vanilla cheesecake squares

adapted from dan barber via gourmet | august 2008
Serves 8 to 10

For crust
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup blanched almonds, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For filling
3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Make crust:

Preheat oven to 350ºF with rack in middle.

Line a 9-inch square baking pan with 2 crisscrossed sheets of foil, leaving an overhang on 2 sides, then lightly butter foil.
Beat together butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add flour, cinnamon and almonds, mixing until combined and dough begins to clump together.
Press onto bottom of baking pan with floured fingers.
Bake just until a shade darker and edges begin to pull away from pan, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan.

Make filling and bake:

Reduce oven temperature to 325ºF.

Beat together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and flour with cleaned beaters at medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add half-and-half, then eggs 1 at a time, mixing until incorporated. Pour filling into crust.

Bake in a hot water bath until set 1 1/2 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 40 to 45 minutes. (Center will set as it cools.) Transfer pan to a rack and cool completely, about 2 hours. Chill, uncovered, at least 2 hours.

Using foil overhang, lift cheesecake from pan and peel off foil before cutting into small rectangles. (it helps to rinse off the knife in very hot water after each cut)

Cheesecake can be chilled (loosely covered once cold) up to 3 days.

Pasta with Goat Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Shrimp

8 oz pasta (I used whole wheat spaghetti)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
8 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lemon wedge
2 oz goat cheese
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Add pasta to a pot of boiling water and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining.

Heat oil and butter over medium high heat in a saute pan. Add garlic and red pepper, stirring and cooking until garlic just begins to brown. Add sun-dried tomatoes and shrimp, cooking shrimp thoroughly. Turn off the heat. Squeeze the juice from the lemon wedge and crumble the goat cheese over the hot shrimp.

Add pasta to saute pan with a bit of the reserved pasta water. Toss until pasta is coated, adding more water to reach desired consistency. Divide between two bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

Mushroom, Asparagus, Gruyere & Egg Casserole

Ingredients

8 large eggs
1 bunch fresh asparagus (approximately 1 pound), rinsed, trimmed and cut into 1 & 1/2-inch pieces
3-4 ounces (about 1/2 cup) sliced mushrooms
3 ounces grated Gruyere, divided
1 medium shallot, minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 controlled splash of dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

to prepare

Gently steam asparagus pieces for approximately 3 minutes, remove from heat and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F for baking. Spray your favorite casserole dish (approximately 9&1/2″ x 9&1/2″ x 1&1/2″ in size) with non-stick cooking spray.

to make the casserole

In a large bowl, break eggs and whisk gently. Add 2 ounces grated Gruyere (reserve remaining for garnish), minced shallot and garlic, splash of dry white wine, Herbes de Provence, salt and freshly ground black pepper; whisk until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Stir in steamed asparagus and sliced mushrooms. Pour egg mixture into prepared casserole dish and place on center rack of preheated, 350 degree F oven; bake for approximately 30-35 minutes (depending on size and depth of your casserole dish and accuracy of your oven). Casserole is done when eggs are set in the middle, i.e. eggs no longer jiggle when casserole dish is moved back and forth.

When eggs are set, remove casserole dish from oven and and sprinkle with remaining ounce of grated Gruyere. Cut into 4 large wedges (or 6-8 smaller ones) and serve warm.

Pair with warm, crusty bread and a mixed green sald or fruit. Optional—top bread and salad with a slight drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a bit of grated Gruyere if desired. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 servings

Chicken Bok Choy

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Equipment

wok

Ingredients

1 pound bok choy (or 1 pound baby bok choy)
4 tablespoons canola oil
3 (about 1 pound/454 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips 1/2 inch/5 mm thick
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 ounces (4 tablespoons/60 ml) chicken stock or broth

Preparation

1. Trim off the stem of the bok choy, separate the stalks, and rinse each clean of dirt and debris. Cut each stem into 2-inch pieces, then spit them in half or thirds lengthwise. Set aside. (If using baby bok choy, just trim the stems and rinse well.)

2. Set the cold wok on the burner, pour in 2 tablespoons of the canola oil down the side of the wok and swirl to distribute. Add the garlic and ginger and turn on the heat, cooking until the wok is hot. Keep an eye on it so the garlic and ginger don’t burn.

3. Add the sliced chicken and cook for about 2 minutes, until the meat starts turning white. Remove to a plate and cover.

4. Pour in the rest of the canola oil and the bok choy (can do it in two batches if necessary). Stir for about 2 minutes, then add the scallions and cook until the vegetables are bright green and just tender.

5. Return the chicken to the wok and add the soy sauce and chicken stock. Cook for form 1 to 2 minutes, until evenly heated.

6. Serve with steamed rice.

Garlic Cheese Drop Biscuits

Yield 12

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Heat the oven to 350 F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Blend the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and garlic powder into a large bowl.

With your fingers, blend the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse sand with pea sized lumps of butter in it. Stir in the shredded cheeses.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the buttermilk in. With a spoon, gently mix until the dry ingredients are just moist. Do not overmix.

Scoop the biscuits onto the parchment line sheet (roughly 1/3 cup - I used a large disher) and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The tops will be pale, but the bottoms will be lightly golden brown.

Brush the tops with the melted butter and place under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the tops become golden.

Serve warm.

Sweet Potato, Squash and Apple Soup

Serves 10 to 12

1 medium kabocha squash, cubed
3 large sweet potatoes, cubed
3 carrots, chopped
3 apples, cubed
1 red onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cups broth (chicken or veggie)
2 cinnamon sticks
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons ginger, minced
3 tablespoons honey
Kosher salt
Olive oil

1. In a large bowl, toss squash, sweet potatoes, apples, half of the red onion and half of the chopped carrots with the ginger and garlic. Swirl in a bit of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. Roast on two sheet pans in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until pieces have softened and browned. Set aside once done.
2. As vegetables roast, mix celery, and remaining carrots and red onions in a deep pot. Swirl in a tad more olive oil and heat over a medium high flame, stirring to make sure vegetables brown but do not burn.
3. Once veggies in the pot have begun to go translucent, approximately 5-10 minutes, pour in broth and add cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow to cook until carrots and celery are soft but not mushy, approx. 10-15 minutes.
4. Spoon roasted vegetables into simmering vegetables, pour in honey and stir just until everything is just incorporated. Pull out cinnamon stick. Ladle into a blender or food processor and blend until the soup reaches your preferred consistency. (Add more broth if you prefer a very smooth, puréed soup.) Salt to taste and serve with a healthy sprinkling of parsley.

S'mores Bars

3/4 cup of butter (1 1/2 sticks) room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar*
2 large eggs*
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 2/3 cup all purpose flour
2 cups graham cracker crumbs*
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 giant sized milk chocolate bars (I used Hershey's)
1 7.5 oz jar of marshmallow fluff (or more if you want a thicker layer of marshmallow)

*Healthy Swaps: I used 3/4 cup of sugar as opposed to 1 full cup, egg whites instead of whole eggs (2 egg whites per egg called for), and I crushed Low Fat graham crackers for my graham cracker crumbs.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate medium sized bowl whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix until combined (use low speed on electric mixer).

Divide dough in half. Press half of the dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place the chocolate bars in a layer on top of the dough. I fit two giant Hershey bars side by side and then almost all of the third one, I had to take off one column of squares on the third Hershey bar and then laid it next to the other two. Whatever kind you use, if necessary break the chocolate to get it to fit in a single layer over the graham cracker. Spread marshmallow fluff over chocolate layer. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough with your hands into small square shingles and laying them together).

Bake for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

1/2 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 c. peanut butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour (You can use only all-purpose flour if you’re so inclined.)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. quick oats
chopped peanut butter cups

Stir together melted butter and sugars and thoroughly combined. Add egg and mix well. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; stir to combine. Stir in oats. Press mixture into a 9×13 pan (lightly greased). Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chopped candy bars on top. Return to oven until golden brown and baked through, about 8-10 more minutes.

Salmon with Sweet and Spicy Rub

Recipe from Ellie Krieger, The Food You Crave

cooking spray
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin and any pin bones removed
1 tablespoon olive oil

Coat your grill or a grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over medium heat. While the grill is heating, combine the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Brush each salmon fillet with 1/2 teaspoon of the oil, then rub each fillet with about 1/2 tablespoon of the spice mixture. Grill the salmon, flesh side down, until charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the salmon and cook another 5 to 6 minutes for medium doneness. For well done fish, cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to a platter and serve immediately.

Chipotle Cheddar Biscuits

from Baked: New Frontiers In Baking

2 1/3 c. all purpose flour
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 T. chipotle powder
1 T. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 t. cream of tartar
1 t. salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
2 c. grated and tightly packed cheddar cheese (sharp or medium)
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
1 large egg
Kosher salt for topping

Preheat oven to 400*F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the butter and work in using your hands until the mixture looks like coarse sand (this is similar to making pie dough). Add the cheese and stir to incorporate into the dough.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Add to the dry mixture and stir until just combined. Do not overmix. My dough seemed extremely wet at this point, more like a muffin batter than a biscuit dough. After sitting for a couple minutes it should tighten up.
Scoop about 1/4 cup of dough for each biscuit and drop in mounds about 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt and bake in the center of the oven for about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time. Biscuits are done when they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a biscuit comes out clean.

Transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container. Should be eaten in 1 day because will be dry on the 2nd day.

Tomato Eggs Recipe

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
8 oz. fresh tomato (cut into thin wedges)
1 teaspoon shaoxing wine (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 dashes white pepper powder
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons cooking oil

Method:
Break the eggs into a bowl and use chopsticks to beat the eggs until they break thoroughly. Add salt, sesame oil, shaoxing wine, white pepper powder, and lightly beat to blend well. Set aside.
Heat up a wok with 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Add the egg mixture into the wok, and use your spatula to spread the eggs. Keep stirring until the eggs form lumps. Gently break the lumps into smaller pieces. As soon as the eggs are cooked, dish out and set aside.

Clean the wok and heat it up again with 1 tablespoon cooking oil. Drop the tomato wedges into the wok and do a few quick stirs. Add sugar and water into the tomatoes. Cover it with the lid and let it cook for about 30 seconds. Transfer the eggs and chopped scallions into the tomatoes, stir-fry for 30 seconds or so, dish out and serve immediately.

Sesame Chicken

sauce from Kitchen Snippets

1 lb chicken cut into inch cubes
1 large head broccoli, cut into little chunks and steamed
1 Tbs whole wheat floursalt and pepper to taste

sauce
3 tbsp of sweet chili sauce
2 tbsp of tomato ketchup
1- 2 tbsp of honey (depend on how sweet you want)
1 tbsp of oyster sauce
2 tbsp of light soy sauce
1/4 cup of water
some toasted sesame seed

1. Dredge chicken in flour and salt and pepper. Shake off excess and set aside. In batches in a olive oil spray covered frying pan, lightly cook chicken a few minutes each side. Remove from pan and place in a large bowl
2. Place broccoli in a steamer basket over hot water and cover, cook until bright in color but not soggy. Once cooked toss in with cooked chicken
3. Mix all the sauce ingredients together and pour into a pan. Bring it up to a boil and let the sauce thicken a bit.
4. Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli and toss it gently until evenly coated with the sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with warm brown rice.

Parmesan-Herb Biscuits

(from Bon Appétit magazine)

2 cups all-purpose flour
6 Tbsp. nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried tarragon
1 tsp. dried basil
½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
¾ cup (or more) ice water

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Whisk first 9 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Add butter and cut in with fingertips until very coarse meal forms. Gradually add ¾ cup ice water, tossing until moist clumps form and adding 1 or 2 tablespoons more water if needed to form a slightly sticky dough.
2. Gather dough into ball. Sprinkle work surface with flour. Using floured hands, press dough into 6-inch square. Cut dough into nine 2-inch square biscuits. Arrange biscuits with sides touching on ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake biscuits until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Separate biscuits slightly and cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 9 biscuits.

Green Bean Salad with Egg and Pinenuts

(SERVES 1)

175 GR of green beans
1 - 2 eggs
50 gr feta
some toasted pinenuts
fresh parsley
dried Italian herbs
mayonaise

Cook the beans for about 10 minutes untill they are soft enough but still have a nice bite. Cook the eggs untill they are hard or whatever you like best. Toast the pinenuts in a dry frying pan. Mix the mayonaise with finely chopped parsley and some dried Italian herbs (ofcourse you can use fresh if you have it around)

Once the beans are cooked, rinse them under cold water and mix with the mayonaise and one of the (chopped) eggs. You can add some feta to this if you like. Put the beans in a bowl and sprinkle with toasted pinenuts. Slice the other egg and put on top as decoration. It tastes real good with a piece of toasted bread.

Cantonese Roast Pork (Char Siu)

From Appetite for China

Serves 4
1 1/2 pounds pork belly, unsliced
2 tablespoons rice wine
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1/2 teaspoon
5-spice powder
2 tablespoons honey

In a large bowl, mix together rice wine, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, garlic, hoisin sauce, and 5-spice powder. Rub pork belly with marinade mixture and marinate for 2 to 3 hours in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 325° F. Rub excess marinade off pork belly (but don't rub it all off!) and place in a roasting pan. Roast pork for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping the pork belly over after 20 minutes and brushing honey on the surface. The pork is done when the outsides begin to crisp and blacken, and center of the pork belly strip feels as firm as a tight fist.

Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice roast pork into thin pieces. Serve with rice or noodles.

Ginger and Scallion Steamed Crab

Serves 4
2 pounds whole crab
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
1 small piece ginger, thinly sliced
1 stalk scallion, cut to 2-inch lengths
1 cup water
2 teaspoons salt

Clean and separate the crab into pieces: rinse well under cold water, carefully removing the yellow gills or spongy insides. Twist apart the legs and claws. With the blunt side of the cleaver, crack the legs and larger front claws and set aside. (This makes the crab easier to eat after it's cooked.)

In a small pot, bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in salt.

Heat oil in the wok over medium-high heat. Stir-fry ginger and scallions until aromatic, about 1 minutes. Add crab pieces and stir-fry for another minute. Add salted water, then cover the wok and let the crab steam for 10 minutes. Transfer to serving dish.

Chinese Braised Pork Ribs

1 rack baby back ribs, about 2 - 2 1/2 lbs
2 T canola oil
1/2 c soy sauce
1 c sweetened rice wine (we find this in the Asian section of the grocery store)
1/4 c hoisin sauce
1/4 t red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh ginger, peeled & minced
2 T honey

Cut the rack of ribs into separate ribs. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven. Add the ribs & brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients & bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat & simmer for 45 minutes, stirring from time to time.

Remove lid & let boil gently until the sauce is thickened & coating the ribs, 15 - 20 minutes.

Serves 3 -4 (depending on how many ribs you serve per person.)We served our ribs with rice & a side of baby bok choy sautéed in a little sesame oil.

Chicken Stew with Onions, Tomatoes, and Dijon Recipe

Ingredients
1 whole head garlic
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
One 3-4 pound whole chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces (2 breasts, wings, thighs, legs)
6 medium red onions (about 2 pounds)
One 28 to 32 ounce can good quality whole peeled tomatoes, drained
1 Tbsp fresh thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 bay leaves
A pinch of chile powder
1/3 cup dry white wine
3 Tbsp old-fashioned whole seed Dijon mustard (or 1/4 cup regular Dijon mustard)

Method
1 Preheat oven to 400°F.
2 Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic. Place garlic head on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle olive oil over the garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap the garlic head with the foil and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until the flesh of the cloves are light brown feel very soft when pressed with the tip of a knife. Set aside to cool.
3 While the garlic is roasting, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (with lid) or Dutch oven, on medium high heat. Rinse the chicken pieces in cold water then pat dry with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
Brown the chicken pieces, starting them skin-side down, cooking them a few minutes on each side, working in batches so that you don't crowd the pan.
4 While the chicken is browning, peel and quarter the onions. Remove chicken from pan when nicely golden with tongs or a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate. Discard any fat and oil beyond about 1 Tbsp left in the pan. Put the onions in the pot and cook them until softened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
5 Add the tomatoes to the pot, the thyme, bay leaves, and ground chile powder. Put the chicken pieces on top of the tomatoes. Pour in the wine and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 40 minutes, stirring from time to time so that the vegetables don't stick.
6 After the garlic has cooled enough to handle, squeeze out the roasted garlic from the cloves into a small bowl and crush with a fork. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to serve with the chicken stew.
7 When the chicken has cooked, add the mustard to the pot and stir to blend. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook uncovered for 10 more minutes, or until the sauce is thick enough to cling to the meat. Remove bay leaves. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve stew over rice or pasta, with the garlic paste on the side.

Serves 4 to 6.

Spicy Chinese Cucumber Salad

2 lbs. cucumbers (my favorite are the Persian cucumbers)
1/2-1 tsp salt
2-3 tbsps rice vinegar, to taste
1/2-1 tbsp sesame oil, to taste
1/2 tbsp sugar, to taste
2-3 tbsps soy sauce, to taste
1/2-1 tbsp chili paste, to taste (optional)

Wash and then peel the cucumber skins in alternating stripes (or peel completely or not at all). Slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise and scoop the seeds and pulp out with a spoon. Slice the cucumbers into 1/4-inch pieces. Sprinkle the cucumber slices with the salt and toss to coat evenly. Cover and place in refrigerator for an hour.

After an hour, squeeze the cucumber slices of as much liquid as possible with your hand. In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber with the rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Add a little soy sauce and mix the salad. Taste and add more soy sauce until you reach the desired saltiness. Stir in the chili paste and serve cold or you can let it sit for a day in the sauce in the refrigerator - it will taste even better.

Apple Pancakes

Makes 8 small pancakes

1 egg
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
3 heaping TBSP flour
1 Apple, peeled & cored, preferably Granny Smith or Cortland
Vegetable oil for frying

Using a fork or small whisk, beat egg with sugar in a medium bowl. Mix in the milk and then the flour.
Coarsely grate the peeled and cored apple. Add the apple to the batter mixture.
You are looking for a thick but pourable consistency, so adjust the flour and milk accordingly.
In a large saute pan, heat about 1/8" worth of oil over medium heat. When hot, add a large tablespoon of the batter mixture and gently fry until golden brown, turning once, approximately 5 - 7 minutes total cooking time.
Allow to cool slightly and serve with fruit preserves or jam.

10-Minute Roast Salmon with a Basil and Sweet Pepper Sauce

Adapted from “Summer (Le Cordon Bleu Home Collection)”
Serves 4
2 roasted red bell peppers
1/3 cup olive oil
4 salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each, scaled but not skinned
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Puree the peppers in a food processor, and slowly add the olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan, and gently heat the sauce on low.
3. Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a roasting pan over high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper, and place it in the pan, skin-side up. Bake for 2 minutes. Then turn and bake for about 6 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through.
4. Just before serving, add the basil to the sauce. Plate the salmon, and spoon the sauce over it.

Serve immediately.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Chickpea Wheatberry Salad

(makes 4 side dish sized servings)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound squash (peeled, seeded and cut into bite sized pieces)
1 cup wheatberries (cook as directed)
1 cup chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1/4 cup red onion (chopped)
2 tablespoons cilantro
1/4 cup tahini, lemon and yogurt dressing

Directions:
1. Toss the squash in the oil, salt and pepper to coat.
2. Bake in a single layer in a preheated 400F oven for 30 minutes flipping once in the middle.
3. Mix the squash, chickpeas, red onion and cilantro and top with the dressing.

Tahini, Lemon and Yogurt Dressing
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup cup Greek yogurt (or regular plain yogurt)
1 clove garlic (grated)
salt and pepper to taste* olive oil or water

Directions:
1. Mix everything and add olive oil or water to get it to the desired consistency.