Curtis Stone’s Apple Salad and Beet Dip

Shaved Fall Apple Salad

(Makes 4 servings)

The Marcona almonds used in this salad are Spanish almonds, which come roasted and lightly salted. They add a wonderful rich nutty flavor to this fresh, clean, crisp-tasting apple salad. Marcona almonds are available at specialty markets, but you could substitute regular toasted almonds if you like.

Vinaigrette:

Salad:

To make vinaigrette: In medium bowl, whisk vinegar and honey to blend. While whisking, slowly add the oils in thin stream to blend completely. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt.

To prepare salad: Using mandolin or vegetable slicer, cut apples into 1/16-inch-thin slices, avoiding and discarding cores. In large bowl, toss apples, celery, and parsley with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat. Season to taste with salt. Mound salad onto center of 4 plates. Using vegetable peeler, shave cheese into thin strips and sprinkle them over salads. Garnish with almonds and celery leaves and serve.

Make-Ahead: The vinaigrette can be made up to 1 day ahead, covered, and stored at room temperature. Rewhisk the vinaigrette before using.

Per serving

Roasted Beet Dip

Roasted beet dip
Photography by Ray Kachatorian.

(Makes 3 cups — 6 servings)

Branch out from the dips that you’re used to and go a little beet crazy. Dukkah and homemade flatbreads go perfectly with this luscious, earthy dip. I usually chuck a couple of extra beets onto the baking sheet, then refrigerate them and slice for salads and sandwiches during the week.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In 8-inch square baking dish, toss beets with olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Add ¼-cup water and cover pan tightly with foil. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until beets are tender. Allow beets to cool for 10 minutes. Using paper towels, rub beets to remove their skins (skins will slip right off). Cut enough of beets into about ¼-inch dice to measure 1 cup; reserve trimmings. Set diced beets aside.

Quarter remaining beets and combine in food processor with beet trimmings and garlic and process until finely chopped. Add yogurt, extra-virgin olive oil, and lemon juice and blend to smooth puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to medium bowl and fold in diced beets.

To serve, transfer beet dip to serving bowl and sprinkle some of dukkah evenly over it. Serve flatbreads and remaining dukkah alongside for dipping.

Make-Ahead: The beet dip can be made up to 2 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated.


Dukkah

(Makes ¾ cup — 6 servings)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread hazelnuts and almonds on separate small baking pans and toast in oven until fragrant and golden, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes for hazelnuts and 6 minutes for almonds. Rub warm hazelnuts in cloth to remove brown skins. Cool nuts completely.

Heat small heavy sauté pan over medium heat. Add coriander seeds and stir for 3 minutes, or until aromatic and toasted. Transfer to small plate and set aside. Add sesame, cumin, and fennel seeds to pan and stir over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until toasted and aromatic. Transfer to plate and cool.

In food processor, pulse coriander seeds four times to break them up. Add hazelnuts, almonds, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds and pulse until coarsely ground; mixture should be texture of coarse breadcrumbs. Do not blend to a paste.

Transfer to bowl and stir in salt, black pepper, and cayenne.

Make-Ahead: Dukkah will keep for up to 1 week stored airtight at room temperature.

Per serving

Excerpted from Good Food, Good Life by Curtis Stone. Copyright © 2015 by Curtis Stone. Excerpted by permission of Ballantine Books, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Photography by Ray Kachatorian.

Let’s Brunch!

While the origins of the meal remain a mystery, the word “brunch” first appeared in print in an 1895 article for Hunter’s Weekly. In “Brunch: A Plea,” British writer Guy Beringer proposed an alternative to the heavy post-church fare of the day, in favor of a lighter mid-morning meal.

“Why not a new meal, served around noon, that starts with tea or coffee?” Beringer suggested. “Brunch is cheerful, sociable, and inciting. … It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.”

More than a century later, Beringer would be happy with the way America embraced and elevated the culinary hybrid to an art form — a tradition treasured by the hungry (and the hungover).

“At brunch, the last thing you want is last-minute fuss,” says Ellie Krieger. “Basically, these recipes can be prepped in advance.”

To keep it light, think alternatives. “For breakfast, people lean on traditional bacon and sausage,” says Krieger. “Instead try Canadian bacon which delivers the same smoky pork flavor, but is a much leaner option.”

As for presentation, Krieger suggests an inexpensive, edible tablescape. “Pick up fresh, colorful spring vegetables and herbs at the farmers market,” Krieger says. “A bunch of fresh mint in a simple vase or untrimmed radishes on a plate makes an elegant centerpiece.”

All recipes courtesy Ellie Krieger.

Spicy Egg and Avocado Wrap

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

Directions

Place eggs in a 4-quart saucepan. Cover with water, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 9 minutes. Remove from heat, rinse with cold water and peel. Remove yolks from 4 of the eggs and discard yolks. Slice remaining egg whites and whole eggs into 1/4-inch slices.
Lay piece of lettuce leaf over center of each wrap bread. Top each with avocado, sliced eggs, tomato, and cucumber. Sprinkle with chili sauce and season with salt and pepper. Fold one side of bread about 2 inches over filling to form pocket and roll into wrap. Eat immediately or cover in foil and store in refrigerator for up to 1 day.

Nutritional Info

Per Serving (1 wrap)



Cinnamon Raisin Toast with Honey Walnut Spread
Cinnamon Raisin Toast with Honey Walnut Spread
(Photo by Alexandra Grablewski)

Cinnamon Raisin Toast with Honey-Walnut Spread

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

Directions

Toast walnuts in dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Allow them to cool slightly, then chop them finely. In small bowl, add chopped walnuts to yogurt and honey and stir until well combined. Spread will keep in refrigerator in airtight container for up to 3 days. Just stir well before using. When ready to serve, toast bread and cut fruit into 1/4–inch slices. Spread about 1 tablespoon of walnut spread onto each piece of bread. Top each piece with few slices of fruit. Eat immediately.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving (2 pieces)



Egg in a Basket with Smoked Turkey and Asparagus
Egg in a Basket with Smoked Turkey and Asparagus
(Photo by Alexandra Grablewski)

Egg in a Basket with Smoked Turkey and Asparagus

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

Directions

Place asparagus in steamer basket over pot of boiling water. Cover and steam until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Chop asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces. Brush both sides of each slice of bread with melted butter. Using 3-inch cookie cutter, cut hole in center of each slice of bread; reserve cutouts.

Spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Cook turkey slices until browned around edges, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus and cook until it is heated through, about 2 minutes, then season with pepper. Transfer mixture to plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Place 2 bread slices and cutouts in same skillet and crack one egg into hole of each slice. Cook until egg whites are set and bread is toasted on underside, about 3 minutes. Using spatula, flip bread/egg slices and cutouts and cook additional 1 minute. Transfer bread/egg pieces to individual plates. Repeat with remaining bread slices and cutouts. Top each one with 1/4 of turkey-asparagus mixture. Arrange cutouts on each plate.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving (1 egg in a basket with  ½ cup asparagus-turkey topping and 1 bread cutout)


Favorite Holiday Recipes from the Staff of the Post

We challenged the staff of The Saturday Evening Post to a no-holds-barred cook off of classic holiday dishes. Here are the top four recipes as chosen by our panel of all too willing editors turned tasters.


Lemon Rosemary Chicken

Lemon Rosemary Chicken
Lemon Rosemary Chicken

(Makes 8 3-ounce servings)

“Thanksgiving for a few? Give the gobbler a break with this simple and flavorful baked chicken recipe. It’s perfect when you’re only feeding part of the clan!” —Elise Lindstrom, Dietitian

Ingredients

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Chop two sprigs of rosemary and toss in olive oil with pepper and optional salt. Brush oil mixture all over chicken, including inside.
2. Pierce lemon several times with fork then place inside chicken cavity with two whole sprigs of rosemary. Loosely tie bird closed with string.
3. Place chicken in pan, breast down. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, then turn chicken over and cook for another 30 to 35 minutes. Increase temperature to 400° and cook for 20 minutes more.
4. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.


Per serving
Calories: 140
Total Fat: 8 g (Sat. Fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 330 mg
Carbohydrate: 0 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 17 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 medium-fat


Minnesota Wild Rice Stuffing

Minnesota Wild Rice Stuffing. Photo by Elise Lindstrom.
Minnesota Wild Rice Stuffing. Photo by Elise Lindstrom.

(Makes 10 ½-cup servings)

“Because my family is from Minnesota, our Christmas always includes this Midwest take on a traditional side dish. Made with long-grain, wild rice, this stuffing will keep you warm even on the coldest winter day.” —Brittany Seaburg, Circulation Coordinator

Ingredients

Directions

In skillet, sauté celery and onion in butter until tender. In large bowl, combine egg, broth, parsley, pepper, and optional salt. Mix in celery/onion, torn bread, and rice. Spoon mixture into greased 1-1/2-quart baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 to 20 minutes more or until set.


Per serving
Calories: 142
Total Fat: 5.6 g (Sat. Fat: 2.3 g)
Sodium: 278 mg
Carbohydrate: 30 g
Fiber: 3.7 g
Protein: 8.1 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 carbohydrate


Pancetta & Parm Brussels Sprouts

Pancetta and Parmesan Brussels Sprouts. Photo by Elise Lindstrom.
Pancetta and Parmesan Brussels Sprouts. Photo by Elise Lindstrom.

(Makes 6 ½-cup servings.)

“My siblings never thought they liked Brussels sprouts—until I introduced them to this recipe last Thanksgiving. Now they want sprouts for Christmas and New Year’s, too!” —Corey Michael Dalton, Associate Editor

Ingredients

Directions

Boil 2 quarts of water. Add kosher salt and halved Brussels sprouts to water. Boil sprouts for 4 or 5 minutes until bright green. Drain and set aside. In pan, cook pancetta over medium heat until it releases its juices, then add olive oil. Sauté garlic and pancetta in olive oil for several minutes. Add sprouts and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. Serve sprouts with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.


Per serving
Calories: 65
Total Fat: 1.9 g (Sat. Fat: 0.7 g)
Sodium: 302 mg
Carbohydrate: 7.9 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 6 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1.5 nonstarchy vegetable


Lemon Pound Cake with Raspberry Sauce

Lemon Pound Cake with Raspberry Sauce. Photo by Elise Lindstrom.
Lemon Pound Cake with Raspberry Sauce. Photo by Elise Lindstrom.

(Makes 12 servings.)

“The sweet yet tart flavor of the lemon cake paired with the red raspberry drizzle makes this the perfect dessert for any holiday meal. Add a dollop of whipped cream to really push it over the edge.” —Jeff Slavens, Special Projects Coordinator

Ingredients

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 1/2-inch loaf pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk dry ingredients into wet ingredients. With rubber spatula, fold canola oil into batter until all incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and slice.
2. To make raspberry sauce, place raspberries and sugar in saucepan and bring to boil. Pour through sieve to remove seeds. Drizzle sauce over cake slices.


Per serving (cake)
Calories: 247
Total Fat: 10.6 g (Sat. Fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 197 mg
Carbohydrate: 36 g
Fiber: 0.5 g
Protein: 4.3 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 carbohydrate, 2 fat

Per serving (sauce)
Calories: 30
Total Fat: 0.2 g (Sat. Fat 0 g)
Sodium: 0 mg
Carbohydrate: 7.5 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 0.3 g
Diabetic Exchanges: ⅟₂ carbohydrate

For more holiday recipes from the Post staff, go here.

Holiday Recipes from the Staff of the Post

For our Nov/Dec issue, we challenged the staff of the Post to a no-holds-barred cook off of classic holiday dishes. You can find the top four recipes in the magazine. Because we received so many yummy submissions, here are four runners-up!

Stuffed Celery

“During World War II, my maternal grandparents, Ethel and Edward Delaney, lived in New Jersey and would occasionally go into New York City for dinner and dancing. They tried this simple appetizer at a supper club and asked for the recipe. Little did they know, it would become a holiday staple served every Christmas since 1943.” —Elise Lindstrom, Post Dietitian

(Makes 25 servings of 2-3 pieces of celery each.)

Ingredients
Directions

Wash and trim celery then cut ribs into 3-inch pieces. In food processor, blend cream cheese, blue cheese, Roquefort cheese, and shallots until they reach the consistency of stiff whipped cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture into celery cavities and sprinkle with paprika. Serve chilled.

Per serving

Calories: 59

Total Fat: 4.3 g (Sat. Fat: 2.7 g)

Sodium: 190.6 mg

Carbohydrate: 2.1 g

Fiber: 0.5 g

Protein: 3.1 g

Diabetic Exchanges: ~1 fat


Festive Fall Salad

“This is one of my family’s absolute favorite fall salads! We love using fresh-picked apples from the orchard near our home—and the dried cranberries always say ‘Thanksgiving’ to me.” —Julaine Santiago, Circulation Director

(Makes 8 servings with dressing.)

Ingredients

Salad

Dressing

Directions

In large salad bowl, combine salad ingredients. In small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.


Per serving

Calories: 155

Total Fat: 9 g (Sat. Fat: 2 g)

Sodium: 129mg

Carbohydrate: 16 g

Fiber: 3g

Protein: 3.6 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 carbohydrate, 2 fat


Cauliflower Bake

“For almost a century, this simple but delicious holiday recipe has been a family favorite at our house.” —Patrick Perry, Executive Editor

(Makes 6 servings.)

Ingredients
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Steam cauliflower until tender. Drain and mash. Add 1 sleeve crackers. Mix in butter. Add pepper and salt to taste. Mix. Place in baking dish and bake for about 15 minutes until cauliflower lightly browned on top.


Per Serving

Calories: calories: 185 calories

Fat: 10g (saturated fat: 5.4g)

Cholesterol: 20.7mg

Sodium: 187 mg

Carbohydrate: 20.8g

Fiber: 4.1g

Protein: 4.6g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 1/3 carbohydrate, 2 fat


Stella’s Cranberry Salad

“My mother-in-law, Bev, makes this special dish for holiday gatherings, as did her mother Stella nearly 100 years ago. Because few of the current clan are fond of cranberries, I usually get some extra to take home, too!” —Wendy Braun, Health Editor

(Makes 12 servings.)

Ingredients
Directions

In small pan, bring water to boil. Pour into large bowl and stir in dry gelatin until completely dissolved. Add other ingredients and mix well. Pour into one or more serving containers. Chill overnight.


Per serving

Calories: 160

Total Fat: 6.2 g

Sodium: 36 mg

Carbohydrate: 25 g

Fiber: 2g

Protein: 3.6 g

Diabetic Exchanges: ~2 carbohydrate, 1 fat


Latkes

“Ever since I was a little kid, my whole family has gotten together to enjoy these Hanukkah treats. They may not be particularly healthy—but they’re delicious!” —Aaron Rimstidt, Research Assistant

(Makes 8 servings.)

Ingredients
Directions

For optimal flavor, cook in iron skillet. Grate potatoes by hand or in food processor. Turn into bowl filled with cold salt water. Stir, drain well, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Grate onion into potatoes. Add eggs, flour, salt. Mix well.

Heat oil (1/2 inch deep) until hot without smoking. Scoop batter with tablespoon, pressing out excess liquid then place carefully into skillet. Flatten with back of spoon so latkes are approximately 3 inches in diameter. (Do not turn pancakes until very brown on downside.) When cooking second batch, you may need to add more oil. Be sure it is very hot before resuming cooking. Cook pancakes until well browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Best served immediately or keep in warm oven.

Per serving

Calories: 281.6

Total Fat: 14.9 g (Sat. Fat: 1.3 g)

Sodium: 898 mg

Carbohydrate: 33.1 g

Fiber: 3.9 g

Protein: 5.3 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 carbohydrate, 3 fat