Chia Seed Pudding

• 1 cup vanilla-flavored unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup plain low-fat (2 percent) Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (preferably grade B), plus 4 teaspoons for serving
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 pint strawberries, hulled and chopped
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

In a medium bowl, gently whisk the almond milk, yogurt, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, the vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon salt until just blended. Whisk in the chia seeds; let stand 30 minutes. Stir to distribute the seeds if they have settled. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, in a medium bowl, toss the berries with the remaining 4 teaspoons maple syrup. Mix in the almonds. Spoon the pudding into 4 bowls or glasses; mound the berry mixture on top and serve.

Serves 4; 201 calories.

VERDICT:  I like this chia seed pudding better than others I've tried.  I made it with macadamia nut milk from Trader Joe's, and just threw fresh raspberries and blackberries on instead of the strawberries.  Keep!  

"Aloo Gobi"

• 2 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows, or 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 cup water, divided
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 large serrano pepper, split down the middle leaving halves attached
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1 russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (similar size to cauliflower)
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons freshly minced cilantro leaves, to garnish

Mix the Ginger-Garlic Paste, coriander, turmeric, and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl. This is a simple wet masala (spice mix). Set aside.

In a large pot, warm the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the serrano pepper, wait 30 seconds, and then add the cumin seeds and wait until they're done spluttering.

Add the wet masala (careful, it will also splutter). Cook until the paste thickens, deepens in color slightly, and oil oozes out of the perimeter of the masala, about 2 minutes.

Add the cauliflower and potatoes, stirring to coat the vegetables with the masala. Season with salt and add 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes. Then, remove the lid, stir, and cook until the cauliflower and potatoes are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Ginger-Garlic Paste:

• 1/2 cup cloves garlic, whole
• 1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Throw the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a mini-food processor and let it go until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces in there, but overall, it should resemble a paste.
Save what you don't use in a small glass jar. It should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks.

Serves 4.

VERDICT:  I didn't make the Ginger-Garlic Paste, since I don't have a mini-food processor.  I substituted a tablespoon of grated ginger and about a tablespoon of grated garlic.  Maybe that made a difference?  This wasn't as flavorful as I expected, but it wasn't bad.  I would add more potatoes, I think.  And also not touch my eye after slicing the serrano.  Keep.

Vegetarian Chili

• 2 tablespoons canola oil 
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions 
• 1 cup chopped red bell peppers 
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic 
• 2 to 3 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced, depending upon taste 
• 1 medium zucchini, stem ends trimmed and cut into small dice 
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears) 
• 1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms (about 5 large), stemmed, wiped clean and cubed 
• 2 tablespoons chili powder 
• 1 tablespooon ground cumin 
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 
• 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped 
• 3 cups cooked black beans, or canned beans, rinsed and drained 
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 
• 1 cup vegetable stock, or water 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves 
• Sour cream or strained plain yogurt, garnish 
• Diced avocado, garnish 
• Chopped green onions, garnish 
• Brown rice, to serve

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and serrano peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.

To serve, place 1/4 cup of brown rice in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle the chili into the bowls over the rice. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and spoonful of avocado. Sprinkle with Essence and green onions and serve.

Serves 6; 311 calories.

VERDICT: A lot of ingredients, but good. Keep.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Icebox Cake

• 1 3/4 cups cold heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)
• 20 whole chocolate graham crackers

Beat 1 cup heavy cream, 3/4 cup mascarpone, the confectioners' sugar and vanilla in a bowl with a mixer on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.

Combine the remaining 3/4 cup each heavy cream and mascarpone with the chocolate-hazelnut spread in a separate bowl. Beat with the mixer on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.

Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with 4 graham crackers in a single layer, breaking them into pieces to fit and fill any big gaps. Spread half of the vanilla whipped cream over the graham crackers, then top with another layer of graham crackers. Spread half of the chocolate-hazelnut whipped cream on top. Repeat with another layer of graham crackers, the remaining vanilla whipped cream, then more graham crackers and the remaining chocolate-hazelnut whipped cream. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

Uncover the cake and run a thin knife around the edge to loosen. Remove the springform ring; smooth the sides of the cake using an offset spatula. Put the remaining 4 graham crackers in a large resealable bag; crush into fine crumbs using the bottom of a skillet. Press the crumbs around the side of the cake.

Serves 8-10.

VERDICT:  Hmm.  This didn't have a lot of ingredients and didn't require turning the oven on.  On the other hand, I couldn't find chocolate graham crackers anywhere and I don't have an 8" springform pan, so it was kind of a mess.  On the whole, I think, toss.

Watermelon Gazpacho

• 1 large tomato
• 1/2 serrano chile
• 2 cups cubed fresh watermelon
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 1/2 English cucumber, seeded and minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a blender, puree the tomatoes, chile, and 1/2 of the watermelon. Pour in the red wine vinegar and olive oil and pulse. Add the onion, cucumber and dill and season with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Pour into chilled bowls and sprinkle with dill, feta, and remaining watermelon. Serve. 

 

Serves 4.

 

VERDICT:  This looked unappealing and didn't taste good enough to overcome first impressions.  Toss.

Blackberry Maple Cobbler

For the filling:

• Unsalted butter, for the baking dish
• 6 cups blackberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the topping:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and butter a 2-quart baking dish. Make the filling: Toss the blackberries, sugar, maple syrup and vanilla in a medium bowl. If the berries are juicy, toss with the flour. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

Make the topping: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like fine meal; set aside.

Whisk the egg, buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl; stir into the flour mixture until just incorporated. Drop heaping spoonfuls of the batter evenly over the berries and sprinkle with sugar.

Set the dish on a baking sheet and bake until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Serves 6-8.

VERDICT:  I don't love cobbler--I think you can always taste the baking powder in the topping--but John requested one.  It was fine, but toss and wait for a better.

Classic Coleslaw with Caraway Seeds

• 1/2 cup nonfat Greek-style yogurt, or 2/3 cup regular plain nonfat yogurt
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (16-ounce) bag shredded coleslaw mix
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds

If using regular yogurt, place it in a strainer lined with a paper towel and set the strainer over a bowl. Let the yogurt drain and thicken for 20 minutes.

In a large bowl whisk together the Greek or stained yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Add coleslaw mix and caraway seeds and toss to coat.

 

Serves 6 (2/3 c.).

 

VERDICT:  Very simple--verging on bland--but really easy and a nice use of caraway.  Keep

Apple and Pear Crisp

Filling:

• 2 pounds ripe Bosc pears (4 pears)
• 2 pounds firm Macoun apples (6 apples)
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Topping:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel, core, and cut the pears and apples into large chunks. Place the fruit in a large bowl and add the zests, juices, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch oval baking dish.
For the topping:

Combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, until the mixture is in large crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit, covering the fruit completely.

Place the baking dish on a sheet pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is brown and the fruit is bubbly. Serve warm.

Serves 8.

VERDICT:  Not terrible, but very sweet.  The recipe also makes an overwhelming amount of topping.  I admit I used fewer apples and pears and stuck it all in an 8x8" pan, but I still have masses of crumble left over.  Toss. 

Pear-Brandy Cocktail

Pour 1 tablespoon brandy into each of 6 flutes. Put 2 teaspoons bitters in a small bowl. One at a time, add 6 sugar cubes to the bitters, turning to coat; divide among the flutes. Add a few thin pear slices to each glass and top with champagne.

Serves 6.

VERDICT:  These are a wonderful winter drink--well worth having sugar cubes around.  Keep.

Black Bean, Lentil and Eggplant Chili

• 1/2 pound dried black beans, picked through
• 4 dried pasilla chiles or New Mexico chile peppers, stemmed (remove seeds for less heat)
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 large cloves garlic, diced
• 3 dried cascabel or guajillo chile peppers, stemmed (remove seeds for less heat)
• 2 dried chipotle chile peppers, stemmed (remove seeds for less heat)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 poblano chile pepper, diced
• 1 small eggplant (1 pound), cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 15 -ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 15 -ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon vegetable bouillon
• 1/2 cup dried green lentils
• Juice of 2 Key limes (or the juice of 1 lime) 

Put the black beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water; set aside to soak overnight, then drain.

Combine the soaked black beans, 2 pasilla chiles, the bay leaves and half of the garlic in a large wide pot and add enough water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until soft, about 1 1/2 hours; remove from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, add the remaining 2 pasilla chiles and the cascabel and chipotle chiles to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, the chopped dried chiles and the cumin and saute until the chiles are soft, about 7 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and the poblano and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 more minutes. Add the eggplant, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes.

Add the crushed and diced tomatoes, 4 cups water, the bouillon and green lentils to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.

Add the prepared black beans and their cooking liquid and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30 more minutes. (The longer you let the chili simmer, the thicker it will get.) Season with salt and add the lime juice. Remove the whole pasilla chiles and bay leaves before serving.

Serves 6-8.

VERDICT:  Way too much work and time for the results.  Plus, I hate recipes that use half a can of something--I suspect this recipe got halved for the magazine, but it's irritating.

Margherita Pizza

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to grease pan4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand crushed (recommended: San Marzano)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 recipe fresh pizza dough, recipe follows
• 1 (8-ounce) ball fresh buffalo mozzarella, water drained, shredded
• 1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves, torn

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Put a jelly roll pan or a half sheet pan in the oven.

Begin by making the tomato sauce. In a large saute pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the minced garlic, thyme and oregano. Cook until just fragrant then add the crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Lower the heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavor. Shut off the heat and set aside.

Take the preheated jelly roll pan out of the oven and drizzle some olive oil over the entire surface. Cut the dough into 2 pieces and reserve 1 piece for another use. Stretch the pizza dough out so it is just bigger than the pan, then lay it inside the pan, so the dough comes up the sides to form a crust on the rim. Smear with tomato sauce then tear up the mozzarella and scatter it evenly over the top of the pie. Tear the basil leaves, spread them over the top and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Give it a final season with salt and pepper, to taste, then bake in the hot oven until golden and bubbly, about 15 to 18 minutes

Fresh Pizza Dough:

• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 cups warm water (100 to 110 degrees F.)
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for bowl

In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and water and stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, 5 to 10 minutes.

If you're using a stand mixer, combine the salt and flour to the bowl and pulse a few times to mix. Add the yeast mixture, at the lowest speed, until the flour incorporates. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough gathers into a ball. This should take about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough as you're making it by squeezing a small amount together between your thumb and fingers. If it's crumbly, add more water, if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times, kneading until it's smooth and elastic.

If you're making the dough by hand, add the yeast mixture to a large bowl and stir in the salt and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then begin stirring in the flour. When the mixture becomes too stiff to stir with a spoon, knead in the rest of the flour by hand, adding just enough so that the dough is soft but not too sticky. As you work, squeeze a small amount of dough together between your thumb and fingers. If it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Form the dough into a round and put it into a lightly oiled bowl, turning it over to coat the dough entirely with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e., over a gas pilot light) until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Yield: 1 13" x 18" pizza.

VERDICT:  I neglected to really read the directions, so we had a little mishap with the sauce, but it all turned out well in the end.  I substituted a cup of whole-wheat flour for one of white in the dough, and would probably do more in the future.  A good recipe for when mozzarella is BOGO at Lund's (i.e. always).  Keep.

 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Canola oil
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup low-fat cream cheese
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips, about 6 ounces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with canola oil.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar on low speed with an electric mixer. Add egg yolks and vanilla and mix on low until just combined.

In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add to butter mixture and mix by hand until combined. Portion heaping teaspoonfuls (or use a 3/4 ounce scoop) onto baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 7 minutes. Lightly flatten cookies with finger. Rotate baking sheet and bake an additional 3 minutes.

Yields 38 (or perhaps 2 dozen).

VERDICT:  These may not have turned out exactly as written--we made them with Eleanor, and she has little patience for exact measuring and also ate a little bit of the cream cheese--but I think they turned out well, and I don't really like homemade chocolate chip cookies.  Keep.

Veg-Head Three-Bean Chili

Chili:

• 2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) olive or vegetable oil
• 1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
• 1 large red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
• 1 cup pale beer or vegetable stock/broth
• 1 (32- ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (14-ounce) can black beans
• 1 (14-ounce) can dark red kidney beans
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne hot pepper sauce, several drops
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup spicy vegetarian refried beans

Toppings:

• 8 ounces (2 cups shredded) spicy monterey jack or smoked cheddar
• Chopped scallions, whites and greens
• Diced fresh seeded plum tomato
• Blue and red corn tortilla chips or black bean tortilla chips, for dipping

Over moderate heat, add oil to a deep pot and combine onion, peppers, and garlic. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes to soften vegetables. Deglaze pan with beer or broth, add tomatoes, black beans, red kidney beans, and stirring to combine.

Season chili with cumin, chili powder, hot sauce, and salt. Thicken chili by stirring in refried beans. Simmer over low heat about 5 to 10 minutes longer, then serve up bowls of chili and top with shredded cheese, scallions, and tomatoes. Place bowls on charger plates piled with assorted tortilla chips.

Serves 4.

VERDICT:   The name of this chili is awful (that's Rachel Ray for you), but it was easy to make and tasted good.  I added the whole can of refried beans, but it was still really liquidy, so I added an additional two cans of whole beans, which helped.   Keep.

Coconut-Sour Cherry Granola

• 2 3/4 cups organic rolled oats
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup unsalted pistachios
• 1/3 cup unsalted pepitas (hulled green pumpkin seeds)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt (or 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup dried sour cherries

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Toss the oats, coconut, pistachios, pepitas and salt in a large bowl. Warm the brown sugar, maple syrup and olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Fold the sugar mixture into the oat mixture to evenly coat.

Spread the granola on the prepared baking sheets and bake, stirring often, until dry and lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss with the dried sour cherries. Let cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month.

Serves 28 (about 1/4 c.); 119 calories.

VERDICT:  Best granola ever!  It has a definite, but not unpleasant saltiness, and notable brown-sugar goodness (I used dark brown, which I had on hand).  It's a little spendy, with the pistachios, cherries, and maple syrup, but it's worth it.  Keep!

Hilda's Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

• 1 1/3 cups pumpkin seeds, cleaned and rinsed
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the pumpkin seeds with the garlic powder, salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper on prepared baking sheet and toss to combine. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until seeds are crispy and light golden brown. Remove from the oven and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon to release any seeds that have stuck to the baking sheet, and cool completely before serving.

Roasted seeds will keep in an airtight storage container for up to 1 week.

VERDICT:  These had good flavor, but were kind of chewy.  I think if I'd read the comments online and roasted them a little longer, they would have been excellent.  Keep.

Bratwurst Cooked in Beer with Smothered Cabbage

• 8 links of fresh bratwurst
• 4 (8-ounce) cans of beer
• 8 ounces bacon, chopped
• 2 cups julienned onions
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small head of cabbage, cored and shredded
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup whole grain mustard
• 8 egg hot-dog buns 

Preheat the grill. Place the beer in a saucepan, over medium heat. Bring the liquid to a boil. Add the sausages and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the sausages from the liquid, reserving the liquid. Set the sausages aside. In a large saute pan, over medium heat, render the bacon until crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the bacon and set aside. Discard the all the bacon fat except for 1/4 cup. Place 1/4 cup of the fat back into the pan and add the onions. Season with black pepper. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender. Add the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to saute for 4 minutes or until the cabbage is tender. Stir in the garlic, mustard and 2 cups of the liquid from the sausages. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reseason with salt and pepper. Place the sausages on the grill and cook for 2 minutes on each side. To serve, place the sausages between each bun. Top each sausage with some of the smothered cabbage.

Serves 8.

VERDICT:  Second recipe for Andrea's grandpa's cabbage (two-thirds down!).  This probably would have been good with real bratwurst and bacon fat, but with soy bratwurst and olive oil, it lacked flavor.  Toss.

Classic From the Vault: Lemon Bars

For the Crust:

• Vegetable oil, for greasing
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, diced
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Filling:

• 4 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 8 lemons)

Make the crust: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with vegetable oil and line with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; grease the foil with oil. Pulse the butter, flour, both sugars and the salt in a food processor until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. Press evenly into the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides of the prepared pan, making sure there are no cracks. Bake until the crust is golden, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk the whole eggs and yolks, sugar and flour in a bowl until smooth. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice. Remove the crust from the oven and reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F. Pour the filling over the warm crust and return to the oven. Bake until the filling is just set, 30 to 35 minutes.

Let the bars cool in the pan on a rack, then refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. Lift out of the pan using the foil and slice. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

VERDICT: My go-to potluck dessert and the best lemon bars I've ever had. They take a long time, but are worth it.