Sautéed Wild Mushrooms, Served On Toasted Bagel with Prosciutto and Poached Eggs

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• ¾ cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup shallot, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 pound assorted wild mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, finely sliced
• 4 eggs
• 2 bagels, split and toasted
• Olive oil for toasted bagels
• 4 thin slices prosciutto

Directions

1. Place large high-sided saucepan on medium heat and fill (nearly) to top with water.
2. Stir in vinegar and bring to boil.
3. While water is heating, place large heavy-based fry pan over medium heat.
4. Add oil and butter and sweat shallots and garlic for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Add mushrooms and sauté for 5 more minutes.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss in parsley.
7. While mushrooms are cooking, crack one egg into coffee cup or small bowl and then gently transfer the egg to the barely simmering water.
8. Repeat with three more eggs.
9. Cook eggs for about 3 minutes, or until whites are set but the yolks are still runny.
10. Using slotted spoon, carefully remove eggs from the simmering water and set them on paper towel to drain excess water.
11. Set toasted bagel halves cut side up on 4 plates.
12. Fold prosicutto over bagels, spoon eggs onto prosciutto and top with a few spoonfuls of mushrooms.
13. Serve immediately.

Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon and Chives

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• ⅔ cup light cream
• ½ cup 1-inch pieces fresh chives
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 slices sourdough bread
• 8 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese
• 4 ounces cold-smoked salmon
• 4 lemon wedges

Directions

1. Using fork, mix eggs, cream, chives, salt, and pepper in large bowl to blend.
2. Melt butter in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.
3. Add egg mixture to pan.
4. Once eggs become just set on bottom of skillet, constantly stir egg mixture very slowly with silicone spatula, scraping the egg mixture from bottom of pan for 8 minutes, or until eggs are no longer runny.
5. Toast sourdough bread, then spread with cream cheese.
6. Place toast, cream cheese side up, on each plate and top with smoked salmon.
7. Spoon the egg mixture over the toast, and serve with lemon wedges.

Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes with Strawberry-Maple Syrup

(Makes 6 servings—12 pancakes)

Ingredients

Syrup:
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel (from 1 orange)
• ½ vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, cored and quartered

Pancakes:

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
• ½ cup instant oats
• 3 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups 1 percent low-fat buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

To make syrup:
1. In heavy medium saucepan, combine maple syrup and orange zest.
2. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into syrup then add bean.
3. Bring syrup to boil over high heat.
4. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in strawberries.
5. Cover and set aside off heat for 15 minutes.
6. Before serving, rewarm syrup over medium-low heat just until hot but not simmering, if necessary. Discard vanilla bean.

To make pancakes:

7. In large bowl, whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to blend.
8. In medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, and oil to blend.
9. Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and stir with wooden spoon just until moist but still lumpy.
10. Heat large nonstick griddle pan or heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Spray pan with nonstick spray.
11. Using about ⅓ cup of batter for each pancake, spoon batter onto griddle and cook until pancakes are golden brown and puffed, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
12. Wipe griddle or skillet with paper towels and spray with nonstick spray before cooking each batch of pancakes.
13. Transfer pancakes to plates.
14. Top with butter and spoon strawberries and syrup over pancakes. Sprinkle with almonds and serve immediately.

Crab Cakes with Homemade Tartar Sauce

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

Crab cakes:

• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup minced green onions
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
• 4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound Alaskan king crabmeat
• 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 4 tablespoons (or more) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons (or more) canola oil
• 3 cups mixed baby green lettuces
• Lemon wedges

Tartar sauce:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup diced peeled cored Granny Smith apple
• ¼ cup finely chopped dill pickle
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons drained capers
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

To prepare crab cakes:

1. Line baking sheet with waxed paper.
2. Whisk first 8 ingredients in large bowl.
3. Mix in crabmeat and panko, breaking up crabmeat slightly. Let stand 15 minutes.
4. Using 3-inch ring mold, form crab mixture into 8 patties on prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
5. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 tablespoon of oil in each of 2 heavy large skillets over medium-high heat.
6. Add crab cakes to skillets and cook until golden on both sides, adding more butter and oil as needed, about 5 minutes total.

To prepare tartar sauce:

7. Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl to blend.
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.
10. To serve: Mound the lettuce on 4 plates. Set 2 crab cakes on each plate.

Winter Vegetable Minestrone

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• ⅔ pound Coles Finest Angus beef sausages, casings removed, meat broken into large chunks
• 1 tablespoon Coles Brand olive oil
• 1 small brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Coles Brand fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1 centimeter pieces
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 1 centimeter pieces
• 2 cups Coles Brand chicken stock
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup Coles Brand shell pasta
• 1 cup Coles Brand canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
• ¼ cup shaved Mil Lel parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat large heavy based saucepan over high heat.
2. Once hot, add sausage and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes.
3. Remove from pan. Strain off any fat.
4. Add oil and onion and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until onion softens slightly.
5. Add garlic, fennel seeds, and rosemary, cook for 1 minute.
6. Reduce heat to medium. Add carrots and parsnips, and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender.
7. Season with salt and pepper. Return sausage to pan.
8. Stir in the stock and water with wooden spoon, and bring to boil.
9. Swirl back of ladle over surface of soup, pushing any fat or foam to edges.
10. Add pasta and cook, stirring often, for about 9 minutes until pasta is al dente and vegetables are tender.
11. Remove rosemary stem. Gently stir in beans and simmer for 2 minutes, until heated through.
12. Turn off heat and fold in spinach.
13. Divide soup evenly among four serving bowls and serve with parmesan cheese.

Chicken Salad with Roasted Red Bell Peppers and Homemade Aioli

(Makes 8 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/3 cup grapeseed oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled and cooled
• 2 roasted red bell peppers, peeled, seeded, cut into medium dice
• 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/7 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 head romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces

Directions
Place garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, egg yolk, and curry powder in food processor and puree until smooth. With motor still running, slowly add oil until emulsified. Season aioli to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from food processor. Tear chicken breasts into bite-size pieces and place them into large bowl along with peppers, red onion, and celery. Toss chicken with enough of aioli to generously coat, reserving at least 2 tablespoons. Season to taste with salt and pepper and fold in green onions and cilantro.

In separate large bowl, toss romaine with remaining aioli and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate covered, then transport in cooler. To serve, mound lettuce onto center of eight serving plates, top with generous ½ cup chicken salad, and serve.

Succotash

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small red onion, medium dice
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, medium dice
• 1 green bell pepper, medium dice
• 2 zucchini, medium dice
• 2 ears fresh yellow corn, shucked (about 2 ½ cups of kernels)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Salt (optional) and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Heat oil in large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add red and green bell peppers and sauté until they soften slightly, about 4 minutes. Add zucchini and corn and sauté until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, thyme, and lemon juice. Refrigerate covered, then transport in cooler. To serve, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Cucumber and Dill Salad

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
• 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thinly crosswise
• Sea salt (optional)

Directions
Place lemon juice and dill in medium-sized bowl and gently whisk to blend while slowly adding olive oil. Add cucumbers to dressing and toss to coat. Season salad to taste with salt. Refrigerate covered, then transport in cooler. Divide salad among four serving bowls and serve immediately.

Stone’s “Take-Out” Favorites:

Keep It Simple: “Marinated and grilled chicken because it’s great hot, warm or cold. Tear into pieces and serve over a fresh seasonal salad; combine with dressing in a baguette to make a delicious sandwich or simply eat as a snack just as it is. Dips like baba ghanoush and tzatziki are also great. They can be enjoyed with crunchy veggies or baked pita chips, and they work as a spread on sandwiches.”

Savor the Season: “When you buy what’s in season, it usually comes from a local farm where their stock is plentiful. So you’re buying fruits and veggies that are tastier, more affordable, and have the potential to support local farms and communities.”

No Spoil Suggestions: “I love to have all types of antipasto platters at a picnic, from pickled and preserved vegetables to marinated artichokes and beautifully cured meats. Make a variety of salads. The key is to pack the vinaigrette or dressing separately. Pour just before eating to keep the greens nice and crisp.”

Quinoa Salad

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

For the quinoa:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely diced
2 cups uncooked quinoa
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

For the vinaigrette:
¾ tablespoon shallots, finely diced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

For the salad:
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup English cucumber, peeled, seeded and small diced
¼ cup red bell pepper, medium diced
1 cup baby arugula

Directions

Heat medium saucepan over medium high heat, add olive oil and sweat shallot for 2 minutes stirring constantly. Add garlic and cook for additional 2 minutes. Add quinoa and stir to coat with shallot and garlic, then add in stock and bring to simmer.

Reduce heat to simmer gently for about 15 to 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender but not mushy. Remove quinoa from pot to sheet-pan to cool. Once cool, fluff quinoa with fork and reserve.

To make vinaigrette, place shallots and vinegar in medium mixing bowl. While whisking, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Add parsley and season vinaigrette with salt and pepper to taste. In separate large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and arugula and toss to mix. Drizzle in enough of vinaigrette to lightly coat and season salad to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate covered, then transport in cooler. To serve, spoon the salad onto 4 serving plates and serve immediately.