Beans & Ham

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 medium smoked ham hocks, about 4 ounces each
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 pound dried great northern or navy beans
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  
• 10 cups water
• Salt

Pre-soak beans overnight per package directions. Drain and rinse. In a medium Dutch oven with a lid, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, sear the ham hocks in batches, until brown, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the ham hock and set aside. Add the onions. Season with pepper. Saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the beans and bay leaves. Season with pepper. Saute for 1 minute. Add the reserved ham hocks and water. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 2 hours, or until the meat falls of the bone and the beans are creamy. Remove the bay leaves and season with salt, pepper and cayenne.

Serve with warm buttery cornbread.

Broccoli & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

• 1 bunch broccoli, sliced 1/8 inch up to crowns.
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienne cut
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled & minced
• 12 oz. spiral pasta
  
• 4 T Pine nuts
• salt & pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes (including oil if packed in oil) and red pepper and saute until broccoli is tender, about six minutes. Add garlic and heat for another 2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Remove skillet from heat. Prepare pasta per package directions, rinse in cold water, and add to skillet. Add pine nuts to skillet, toss salad and transfer to serving bowl. Salt & pepper to taste. Serve warm or chilled

Cantonese Chicken and Mushrooms

• 1 1/4 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 6 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 thin slices peeled ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 8 to 10 ounces sliced mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake or a mix
• 12 ounces baby bok choy, cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• Cooked rice, for serving

Toss the chicken with the oyster sauce in a bowl. Mix the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water in another bowl. Place both bowls near the stove with the remaining ingredients.

Heat a wok or deep skillet over high heat until hot. Add the peanut oil, then the scallions, ginger and garlic, and stir-fry about 20 seconds. Add the chicken mixture and stir-fry until the meat is no longer pink on the outside, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and bok choy.

Add the broth and sesame oil to the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the cornstarch mixture, return to a boil and cook, tossing, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with rice.

Chicken and Black Bean-Stuffed Burritos

• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken breast
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 3/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup refrigerated fresh salsa
• 4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Bring first 6 ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in shredded chicken and green onions.

Combine beans and salsa. Spoon 1/4 cup bean mixture and 1/2 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese. Roll up.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 2 burritos. Place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of burritos, and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Remove from pan, and repeat procedure with the remaining 2 burritos.

Curry Lentil Soup

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 small chile, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups yellow, red or green lentils
• Salt
• 2 Tblsp curry powder blend or Ras el hanout
• 1 quart chicken or vegetable stock-in-a-box
• 2 to 3 cups water
• 1 bundle farm spinach, trimmed, washed and dried, coarsely chopped
• Naan bread
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, 4 turns of the pan, the garlic, carrot, chile and shallot and cook until the mixture softens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the lentils and toss to coat in the oil, season with salt, to taste and curry spices or Ras el hanout. Add the stock and water to the soup and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until lentils are tender, about 40 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender into a smooth soup. Season with salt, if needed. Cool completely and store in the refrigerator for a make-ahead meal.

Reheat the soup over medium heat and stir in the fresh spinach until wilted. Heat the naan on a griddle pan with a few drops of water until crisp and hot on each side, then brush liberally with melted butter.

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

• 1/3 cup grated onion, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 1/3 cup dry red wine
• 1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Combine 1/4 cup onion, pepper, salt, garlic, and beef. Shape into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned.

Melt butter in pan. Add mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes. Stir in wine and remaining onion; cook 2 minutes. Combine broth and flour; add to pan, and bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until thick. Add patties and vinegar to pan; cook 2 minutes.

Tex-Mex Pork

• 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups refrigerated fresh salsa
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups hot cooked long-grain rice
• 1/4 cup light sour cream
• 3/4 cup cubed avocado

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Sauté for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Add salsa and 1/4 cup water to pan; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve pork mixture over rice; top with sour cream and avocado.