Sage Butternut Squash Cakes

Ingredients:

One small butternut squash, peeled and grated
Two medium carrots, peeled and grated
Half a red onion, finely diced
Two cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of salt
Pinch nutmeg
2 tablespoons of fresh sage, chopped
1/4 cup +3 tablespoons of GF flour
1 tablespoon of ground flax
Pepper to taste
Two eggs beaten

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Form cakes and cook on a frying pan with a little bit of oil. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

New York Strip Roast

This can be expensive, but for special occasions it's worth it!

Difficulty: Easy
Preparation: 3.25 hours (including marinating for 3 hours)
Cook Time: 2 hours
Rating: 5 stars!!!

Source: Epicurious

INGREDIENTS:

4 garlic cloves
8 fresh sage leaves
4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 4- to 5-pound boneless beef loin New York strip roast, fat trimmed to 1/4 inch

DIRECTIONS:


With machine running, drop garlic into processor; blend until finely chopped. Add sage, thyme, oil, salt and pepper; process until paste forms.

Pat meat dry with paper towels. Rub meat all over with herb paste. Cover; chill at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place meat, fat side up, on rack in roasting pan. Roast meat 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Roast meat until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 130°F for medium-rare, about 35 minutes (or 140°F for medium, about 40 minutes). Remove from oven; let stand 20 minutes. Cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices on platter.

Posted by Debi

Ribollita - Italian Vegetable Soup

I made this for the first time last night for our Anniversary Dinner. It was wonderful - 5 stars!! I got it from the Williams Sonoma Italian Cookbook - enjoy!

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS:
1 15 oz. can Cannellini beans
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
2 zucchini - sliced and halved
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 cup cauliflower, coarsely chopped
4 - 5 kale leaves (they recommended dinosaur kale)
1 cup shredded swiss chard leaves
1/4 cup minced fresh herbs: italian parsley, rosemary and sage
2.5 quarts chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper
12 - 15 slices day old coarse country bread with crusts
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Drain beans and set aside.

In a large soup pot over medium high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, celery and carrots and saute' until the onion is golden, 3 - 4 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring frequently, until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the kale, chard, zucchini and potato (in that order) and cook stirring constantly for 5 minutes.

Add the mixed herbs and the beans to the pot. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook uncovered until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Season to tast with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Ladle enough soup into a 13 x 9 baking dish to cover the bottom. Top with 4 - 5 toasted bread slices, trimming them to fit if necessary, and then with a layer of soup. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers of bread, soup and cheese. Bake until heated through about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with olive oil.

Ladle the ribollita into warmed soup bowls and serve.

IMPORTANT NOTE: After making this last night I think I would make one change...spread olive oil on bread and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Place under broiler until browned and cheese melts. Place one or two slices in individual bowls and ladle hot soup over - serve immediately. (If anyone tries this recipe with this revision, please let us know if it works.)

Everyday Meatloaf

This recipe came from my mom's Better Homes and Gardens red and white plaid cookbook. She received it as a wedding present back in 1947. It has been a family favorite long before I was even born - that's a loooong time ago! :-)

Rating: Five stars
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup dry bread crumbs (I use Italian)
1/2 cup milk
1-1/2 lb. ground chuck
2 slightly beaten eggs
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon sage

DIRECTIONS:
Soak bread crumbs in milk; add meat, eggs, onion and seasonings. Mix well. Form into a loaf and place in greased 13 x 9 pan. Spread Piquant Sauce (below) over top and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees or until done.

PIQUANT SAUCE:
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Posted by Debi