After all my whining about spring-this and summer-that last week, I suppose it’s only predictable that I’m now feeling quite sad that winter is slipping away. Cozy sweaters, roaring fires, steamy bowls of oatmeal, freshly fallen snow. I love all these things and will be sad to see them go. And I haven’t even started in on the cold-weathered food I will miss.

There are still quite a few winter recipes on my to do list. Even though I’m itching to use fresh produce and lighter, brighter flavors, I’m not so sure I’m ready to give up roasting, stewing, smothering or braising. So, I’ve decided to embrace the last stubborn days of winter. I will eat root vegetables, I will make as many pots of soup as possible and, by god, I will stuff things with cheese.

(Click “more” for the rest of the story, more photos & the recipe.)

Like these shells. Oh boy, are they stuffed with cheese. Cheeses, I should say. And spinach. And when the shells were packed to the gills with their velvety blend of cheeses, I draped them with a smoky, pureed tomato sauce. Finally, I let loose a shower of yet more cheese on top.

The result was a bubbling oozy-ness that, my friends, I might not see again until next winter. So I savored every delectable bite. Is anyone out there with me? Or am I alone in my seasonal schizophrenia? Do tell: what wintery dishes will you miss cooking & eating?

Stuffed Shells with Smoky Marinara
Adapted from Cooking Light

1/2 pound jumbo shell pasta (20 shells)
1 large bag fresh spinach
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Cooking spray
1 cup 1% low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup carton ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese
1/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups smoky marinara (recipe follows)
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside. Cook the spinach in two teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat, until the spinach is wilted. Let the spinach cool and then wrap the spinach in cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel; squeeze to drain. Set the spinach aside.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.

Place cottage cheese and ricotta cheese in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine cottage cheese mixture, Asiago, and next 6 ingredients (Asiago through spinach).

Spoon or pipe 1 tablespoon cheese mixture into each shell. Arrange the stuffed shells, seam sides up, in the prepared dish. Pour the marinara over stuffed shells. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella.

Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and turn on the broiler. Place the pan under the broiler for 5 minutes, or until the tops of the shells are nicely browned.

Smoky Marinara
Cooking Light

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, basil, parsley, and oregano; sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in vinegar and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Puree the sauce in a food processor or blender or using an immersion blender.

Do you know that feature on weather.com that tells you what the temperature “feels like”? If not, I’m sorry for calling it to your attention. Because all it does is make an already intolerably cold day seem completely unbearable. Like this morning, for instance, when I checked the weather at the last second before we left for the grocery store (okay, fine, grocery stores, Kevin). I was wondering if I needed to go full bore, with hat, scarf, gloves and boots. As if the 2 degrees weren’t answer enough, weather.com taunted me with a “feels like” negative 21 degrees.

I mean, are you serious, Mother Nature? Sure, I can deal with the fact that Good Old Punxsawtaney Phil has bestowed six more weeks of winter on us. But does it have to be this particularly cruel, bitter form of winter? Quite simply, I object. And, on Saturday night, I objected via our meal choice. We cooked up a meal that would have been wonderful on a July evening. One that conjured visions of sunshine and beers and rooftop decks.

(Click “more” for the rest of the story, more photos & the recipe.)

The main dish of the feast is the subject of a soon-to-come post, so I’ll have to keep you in the dark on that for now. But, I’ll have you know that it was all for Kevin, because I am just that kind. And in another hint, I’ll tell you that this side dish—a potato salad, with green beans and a piquant rather than creamy dressing, made the perfect partner for the meal’s meaty centerpiece. Any guesses as to the main dish?

Garlicky Green Bean-Potato Salad
Cooking Light

1 1/2 pounds yellow Finnish potatoes or red potatoes*
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 cups (1/2-inch) cut green beans (about 1/2 pound)
10 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Cut potatoes into quarters. Cut each piece into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Pour 3/4 cup broth into bottom of a 6-quart pressure cooker**; layer the potatoes, green beans, and garlic in cooker. Close lid securely; bring to high pressure over high heat (about 9 minutes). Adjust heat to low or level needed to maintain high pressure; cook 3 minutes. Remove from heat; place pressure cooker under cold running water. Remove lid.

Drain potato mixture in a colander, reserving garlic cloves; place potato mixture in a large bowl. Combine reserved garlic cloves, vinegar, and remaining ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth. Drizzle the garlic dressing over potato mixture; toss gently to coat.

* I used a combination of small red, white and purple potatoes.
** In lieu of a pressure cooker, I just boiled the potatoes, beans and garlic. Once the water came to a boil, I added the potatoes and let them cook for 5 minutes. Then I added the beans and garlic and let them all cook for another 5 minutes.

The desserts emerging from my kitchen lately have ranged from the multi-stepped and complicated to the not-quite-right and downright disastrous. So it shouldn’t have surprised me when the need for a dessert arose and I eschewed all recipes involving layers and hours of cooling/chilling and rolling and candy thermometers.

It was time for a good old-fashioned cookie bake. Two bowls, one cookie sheet, an eager cookie-dough-taster, and no more than an hour later, the cookie jar was filled. Continuing with the simplicity streak, I opted for oatmeal-chocolate chip. The only real hiccup between me and the finish line with these cookies was deciding between a “best of” kind of recipe or a more well-behaved recipe. I consulted the person who I knew would be eating most of the cookies and, being that he was fresh off a week of per-diem-fueled restaurant eating, he opted for the more restrained cookie.

(Click “more” for the rest of the story, more photos and the recipe.)

I selected a well-reviewed recipe on Cooking Light’s site. My only changes were to omit the pecans, double the chocolate chips (I did omit the pecans, did I not?) and use bittersweet chips in place of semi-sweet. And I got to use my brand new, easy release ice cream scoop. It’s a kitchen gadget I never thought I needed, but after wishing I had one at least 13 times (such as here), I finally caved and got one. And, as promised by many a baking maven, it produced very uniform (if smallish) cookies.

And while I was pleased with the uniformity, I had some pesky doubts about the cookies, in terms of texture and taste. I mean, 1/3 cup of butter in 36 cookies? Other recipes I’d seen called for 3 to 4 times as much. Similarly, most of the “normal” recipes topped out with around two cups of sugar (total; most recipes, like the one I used, call for a combination of white and brown sugar). Also notable, was the absence of any lighter baking “tricks” (like natural, unsweetened apple sauce, for instance).

Luckily, I didn’t have too long to ponder all these potential pitfalls. Before I knew it, the cookies were baked. They spread and browned beautifully while baking, producing lacy, thin rounds. And they had the ultimate oatmeal cookie texture: crispy and very nearly brittle at the edges, but bendy and chewy in the middle.

All that was left was the taste test. While these cookies are certainly not the most over-the-top, decadent cookies you’ll ever taste, they are good. Surprisingly good, in fact. They were like a bakery’s oatmeal cookie taken down a notch (um-bam!-ed if you will). They were slightly rich, with hints of sweetness. And like any great oatmeal cookie (in my book), they were earthy, spicy and studded with dark chocolate. I will say that the cookies that made it past Day One did get harder and drier. But that just gives me an excuse to share one of my favorite kitchen tricks (which I gleaned from my mom) with you: stick a slice of bread in the cookie jar. You won’t believe how soft it will keep your cookies or, in the case of these cookies, how it will soften and moisten them up if they become too crispy and dry.

Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, and Pecan Cookies
Cooking Light

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 5 1/2 ounces)
1 cup regular oats
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted*
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate minichips*

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt), stirring with a whisk; set aside.

Place sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and egg; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Stir in pecans and minichips. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.

* I used only bittersweet (not semi-sweet) chocolate chips (no pecans).

I accidentally fell in love with split pea soup recently. Let me explain. One of my favorite pastimes is wandering around the little market a couple blocks from our house. Every time I’m there, I discover something else that I’d never noticed before. For instance, yesterday I found an extremely impressive array of pickles (not just cucumbers, but all manner of pickles) tucked away in a small corner. I’ve been to that nook of the store dozens of times, but there is so much to look at it, the pickles somehow alluded me.

While I could go on and on about my love for this little market, I’ll get back to the split pea soup now. Like the pickles, I somehow failed to notice that the market offered up several homemade soups every day. Perhaps it’s the weather that’s called such a thing to my attention. But the other day, the handwritten sign listing the soups of the day suddenly called out to me. And among the offerings, split pea soup inexplicably beckoned.

(Click “more” for the rest of the story, more photos & the recipe.)

As a kid, I had a great disdain for peas. So there was no way I’d choke down a bowl of soup loaded with the things. And, even though I love peas now, I’ve never seen a reason to give split pea soup a try. So, I’m not sure what made me order it. But, whoa, am I glad I did. The version from Olivia’s was smoky, velvety and comforting. A revelation, really. I knew I had to find a recipe of my own.

Many of the recipes I found called for obscure ham ingredients (I just can’t picture myself asking the butcher for hocks, for instance) and lavish amounts of butter or oil. So, because I like to keep my soups a bit on the lighter side, I headed to Cooking Light, where I’ve had a lot of success with soup recipes. And this one is very good. The additions of rosemary, smoked paprika, soy sauce (!) and tomato paste gave the soup a boost of flavor. And leaving the soup semi-chunky (by using an immersion blender) elicited the exact texture I was seeking. In a final tweak, I added diced and sautéed chicken andouille sausage (larger rounds graced the tops for garnish, as you can see). It wasn’t quite as good as the Olivia’s version, so I might keep an eye out for other (hock-free) recipes. But for now, I’m satisfied.

Rosemary Split Pea Soup
Cooking Light

1 1/2 cups green split peas
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup diced carrot
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon minced garlic cloves, divided (about 3 cloves)
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary, divided
1 teaspoon paprika*
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
4 cups water
2 cups Vegetable Stock or 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth**
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream***
2 links smoked chicken andouille sausage, diced and sautéed****

Sort and wash peas; cover with water to 2 inches above peas and set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and bay leaf; saute 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 2 teaspoons garlic, 1 teaspoon rosemary, paprika, and pepper; cook 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and soy sauce; cook until liquid evaporates, scraping to loosed browned bits.

Drain peas. Add peas, 4 cups water, Vegetable Stock, and salt to onion mixtures; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 1 hour, stirring often. Discard bay leaf. Place half of soup in blender or food processor; process until smooth. Pour pureed soup into bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining soup. Combine 1 teaspoon oil, 1 teaspoon garlic, 2 teaspoons rosemary, and parsley. Stir parsley mixture into soup. **** Spoon soup into bowls; top each with sour cream.

* I used smoked paprika.
** I used chicken stock.
*** I liked Greek yogurt better than sour cream. But, actually, I liked it best without either.
**** This is my addition to the recipe. I added these in at the end, along with the rosemary-parsley paste.

This lentil-tomato soup recipe might have been a more apt January 1 recipe (a little more resolution-worthy than sticky buns, right?). But, as far as I was concerned, it was still the holiday yesterday and holidays deserve special foods, not salads (indeed, Salad Wednesday is making a repeat appearance tonight, as promised) and gyms (mine was so packed this morning I had to fight for machines and bob-and-weave my way to my locker).

But now the holidays are officially over. Sniff. And, mother nature seems to have neatly replaced the holiday season with a wicked cold snap here in Chicago. The thermometer isn’t climbing above the single digits and it actually hurts to breathe outside. Clearly, this situation calls for soup. And this soup, despite its rich smoky flavor and velvety luxe texture, won’t derail even the most rigorous health-related resolutions.

And, for me, this soup gave me another excuse to use my favorite kitchen-related Christmas present: the gorgeous Le Creuset dutch oven pictured above. In the week since Christmas, I’ve used it four times. That’s right, four times. I haven’t even found a home for it in our cupboards yet, because it’s been so frequently in use. And it’s just so pretty that it might take up permanent residence on the stove.

So whether you’ve got a resolution to uphold, a cold snap to weather or a new pot to break in, this is the recipe for you.

Lentil-Tomato Soup
Cooking Light

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 1/3 cups water
2 1/3 cups dried lentils
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 (14 1/2-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
Chopped fresh tomatoes (optional)*
Cilantro sprig (optional)*

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion; sauté for 3 minutes or until tender. Add the turmeric and the next 6 ingredients (turmeric through garlic); sauté for 1 minute. Add water and next 4 ingredients (water through diced tomatoes); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 1 hour.

Reserve 2 cups lentil mixture. Place half of remaining mixture in blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed soup into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with other half of remaining mixture. Stir in reserved 2 cups lentil mixture. Garnish with chopped tomatoes and a cilantro sprig, if desired.

* In addition to chopped cherry tomatoes and cilantro, I also like to top this soup with a dallop of Fage Greek yogurt.

A little over a year ago, The New York Times published an article that set off a virtual wildfire in the blog-o-sphere. From the attention and fervor the article generated, you might think it contained a recipe for making a nuclear bomb, or perhaps a cool million. Not exactly. The recipe was for no-knead bread.

I read the food blogs’ reviews and salivated over their photos like all good food blog readers. And, I of course vowed to make the bread. It would have been the perfect training wheels for the bread making novice that I was. And I still might give the recipe a go. Really, I might. But in the year since the recipe was published, it’s languished on my recipe to do list. Every time I see it, I wonder why I haven’t gotten around to it.

Instead of using it to ease my way into the world of bread making, I chose a more complicated and much less reviewed recipe to launch my bread making career. And, still, the no-knead recipe languishes. The recipe came to mind again when I read about it in the February 2008 issue of Cooks Illustrated. In standard Cooks form, the magazine had set out to de-construct the original recipe and build it back up, making it even better.

Cooks generally sticks to extremely classic, well-known recipes for this kind of extreme-make-over treatment: French onion soup, Sunday pot roast and breaded pork chops in this recent issue. So the fact that Cooks was trying to perfect the no-knead recipe is only further evidence of the cult-like following this bread has garnered.

So, the question remains: why have I resisted? It might be that I’m just that stubborn. Why take the short cut when I can take the more arduous route, right? In fact, I think that’s just it. I like to knead bread. I like the tangibility and the physicality of it. Even more, I love to see the transformation from a tacky, lumpy mass of dough to a smooth, elastic ball—before my very eyes. So that’s probably why I chose this recipe for my second foray into bread making rather than trying the Times‘ original or the Cooks‘ revamped no-knead version. And there’s also the fact that these rolls—Cooking Light‘s Oatmeal Knots—allowed me to shape my kneaded dough into irresistible knots and then sprinkle them with a scrumptious mixture of oats and poppy and sesame seeds. Oh, and they’re healthy. Not to mention delicious—slightly sweet, nutty and light and airy.

Oatmeal Knots
Cooking Light

1 cup regular oats
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups boiling water
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/3 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
3 cups whole wheat flour (about 14 1/4 ounces)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces), divided
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon water
1 large egg
1 tablespoon regular oats
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl, and add 2 cups boiling water, stirring until well blended. Cool to room temperature.

Dissolve yeast in 1/3 cup warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add yeast mixture to oats mixture; stir well. Stir in flaxseed meal.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Gradually add 3 cups whole wheat flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour to oats mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into the dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Divide dough in half; cut each half into 12 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent from drying), shape each portion into an 8-inch rope. Tie each rope into a single knot; tuck top end of rope under bottom edge of roll. Place each roll on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray; let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine 1 teaspoon water and egg in a small bowl; brush egg mixture over rolls. Combine 1 tablespoon oats, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds; sprinkle evenly over rolls. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.

I consider myself pretty intrepid in the kitchen (exhibit A here; exhibit B here).  But certain kitchen topics strike terror in the heart of this cook.  Some are fear of physical pain: mandoline; flambé.  Others are a pure fear of failure: soufflé.

Last weekend, I had the occasion to conquer my soufflé phobia.  Kevin requested a dessert that was chocolaty and, knowing that we were about to leave for almost a week in Minnesota, I looked for something that wouldn’t yield 10-plus servings.  I came across a recipe for individual chocolate soufflés and made the mistake of mentioning it to Kevin before fully considering whether I was up for the challenge.

His eyes went wide with excitement and I knew I had to make it for him.  After all, he did drive me around Chicago to no fewer than five potential purveyors of potato ricers this weekend—all in the midst of a blizzard.  He deserved an individual chocolate soufflé.

Once our ramekins were scraped clean, I couldn’t figure out what I was so scared of.  But then, I think that’s the case with a lot of kitchen milestones: all it takes to demystify an intimidating dish is to try it once.  And these soufflés were pretty painless.  The worst thing that could happen kind of did happen.  Instead of gorgeously puffed up chocolate soufflés, we had slightly deflated chocolate soufflés (I was concerned about that when I chose a Cooking Light recipe, but being just the two of us, I wasn’t too concerned about the “wow” factor.  If I were making these for guests, I’d go with a more decadent recipe, I think.)  But find me someone who will turn away a slightly deflated chocolate soufflé (especially one disguised  with a scoop of vanilla ice cream).  I know we sure didn’t.

I really wanted to add a little ground espresso or coffee to this recipe, but given my soufflé apprehension, I figured it’d be best to stick to the recipe.  Next time, I’ll give it a try.  Yes, that’s right, next time.  These were so painless and delicious I’m certain they’ll be back.  So take that, soufflé.

Individual Chocolate Soufflés
Cooking Light 

Cooking spray
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk
1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 large egg yolk
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat 2 (8-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray, and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons granulated sugar. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet; set aside.

Combine water and next 5 ingredients (water through egg yolk) in the top of a double boiler. Cook over simmering water until thick (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; add vanilla.

Beat egg white and cream of tartar at high speed of a mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold one-fourth of egg white mixture into chocolate mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Spoon evenly into prepared ramekins. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until puffy and set. Sprinkle each soufflé with 1 teaspoon powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

On the day after the big baseball brou-ha-ha, it’s entirely appropriate that I share the recipe for these garlic fries. Let me explain.  When Kevin and I lived in D.C., we made a very concerted effort to visit every ball park possible.   Kevin, a huge Cubs fan, would propose a trip up or down the East Coast evertime the Northsiders entered the time zone.  In two summers, we did pretty well: Shea Stadium, PNC Park in Pittsburgh (a really pretty park, I’ll have you know), Citizens Bank Park in Philly, Camden Yards in Baltimore and, once the Nats came to town, RFK Stadium in D.C. (nothing to write home about).

While all those trips were really fun, none of them were noteworthy for ballpark eats.  Sure, we had shameful amounts of hot dogs and peanuts, but nothing out of the usual.  And nothing as good as a Hebrew National dog  in the Bleachers at Wrigley (topped as a Chicago-style dog should be, of course).  In the midst of this East Coast ballpark blitz, my job took me to San Francisco and I took Kevin with me.  As luck would have it, the Cubs were in town playing the Giants!  So, naturally, we headed to the park there (frankly, it’s changed names so many times I don’t remember what it was called then).

And that, my friends, brings me to the garlic fries.  At the Cubs-Giants game (where we saw Greg Maddux pitch his 300th victory), we had the most delicious ballpark food I’ve ever encountered.  The garlic fries.  Even roasting under an unusually hot (for San Francisco) sun, Kevin and I fought over every last garlicky fry.  Since then, I’ve been trying to recreate or at least approximate this treat—preferably without engaging in deep frying.  And, with this recipe, I did. 

Garlic Fries
Cooking Light

4 teaspoons canola oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 pounds peeled baking potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
 Cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter
8 garlic cloves, minced (about 5 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag, tossing to coat. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 50 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning after 20 minutes.

Place butter and garlic in a large nonstick skillet, and cook over low heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add potatoes, parsley, and Parmesan cheese to pan; toss to coat. Serve immediately.  

To me, Sunday and chili are meant for each other.  When else do you have an hour to leisurely chop onions, mince garlic and slice jalapenos?  What other day is there a football game on the background, halftime looming and calling for a bowl of stomething steamy?  (Actually, suddenly there is an NFL game on every day.  Every year, I am surprised by this turn of events.  Not in a good way.)  And this Sunday, I am facing down two weeks of law school final exams.  Naturally, I need chili.

Chili is a pretty contentious thing.  In fact, you might have taken one look at the photo of my chili above and declared it entirely unsuitable.  For one thing, there are beans it in, which some find blasphemous.  And, tomatoes?  How dare I.  And then there will be the awfully strange Cincinnati folks who will be outraged not to find any spaghetti in the photo.  I tend to be more accepting of the chilis of the world: I like ‘em all.  My only small requests are that it be very spicy, please, and that I be afforded a very wide range of toppings. 

The last Sunday we made chili, we created a rather meager topping selection: Greek yogurt (trust me, Fage is so good, you’ll end up preferring it over sour cream and possibly even creme fraiche), diced cheddar, sliced scallions and lime wedges.  But I’m certainly not opposed to avocados, minced red onion, crushed blue tortilla chips, cilantro. Or my baked tortilla strips: those would be good.  Um, apparently if I had my way, I’d be turning chili into nachos.  Just realized that.  Good thing I don’t give myself my way very often. 

Black Bean & Turkey Chili
Adapted from Various Cooking Light Recipes 

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ground turkey breast
Salt and pepper
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 ½ cups red wine
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted chopped tomatoes (such as Muir Glen)
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans (no salt added), drained and rinsed

Potential toppings: Greek yogurt, sour cream or crème fraiche; shredded or diced sharp cheddar; sliced scallions or minced red onion; crushed tortilla chips or baked tortilla strips; fresh lime wedges.

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add turkey and season with salt and pepper.  Stir to crumble and brown on all sides.  Add the onion, jalapeno, pepper and garlic; stir.  Cook five minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften.   

Combine chili powder, brown sugar and oregano in a small bowl; stir with a fork to combine.  Add the spices and sugar to the pot; stir.  Cook for one minute, or until very fragrant.    Add tomato paste; stir.  Cook for one minute.  Slowly pour in the wine; stir to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with toppings.  *  Note: The Buttermilk Corn Bread I recently wrote about was excellent served alongside this chili.

When we chose my beef & broccoli stir fry for last week’s family dinner, I had serious doubts about whether the recipe and photos would be blog-bound.  Even though the flavors (Asian) and ingredients (broccoli, beef — duh) are some of our favorites (hence the family dinner pick), it’s not always the most–how shall I put this?–photogenic dish.  But it’s just too good not to share. 

Like many stir frys, after the prep (mincing jalapenos, ginger and garlic, see above, and slicing onions and flank steak), this dinner comes together before you know it.  In fact, your down time (while the wok is sizzling away) is barely long enough to put together my favorite part: the fixings (usually lime wedges, sesame seeds, chili flakes and scallions; see below).

I’ve adapted the recipe from a number of Cooking Light stir frys.  I use flank steak because it’s one of my favorite cuts of beef—lean, relatively inexpensive and really versatile.  And I like my stir fries a little on the fiery side (as you can probably tell from the jalapenos and chili flakes that go in the dish — photo #2 above — and then the extra chili flakes I like on top of the dish — photo #3 above).  So, feel free to scale back on the flakes and/or jalapeno if you prefer a milder dish.

I might not be objectively judging these photos (because of how much I really love this meal), but I don’t think they look too bad.  But, trust me, I spared you some doozies. 

Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry
Adapted from Cooking Light 

1 T.     dark sesame oil
1 T.     minced peeled fresh ginger
1 T.     minced jalapeno
4          minced garlic cloves
4 c.      broccoli florets
1 ½ c. onion, thinly sliced
1 lb.     flank steak, sliced across the grain into long, thin strips
3 T.     low-sodium soy sauce
2 T.     brown sugar
1 T.     oyster sauce
2 t.      red pepper flakes
2 c.      brown rice, cooked           
             lime wedges, sliced scallions, sesame seeds, chili flakes (for garnish) 

Heat sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger, jalapeno and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add broccoli and onion; sauté 5 minutes, until broccoli and onions begin to soften.  

Create a “well” in the middle of the pan by pushing the broccoli and onions to the outsides of the pan.  If the pan looks really dry, add a couple drops more of sesame oil.  Add steak, and sauté 5 minutes or until done. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, oyster sauce and red pepper flakes.  Stir well and cook for several minutes.   

Serve over brown rice.  If desired, top with scallions, sesame seeds, chili flakes and a squeeze of lime juice.