on hand

steak tips
ham
sweet italian sausage
chicken
quiche
grapes
chard
romaine
napa cabbage
celery
carrots
spinach
pesto
salsa

leftovers
chili
asian noodles
black-eyed pea stew (add greens before serving)

Cabbage, Pineapple, and Peanut Salad

• 12 ounces green or savoy cabbage, cored and sliced thin (about 4 cups)
• 1/2 pineapple, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 3 tablespoons mild olive oil
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Combine the cabbage, pineapple, peanuts, and jalapeno in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and salt until blended. Add the dressing to the cabbage and toss to blend. Add the cilantro if using. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

From Fresh & Fast Vegetarian

Nella's Chicken Soup

Organic chicken breast
whole onion
couple cloves of garlic
couple stalks of celery
a couple of green zucchini
a couple of yellow zucchini
2 c. or so of baby carrots
1 fresh tomato
olive oil
salt
1 or 2 chicken bouillon (reduce the salt if you use the bouillon)

Chicken meatballs:
ground chicken breast
1 or 2 c. of parmigiano cheese
4 eggs
1 c. of bread crumbs
finely cut onion (1/4)
finely cut garlic
some fresh parsley finely cut
salt to taste

any type of pastina, ditalini, orzo, acini di pepe, cut spaghettini or
rice

• Wash, peel and cut all vegetables
• Place in a large food processor along with the onion and garlic.
• Make a nice creamy paste of all the vegetable and add to olive oil in a large stock pot
• When the vegetables seem golden add washed chicken breasts and a lot of water to cover the pot, I usually make enough in a very large pot that holds a couple of gallons, of course the ingredients will be in a larger amount
• Let the soup cook until the chicken is fully cooked and a nice oily surface appears

For the meatballs (optional)
• I mix the chicken with all the ingredients, if it is too soft I add more bread
crumbs. Sometimes if I make too much I will freeze some of the mixture
• I make very small/tiny meat balls and I add them to the soup and voilaʼ it is as simple as that, the children love the small sizes and we actually count in Italian how many chicken meatballs they have in their bowl :)
• Add the pasta and cook until done

Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound sausage, such as kielbasa or andouille, sliced
• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 to 4 dashes hot sauce, optional (recommended: Tabasco)
• 1/2 pound medium shrimp, deveined
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
• Lemon wedges

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the kielbasa and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned. Remove the kielbasa to a bowl, and set aside. Add the butter, onion, celery and peppers to the same pot and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato, garlic, jalapeno or cayenne, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste and cook until all the vegetables and herbs are blended well. Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the rice, and add the sausage, bay leaves, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add the shrimp, and stir well. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat and allow the jambalaya to steam for 15 minutes before serving.

Garnish with the scallions, parsley, and a dash of hot sauce, if desired. Serve with lemon wedges.

Makes 4 servings
Adapted from the Food Network

Tahini Shortbread Cookies

Tahini (sesame paste) is a brilliant addition to Maura Kilpatrick's buttery shortbread cookies. Not only does it add a fantastic nutty flavor, but it also makes the cookies incredibly crisp and flaky.

• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup tahini, stirred
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt, crushed
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the tahini, confectioners' sugar and salt at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and beat until incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead just until it comes together. Divide the dough in half and roll each piece into a 15-inch log, about 1 inch thick. Scatter the sesame seeds on a sheet of parchment paper and roll the logs until completely coated. Roll each log in parchment and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 325° and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Unroll one log and slice it 1/4 inch thick. Arrange the slices on the baking sheets. Bake the cookies in the center and lower-thirds of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden, shifting the pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Slide the parchment onto a rack and let the cookies cool completely. Repeat with the second log of dough.

The cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Makes 100 cookies

Recipe by Maura Kilpatrick (Sofra), via Food & Wine

Orange Coriander Sangria

This is a sure-fire crowd pleaser adapted from "Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean"
by Ana Sortun; Chef/owner of Oleana Restaurant in Cambridge via The Recipe Files. This is seriously addictive and a tad bit stronger than your average sangria.

• 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
• 1 cup fresh squeezed orange jucie (use the best oranges you can find)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups dry, floral white wine like a Verdejo or a  Chenin Blanc from the Loire (should be a fairly decent wine but doesn't have to be pricey)
• 1 cup cognac or extremely good brandy
• 1 cup sparkling water
• A splash or two of Cointreau (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar or turbinado sugar, for rimming the glass
• 1 or 2 oranges for slicing

Toast the coriander seeds over medium-high heat in a saute pan until fragrant. Remove one teaspoon of the seeds and set aside.

Add the orange juice and sugar to the remaining seeds and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and throw mixture in a blender pitcher and cover. Infuse the syrup for fifteen minutes to a half hour.
Buzz the syrup in the blender and strain into a pitcher. Add the rest of the ingredients, orange slices and ice. Add more orange juice and/ or sugar to taste if it's too strong.

For rimming the glasses: Finely grind reserved seeds in a spice grinder and mix them with the two tablespoons of  brown or turbinado sugar or a combination of the two sugars together.

servings: 8

Bacon and Cabbage Soup

In Ireland, boiled bacon and cabbage is a domestic staple. The bacon is usually a "collar" or shoulder, a moderately marbled cut with less fat than American bacon but a bit more than Canadian. The ingredients are boiled together and served with potatoes and a parsley cream sauce.

• 1 (1/3-pound) piece Irish bacon (available at specialty foods shops) or Canadian bacon
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 5 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 Turkish bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 small head Savoy cabbage, cored, thinly sliced, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• Additions: white beans, carrot, celery, fresh thyme or rosemary

In small saucepan, combine bacon and cold water to cover. Cover, bring to boil over moderate heat, and skim foam from surface. Reduce heat and simmer 7 minutes. Drain and cool, then cut into 1-inch chunks. Set aside.

In 6-quart heavy stock pot over moderate heat, melt butter. Add onion and sauté, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add potatoes and sauté 2 minutes. Add stock, bay leaves, salt, and pepper and bring to boil. Reduce heat to moderately low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add cabbage and simmer 5 additional minutes. Discard bay leaves. Working in 3 batches, in blender purée soup until smooth (using caution when blending hot liquids). Return to pot, stir in bacon, and rewarm if necessary. Ladle soup into bowls and serve.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

From Epicurious, adapted from chef Paul Flynn of The Tannery in Dungarvan, Ireland.