Roast Beef with Chutney on Rye

• 1 1/2 pounds cold rare roast beef, thinly sliced
• 8 slices country rye bread
• 2 large beefsteak tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 12 arugula leaves
• 1/2 cup Old Farmhouse Chutney

Makes 4 sandwiches.

Divide the roast beef evenly among 4 slices of rye bread. Top each portion with 2 or 3 tomato slices, 3 arugula leaves, and 2 tablespoons of chutney. Top with the remaining bread and serve.

Optional: add some sharp cheddar or Gorgonzola for an even heartier sandwich.

from The Stonewall Kitchen Cookbook

Salmon Club Sandwich

• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 5 tablespoons minced fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 5- to 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets (each about 3/4 inch thick)
• 8 bacon slices
• 1 small red onion, sliced
• 8 1/2-inch-thick sourdough or country-style white bread slices (each about 5x3 inches)
• 8 tomato slices
• 8 lettuce leaves

Mix mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons basil and lemon peel in small bowl to blend. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Mix remaining 3 tablespoons basil, olive oil and lemon juice in large glass baking dish. Add salmon to oil mixture; turn to coat. Cover; chill 1 to 4 hours. Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Using tongs, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Add onion to drippings in skillet. Sauté until onion is tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill fish until just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side. Grill bread just until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Spread mayonnaise mixture over 1 side of bread slices. Top each of 4 bread slices with 2 bacon slices, 2 tomato slices, 1/4 of onion, 1 salmon fillet and 2 lettuce leaves. Cover with remaining bread slices.

Bon Appétit, July 2000 (Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison)

Makes 4 servings.

Chicken, Tomato and Tortilla Soup

Can be made with chicken breasts instead of thighs, but cook on the stove, not the crockpot.

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 6 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
• 15-ounce can peeled plum tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 fresh hot green chile pepper (such as jalapeno), seeded and chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 10-ounce package frozen corn, defrosted
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• tortilla chips
• Chopped avocado, for garnish
• Lime wedges, for garnish
• Freshly grated Montery Jack cheese, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat, cook the chicken thighs, skin side down, until the skin is golden brown, about 3 minutes. (Do not turn the chicken.) Transfer the chicken to a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Discard all of the fat in the skillet.

Mash the tomatoes with their juice. Add to the skillet with the onion, chile pepper and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato mixture, chicken broth, cumin, salt, pepper, and bay leaf to the slow cooker and stir well.

Cover and slow-cook until the chicken thighs are tender, 5 to 6 hours on low.

Remove the chicken thighs and cool slightly. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and remove the meat from the bones. Coarsely chop the chicken meat and return to the slow cooker. Stir in the corn and chopped cilantro.

Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Serve the soup in individual bowls, topping each serving with tortilla chips and a sprinkling of avocado, if desired. Let each guest squeeze on lime juice to taste, and pass a bowl of grated cheese for sprinkling.

4-6 servings

Cucumber, Ginger, and Sake Sangria

• 1 large (1-lb) seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped)
• 2 cups water
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
• 1 (720-ml) bottle chilled dry sake
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger (optional)

Cut cucumber crosswise into three equal pieces. Peel and chop 2 pieces, then put into a blender. Peel 4 lengthwise strips from remaining piece, leaving stripes of green, then halve piece lengthwise and core. Thinly slice crosswise.

Add water, sugar, fresh ginger, and lemon juice to blender and purée until smooth. Pour through a medium-mesh sieve into a pitcher, then stir in sake, crystallized ginger if using, and cucumber slices. Chill, covered, until ready to serve, up to 2 hours. Serve over ice.

Makes 8 to 10 drinks.

from Gourmet, July 2005 via Epicurious

Eggs Florentine Plus

• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 14 1/2-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 10-ounce package ready-cut fresh spinach, stems trimmed
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• 12 ounces smoked turkey breast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 6 eggs
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Toasted country-style bread

Rinse porcini under running water; place in bowl. Bring broth to boil in medium saucepan. Pour over porcini. Let stand until soft, about 30 minutes.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach and stir until wilted, about 3 minutes. Arrange spinach in bottom of 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add flour, stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in mushrooms with their soaking liquid and cream. Boil until sauce thickens, whisking constantly, about 3 minutes. Mix in turkey. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Crack eggs open over spinach, spacing evenly. Spoon turkey mixture around eggs, leaving yolks exposed. Sprinkle Parmesan over. Bake until eggs are just set, about 15 minutes. Serve with toasted bread.

Serves 6.

from Bon Appétit, October 1995 via Epicurious

Curried Smoked Turkey and Fruit Salad

• 1/2 pound smoked or cooked turkey, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3/8 pound green seedless grapes, stemmed
• 1/2 large cantaloupe, peeled, cubed
• 1 1/2 cups sliced celery (about 2 stalks)
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup golden raisins or dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional -- to taste)
• pita bread
• Curly lettuce leaves
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Combine turkey, grapes, cantaloupe, celery, green onions and raisins in large bowl. Whisk yogurt and curry powder together in small bowl. Pour yogurt mixture over salad and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Line platter with lettuce leaves. Spoon salad atop lettuce. Sprinkle almonds over salad and serve in pita pockets.

Serves 3 to 4.

adapted from Bon Appétit, August 1991 via Epicurious

Chocolate Cinnamon Bread Pudding

• 5 slices whole-wheat or white bread, torn into small pieces
• 2 large eggs
• 12 ounces evaporated skim milk
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 cups nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil an 8-inch square baking dish. Spread the bread in the dish in an even layer. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the evaporated skim milk, brown sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and cinnamon. Whisk until the sugar and cocoa dissolve. Pour the cocoa mixture over the bread. With a fork, mix in any unsoaked bread pieces. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top and let stand for 10 minutes. Bake for 35 minutes, or until puffed and set in the center. Serve warm, with a scoop of the frozen yogurt on top.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional information: Calories: 427.5; Fat: 5.4 g; Carbohydrates: 82.4 g; Protein: 14.9 g

from SparkPeople