Ingredients

1 sweet tart crust (See recipe below)
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
3 bunches green onion (white and green parts only), coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 bunch Green chard, ribs removed, leaves chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 1/4 cups whipping cream (I used 1% milk)
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg (I used allspice)

Roll out pastry on floured work surface to 12-inch square. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Fold under; crimp edges. Cover; chill.

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and thyme. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover; cook until onions are very tender but not brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add chard; saute until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cool.

Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 425°F. Whisk cream and next 5 ingredients in large bowl. Mix in cooled onion mixture. Pour filling into crust.

Bake tart 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake until filling is puffed and just set in center, about 15 minutes longer (this took my oven about 10 minutes longer). Transfer to rack; cool 10 minutes.

Sweet Tart Crust

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) frozen or cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
3 tablespoons ice water, plus more if necessary
1 egg yolk

Method

1. Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the container of a food processor and pulse once or twice. Add the butter all at once; process until the mixture is uniform, about 10 seconds (do not over-process). Add the egg and process another few seconds.
2. Put the mixture in a bowl and add 3 tablespoons ice water; mix with your hands until you can form the dough into a ball, adding another tablespoon or 2 of ice water if necessary (if you overdo it and the mixture becomes sodden, add a little more flour). Form into a ball, wrap in plastic, and freeze for 10 minutes or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes). (You can refrigerate for up to a couple of days, freeze for up to a couple of weeks.)
3. Sprinkle a countertop with flour and put the dough on it; sprinkle the top with a little flour. Use a rolling pin to roll with light pressure, from the center out. If the dough is sticky, add a little flour (if it continues to become sticky, and it’s taking you more than a few minutes to roll it out, refrigerate or freeze again). Roll, adding flour and rotating and turning the dough as needed; use ragged edges of dough to repair any tears, adding a drop of water while you press the patch into place.

Ingredients

Makes 8 servings, 2 stuffed pepper halves per serving

8 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers or a mixture of all (about 4 lbs)
2 tbsp canola or olive oil, divided
1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
16 oz fresh Italian turkey sausage, removed from casing or lean ground turkey (You can use pre-cooked turkey or slices of deli turkey cut into small pieces and use it in place of the turkey sausage, if desired.)
1 (16 oz) jar chunky salsa, mild or hot
2 cups fresh baby spinach, rinsed and chopped or 1 (10 oz) package chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove moisture
1 cup cooked quinoa (optional)
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese
2 large avocados, peeled and pit removed, sliced
1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, slicing from the stem to the bottoms, leaving the stems intact. Remove the white pithy ribs near stem and down length of inside. Remove the ribs and seeds and discard. Place the peppers in a shallow 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Drizzle the peppers with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cover the dish with foil, and bake the peppers 15 to 20 minutes, until they start to soften.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and cumin; cook until the vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the sausage to the skillet. Cook, breaking it up with a slotted spoon or potato masher, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the salsa and the spinach, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cooked brown rice and quinoa (optional).

Carefully fill the pepper halves with the turkey mixture. Cover the dish with foil, and bake until the filling is hot and the peppers are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove foil, and sprinkle the cheese over the top of the peppers. Return to oven; bake, uncovered, until cheese has melted, about 7 to 10 minutes. Top the peppers with a heaping tablespoon of the yogurt. Place slices of the avocado on top of each pepper. Sprinkle with the basil. Serve immediately.

Halibut:

1/4 c panko
2 T grated parmesan
minced zest 1/2 lemon
S&P
4 tsp purchased pesto
2 halibut filets, 4 oz each 1″ thick

Crazy Water

1/4 red onion, minced
1 t minced garlic
1/4 t red pepper flakes
2 t olive oil
1/4 dry white wine
2 c water (orig recipe calls for 2.5 - I’d go less in the future)
1/2 c halved grape tomatoes
1/4 dry orzo pasta
1 t sugar
2 sprigs fresh thyme (I used lemon thyme from the garden)
1/2 c coarsely chopped zucchini (I shredded about half of one on a box grater)
1/3 c jarred roasted red pepper, cut in strips
1/4 c halved kalamata olives
2 T chopped fresh parsley
juice 1/2 lemon
Lemon Wedges

Preheat 450. Coat baking sheet with nonstick spray.

Combine panko, parmesan, lemon zest, S&P in bowl. Spread pesto on each halibut filet and arrange on prepared baking sheet. Press panko mixture onto pesto side of fillets, spritz crumbs with nonstick spray, then refrigerated til ready to roast.

Saute onion, garlic, and pepper flakes in saucepan over med high for the crazy water. Cook til soft, then deglaze with wine. Simmer til nearly evaporated then stir in water, tomatoes, pasta, sugar and thyme. Cook til orzo is tender, about 9 min.

Roast fish in the meantime. Cook til crumbs are golden and flesh flakes easily w/fork, 10-12 minutes depending on thickness.

Add zucchini, red pepper, and olives to crazy water. Simmer til heated through. Off heat add parsley, lemon and season to taste w/S&P.

To serve, divide broth between 2 bowls, top each with fish and garnish with lemon wedges.

2 Tbs. unsalted butter
6 cups thinly sliced celery (reserve 1/4 cup celery leaves)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
Kosher salt
3 cups washed, chopped leeks
6 cups lower-salt chicken broth
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 fresh or 1/2 dried bay leaf
2 Tbs. whipping cream
Freshly ground black pepper

In a 4-quart pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the celery, leek, onion, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook until tender and just beginning to color, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the celery root and stir to coat with the butter. Pour in the chicken broth, and then add the thyme, bay leaf, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf and purée the soup in a blender until smooth. Pass the soup through a medium-fine sieve and transfer to a clean pot. Bring the soup back up to a simmer, whisk in the whipping cream, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep hot.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with celery leaves.

Ingredients ~
1 1/2 pounds boneless sirloin steak, cut into 1×4 inch strips
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sugar
6 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2/3 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Wooden skewers, soaked several minutes in water

Directions ~
Place steak in plastic zip-lock style bag. Whisk soy sauce, oil, vinegar, sesame seeds, sugar, garlic, sesame oil and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Reserve half to use as dipping sauce. Add remaining marinade to plastic bag. Seal; turn bag to coat meat well. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours.

Prepare outdoor grill with medium-hot coals, or heat gas grill to medium-hot. Thread meat onto skewers. Brush once with marinade from plastic bag. Grill beef skewers, covered, turning occasionally, 12 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in meat registers 145*F (60*C) for medium-rare. Serve with reserved marinade for dipping and hot cooked rice, if desired.
Makes 6 servings.