try 15 new recipes in 2009

Pierce butternut all over with a knife and microwave for 1-2 min.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender.

and that should be an easy #15 for the year.
http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/20
06/11/brussels_sprouts_and_baby_carrots_with_lemon_chive_butter

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds small brussels sprouts, trimmed, cut in half through core
3/4 pound (about 3 bunches) baby carrots with leafy tops, peeled, all but 1 inch of tops trimmed
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Preparation
Cook brussels sprouts and carrots in medium pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and cool. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Stir in chives, lemon peel, and mustard. Add vegetables and toss until coated and heated through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl.

http://www.feelgoodeats.com/whole-foods-information/quest-for-the-best-canned-tuna.html/print/

Instead of goat cheese and scallions,can use cream cheese with cheeves
TIME/SERVINGS
Total: 10 mins
Active: 5 mins
Makes: 24 crackers
By Aida Mollenkamp
This is finger food that disappears almost as quickly as it is made. While all the flavors here are familiar, the combination is unexpected and makes for an addictive snack.
What to buy: We used Ka-Me brand rice crackers and chile oil here, which can be found in the Asian section of most supermarkets. If you can’t find rice crackers, use any neutral-flavored cracker, such as water biscuits.
Game plan: For a slacker solution, skip step 1 and leave the frozen edamame in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. You can boil the edamame up to 1 day ahead of time.
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces frozen shelled edamame (about 1 3/4 cups)
24 rice crackers
5 ounces chèvre (fresh goat cheese)
3 scallions, ends trimmed and very thinly sliced
Hot chile oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Once water is boiling, add edamame and cook according to package directions. Drain beans and rinse with cold water until cool. Drain well, taste, and sprinkle with salt, if needed.
Top each cracker with 1/2 teaspoon goat cheese, 3 to 5 edamame, a pinch of sliced scallions, and a few drops of chile oil. Serve.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?RecipeID=13948&origin=detail&servings=6

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and
seeded
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons sliced black olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance. Remove squash from oven, and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm.
4. Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash, and place in a medium bowl. Toss with the sauteed vegetables, feta cheese, olives, and basil. Serve warm

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Broccoli-and-Tortellini-Salad/Detail.aspx
Ingredients
6 slices bacon 20 ounces fresh cheese-filled tortellini 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup white sugar 2 teaspoons cider vinegar 3 heads fresh broccoli, cut into florets 1 cup raisins 1 cup sunflower seeds 1 red onion, finely chopped
Directions
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain, and rinse under cold water.
In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar to make the dressing.
In a large bowl, combine broccoli, tortellini, bacon, raisins, sunflower seeds and red onion. Pour dressing over salad, and toss.

From Review:
I have made this dish over 3 dozen times (for catered events, family, parties, etc.) It always gets raves—no leftovers!! As recommended by others, I blanch the broccoli florets for about 30 seconds, plunge into ice water until cooled, then drain and dry. The broccoli stays a gorgeous green and is easier to eat. I usually omit the raisins, but have them on the side for sprinkling. Also, I usually make 1 1/2 times the dressing. Typically, I mix the salad together with about 1/3 of the dressing and leave covered tightly in the fridge overnight or for several hours-the pasta soaks up the dressing. About 30-60 minutes before serving, I add the rest of the dressing

1 small head broccoli (1/2 pound)
1 large boiling potato (1/2 pound)
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
l large garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 oz sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated (1 1/2 cups)
print a shopping list for this recipe

Preparation
Discard tough lower third of broccoli stem. Peel remaining stem and finely chop. Cut remaining broccoli into very small (1-inch) florets. Cook florets in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking, then drain. Reserve 3 cups cooking water for chowder.

Peel potato and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Cook potato, onion, bell pepper, broccoli stems, and garlic in butter in a 3- to 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add cumin, salt, pepper, and mustard and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add reserved cooking water and simmer (partially covered), stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in cream and cheese and cook, stirring, until cheese is melted, then season with salt and pepper.

Purée about 2 cups of chowder in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids) and return to pot. Add florets and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes.

I haven’t baked anything since 1988. yup, 21 years. but I want to do something quick and easy for Sept. 20 Great Homecoming party, and this one seems like a quintessential (sp?) New Yorkish recipe. Everyone knows, everyone has cooked. Time for New Yorkization.

http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/dessert_plum.html

•1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

•3/4 cup plus 1 or 2 tablespoons sugar
•1 cup unbleached flour, sifted
•1 teaspoon baking powder
•2 eggs
•Pinch salt
•24 halves pitted Italian (prune or purple) plums
•1 teaspoon cinnamon or more, to taste
1. Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream the butter and the 3/4 cup of sugar. Add the flour, baking powder, eggs, and salt and beat to mix well. Spoon the batter into an ungreased 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Cover the top with the plums, skin sides down. Mix the cinnamon with the remaining 1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar and sprinkle over the top.

3. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired.

4. To serve, let the torte return to room temperature and reheat at 300 degrees until warm, if desired. Serve plain or with vanilla ice cream.

Peacamole

- 300 grams (10 1/2 ounces, 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon) shelled green peas, frozen or fresh but not canned
- 1 drop cilantro essential oil for cooking, or a small bunch fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons whole almond butter (like peanut butter but made with unblanched almonds; look for it at natural foods stores)
- 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
- 1 dash Tabasco sauce
- Salt, black pepper

Makes enough for an appetizer for 4.

Steam the peas for 14 minutes, or until tender, and let cool to just above room temperature.

If you’re using fresh cilantro, pluck the leaves and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine the peas, almond butter, cilantro (essential oil or fresh leaves), garlic if using, Tabasco sauce, a little salt and some pepper. Process until smooth. If the mixture is a bit too thick for the blade of the food processor to mix properly, add just a little bit of water, a teaspoon at a time, until soft enough to mix.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spread on pieces of multigrain crispbread and serve. The peacamole can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge in an airtight container; it will keep for 2 to 3 days.

• 3 cups ground fully cooked ham
• 1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• Assorted crackers