Welsh "Rabbit"

This was a great dinner on those nights when you really don't feel like cooking. It was ready in minutes, and had a nice kick to it. I served it over Jewish Rye (a personal fave), but it would work will with most breads or biscuits.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup porter beer

3/4 cup skim milk (or heavy cream)

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar

2 drops hot sauce

4 slices toasted rye bread

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Whisk constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to brown the flour. Whisk in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until smooth. Do this gradually so as to avoid any clumping. Add beer and whisk to combine. Pour in the milk (or cream) and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the cheese, stirring constantly, until cheese melts and sauce is smooth--about 5 minutes. Add hot sauce. Pour over toast and serve immediately.

Hearty Black Bean Stew

This was a great meal to make during the work week, because it had the heartiness and thickness of a slowly simmered stew, but it only took me about 30 minutes to prepare. It tasted wonderful, almost like a vegetarian chili, and I served it with sour cream and a baked potato on the side.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
2 cans (19 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 ounces) vegetable broth
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add beans, broth, vinegar, and oregano. Cook, mashing some beans with the back of a spoon or fork, until slightly thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve beans over rice if desired, although I enjoyed it with just a dollop of sour cream.

Turkey Meatloaf

This is a healthier version of my Mom's meatloaf. Just as delicious, though!

1 1/2 pounds of lean ground turkey

1 cup of low sodium V8 juice

3/4 cup of oats

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup of chopped onion

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Press firmly into an ungreased load pan. Bake for one hour at 350*. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Hard Cider Cheddar Fondue

This is a perfect meal for chilly fall nights! As a big fan of fondue, this was definitely one of the better recipes I've tried. I ate it with raw veggies (such as broccoli, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, celery and carrots) as well as pieces of salami and baguette. It not only tasted wonderful, but it also filled my apartment with the smells of fall!

1 bottle (12 oz.) hard cider

Low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 pound Gruyere, grated
1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt

Pepper

Heat cider, broth, Worcestershire, and garlic in a medium pot over medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Toss the cheeses together in a medium bowl. Sift the corn starch over the cheese, and toss to coat lightly.

Using a wooden spoon, sprinkle some cheese mixture into the warm liquid and continue to stir in small amounts of cheese until it is all incorporated and the fondue is smooth and melted, about 15 minutes. Do this very slowly and thoroughly, as the cheese will tend to congeal. Stir in cayenne and salt.

Transfer to a fondue pot or double boiler and serve with dippers.

Roasted Sweet Potato Soup with Curried Apples

This was a delicious and interesting take on sweet potato soup. It is very filling, so serve only about a teacup-full as an appetizer. I liked it with "extra" yogurt and curried apple garnish--delish!

2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 or 4)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, halved and sliced

Coarse salt and ground black pepper

1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced

2 jalapeno peppers, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

4 cups vegetable broth

2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon curry powder

1 small tart apple, peeled, cored, and diced

1/4 cup plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour, turning once, or until potatoes are very soft. When cool enough to handle, scoop cooked potato out of the skins. Discard skins.

Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add bell pepper, jalapenos, and garlic; cook for 5 minutes. Add sweet potato and broth; stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, until flavors have blended.

Working in batches, puree soup in a blender. Combine batches in a clean pot. The soup will have a thick consistency, so if you prefer a thinner soup, add water or a little more broth. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring vinegar, honey, and curry powder to a boil. Add apple; stir for 1 minute and remove from heat. To serve, ladle the soup into warm bowls, add a spoonful of apples, and a spoonful of yogurt.

Banana Cupcakes with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting

These are like slightly sweeter versions of banana bread. The frosting goes perfectly!

For the cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3 ripe bananas), plus 1 whole banana, for garnish (optional)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the frosting:

1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes (for mini muffins, it takes about 10 minutes). Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack.

While the cupcakes cool, work on making the frosting. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat confectioners' sugar, unsalted butter, honey, and ground cinnamon until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes

Once the cupcakes have cooled, spread the tops with the honey-cinnamon frosting. Just before serving, peel and slice banana into rounds, and place one on each cupcake, if desired.

Beef Stroganoff

This is one of those perfect comfort food meals that is sure to warm you up!

2 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into thin slices (about 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches long)
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 pound white mushrooms, trimmed and halved (or quartered, if large)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
Cooked whole wheat egg noodles, for serving

Cooking Option A:

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, toss beef, onion, and mushrooms with 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt and teaspoon pepper. Cover, and cook on low until meat is tender, about 8 hours (or on high for 6 hours).

Cooking Option B:

preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Follow step 1 below, using a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid instead of the slow cooker. Add 2 cups water, and cover. Transfer to oven; cook until beef is tender, about 2 hours.

As the meat finishes cooking, whisk cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water. Ladle 1 cup cooking liquid into measuring cup; whisk to combine. Pour into a small saucepan, and bring to a boil; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. With slow cooker turned off, stir in cornstarch mixture, then sour cream and mustard. Serve beef over noodles.