1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon cumin seed
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup apple juice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup couscous
salt and pepper

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the apple, onion and garlic until tender.
2. Stir in cumin seed and sauté until fragrant, then add the chicken broth, juice and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper,
3. en bring to a boil.
4. Stir in the couscous, remove from heat and cover. When couscous has absorbed all of the liquid, fluff with a fork to
5. rve.

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons corn oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 red chilies, seeded and chopped
6 cups chicken broth
19 ounces canned diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 pound lean ground pork
1 cup masa (corn flour) or 10 corn tortillas
4 ounces cheddar, grated
4 ounces Monterey jack, grated
4 ounces mozzarella, grated
1 cup milk
1 cup tortilla chips
salt and pepper

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Sauté carrots, onions, garlic and chilies until tender.
2. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, then stir in the tomatoes, cumin, paprika, cayenne and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Stir in the pork and masa or corn tortillas and cook until pork is done and masa is thoroughly incorporated, stirring occasionally.
4. Reduce heat and stir in milk and 3/4 of the cheese. Serve garnished with tortilla chips and remaining cheese.

Makes 6 servings

3 pound butternut squash
2 small potatoes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
2/3 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Roast potatoes and squash until very tender, about an hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to the touch.
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender, then add the garlic and white wine.
4. Bring the wine to a boil and reduce by half, then stir in the chicken broth and reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
5. Cube the potatoes and slice the squash in half, scooping out out seeds. Add the potatoes and flesh of the squash to the soup.
6. Transfer the soup to a food processor or blender and puree in batches. Return to the pot.
7. Stir in stir in thyme and heavy cream and cook just long enough to heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Makes 6 servings

2 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon whole allspice
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 whole green cardamom pods
2 whole black cardamom pods
12 whole cloves
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons turmeric
1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large white onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lamb, sliced
5 ounces tomato paste
12 cups chicken broth
19 ounces canned chickpeas
1 cup yellow split peas or lentils
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

2 eggs
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon harissa

1. Lightly toast cumin seed in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, then combine with rest of spice mixture into a mortar and pestle or spice grinder until fine. Set aside.
2. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Lightly brown the onions, then add the garlic, stirring to combine.
3. Stir in the prepared spice mixture, lamb and tomato paste, then add the chicken broth, raise heat and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, until lamb is very tender, about an hour and a half.
5. Add the chickpeas, lentils and cilantro and cook until tender, about another hour.
6. When soup is ready to be served, beat eggs with lemon juice and stir in the harissa. Blend a tablespoon or two into a serving of soup to serve.

Makes 6 servings

8 ounces rice noodles
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ginger puree
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 ounces cooked crab meat
water

1. Soak noodles in boiling water under tender.
2. Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, chicken broth, garlic and ginger. Set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil, lightly fry the crab for a minute, breaking apart. Stir in the sauce, then drain noodles and toss with crab. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings

1/2 pound ground lamb
1 small onion, minced
1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1/2 pound grape leaves
8 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper

1. Combine lamb, onion, dill, mint and egg together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Spoon a small amount of the rice mixture into the center of a grape leaf. Fold the bottom edge over the filling, fold the sides in and roll to seal. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
3. Place a few leaves on the bottom of a large saucepan to prevent sticking, and layer the dolmathes closely together, alternating the direction of every other layer.
4. In a separate saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil, then pour it over the dolmathes. Maintain heat at a simmer and cook until meat is cooked through and tender, about 45 minutes to an hour.
5. Serve hot or cold with Tzatziki.

Makes 6 servings

4 cups chicken broth
8 sundried tomatoes
1 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, crushed

1. Bring chicken broth and sundried tomatoes to a boil in a large saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in cornmeal.
2. Spread cornmeal mixture out on a cookie sheet or large casserole dish, evenly spacing the sundried tomatoes. Allow to cool until firm.
3. Cut circles out of the polenta with the rim of a pint glass and set aside, discard remaining polenta or reserve for another use.
4. Melt butter with garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. Lightly brown polenta rounds in batches, then serve.

Makes 4 servings

4 ounces penne or other thick, tubular noodle
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup peas
3/4 cup broccoli flowerets, cooked
3/4 pound cooked turkey, shredded
3 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
2 sprigs thyme, chopped
6 ounces mozzarella, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles, cooking until just tender.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter. Sauté the onion, celery and carrot until tender.
4. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute. Gradually add the milk and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until sauce has thickened.
5. Stir the peas, broccoli and turkey into the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add the sage and thyme.
6. Fold noodles into the saucepan and pour into a greased casserole dish. Top with cheese and bake until browned, about half an hour.

Makes 6 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 chicken quarters
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large portobello mushroom, sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups broccoli florets, cooked
1 large red pepper, roasted and sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 sprigs thyme
salt and pepper

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Brown the chicken, crisping the skin, then transfer to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion, sautéing until tender, then stir in the garlic and mushroom.
3. Add the wine, scrapping up any bits of chicken that may be stuck to the pan, and simmer until it has reduced by half.
4. Stir in the broccoli and roasted red pepper and return the chicken to the pan. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes. Add chicken broth as necessary to prevent drying.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve over cooked rice or Risotto sprinkled with fresh thyme.

Makes 4 servings

1/2 cup butter
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 loaf day old whole wheat bread, cubed
3/4 cup chicken broth
8 sage leaves, chopped
4 sprigs thyme, chopped
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and sauté until tender.
2. Meanwhile, combine chicken broth, sage, thyme and parsley.
3. Mix the butter, celery, onion and chicken broth mixture with the bread crumbs, trying to coat them evenly.
4. Season the stuffing to taste with salt and pepper and roast inside a Turkey or in a 350 degree oven until browned.

Makes 8 servings