January 2010

Beans and greens are a perfect combination; earthy and satisfying. This recipe for Swiss chard with garbanzo beans, onion, and fresh tomato is brightened with lemon juice and makes a perfect vegetarian main dish or a tantalizing side dish for fish or meat.

Amherst cooking teacher and author Betty Rosbottom tosses pasta with a spicy tomato sauce, plain havarti and Parmesan cheeses, and tops the dish with slivered black olives. The dish appeared in one of her books, "American Favorites," and was on the cover of Bon Appetit magazine.  

The twisted pasta called strozzapreti ("priest stranglers") particularly suits this simple ricotta, fontina, and egg mixture, which catches in the curves of each loop. The dish is layered with mozzarella and topped with crumbs, which brown during baking. The end result is lighter than most mac and cheeses. 

"Shrimp are marinated in a spicy and sweet sauce then grilled on skewers for easy cooking and serving. Great for cookouts!"  

A nutritious breakfast of oatmeal is always a good idea, but not everyone likes the consistency of cereal grains simmered on the stovetop. Baking offers another way to reap the benefits of oats' whole-grain goodness. In this mixture, old-fashioned oatmeal (not the powdery quick-cooking grain) is mixed with whole-wheat flour and all-purpose flour, along with butter and buttermilk. Preparing scones requires gentle handling. Incorporate wet and dry ingredients quickly; overmixing will yield tough scones. Add 1 cup light or dark raisins with the buttermilk, if you like.

This makes a flat omelet that can be eaten hot or at room temperature, cut into wedges.