Tricks & Treats

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped leeks or onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 pound ground turkey sausage
3 cups roughly chopped rotisserie chicken
2 (16-ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained
2/3 cup barley
2 teaspoons pickled jalapeno
6 cups homemade chicken broth or canned
reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 to 8 cups chopped kale (optional)
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
Chopped green onions
Sour cream

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add cumin, cumin seed and turkey sausage. Cook until sausage is browned. Add chopped chicken, barley, beans, jalapeño, broth and kale, if desired.. Bring to a boil and simmer about 20 minutes or until barley is cooked. Serve topped with cheese and green onions. Serves 10.

"Relish the Holiday," October 2006; "Quick Chick," Oct. 2009.

Per serving: 360 calories, 14g fat, 100mg chol., 30g prot., 30g carbs., 7g fiber, 830mg sodium.

Vegetable cooking oil spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup corn or canola oil
2 tablespoons butter

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a 10-inch round baking pan or heavy oven-proof skillet with cooking oil.
2. Sift together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.
3. In a smaller bowl, stir baking soda into buttermilk. Whisk in sugar, egg and oil.
4. Place skillet over medium heat, add butter and heat until butter melts and starts to sizzle. Carefully tilt pan to coat sides and bottom.
5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients; combine quickly, using as few strokes as possible. Scrape batter into pan; bake 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool a few moments, and slice into 8 wedges to serve. Serves 8.

Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "Relish the American Table," August 13, 2006.

Per serving: 230 calories, 4g fat, 5g prot., 28g carbs., 3g fiber, 360mg sodium.

Cupcakes:
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
¾ cup 2% reduced-fat milk
¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Maple Cream Cheese Icing:
¼ cup (½ stick) butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
½ cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Place 24 paper muffin cup liners in muffin cups.
2. To prepare cupcakes, sift together flour and next 4 ingredients (flour through cinnamon). Place butter and brown sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin, beating on low speed. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour, beating on low speed. Stir in nuts.
3. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
4. To prepare icing, place all ingredients in large mixing bowl; beat with mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread icing onto top of cooled cupcakes. Yield: 24 cupcakes.


"Relish the Holidays," October 2006.

Per serving: 280 calories, 12g fat, 3g prot., 41g carbs., 1g fiber, 220mg sodium.