The least pleasant task in preparing this soup is coring the parsnips. I find it’s not too bad if you slice them lengthwise in quarters and then slice out the triangular shaped piece…don’t worry about getting every single woody fiber. The balsamic syrup seems like a bother to make too, but the flavor it imparts is out of this world. The soup is great without the syrup, but with it, you’ve gained a taste of heaven!
This amazing recipe is courtesy of Eating Well magazine.

Stirring in the syrup

Roasted Parsnip Soup
Makes 6 servings, generous 1 cup each
ACTIVE TIME: …read more

This isn’t fast food. This is for when you want to impress! It is, however, easy food
For once, I followed the directions pretty much exactly: my only substitution was to use real cheese instead of low fat. I also mixed cheddar and parmesan. But besides that, I did follow the directions. Oh, and I used quite a bit more fresh tarragon than called for.
I really like tarragon!
Savory Carrot & Tarragon Tart
Courtesy of Eating Well magazine
Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh tarragon leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 …read more

Meatloaf takes an hour to cook, and no matter how you slice it, it leads to a pretty meat-intensive meal, so we don’t have it that often. But when we do, we like to really enjoy it! I discovered recently that adding chipotle sauce to the mix (and slopping some more on top) makes a mighty tasty meatloaf
Chipotle Meatloaf
3/4 c bread crumbs or stuffing mix
1/4 c water
1 lb ground beef
Egg
1/4 c chipotle sauce (more for topping)
Heat the water and soften the bread crumbs in a large bowl. Add all the rest of the ingredients, mixing by hand. Shape …read more

After putting the first few ingredients into a pan, you’ll just stick it in the oven and walk away for about 45 minutes. Time to read a chapter of your novel, do a load of laundry (yuck), talk with a friend on the phone, supervise homework…
When you return to your kitchen, you’ll just saute up the veggies quickly, smother the rice and chicken with them, and eat!  You can also substitute turkey if there are still leftovers hanging around 
Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole with Artichokes
1 c uncooked wild rice
4-1/2 c stock
Skinned chicken breasts
Paprika
Olive oil
3 carrots, sliced
2 …read more

Do you have turkey for Christmas as well as for Thanksgiving?  Apparently lots of people do, while others indulge in prime rib, ham, lasagna, or all of the above    So, here’s something you can do with the double scads of turkey that you now have sitting in your freezer: make this great turkey mole, which you can double or triple and freeze for later.  This is a great Once A Month Cooking recipe: simply reheat in the oven or a skillet, and serve it over rice with chopped scallions for garnish.
Don’t forget the list of Leftover Turkey …read more

Guest author: Susanna Tolini, al fresco’s executive chef
Website: al fresco

Thanksgiving is all about traditional comfort foods.  This year, put a healthy twist on tradition during the holiday season, by featuring traditional, New England recipes using locally made, low-fat al fresco All Natural Chicken Sausages.  Offered in a variety of tasty flavors, al fresco’s Susanna Tolini, Kayem Food’s executive chef, has created flavorful holiday recipes using al fresco products.

Spanakopita with al fresco Spinach & Feta Sausage
Prep Time: 60 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Temperature: 375 degrees
Pan Size: 12’’ Saute
Cook Method: Saute …read more

Making risotto is not the basis of a thirty minute meal. Nonetheless, it is delicious and comforting in a way that just can’t be achieved by boiling up some instant rice. Yuck!  It is actually the perfect dish to introduce during, November, our month of Comfort Food 
Here are the basic directions for risotto, and I’d suggest just reading through them if this is your first time so that you understand how the process works. The directions below are a bit abbreviated, so check the link above if anything doesn’t make sense.
Red Pepper Risotto with Italian …read more

Guest author: Patricia Lorenz
Website: Patricia Lorenz
My mother made this dish in the 50’s and 60’s when I was growing up and to this day whenever I make it I usually eat at least half of it myself, often in one day. It’s delicious, easy, packed with protein and even passes the “healthy foods” test of the 21st century.
Spinach Casserole
INGREDIENTS
* Two large cans of spinach, drained.
* 4 eggs
* 2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
* one cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 pinch Salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix ingredients.
3. Spray baking dish with cooking …read more

Rogan Josh on Basmati Rice, with Roasted Carrots
Rogan josh is an amazing taste sensation from beginning to end. Lamb cubes, browned and simmered in a heavenly mash-up of spices. Do not DARE to simply throw “curry powder” into the pot for this one! If you’ve done once a week food preparation, there’s an outside chance that you could make this dish into a thirty minute meal. But I have to be honest with you and say that it would be better to prepare this some night when you’re not in such a hurry: this is a dish that …read more

As the weather gets cooler, my family’s tastes turn to warm comfort food like Chicken Dijon! Along with Chicken Cacciatore, this warm, tasty chicken dish both fills us up and satisfies our longing for something savory.
Although you could save some time and make this a thirty minute meal by starting with pre-cooked chicken, the longer cooking time makes a huge difference in taste, and the whole meal will still be under an hour to prepare.
Chicken Dijon
2 large chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
1/3 c coarse Dijon mustard
2/3 c plain yogurt
2 cloves of garlic, mashed
1 c bread crumbs
2 t Herbes de …read more