Baby Lamb Chops with Fresh Mint Aioli

6 baby lamb chops
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
dash red pepper flakes
salt & freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400F. Mix all ingredients together and allow to marinate for at least an hour. In a hot skillet, sear chops in a bit of canola oil, for about 1-2 minutes each side. Finish chops in the oven for about 5 minutes. Alternatively, grill chops for about 3-5 minutes per side. Serve chops with fresh mint aioli.

Fresh Mint Aioli

½ cup good real mayonnaise
2 Tbsp fresh mint, minced
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Lentil White Bean and Spinach Stew

2 carrots, diced
1 onion diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
dash red pepper flakes
1 quart chicken stock
¼ cup green lentils
2 Tbsp barley
1 Yukon Gold Potato. diced
1 can Navy beans
1 10-oz package washed spinach leaves, chopped

Sauté carrot, onion, celery, garlic cumin, fennel and pepper in a large skillet until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Then add lentils and barley and stock, and simmer, covered 20 minutes. Then add potato and Navy beans and cook another 20 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook just enough to wilt.

Tofu, Sweet and Gold Potato Gratin

1 sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced
2-3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup half and half, or cream
1 cup milk
1 package extra firm tofu, drained and thinly sliced, lengthwise
½ lb. total, Cheddar and Pepper Jack cheese, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions, sliced
fresh grated nutmeg

Heat oven to 350F. In a non-reactive pan, simmer the potatoes lightly in the milk and cream until the potatoes just begin to soften. Turn half the potatoes into a large oiled casserole. Layer neatly with half the tofu and top with half the cheese, garlic, onions and some grated nutmeg. Salt and pepper to taste. Repeat with the other half of the ingredients. Pour over any extra cream. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake for about 30 minutes, until bubbly and cooked through.

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Chickpeas with Lemon and Dill

This can be a great vegetarian lunch or dinner by omitting the chicken and substituting another element such as light red kidney beans or white hominy.

2 Tbsp better
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, finely diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 chicken breast, cooked and diced
½ tsp dill weed
juice of ½ lemon

Melt butter in the oil in a pan, and sauté the onion and carrot for about 10 minutes, until the veggies begin to soften and caramelize. Add the remaining ingredients and cook about another five minutes to heat through. Salt and pepper to taste.

Fish Tacos

6 Tilapia fillets
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp red pepper flakes

1 dozen corn, or taco-size flour tortillas
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced

Toppings:
salsas (such as salsa verde)
sour cream
guacamole
1 lime, cut into eights

Mix the lime, cumin, oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a wide casserole. Flip the tilapia in the marinade several times. Cover and marinate for up to an hour.

Warm the tortillas in a 200F oven, between moist towels. Sauté the peppers, onions and cumin in a bit of canola oil, until just beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Set aside and keep warm. Meanwhile, heat a non-stick grill pan to high and grill the tilapia on one side until browned, about 3-5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking on other side until brown grill marks show up, loud and clear, about another 3-5 minutes. Set aside on a plate, covered with foil.

Wrap a generous serving of tilapia and veggies in a tortilla, fold over and top with toppings of choice. Serve with lime wedge.

Frijoles Coco Negro

These beans are packed with flavor and are made rich with a touch of cocoa. They are a great side dish to accompany a Mexican meal or can be served with a grain for a vegetarian meal. Julie and I served these with Fish Tacos and fajitas at New Year's. We used a ginormous bulk can of beans - enough to serve a holiday crowd. You could halve the recipe for a group of 8-10 as a side or 4-6 as a main dish.

2 very large yellow onions, diced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
4 stalks celery, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, diced
1 108-oz black beans (about 6 16-oz cans), lightly drained
1-2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp dried herbes de Provence (or Italian herbs)
1 Tbsp pimenton, smoky paprika
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, sauté the onion, carrot and celery in a bit of canola oil over medium heat, until the veggies begin to brown and caramelize, at least 10-15 minutes. This step is important – be patient – as it will impart tons of flavor to the beans. Add the garlic and jalapeno and continue cooking another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the beans, about a cup of broth, the cumin, herbs, paprika and cocoa. Bring the beans to a boil, stirring. Then lower the heat and simmer for at least an hour, covered, stirring often – a crock pot is good for this. Salt and pepper to taste, and add more broth as needed to maintain a creamy consistency. Serve topped with fresh cilantro.

Banana Plum Bread

Based on Babette's Best Ever Banana Bread, this is a variation on a her theme, and a great way for me to remember her warmly by. I use whatever leftover fruit we have hanging around, even maybe sometimes a bit too soft, that's OK. Or I add frozen fruit like berries, or diced mango which is really very good! Babette was always into nuts and whole foods - and we cooked a lot of whole grains together; I also sometimes add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and/or 1 Tbsp bran or ground flax seed when the urge hits me. This makes for great variety but consistently fantastic banana bread variations. Thanks Babette!

Wet ingredients:
½ cup cream
½ cup milk
1 Tbsp white vinegar
2 ripe bananas
1 cup diced ripe plums (about 2 plums)
2 eggs
3 Tbsp. butter, melted

Dry ingredients:
1½ cups sugar
2½ cups flour
1 Tbsp ground flax seeds
3 tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325F. Oil four 16-oz or two 32-ox loaf pans. Mix together cream and milk with vinegar; alternatively you can use 1 cup buttermilk. Mash bananas in a big bowl and fold in all remaining wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Fold into wet ingredients and distribute among loaf pans. Bake 45 minutes, or until crusty and brown on top.

Holiday Turkey Roasted with Lemon, Rosemary and Savory Vegetables

This is a fairly small turkey but easily serves 8-10 people.

1 12-lb turkey, rinsed and patted dry
4 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 very large onion, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 lemon, quartered
1 Tbsp dried rosemary
1 cup white wine or water

Heat oven to 400F. Toss the vegetables in a large roasting pan and place turkey on top. Spray turkey with canola oil. Sprinkle turkey with coarse salt, freshly ground pepper, and rosemary. Carefully insert a digital thermometer into the meaty part of the thigh – not touching the bone (I think the little poppers overcook turkey and chicken, but don’t remove them because juices will be lost in the hole they produce). Bake 20 minutes, baste turkey, and reduce heat to 350F. Bake another 20 minutes. Baste again and cover lightly with aluminum foil. Bake another 30-45 minutes or until thermometer reads 175-180.

Turn off oven. Remove the turkey from the oven, and drain it carefully (VERY HOT!) into the roasting pan. Place turkey on a carving board, covered. Remove veggies to a serving bowl with a slotted spoon, cover and replace in oven. Heat juices in pan and add wine (or water). Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Strain into a grease separator and pour off the de-greased jus into a gravy boat. Slice turkey and place on platter. Add any accumulated juices to the jus in the gravy boat. Serve with the roasted veggies.