APPETIZERS

Abraham Lincoln's Scalloped Oysters Recipe

Antipasto Plate

Baked Crab, Brie and Artichoke Dip

Abraham Lincoln's Scalloped Oysters Recipe 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 cups coarse cracker crumbs

2 dozen oysters, scrubbed, shucked, drained, with liquid reserved

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup cream

2 tablespoons sherry

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 

Directions:

Mix melted butter and cracker crumbs together; sprinkle a third of mixture evenly on bottom of greased shallow baking dish. Add a layer of half of the oysters. Stir together the pepper, cream, reserved oyster liquid, sherry and Worcestershire; pour half of sauce mixture over oysters. 

Add another third of the butter and crumb mixture to baking dish and top with remaining oysters. Spoon or pour on remaining sauce. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over the top and bake at 425 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until crumbs are lightly browned.

Antipasto Plate 

A creamy red bell pepper dip and sweet-savory caponata spread are paired with thinly sliced prosciutto from the deli and purchased crackers for an easy antipasto plate. Add fresh fruit and use an assortment of crackers, if you prefer. Both the dip and the spread can be made and refrigerated up to a day in advance; serve them chilled or at room temperature.

Dip:

2 tablespoons golden raisins

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons part-skim ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

3/4 teaspoon honey

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 (5 1/2-ounce) bottle roasted red peppers, rinsed and drained 

Spread:

4 plum tomatoes, quartered and seeded

2 garlic cloves

1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), cubed

1/2 medium onion, peeled and cut into 4 wedges

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon anchovy paste 

Remaining ingredients:

16 water crackers

2 ounces very thin slices prosciutto 

To prepare dip, combine raisins and 2 tablespoons vinegar in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high 45 seconds. Let stand 10 minutes; drain. Place raisins, ricotta, and next 6 ingredients (through bell peppers) in a food processor; pulse until well combined. 

Preheat oven to 450°. 

To prepare spread, combine tomatoes, garlic, eggplant, and onion on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan; toss gently to combine. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat. Arrange vegetables in a single layer on pan. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until vegetables are lightly blistered and eggplant is tender, stirring after 10 minutes. Cool slightly. Place vegetable mixture, 2 tablespoons basil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and anchovy paste in a food processor; pulse until combined. Serve dip and spread with crackers and prosciutto slices. 

Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 3 tablespoons dip, 3 tablespoons spread, 4 crackers, and 1/2 ounce prosciutto) 

CALORIES 226 (30% from fat); FAT 7.5g (sat 2.5g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.6g); IRON 1.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 22mg; CALCIUM 72mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33.1g; SODIUM 687mg; PROTEIN 10.2g; FIBER 1.4g

Baked Crab, Brie and Artichoke Dip

1 medium leek (white part only)
1 medium Vidalia or other sweet onion
1/2 cup drained canned artichoke hearts
1/2 cup thawed frozen chopped spinach
1 pound Brie
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup Riesling or other medium-dry white wine
2/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 pound fresh jumbo lump crab meat
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Tabasco, or to taste

Accompaniment: toasted thin baguette slices

Preheat oven to 425°F and lightly oil an 11-inch gratin or other shallow baking dish (about 6-cup).

Trim and finely chop leek. In a large bowl of water wash leek well and lift from water into a large sieve to drain. Finely chop onion. Rinse and finely chop artichoke hearts. Squeeze dry and finely chop spinach. Discard rind from Brie and cut into 1/4-inch pieces.

In a heavy skillet cook leek, onion, and garlic in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden and stir in artichoke hearts and spinach. Add wine and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add cream and simmer, stirring, 1 minute. Add Brie, stirring until it just begins to melt. Remove skillet from heat and stir herbs into mixture.

Pick over crab meat. In a large bowl stir together crab meat, mustard, Tabasco, and salt and pepper to taste and stir in cheese mixture. Spread mixture evenly in baking dish and bake in middle of oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden.

Serve dip hot with toasts.

Makes 6 to 8 hors d'oeuvre or first-course servings

Serve with the following wine:

Kahurangi Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2004, Moutere New Zealand ($15)

SNACKS

SOUPS

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

Bacon Ham and Lentil Soup

Broccoli White Bean and Cheddar Soup

Cantaloupe Soup with Blueberries

Carrot Parsnip Soup with Parsnip Chips 

Turkey Soup with Cornbread Dressing Dumplings

Tuscan Minestrone

Vegetable Sausage Soup  

Velvety Chilled Corn Soup

Velvety Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

Apples and apple cider lend a pleasant sweetness to this beautiful soup. 

Yield: Serves 10 

Ingredients 

5 tablespoons butter

2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 cups)

2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)

1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage leaves

5 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth

1 1/2 cups apple cider

2/3 cup sour cream 

1/2 cup whipping cream

Chopped fresh chives 

Preparation 

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, leeks, carrot and celery; sauté until slightly softened, about 15 minutes. Mix in apples, thyme and sage. Add stock and 1 cup cider and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly. 

Working in batches, purée soup in blender. Return soup to pan. Boil remaining 1/2 cup cider in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Cool. Place sour cream in small bowl. Whisk in reduced cider. (Soup and cider cream can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.) 

Bring soup to simmer. Mix in whipping cream. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with cider cream. Top with chives.

Bacon Ham and Lentil Soup

With a little bacon and some leftover ham, that bag of lentils in your pantry turns into a hearty, satisfying soup. Leftovers are great, as most legume soups benefit from being made a day ahead so their flavors meld. Substitute green split peas for the lentils, if you prefer; they take less time to cook, so monitor the soup accordingly. 

5 slices thick-sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips

1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed ham (about 8 ounces)

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped fennel bulb

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped leek

1/2 cup chopped carrot

3 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

2 cups water

1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup canned diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano

1 pound dried lentils

2 bay leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives 

Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove from pan, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add ham to drippings in pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the onion and the next 4 ingredients (onion through carrot); cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth and next 6 ingredients (broth through bay leaves). Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Discard bay leaves; sprinkle with bacon and chives just before serving. 

Yield:  8 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups) 

CALORIES 359 (28% from fat); FAT 11g (sat 4g,mono 4.8g,poly 1.4g); IRON 6.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 21mg; CALCIUM 72mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.6g; SODIUM 956mg; PROTEIN 25.2g; FIBER 18.9g

Broccoli White Bean and Cheddar Soup 

Broccoli, white beans and Cheddar blend together deliciously in this quick and healthy soup. 

1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 cup water

1 pound broccoli crowns, trimmed and chopped (about 6 cups)

1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese 

Bring broth and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add broccoli, cover and continue cooking until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in beans, salt and pepper and continue cooking until the beans are heated through, about 1 minute. 

Transfer half the mixture to a blender with half the cheese and puree. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining broccoli mixture and cheese. Serve warm.

Cantaloupe Soup with Blueberries 

Ingredients

 1 ripe peach, peeled, pitted and chopped

1 cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and chopped

1-cup apple juice (no sugar added)

Juice of 1 large lemon

Fresh mint leaves and fresh blueberries for garnish 

Instructions

1. Place the peach and cantaloupe in a medium sized pan with apple juice. Cook over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes.

2. Remove from stove and transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth.

3. Stir in lemon juice; pour into a bowl and cover.

4. Chill thoroughly, for about 2 hours.

5. Serve garnished with fresh blueberries and mint leaves. 

Makes 4 servings.

Carrot Parsnip Soup with Parsnip Chips 

Winter root vegetables lend their complementary, slightly sweet flavors to this hearty bowl. Stir in more water or broth if you prefer a thinner consistency.

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion

3 cups coarsely chopped parsnip (about 1 pound)

3 cups water

2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped carrot (about 1 pound)

2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup (1/8-inch-thick) slices parsnip

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives 

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add chopped parsnip, water, carrot, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 50 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. 

Place half of carrot mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed carrot mixture in a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining carrot mixture. Stir in salt and pepper. 

Heat remaining 5 teaspoons oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add parsnip slices; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning occasionally. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle parsnip chips and chives over soup. 

Yield:  6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups soup, about 2 teaspoons parsnip chips, and 1/2 teaspoon chives) 

CALORIES 159 (28% from fat); FAT 4.9g (sat 0.7g,mono 3.4g,poly 0.6g); IRON 0.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 61mg; CARBOHYDRATE 26.4g; SODIUM 388mg; PROTEIN 3.7g; FIBER 6.4g

Turkey Soup with Cornbread Dressing Dumplings 

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 large sweet onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 celery rib, diced

2 1/2 quarts chicken broth

3 cups chopped cooked turkey

1 cup frozen green peas

3 carrots, sliced

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1 teaspoon pepper

Cornbread Dressing Dumpling Dough 

Melt butter in a large 8-quart stockpot. Add onion, garlic, and celery; sauté over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Add chicken broth and next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Drop Cornbread Dressing Dumpling Dough by tablespoonfuls into simmering soup. Cook 5 minutes. Cover and cook 15 more minutes or until dumplings are done. 

Vegetable Sausage Soup    

Serves 4 to 6. 

Ingredients

1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups canned beef broth

1 15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained

2 cups water

1 cup beer

1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon ground or rubbed dried sage

Salt and pepper

Additional chopped fresh parsley 

Preparation

Cook sausage in medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat until brown, breaking up with fork, about 7 minutes. Add onion, carrots, mushrooms, 1/3 cup parsley and garlic and cook until onion is translucent, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Mix in next 6 ingredients. Simmer 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with additional chopped parsley.

Velvety Squash Soup 

Two types of squash offer fuller, more rounded flavor--the earthiness of acorn squash offsets the sweetness of butternut--but you can use all of one type, if you prefer. Raw winter squash is tough to peel and dice, so we call for roasting the squash halves first, then scooping out the tender pulp. 

1 (3-pound) butternut squash

1 (2-pound) acorn squash

Cooking spray

2 cups coarsely chopped onion

2 teaspoons canola oil

5 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

2/3 cup apple cider

2 tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon curry powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

2/3 cup half-and-half

Chopped fresh thyme (optional) 

Preheat oven to 425°. 

Cut each squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place squash, cut sides down, on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. 

Combine onion and oil, tossing to coat. Spread onion mixture onto pan around squash. Bake at 425° for 45 minutes or until squash and onion are tender. Cool slightly. Scoop out squash pulp from skins; discard skins. 

Place onion and squash pulp in a Dutch oven. Stir in broth and the next 5 ingredients (through pepper); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. 

Place half of squash mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture. Return pureed mixture to pan; stir in half-and-half. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish with thyme, if desired.

Yield:  10 servings (serving size: 1 cup) 

CALORIES 155 (17% from fat); FAT 3g (sat 1.3g,mono 1.1g,poly 0.5g); IRON 1.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 6mg; CALCIUM 118mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.3g; SODIUM 418mg; PROTEIN 3.2g; FIBER 4.2g

Velvety Chilled Corn Soup  

This elegant first course is ideal for entertaining, because everything can be prepared a day ahead (just chop up all the toppings and refrigerate them until ready to use). 

Makes 6 servings. 

Ingredients

6 ears fresh corn, husked 6 cups (about) canned low-salt chicken broth

3 shallots, chopped

1 onion, chopped

6 tablespoons crème fraiche or sour cream

1/4 cup minced English hothouse cucumber

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 

Preparation

Using cleaver or heavy large knife, cut each ear of corn crosswise in half. Place corn in heavy large pot. Add 5 cups broth, shallots, and onion; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until corn is very tender, about 25 minutes. Using tongs, transfer corn to large bowl to cool; reserve broth. 

Cut corn kernels off cobs. Return 4 cups corn kernels to broth (reserve any remaining corn for another use). Working in batches, puree soup in blender until very smooth. Strain soup through fine sieve set over large bowl, pressing on solids with back of spoon; discard solids. Mix in enough additional chicken broth to thin soup to consistency of heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate soup until cold, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.) 

Ladle soup into 6 bowls. Top each with dollop of crème fraiche. Sprinkle with cucumber and chives and serve.

SALADS

ENTREES

SIDES

DESERTS

DRINKS