Arroz con Pollo Soup

It was one of those days on Sunday: wet-cold and dismal. The usual early winter day that makes a hot cup of soup sound oh-so-good. So I headed out to our local produce outlet to get the makings for a soup or two, and while there saw fresh cilantro and avocados at a good price. Hrm. Better toss a jalapeño and a red bell pepper in the cart. When I got home I scrounged around and made this:

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Roast Carrots

I'm menu planning again, and trying to use up the bag of baby carrots a guest left in my fridge. It was a big bag.

1 cup baby carrots
1 Tbl. olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
pinch ground cinnamon
pinch kosher salt
1 Tbl. lemon juice
2 Tbl. sultanas
2 Tbl. walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place carrots in a roasting dish and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle on cumin, cinnamon and salt and toss lightly. Roast 20 minutes or until tender. Remove from over and toss with lemon juice, sultanas and walnuts.

Serves 2, approx 2.5 pts per 1/2 cup serving. To reduce pts to 1.5, omit walnuts.

Green Beans a la Mireille

I named this simple dish after the author of French Women Don't Get Fat because the inspiration came from her confessed love of rosemary. I really don't like grean beans. Never have. I'll eat them drowned in mushroom soup and French's onions, but that's harly healthy eating, now is it? So I had to come up with something to make them palattable to me. I did one better. I made them yummy!

I used canned beans, but it would probably be even better with fresh ones, in season. For fresh, I'd double the bouillion and use about two cups of beans. This is how ya do it:

1/4 c. beef bouillion (or 1/4 c. water + 1 Tbl. beef boullion granules)
1/2 Tbl. butter
1 Tbl. Wondra flour
1 Tbl. Rosemary
1 Tbl. Parsley
1 12 oz can cut green beans

Mix bouillion, butter, and flour together and bring to a boil, stirring frequently to avoid lumps. Add herbs and boil for one minute. Reduce to a simmer, add beans, and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until beans are cooked through.
Serving: 1/2 cup
Points: 0.5

Spur-o-the-Moment Potato Salad

Ingredients:

about a dozen new potatoes 3 green onions, chopped 2 tbl. capers, drained 1/2 cup pecan pieces

1 cup mayonaise 2 tbl. dark/pub mustard 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. coarse ground pepper 1 tsp. parsley 2 tsp. dill 1 clove garlic, crushed

Wash and boil the potatoes, and let them cool. Cut them up into bite-size pieces. Toss with green onions.

Blend together mayo, mustard, spices, capers and nuts. Add slowly to potato mixture, tossing lightly, until potatoes are creamy. Refridgerate 2 hours to blend flavors. Yummy.

Yule Orange Salad

4 oranges
½ cup ginger honey
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup dried date pieces
¼ cup cashew pieces

Section oranges carefully and sprinkle on dried fruits and nuts. Top with honey as dressing.

About 6 servings

Old Fashioned Garlic and Onion Soup

4 large onions, thin sliced 2 heads garlic 2 tsp thyme 4 Tbl. olive oil 6 cups broth 1/2 cup dry white wine

1 bay leaf 2 Tbl. honey 4 Tbl. fresh basil 4 Tbl. fresh parsley ¼ tsp. cayenne salt & pepper

Sautee onion, garlic and thyme in oil until golden. Add yo soup kettle with broth, wine and bayleaf. Cook 2-3 hours. Strain, then put back in some onions, add honey and spices. Eat hot!

This is excellent for colds, flu, respitory infection and prevention of winter illness.

By Valerie Cooksley

Dewey's House Salad

8 oz. mixed greens
2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
2 Tbl. dried cranberries
2 Tbl. Pine nuts
2 Tbl. vinegrette dressing (below)

Sprinkle goat chese, cranberries and pinenuts over mixed greens. Pour a little vinegrette dressing over salad. Also, try it with a few cloves of fresh roasted garlic.

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Foxydot's Vinegrette

8 oz. Basalmic Vinegar
1 Tbl Raw Honey
4 oz. Roasted Garlic soaked Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Mix honey and vinegar in a small bowl until integrated. SLOWLY add oil to vinegar, whisking continuously.

Fiesta Salad

1 can (15.5 oz.) Black Beans (I like GOYA) 2 cobs fresh yellow corn 1 red bell pepper (or 1/2 red and 1/2 green... depends on how you like your colors) 1/2 red onion 1 clove garlic 3 Tbl. Fresh parsley 3 Tbl. Fresh Cilantro

Dressing: 1 Tbl. vinegar* 1 Tbl. grapeseed oil (or other light oil) 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. lime juice* 1/2 tsp. chille/hot sauce*

• Drain and wash black beans well in cold water. Drain off water and place in large bowl.
• Wash corn cobs and remove all traces of corn silk. Cut corn from the cobs with a sharp knife. (I do this over the large bowl)
• Remove stem and seeds from bell pepper and chop into small pieces (about 1/4" cubes). Throw it in the bowl.
• Chop onion into similar sized pieces. Bowl.
• Chop garlic, parsley and cilantro fine and add to the mixture.
• Combine vinegar, oil, salt, lime and chille. Toss dressing lightly through vegetable mixture.
• Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to penetrate and mingle. Toss well again before serving. Garnish with additional parsley.

About 6 servings

Amazing Beans

1 can (16 oz.) Kidney Beans
1 can (10.5 oz.) Baby Lima Beans
1 can (16 oz.) Navy Beans
1 large RED onion, chopped
12 oz. Amazing BBQ Sauce (recipie below)

Drain and rinse beans. (Rinse them real good -- this cuts down on "gas" later.)

Combine all ingredients and mix well. It should be really saucy.

Pour into casserole and cover lightly with toasted bread crumbs. Bake uncovered at 350 for about 45 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.

About 6 hearty servings.

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Amazing BBQ Sauce

1 1/2 cups catsup 1 12oz. can tomato paste 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup water 1 Tbl. vinegar 1 Tbl. orange juice concentrate 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp. mustard powder 1/2 Tbl. toasted sesame seeds 1 tsp. sesame oil 1 tsp. liquid smoke 1/2 tsp. wortershire sauce (vegetarian) 1 tsp. cumin 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. chipolte powder white pepper (be careful with this...it gives it "bite")

I mix all this stuff and simmer it for about an hour. When it is nice and thick, I let it fall to room temperature, then chill it so the flavor gets nice and rich. This stuff is best after a few days in the fridge. It is good on/in all kinds of things, but it was originally designed for use in the Amazing Beans which follow. This recipe makes quite alot...give some as gifts!