Escarole with Italian Sausage and White Beans Bon Appétit | October 1998

 We substituted what I like to call Faux Sausage, spicy vegetarian sausage links Whole Foods carries.  Also used vegetable broth in lieu of chicken.  Did not miss the prosciutto at all. 

Escarole with Italian Sausage and White Beans Bon Appétit | October 1998

Yield: Serves 12 as a side-dish or 6 as main-course 3 tablespoons olive oil 12 Italian sausages (about 3 pounds), casings removed 1 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped prosciutto (about 2 ounces) 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper 1 large head escarole, chopped (about 10 cups) 3/4 cup dry white wine 4 15-ounce cans Great Northern beans, rinsed, drained 1 cup chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional) Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sauté sausage until cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 6 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to bowl, leaving drippings in pot. Reduce heat to medium; add onion to pot and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add prosciutto and sauté 1 minute. Mix in garlic and crushed red pepper. Add escarole and sauté until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add wine and cook 2 minutes. Add beans, stock and sausage and simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Top with grated Parmesan, if desired.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Escarole-with-Italian-Sausage-and-White-Beans-15600#ixzz1WtRjdCof

Brown Sugar Cookies

So we don't do much baking here at DRI, but the other day I got the yen for some cookies. Tired of store-bought, I asked, why don't we make cookies. Linda's been telling me about the brown sugar cookies she used to make as a kid. So, here we go.

After a little googling, we found the folowing recipe at Cynthia Furey's Furey and the Feast blog. Linda says that this is exaclty how she remembers the childhood recipe, and I can attest that the cookies are awesome.

http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/2010/04/brown-sugar-cookies/

Spicy Vietnamese Sandwich. Banh Mi

This is a WONDERFUL sandwich...if you like spicy food. The sandwich itself is superb but you can also eat the cabbage slaw by itself as a great no fat salad.

Spicy Vietnamese Sandwich: Banh Mi
(adapted from a Sunset Magazine recipe)


Cabbage Slaw

3 C. finely shredded cabbage
1/2 C. finely shredded carrots
1/4 C. chopped cilantro
1/2 finely chopped jalapeno pepper (optional)
1/4 to 1/2 C. rice vinegar (it must be plain rice vinegar--not seasoned rice vinegar and not some other type of vinegar) You can vary the amount of vinegar and sugar to your taste.
1/2 t. salt
1 T. sugar (or more or less to taste)

Toss these ingredients together and let them marinate for at least a half an hour. I let my slaw marinate on the counter (tossing it occasionally) rather than in the refrigerator to keep it crisp.

The Sandwich

French Baguette cut into 4-5 " pieces
Sriracha Hot sauce (or Asian Chile Garlic Sauce) to taste
Pressed Tofu marinated and baked in Annie Chun's Korean Barbecue Sauce

Slice a baguette into sandwich-size pieces--about 4 inches long. Heat the baguette pieces in your oven for a few minutes until the bread is slightly crisp on the outside but still soft inside. Slice the baguette (don't slice all the way through) and spread Sriracha hot sauce on one half of each baguette piece. Stuff the bread with a few slices of the barbecued tofu and then fill the sandwich with a generous amount of the spicy cabbage slaw.

It is wonderful!

Hatshepsut

Feta and Spinach Salad with Basil Dressing

Tired of Spinach Salad with Bacon dressing. Give this a try. What a simple refreshing salad, with the richness of ripe avocado and toasted walnuts.

1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. dried basil
2 tsp. sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. fresh spinach, washed and torn
1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
Greek olives

For dressing: Combine first 7 ingredients in blender (we used our immersion blender. You have one, right?) Chill. Shake well before serving.

For salad: Combine rest of ingredients, except the olives in large bowl. Pour dressing over salad. Toss. Garnish with olives.