Winter Vegetable Chowder - Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 leek, halved lengthwise, washed thoroughly and sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced or chopped
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 bundle of thyme and parsley stems
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2- to 1-inch dice
• 1 large parsnip or parsley root, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 small or 1/2 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces and small florets
• 1 rounded pint (about 3 cups) Brussels sprouts, cored and shredded or 1/2 head small white cabbage, cored and chopped
• Salt and pepper
• About 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• About 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• About 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• About 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• About 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Juice of 1/2 small lemon
• Parsley and/or toasted breadcrumbs*, to serve*Toss large, homemade breadcrumbs in brown butter and granulated garlic, and mix with parsley for a vegetarian topping. Or, crisp up some bacon bits and brown breadcrumbs in the drippings; mix with chopped pars

Preparation

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat with olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. Melt butter into the oil and once it foams, add vegetables and spices, and stir to coat. Partially cover pot and sweat vegetables 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine and stock, and simmer 20-30 minutes. Stir in cream and reduce heat to low; remove bay and herb bundle. Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasonings to taste.

Hoisin Meatballs & Green Rice with Sesame - Rachael Ray

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1 pound ground pork
• Salt and pepper
• 1 inch ginger root, grated
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 3 scallions, whites and light green tops, finely chopped
• A small handful cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
• 2 tablespoons Tamari/soy sauce
• 1 egg
• About 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• About 1 tablespoon safflower, canola or vegetable oil

For the sauce:

• About 1/3 cup Hoisin sauce
• About 1/4 cup ketchup
• About 1/2 cup chicken stock
• Sriracha, to taste

For the rice:

• 1 tablespoon safflower, canola or vegetable oil
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 slice ginger root about 1/2-inch thick
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
• 1 bunch (3/4 pound) farm spinach (medium-size leaves), stemmed
• 2 scallions, whites and greens, coarsely chopped
• A small handful cilantro leaves (optional)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine meatball ingredients in a bowl and roll small to medium meatballs about 1 1/4-inch in diameter. Arrange meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast 12-15 minutes until golden and cooked through. Meanwhile, add sauce ingredients to a skillet and simmer to combine. Toast rice in oil in a saucepot and season with salt and pepper. Add stock, ginger and garlic, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover; cook rice 15 minutes. In a food processor, finely chop spinach, scallions and cilantro, if using. Add to rice along with sesame oil and seeds. Adjust salt to taste or season with soy sauce. Add meatballs to skillet with sauce and toss to coat. Serve meatballs on a bed of Green Rice with Sesame.

Buffalo Cauliflower - Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• 1 large or 2 small heads cauliflower
• Salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) granulated onion
• 1 12-ounce bottle beer, such as lager
• About 5 to 6 cups frying oil, such as safflower, vegetable or canola (enough to fill tabletop fryer or Dutch oven)

For the sauce

• 5 tablespoons butter
• 2 to 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• About 1/3 cup cayenne pepper hot sauce, such as Frank’s Red Hot
• About 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (omit if serving to strict vegetarians as it contains anchovies)
• Chopped celery greens/leafy tops, to garnish

Preparation

Trim stem and woody greens from cauliflower and cut into about 24 to 30 generous florets/pieces.

Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a deep skillet or pot. Salt the water and cook cauliflower 1-2 minutes; remove with a spider and cold-shock to stop the cooking process. Drain and dry on a kitchen towel.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or tabletop fryer to 360°F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon salt, cornstarch, baking powder and granulated garlic and onion; stream in beer while whisking to combine. Dunk pieces of cauliflower in the batter and place gently in the hot oil. Cook 6-8 florets at a time so as not to overcrowd the oil. Fry to deep golden brown then drain on a wire rack-lined sheet tray in a warm (275°F) oven. Repeat until all of the cauliflower pieces are cooked. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat, add butter and melt.

Add garlic, swirl a minute, then add hot sauce and Worcestershire, if using; swirl a minute more. Transfer cauliflower to a large bowl, douse with sauce and toss to coat. Serve on a platter garnished with chopped celery greens.

Serves: 6 appetizer- or snack-sized servings

Garlic-Parm Crusted Potato Skinds - Rachael Ray

Ingredients

For the potatoes

For the balsamic ketchup aioli

• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 3 tablespoons Fabanaise or mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons aged balsamic or balsamic drizzle
• 1 scant teaspoon granulated garlic
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Heat EVOO in a small pot, add butter and garlic, and swirl a minute or 2. Pour garlic oil and butter into a shallow baking dish or small baking sheet, sprinkle with parm cheese in an even layer, add potatoes cut-side down, and bake 40-45 minutes until just tender. Cool for 5-10 minutes before turning; this will allow the browned parm cheese to adhere to the potatoes.

Combine aioli ingredients in a bowl. Serve potatoes with balsamic ketchup aioli and garnish with red pepper flakes and parsley.

Oven Fried Asparagus - Rachael Ray

Ingredients

Piggies In Puff - Rachael Ray

Ingredients

Spinach & Feta Frittata - Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• About ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 bunch scallions, whites and light green tops, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• About ¾ cup combined fresh mint, dill, oregano and parsley, finely chopped
• 2 bunches medium-leaf spinach (¾-1 pound), stemmed and chopped
• Salt and pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste (no more than 1/8 teaspoon)
• ½ lemon
• ¼ cup panko, whole-wheat panko or gluten-free panko breadcrumbs (a handful)
• 1 cup Greek feta, drained and crumbled
• 12 eggs, beaten with salt and pepper
• 1 vine tomato, very thinly sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add EVOO, 4 turns of the pan, add scallions and garlic and stir for a minute. Add herbs and start wilting in spinach in bunches; once wilted, season spinach with salt, pepper, nutmeg and douse with juice of ½ lemon. Add breadcrumbs and feta to pan, pour eggs over and gently stir to combine. Settle the eggs and let them set for a minute or so, then gently arrange the very thinly sliced tomatoes in a circle layered about 2 inches in from the edge of the pan.

Serves 6-9