Sausage Ditalini Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 white onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 pound ground (or chopped links) mild sausage
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
5 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated + additional for topping
2 cups fresh spinach
2 cups dry ditalini pasta (or any very small pasta shape)
1 cup heavy cream
 
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until translucent, a few minutes. Add the minced garlic and stir.
 
Add the sausage to the pot and stir to break it up. Continue to cook until the juices run clear and sausage is no longer pink. Drain off or wipe out any excess grease.
 
Add the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to the pot, stirring to combine. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a gentle boil. Grate in the Parmesan cheese and drop in the spinach leaves. Stir until the spinach leaves wilt. Add in the 2 cups of dry ditalini pasta. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until just tender. Once cooked, turn off the heat and gently pour in the heavy cream. Serve hot with additional Parmesan cheese as a topping if desired.
 
Serves 6.
 
From Ally’s Sweet and Savory Food blog with edits for clarity

Coconut Sweet Potato Lentil Soup

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
3/4 cup dried red lentils
Kosher salt
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
2 cups baby spinach or baby kale
 
2 cups cooked basmati rice
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving
Fresh naan, for serving
 
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook 5 minutes until soft. Add the ginger, garlic, and sweet potatoes and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and cayenne and cook another minute.
 
Add the broth and lentils. Season generously with salt. Bring the mix to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, until the lentils are soft and the sweet potatoes tender.
 
Stir in the coconut milk and spinach, cook 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cilantro.
 
To serve, divide the rice among bowls and ladle the soup overtop. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with naan on the side.
 
Serves 6.
 
From Half-Baked Harvest blog

Spiced Hot Chocolate Brownies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/4 cup whole milk powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (110 grams) packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
 
Heat oven to 375°F. Grease a 13" x 9" metal baking pan with butter. Line with parchment, leaving an overhang on 2 opposite long sides, then grease parchment with butter. 

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, milk powder, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne until combined.
 
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter until just bubbling. Remove from heat. Add chocolate, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, and mix until chocolate is glossy. Add eggs one at a time, stirring to blend after each addition, then stir in vanilla. Add chocolate mixture to flour mixture and fold in with a rubber spatula until no dry streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared pan.
 
Bake brownies until a tester inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan 15 minutes. Using parchment overhang, transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
 
Serves 12-16.
 
From Delish.com

Crispy Cauliflower Po Boy Sandwich

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons Creole Seasoning*
Zest of 1 lemon
1 egg, lightly beaten
heaping 2 cups small cauliflower florets, 1-inch pieces
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
4 soft baguette pieces, lightly toasted
Lettuce, tomatoes & pickles
Chives
Lemon wedges
 
Remoulade:
1/2 cup mayo
1 tablespoon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon hot sauce
 
Heat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
 
On a rimmed tray, mix together the panko, seasoning, and lemon zest. Place the egg in a small bowl nearby. Dip each cauliflower floret into the egg, coat with the panko mixture, then place onto the baking sheet Repeat with remaining cauliflower. Drizzle the coated cauliflower with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. (Note: Can also be air-fried for about 20 minutes or until crispy.)
 
In a small bowl, mix together the mayo, mustard, garlic, paprika, and hot sauce.
 
Assemble the sandwiches with a generous slather of the remoulade, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and cauliflower. Squeeze lemon over the cauliflower, top with chives, and serve with remaining remoulade sauce on the side.
 
Serves 4.
 
From Love and Lemons blog
 
 
*Creole Seasoning:
2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Egg Bites

Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan
6 large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk cottage cheese
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 cups fresh spinach, 3 ounces
1/2 cup diced roasted red bell pepper, about 1 pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onion, about 2 green onions
 
Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a nonstick muffin tin with olive oil.
 
In a blender, place the eggs, cottage cheese, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Blend until smooth.
 
Place the spinach in a steamer basket and set over a pot filled with 1 inch of water. Bring the water to a simmer, cover, and steam for 1 minute, or until the spinach is wilted. Transfer to a strainer and squeeze out the excess water. Roughly chop.
 
Place the spinach in a medium bowl and add the peppers and scallions. Toss to combine and measure ¼ cup of the mixed vegetables. Set aside.
 
Evenly divide the remaining veggies among the muffin cups. Pour a scant ¼ cup of the egg mixture over the vegetables in each well. Divide any remaining egg mixture evenly among the wells. Evenly sprinkle the reserved ¼ cup vegetables on top.
 
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.

From Love and Lemons blog

Note: Can substitute other vegetables such as onions, peas, broccoli, asparagus. Use about 1 1/4 cups vegetables.
 

Roasted Cauliflower with Honey and Halloumi

600 grams cauliflower florets (large florets)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Large pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
1 tablespoon za´atar
50 grams halloumi, drained and grated
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves or spinach
 
Heat oven to 425 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with baking paper.
 
Add cauliflower florets, oil, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Toss and mix well to coat the cauliflower with the oil. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 F and roast for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and into a shallow, rimmed serving bowl.
 
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a small frying pan on medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic. Sauté for 7-8 minutes, tossing constantly, until onion is soft and starting to caramelize. Add honey to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes until honey is bubbling and starting to caramelize. Remove pan from heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and red wine vinegar. Mix well.
 
Pour the onion-honey dressing evenly over the cauliflower.
 
Sprinkle with the chilli flakes and za’atar. Top with the grated halloumi and parsley or spinach. Season with a dash of salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately.
 
Serves 2.
 
From Cook Republic blog

Cherry Compote

2 pounds (1kg) fresh cherries
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
1/3 cup (40g) dried sour cherries, optional
2 teaspoons kirsch, or another fruit-based liqueur, optional
1-2 drops pure almond extract
 
Stem and pit the cherries. Put them in a large, nonreactive pot or saucepan and stir in sugar. Turn the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, lifting the lid and stirring them frequently, to encourage juicing and to make sure the liquid the cherries exude doesn’t foam up and overflow.
 
After 10 minutes of cooking, add the sour cherries, if using, and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes, until the cherries are wilted and completely cooked through.
 
Remove from heat and stir in the kirsch and almond extract. Let cool before storing or serving. The juices will thicken as the compote sits.
 
Notes:
Be sure to use a larger pot that you think. For 2 pounds (1kg) of cherries, I used a 6-quart (6l) pan. Since the cherry juices will foam up as they cook, using a larger pot – and removing the lid from time-to-time – will keep your from having to clean up a sticky mess. I’ve didn’t use much sugar here, so you can add more to taste, if your cherries aren’t as sweet as mine were. If you can get sour cherries, feel free to add some in place of the sweet cherries. If so, you may need to increase the sugar a little, to taste as well.
 
The cherry compote can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It can be frozen for up to one year.

From DavidLebovitz.com