By Sally Sondheim

By Sazannah Sloan

$10.99

$13.99 CAD

Format

Format:

ebook $10.99 $13.99 CAD
Trade Paperback $26.99 $33.99 CAD

Also available from:

The remit of the authors is to provide the busy person with a full set of recipes for a year’s worth of meals. With nearly a 1000 recipes and 260 menus they show the reader how to do it using fresh and seasonal products.

Hachette Book Group, 237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Visit our Web site at

www.HachetteBookGroup.com

First eBook Edition: November 1996

ISBN: 978-0-446-55715-3

The Warner Books name and logo are trademarks of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

In an undertaking of this size, there are bound to be many people who had a hand in making it happen.

We would be less than nowhere without our cadre of home-cooking testers:

Diana, Bill, Harrison and Parker Browning

Cindy and Claudio Bucceri

Erin and Jeff Chandler

Mary-Ellen, John, Megan and Sarah Cooper

Joanne, Ed, Christina, Charles and

Robyn Ellis

Janice, Tom and Jennifer Guisness

Carol, Joe and Stephanie Harmon

Susan and Jay Hurley

Cathy, Wilson, Ceanna and Trevor Leake

Cynthia, Mark, David, Brian and Kimba Lee

Joan, Charles and Andrea McKenna

Sue, Steve and Adam Neely

Alice and Ed Poake

Marion and Richard Powell

Maureen, Tim, Ricky and Tanya Rieman

Judy, Ted and Rebecca Rosen

Denise, Joe and Justin Roulanaitis

Wendy, Peter, Scott and Susie Trask

Jane and Bill Zabinski

And we sincerely thank our very supportive group of tasters:

David Chall

Joanne Chase

Shawna Clark

John Hilden

Anna Johansen

Sue Klein

Pamela Teige

Helen Sturdy Townley

M'Lin Kendrick-Stafford

We are indebted to Gary Reese, Rick Nakata, Glenn Sigrist, Todd Kowalski and the entire staff of the Town & Country Market, Bainbridge Island, Washington, for their patience, their expertise, and their enthusiasm.

We also wish to thank Linda Stenn for her market research, Dick Friedrich for his encouragement, Nancy Warner Hopkins for her lifesaving suggestions, Myrna Black for her advice, Esther Newberg, our agent, who didn't let uncertainty stand in her way, and Liv Blumer, our editor and a kindred spirit, we think.

JANUARY

WEEK ONE

WEEK AT A GLANCE

Monday

LIP-SMACKIN' CHICKEN

BROCCOLI SUNRISE

MELTING MOMENTS

Tuesday

LINGUINI MARINARA

SALAD MILANO

ITALIAN BREADSTICKS

GONDOLA PEARS

Wednesday

HAM STEAK DIJON

GLAZED SWEET POTATOES

CORN DIABLO

TAP-TAP-TAPIOCA PUDDING

Thursday

SIMPLY STROGANOFF

FLUFFY STEAMED WHITE RICE

CARROT-SPROUT SALAD

CINNAMON APPLES

Friday

JUST FOR THE HALIBUT

PRAISE THE POTATOES

SPUNKY SPINACH

ORANGE CARAMEL

CHECK STAPLES

Butter

Flour

Cornstarch

Granulated sugar

Dark brown sugar

Long-grain white rice

Regular or light vegetable oil

Regular or light olive oil

Red wine vinegar

White wine vinegar

Apple cider vinegar

Lemon juice

Lime juice

Worcestershire sauce

Tabasco sauce

Soy sauce

Kitchen Bouquet

Dijon mustard

Regular or low-fat mayonnaise

Honey

Dark raisins

Grated Parmesan cheese

Whole allspice

Dried basil

Bay leaves

Ground cinnamon

Ground ginger

Italian seasoning

Dry mustard

Ground nutmeg

Dried oregano

Paprika

Pepper

Salt

Vanilla extract

SHOPPING NOTE

If you are shopping once a week and cannot arrange to purchase fresh halibut on the day you plan to use it, you can purchase not previously frozen halibut and freeze it, placing it in the refrigerator to thaw the night before you are ready to use it. Or you can purchase still frozen halibut and keep it frozen until the night before you are ready to use it.

SHOPPING LIST

MEAT & POULTRY

2 lean cooked ham steaks (¾ pound each) (W)

1¼ pounds lean sirloin steak (Th)

4 chicken breast halves (M)

FISH

4 halibut steaks (1¼ pounds) (F)

FRESH PRODUCE

Vegetables

12 small new red potatoes (M)

12 small new white potatoes (F)

1¼ pounds broccoli (M)

1 pound spinach (F)

8 medium mushrooms (Th)

3 medium carrots (Th)

3 medium onions—2 (M), 1 (Th)

1 small red onion (T)

2 medium shallots (F)

8 scallions (green onions)—2 (W), 3 (Th), 3 (F)

1 head garlic (M, T)

1 bunch parsley (T, Th, F)

1 very small bunch dill (F)

½ pound bean sprouts (Th)

1 medium head lettuce (T)

½ pound tomatoes (F)

1 medium cucumber (T)

Fruit

4 large pears (T)

4 large baking apples (Th)

1 medium orange (M)

4 large oranges (F)

CANS, JARS & BOTTLES

Soup

1 can (10¾ ounces) chicken broth (M)

1 can (14½ ounces) vegetable broth (F)

Vegetables

1 large can (28 ounces) whole Italian tomatoes with basil (T)

1 can (11 ounces) whole kernel corn (W)

1 can (17 ounces) plain sweet potatoes (W)

Fruit

1 small can (8 ounces) sliced pineapple (W)

Condiments

1 small jar (2 ounces) diced pimientos (W)

1 small can (3½ ounces) pitted black olives (T)

PACKAGED GOODS

Pasta, Rice & Grains

16 ounces linguini (T)

Baked Goods

4 frankfurter buns (T)

Nuts & Seeds

½ cup pecan pieces (M)

Dessert & Baking Needs

½ cup graham cracker crumbs (T)

4 tablespoons instant tapioca (W)

3 tablespoons strawberry gelatin (Th)

WINES & SPIRITS

1 cup dry white wine (or nonalcoholic white wine or vegetable broth)—½ cup (T), ½ cup (F)

2 tablespoons dry sherry (or beef broth) (Th)

1 tablespoon creme de menthe liqueur (or nonalcoholic Italian creme de menthe syrup) (M)

REFRIGERATED PRODUCTS

Dairy

2 cups half-and-half (W)

½ cup whipping cream (F)

2 cups regular or low-fat sour cream (Th)

2 eggs (W)

Cheese

1 small package (3 ounces) cream cheese (T)

Juice

¼ cup orange juice (M)

FROZEN GOODS

Fruit

1 package (12 ounces) sweetened raspberries (M)

Desserts

1 pint vanilla ice cream (M)

MONDAY

RECIPES

Lip-Smackin' Chicken

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2 Peel and slice the onions. Place them in an ungreased roasting pan. Place the chicken, skin side up, over the onions. Brush the chicken skins with Kitchen Bouquet. Season to taste. Dot the chicken with butter.

3 Scrub and quarter the potatoes. Peel and chop the garlic. Place the potatoes and the garlic around the chicken. Add the bay leaf and the allspice. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, and roast for 15 minutes.

4 Uncover the roasting pan. Baste the chicken and the potatoes, and continue roasting until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

5 Remove the chicken, the potatoes and the onions from the pan and keep them warm.

6 Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the drippings. Heat a burner and place the roasting pan over it. Add the flour and whisk until the mixture is golden, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, and continue cooking and stirring until the sauce is smooth. Season to taste, and then let the sauce simmer for another 4 minutes.

7 Return the chicken to the pan and coat the pieces with the gravy. Serve the chicken with the potatoes and onions, and pass the remaining gravy.

Broccoli Sunrise

1 Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan.

2 Trim the broccoli and cut it into bite-size florets.

3 Grate 1 tablespoon of peel from the orange, then peel the orange, section it, and cut the sections in half.

4 Cook the broccoli in boiling water until it is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

5 Drain the broccoli. Melt the butter in the same saucepan. Add the flour and season to taste. Whisk the mixture until it is well blended. Add the orange juice and whisk until the sauce is smooth. Add the orange peel. Return the broccoli to the saucepan, tossing the florets until they are well coated. Add the orange sections and toss for 20 seconds more.

Melting Moments

1 Set the package of frozen berries out to thaw.

2 Combine the thawed berries and the creme de menthe in a small saucepan and heat through. Drizzle the mixture over scoops of vanilla ice cream and top each serving with pecan pieces.

TUESDAY

RECIPES

Linguini Marinara

1 Heat the oil in a large skillet.

2 Chop the parsley. Peel and halve the garlic and sauté it in the oil until golden.

3 Chop the tomatoes in the blender. Do not puree.

4 Add the tomatoes to the skillet and return it to the heat. Add the oregano and the basil and season to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

5 Bring water to a boil in a stockpot.

6 Cook the linguini in the stockpot until it is almost tender, 3 to 4 minutes if you are using fresh pasta and 7 to 8 minutes if you are using dried pasta.

7 Add the wine and the parsley to the sauce, correct the seasoning, and let the sauce simmer for another 5 minutes.

8 Drain the linguini. Remove the garlic from the sauce and spoon the sauce over the linguini.

Salad Milano

1 Wash and dry the lettuce and tear it into bite-size pieces. Peel and slice the cucumber. Peel and slice the red onion. Drain the olives. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.

2 Peel and mince the garlic. Chop the parsley. Whisk the garlic and the parsley with the vinegar, the oil and the mustard until well blended. Season to taste.

3 Toss the salad with the dressing.

Italian Breadsticks

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2 Melt the butter. Split the frankfurter buns, and slice the halves lengthwise into 3 strips each. Place the strips on an ungreased cookie sheet, cut sides up, and brush them with the melted butter.

3 In a small bowl, mix the Parmesan cheese with the Italian seasoning and spread the mixture on the bread strips.

4 Bake the bread until it is toasted and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.

Gondola Pears

1 Set the cream cheese out to soften.

2 Core the pears and cut them in half. Place 2 pear halves on each dessert plate, and sprinkle them with lemon juice to keep them from browning. Refrigerate until you are ready to use.

3 Place the graham cracker crumbs in a shallow bowl. Cut the cream cheese into eighths. Roll the cheese into balls and then roll the balls in the cracker crumbs.

4 Place the coated cream cheese balls in the center of each pear half. Drizzle honey over each serving.

WEDNESDAY

RECIPES

Ham Steak Dijon

1 Preheat the broiler.

2 Pat the ham steaks dry with paper towels. Place them on a broiler tray.

3 In a small bowl, combine the mustard, the brown sugar and the nutmeg. Spread the mixture over the ham steaks. Broil the steaks, 3 or 4 inches from the heat, until the mustard mixture begins to bubble, about 4 minutes.

4 Drain the pineapple, reserving ½ cup of the juice for the potatoes. Lay the pineapple slices over the ham steaks in a single layer, 2 slices per steak. Broil the steaks until the pineapple begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

5 Cut the ham steaks in half before serving.

Glazed Sweet Potatoes

1 Combine the brown sugar, the cornstarch, the ginger, and the salt in a medium saucepan. Add the reserved pineapple juice and cook, whisking until the mixture is bubbly. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes more.

2 Drain the sweet potatoes and stir them into the sugar mixture. Simmer until the potatoes are heated through.

Corn Diablo

1 Trim and slice the scallions. Drain the corn.

2 Combine the scallions, the corn, the undrained pimientos and the paprika in a small saucepan. Season to taste and simmer until heated through.

Tap-Tap-Tapioca Pudding

1 Combine ¾ cup of the sugar, the tapioca and the half-and-half in a medium saucepan.

2 Separate the eggs. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until they form peaks, 4 to 5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar and beat until the mixture is stiff, 1 to 2 minutes.

3 Add the egg yolks to the saucepan and beat them into the half-and-half mixture. Slowly bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the vanilla and blend well.

4 In a slow stream, pour the tapioca mixture into the egg whites and fold together. Set the pudding aside at room temperature until you are ready to serve, at least 10 minutes. It will thicken as it cools.