Apple Cinnamon Yams

Just in time for Thanksgiving, this recipe comes from the very last companion I had on my mission -- Whitney Worthen. Being from "the Apple State," she showed me all sorts of ways to enjoy apples. She made these for Thanksgiving on the island of Tenerife and they were a total hit.

I've made them every year since and people can't get enough of them. They are especially great for crowds that normally don't like yams -- as they taste more like an apple pie than anything else.

• 4 large cooked yams (2 medium cans)
• 2 large apples (peeled, cored, halved and thinly sliced)
• ½ c firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 4 Tbs. butter
• ½ c chopped pecans
• mini marshmallows (optional -- obviously, vegans/hardcore vegetarians wouldn't want to add these)

Place ½ yams in dish; layer ½ apples on top. Mix sugar, cinnamon, nuts and ½ tsp. salt in a bowl. Sprinkle ½ of mixture over apple layer. Repeat with remaining yams, apples and mix. Drizzle melted butter over the top. Cover and bake 40 minutes at 325 degrees. Uncover and bake about 10 minutes more with mini marshmallows on top (until slightly brown).

Pumpkin Soup With a Touch of Basil

Love this soup. It was passed along by a family friend a few years back. I've made it for Enrichment and had rave reviews. Shane even likes it, and he's not a huge pumpkin person. The longest part is just the dicing and then mixing it in the blender; from there, it just needs to simmer a bit.

Ingredients:

• 1 lrg. onion, peeled & finely minced

• 1/4 c. butter

• ½ lb. fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped (Romas)

• ½ lb. carrots peeled & cut in lrg. chunks

• 3 3/4 c. broth divided (vegetable or chicken, obviously, I use the former)
  

• 1 cup (16 oz.) solid pack pumpkin

• salt and pepper

• 2 Tb. minced fresh basil or 1 Tb dried

• 3 Tb. heavy cream - optional*
  

• grated Swiss cheese for garnish*

• toasted curried pumpkin seeds or croutons (plain)*

In large pot, saute onion in butter 4-5 min. Add tomatoes, simmer 5-6 min. In another pan, simmer carrots in 2 ½ cups chicken broth. Combing cooked carrots, hot broth & pumpkin in blender - puree. Add remaining stock. Add pumpkin mixture to pot, season with salt and pepper. Fold in cream and heat but do not boil. Garnish with cheese and croutons.

*I've never added the cream or garnish suggestions just because I usually try to avoid dairy and the soup is still phenomenal.

French Potato Salad with Dijon Mustard and Fine Herbes

Shane's a big fan of Dijon mustard so when I saw that this recipe included that ingredient and eliminated mayonnaise (an ingredient I try to avoid) I figured it was worth saving and trying out before summer ends.

NOTE: If fresh chervil isn’t available, substitute an additional 1/2 tablespoon of minced parsley and an additional 1/2 teaspoon of tarragon. For best flavor, serve the salad warm, but to make ahead, follow the recipe through step 2, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Before serving, bring the salad to room temperature, then add the shallots and herbs.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds small red potatoes (about 2-inch diameter), unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 2 tablespoons table salt
• 1 medium clove garlic , peeled and threaded on skewer
• 1 1/2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 small shallot , minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh chervil leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon leaves

DRESSING THE POTATOES: Place potatoes, 6 cups cold tap water, and salt in large saucepan; bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium. Lower skewered garlic into simmering water and partially blanch, about 45 seconds. Immediately run garlic under cold tap water to stop cooking; remove garlic from skewer and set aside. Continue to simmer potatoes, uncovered, until tender but still firm (thin-bladed paring knife can be slipped into and out of center of potato slice with no resistance), about 5 minutes. Drain potatoes, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Arrange hot potatoes close together in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. 2. Press garlic through garlic press or mince by hand. Whisk garlic, reserved potato cooking water, vinegar, mustard, oil, and pepper in small bowl until combined. Drizzle dressing evenly over warm potatoes; let stand 10 minutes. 3. Toss shallot and herbs in small bowl. Transfer potatoes to large serving bowl; add shallot/herb mixture and mix gently with rubber spatula to combine. Serve immediately.

Baked Black Bean Burritos (Vegan Option)

From my friend, Brooke, who got this recipe from Whole Foods and made it for me one night. It's the fact that these are baked that made them memorable -- it adds a nice finishing touch to the whole combination.

Black Bean Burritos
Serves 6
2 to 2 1/2 cups (cooked) black beans, drained
1 fresh tomato, chopped
3 green onions, coarsely chopped
1/4 fresh cilantro, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
sea salt, to taste
ground pepper, to taste

Fixins for Burritos
2 packages flour tortillas
2 ripe hass avocados, mashed
2 cups cooked rice
1/2 grated Monterey Jack or soy cheese

In a large bowl mix together the beans, tomato, green onion, and cilantro. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic and the lime juice. In a slow, steady stream whisk in the oil until the dressing has emulsified. Combine the lime dressing and bean mixture. Stir in the crushed red pepper and hot sauce. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Soften the tortillas briefly in the oven; remove from oven.

Spread on the avocado, followed by the cheese, rice, and bean mixture. Roll up the tortillas and arrange on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and heat through for 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Black Bean & Corn Tortillas

Okay, last one from Williams-Sonoma for now, I promise. I just want to have these recorded so I don't lose them. And anyone who has come to know me in recent years knows that I absolutely fell in love with black beans while on my mission.

This is another with a lot of dairy (the pizza had a lot it seemed) but I think they could be reworked to be dairy-free or close to it for anyone eating more vegan (and/or that can't handle dairy the way they used to, like me).

(This recipe calls for cotija cheese, an aged Mexican cheese with a somewhat dry texture. Feta is a fine substitute.)

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 lb. Monterey jack cheese, shredded
6 oz. cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
2 to 3 jalapeños, seeded and diced
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
12 flour tortillas
Sour cream for serving
Salsa for serving

Directions:
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and salt and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl. Add the corn, black beans and tomatoes and let stand until cool, about 20 minutes. Stir in the Monterey jack and cotija cheeses, the jalapeños and cilantro.

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill. Set a Pizza-Que on the grill (or any kind of flat plan that heats well on grill) and preheat according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Place 2 tortillas on the Pizza-Que. Spread about 3/4 cup of the black bean mixture on each tortilla, then top each with another tortilla. Close the lid and cook, turning the quesadillas once, until browned, about 2 minutes per side.

Transfer the quesadillas to a cutting board and cut each into quarters. Serve immediately with sour cream and salsa. Repeat to assemble and cook the remaining quesadillas. Serves 6.

Grilled Zucchini & Basil Pizza(s)

Also stolen from Williams-Sonoma.com -- I love zucchini and basil together and this looks like an amazing way to combine the two. Now I just need a woodfire outdoor oven. ;) But I'm sure you could work this in an in-home oven if need be or just on a basic grill, with some creativity. Click here for a basic pizza dough recipe. Or head over to Trader Joe's and grab some whole wheat dough (or even crust) ready to go (not a bad option for us lately).

Ingredients:
1 green zucchini, sliced 3/16 inch thick
1 yellow zucchini, sliced 3/16 inch thick
1 Tbs. Parmesan dipping and drizzling oil, plus more for brushing
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Two 10-inch pizza dough rounds
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 lemon
1 oz. ricotta salata or goat cheese
6 large fresh basil leaves, minced

Directions:
Preheat a beehive pizza oven according to the manufacturer's instructions.

In a bowl, stir together the green and yellow zucchini, the 1 Tbs. oil, salt and pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes, then drain off the excess liquid.

Place 1 pizza dough round on a floured pizza peel. Lightly brush the dough with oil. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella on the dough and top with half of the zucchini.

Transfer the pizza to the oven, tapping the peel lightly to release the pizza. Bake until the cheese has melted and the crust is golden, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pizza occasionally to ensure even browning.

Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over the pizza. Grate or crumble half of the ricotta salata over the pizza and sprinkle with half of the basil. Cut into slices and serve immediately. Repeat to cook the remaining pizza. Makes two 10-inch pizzas.

Charred Corn Salad

Great idea for summertime grilling and bbqs --- I stole it from Williams-Sonoma.

-2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
-1 Tbs. fresh orange juice
-1 tsp. diced chipotle chili in adobo, plus 1 Tbs. adobo sauce
-2 tsp. salt
-1 garlic clove, minced
-1/2 tsp. honey
-1/4 c. plus 2 Tbs. olive oil
-6 ears of corn, husks and silks removed
-1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
-2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro, plus cilantro leaves for garnish
-2 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
-1/2 c. diced jicama
-1/4 c. diced red onion

In bowl, whisk together lime juice, orange juice, chipotle chili and adobo sauce, 1 tsp. salt, garlic, honey and 1/4 c. oil until smooth. Set vinaigrette aside.

Prepare hot fire in grill or preheat grill pan over high heat.

Rub corn with 2 Tbs. oil and 1 tsp. salt. Grill corn, turning occasionally, until charred in spots, 10-15 mins. Transfer to platter.

When corn is cool enough to handle, remove kernels from cobs; place kernels in large bowl. Add black beans, chopped cilantro, tomatoes, jicama, onion and vinaigrette; stire until well combined. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve salad at room temperature. Serves 6-8.

Arugula Salad With Walnut Vinaigrette

Hint: toast walnuts at home in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, which takes four to give minutes. Make sure to shake the pan occasionally to turn the nuts. If you don't have walnut oil, replace the canola and walnut oils with 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.

Walnut Vinaigrette:

- 1 Tbs. lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp. table salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
- 2 Tbs. canola oil
- 1 Tbs. walnut oil

Salad:

- 4 c. arugula, washed and dried
- 1 1/2 Tbs. chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Combine lemon juice, salt, and pepper in bowl with fork. Add oils, then whisk or mix with fork until smooth, about 30 seconds. The dressing will separate after 5 to 10 minutes, so use immediately or cover and refrigerate; mix again before tossing with greens.
   
   
2. Place arugula and walnuts in large salad bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss until greens are evenly coated. Serve immediately.

T. Liu's Famous Granola Recipe

This is Teresa Liu's version of Katie Craven's granola recipe (Katie likes to add in dried fruit, which is a great option, too):

_{- 1 c. almonds (chopped)}

_{- 1 c. pecans (chopped)}

_{- 3 c. oatmeal (quick oats)}

_{- ¾ c. wheat germ (untoasted)}

_{- ¼ c. b. sugar}

_{Stir all together, then add:}

- ¼ c. honey

- ¼ c. canola oil

- ¾ tsp. salt

- 2 tbsp. hot hot water

Mix together, pour over and mix into granola mixture. Spread on lipped pan covered with wax paper. Bake at 250 degrees for 60 min. total, stirring every 20 min. at the 40 min. mark, mix in ¼ c. light karo syrup.

Great with fresh fruit in the morning.

Chinese No-Chicken Salad

I love this stuff. Different roommates of mine have had different version over the years -- this one comes from Stephanie Johnson:

SALAD:

• 1 head cabbage
• 8 Tbs. almonds, toasted (if you please)
  
• 8 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted (if you please)
  
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 2 pkgs. ramen noodles

DRESSING:

• 4 Tbs sugar
• 2/3 cup oil
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 Tbs vinegar
• 2 spice ramen spice packets (oriental flavor is vegetarian)
  

(Note: I've grilled up tofu before and mixed it in -- this works fine if you want to add more protein to the mix.)

Mix shredded cabbage, green onions, sesame seeds, almonds. Pour dressing over all, sprinkle with noodles.

May substitute Ramen noodles with dry chow mein noodles. May double ingredients for dressing.

Serves 4-6 (depends on the size of the head of cabbage)

Vegetable Enchiladas

A friend in our ward out here, Katie Blakesley, forwarded me this recipe from MarthaStewart.com. We tried it out for our dinner guests tonight and really enjoyed the way it tasted (and that means a lot coming from me because I'm not usually a fan of "red sauce" on enchiladas). Bonus: it can be frozen for up to two months if you store the sauce separately.

Ingredients (serves 8):

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for baking dishes
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 cups grated pepper Jack cheese (12 ounces)
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 box (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
• 16 corn tortillas (6-inch)

Directions:

1. Make sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add 1 teaspoon cumin, flour, and tomato paste; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in broth and 3/4 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
   
   
2. Make filling: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups cheese, beans, spinach, corn, scallion whites, and remaining 1 teaspoon cumin; season with salt and pepper.
   
   
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil two 8-inch square baking dishes; set aside. Stack tortillas, and wrap in damp paper towels; microwave on high for 1 minute. Or stack and wrap in aluminum foil, and heat in oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Top each tortilla with a heaping 1/3 cup of filling; roll up tightly and arrange, seam side down, in prepared baking dishes.
   
   
4. Dividing evenly, sprinkle enchiladas with remaining 1 cup cheese, and top with sauce. Bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes; serve garnished with scallion greens.

To freeze: Prepare enchiladas through step 3; top with cheese, and cover baking dishes with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Place sauce in an airtight container. Freeze enchiladas and sauce for up to 2 months.

To bake from frozen: Thaw sauce in refrigerator overnight (or microwave on high 2 minutes, stirring once halfway through). Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove foil and plastic wrap from baking dishes, and pour sauce over enchiladas; cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes; remove foil, and bake until bubbly, about 15 minutes more. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Note: If you like your enchiladas spicier, add 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper to sauce.

Spaghetti Squash With Tomato Sauce

I finally had a chance to make this after watching Martha Stewart cook up some squash on her show. I pulled her version off the website, minus the turkey meatballs. The combination was great but I'm sure you could play around with the sauce.

Serves 4

For Spaghetti Squash:

• 2 spaghetti squashes (about 2 pounds each), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper

For Tomato Sauce:

• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Tbs. tomato paste
• 2 cans (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes with basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• salt and freshly ground pepper

1. To prepare the spaghetti, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle cut sides of squashes with oil; season with salt and pepper. Place cut sides up on a baking sheet. Bake until soft to the touch, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
2. To prepare the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for an additional minute. Stir in the tomatoes and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Keep warm over low heat.
3. When the squashes are cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh of each squash with a fork into strands, and place into a large bowl. Serve topped with meatballs and sauce, and sprinkled with cheese, if desired.

Note: I only bought one squash to feed Shane and I and halfed the rest of the recipe as well and we had plenty for dinner and then some.

Indian Spiced Chickpea and Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

Amazingly delicious soup courtesy of Missy Smalls. See her instructions below:

Serves 4 as a first course.

Ingredients:
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans chickpeas, drained
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
2 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground cardamom
1/2 t turmeric
salt and pepper
2 c chickeno or vegetable stock
1 (28-oz) can fire roasted tomatoes*
1 cup plain yogurt
Warm pita, any flavor or variety, toasted

*Note about the tomatoes: On the show, Rachael Ray used crushed fire roasted tomatoes, but at my store they only sell diced fire roasted tomatoes (which are actually a new addition to the tomato aisle, thank goodness). I just popped them in the food processor for a couple seconds once I was done with the chickpeas and it comes out splendidly.

1. Heat a medium pot with the extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Grind the chickpeas and onion in food processor. Add to pot and cook 5 minutes to sweeten onion.
3. Season the chickpeas with cumin, cardamom, turmeric, salt and pepper. Stir in stock, then tomatoes.
4. Simmer soup 5-10 minutes to combine flavors. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and warm pita for dipping.