Breakfast Dijon Rice “Pudding” and Chicken Bowls

    Serves 4

    40 teaspoons brown rice

    2 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed, patted dry, and trimmed of visible fat

    ½ teaspoon paprika

    ⅜ teaspoon sea salt, divided

    ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    ½ tablespoon olive oil

    ½ cup frozen unsweetened dark cherries, thawed and halved

    8 teaspoons low-fat sour cream

    ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard

    2 tablespoons skim milk

    ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

    ¾ teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ packet stevia

½ tablespoon safflower oil

1 packed cup spinach, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

¼ teaspoon finely grated orange zest

2 tablespoons water

1. Cook rice according to package directions; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, sprinkle both sides of chicken with paprika, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and pepper.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high.  Add chicken and cherries and cook for 5-6 minutes per side, until cooked through..  Remove from skillet and transfer to a large plate.  Cover and set aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add sour cream, Dijon, milk, lemon juice, tarragon, and maple syrup.  Bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom and sides of skillet with a wooden spoon.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and stevia.  Uncover chicken and slice into strips.  Spoon ½ tablespoon sour cream mixture over top, dividing evenly.  Cover and set aside.
4. Add rice, safflower oil, spinach, cinnamon, lemon zest, orange zest, water, and remaining salt to remaining sour cream mixture.  Stir gently until spinach is wilted, about 20 seconds.  Spoon onto serving plates and top with chicken mixture, dividing evenly.

Indian-Style Penne with Broccoli Sauce

    Serves 4

    1 tablespoon sesame oil

    ½ tablespoon mustard seeds

    ½ chile de arbol, crumbled (or ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes)

    1 clove garlic, minced

    1 tablespoon olive oil

    2¾ cups steamed broccoli

    2 cloves garlic, pressed

    ½ teaspoon sea salt

    ¼ cup water

    2 tablespoons dried unsweetened coconut

    ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

    4 ounces whole-wheat penne

    ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano or Toscano cheese

1. In a heavy sauté pan, heat sesame oil on medium-high.  Add mustard seeds and cook until seeds begin to pop, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add chile and minced garlic; cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Add olive oil, steamed broccoli, pressed garlic, and sea salt; sauté, stirring to coat, until lightly browned and warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add water, coconut, and pepper.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli breaks down into a chunky sauce, 35 to 40 minutes.
2. Cook penne according to package directions; drain and fold into sauce.  Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Sprinkle with cheese.

Seeded Mustard-Cornmeal-Chive Biscuits

Serves 12 (serving size: 1 biscuit)

1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4½ ounces)

1 cup whole-wheat flour (about 4¾ ounces)

½ cup stone-ground whole-grain cornmeal (about 2½ ounces)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ tablespoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

½ tablespoon extravirgin olive oil

3½ tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

½ tablespoon water

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

½ teaspoon country-style Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon honey

Cooking spray

1 egg white, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Lightly spoon flours and cornmeal into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, cornmeal, chives, sugar, kosher salt, baking soda, mustard seeds, baking powder, pepper, and salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Cut in oil and butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add vinegar, water, buttermilk, mustard, and honey; stir with a whisk just until moist.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to a ¾-inch thickness; cut with a 2½-inch biscuit cutter into 9 biscuits. Gather remaining dough. Roll to a ¾-inch thickness, and cut with a 2½-inch biscuit cutter into 3 biscuits. Place biscuits on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush tops of biscuits with egg white. Combine poppy seeds and sesame seeds in a small bowl, and sprinkle seed mixture evenly over biscuit tops. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until biscuits are golden; place on a wire rack.

Fruity Sparkling Baked Beans

Serves 12 (serving size: about ¾ cup)

½ pound dried navy beans (about 1 cup)

Cooking spray

8 teaspoons brandy

¾ cup chopped yellow onion

8 teaspoons peach schnapps

¼ cup diced salt pork (about 2 ounces)

6 tablespoons maple syrup, divided

¾ tablespoon sugar

2¾ cups water

1 (750-milliliter) bottle white Rioja wine

¾ tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ lemon, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon salt

½ small navel orange, quartered and sliced

⅛ teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

½ green apple, cored and sliced

½ ripe peach, peeled and sliced

½ (12-ounce bottle sparkling water, chilled

1. Sort and wash beans; place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain beans.
2. Preheat oven to 325°.
3. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat oven with cooking spray. Add brandy, onion, schnapps, and pork to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add beans, ¼ cup syrup, and next 10 ingredients (through peach); bring to a boil. Cover and bake at 325° for 2½ hours or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Stir in remaining syrup and sparkling water; serve immediately.

Cinnamon-Corn-Maple Applesauce

Serves 8 (serving size: about 1 cup)

½ cup maple syrup

¼ cup water

4 cups chopped peeled apple (about 4 medium apples)

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon canola oil

¼ cup unpopped popcorn kernels

2 tablespoons maple sugar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1. Combine syrup and water in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Add apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg; cover and cook over medium-low heat 25 minutes or until tender. Mash apples with a potato masher. Cook, uncovered, 15 minutes.
2. Add oil to apple mixture; increase heat to medium-high. Add popcorn, sugar, and salt to pan; cover and cook 3 minutes or until kernels begin to pop, stirring frequently. Continue cooking 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. When popping slows down, remove pan from heat. Let stand, covered, until all popping stops.

Potato-Banana-Yam Sundaes with Bacon-Fudge-Spinach Sauce

5 servings

3 slices applewood-smoked bacon (about 3 ounces), cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces

½ large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, pressed

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice

1½ very ripe bananas, peeled, each cut crosswise into 4 pieces

1 5-ounce yam (red-skinned sweet potato), peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into ¹/₃-inch-thick slices

1 medium Yukon Gold potato (about 5 ounces), quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into ¹/₃-inch-thick slices

1 medium red-skinned potato (about 5 ounces), quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into ¹/₃-inch-thick slices

½ 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, divided

½ cup half and half

2 to 2½ cups low-salt chicken broth

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ 5- to 6-ounce package baby spinach

¼ cup bittersweet chocolate chips

½ ripe banana, peeled, diced (for garnish)

Salt and pepper

1. Sauté bacon in large pot over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
2. Add onion to drippings in pot; increase heat to medium-high and sauté until beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice. Stir until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add banana and all potatoes; stir to coat.
3. Add ¾ cup condensed milk, half and half, 2 cupsbroth, corn syrup, and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid slightly ajar. Simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Puree broth mixture in processor until smooth. Transfer to ice cream maker; process according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to container. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
5. Heat ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk and ½ tablespoon broth in small saucepan over medium heat; add spinach, chocolate, and bacon. Stir until melted and smooth, adding more broth by teaspoonfuls if sauce is very thick.
6. Divide ice cream among bowls. Drizzle sauce over; top with diced banana, salt, and pepper.

March Menu

Course #3.5

1. Seeded Mustard-Cornmeal-Chive Biscuits

Course #4

1. Chinese Five-Spice Jalapeño-Wine-Corn Pudding
2. Fruity Sparkling Baked Beans

Course #4.5

1. Breakfast Dijon Rice “Pudding” and Chicken Bowls

Course #6

1. Potato-Banana-Yam Sundaes with Bacon-Chocolate-Spinach Sauce

Course #7

1. Cinnamon-Corn-Maple Applesauce (side)

Chinese Five-Spice Jalapeño-Wine-Corn Pudding

8 servings

¼ cup water

¼ cup sugar

½ 750-mL bottle bold red wine (such as Zinfandel or Syrah)

½ cup ruby Port

3 cinnamon sticks

1 whole star anise

3 whole cloves

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

¼ teaspoon whole white peppercorns, cracked

1 tablespoon (¹/₈ stick) butter

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup fresh corn kernels cut from ½ large ear of corn

8 teaspoons finely chopped seeded jalapeño chiles

3 garlic cloves, chopped

½ cup cornmeal

¾ cup whole milk

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

½ cup chopped roasted red bell peppers from jar, drained

¼ cup chopped green onions

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 medium eggs, separated

½ cup Cognac or brandy

½ cup coarsely grated Manchego cheese or sharp cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Butter 2-quart shallow baking dish.
2. Bring water and sugar to boil in small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove syrup from heat; reserve.
3. Combine red wine and next 6 ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Bring mixture almost to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook just below simmer for 4 minutes.
4. Add butter to red wine mixture; increase heat to medium-high. Add onion, corn, jalapeño, and garlic; sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in cornmeal. Add milk and cream; stir over medium heat until thick batter forms, about 2 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Stir in red peppers, green onions, cilantro, salt, and pepper; cool 15 minutes. Stir in egg yolks.
5. Using mixer with clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites with Cognac and ¼ cup reserved syrup until soft peaks form. Fold whites into batter. Transfer to dish. Sprinkle with cheese.