So, there you have it… 53 recipes, one per week (we ended up with 53 because there is an extra Sunday this year).

These recipes were all selected by Drew and pulled from his BigOven recipe management software package. If you like the recipes, you’ll find BigOven to be very useful in collecting them!

I’m not sure what next year’s topic will be. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please let me know!

-= Exported from BigOven =-

Vasilopita (new Year Bread)

Recipe By:
Serving Size: 1
Cuisine:
Main Ingredient:
Categories: Greek

-= Ingredients =-
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 package Active Dry Yeast
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon ; Ground
3/4 cup Milk ; Lukewarm
1/4 teaspoon Masticha ; Ground
3 Eggs ; Beaten
1/2 cup Butter ; Melted
1 1/2 teaspoon Orange Rind ; Grated
1 Egg ; For Glazing
3/4 cup Caster Sugar
Blanched Almonds ; Split
4 1/2 cup Plain Flour

-= Instructions =-
New Year Bread is traditionally cut at midnight on New Year’s Eve. After baking, a coin is inserted through a slit in the base. The person who finds the coin will have luck in the New Year. Long ago the coin used to be a gold one, then later a silver coin was used. These could be incorporated into the dough before baking. Nowadays because of the nickel content of coins it is undesirable to bake a coin in the cake.

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of the milk. Add remainder of milk, eggs, orange rind and sugar. Sift 3 cups flour, salt and spice into a warm bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in yeast mixture and stir to blend in flour, gradually adding warm melted butter. Mix dough with hands until it comes away from sides. Turn on to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding remaining flour as required. Knead for 10 minutes. Place ball of dough in a clean bowl brushed with melted butter. Turn dough over to coat top with butter and cover bowl with a cloth or plastic wrap. Leav to prove (rise) in a warm place until doubled in bulk. Punch down and turn on to lightly floured surface. Knead lightly and shape into a round loaf. Place on a large greased baking sheet or in a greased 25 cm (10 inch) deep cake tin. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled - about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Glaze with well-beaten egg and arrange blanched almonds in numbers to denote the New Year, pressing in lightly. Bake in a moderately hot oven for 45 minutes until golden brown and cooked when tested. If bread browns too quickly place a piece of greased brown paper on top. Cool on a wire rack.

From: “The Complete Middle East Cookbook” by Tess Mallos

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-= Exported from BigOven =-

Baked Brie

Recipe By:
Serving Size: 8
Cuisine:
Main Ingredient:
Categories: Easy, Appetizers

-= Ingredients =-
1 Brie Round ; 5-6 Inch Diameter French Brie
1 Pastry Dough ; Pepperridge Farm Frozen is fine
1 Egg
2 tablespoons Milk

-= Instructions =-
Preheat oven to 400.

Completely enclose cheese in pastry.

Make egg wash of egg and milk. Put brie on baking sheet with seam side of dough down. Cut garnish of leaves, flowers, etc., from scraps of pastry and decorate top of Brie. Brush with egg wash.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the outside is golden, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and cook for 20 minutes longer.

Let baked brie sit for some time (1 hour) after cooking otherwise the cheese inside is molten.

Serve with crackers.

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-= Exported from BigOven =-

Pork Braised With Celery Avgolemono

Recipe By:
Serving Size: 4
Cuisine:
Main Ingredient:
Categories: Greek

-= Ingredients =-
3 pound Lean Shoulder ; Or Leg Of Pork
4 tablespoon Butter ; Or Margarine
1 Onion ; Finely Chopped
Salt & Pepper ; Freshly Ground
3 cup Hot Water ; Approximately
1 Bunch Celery
2 tablespoon Flour
2 Egg Yolks
1 1/2 Lemons ; Juice Only
Parsley ; Or Celery Leaves

-= Instructions =-
Wipe the pork with damp paper towels, then cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes (the fat and skin may be left on during the cooking and removed later). Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy pan or Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook until soft and transparent, then add the pork and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the raw meat color disappears. Season with salt and pepper, add hot water to cover, then cover and simmer gently (or bake in a 325 F oven) for 30 to 35 minutes, or until almost tender. (The timing is important because the celery is to be added and cooked with the pork only until both are tender but not overcooked.)

Meanwhile, prepare the celery. Wash the stalks and scrape the heavy ones slightly. Cut each stalk once lengthwise (if large) and then across into 1-1/2 inch slices. (Use the leaves as well, if desired, but a few might be saved for a garnish or an accompanying salad.) Add the celery to pork and continue simmering 25 minutes until both are tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pork and celery and place in a serving dish, first removing and discarding the fat from the meat. Keep warm. Skim the fat from the cooking liquid, then add water or boil down rapidly to make to make 1-1/2 cups. Keep hot while you prepare the avgolemono.

To prepare the avgolemono, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a pan. Stir in the flour, and after cooking over low heat for 1 minute, gradually add 2 cups of the hot cooking liquid from the meat. Stir until the sauce comes to a boil. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the two remaining egg yolks and add the lemon juice, droplet by droplet, beating all the while. Beat a little of the thickened cooking liquid into the yolk mixture, then add the yolks to the pan of hot liquid. Mix well and cook over low heat until thickened. Pour the hot sauce over the pork and celery, garnish with parsley or celery leaves and serve warm.

NOTE: Celeriac may be substituted for the celery. Use 2-1/2 pounds of celeriac, and peel, quarter, and cut it into 1/2 inch slices before adding it to the pork. A little scraped, diced carrot may be added with the celery.

From: “The Food of Greece” by Vilma Liacouras Chantiles. Avenel Books, New York.

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-= Exported from BigOven =-

Bill Knapp’s Chicken Marinade

This is a delightful marinade to dress up chicken.

Recipe By: http://www.cooknchat.com/recipecards/miscella
Serving Size: 0
Cuisine: American
Main Ingredient: Soy Sauce
Categories: Sauces

-= Ingredients =-
1/2 cup Honey
1/2 cup Apple Juice
2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
2/3 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Cider Vinegar
2/3 cup Vegetable Oil

-= Instructions =-
Mix all ingredients together in a blender.

Add chicken pieces and refrigerate, covered, overnight.

To grill, remove chicken from marinade, letting excess marinade drip back into dish. Cook over medium-high heat with a little oil.

To bake, remove chicken from marinade, set chicken in baking dish and bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until done.

Do not reuse marinade.

** This recipe can be pasted into BigOven without retyping. BigOven.com ID= 161269 **
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-= Exported from BigOven =-

Duck Confit

Once esteemed as a preservation method, cooking and keeping duck in its rendered fat results in meltingly tender, moist, and extremely flavorful meat which can be used in a variety of simple preparations. Sear the duck legs in a hot skillet or shred the meat and add it to salads, or, perhaps best of all, make duck rillettes. Just remember the duck must be salted a day before you plan to cook it.

Recipe By: Tom Colichhio, Gramercy Tavern, NY
Serving Size: 4
Cuisine: French
Main Ingredient: Duck
Categories: Salads, Main Dish

-= Ingredients =-
3 tablespoons Salt
4 cloves Garlic ; smashed
1 each Shallot ; peeled and sliced
6 sprigs Thyme
to taste Black pepper ; coarsely ground
4 each duck legs with thighs
4 each duck wings ; trimmed
4 cups Duck fat ; (approximate)

-= Instructions =-
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of salt in the bottom of a dish or plastic container large enough to hold the duck pieces in a single layer. Evenly scatter half the garlic, shallots, and thyme in the container. Arrange the duck, skin-side up, over the salt mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining salt, garlic, shallots, and thyme and a little pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 days.

After 1-2 days, preheat the oven to 225°F. Melt the duck fat in a small saucepan. Brush the salt and seasonings off the duck.

Arrange the duck pieces in a single snug layer in a high-sided baking dish or ovenproof saucepan. Pour the melted fat over the duck (the duck pieces should be covered by fat) and place the confit in the oven. Cook the confit slowly at a very slow simmer — just an occasional bubble — until the duck is tender and can be easily pulled from the bone, 2-3 hours. Remove the confit from the oven. Cool and store the duck in the fat. (The confit will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.)

NOTES: The duck fat can be strained, cooled, and reused.

This recipe for confit is vastly superior to a few others I’ve tried, which invariably have involved way too much salt — making the duck too tough and salty to eat in anything besides stews and cassoulet! This one is perfect and allows for use in salads and other dishes where the confit isn’t being “recooked”.

Good recipe for a salad involving the confit: Mesclun (preferably on the bitter side — add some arugula), (cold) blanched green beans, (cold) cooked French lentils (cook in salted chicken stock, perhaps with some onion bay leaf, and thyme, until just tender then cool), dried cherries in a sherry-shallot vinaigrette topped with warm shredded duck confit (about 1/2 leg per salad).

** This recipe can be pasted into BigOven without retyping. BigOven.com ID= 162167 **
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-= Exported from BigOven =-

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts and Pecorino

No more wrinkled noses when people hear you’re serving Brussels Sprouts — they’ll be begging for more. Properly cooked Brussels Sprouts are sweet, nutty, and full of good flavor. In this preparation, from Franny’s restaurant in Brooklyn, they’re also anointed with olive oil and given a good roasting. The walnuts and pecorino are perfect counterpoints. Look for fresh Brussels Sprouts on their long stalks at the farmers’ market.

Recipe By: BEST AMERICAN RECIPES 2005-2006, page 183
Serving Size: 6
Cuisine: Uncategorized
Main Ingredient: Brussels Sprouts
Categories: Roast, Vegetables, Side Dish

-= Ingredients =-
1/2 cup Walnuts
18 each Brussels Sprouts ; cut in half
to taste Extra virgin olive oil
to taste Salt and pepper
squeeze Fresh lemon juice
to taste Pecorino Toscano ; optional, for topping

-= Instructions =-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Toast the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet for about 10 minutes, or until they smell toasty; set aside. Crumble them when they’re cool enough to handle.

Turn the oven up to 450 degrees.

Toss the Brussels Sprouts in a bowl with enough olive oil to coat each sprout, 2 to 3 tablespoons. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange the sprouts in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes or until fork-tender and some of the leaves have become crunchy.

Let the sprouts cool on the baking sheet, then toss in a large bowl with the walnuts. Drizzle liberally with olive oil, add a squeeze of lemon, and season with salt and pepper. Shave some of the pecorino on top and serve warm.

** This recipe can be pasted into BigOven without retyping. BigOven.com ID= 162285 **
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-= Exported from BigOven =-

Sausage & Cheese Strata

Recipe By: www.drewvogel.com
Serving Size: 16
Cuisine: Uncategorized
Main Ingredient: Eggs
Categories: Christmas, Advance, Easy, Breakfast

-= Ingredients =-
1/4 cup Butter ; Softened
6 slices Firm White Bread
2 pound Bulk Sausage
3/4 pound Cheddar Cheese ; Grated
6 each Large Eggs
1 1/4 cup Milk
1/2 cup White Wine
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
6 each Green Onions ; thinly sliced, green parts only

-= Instructions =-
1. Lightly butter a 9×12 glass baking pan.

2. Spread the bread with butter and cut into 1/4 inch cubes, leaving on the crusts.

3. Cook sausage and drain well.

4. Layer half the bread cubes in the pan, top with half the sausage, and 1 cup of cheese.

5. Repeat until all is used.

6. Beat eggs until light and lemon colored.

7. Beat in milk, wine, garlic powder, and mustard. Pour over pan.

8. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

9. Uncover and bake in preheated 325 oven for 1 hour or until lightly browned.

Top with remaining cheese and green onions, and serve.

** This recipe can be pasted into BigOven without retyping. **
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-= Exported from BigOven =-

Banana Bread — Wendy’s Favorite

Recipe By:
Serving Size: 8
Cuisine:
Main Ingredient:
Categories: Easy, Desserts, Bread

-= Ingredients =-
3 ea Bananas
2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 cup Wheat Germ
1/2 cup Butter ; Melted
2 ea Eggs
1 cup Apple Juice Concentrate

-= Instructions =-
1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Mash the bananas. Set aside.

3. Mix together flour, salt, baking soda, and wheat germ. Set aside.

4. Mix together melted butter, 2 eggs, and apple juice concentrate. Fold in flour mix & bananas.

5. Bake in greased bread pan for 1 hour.

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                      -= Exported from BigOven =-

Arugula and Goat Cheese Ravioli

Homemade ravioli are well worth the effort, and making them is the perfect task to share with a kitchen full of cooks (even novices can get in on the fun). Mixing the pasta dough is a breeze in the food processor, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry — we’ve given the method for making the dough by hand as well. A brown-butter pine-nut sauce is light enough to let your efforts on the pasta really shine through.

Recipe By: Gourmet magazine, February 2007, page 86
Serving Size: 8
Cuisine:
Main Ingredient:
Categories: Gourmet Magazine, Hors dOeuvres

-= Ingredients =-
~~ PASTA DOUGH — or use wonton wrappers, thawed ~~
2 cups cake flour ; (not self-rising)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour ; plus additional for kneading
4 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
~~ FILLING ~~
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic ; finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound arugula ; trimmed
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest ; finely grated
1/2 cup soft mild goat cheese ; (4 1/2 oz)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese ; (preferably fresh; 4 1/2 oz)
~~ SAUCE ~~
1/2 stick Unsalted butter ; (1/4 cup)
1/3 cup pine nuts ; (1 1/2 oz)
1 tablespoon garlic ; finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup arugula ; chopped

-= Instructions =-
Special equipment: a pasta maker preparation

TO MAKE PASTA DOUGH IN FOOD PROCESSOR:
Blend together all dough ingredients in processor until mixture just begins to form a ball. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface, incorporating only as much additional flour as necessary to keep dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature 1 hour (to make rolling easier).

TO MAKE PASTA DOUGH BY HAND:
Whisk together flours in a bowl, then mound flour mixture on a work surface, preferably wooden, and make a well in center. Add yolks, oil, salt, and water to well. With a fork, gently beat yolks, oil, and water until combined. Gradually stir in enough flour to form a paste, pulling in flour closest to egg mixture and being careful not to make an opening in outer wall of well. Knead remaining flour into mixture with your hands to form a dough (it will be soft and sticky). Knead dough until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Cover with an inverted bowl and let stand 1 hour (to make rolling easier).

MAKE FILLING WHILE DOUGH STANDS:
Heat butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then add garlic, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic begins to turn golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add arugula and zest and cook, turning with tongs, until arugula is wilted, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer arugula mixture to a fine-mesh sieve and press with back of a wooden spoon to extract excess liquid, then finely chop.

Stir together arugula mixture and cheeses in a bowl.

MAKE RAVIOLI:
Cut dough into 8 equal pieces. Cover 7 pieces with plastic wrap and pat out remaining piece into a flat rectangle. Generously dust with flour.

Set rollers of pasta maker on widest setting. Feed rectangle, a short side first, through rollers. Fold rectangle in thirds, like a letter, and feed it, a short side first, through rollers. Repeat 6 or 7 more times, folding dough in thirds and feeding it through rollers, a short side first each time, dusting with flour to prevent sticking. Turn dial to next (narrower) setting and feed dough through rollers without folding, a short side first. Continue to feed dough through without folding, making space between rollers narrower each time, until the second to narrowest setting is used. (Do not roll too thin or pasta will tear when filled.)

Put sheet of dough on a lightly floured kitchen towel (not terry cloth) with a long side nearest you. Drop 5 or 6 rounded teaspoon-size mounds of filling 1 1/2 inches apart in a row down center of right half of sheet, then lift left half of sheet and drape over mounds. Press down firmly but gently around each mound, forcing out air. (Air pockets increase the chance that ravioli will break during cooking.) Cut pasta (between mounds) with a sharp knife into roughly 2 1/2-inch squares. Line a large shallow baking pan with a clean dry kitchen towel (not terry cloth), then arrange ravioli in 1 layer in it. Make more ravioli with remaining pieces of dough and remaining filling in same manner, transferring to lined pan.

MAKE SAUCE:
Heat butter in cleaned 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook pine nuts, stirring frequently, until pale golden, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, pepper, and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic begins to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and oil, swirling skillet to combine, and remove from heat. (Leave sauce in skillet.)

COOK RAVIOLI:
Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a gentle boil. While water is heating, reheat sauce over low heat if necessary.

Add half of ravioli to gently boiling water, carefully stirring to separate, and cook, adjusting heat to keep at a gentle boil, until pasta is just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Lift cooked ravioli with a slotted spoon, draining well over pot, then transfer to skillet with sauce and gently swirl skillet to coat pasta. Transfer ravioli to a platter with half of sauce and sprinkle evenly with half of chopped fresh arugula. Repeat with remaining pasta, sauce, and arugula.

NOTES:
* Dough can be made (but not rolled out) 6 hours ahead and chilled, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.
* Ravioli can be made (but not cooked) 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered with plastic wrap, in towel-lined baking pan.
* Filling can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
* I’ve made this recipe several times using different mixtures of greens (arugula/spinach even a little chard) as well as different proportions of goat cheese and fresh ricotta, depending on the bite of the greens or desired sweetness of the result. Each has been successful and raved about by diners! A great Sunday “project” meal.

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