New Year's Day

Happy New Year! Here are six recipe to bring in the new year. Enjoy!

CRANBERRY ORANGE QUICK BREAD

This comes from Elizabeth Yetter, About.com's Bread Baking expert. Elizabeth wrote, “Enjoy the sweet taste of dried cranberries and the aroma of oranges with this delicious recipe for cranberry orange quick bread. The quick bread batter is made into 3 mini loaves that are perfect for family gatherings and gift giving. Individual loaves can be wrapped in foil, bagged, and frozen if they are not glazed.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 75 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

2/3 cup butter, chilled

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup dried cranberries

rind and juice from medium orange

milk (see instructions)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar

water

Preparation:

Grease 3 mini loaf pans.

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

In large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Cut butter into thin slices and add to bowl. Break butter into mixture with fingers until mixture is crumbly.

Stir in brown sugar.

Stir in cranberries.

Grate the rind off of one medium orange. Add rind to the mixture.

Cut orange in half and squeeze juice out into bowl. Remove any seeds from juice.

Pour orange juice (it should be about 1/4 cup) into liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to the orange juice to make 3/4 cup.

Pour orange juice and milk into mixture. Add eggs and stir. Batter should be thick but not dry. If necessary, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time.

Scrape batter into three greased mini loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until done.

Turn loaves out and let cool on rack.

In small bowl, add enough water to confectioner’s sugar to make a thin icing. Drizzle icing over loaves.

HOT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

This comes from The Food Network Kitchen, and starts off, “These one-bowl brownies couldn't be easier to make, and adding leftover hot chocolate mix is the perfect way to make them extra special. Interested in a Mexican hot chocolate version? Just add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients and sprinkle the top of each brownie with a pinch of chili powder.” Total Time: 1 hr 45 min; Prep: 25 min; Inactive: 45 min; Cook: 35 min; Yield: 24 brownies; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/hot-chocolate-brownies.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

Cooking spray

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup hot chocolate or cocoa mix

1 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

One 12-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips

72 mini marshmallows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, and spray with the cooking spray.

Stir together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add the flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking powder and stir until just combined. Stir in half the chocolate chips. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking pan.

Bake until the brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and are set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, immediately sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips, and let stand until they are very soft, about 5 minutes. Spread the melted chips evenly with a spatula, and let cool for about 10 minutes. Use the foil to lift the brownies out of the pan, and let cool completely on a rack. Cut into 24 squares, and top each with 3 mini marshmallows.

CHOCOLATE CREPES WITH CRANBERRY SAUCE

This comes from Brett Moore, About.com's Gourmet Food expert. Brett writes, “Cocoa makes for a deliciously sweet crepe. I've added a beautiful spiced cranberry sauce that contrast nicely with the chocolate crepes.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: Serves 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients2 cups milk

2 eggs

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus more for cooking crepes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Cranberry Sauce

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

1 cup cranberry juice

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 tsp grated orange peel

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

To make the crepes:

Using a whisk or the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, combine the milk, eggs, butter, flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Don't skip this step!

Heat a crepe pan over medium-low heat (or a saute pan with gently sloping sides). Coat the pan lightly with melted butter or oil spray, wiping out any excess. Lift the pan at a slight angle and pour about 1/4 cup of the batter into the center, tilting the pan to spread the batter to the edges. Return the pan to the heat and cook until the crepe is dry underneath, about 1 minute. Using a spatula, flip the crepe over and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate and cover. Repeat with the remaining batter to make about 16 crepes.

To assemble, lay a crepe flat, spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cranberry sauce into the center and fold the crepe into a triangle. Repeat with the remaining crepes and sauce. Divide the crepes among 8 individual plates. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and more sauce.

Make the Cranberry Sauce:

Combine the first seven sauce ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until smooth and thickened, stirring constantly, about 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat; stir in the butter and vanilla. Keep warm.

CROCK POT CHICKEN PARMESAN

This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. She writes, “Chicken breasts are briefly browned then it is cooked with a simple spaghetti sauce. The chicken is finished in the oven with a topping of Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 340 minutes; Total Time: 350 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 to 8 boneless chicken breast halves

salt, pepper and Italian seasoning

2 cups spaghetti sauce

1 bay leaf

garlic (clove or powder)

1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese, grated

rice or noodles

PreparationHeat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken with a sprinkling of salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.

Mix spaghetti sauce, bay leaf and garlic in crockpot. Put chicken in the sauce and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

Remove chicken and sauce to casserole dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Heat in 350° oven until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Serve chicken with sauce over pasta, spaghetti squash, or rice.

RIGATONI AND CAULIFLOWER AL FORNO

This comes from David Tanis in The New York Times' Cooking e-newsletter. David writes, “Cauliflower is perhaps the least appreciated member of the large family of cruciferous vegetables, no doubt due to memories of encountering it boiled, flabby and timidly seasoned, if seasoned at all. When cooked properly, it is a delight. Cauliflower can stand up to rather bold seasoning, in fact. In this recipe, it gets garlic, sage, red pepper and capers. And it is browned in olive oil, which further enhances the flavor. If you want a terrific side vegetable, just serve the sautéed cauliflower and skip the rigatoni. But combining the cauliflower with large-format pasta, pecorino cheese and bread crumbs, then baking it until crisply golden, makes for a splendid meal.” Time: 1 hour; Makes 4 to 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 pound rigatoni or other large pasta shape

1 medium cauliflower, about 1 1/2 pounds

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste

3 tablespoons roughly chopped sage, plus a few sage leaves left whole

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

6 ounces coarsely grated fontina or mozzarella

2 ounces finely grated Romano cheese or other hard pecorino

1/2 cup coarse dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Preparation

Cook the rigatoni in well-salted water according to package directions, but drain while still quite al dente. (If directions call for 12 minutes cooking, cook for 10 instead.) Rinse pasta with cool water, then drain again and set aside.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut cauliflower in half from top to bottom. Cut out tough core and stem any extraneous leaves. Lay cauliflower flat side down and cut crosswise into rough 1/4-inch slices. Break into smaller pieces.

Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Add cauliflower slices, along with any crumbly pieces, in one layer. (Work in batches if necessary.) Let cauliflower brown and caramelize for about 2 minutes, then turn pieces over to brown the other side. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork. It’s fine if some pieces don’t brown evenly. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add capers, garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped sage, sage leaves and lemon zest and stir to coat.

Put cooked cauliflower mixture in a large mixing bowl. Add cooked rigatoni and fontina and toss. Transfer mixture to a lightly oiled baking dish. Top with Romano cheese, then with bread crumbs and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. (Dish may be completed to this point up to several hours in advance and kept at room temperature, covered.)

Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until top is crisp and golden. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley before serving.

SAVORY PUMPKIN QUICHE

This also comes from the October 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 76. It begins, “Who says pumpkin pie has to be sweet? This version goes together in no time and makes a great autumn supper served with whole-grain bread and a tossed salad.” Serves 6; makes 1 8-inch pie.

1/2 cup low-fat Gruyère cheese

1 frozen 9-inch prepared piecrust

1 cup low-fat milk

2 large eggs

1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin purée

Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle cheese over bottom of piecrust.

Whisk together milk, eggs, thyme, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Blend in pumpkin. Pour mixture over cheese in crust.

Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F, and bake 45 to 50 minutes more, or until pie filling has set and tip of knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

nutritional information per serving: Calories: 206; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 16 g; Cholesterol: 146 mg; Sodium: 321 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 3 g