Creamed Collard Greens

No way around it, I love collard greens and I think they are a fantastic holiday dish any way you prepare them. This is just one easy, pretty way to serve up a mess of greens sure to convince those less familiar with the veggie that it should be more than a southern meal staple. If at the end of the bake time the topping isn't as golden and crisp as you would like just turn the broiler on for a few minutes.

Creamed Collard Greens
(serves: 12)

4 oz bacon, chopped
8 lbs collard greens, ribs removed
2 onions, chopped
2 c heavy cream
3 large eggs
1 c dry bread crumbs
1/2 c Parmesan, grated
1 round tbs Parsley, chopped
1 round tsp sage, minsed
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tbs of olive oil
kosher salt
ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350

1) Bring water to boil in a large pot and add the bacon. Add the greens gradually letting each bunch wilt before adding more.

2) Add the onions and let it all simmer, covered, for 40 minutes. Remove and drain the collards, and roughly chop

3) In a large bowl combine the collards with the cream and salt and pepper, then add the eggs and stir til blended. Spread the mixture in a buttered 4 qt casserole. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

4) Throw the bread crumbs, cheese, parsely, sage, garlic and olive oil into a food processor and pulse until blended. Pull the collards from the oven and top with the bread crumb mixture then return to the oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes more.

French Onion Soup

Sorry for the lack of images lately, I keep falling into the "tuck-in trap" and am halfway through the food before I remember I owe you all a picture!

This soup is hearty and warming with a bit of a twist that makes it more than just traditional. The brightness of the cider is really tantalizing, and while it is one of those longer recipes to concoct it by no means labor intensive. Mostly, you just let it do its thing. For the cider, it's best not to skimp - real, fresh (raw) apple cider is so much tastier than the typical stuff. Also, don't worry about the onions burning when you let them sweat and reduce. When topping the bread with cheese, be generous - overestimate.

French Onion Soup
(yield: 4-6 servings)

5 onions (Vidalias and a couple red)
3 tbs butter
few pinches salt
2 c white wine
10 oz can of beef consume
10 oz of chicken broth
8 oz apple cider
sprigs of thyme and parsley tied with a bay leaf
Cognac
Gruyere
bread
freshly ground pepper

1) Slice the onion into half moons

2) Set a Dutch oven over medium heat and melt the butter. Once melted add a layer of onions, salt, add another layer and salt. Repeat until out of onions!

3) Leave the onions alone for twenty minutes, then stir occasionally as they take on color. They will turn nice and dark and reduce to about two cups over the course of an hour

4) Turn the heat to high and add the wine, then let it reduce to a thick syrup

5) Reduce heat and add the consume, broth, cider and the parsely, bay leaf and thyme bundle and let simmer for twenty minutes

6) Heat your oven broiler and cut the bread to fit your soup bowl/cup. Broil on one side for about a minute

7) Add a dash or two of the cognac to the soup and season with the pepper. Remove the parsely, thyme and bay leaf bundle.

8) Serve the soup with the bread on top, toasted side down, then cover with cheese and pop it all under the broiler for another minute.

Cool Cantaloupe Soup

This soup is amazingly refreshing, light and tasty. Creamy and smooth, it makes me feel as though I'm having dessert for dinner. If you haven't used Agave Nectar before as a sweetener, it's like a more floral honey - really delicious.

Cool Cantaloupe Soup
(4 big servings)

6 lb cantaloupe, peeled and seeded
1 1/2 c coconut milk
3 tbs ginger, grated
3 tbs lemon juice
3 tsp Adave Nectar
pinch of salt
garnish with chives

1) Blend all ingredients.

2) Serve garnished with chives, and some diced cantaloupe pieces.

Raw Cream of Mushroom Soup

This is a very rich tasting raw recipe for mushroom lovers. Be sure to get some nutritional yeast as it gives the salty, creamy flavor. I used button mushrooms, which I usually avoid, and it turned out just fine. Beware, the order of blending is important to the texture.

Raw Cream of Mushroom Soup
(2 servings)

2 c water
1/2 c sunflower seeds
2/3 c mushrooms, chopped fine
2 tbs Nutritional yeast
1 large clove garlic
few pinches salt
few grinds of pepper

1) Blend the sunflower seeds and the water until smooth

2) Add the garlic, yeast, salt and pepper and blend

3) Add the mushrooms and breifly blitz until you get the desired texture.

Creamy Lentil Salad

Lentils are an amazing source of protein and a pretty unplumbed depth of culinary goodness. For any doubting their tasty potential, try this delicious and hearty salad. You can sprinkle the bacon and goat cheese on top if you don't want it to go all melty, but I think it's best gone all creamy and slightly warm!

Creamy Lentil Salad
(serves 8)

8 oz lentils
2 bay leaves
1 sprig ofthyme
1 large carrot, chopped fine
1 large celery stalk, chopped fine
2 rounded tbs shallots, minced
1 round tsp garlic, minced
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and sliced thin
1 large handful of chopped hers (oregano, thyme, parsely)
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 lb thick bacon, cooked and crumbled
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

1) Combine the lentils, bay leaves, thyme, carrot, celery, shallot, and garlic in a saucepan and cover with water plus 1". Bring to a boil then simmer until veggies are soft.

2) Drain and pitch the bay leaves and thyme, set the rest aside in a large bowl.

3) Gently fold in the tomatoes, herbs, bacon and goat cheese then dress and serve!


Vinaigrette Dressing

1 c veg oil
1/3 c red wine vinegar
1 tbs, shallot, minced
3 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1) Whisk the vinegar, mustard, shallot, salt and pepper together.

2) Slowly, very slowly, whisk in the oil. Adjust seasoning.

Pineapple Curry

This recipe is courtesy of Mackenzie, and is great if you're craving a tasty, simple curry. The first time I made it I wished it had more kick to counter the sweetness, so I recommend adding a chili pepper or two if you like things spicy. If you don't, make it as is, it's completely delicious!


Pineapple Curry
(serves 4-6)

1/4 c red curry paste
2 cans coconut milk
2 chicken breasts cut into thin strips
2 red chiles, seeded and sliced
3 tbs fish sauce
1/4 c sugar
1 1/2 c sliced bamboo shoots
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 c pineapple chunks

(serve over rice or rice noodles)

1) In a wok or large pan whisk together the curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar. Incorporate the chicken and bamboo shoots. Cook for fifteen minutes.

2) Add the pepper and onion, cook for an additional ten minutes.

3) Remove from heat, stir in pineapple, and serve over rice or rice noodles.

Spicy Thai Chicken with Basil

The Thai themed meals continue, partly because of my success with the coconut soup and partly because most of the ingredients for that recipe and this one overlapped! Because it uses chicken this recipe feels very light while remaining filling. It has a bit more spice to it, which I really love as the nights here are getting cooler.

Spicy Thai Chicken with Basil
(serves 4)

1 1/3 lb chicken breasts, cut into small 1x2" pieces
2 tbs fish sauce
1 1/2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs water
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 fresh chiles, seeded and sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c basil leaves
oil, for cooking

1) In a shallow dish combine the chicken with the fish sauce, water, soy sauce and sugar.

2) Heat the oil on a wok or large nonstick pan over moderately high heat.

3) Cook the onion in the oil for about two minutes, then add the chiles and garlic and cook while stirring for an additional thirty seconds.

4) With a slotted spoon add the chicken to the pan and cook for three minutes, then add the marinade and cook thirty seconds longer.

5) Remove the pan from heat and add a cup of the basil. Serve and top with the remaining 1/2 cup.