minestrone and parmesan biscuit potpie

For the Filling

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 leeks, white and pale-green parts only, quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise, and rinsed well
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (4 cups)
• 1 can (19 ounces) cannellini beans, drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) peeled whole tomatoes
• 1 bunch Tuscan kale, chopped
• 3 cups chicken stock or water
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 ounce), plus 1 Parmesan cheese rind (about 3 inches)
• • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

  For the Topping

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • Coarse salt
  • 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, plus more for brushing
  • directions

    1. 

    Make the filling: Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook leeks and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Add butternut squash, beans, tomatoes with juice, kale, stock, rosemary, and Parmesan rind. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, covered, until vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Let cool.

    2. 

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make the topping: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or rub in with your fingers until small clumps form. Stir in cheese. Add cream, and stir with a fork until a sticky dough forms. Divide into 8 balls (about 1/2 cup each).

    3. 

    Transfer filling to an 11-by-13-inch (10-cup) baking dish. Top with dough balls, and brush with cream. Bake until topping is golden and filling is bubbling, about 55 minutes. If biscuits darken too quickly, tent with foil.

vegetable potpies

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• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups sliced wild mushrooms
• 2 small carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 small parsnips, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cups butternut squash, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup 2 percent milk
• 1/3 cup frozen baby peas
• 4 slices thin whole-wheat sandwich bread, crusts trimmed
• directions

  1. 

  Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the broiler. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, mushrooms, carrots, parsnip, butternut squash and rosemary; season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until just soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer untilvegetables are tender and liquid is nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes.

  2. 

  In a small bowl, whisk flour into milk. Add to skillet. Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in peas and season again with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture among four 1-cup ramekins.

  3. 

  Spread 1 teaspoon butter on one side of each slice of bread; sprinkle with Parmesan. Arrange bread, buttered side up, over vegetables. Broil 5 minutes, or until tops are golden and filling is bubbling around edges.

shoyu ramen

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• ingredients
• 4 pounds chicken necks and backs
• 1 3 pound rack of pork baby back ribs, cut into 4 sections
• 1 large leek, halved lengthwise
• 2 ounces fresh ginger, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 quarts water
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons shoyu or other soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 3 1/2 pound boneless pork shoulder butt, trimmed and tied
• Salt
• 1 12-by-2-inch piece of kombu (seaweed)
• directions

  1. 

  In a large stockpot, combine the chicken, ribs, leek, ginger, garlic, water and shoyu. Bring to a boil.

  2. 

  Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat the oil. Season the pork butt with salt and brown it well on all sides over high heat, 12 minutes; transfer to the stockpot. Simmer the broth over moderately low heat for 2 hours, until the pork butt and ribs are just tender; skim any scum that rises to the surface. Transfer the pork butt and ribs to a platter and refrigerate. Strain the broth and discard the remaining solids.

  3. 

  Return the broth to the pot. Add the kombu and simmer over moderately low heat for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let cool, then chill and refrigerate the broth overnight.

  4. 

  Preheat the broiler. Skim the fat off of the broth and discard the kombu. Bring the broth to a simmer. Season with shoyu and keep hot.

  5. 

  Untie the pork butt and slice it across the grain 1/3 inch thick. Cut the ribs between the bones. Arrange the pork slices and ribs on a large baking sheet and brush with shoyu. Broil 8 inches from the heat for 3 minutes, turning once, until the meat is crisp; keep warm.

  6. 

  Divide the cooked noodles among 8 bowls and ladle 1 1/2 cups of broth into each one. Add the spinach in piles. Drain the eggs, cut each one in half lengthwise and set a half in each bowl. Arrange 2 slices of pork butt and 1 rib in each bowl and garnish with the scallions and nori. Serve the ramen immediately, passing the rice vinegar and togarashi at the table.

  MAKE AHEAD:

  1. 

  The broth can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months; discard the kombu after 1 day.

cucumber roll-ups

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• For a no-bake appetizer that comes together in a snap, try these vegetarian rolls that are reminiscent of sushi.
• 2 ounces goat cheese
• 2 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 12 1-inch-long strips
• 1 large cucumber, cut into 12 1 1/4-inch ribbons

directions

1. 

In a small bowl, stir together goat cheese, dill, and salt. For each roll-up, place 1/4 teaspoon of the cheese mixture at one end of a cucumber strip, press a pepper slice on top, and roll. Secure the end with a dab of cheese.

perfect pulled pork

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• ingredients
• 1 5 pound boneless pork butt (shoulder)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water
• Soft sandwich buns

directions

1. 

Combine all the seasonings in a small bowl and rub evenly over roast. Place meat in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add water. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours or until pork is very tender.

2. 

Remove pork to a large cutting board or platter and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Pull, slice, or chop to serve. Serve in buns with barbecue sauce.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Per Serving: cal. (kcal) 210, Fat, total (g) 10, chol. (mg) 95, sat. fat (g) 3, carb. (g) 1, fiber (g) 0, pro. (g) 28, sodium (mg) 170, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

feta shrimp kabobs

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• For an easy meal, serve these Greek-inspired shrimp skewers over couscous tossed with bell peppers, tomatoes, and chopped parsley.

• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (32 to 40 shrimp)
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• directions

  1. 

  Place shrimp in a resealable plastic bag. Add lemon juice, oil, rosemary, oregano, garlic, salt and red pepper; seal bag and turn to coat. Marinate in the fridge 30 min to 1 hr.

  2. 

  Discard marinade, then thread shrimp onto skewers. Heat grill to medium and cook kabobs and lemon wedges, turning once, until shrimp is opaque and lemon wedges are lightly browned, about 8 min. Sprinkle shrimp with feta cheese. Makes 6 servings.

  NUTRITION INFORMATION

  Per Serving: cal. (kcal) 225, Fat, total (g) 9, chol. (mg) 240, sat. fat (g) 3, carb. (g) 5, fiber (g) 1, pro. (g) 33, sodium (mg) 471, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

overnight pull-apart cinnamon loaf

ingredients

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Chopped pistaschio nuts (optional)

QUICK GLAZE

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 - 2 tablespoons milk
• directions

  1. 

  In a small saucepan heat the milk until just warm (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F). Pour into a large mixing bowl, then add the yeast. Stir until yeast is dissolved. Let stand 5 minutes or until foamy.

  2. 

  With a mixer, beat 1/4 cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons sugar, egg, and salt into the yeast mixture until combined. Add half theflour, then beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium and beat 3 minutes more. Stir in remaining flour. Shape in a ball (dough will not be smooth). Transfer dough to an oiled bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days. (Or, to make right away, cover and set in a warm place to rise for 45 to 60 minutes or until nearly double).

  3. 

  Butter a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside. Remove dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface roll dough to 20x12-inch rectangle. Brush dough with 1/4 cup melted butter, then sprinkle with a mixture of 3/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Cut dough rectangle crosswise in five 12x4-inch strips. Stack strips, then cut six 4x2-inch pieces, leaving stacks intact. Loosely stagger pieces in pan, cut sides up.

  4. 

  Let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes or until nearly double in size. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake loaf about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Transfer from pan to serving plate. Drizzle with Quick Glaze, then sprinkle with nuts. Cool 20 minutes more. Pull apart or slice to serve.

  QUICK GLAZE

  1. 

  In a small bowl stir together powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to make a glaze of drizzling consistency.

  NUTRITION INFORMATION

  Per Serving: cal. (kcal) 296, Fat, total (g) 9, chol. (mg) 37, sat. fat (g) 5, carb. (g) 50, Monounsaturated fat (g) 2, Polyunsaturated fat (g) 1, Trans fatty acid (g) 0, fiber (g) 1, sugar (g) 25, pro. (g) 5, vit. A (IU) 291,54, vit. C (mg) 0, Thiamin (mg) 0,33, Riboflavin (mg) 0,24, Niacin (mg) 2,17, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0,04, Folate (µg) 76,6, Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 0,12, sodium (mg) 180, Potassium (mg) 74, calcium (mg) 30,29, iron (mg) 1,62, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet