe to post. It is for a Red Lentil and Carrot soup, and it is in my top-5 favorite soups of all time... The recipe was originally by Mark Bittman, but my main modification to it is to double the amount of carrot in it, which I think really improves it. Red Lentil and Carrot Soup Time: 45 minutes – Serves 4 3 tablespoons olive oil, more for drizzling 1 large onion, chopped 2 carrots, peeled and coarsely grated on a box grater 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper Pinch of ground chili powder or cayenne, more to taste 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth + 1 cup water 1 cup red lentils 1. In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes. 2. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer. 3. Add broth, 1 cups water, lentils and carrot. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary. 4. Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, purée half the soup then add it back to pot. If it is too thick, add a little more water to thin it down. YUM! Emily o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by compumom (My Page) on Mon, Feb 23, 09 at 3:18 Oops--Ok, so I was a week off, LOL! Hey there's no guarantee that I can do this again next week, so if not, I had my dinner a week early! o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Wed, Feb 25, 09 at 7:15 Well, I did make the stuffed carrots last night and despite the fact that they looked interesting on the plate, I wouldn't make them again. I like both horseradish and mayonnaise but the combination in the stuffing did nothing to enhance the flavor of the carrots. However, if it wouldn't have been for the Cookalong, I probably wouldn't have tried them. DH and I are both enjoying the adventures with the Cookalong ingredients. This weekend will be the Apple and Carrot Confetti. Photobucket o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by dixiedog_2007 (My Page) on Wed, Feb 25, 09 at 20:41 I was hoping that I would be able to participate in this one but I will not. Have fun everyone and I look forward to seeing what everyone made. o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Thu, Feb 26, 09 at 8:39 Ruthanna I'm really enjoying your pictures! I was going to have a dinner party this weekend, but after another hectic week I just cannot pull it off. I hope to try something though. I'm looking for a full time job, plus working a 30 hour one too. And commuting two hours most days. And trying to watch my weight! I love these cookalongs though! o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Fri, Feb 27, 09 at 16:20 The carrot Cookalong dinner is tomorrow night. I've decided to make the carrots and pea pod recipe...found fresh ones! Not an easy task sometimes.. So, what are you making??? Nancy o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by trsinc (My Page) on Fri, Feb 27, 09 at 20:34 I'm going to make Indian food: red lentils and carrots with a butter dressing (includes onions, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro), spicy cabbage and carrot slaw (not indian, just winging it), scallion rice and flat bread. Thanks Emily for posting your recipe. I've saved it as I love red lentils. The dish I'm making tomorrow is an old favorite that I want to try with carrots included. I've not made the rice or flat bread before, so we'll see how that turns out. o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by joanm (My Page) on Sat, Feb 28, 09 at 17:55 I almost forgot about this. I picked up fresh carrots when I was out and had to improvise when I came home. I picked Mustangs honey roasted vegetables since I had sweet potatoes and shallots on hand. I had to leave out the parsnips and turnips so the pan looks really orange right now. I can't wait to taste it. o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by trsinc (My Page) on Sat, Feb 28, 09 at 18:05 I just now made up a batch of carrot soup. I would never serve this as a soup but I wanted to have it as a drink. It's just carrot juice, orange juice, and orange flower water - chilled. I really liked it until I added the flower water. It tastes just like it smells and over powered the drink. I bought it for a recipe I saw and now don't know where to find it, lol. I think I'll juice up a few more oranges to see if that'll fix it. Or, maybe I could use it in some muffins as the liquid... o RE: Cookalong #3---Carrots Thread #1 clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Sat, Feb 28, 09 at 18:36 I made the Czechoslovakian Apple and Carrot Confetti that sally2 posted and we really liked it. I used golden raisins instead of the currants and added about a heaping teaspoon of sugar. We also had roasted asparagus and a small pork tenderloin with a molasses and mustard glaze and the salad was a perfect complement for it. I'd also like it as a side dish for baked ham. It's definitely going in my "keep" file. I can't wait to see what the next Cookalong ingredient will be.

Posted by sheshebop (My Page) on Fri, Mar 12, 10 at 9:12 Wow! I clipped and saved so many of these recipes, and still wasn't even half way through. I ended up printing the entire thread. As one who loves very tart tastes, this thread was perfect for me. I love the tartness of a cranberry. Whoever picked cranberries, good choice! o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Fri, Mar 19, 10 at 20:13 I just finished off my last slice of cranberry apple pie. I still have about a cup of cranberries left, which I think I will use to make those Empire muffins. I've got the carrots, walnuts AND the applesauce. o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Mon, Mar 22, 10 at 9:20 Really good recipes! I'm sure I'll be checking these over next fall when cranberries are plentiful again. Time for a new topic! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~drawing a name~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ OK...got it........................ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Pat T <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Pat, please give us an ingredient focus ASAP! Just post it below, I'll watch for it and then start the new thread. Thanks to everyone for the cranberry recipes. Nancy o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by annie1992 (My Page) on Mon, Mar 22, 10 at 9:25 I should have posted yesterday, I made 12 half pints of Gina's cranberry citrus marmalade! OK, Pat T, I'll wait for your selection now... Annie o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by pat_t (My Page) on Mon, Mar 22, 10 at 9:39 OK Nancy - Let's go with PASTA as the new focus. I'm looking forward to some new recipes & ideas! PS: Thanks for picking me. I feel so special! LOL o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by stacy3 (My Page) on Mon, Mar 22, 10 at 9:56 as usual I am a day late and a dollar short but in since these threads get saved I'm going to add two of my favorite recipes - I love cranberries. And I love Alexa's crustless cranberry pie. I like it in the freezer cut into little bite sized pieces to grab a little piece every once in awhile...yum. thanks everyone for sharing all these great recipe! Drenched Cranberry Cake - Lorijean 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening, melted 2/3 cup milk 1 egg 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries Sauce: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 3/4 cup heavy cream 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 9-inch round pan. Sift the flour, sugar, and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the shortening, milk, and egg. Beat for 2 minutes, or until smooth. Stir in the cranberries. Pour into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack. While the cake is baking, make the sauce. Melt the butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water (I just put a small saucepan over an extremely low flame and dispensed with the double-boiler!) Add the sugar, cream, and vanilla bean. Stir to mix well. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean. Serve the cake with each individual slice generously with the warmed sauce. Serves 8 Source: Very Cranberry, copyright 2003 posted by lorijean Cranberry Lemon Cookies -Jenn A wonderful cookie I discovered at Gail's Recipe Swap. They freeze well, but thaw them before adding icing. I posted this last year and got quite a few comments from people who said everyone loved them. * 1/2 C butter * 1/2 C sugar * 1/3 C brown sugar * 1/2 tsp. lemon zest * 1 egg * 2 tsp. vanilla * 1 C flour * 1 tsp. baking powder * 1/2 tsp. cinnamon * 1-1/2 C chopped pecans (I use walnuts) * 1-1/2 C chopped fresh cranberries Cream butter, sugars, and lemon zest. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Gradually beat into butter mixture. Stir in nuts and cranberries. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden. Let cool slightly before removing to cooling racks. Frost when cool. ICING: Whisk together 1 C confectioner's sugar, 2 Tbsp milk, and 1/4 tsp. lemon zest. ============================================================ NOTES: * Though our oven tends to run hot, these cookies seem to take 13-14 minutes to bake. Check after 12 minutes and add an extra minute or two if needed; they should just be golden brown. * Icing is best when made at least a day ahead of time. This gives the sugar time to absorb the milk, and lets the lemon zest impart a strong lemon flavor. * The original recipe did not give the amount of vanilla, so I guessed at 2 tsp. o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Mon, Mar 22, 10 at 10:12 Great choice Pat! I'm getting another idea to go along with it. Thanks! Nancy Here is a link that might be useful: Cookalong #24-------PASTA! o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Mon, Mar 22, 10 at 12:48 I was half way through the day yesterday, and had already made 2 loaves of bread and a pan of dark ginger bread (since we had 5 inches of snow !!! it seemed like a good day for baking, especially gingerbread) when I remembered about the cranberry cookalong. I'm going to copy and paste this thread, though. There's lots of good ideas for cranberries. Thanks for all the recipes. Sally o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jessyf (My Page) on Wed, Mar 24, 10 at 11:45 I can't believe no one has posted Cranberry Jezebel. Cranberry Jezebel Sauce Recipe 1 cup water 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 (12 oz) bag fresh or frozen cranberries 3 tblsps prepared horseradish 1 tblsp Dijon mustard Garnish: fresh mint sprigs Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Add cranberries, and return to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool to room temp. Stir in horseradish and mustard; cover and chill. Garnish, if desired. o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jimster (My Page) on Thu, Apr 1, 10 at 19:35 Better late than never, right? I finally got around to developing and testing this recipe and making the photos. My goal was a zippy cranberry chutney. Cranberry chutney is not such an original idea as I first thought. Malna posted one early in this thread and it turns out there are many recipes for it on the Internet. Anyway, here is mine. Chutney Ingredients Chutney Appetizer CRANBERRY CHUTNEY 12 oz. fresh or frozen cranberries 1 orange, chopped 1 apple, chopped 2 Tablespoons finely minced shallots 1 Tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger root 3/4 Cup white vinegar 3/4 Cup white wine 1 Cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil in a covered pot. Simmer covered for 5 minutes. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes. Note: Prior to cooking, it may appear that there is not enough liquid. Check the consistency after the first five minutes of cooking. Add wine or water if necessary. The final product should be thick. Jim o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by chase (My Page) on Thu, Apr 1, 10 at 22:03 Jim, I'll go back and check the recipe in a minute but those pictures are amazing. Especially the first one! Gorgeous. You been hiding your talent boy! o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Fri, Apr 2, 10 at 8:58 So was it any good? I've been looking for a good cranberry chutney recipe, the one I have calls for sage and I've been skeptical so haven't made it. o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jimster (My Page) on Fri, Apr 2, 10 at 12:00 Thanks for the nice words, Sharon. You made my day. LPM, this chutney was pretty much what I expected it to be. It's based on a review of many other recipes so I couldn't go too far wrong. My main innovations were to use shallots, ginger root and wine, nothing especially daring but fitting to the concept of a chutney I thought. I was tempted to use balsamic vinegar but went with white vinegar for the sharpness I wanted. I figured the other ingredients would provide enough fruitiness. Since it is the only cranberry chutney I ever tasted, I have no basis for comparison. I can only say it tastes good to me. I agree about that recipe which called for sage. I would not use green herbs. IMO, it's sweet spices you want with the fruitiness of chutney and that is consistent with most of the recipes I looked at. I just looked at Malna's recipe again and it looks like she also used ginger root, not ground ginger. Check her recipe and look at a few of the other on-line recipes and see what you think. Let us know if you make chutney. Jim o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Fri, Apr 2, 10 at 16:55 Right now I have the ingredients for Gina's Cranberry Citrus Marmelade languishing in my fridge, so if I do make preserves, that will be it. Most likely I will make the chutney to give as Christmas gifts next year, so I'll have to save this thread. I liked Malna's recipe too, but somehow I can't get my brain around curried cranberries! There is no total reason for this, other than I've never tried it. But also, I am not a big curry fan, and I don't really know why, because I liked seasoned food. There must be some particular ingredient in curry I don't like, and I think it may be fenugreek. Maybe that's not in Balti seasoning. o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by malna (My Page) on Fri, Apr 2, 10 at 18:58 I thought I heard my name being bantered around here LOL. Here's my take on the chutney issue - I much prefer the sweet one. As a matter of fact, I can just eat it right out of the jar. On a turkey sandwich? To die for. The curried one - DH loves it. I liked it right after I canned it but, as I said above, I think the curry part got too strong after a few months on the shelf. BTW, the ingredients in Balti are coriander, garlic, ginger, cumin, dundicut chilies, Ceylon cinnamon, mustard, cardamom, cloves, fennel, fenugreek (sorry, LPM), charnushka, star anise, ajwain, black cardamom, cilantro, anise seed and bay leaf. Whew, long list to type!

o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by caliloo (My Page) on Fri, Feb 17, 12 at 14:27 Oh Lpink - I'm sure you and BF will love the Southern Style... I was amazed how good it was! Oh, and since we did have some leftovers, DH finished them over a bowl of Garlic Smashed Potatoes... he was a happy man! Alexa o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jude31 (My Page) on Fri, Feb 17, 12 at 15:26 Sol, I have so-o-o missed your posts and your beautiful photos. jude o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jude31 (My Page) on Sat, Feb 18, 12 at 9:31 Sol, I have so-o-o missed your posts and your beautiful photos. jude o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by dcarch (My Page) on Sat, Feb 18, 12 at 9:56 Posted by jude31 "Sol, I have so-o-o missed your posts and your beautiful photos. jude" You can say that again! :-) Simply stunning. In addition to being able to create beautiful food, Sol is amazing in creating the right atmosphere for the beautiful food. dcarch o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by MichelleDT (My Page) on Sat, Feb 18, 12 at 12:07 So many great recipes above! We love kale chips but that is kinda boring! How about Sausage, Cauliflower and Kale Potpie?? Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound sweet Italian sausage links, casings removed and meat broken into 3/4-inch pieces 2 medium onions, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary kosher salt and black pepper 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 bunch kale, torn into bite-size pieces (about 10 cups) 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 small head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into florets 2 sheets puff pastry (one 17.3-ounce package), each cut into 4 rectangles Directions: Heat oven to 400F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, tossing occasionally, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a large bowl. Add the onions, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the drippings in the skillet and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the kale, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook, tossing, until the kale is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the kale mixture and cauliflower to the sausage and toss to combine. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch or some other 3-quart baking dish and top with the puff pastry, overlapping the rectangles slightly. Bake until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. By Dawn Perry and Charlyne Mattox, Real Simple March 2012 o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Sun, Feb 19, 12 at 9:27 Sol, my jaw literally dropped when I saw your photo. Then I followed your link, and my jaw is still on the ground, making it very hard to type this. Wow! I'm planning to keep this thread and cook my way through it like Julie did with Julia's book! There's a recipe I used to make when my kids were little, and they loved it, even though it had turnip greens in it. I couldn't get them to eat turnip greens to save my or their lives, but with this recipe they did. Unfortunately, I don't know where I have it, but I'll try to remember it. I've been making a vegetarian version of it for years, but when they were little, I made it the original way. It came from a magazine, probably Woman's Day, way back in the 1980's. I don't even remember the name of the recipe. The recipe calls for canned black-eyed peas, which makes it a good quick supper recipe, but I'm sure you could use all fresh ingredients if you wish. This makes a thick stew kind of dish. Turnip Greens and Black-eyed peas 1 kielbasa or smoked sausage, cut into bite size pieces 2 15 oz. cans black-eyed peas, drained 1 28 oz. can tomatoes 1 16 oz. bag frozen turnip greens lemon juice salt and pepper to taste Combine all the ingredients and heat till done. Add a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving. Season to taste. I don't remember if I sauteed the sausage before adding it, but I think I just added everthing into a pot. To make it vegetarian (which my dh doesn't like nearly as well, but I like it (grinning thinking about the lying vegan thread!), omit the sausage, and use olive oil for the fat - a couple of tablespoons is good. I add a very small amount, maybe 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of liquid smoke to get that smokey flavor that the sausage gives the meat version. If I find the original recipe, I'll check to make sure I didn't make a mistake on this. Sally o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by teresa_nc7 (My Page) on Sun, Feb 19, 12 at 9:39 Y'all can really be a good influence! Yesterday at the grocery store I bought a big bag of frozen chopped spinach (on sale!), a head of cabbage (.25 a lb.), and a bag of chopped collards. Those plus a pack of frozen sugar snap peas and 2 bags of carrots (.57 per lb. bag), sweet potatoes and a couple of baking potatoes kept my focus on buying more vegetables than meat. I did a freezer inventory last weekend and saw that I need to use up the meat in my freezer before I buy more. Today I'm making a spinach and cheese quiche for dinner tonight and lunch on Meatless Monday. I also plan to try a bean/sausage/greens recipe on Kalyn's Kitchen blog that I found this past week. Teresa Here is a link that might be useful: Sausage, Beans, and Greens crock pot recipe o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Sun, Feb 19, 12 at 9:56 Sally2, I'm perusing Sol's site as I type this. I LOVE the way you write, Sol. Very very funny and witty, I'm laughing, sitting here with my coffee. Thanks for your recipes, your photography and your blog. o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Sun, Feb 19, 12 at 10:25 I got to thinking, and that recipe I posted above probably had an onion in it. I'd probably saute the onion, then the sausage, then add the other ingredients - after draining excess fat, of course. Sorry about the omission. Sally o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ann_t (My Page) on Sun, Feb 19, 12 at 11:15 I love this salad. I can't say that about many salads. This is my version of the house salad at Vittorio's in Toronto. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Vittorio's Spinach Salad ======================== Washed and dried spinach (Baby) 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled 4 or 5 cleaned mushrooms, sliced 1 can of artichoke hearts halved or quartered 3 Roma tomatoes, quartered 2 chopped green onions Kalamata olives Dressing 1/4 teaspoon tarragon 1/2 clove of garlic 2 or 3 tablespoons wine vinegar 1/2 cup homemade mayo or Hellmans Salt and pepper . Place spinach in a large salad bowl. Decorate with eggs, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, tomatoes and green onions and olives. Drizzle with dressing and toss. Can be made on individual plates as well. Dressing Soak tarragon and garlic in vinegar. Add salt to dissolve. Mix vinegar mixture into mayonnaise and adjust seasoning to taste. o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by arley (My Page) on Sun, Feb 19, 12 at 11:46 Inspired by this thread, I tried sauteeing some romaine lettuce last night. Simply washed the greens, cut them crossways so you had about an inch of stem flanked by some curly greens, and sauteed them in a little butter/evoo mix until the greens were a little wilted. Fantastic! Needed no accompaniment, though I bet a little freshly grated parmesan would do great on it. o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ynnej (My Page) on Sun, Feb 19, 12 at 12:31 Ann, that dressing sounds amazing. Sol, your blog is just wonderful, and I can practically hear your voice as you read. You have a terrific writing style. My husband showed up with a big bunch of beets for me this Valentine's Day. He knows me too well. Beet Green and Sage Pesto with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes Photobucket This was the first time I've tried slow-roasted tomatoes. What a difference! I don't think I'll ever go back to sundried. o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Sun, Feb 19, 12 at 12:34 I've got cabbage and leeks in the slow-cooker now, with a bit of chicken broth. When it's cooked, a cream sauce gets made for it. I'll let you know how we like it. o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Mon, Feb 20, 12 at 12:38 Every time I read this thread, I drool. Imagine, drooling over greens. But I've always loved greens. As a child, spinach was my favorite vegetable. I even ate the stuff the school cafeteria passed off as spinach - that's how much a spinach-aholic I am. Here's a recipe I tried last night. Yesterday I was weeding my garden, thinking about this cookalong, and kept eyeing the beet greens. I have some beets left over from fall or even last spring, where the beets are way too mature to eat, but they keep producing nice greens. So, I decided to try a recipe from Annie Somerville's cookbook, Fields of Greens. I thought it an appropriate cookbook for this cookalong. In case anyone doesn't already know, beets and Swiss chard are very closely related. I use their greens interchangeably. So, for last night, I subbed beet greens for the Swiss chard called for in the recipe. I also used regular raisins, since we didn't have the currents or golden raisins on hand, and I didn't want to go to the store. I think regular raisins are just fine in this recipe, and I don't even like raisins. I did feel like cooking and having fun with my grandson, so we made pasta from scratch. He had fun feeding the pasta dough through the machine! It's not necessary to make it from scratch at all, as the note that goes with the recipe indicates. Sorry, I forgot about picture taking until it was all gone. Fettuccine with Swiss Chard, Currants, Walnuts, and Brown Butter from Fields of Greens, New Vegetarian Recipes from the Celebrated Greens Restaurant, by Annie Somerville Serves two to four We use fresh fettuccine here, but penne is also a delicious pasta choice. It can be cooked in advance, tossed with a little olive oil, and reheated with the sauce, a make-ahead technique that works well for this dish. 1/3 cup brown butter (recipe follows) 1 tablespoon dried currants 2 tablespoons golden raisins 1 bunch of red or green Swiss chard, about 8 cups packed leaves 1 tablespoon light olive oil 1/2 medium -size red onion, thinly sliced, about 1 cup Salt and pepper 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1/2 pound fresh fettuccine 1/3 cup walnut pieces, toasted Grated parmesan cheese Make the brown butter and keep it warm over very low heat. Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Plump the currants and golden raisins in a small bowl covered with 1/4 cup hot water. Trim the stems from the chard and slice across the leaves to make 2-inch-wide ribbons. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan; add the onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a few pinches of pepper. Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the onion softens and begins to release its juices. Add the garlic, chard, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes, until the chard is just barely tender, then reduce the heat to low. When the water boils, add 1 teaspoon salt. Add the fettuccine to the boiling water, timing it to finish cooking with the chard. (The chard should be very tender but not overcooked when the pasta is done.) When the pasta is just tender, drain it immediately in a colander, shake off excess water, and add it to the onions and chard, along with the plumped fruit, walnuts, and brown butter. Toss together and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan. Variation: We often make this pasta with a mixture of winter greens - spinach, Swiss chard, and kale make a particularly satisfying combination. Kale is the slowest cooking of the greens, so add it to the onions 2 or 3 minutes before the chard. The spinach can be wilted quickly, so add it just before tossing with the cooked pasta. Brown Butter The time and attention needed to make brown butter are minimal - just be sure to use unsalted butter and remove it from the heat before its warm amber color begins to darken. The butter will hold indefinitely in the refrigerator, so make enough to have on hand when you need it. 1/2 pound unsalted butter Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. As the butter gently simmers, the butter fat and mil solids will separate from each other. The solids will settle to the bottom of the pan, coloring the butter as it cooks. When it turns a rich amber color, in about 8 to 10 minutes, remove from the heat. Line a fine-mesh strainer with a paper towel or cheesecloth and pour the butter through it, straining out the solids. The butter can be used immediately or cooled and refrigerated in a sealed container. Makes about 3/4 cup. One additional note from me. I doubled this recipe to make enough to serve 5 as a main dish. I doubled the amount of brown butter, which I think was a mistake - it was too greasy. If doubling, I'd suggest using just a little more brown butter rather than doubling it. Sally o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ynnej (My Page) on Mon, Feb 20, 12 at 13:24 That sounds really good, Sally! I've got a few beet greens left over and I think I might try this. o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by cloudy_christine (My Page) on Mon, Feb 20, 12 at 13:25 This is by far my favorite thing to make with kale. An Irish dish that is bright green, perfect for St. Patrick's Day. Colcannon kale potatoes -- Not the waxy red ones. Yukon Golds are especially good. But russet types, being drier, let you use more of the scallion-infused milk. scallions milk butter Wash the kale and strip out the tough stems. Cook it in a large pot of boiling water until tender. (This keeps it bright green. Steam it if you insist.) Drain the kale; when it's cool enough, squeeze it to get out as much water as you can. Chop it finely. I like a knife chop, but if your kids will be put off by "pieces" you can process it. Meanwhile, boil peeled potatoes until tender. Heat some milk with finely sliced or chopped scallions. Use some butter and the scallion milk to mash the potatoes. Serve with a good-sized pat of butter. Little kids will eat a lot of "green mashed potatoes." o forgot clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by cloudy_christine (My Page) on Mon, Feb 20, 12 at 13:57 The recipe should say to add the cooked chopped kale to the mashed potatoes. o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Tue, Feb 21, 12 at 12:56 Ynnej I would love it if you would post the recipe for the beet green pesto and also the slow roasted tomatoes. I tried doing some roasted cherry tomatoes a couple of weeks ago, they were good but I don't think I roasted them quite right. Sally2 I'm like you, I would love to cook my way through this post. Unfortunately, my rate of participation on this Cookalong has slowed due to my ruining my oven's computer once again, and this time I think for good. Last time it healed itself after a few weeks, but last time the clock at least kept working. Now it seems to be dead as a doorknob. I've already researched fixing it and getting a new stove, so it's just a matter of time before I get the new stove. Meanwhile, I'm a stovetop cook. Also, I've been under the weather for a couple of days, so not much cooking going on and then there will be stuff to do to make up for my lost work time. Meanwhile, here's the soup I made last weekend. It's kind of hard core vegetarian and you'll love it if you love the combo of beans, butternut squash and greens. It's a good healthy and colorful starter for a Mediterannean type meal. Butternut Squash Greens Soup (Lpink's adaptation of a recipe she got off a recipe card she got at some grocery store ages ago.) 1 TBLSP of extra virgin olive oil (or less) for sauteeing 1/2 cup each diced onion and celery (you could probably use fennel in place of celery. Omit celery if using beet greens, use the beet stems instead. White onions are good, I also like this soup with red onions, they're colorful). Bunch of fresh greens, about 1 1/2 cooked cups worth. I most often use beet greens and the amount is what comes from a bunch of beets. I have also used frozen chopped greens for this dish, such as frozen kale or frozen spinach. 1 1/2 cups butternut squash (I just use a 10 oz. block of the Bird's Eye frozen pureed butternut squash). 3-4 cups vegetable or chicken broth 1 can small white beans (I usually use canelinni) 1/4 cup chives (I often use 3 scallions or 1/8 cup dried chives when I don't have fresh chives) 1/2 - 1 tsp. good italian seasoning 1 dash balsamic vinegar (slightly more than 1 tsp.) salt and pepper to taste Sautee onion, celery in oil until translucent. Add greens and cook until wilted. Add 2 cups broth and bring to a simmer. Add the block of frozen butternut squash. (You can microwave it to thaw it out if you want, or use 1.5 cups fresh squash, cooked and pureed). Cook until squash is combined. Add one can of beans, rinsed, and the italian seasoning. Add more broth until the soup reaches the consistency you like (1-2 more cups). Add scallions or chives and simmer 10 min. Adjust seasoning with a healthy dose of salt and pepper. Add a dash of balsamic vinegar. Taste and adjust additional seasonings to taste as you wish. Serve with croutons floating in the soup and a dusting of parmesean cheese. Here's a pic. I was almost out of soup and out of croutons by the time I remembered to take a photo. o Squash soup post script clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Tue, Feb 21, 12 at 12:58 Oh I forgot to add GARLIC in the soup recipe. The original recipe doesn't call for it, but I think a little bit is OK. I just add a dash of garlic powder, but you could add 1-2 cloves minced garlic in with the onions. o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ynnej (My Page) on Tue, Feb 21, 12 at 13:07 Garlic is non-negotiable in my book! I put it in just about everything. For slow-roasted tomatoes, I just halve them, toss them in a little oil with salt, pepper, and thyme and heat in 220 oven for 2-3 hours. Here is the Beet Green Pesto Recipe. Beet Green and Sage Pesto 2 cups chopped beet greens, center ribs removed 1/2 cup walnuts 1/2 cup sage leaves 1 cup fresh grated parmesan 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tsp lemon juice 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste 1/4 tsp pepper, or to taste 2 tbsp water 1/2 cup olive oil+ more for frying Add enough oil to coat a large frying pan and bring to medium low heat. Add beet greens and cook until wilted. Let cool. Add walnuts to food processor and grind until fine, then add cooked greens and all other ingredients, streaming in olive oil at the end. o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Tue, Feb 21, 12 at 13:15 Oh, that's what I did wrong with the tomatoes, I fast roasted them, in the oven at 400 for about 15 min. They tasted good but burst out of their skins leaving sad little skin curls in the pan. o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ynnej (My Page) on Tue, Feb 21, 12 at 14:20 And the skin's the best part! I wouldn't say you did it wrong, though. Slow-roasted is just a completely different outcome- like sundried tomatoes, only juicier. o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by magothyrivergirl (My Page) on Tue, Feb 21, 12 at 18:01 Lpink - I posted the Kale and Chicken Stew recipe ~ I am glad you and BF love it ~ we feel the same ~ can't make it often enough! KALE & CHICKEN STEW Here is the recipe from the Nov's New Recipes post with the changes I make. I found this recipe when searching for ways to cook kale. We thought it was delicious. Changes I made: I use a Rotisserie chicken & homemade chicken broth I had in the freezer. I also added Trader Joe's Everyday Seasonings - so season with your favorite spices. Potatoes I used: Yukon golds, Red potato, Russet, and an all purpose white. Scrubbed and did not peel. Roast on some nonstick aluminum foil. I always rinse & drain the beans. I cooked it early and let it sit to meld the flavors. It is going to be a favorite comfort food this year as the weather turns cold. Kale and Chicken Stew Serves 6-8 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 5 medium mixed potatoes; diced (I used Yukon gold, red and purple) 1 teaspoon fresh thyme 4 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt freshly cracked black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion; chopped 1 large shallot; minced 2 carrots; peeled and diced 6 cups chicken stock 2 sprigs fresh thyme 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese; finely grated 5 cups chopped kale 15-ounce can cannellini beans; drained salt and pepper to taste Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. In a separate sheet pan, toss the potatoes with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat. Cover and set aside. Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and shallot and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and cook 15 minutes until softened. Add in chicken stock, thyme, chicken, potatoes, Parmesan, salt and pepper bring to a simmer. Add the kale and beans and simmer for another 20 minutes, until the kale is tender and the beans are hot. Related: Five Ways to Eat: Kale Rebekah Peppler November 2, 2010 06:00PM o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Tue, Feb 21, 12 at 19:40 Lpink, that soup sounds delicious. So does the pesto, Ynnej. I'll have to make some of that. Sally o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by solsthumper (My Page) on Wed, Feb 22, 12 at 9:37 Jenny, you're sweet; thank you! I followed the link to your wonderful blog, and I'm looking forward to trying your dishes on my boy, a vegetarian who hates vegetables :) Thank you Ann, Lpink, Jude, Sally and Dcarch for your very kind words! Your comments may just turn me into a Peanuts character, big head, tiny body. I apologize for the lack of new blog entries. The blog was accidentally deleted by Blogger recently, and even though they brought most of it back, I've been busy doing damage control. I hope to get it up and running by this weekend. It has been an unusually-mild winter this year, and I've been craving more greens than ever before. So, I'm saving this entire thread and the delicious photos. Arley, I've taken note of the parmesan tip on the cooked romaine! Sol o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by bbstx (My Page) on Wed, Feb 22, 12 at 11:43 Great minds think alike! Cooking Light has kale recipes today. Here is a link that might be useful: Cooking Light - 14 Kale Recipes o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by MichelleDT (My Page) on Wed, Feb 22, 12 at 12:56 This was very good! Chowhound's Garlic and Smoky Greens Soup w/Poached Egg. 3 large garlic heads 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving 2 medium leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced crosswise (white and pale green parts only) 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 medium russet potato, peeled and medium dice 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more as needed 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 12 ounces kale, tough stems removed and leaves cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 4 cups) 1 cup water 4 poached eggs (optional) Prep Heat the oven to 375F and arrange a rack in the middle. Peel any loose outer skins from the garlic heads and cut off the top quarter of each head to expose the cloves. Place the garlic heads, cut side up, on a large piece of foil, drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil over all 3 heads, and wrap tightly to form a foil packet. Place the packet on a baking sheet and bake until the garlic cloves are golden brown and very tender, about 60 to 75 minutes. Remove from the oven, open the packet, and let the garlic sit until cool enough to handle. Squeeze the roasted cloves from their skins and place in a small bowl; set aside. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the leeks, bay leaves, and rosemary, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the leeks have begun to soften and the herbs are fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the potato, roasted garlic, and paprika, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a bit of crust begins to form on the bottom of the pan, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and, using a wooden spoon, loosen the crusty bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a tightfitting lid, and let simmer until the potatoes are knife tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and remove the pan from the heat. Using a blender, puree the soup in batches until smooth, removing the small cap from the blender lid (the pour lid) and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam to escape and prevents the lid from popping off). Place the blended soup in a clean saucepan. (Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the original saucepan.) Return the soup to a simmer over low heat. Add the kale and water and stir to combine. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender but still brightly colored, about 10 to 12 minutes. Taste and add more paprika, salt, and pepper as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, season with pepper, and top with a poached egg if desired. Photobucket (Pic from the recipe on Chowhound) Link has two other soups - one with bok choy wontons which sounds like another one to make! Here is a link that might be useful: Soups with Greens from Chowhound o RE:: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by MichelleDT (My Page) on Wed, Feb 22, 12 at 19:23 Cooking Light just posted 14 tasty kale recipes for those interested. Here is a link that might be useful: Cooking Light Kale Recipes o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Wed, Feb 22, 12 at 19:43 What a great Cookalong thread! I haven't been on line much lately but have been eating my greens. I made Chi83's Massaged Kale & Avocado Salad and it was excellent. CC, I haven't made Colcannon for a couple of years. Thanks for the reminder since I just bought 10 lbs. of potatoes. I also made some chard soup. CHARD AND SAUSAGE SOUP 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed, crumbled 1 Tbs. chopped garlic 1 pound Swiss chard, trimmed and coarsely chopped 4 to 5 cups chicken broth 1/2 cup broken (1 inch) pieces capellini or vermicelli pasta 4 slices crusty French or Italian bread, 1/2 inch thick 4 tsp. olive oil 4 tsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese Heat a large saucepot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring and chopping to break up clumps, until browned, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Add chard and broth and bring to boiling. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, then bring back to a boil. Add pasta, cover and boil 2-4 minutes or until pasta is done. Meanwhile, heat broiler. Broil bread slices on cookie sheet about 1 minute per side, until toasted. Drizzle each slice with 1 tsp. oil; sprinkle each with 1 tsp. grated Parmesan. Divide soup among 4 large soup bowl and top each with prepared toast. Serves 4 I had more chard left so tonight made these sci-fi-looking blobs on a flying saucer of Hollandaise. Photobucket No real recipe but I blanched the chard leaves in the microwave and put them in greased custard cups with the ends of the leaves hanging over the sides. Then I added a filling of cooked basmati rice, cubes of cooked chard stems and golden beets, parsley, S&P, some grated Parmesan and a beaten egg white to bind. After covering the rice mixture with the overhanging chard leaf pieces, I baked them in a pan of hot water at 350 for about 20-25 minutes. I let them cool for about 3 minutes before inverting onto the plates. DH loved his greens "surprise package". Photobucket o RE: Cookalong #41 -Greens, Cooked and Raw clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by teresa_nc7 (My Page) on Thu, Feb 23, 12 at 10:28 The chard bundles are very creative, Ruthanna! That chard and sausage soup sounds good to me - if/when we get some more cold weather. Who knew we loved our greens so much? Teresa