Red, White & Green Crostini

I was recently invited to a potluck party and was fresh out of ideas. Known for impressive appetizers, even a contest, the pressure was on. These were the kind of party people who didn't eat beforehand and expected some tasty grub to complement their beer and cocktails. I had just read an article about roasted grapes, so I threw together this crostini with items I already had at home and some seasonal grapes. It was sweet, peppery, citrusy, crunchy and savory all in one bite.

Ingredients:

Day-old baguette, thinly sliced on a diagonal
3 C in-season grapes, de-stemmed, washed and dried
1 C ricotta cheese, room temperature
1–2 T orange juice
1 C arugula, roughly chopped (or whole leaves of baby arugula)
4 T olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450º.

Toss the grapes with the olive oil and 1 t salt and spread on a rimmed sheet pan. Roast until the skins just begin to split, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Place the baguette on a sheet pan and brush the top of each slice with olive. Broil until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Mix the ricotta, orange juice and salt and pepper until smooth.

Spread a healthy portion of the ricotta mixture on each baguette slice. Press arugula into the cheese; top with 2 roasted grapes. Salt the finished crostini as necessary.

Serve at room temperature.

Egg in a Whole

I was baffled the first time my husband announced one of the childhood food staples he most missed was egg in a hole. Huh? I grew up with some crazy combo casseroles, but this took cheesy childhood dishes to a new level...until I saw a Food Network chef whip up a modern and wholesome version of this classic breakfast snack. The very next weekend I found myself in the kitchen taking in a lesson from my husband, and the result was whimsical and worthy! Here's how we built ours.

Ingredients:

1/2 day-old baguette, sliced on the diagonal 3/4" thick
4 to 6 organic eggs, depending on how many you choose to make
Garlic white cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
1 roma tomato, thinly sliced
3 sprigs of fresh thyme, de-stemmed
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat a griddle to 350º or over medium heat.

Lightly butter both sides of the sliced baguette. Cut or tear (or use a small biscuit cutter) to make a 1 1/2 to 2" round cutout in each slice of bread. Place the slices on the griddle; flip over once lightly browned.

After flipping, crack one egg into each hole of the bread. Allow to cook until almost over-medium. Layer with a slice of cheese until it melts. Top with sliced tomato, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Eat while hot with a small arugula salad tossed with fresh lemon juice, olive, salt and your favorite nuts.

Winter Veggie Soup

It's fall and that means the beginning of cold and flu season. While I tend to stock up on wellness tablets, zinc, olive leaf, vitamin c and herbal tea, the best remedy for tummy, head and soul is soup – of the homemade variety. You can throw anything into this soup – beans, chicken and other veggies. This happens to be my favorite superfood combination.

Ingredients:

64 oz free-range, low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
2 parsnips, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
8 fingerling potatoes (purple if you can find them), chopped in thirds
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 T dried oregano
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 package frozen whole wheat cheese tortellini
1 cup red chard, roughly chopped
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring 32 oz of the broth to a simmer over medium heat. Add all ingredients, except the tortellini and salt and pepper. Allow the veggies and seasonings to simmer in the broth until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Add more broth as needed, as the veggies soak it up and it evaporates. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning. Bring the mixture to a low boil and add the tortellini; cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until cooked through. Stir in the chard until slightly wilted. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan and crusty bread.