Ellie’s 5-Minute Salad: Tricolor Salad 
with White Beans and Parmesan

Ingredients

• 5 cups lightly packed arugula
 (about 5 ounces)
• 1 head radicchio, core removed, 
sliced
• 2 Belgian endives, bottom ½ inch 
removed, sliced
• 1 15-ounce can white beans (such as cannellini; preferably low-sodium), drained and rinsed
• ½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 8 Italian breadsticks

Directions

1. In large bowl, toss together arugula, radicchio, endive, beans, and Parmesan.
2. In small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, and salt.
3. To serve, place 3 cups of salad into large bowl or lunch container. If preparing a salad to-go, put 1 ½ tablespoons of dressing into small container. Toss with dressing right before eating. Serve with breadsticks on side.

Pasta Salad with Salmon, Peas, and Herbs

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup plain Greek-style nonfat 
yogurt
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon 
zest
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh dill, or 
2 teaspoons dried
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black 
pepper
• 1 (14-ounce) can wild red salmon, 
drained, skinned and boned, and 
cut into chunks
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen 
peas, defrosted
• ½ pound bowtie or corkscrew 
pasta, cooked according to package directions and cooled
• 2 scallions (white and green 
parts), minced (about ¼ cup)
• 8 cups chopped red-leaf lettuce

Directions

1. Combine yogurt, lemon juice, mayonnaise, lemon zest, dill, salt, and pepper in bowl and whisk to incorporate.
2. Add salmon, peas, pasta, and scallions and toss to incorporate.
3. Pasta salad will keep up to 2 days in an airtight container in refrigerator.
4. To serve, mound 2 cups of lettuce onto each plate or into to-go containers and scoop about 1 ¾ cups of pasta salad on top.

Wheat Berry Salad with Lemon-Cumin Grilled Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 cup hard wheat berries
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley
• ⅓ cup tart dried cherries, chopped
• 1 small scallion (white and green parts), chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus 4 lemon wedges for serving
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 cups lightly packed baby 
spinach leaves
• 1 recipe Lemon-Cumin Grilled 
Chicken Breast (recipe follows)

Directions

1. In medium-size pot, combine wheat berries and enough water to come 2 inches above wheat berries. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook, uncovered, until tender, about 1 hour. Drain and let cool.
2. Meanwhile, toast walnuts in a medium-size dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. In large bowl, combine wheat berries, toasted walnuts, celery, parsley, dried cherries, scallions, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Salad will keep up to 5 days in airtight container in refrigerator.
4. To serve, place 1 cup of spinach leaves on plate or in to-go containers. Mound ¾ cup of wheat berry salad on top of each serving. Top with slices of Lemon-Cumin Grilled Chicken. Place lemon wedge on side of each serving.
5. Right before eating, squeeze lemon wedges on top.

Lemon-Cumin Grilled Chicken

A touch of aromatic cumin and a citrus punch take basic grilled chicken to the next level. Pack it in your lunch box on top of the wheat berry salad.

Ingredients

• ¼ pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Put chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Pound slightly with mallet or rolling pin to even thickness of about ½ inch.
2. In small bowl, combine cumin, salt, and pepper.
3. Rub chicken breasts on both sides with olive oil. Then rub spice mixture on both sides.
4. Spray grill or nonstick grill pan with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat.
5. Grill chicken until grill marks have formed and chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
6. Remove from heat, let rest for 5 minutes, then slice into ½-inch thick slices. Drizzle with lemon juice.
7. Chicken will keep for up to 3 days in airtight container in refrigerator.

Spotted Dog

Photo by Nancy Kennedy/Shutterstock

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ cups raisins
• 3 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• Softened butter for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 9-inch round baking pan.
2. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir in raisins and caraway seeds. Make well in center and stir in eggs, buttermilk, and butter.
3. Transfer dough to prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour or until top is golden and skewer inserted into center comes out clean.
4. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes and then invert bread onto rack, and let cool completely before slicing. Serve slices spread with butter.

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

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

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

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

Curtis Stone’s favorite brunch happens outside in the backyard with omelettes, mimosas, and an epic game of croquet. Photo credit Quentin Bacon.

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.

Irish Guinness Oatmeal Cake

(Makes 8 to 10 servings)

Cake Ingredients

• 1 cup McCann’s Irish oatmeal
• 1 ¼ cups Guinness
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8 tablespoons unsalted Irish butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup [Domino] Demerara cane sugar
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon orange zest
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest

Topping Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted Irish butter
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ⅔ cup sweetened condensed milk
• 4 tablespoons slice almonds, toasted

Cake Directions

1. In medium bowl, combine oatmeal and Guinness. Let soak for about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 325° F. Generously grease a 9-inch springform pan.
2. In large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
3. In medium bowl, cream butter and sugars with electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and then stir in vanilla, orange zest, and lemon zest. Fold in flour mixture, than stir in oatmeal mixture.
4. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer to wire rack. Pour topping over cake and let cool. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until topping is set.
5. To serve, remove side of pan and then cut cake into slices. Serve warm with ice cream.

Topping Directions

1. In medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, sugar, and milk. Bring slowly to a boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth.
2. Remove from heat and stir in oatmeal and almonds.

Carrot Ginger Soup

Photo by Steven Freeman. Reprinted from Emeril at the Grill, HarperCollins Publisher, New York, © 2009 MSLO Inc. All rights reserved.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
• 2 pounds carrots, cut into large dice (about 4 cups)
• 2 cups diced onions (medium dice)
• ¼ cup (about 2 ounces) peeled and sliced fresh ginger
• 6 springs fresh thyme, tied in a bundle with kitchen twine
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 6 cups water
• Sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Melt butter in 6-quart (or larger) soup pot over high heat. Add carrots, onions, ginger, thyme bundle, salt, and white pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Then add water, cover pot, and bring to boil. Remove cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Remove pot from heat, and remove thyme bundle. Blend soup until it is completely smooth, using an immersion blender or in three batches in a blender.*
3. Transfer pureed soup to 4-quart pot or other serving dish. Stir to combine, and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve hot, garnished with a dollop of sour cream if desired.

*Note: Please use caution when blending hot liquids; blend only small amounts at a time, with the blender tightly covered and a kitchen towel held over the top.

Honey Lemon Thyme Cornish Game Hens

Photo by Steven Freeman. Reprinted from Emeril at the Grill, HarperCollins Publisher, New York, © 2009 MSLO Inc. All rights reserved.

Ingredients

• 4 1-pound Cornish game hens
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• Grated zest of 2 lemons
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ⅓ cup honey
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Directions

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 500° F. Line a large baking dish with aluminum foil, and set aside.
2. Rinse hens well, inside and out, under cool running water. Pat dry with paper towels.
3. Combine 4 tablespoons of butter, thyme, and lemon zest in small bowl. Use fork to blend well. Divide mixture into 4 portions, and spread one portion under skin covering the breast of each hen. Combine 1 teaspoon salt with ½ teaspoon black pepper, and season cavities of hens. Truss hens, fold wing tips back and tuck under, and arrange hens breast side up in prepared baking dish.
4. Combine lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, and remaining 4 tablespoons butter in small saucepan, and warm over low heat until heated through. Divide honey mixture in half, and set aside one portion. Use some of remaining portion to baste tops of hens well. Season hens with remaining 3 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
5. Transfer baking dish to oven and cook, basting hens with honey mixture about every 5 minutes. If necessary, tent hens with foil during last few minutes of cooking to prevent over-browning.
6. When hens reach an internal temperature of 165° F*, remove dish from oven and let rest for about 5 minutes. Discard honey mixture used for basting. Use reserved honey mixture to drizzle over hens before serving.

*Note: To check temperature, insert instant-read thermometer in thickest part of breast, avoiding any bones.

Forever-Fit Garden-Fresh Roasted Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 pounds of fresh Roma tomatoes (or your favorite garden variety), washed and cored
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium to large sweet onion such as Vidalia, finely chopped
• 2 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried
• ¼ to ½ cup fresh basil or 2 to 3 teaspoons dried
• ½ cup filtered water
• Course salt and pepper to taste
• ½ to 1 teaspoon granulated sugar if desired*

Directions

The flavor and texture of tomato sauce tends to be deeply personal, so this recipe leaves room for your own adaptions and variations based on your taste preferences. If you like more garlic—add more. Feel like thyme would be good? Go for it! Cooking is about experimentation and fun. Enjoy by sharing the experience with your loved ones, and cook with children whenever possible!

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. With a sharp knife, halve tomatoes lengthwise. Divide tomatoes between two foil-lined baking sheets coated with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange in single layer, cut side up. Brush or drizzle 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Roast 1 to 1½ hours (oven cooking times can vary).



3. Remove pans from oven. Allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Spoon tomatoes into food mill** set over large mixing bowl, and pass tomatoes through food mill using medium texture blade to puree. If smoother texture is desired, run through food mill a second time.



4. Heat ¼ cup oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, oregano, and basil. Saute for 5 to 8 minutes or until onion is translucent and tender. Add tomato puree and water or chicken broth. Bring to a boil, stirring to blend. Reduce heat to medium-low. Allow sauce to simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce has reached desired thickness (about 3 to 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

*If you find the taste to be too acidic or bitter (this can differ depending on type or freshness of tomato), adding a small amount of sugar can balance the acidity.
**If you don’t have a food mill, puree the tomatoes in a blender or food processor and strain through a sieve. If you don’t mind the unobtrusive seeds, you can skip the sieve entirely.

Japanese Salad

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups green soybeans, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
• 1 cup julienned carrots
• ½ cup julienned daikon radish (also known as white radish)
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons toasted unsalted sesame seeds
• Juice of 4 limes (8 tablespoons)
• ½ wild lime leaf, cut into small pieces (see Note)
• ½ cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon wakame, chopped if needed (see Tip)
• 3 ounces enoki mushrooms (1 ½ cups whole)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine soybeans, carrots, radish, cilantro, sesame seeds, lime juice, lime leaf, peanuts, wakame, and mushrooms.
2. Add olive oil and sesame oil and carefully blend. Taste and add more sesame oil, if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Note

Lime zest may be substituted for lime leaf.

Tip

Wakame is a Japanese seaweed. It has a subtle sweet taste and is often used in soups and salads. Look for it in well-stocked supermarkets or Japanese markets.

Roasted Pumpkin Salad

Time-saving tip: Purchase peeled, pre-cut squash and pumpkin.

Roasted Pumpkin and Kabocha and Butternut Squash

Ingredients

• 1 kabocha squash
• 1 butternut squash
• 1 sugar pie pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
• ½ cup grape seed oil
• Kosher salt, to taste  

Directions

1. Peel squash and pumpkin. Cut each in quarters and remove seeds by using a spoon.
2. Place prepared pieces in bowl. Coat with oil and season with pumpkin spice and salt.
3. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast in a 350 degree oven until you can easily push a skewer through them. (About 45 minutes to an hour.)

Candied Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 ½ cups water
• Canola oil
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds
• Salt, if desired

Directions

1. In small pot, bring water and sugar to a boil.
2. Add pumpkin seeds. Cook seeds until coated with sugar, then strain off excess sugar water.
3. Fill half of large pot with canola oil to 350°F. Make sure there is room in the top so it will not boil over.
4. Fry seeds in small batches until golden brown.
5. Remove from oil and spread seeds over parchment paper.
6. Sprinkle seeds with salt and cayenne pepper.

Nutmeg Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• ¼ cup ginger (peeled, finely diced)
• ¼ cup shallots (peeled, finely diced)
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• Nutmeg (fresh, whole, mircoplane), to taste  
• ½ cup grape seed oil

Directions

1. Heat oil in saucepan and sweat ginger and shallots, stir frequently.
2. When ginger and shallots are soft and translucent (but not brown), add vegetable stock. Reduce stock to 1/4 cup.
3. Add vinegar and nutmeg, season with salt and pepper if desired. 

Plating for 4 people

Ingredients

• 2 pears (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1 cup cooked kabocha (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1 cup cooked butternut (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1 cup sugar pie pumpkin (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 2 bunches watercress (washed and trimmed)
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seed oil
• ½ cup nutmeg vinaigrette
• ½ cup candied pumpkin seeds
• Salt and pepper, if desired

Directions

1. Place pear, pumpkin, and squash in bowl. Add 4 tablespoons nutmeg vinaigrette and mix till evenly coated. Place in center of plate.
2. Place watercress in bowl. Season if desired. Add 1 tablespoon of vinaigrette and mix.
3. Place watercress on top of pumpkin and pear, followed by candied pumpkin seeds.
4. Finish dish with drizzle of pumpkin seed oil and nutmeg vinaigrette.