3 medium zucchini

3 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. garlic salt

1 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 400?F. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; place cut side up in a shallow baking dish. In a small saucepan, melt together butter, lemon juice and garlic salt; brush over zucchini. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Reduce oven temperature to 300?F; bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until zucchini is crisp tender. Enjoy with fresh pasta and a bold red wine.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 to 20 minutes

Nutrition Per Serving: 120 calories, 6 g protein, 10 g total fat (6 g sat., 0 g trans), 1 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 30 mg cholesterol, 650 mg sodium

2-1/3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened (not margarine)
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 to 35 minutes

Makes 20 cookies.

Nutrition Per Serving: 165 calories, 2 g protein, 10 g fat, 16 g carbohydrate, <1 g fiber, 24 mg cholesterol,
30 mg sodium

4 cups mashed potatoes (Use day old mashed potatoes)1/2 cup chopped onions or chives

salt and pepper to taste

1 egg

1/4 cup flour or a little more if batter is sticky

Mix all ingredients together. Use an ice cream scoop to pick up mixture and drop on an oiled grill or iron skillet. Cook until 1 side browns. Then flip it over and press patty down. Cook other side until it browns. Cook on each side for 5 to 6 minutes.

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)

Butter, for pan

8 large eggs

2 cups half-and-half

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Dash salt

Praline Topping, recipe follows

Raspberry Syrup, recipe follows

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch thick each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 45 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with Raspberry Syrup.

Praline Topping:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Spread over bread as directed above.

Raspberry Syrup:

1 cup raspberry preserves

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons raspberry liqueur (recommended: Framboise)

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir until warm and thinned out like syrup.

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 eggs

2/3 cup milk

1 lemon, zested and juiced

Butter, for griddle

1 (11-ounce) jar prepared lemon curd

Fresh raspberries, for garnish

Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish

Preheat a nonstick griddle.

Combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk together the cheese, eggs, milk, lemon juice and zest in a large bowl. Whisk the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Brush the hot griddle with butter. For each pancake, pour approximately 1/4 cup measure of the batter on the griddle and cook on both sides until light golden brown. Repeat until no batter remains.

Empty the contents of the lemon curd into a small saucepan and warm over low heat. Alternatively, remove the lid and place in a microwave oven on 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stopping after 1 minute to stir the curd. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the curd over the pancakes, top with fresh raspberries, and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon double acting baking powder

3 tablespoons sugar, if desired

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

Milk for brushing tops of biscuits

Into a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt, add the cream, and stir the mixture until it just forms a dough. Gather the dough into a ball, knead it gently 6 times on a lightly floured surface, and roll or pat it out 1/2-inch thick. Cut out as many rounds as possible with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter dipped in flour and transfer them to an ungreased baking sheet. Gather the scraps, reroll the dough, and cut out more rounds in the same manner until they are 10 in all.

Brush the tops of the rounds with the milk and bake the biscuits in a preheated 425 preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until they are pale golden. Transfer the biscuits to a rack and let them cool for 5 minutes.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoons cinnamon

Pinch nutmeg

2 cups milk

4 teaspoons melted butter, plus more for greasing skillet

2 whole eggs

1 sweet potato, cooked until tender, peeled and pureed

Pecan butter (recipe below)

Maple syrup, for serving

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix together and whisk until smooth. Cook batches in buttered skillet on medium high temperature until bubbles form on the surface, then turn over and cook until dark golden brown. Serve with pecan butter and maple syrup.

Pecan Butter:

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans toasted and cooled

1/2 pound butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

Mix all ingredients together (use rubber gloves). Roll in parchment paper and freeze. Cut into slices and top sweet potato pancakes.

Yield: 10 servings

Salsa Verde:

1 (13-ounce) can tomatillos or 6 medium peeled and cored tomatillos, cut into quarters

1/4 jalapeno, seeded and cut into several pieces

1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

1/2 lime, juiced

1/8 cup water

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

For the scrambled eggs:

2 eggs

4 egg whites

Coarse salt and cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 (6-inch) flour tortillas

For the salsa: Place all ingredients in food processor or blend and pulse until smooth. You may need to thin the sauce to desired consistency with up to 1/4 cup of water. Set aside.

Whisk eggs and egg whites together. Season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 10-inch non-stick pan over medium heat. Add eggs. Let cook for 1 minute or just until barely set. Using a heat proof rubber spatula, gently stir in figure 8 motion until eggs are just cooked.

Heat tortillas. Distribute eggs evenly among tortillas. Top with salsa, to taste.

Nutrition Information

Nutritional Analysis per serving Calories 361

Fat 11.79 g Saturated Fat 2.98

Carbohydrates 43.69 g Fiber 4.18

Protein 19.92 g

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 red onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

1 red bell pepper, diced (about 2 cups)

2 pounds sweet potatoes, quartered and cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

Pour the oil into a large skillet and place over high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, cumin, salt and red pepper flakes, lower the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender and some are browned. The potatoes will begin to stick as they cook. Just continue to turn with a spatula. Stir in half of the green onions, top with the remainder, and serve immediately.

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2/3 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

1/3 cup hulled green pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

6 tablespoons honey

1 cup mixed dried fruits such as raisins, cherries, and apricots

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl stir together oats, almonds, coconut, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, and salt. In a small saucepan melt butter with honey over low heat, stirring. Pour the butter mixture over oat mixture and stir until combined well.

In a large jelly roll pan spread granola evenly and bake in middle of oven, stirring halfway through baking, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool granola in pan on a rack and stir in dried fruits. Granola may be kept in an airtight container at cool room temperature 2 weeks.