Cooking on the bright side has many health benefits.  You get a better mix of nutrients by eating produce in a variety of shades as well.  That’s due to the unique combination of vitamins, antioxidants and natural chemicals behind the bright hues. Research shows these compounds ward off disease, slow the aging process and boost overall health. Feel good and look good while wearing a cute apron while preparing these two bright meals!

Fresh Greens with Roasted Beets, Haricots Vert, & Goat Cheese Croutons

From Fine Cooking magazine

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

For the Vinaigrette

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp finely chopped shallots

1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Salad

2 large beets, washed and dried, outer skin left on

1 tbsp olive oil

8 (1/4-inch thick) slices baguette

1 (4 to 5 oz) log goat cheese

1/2 tsp herbes de Provence

1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

4 cups lightly packed mixed greens, such as frisée, red leaf lettuce, baby spinach, and mizuna, washed and dried

1/2 lb haricots vert (slim green beans), trimmed, cooked until just tender, shocked in cold water, and drained

Scant 1/2 cup good-quality black olives, optional

2 green, tart apples, cored and sliced thinly, optional

1/4 cup toasted walnuts, optional

METHOD

Make the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, salt, shallots, and thyme. Add the olive oil in a slow stream, whisking to emulsify. Season with pepper and more salt, if needed.

Make the Salad: Heat the oven to 400°F. Rub the beets with the olive oil, put them on a baking sheet, and bake until fork-tender, 60 to 90 minutes. When cooled, peel off the skin and slice the beets into 1/4-inch rounds.

Make the Croutons:Broil the baguette slices until light golden brown on both sides. Cool. With a hot, wet knife, cut the goat cheese into 8 slices. Put a round of cheese on each slice of baguette and arrange on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the herbes de Provence, thyme, and pepper and set aside.

When ready to serve, heat the oven to 400°F. Bake until the cheese softens, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange a few slices of beets on salad plates. Season lightly with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss the greens, haricots vert, and olives with enough vinaigrette to just moisten them. Divide the mixture among the salad plates. Garnish with apple slices, and sprinkle with walnuts if using. Put a warm crouton on either side of the plate and serve.

Roasted Cauliflower With Lemon Brown Butter and Sage Salt

Modified from a New York Times recipe

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup sage leaves, loosely packed

1 tbsp coarse salt, more for tossing

3 heads cauliflower, cut into florets

About 1 tsp table salt

6 tbsp unsalted butter

1 lemon, zest finely grated

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

METHOD

Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set it next to the stove.

Heat oil in a small pan until rippling. Add sage and cook, stirring, just until crisped, about 2 minutes. Lift out sage and drain on paper towel-lined sheet. Pour the infused oil into a large bowl. When sage is cool, place it in a small bowl with the coarse salt. Using a muddler, pestle, or other rounded object, crush the salt and sage together. Use your fingers to break up any large pieces of sage, but the mixture should be rough.

Heat oven to 375°F. Adjust the racks with one on the bottom and the second in the middle of the oven. Place roasting pan with an inch of water on lower rack. Add cauliflower to bowl with oil, add about 1 tsp table salt, and toss gently until coated. Spread out on two baking sheets. Place them side by side in the middle of the oven and bake until browned, 20 to 30 minutes.

Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. When foam subsides, watch closely and stir often. When white solids are brown and butter smells toasty, turn off heat, squeeze in juice of lemon, and stir well.

Transfer cauliflower to a bowl, drizzle lemon butter over the top, and add lemon zest. Add half the sage salt and toss. Taste and season with remaining salt as needed. Sprinkle with Parmesan if desired and serve.

Cooking is a skill that helps children read, do math and organize their work logically. This is a favorite of my children who love to cook with me in the kitchen.  Be sure to wrap them in a cute children’s apron to make cleanup a cinch!

M&M’s NO BAKE COOKIES
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup margarine
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped peanuts (salted)
1/2 pound M&M’s candies
1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1.  In a heavy duty saucepan, stir over medium-high heat the sugar, margarine and milk.
2.  Bring to a boil, stirring continuously, and boil for 1 minute.
3.  Remove from heat, stir in remaining ingredients.
4.  Drop onto wax paper with teaspoon or tablespoon for larger cookies. Let cool.

Dip and Fry Shrimp

2 T sesame seeds

1 T plus 1 tsp poppy seeds

1 T dried minced garlic

salt

8 ounces whipped cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions

vegetable oil for frying

2 cups basic batter (below)

1 pound large shrimp, peeled with tail on and butterflied

Basic Batter:

Whisk together 1 cup flour, 1 T plus 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp salt.  Beat in 1 cup milk, 3 beaten eggs, 5 T melted butter and 1T vegetable oil until smooth.

Like a baking sheet with paper towels.  In a small bowl, combine 1 T sesame seeds, 2 tsp poppy seeds and 1 tsp each dried garlic and salt.  Sprinkle over paper towels.  In another bowl, combine the cream cheese, half-and-half and 1/4 cup scallions; season with salt. 

Fill a large pot with enough oil to reach a depth of 2 inches.  Heat over medium-high heat until it registers 350 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. 

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the batter and the remaining 1/4 cup scallions, 1 T sesame seeds, and 2 tsp each poppy seeds and dried garlic.  Season the shrimp with salt.  Working in batches, hold the shrimp by the tail and dip in the batter mixture; place in the oil and fry, turning once, until golden, about 5 minutes.  Drain on the seed-covered paper towels, lightly coating with the mixture.

Asian bbq chicken thighs & broccoli slaw

1/4 cup ketchup

2 T hoisin sauce

2 T low-sodium soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 1/4 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken thighs

1 12 oz bag broccoli slaw

2 T rice wine vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1.  Heat gas grill to med-high or prepare charcoal grill with medium hot coals.

2.  In a small saucepan, stir together ketchup, hoisin, soy sauce and sesame oil.  Cook over medium-high heat until bubbling, about 5 minutes.  Remove 3 T sauce from pot and set aside.

3.  Lightly coat grill with nonstick cooking spray or oil.  Place chicken thighs on grill bottom-side up and baste with sauce.  Close grill cover and cook 5 minutes.  Remove cover and flip thighs, basting generously with sauce.  Continue brushing with sauce every 5 minutes for about 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaching 60 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

4.  While chicken is cooking, stir together reserved sauce, broccoli slaw, vinegar and salt and pepper.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Wrap yourself in a feminine apron and try these eye appealing and palate pleasing Acorn Cookies. It’s a family favorite and is sure to be loved by all.

Look amazing in this pretty apron!

Acorn Cookies

1 C  Butter, room temperature

¾ C Light Brown Sugar, lightly packed

1 t Vanilla Extract

2 ¾ C Flour

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in flour and baking powder. Using a rounded teaspoon of dough for each cookie, shape into balls. Pinch dough to a rounded point at one end to resemble an acorn. Place each on a cookie sheet either upright, rounded point up, or lying on one side. Bake about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Melt chocolate over hot but not boiling water. Dip large end of cooled cookie first into chocolate, then into chopped pecans. Makes about 48 cookies.

Enjoy a delicious duo with these peanut butter and chocolate swirl brownies. The marbled look attracts curious tasters and the flavor brings them back. Keep yourself free from mess by wearing a beautiful cooking apron.

Set the mood by wearing a fun half apron!

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

½ C Butter, softened

2/3 C Sugar

½ C Packed Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

2 T Milk

¾ C All-Purpose Flour

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and milk; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide batter in half. To one portion, add peanut butter and peanut butter chips; mix well. To the other portion, add the cocoa and the chocolate chips; mix well.

            In a greased 9-in. square baking pan, spoon chocolate batter in eight mounds in a checkerboard patter. Spoon seven mounds of peanut butter batter between the chocolate batter. Cut through batters with a knife to swirl.

            Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 3 dozen

Slip into a cooking apron while preparing this colorful veggie casserole that is packed full of vegetables and flavor. This is the perfect casserole to bring to your next holiday potluck.

Colorful Veggie Casserole

1 C chopped green onions

1 Large Carrot, shredded

2 Celery Ribs, chopped

1 Small Green Pepper, chopped

1 Small Sweet Red Pepper, chopped

6 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 T Vegetable Oil

In a large skillet, sauté onions, carrot, celery, peppers, and garlic in oil until crisp-tender. Transfer to a large bowl; add hash browns, soup, 1 cup cheddar cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, parsley and salt; mix well

            Pour into a greased 3-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses and paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 1 hour or until golden brown.

Yield: 12-16 Servings

Eat, Drink & Be Cozy.

This Holiday Season, entertain with ease. Gather around the dinner table and enjoy a heartwarming bowl of Baked Potato Soup and some good crusty bread.  Prepare this soup a day in advance so you can relax with your guests. When dinner time is ready, tie on a beautiful kitchen apron and you will look as good as this soup tastes!  Light the table with candles to set the mood for good conversation with family or friends.

Baked Potato Soup

2-1/2 lbs red potatoes, cubed

1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 jumbo yellow onion, diced

¼ bunch celery, diced

½ red bell pepper, diced

½ green bell pepper, diced

1 quart water

2 oz. (4tbsp) chicken base (recommended Orrington Farms Soup Base)

1 quart milk

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1-1/2 sticks margarine

1- ½ cup flour

1 cup whipping cream

¼ bunch parsley, chopped

Boil cubed red potatoes for 8 minutes. Cook bacon and then crumble. Sauté onions, celery, with red and green peppers in a little of the bacon grease until softened.  Mix water, flour and chicken base with a wire whisk then add to large crockpot with milk.  Drain potatoes then add to pot with remaining ingredients. Cook for approx. 4 hours to allow the soup to thicken and the flavors to blend.