Black pepper lands a leading role in these 5 sweet and savory recipes - The Washington Post

Black pepper lands a leading role in these 5 sweet and savory recipes - The Washington Post
Sifting through recipe clutter | News, Sports, Jobs - Alpena News
13 Spring Recipes to Add to Your Cooking List - The New York Times
Main dish cabbage recipes - Atlanta Journal Constitution
These epic Girl Scout cookie-inspired recipes put a new spin on classic flavors - CNN

Posted: 10 Mar 2021 09:00 AM PST

Black Pepper-Pistachio Shortbread, pictured above. Sweet and spicy is a time-honored flavor combo, so let's take it to cookies. Warming pepper and earthy pistachios combine in a sweet, buttery dough for a cookie you haven't yet dreamed of. If you like this shortbread and want to experiment with more pepper in your sweets, check out these Three-Pepper Spice Cookies.

Cacio e Pepe Alla Colu. The classic Roman pasta traditionally uses only cheese, pasta and black pepper. This version adds butter to help emulsify the sauce, but absolutely does not skimp out on the pepper.

Black Pepper Sauce. We talk a lot about the sixth flavor, umami, here, and this sauce packs a punch of it. Super-savory with Worcestershire sauce, bouillon and ketchup, with a powerful spice hit from over two tablespoons of pepper, you'll find that it pairs beautifully with meat and potatoes.

Black Pepper Tofu Pot. A version of this peppery dish makes its way to my own dinner table at least once a month, if not more often. You'll get plenty of heat from a tiny bit of jalapeño and a whole lot of black pepper — two tablespoons give the dish an earthiness similar to mushrooms or meat.

Sifting through recipe clutter | News, Sports, Jobs - Alpena News

Posted: 10 Mar 2021 10:22 PM PST

How many of you have a collection of cookbooks, files and piles of recipes, and unused recipes? When you spend hours each week cooking, you might think you need all of them until you really think of what you use of your accumulated recipes.

For example, if you are like me, I had a large amount of cookbooks from which I used only a couple of recipes from each book. On a couple of occasions I sat down and went through them, page by page, ripping out the ones I use and filing them. I recycled the books after that. I have experienced that recipe books do not sell well at sales as we all seem to have too many so I didn't feel bad recycling them.

Having main dish recipes easily accessible has made it much easier to decide what to prepare for meals. I have my main dish recipes in a book with plastic pages labeled by: Beef, chicken, fish, no meat, soups, etc. so that when I'm ready to make a meal, I can look in the category I have the ingredients for. Now, the ones I ripped out of cookbooks and magazines are with the others like them. A photo album can also be used.

I also have a couple of small recipe boxes to hold less used recipes: Cakes, cookies, fruit desserts, special drinks, side dishes, salads, etc. so that they are easily found when I want them. I am a clipper of recipes from magazines so they can get out of hand if I don't file them where I would look for them.

My sons, and I would guess the younger generation in general, are not collectors of cookbooks or paper recipes. If they want a recipe with certain ingredients, they look online and find one. If they want one of mine, I send them a photo of it. It takes up no space in the kitchen that way. I have to admit it is fun to get online and type the ingredients I have to get new recipes to try.

I have to confess I still have my old tried and true Betty Crocker cookbook as well as a few sentimental ones I grew up with, but having less and filing the recipes I use has made it much easier to find my favorites to make day to day.

I used to save every recipe I thought I might make someday but now realize I can get them online if I really want them. I have eliminated many from my files that I was going to try but never have.

Simplify and file so that you can find those favorites. As you do so, you may even come across some fun foods you haven't made in a long time.

Doris Puls, of D & O Decluttering and Organizing, is a professional organizer whose mission is to make a difference in the lives of the people she works with in homes and businesses. Reach her at organizealpena@gmail.com or at 989-356-9545.

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13 Spring Recipes to Add to Your Cooking List - The New York Times

Posted: 10 Mar 2021 02:00 AM PST

The arrival of spring is always a most-welcome event, but, this year, its approach feels even more deserving of celebration. In honor of the warmer weather, bright blooms and vibrant farmers' markets on the horizon, you can and should make these ultimate spring dishes from NYT Cooking, which make the most of the season's verdant produce — and scream "Spring is here!"

Don't think of store-bought frozen puff pastry as a cheat: It's merely a clever shortcut that brings you closer to cutting into this savory tart. Melissa Clark makes expert use of asparagus, that spring superstar, laying it over a tangy and herby crème fraîche base. The result is a dish that is as effortless as it is chic. And if you love the sound of a cheesy, herb-packed tart, but don't love asparagus, look no further than this showstopping feta-and-herb phyllo spiral from Yotam Ottolenghi.

Spring's bounty of vegetables isn't the season's only important marker. It's also the start of grilling season. This recipe from Clare de Boer is a colorful way to celebrate both. Marinated chicken skewers share the spotlight — and the grill top — with a mess of bright scallions. Chicken and scallions alike are nicely charred before they're served atop grilled pitas and dolloped with herby, limey yogurt.

Recipe: Grilled Chicken Skewers With Tarragon and Yogurt

For Samin Nosrat, a bowl of ash reshteh signals the arrival of spring. This herbaceous soup of beans, greens and noodles is served leading up to Nowruz, the Persian New Year, which coincides with the vernal equinox on March 20. Like the perfect cardigan, a warm pot of ash reshteh straddles the seasons: It's filled with pounds of fresh herbs, but is thick and hearty like a chili.

Recipe: Ash Reshteh

If canned artichokes are a staple in your winter pantry, then you're probably the type to rejoice when the fresh ones start popping up at stores and markets. Nothing beats simply steamed or roasted artichokes, and this recipe from April Bloomfield employs both methods. First the artichokes are steamed with white wine, then the pot is uncovered so that the liquid evaporates and the vegetables crisp. Capers and mint round out the dish.

Do you hear that? That's the sound of forced rhubarb emerging from the ground — and of farmers' market attendees making their way toward baskets full of the vegetable. Once you've loaded up on tart and tangy stalks, turn to Melissa Clark, who has you covered with a truly piece-of-cake-easy, upside-down number.

Recipes: Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

Think of this one-pot minestrone from Kay Chun as a blank canvas for your farmers' market treasures. Swap the green vegetables — asparagus, peas, kale — according to your tastes and what's available. Just don't skip the ginger, which adds a welcome zing to the light broth. For a soup with a similar sensibility, but without the pasta, try Alison Roman's spring tofu soup.

Recipe: Spring Minestrone With Kale and Pasta | Spring Tofu Soup

If a recipe calls for more vegetables than dumplings, does that make it a pasta or a salad? Make these ricotta dumplings with buttered spring vegetables from Alison Roman and decide for yourself. The doughy pillows are the perfect accompaniment for asparagus, peas and pea shoots, and they're a breeze to make.

Recipe: Ricotta Dumplings With Buttered Peas and Asparagus

If cake's not your thing, perhaps you'd rather add Melissa Clark's 45-minute rhubarb and raspberry cobbler to the list instead. Her recipe features cornmeal biscuits, which come together just as easily whisked in a bowl as they do in a food processor. Or go all-in on rhubarb with a pie from Edna Lewis. In her recipe, adapted by Molly O'Neill, Ms. Lewis calls for only eight ingredients (two of which are salt and water). You'll find nary a berry in the mix — just fresh, chopped rhubarb kicked up with a bit of sugar and nutmeg.

Recipe: Rhubarb Raspberry Cobbler With Cornmeal Biscuits | Edna Lewis's Rhubarb Pie

Put some spring in your step with thinly sliced asparagus and a combination of fresh dill, mint and parsley. Ali Slagle takes this 20-minute orzo over the edge by adding garlicky bread crumbs and a super simple lemony dressing. Serve it warm for a light but comforting dinner, or at room temperature for more of an elevated pasta salad feel.

At the risk of sounding like asparagus superfans, here's yet-another recipe where it's the star. Asparagus (obviously) and a lemony herb and arugula salad top this pizza-focaccia hybrid from Susan Spungen, and pancetta, green olives and serrano chiles make for a solid supporting ensemble. Using store-bought pizza dough means dinner can be ready in just 35 minutes.

Recipe: Sheet-Pan Pizza With Asparagus and Arugula

Main dish cabbage recipes - Atlanta Journal Constitution

Posted: 10 Mar 2021 11:57 AM PST

ExploreRecipe: Irish Lamb Stew

Mark Capps of Straight From the Backyard Farm is seen at age 4 with one of his first homegrown cabbages. Courtesy of Mark Capps

Credit: Handout

One of the things he planted as a child was cabbage. He still grows it, although now it's for the customers of Straight From the Backyard Farm.

Capps didn't set out to be a farmer. However, the family tradition was strong. And, his backyard garden, once meant to provide vegetables for him and his girlfriend, Lynn Teddlie, grew and expanded, until the couple began growing on 4 acres and selling the extra produce to local restaurants, as well as at farmers markets.

The pandemic has been tough on the restaurant business, but Capps said he appreciates that customers like the Chastain in Atlanta, and the Butcher the Baker and Crooked Tree Cafe in Marietta, bought from the farm throughout the season. His participation at farmers markets dropped down to just two, the Saturday Marietta Square Farmers Market and the Thursday online Tucker Farmers Market.

Through it all, Capps has continued to grow cabbage. Experience has taught him that growing napa cabbage in northeast Georgia is tough. Aphids love those fleshy leaves, and the loose structure of the heads means a frost easily can knock down the crop.

ExploreHumble cabbage stars in these easy winter recipes

Mark Capps grows bronco, a variety of green cabbage with a firm head and relatively small size. Courtesy of Straight From the Backyard Farm

Credit: Handout

But bronco, a beautiful, green cabbage with firm round heads, has done well for him. "We like it, because we can space out the plants and grow heads as large as 7 or 8 pounds, or we can plant it closer, and get 2- or 3-pound heads," he said. "We've found there's not a big market here for those huge cabbage heads that are 10 to 15 pounds. Our farmers market customers really like those smaller heads."

Speaking of really big cabbages, he noted that Alaska is a major grower, and "that's where they can grow huge 100-pound heads of cabbage. Their growing season is only four months, but really long days make for perfect growing conditions."

Capps grows red cabbage, too; his favorite variety is ruby perfection. Red cabbage takes much longer to grow, so usually is more expensive. "I can have heads of green cabbage in 65 days, but it takes red cabbage 120 days to grow to a similar size," Capps said.

ExploreKitchen Curious: Sauerkraut is easy way to start your DIY fermentation journey

Also, red cabbage is a chameleon, changing color depending on what it's cooked with. For a fun science experiment, drop some vinegar or lemon juice into the purple juice after boiling a red cabbage, and it will turn red. Drop in baking soda, and it will turn a bluish-green. Keep this in mind the next time you're cooking red cabbage, and want to it to be a bright red color.

Capps also grows savoy king, perhaps the prettiest cabbage, with its beautifully textured, dark green outer leaves. It doesn't make up a huge percentage of what he grows, but his customers love it when it comes to market. Like napa cabbage, though, the loose texture of the heads means it's easily burned by frost. And, like napa, the bugs enjoy it as much as his customers do. Too long in the field, and the leaves start getting damaged and the head can begin to rot from the cold.

ExploreHail cabbage, that less-fashionable kale cousin

He has some cabbage available now, the last of his late-summer plantings. He started harvesting smaller heads around the first week of November, and now is selling red cabbage. "We'll be putting in a spring crop soon," he said, "and that cabbage should be ready the first of May. You could grow cabbage all year-round here, if the bugs didn't destroy everything in the summer."

Savoy king cabbage features beautifully textured dark green outer leaves. Courtesy of Straight From the Backyard Farm

Credit: Handout

RECIPES

Cabbage as a side dish is well established, but how about cabbage as a main dish? We've got three recipes you don't need to be vegetarian to enjoy. If you skip the feta in the Red Cabbage-Caramelized Onion Tart, these recipes are vegan, as well.

Napa cabbage is a nice choice for Chinese hot and sour soup. Styling by Conne Ward Cameron. Chris Hunt for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Credit: Chris Hunt

Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

This soup has a satisfying balance of salty, sour and mildly spicy flavors. It's also a nice introduction to seitan, a meat substitute made from wheat gluten and available at most grocery stores. You could substitute chicken or shrimp, if you didn't need to stay plant-based. Napa cabbage is a nice choice here, because the leaves are tender and cook quickly. This soup makes a warm dinner in less than 30 minutes.

Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups finely diced traditional seitan
1½ teaspoons hot sauce
6 cups vegetable broth
½ medium head Napa cabbage, cored and shredded (about ¾ pound)
¾ cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 (8-ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 medium scallions, trimmed and sliced
2 teaspoons chili oil

In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil at medium-high. When it is shimmering, add the seitan and saute until crisp, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the hot sauce, stirring well to coat. Cook for 1 more minute, then remove the seitan from the saucepan and set aside.
In the same saucepan, over medium heat, combine the vegetable broth, cabbage, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper flakes and salt. Bring to a slow simmer and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add the reserved seitan.
In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch, then slowly stir into the soup. Heat just until the soup thickens. Top each serving with scallions, and drizzle with chili oil. Serves six.

Nutritional information

Per serving: Per serving: 210 calories (percent of calories from fat, 32), 22 grams protein, 16 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 8 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 692 milligrams sodium.

Adapted from "The Spicy Plant-Based Cookbook," from Adams Media (Simon & Schuster, $16.99).

This red cabbage-caramelized onion tart uses whole-wheat phyllo. Courtesy of Diane Kochilas

Credit: Diane Kochilas

Red Cabbage-Caramelized Onion Tart With Whole Wheat Phyllo

The recipe says "phyllo," but rather than a base made from thin sheets of phyllo, it is more like a whole-wheat bread dough. If you want to skip the dough-making step, the recipe's creator, PBS cooking show host Diane Kochilas, said it's OK to substitute phyllo dough. Use six sheets, placing them one at a time on the bottom of a tart pan, brushing each with olive oil. Add the filling and then roll the phyllo around the edges into a decorative border.

The combination of cabbage and onions is a classic pairing, and using red cabbage here makes for a very pretty main dish. If you use red onions, you just keep that beautiful purple color going. The dill and feta put this tart firmly into the world of Greek cooking. And, don't skip the raisins; they add a nice sweet counterpoint to the savory ingredients.

If you don't have a tart pan, a small sheet pan will work.

Red Cabbage-Caramelized Onion Tart With Whole Wheat Phyllo

¾ cup bread flour, plus more as needed
¾ cup whole-wheat flour, plus more as needed
½ teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning onions and cabbage
½ cup water
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for oiling tart pan and dough
4 large red or yellow onions peeled, halved and thinly sliced
½ cup dry red wine, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided
2 tablespoons honey, divided
3 cups coarsely shredded red cabbage
½ cup crumbled feta
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
3 tablespoons raisins

Make the dough: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the bread flour, whole wheat flour and ½ teaspoon of salt. Add water and ¼ cup olive oil and mix at medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the dough forms a ball. Reduce the speed and beat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the dough is very smooth. You may need to add a small amount of either bread or whole-wheat flour if the mixture is too wet.
Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a large bowl and swirl to coat the surface. Move the dough into an oiled bowl, cover and rest at least 1 hour, up to 5 hours. The dough also can be made ahead and refrigerated for 3 to 5 days. If refrigerated, bring to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.
Make the filling: In a large skillet, heat ¼ cup olive oil over low heat. Add onions, and season lightly with salt. Cook on low heat until the onions are wilted and lightly caramelized, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ¼ cup of wine, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of honey and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and do not wash the skillet.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil and add the cabbage. Cook until the cabbage is wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ¼ cup of wine, remaining 1 tablespoon of balsamic and the remaining 1 tablespoon of honey, and season lightly with salt. Cook until the cabbage is soft and wilted, and all the liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cabbage and onions. Stir in the feta, dill and raisins. Taste for seasoning one last time.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 10-inch tart pan with olive oil.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle. Move to the prepared tart pan, leaving a 1-inch overhang all around. Brush the surface with olive oil and spread the filling evenly over the surface of the tart, then roll the overhang back over the tart to form a decorative edge. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the crust is crisp and golden brown. Cool slightly before serving. Serves four.

Nutritional information

Per serving: Per serving: 736 calories (percent of calories from fat, 59), 11 grams protein, 65 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber, 49 grams total fat (9 grams saturated), 17 milligrams cholesterol, 474 milligrams sodium.

Adapted from a recipe by Diane Kochilas, host of "My Greek Table With Diane Kochilas," distributed by American Public Television.

Curry-roasted cabbage wedges with tomatoes and chickpeas highlights the meaty nature of cabbage. Courtesy of America's Test Kitchen

Credit: Daniel J. van Ackere

Curry-Roasted Cabbage Wedges With Tomatoes and Chickpeas

This recipe highlights the meaty nature of cabbage, turning cabbage wedges into a fine dinner entree. Curry seasoning tips this into the realm of Indian cooking. For a Mexican influence, use chili powder instead of curry and leave out the grated ginger, as well. This healthy dinner comes together in less than 30 minutes.

Curry-Roasted Cabbage Wedges With Tomatoes and Chickpeas

7 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
3 teaspoons curry powder, divided
1½ teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 (2-pound) head green cabbage
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, undrained
10 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of oil, 2 teaspoons of curry powder, sugar, salt and pepper.
Cut the cabbage in half and then cut each half into quarters, leaving the core intact. Arrange the wedges on the prepared baking sheet and brush all over with the oil mixture. Cover the pan with foil and roast 10 minutes. Remove the foil and drizzle the wedges with 2 tablespoons of oil. Return the cabbage to the oven and roast, uncovered, until the cabbage is tender, and the parts touching the baking sheet have browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
While the cabbage is roasting, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet, until shimmering. Add garlic, ginger and the remaining teaspoon of curry powder. Cook 30 seconds, then add the chickpeas with their liquid and tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then cook until the tomatoes begin to break down and the mixture has thickened slightly 7 to 9 minutes.
When the cabbage is ready, arrange two wedges on each of four serving plates and spoon the chickpea mixture over the top. Garnish with cilantro. Serves four.

Nutritional information

Per serving: Per serving: 588 calories (percent of calories from fat, 44), 19 grams protein, 67 grams carbohydrates, 21 grams fiber, 30 grams total fat (4 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 949 milligrams sodium.

Adapted from "The Complete Plant Based Cookbook" by America's Test Kitchen (America's Test Kitchen, $34.99)

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These epic Girl Scout cookie-inspired recipes put a new spin on classic flavors - CNN

Posted: 10 Mar 2021 11:03 AM PST

[unable to retrieve full-text content]These epic Girl Scout cookie-inspired recipes put a new spin on classic flavors CNN