#41 parsnip, sweet potato and watercress chowder

2 tbsp butter
1 lb parsnips (peeled, diced)
1 1/5 cups onion (diced)
~3 cups veg broth
1 medium apple (peeled, diced)
1 1/2 cups sweet potato (about 2 medium, diced)
1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 bunch watercress (leaves only)

Melt butter, add parsnips and onion, saute about 5 mins. Add veg broth and apple, simmer until parsnips are tender (12 mins), puree 3-4 cups of the mixture in a blender, return to pot, add sweet potato and nutmeg, cook until sweet potato is tender (12 mins), add watercress and serve.

Recipe adapted from Epicurious

#40 olive and roasted red pepper tart

1 sheet puff pastry
~1 roasted red pepper (from a jar, diced)
~1/4 cup kalamata olives (diced)
italian seasoning
~1/4 cup parmasean cheese
1 egg (beaten)

Cut puff pastry into 2 rectangles, score 1/2 square around the edge (this allows for the edge to puff up and make the crust) and brush with egg, in the center of the pastry arrange red pepper and olives. Sprinkle italian seasoning and parm cheese overtop. Bake 400F 15 mins.

#39 roasted red pepper hummus

1 1/2 roasted red peppers (from a jar)
1 can garbanzo beans (reserve liquid)
juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp tanini paste
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp olive oil

Blend all ingredients in a blender adding reserved bean liquid to obtain desired consistancy

#38 banana bread muffins

I made this bread recipe into muffins because they cook faster and keep better

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup walnuts
2 ripe, soft, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs
6 tbsp butter, melted

Combine wet ingredients, mix well, add dry ingredients, bake at 350 for 25 mins.

Adapted from banana.com

#37 chicken w/mushrooms and leeks

~1 lb chicken (diced)
butter/oil
~10 oz mushrooms (sliced)
2 leeks
1/3 cup white wine

Melt butter/oil in sauce pan, add leeks, saute 1 min, add chicken and brown. Add mushrooms and cook until most of the water evaporates (~5 mins), add wine and simmer 5 mins. Serve with rice.

Adapted from Cooks Country

#36 whole fish baked in salt

1 whole fish (gutted, deboned but head/tail intact)
~2 lbs koser salt

Preheat oven to 400C. Rinse fish and pat dry. Spread small layer of salt on the bottom of a cookie sheet, place fish on top and completely cover with salt. Bake 25 mins. Remove from oven, take off top crust of salt and remove flesh.

#35 roasted beet and carrot salad

This is from Cooks Illustrated, so I'm not going to post the recipe. But the gist of it is to roast carrots and beets (400C), toss the hot veggies in a vinegarette dressing and let cool to room temp. Add watercress. It's delicious. See the March/April 08 mag for the entire recipe.