Quinoa, Cornbread and Cranberry Stuffing

SERVES 10

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups cornbread, cubed
• 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh sage, torn
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 (8-ounce) package sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 3/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place cornbread cubes on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside. Remove cornbread from oven and set aside; leave oven on.

Place pecans on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 6 minutes; remove. In the meantime, start cooking the vegetables.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan for 1 minute over medium heat, then add the onion, sage, salt and pepper and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the celery and mushrooms and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until softened.

Transfer the toasted cornbread and quinoa to a large bowl. Add the cooked vegetables and gently combine. Stir and add the pecans, cranberries, broth and wine. Transfer to the reserved baking dish and bake for 50 minutes, until golden brown on top. Serve warm.

Credit to Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN. Her books include Feed the Belly, The CarbLovers Diet and Eating in Color. Follow her @FrancesLRothRD

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds Brussels sprouts 908g, fresh, cut in half lengthwise (top to bottom)
• 1 medium red onion roughly chopped
• 6 cloves garlic roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin oil
• 8 slices uncooked thick-cut bacon cut into ½ inch strips

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.

Spread the Brussels sprouts, onions and garlic on the pan. Sprinkle the sprouts with the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, then drizzle with the olive oil. Toss the sprouts with clean hands until everything is well coated.

Wiggle the pan until the Brussels sprouts are in a single layer. Sprinkle the cut bacon pieces over the pan evenly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sprouts are fork-tender. Taste and season with additional salt if necessary.

Credit to The Simple Kitchen by Donna Elick and Chad Elick

Pecan Pie Sandwich Cookies

YIELD 20 to 24 cookies

INGREDIENTS

• FOR THE COOKIES:

  • 1 ½ cups/150 grams pecan halves, toasted
  • 2 cups/255 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling the dough
  • 1 cup/225 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
  • ⅓ cup/40 grams packed confectioners’ sugar
  • ⅓ cup/75 grams packed light brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• FOR THE FILLING:

  • ½ cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 1 cup/220 grams packed light brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup/80 milliliters dark corn syrup
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cups/175 grams pecan halves, toasted and finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

Make the cookies: Combine the pecans and 1/2 cup/65 grams flour in a food processor or blender and pulse until the pecans are coarsely ground with pebbly bits remaining.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, both sugars and salt on low speed until creamy and smooth. Scrape the bowl and add the egg yolk and vanilla. Beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl and add the pecan mixture and remaining 1 1/2 cups/190 grams flour. Beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Press into four 1/2-inch-thick squares and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

When you’re ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Place 1 dough square on a generously floured surface and sprinkle with more flour. With a floured rolling pin, roll to a scant 1/4-inch thickness, moving and flouring the dough as needed to prevent sticking. Using a floured 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds as close together as possible and transfer to a parchment-lined cookie sheet, using a thin spatula if necessary, spacing them 1/2 inch apart.

Gather the scraps, roll and cut again. If desired, cut out a 1-inch circle from half of the cookies using a cookie cutter or the wide end of a pastry tip. If your dough becomes too soft to cut after rolling, pop it in the freezer until firm again.

Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cool the cookies completely on the sheets on wire racks.

Make the filling: Combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt in a small saucepan and clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot if you have one. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to melt the butter. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until dark brown and thickened to the consistency of caramel sauce, 2 to 4 minutes. The candy thermometer should register 230 degrees. Remove from the heat and carefully add the bourbon. Stir until incorporated, then stir in the pecans until evenly coated.

Flip over half of the cookies. Carefully scoop a tablespoon of the hot filling and scrape it onto a cookie with another spoon. Spread it in an even layer with the spoon and very gently press another cookie on top to sandwich. Flip the sandwich over so the filling can set evenly. Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Cool completely.

Credit to Genevieve Ko

Cranberry Lemon Bars

YIELD 2 dozen bars

INGREDIENTS

• FOR THE CRANBERRY LAYER:

  • 1 (12-ounce/340-gram) bag fresh or frozen cranberries
  • ¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar
  • 2 to 3 large lemons

• FOR THE CRUST:

  •  Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 ½ cups/190 grams all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup/65 grams granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup/170 grams unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled

• FOR THE LEMON LAYER:

  • 1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup/30 grams all-purpose flour
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  •  Confectioners’ sugar (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Start preparing the cranberry layer: Combine the cranberries, sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan. Zest 2 of the lemons directly into the saucepan; reserve the lemons. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the mixture is jammy, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.

Make the crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with one large sheet of heavy aluminum foil, making sure there are no gaps or holes, then generously coat with cooking spray.

Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the vanilla into the butter, then pour over the flour mixture. Stir until the dough comes together in a mass. Press into an even layer in the prepared pan. Bake until golden brown around the edges and dry and golden on top, 17 to 20 minutes.

While the crust bakes, begin preparing the lemon layer: Squeeze the juice from the 2 reserved zested lemons. You should have 1/2 cup. Squeeze the juice from another lemon, if needed.

Whisk the sugar, flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add the eggs and whisk gently just until incorporated. Add the lemon juice and stir gently with the whisk just until smooth.

Let the crust cool for 5 minutes, then spread the cranberry mixture evenly over the crust. Carefully and slowly pour the lemon mixture on top to create two distinct layers.

Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is set, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 2 hours. Using the foil, slide the bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into 24 squares, wiping your knife between cuts for clean slices. If desired, sift confectioners’ sugar over the tops just before serving.

Credit to Genevieve Ko