I made this veg onion soup on a day we were eating meat (the weekend) but i wanted something really cozy and warm for winter. I also had A LOT of supplies left over from Thanksgiving - this is a great recipe for using up onions, any kind of stock you have, stale bread, and any hard/sharp cheese you have; swiss, gruyere, cheddar, etc., plus it’s super cheap. I had a surplus of all of these and didn’t want to waste. Make sure you take the time recommended to let the onions cook, it’ll be worth it. You can also save this soup and reheat with the bread and cheese later. Obviously for our vegan friends, use veg broth and a soy cheese, or no cheese at all. Here we go (adapted from Jamie Oliver’s ‘Jamie at Home’):

Serves 8 (I adjusted for 4 servings, and still had more than could fit in 4 baking soup bowls)

1 Tablespoon butter

handful of fresh sage

6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed (I sent mine through my garlic press)

5 red onions, peeled and sliced

3 large white onions, peeled and sliced

3 banana shallots (or regular) peeled and sliced

11 oz leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced (I only bought 1 big leek - plenty)

2 quarts HOT low sodium stock: veg, chicken, beef, whatever you have.

8 slices stale bread

7 oz fresh grated cheddar cheese

Worcestershire sauce

1. Put butter, 2 glugs of olive oil, sage and garlic into a thick-bottomed, non-stick pan. Stir everything around and add the onions, shallots, and leeks. Season with salt and pepper. Place a lid on the pan, leaving slightly ajar and cook slowly for 50 minutes, without coloring the veggies. Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

2. When the onions are silky and soft, add the HOT stock. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 10-15 minutes. You can skim off any fat from the top - or not!

3. Preheat oven or broiler to 500F. Toast your stale bread on both sides - try not to burn it! Correct the seasoning of the soup. Ladle your soup into your oven proof bowls. Tear the toasted bread to fit in each bowl. Feel free to dunk the bread a little bit. Sprinkle with grated cheddar and drizzle over a little Worcestershire sauce. Place bowls on baking sheet.

4. Melt the cheese until brown and bubbling - try not to burn it. Bon Appetit!

Now that the cold miserable winter has set in, you may be realizing just how much you ate and drank during the December festivities. Not just alcohol, but meat can be an overwhelming part of holiday celebrations. I think my husband and I ate meat at every meal while visiting family,  including breakfast which is a lot more than usual. But how can you pass up Sonny’s BBQ and Seafood Gratin? Now that the guilt has set in, I wanted to “beef” up our veggie and fruit intake and have a few suggestions if you’re feeling the same way.

Here is a hearty brunch or breakfast (or lunch or dinner) without the bacon:

Leftovers with Asparagus and Eggs
Serves 2

1/2 lb apsaragus

1 head of garlic, top cut off

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 cup veg or canola oil

1/2 cup melty cheese ( I used fontina, you could cheddar, gruyére, whatever you have on hand)

2 slices leftover baguette

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Drizzle garlic with olive oil, salt and pepper. Wrap in tin foil and place in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until cloves are soft.

2. In a large bowl that won’t slip (I put my stainless mixing bowl on top of a pot so it won’t move while whisking) put in your egg yolks, dijon, lemon juice, and 2 cloves of the roasted garlic. Whisk until emulsified (everything is mixed together). In a dripping stream, while constantly whisking, dribble in your oil. This is the tricky part, this is where you know whether your mayo will come together or not. Keep whisking and adding oil until you get your desired consistency. I used about 1/2 cup of the oil because I wanted mine a bit looser and less like a spread. Add salt to taste. You’ve just made mayo without all the junk from store bought!

3. Bring a pot of water to boil and drop in asparagus for 2-3 minutes. Remove and immediately place in an ice bath (this is called blanching). Remove from cold water and dry on a paper towel. Bring a second pot of water to boil and add 2 teaspoons of white vinegar for poaching your eggs. Drop your eggs one or two at time into the vinegar water. I break mine into a ladle and put the ladle in the water, it helps keep the egg white from floating everywhere. Remove eggs after about 3 minutes or when the white is cooked.

4. Spread one roasted garlic clove over each piece of bread. Top with cheese and broil in the oven for about 3 minutes or until the cheese is melty. Top bread with poached egg, asparagus, and drizzle with aioli.

And now for a great veggie dinner. This is a recipe my mom has used for years and has won several chili competitions. You won’t miss the meat and it’s full of great veggies and good for you beans!

Vegetable Chili
Serves 8 – or lots of leftovers and lunch that will make  your co-workers jealous!

¾ cup olive oil
2 zucchini, cut into ½ inch dice
2 onions, cut into ½ inch dice
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large red bell peppers, cored and cut into ¼ inch dice
1 can (35 oz) Italian plum tomatoes, with their juice
1 ½ pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut into 1-inch dice
2 tablespoons good-quality chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ cup chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley
1 cup canned dark red kidney beans, drained
1 cup canned chick-peas (garbanzos), drained
½ cup chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup sour cream
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
4 scallions, sliced

1. Heat ½ cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini, and sauté until just tender, 5-7 minutes. Transfer the zucchini to a large casserole or dutch oven.
2. Heat remaining ¼ cup oil in the skillet over low heat. Add the onions, garlic, and bell peppers. Sauté until just wilted, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the casserole, along with the oil remaining in the skillet.
3. Place the casserole over low heat. Add the canned tomatoes and their juice, the fresh tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano, pepper, salt, fennel seeds, and parsley. Cook, uncovered, stirring often, for 30 minutes.
4. Stir in the kidney beans, chick-peas, dill and lemon juice; cook for another 15 minutes. Stir well, and adjust the seasonings to taste. Serve with bowls of sour cream, grated cheese, and sliced scallions alongside.

Bon Appétit!

I don’t generally care for cauliflower. The aversion isn’t as intense as Brussel sprouts which cannot be redeemed no matter how much bacon they’re baked with. I thought dressing cauliflower up in risotto added another veg element while still eating gooey risotto. By now, I’ve made several different risottos, all based on Jamie Oliver’s Risotto Bianco which is a basic white risotto which can then be changed all sorts of ways. This is a great vegetarian option, just sub the chicken stock for veg stock and you’re golden. The other thing I also like best about risotto is the commitment to it - you’re basically massaging you’re meal until it’s done, it’s very intimate and soothing. Anyway, here’s Jamie’s recipe. Sneak in some veggies this week!

Price Breakdown:

Cauliflower - $1.49

Celery 2 stalks - $1.99

I already had Arborio rice, Vermouth (I only use it for risotto, so it lasts a while), butter, onions, and the last of Parm from last week. I also used up the rest of a carton of chicken stock I had in the fridge. For the bread crumbs, I used anchovy paste I already had and chili pepper. Also you can use the baguette from the onion soup for these bread crumbs!

I love making lasagna. It’s a very impressive dish, and the no-boil lasagna noodles makes it so easy. I have a butternut squash lasagna I love to make, which I’ll do as soon as I see those great big squashes at the market. This one is a nice summer version, and not super heavy b/c of the ricotta and pea blend. Even after 3 large servings for me, Johnathan, and one of our favorite friends, Adrienne, there’s plenty for a couple lunches. I also appreciate a great vegetarian meal - I had trouble finding super flavorful dishes while I was subscribing to that lifestyle (plus I was in a college dorm and the cafeteria is not a forgiving place for veggies). Johnathan doesn’t even miss the meat when he eats a dish like this. This takes a while to bake, but is great to get you through the week for lunches. I also find leftovers more tolerable when I eat them for lunch, so each dinner feels new and is a new project for me.

The cake, ah, the cake. I really think this is the FIRST cake I’ve EVER made! I’ve made loaves, muffins, and coffee cake if that counts, but this is the first actual 2 layer cake I’ve made. This is also breakfast this morning - a habit I’ve picked up from my mom. There’s a note in the cake recipe about coconut cream. I couldn’t find it on my shopping trip, even at Whole Foods, so I substituted coconut milk instead. While this sub worked fine, it didn’t give the cake the same coconutty flavor I think the cream would give it. But man, that mint whipped cream is so light and flavorful, much better than a frosting. You could use the mint cream in so many things, it’s very impressive as well, and again super easy to make. I’ve always sympathized with Rachael Ray when she says she can’t bake and really has no knack for it. I still think my baking skills and attention to exact measurements is far from detail oriented, I was happy with how this cake came out, and it’s really yummy too! *** Update *** The artichokes in the lasagna get a bit bitter when they’re reheated (bummer). BUT, the cake tastes even better when refrigerated and cold.

The big boy and the slice