Serves 5

3 cups chicken broth

1/8 tsp. crumbled thread saffron

%uFFFD pound boneless pork loin, cut in %uFFFD" cubes

Kosher salt

4 tbsp. olive oil

%uFFFD cup chopped onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

%uFFFD medium green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 bunch (about %uFFFD pound) watercress, thick stems trimmed, and chopped (about 3 cups)

1 tbsp. minced parsley

%uFFFD tsp. ground cumin

%uFFFD tsp. sweet paprika, preferably Spanish smoked

1 %uFFFD cups short grain or Arborio rice

%uFFFD cup cooked white beans, drained and rinsed

%uFFFD pound small cooked red potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters or eighths

Combine the broth and saffron in a pot and keep over the lowest heat.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Sprinkle the pork cubes all over with salt.  Heat the oil in a paella pan or shallow casserole measuring 13 inches at its widest point.  Saute the pork over high heat for 1-2 minutes and remove to a warm platter.  Add the onion, garlic, and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables are slightly softened.  Add the watercress and parsley, cook 1 minute to wilt the watercress, then mix in the cumin and paprika.  Stir in the rice and coat well with the pan mixture.  Pour in all the hot broth and bring to a boil.  Stir in the beans and pork, taste for salt, and continue boiling, stirring occasionally until the rice is no longer soupy but sufficient liquid remains to continue cooking the rice, about 5 minutes.  Mix in the cooked potatoes and transfer to oven.  Cook, uncovered, until the rice is almost al dente, 10-12 minutes.  Remove to a warm spot, cover with foil, and let sit 5-10 minutes until the rice is cooked to taste.

Serves 6-8

2 tbsp. blanched slivered almonds

2 tbsp. pine nuts

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 tbsp. minced parsley

¼ tsp. crumbled thread saffron

Kosher salt

6 cups chicken broth

8 tbsp. olive oil

½ pound skinless boneless chicken

¼ pound diced Spanish ham or prosciutto

½ pound lean, mildly spiced sausage 

3 medium red bell peppers, finely chopped

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 tsp. sweet paprika

2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

3 cups short grain or Arborio rice

6 tbsp. frozen or fresh peas

12 frozen artichoke hearts, cut in quarters

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the almonds and pine nuts on an oven tray and toast in the oven until golden, about 5 minutes.  In a mini-processor, grind the almonds, pine nuts, garlic, parsley, saffron, and ¼ tsp. salt.  Add about 2 tsp. water and continue to process until it is a paste.  Add another 3 tbsp. water.

Pour the broth into a pot and keep hot over the lowest heat.  Raise the oven to 400 degrees.  Heat 2 tbsp. of the oil in a paella pan measuring 17 inches at its widest point.  Saute the pork, ham, and sausage over medium-high heat until lightly browned.  Drain off most of the fat and oil.  Add the remaining 6 tbsp. oil, the red peppers, and onions, and sauté until the vegetables are softened.  Stir in the paprika and tomatoes, and cook 2 minutes.  Lower the heat and cook about 15 minutes more.

Stir in the rice and coat well with the pan mixture.  Pour in all the hot broth and bring to a boil. Taste for salt, add the mortar mixture, peas, and artichokes, and continue to boil, stirring until the rice is no longer soupy but sufficient liquid remains to continue cooking the rice, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to the oven.  Cook, uncovered, until the rice is almost al dente, 10-12 minutes.  Remove to a warm spot, cover with foil, and let sit 5-10 minutes, until the rice is cooked to taste.

Topping:

3 tbsp. butter

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup oats

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup pecans

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Batter:

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted

3 1/4 cups flour

1 cup light brown sugar

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

To prepare topping:  place all the ingredients (butter through cinnamon) in a food processor.  Pulse a few times until the mixture is coarse and crumbly.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a muffin pan with nonstick spray.

To prepare the batter:  Whisk the buttermilk and eggs together.  Stir the buttermilk mixture, vanilla, and melted butter until well mixed.  Stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.  Pour the buttermilk/butter mixture over the flour mixture, stirring just to moisten.  Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into prepared muffin tin.  Sprinkle with the topping, covering the top of each muffin completely.  Bake 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes and remove from pan.

(makes 2 loaves)

16 ounces cream cheese

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

2 2/3 cup sugar

4 eggs

5 cups flour

2 tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. salt

2 cups milk

1 cup milk

1 cup chopped almonds (or pecans), toasted

4 tablespoons lemon peel (4 lemons)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In large bowl, using electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese, butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time. 

In another large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Alternate adding this mixture and the milk and lemon peel to the creamed mixture.  Mix until just combines, but do not over-mix!  Stir in nuts.

Pour into 2 greased loaf pans and bake 50 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Glaze:  1/2 cup lemon juice (4 lemons)

             2/3 cup sugar

combine and drizzle over hot bread.

2 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 tbsp. butter

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound skinned, boned chicken breast, cut into cubes

1 (8 ounce) container plain yogurt

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

2 cups cubed red or white potatoes

1/2 cup water

1 can light coconut milk

4 1/2 cups hot cooked basmati rice

2/3 cup chopped tomato

Combine first seven ingredients.  Melt butter in large Dutch oven over medium heat; saute onion until soft.  Add garlic and spices, cooking for one minute.  Add chicken, and saute for ten minutes, stirring frequently.  

Combine yogurt and tomato paste, and add to chicken mixture.  Add potato, water, and coconut milk to pan.  Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes.  Add water if mixture gets too dry.  Stir occasionally.  Serve over rice and top with tomato.

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves

3 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour

additional all purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup drained capers

1/4 cup fresh parsley

Place chicken between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap.  Using a meat pounder, lightly pound the chicken to 1/4" thickness.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Mix 1 tablespoon butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons flour in small bowl until smooth.  Place additional flour in shallow baking dish.  Dip chicken into flour to coat; shake off excess.

Heat 2 tablspoons oil in large skillet.  Add chicken breasts to skillet and cook until golden and cooked through.  This may have to be done in 2 batches.  Transfer chicken to platter; tent with foil to keep warm.

Bring wine, lemon juice and broth to boil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Whisk in butter-flour mixture and boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.  Stir in capers, parsley and remaining 2 tablespoons butter.  Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.  Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

1 chicken 3-4 pounds

salt and freshly ground pepper

6 peeled garlic cloves

4 fresh thyme sprigs

1 lemon, cut in half

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

for gravy:

1 tbsp. flour

2 tbsp. sherry (optional)

1 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup cream

salt and pepper

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.  Season generously inside and out with salt and pepper.  Put the garlic, thyme and lemon halves inside the cavity of chicken.  Place the chicken, breast side up, on rack of roasting pan.  Brush the chicken with melted butter.

Place the pan in the oven and roast until the skin turns brown, and until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (away from the bone) registers 170 degrees.  This will take about 1 1/2 hours.  Remove from oven, and transfer chicken to an ovenproof platter.

To make gravy, pour the pan juices into a glass measuring pitcher and let stand for one minute.  Take 2 tablespoons of the fat from the surface and return it to the pan.  Set the pan on the stove top over medium heat, add the flour, and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.  Drizzle in the sherry, if using, and stock and cook, stirring to scrape up the flavorful bits from the bottom and sides of the pan, about 2 minutes.  Whisk in the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute longer.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Whisk in the mustard, if using.

Carve the chicken and serve with gravy.