Cream of Cauliflower Soup

From one of the Moosewood Restaurant's cookbooks by Mollie Katzen

Even my husband, who is suspicious of cauliflower, loves this soup! It's low in fat, but very creamy. "Buttermilk enhances the other flavors...."

2 cups chopped onions
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups diced potatoes
1 cup chopped celery
5 cups water
1 cup peeled and chopped carrots
1 medium head cauliflower, chopped (about 5 cups)
1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh dill (I use 2 teaspoons dried dillweed)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground dried mustard
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds (I leave these out, as I am not a fan of caraway)
2 cups buttermilk
salt to taste

In a soup pot, combine the onions, garlic, potatoes, celery, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the carrots and continue to simmer for 10 more minutes.
Add the cauliflower, dill, lemon juice, mustard, and caraway, and simmer for 15-20 minutes longer, until the carrots are tender. In a blender or food processor (I use an immersible blender), puree the soup with the buttermilk. Add salt to taste and gently reheat.
Serve topped with chopped scallions.

Per 10 ounce serving: 143 calories, 6.5g protein, 1.4g fat, 23.8g carbohydrates, 0.5g saturated fatty acids, 0.4g polyunsaturated fatty acids, 0.3g monounsaturated fatty acids, 3mg cholesterol, 158mg sodium, 5.5g total dietary fiber.

Serves 6
Prep time - 35 minutes
Simmering time - 35-40 minutes

Easy and Elegant Cheese Souffle

Taken from Frances Moore Lappe's' book Diet for a Small Planet
serves 5
3 cups grated cheese
4-6 slices bread
2 c. milk or 1 1/2 c. milk &1/2 c wine or beer)
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire or soy sauce
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
pepper

• Layer cheese and bread in an oiled baking dish, starting with bread.
• Pour over it the milk or milk mixture.
• Beat, with the eggs, the salt and remaining ingredients and pour over bread mixture.
• Let stand for 30 minutes.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour in a pan of hot water.

This is a very homey sounding dish but quite elegant as well.

Made with 4 slices of bread, here is the nutrition breakdown.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 5
Amount per serving
Calories	381
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27.4g	35%
Saturated Fat 16.4g	82%
Cholesterol 177mg	59%
Sodium 791mg	34%
Total Carbohydrate 9.8g	4%
Dietary Fiber 0.3g	1%
Total Sugars 5.4g
Protein 24g
Vitamin D 18mcg	89%
Calcium 633mg	49%
Iron 1mg	8%
Potassium 168mg	4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet.2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Recipe analyzed by

My Favorite Christmas Cookies!

Mexican Wedding Rings

1 c. butter or margarine

2 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
3/4 c. chopped nuts (pecans are our favorite, but walnuts are good, too!)
1/2 c. confectioner's sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix ingredients with hands. Form into small balls and flatten to size of a quarter. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. Shake in powdered sugar.

Makes about 6 dozen.

Gingerbread Cookies (taken from the Farm Journal Christmas Book)
1 cup shortening (can use margarine, but they won't retain the shape as well and it is not good for hanging on the tree)
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. molasses
4 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 eggs
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

• cream shortening, sugar and molasses. Add eggs and mix well.
• sift together dry ingredients and blend into creamed mixture. Chill a few hours or overnight.
• heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
  
• roll dough 1/4" thick on floured board and cut with shaped cutters.
• carefully place on greased baking sheets. Place cinnamon candies for eyes and buttons. Bake fir 8-10 minutes. Decorate with confectioner's sugar icing.
• store in airtight container. Makes about 3 dozen.

Icing: To 1 c. confectioner's sugar, add about 4 tsp. water. Stir till smooth and thick enough to spread. Use to paint features on cookies with toothpick.

Praline Cookies (taken from the Farm Journal Christmas Book)
24 graham crackers
1 c. light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1 c. chopped pecans

• heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• grease a 15.5 x 10.5 x 1 " jelly roll pan. Line bottom of pan with whole graham crackers.
• place brown sugar and butter in small saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat and cook for 1.5 minutes. Remove from heat. When it stops bubbling, add nuts. Spread on graham crackers.
• bake 10 minutes.
• cool and cut into 48 cookies.
  

YUM!!!