Witchin’ in the Kitchen at the Bubbling Cauldron

Pepper Purée:
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 cup bottled roasted red peppers, rinsed and drained

Risotto:
11/2 cups couscous
1 large onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp sugar
31/3 cups water
1/2 cup sherry
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin purée or freshly cooked pumpkin
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp black pepper
11/2 tsp unsalted butter
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Make the pepper purée: In small saucepan of boiling water, blanch garlic 2 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, add roasted peppers and process to a smooth purée. Set aside.
For the risotto: In large skillet, heat couscous over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
In large saucepan, combine onion, garlic and sugar with 1/3 cup of the water. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until onion is wilted, about 7 minutes. Stir in couscous and sherry, and cook until sherry has evaporated, about 1 minute.
In a measuring cup stir together remaining 3 cups water and salt. Add to saucepan, 1/2 cup at a time, allowing couscous to absorb all liquid before adding any more. Continue cooking and adding liquid until all liquid has been added and couscous is creamy.
Stir in pumpkin, Parmesan and black pepper, and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Stir in butter. Serve topped with pepper purée.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving: 238 calories, 2.7g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 0.7g monounsaturated fat, 0.3g polyunsaturated fat, 4.1g dietary fiber, 9g protein, 41g carbohydrate, 6mg cholesterol, 480mg sodium
Good source of: beta-carotene, lutein

Serves 6

http://www.wholefoods.com/recipes/wh_couscousrisotto.html

2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
1/2 cup wild rice, uncooked
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium onions, sliced into thin wedges
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cut dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon orange zest, finely grated

Combine broth and brown and wild rice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and the brown sugar. Cook until liquid is absorbed and onions are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Slowly cook onions, stirring often, until they are a caramel color, about 25 minutes.
Stir in cranberries. Cover and cook over low heat until cranberries swell, about 10 minutes. Transfer rice to a large serving bowl. Gently fold cranberry mixture and orange zest into cooked rice.

Serving Size : 4
Per serving: 236 Calories (kcal); 9g Total Fat; (35% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 1mg Cholesterol; 814mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

Recipe By :Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.

1 1/2 cups mashed, cooked squash or 1 12 ounce package frozen cooked squash
1 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 quart chicken broth or stock
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sherry

Combine squash, hazelnuts, onion and broth in saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt to taste, pepper, butter and sherry.
Garnish with roasted and sliced hazelnuts, if desired.

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

6-8 medium sized sweet apples
1 large tart apple
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts
4 tablespoon apple cider
1/2 to 1 tablespoon vegan maple syrup
pinch of cinnamon
granola
Directions:
Steam the sweet potato cubes until they can be pierced easily with a fork, but not mushy. While they are steaming, chop up apples into small cubes (leaving the skin on.) After the potatoes have cooled, mix them in to the apples. In a separate bowl, mix the apple cider, maple syrup and cinnamon.

Pour the cider mixture over the apples and sweet potatoes. Sprinkle on the raisins and walnuts and stir. Let it chill in the fridge for a few minutes and top with granola of your choice when ready to serve.

Feel free to experiment when the portions and the ingredients according to what you have around the house!

Serves: 8

SOURCE: www.vegweb.com/food/salad/5228.shtml

4 strips bacon
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 cups firmly packed chopped kale leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Cook bacon until crisp in a large soup pot.
Remove bacon strips with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Lightly saute potatoes, onion, and garlic in bacon fat.
Add stock, kale, salt, and pepper and simmer for an hour or until potatoes are soft.
Mix soup in batches in blender until it is smooth.
Return to pot and thin with stock or milk if necessary.
Crumble bacon and sprinkle over soup as garnish.
Yield: 6 servings

http://www.yankeemagazine.com

1- 3oz package softened cream cheese
4 medium apples
1 1/3oz Cheddar Cheese
1 tablespoon dry white wine

Beat together both cheeses and the wine, with an electric or rotary mixer, until smooth. Core the apples and hollow out, leaving apple shells about 1/2 inch thick. Fill the apples with the cheese mixture and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Cut apples into 8 wedges.

5-6 shallots, peeled
1 1/2 cups light olive or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons butter
2 large yellow turnips (rutabaga), about 4 pounds
1 cup milk
6 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Slice the shallots crosswise into very thin rings. In a saucepan, heat the oil with the butter over medium-low heat until it begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots and cook until they are a rich golden brown, about 30-40 minutes. Stir the shallots occasionally while they are cooking to make sure they brown evenly.
Remove the shallots from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Once the shallots have dried and crisped, in about 15 minutes, they can be stored in a cool place, covered, for several days. Serve the shallots at room temperature.
Peel the turnips to remove their waxy skins, and cut them into generous 1-inch chunks. Place them in a saucepan with water to cover and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until easily pierced by a paring knife, about 35 minutes.
In a separate saucepan, heat the milk and butter over low heat until the butter has melted and the milk just begins to simmer.
Drain the turnips, and puree (in several batches, if necessary) in a food processor. With the motor running, add the melted butter and milk in a steady stream. The turnips should be very smooth.
Return the turnip puree to the saucepan, season with 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper and reheat, stirring over a medium flame. Serve piping hot, sprinkled generously with crispy shallots.

Yield: 4-6 servings

2lbs potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks (abt 6 lg potatoes)
4 cloves large garlic, peeled
1/4 cup goat cheese
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
2/3 cup evaporated milk, warmed
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Put potatoes and garlic in large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil.
Cook over medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain.
Return potatoes and garlic to saucepan. Mash or beat with mixer until combined. Add cheese, butter, rosemary and bouillon; beat until smooth. Gradually beat in milk until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 6