It's Your Lucky Day

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
½ dried chipotle pepper, broken in half
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas
2 heaping tablespoons dark or light miso
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper

1. Heat vegetable oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add onion and chipotle pepper; sauté about 8 minutes. Add carrots, celery, bell pepper and garlic; sauté 5 minutes.
2. Place peas in a large Dutch oven. Add onion mixture to peas. Add miso, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Stir gently. Cook over medium-low heat until thoroughly heated. Serves 8.

Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "It's Your Lucky Day," December 2009

Per serving: 290 calories, 8g fat, 0mg chol., 15g prot., 42g carbs., 8g fiber, 410mg sodium.

2 (1-pound) bunches collard greens
or kale, well washed, tough stems removed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
3 to 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Stack leaves of collard or kale; roll up tightly the long way, making a cigar-shaped roll. Cut as thinly as possible across the greens, making thin ribbons (a chiffonade). (You may have to do this in batches. This can be done up to 2 days in advance. Store greens in zip-top plastic bags and refrigerate.)
2. Place greens in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with oil. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice. Toss well. Serves 8.

Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "It's Your Lucky Day," December 2009.

Per serving: 70 calories, 4g fat, 0mg chol., 3g prot., 7g carbs., 4g fiber, 140mg sodium.

Cake:
Cooking spray
1¾ cups, plus 1 tablespoon, granulated sugar, divided
3 cups, plus 1 tablespoon, all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3 eggs, room temperature
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
¼ cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind

Buttery Citrus Icing:
¼ cup (½ stick) butter, room temperature
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon, finely grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
Orange zest (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Coat a 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray. Combine 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon flour. Sprinkle over oiled pan, tapping out excess.
3. Beat butter with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add 13/4 cups granulated sugar. Continue beating until well combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
4. Sift 3 cups flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.
5. Combine buttermilk, orange juice and lemon juice. Add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat at low speed. Stir in the citrus rinds. Pour batter into prepared pan.
6. Bake 60 to 70 minutes, until top is golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. To prepare icing, combine butter and powdered sugar using a mixer at medium speed. Add grated rinds and juices 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat well.
8. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Turn onto a serving plate. Pour one-third of icing over cake while still warm. Cool completely and spread with remaining icing. Garnish with orange zest, if desired. Serves 16.

Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "It's Your Lucky Day," December 2009.

Per serving: 340 calories, 16g fat, 80mg chol., 4g prot., 49g carbs., 0g fiber, 160mg sodium.

Cooking spray
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¾ cups yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon, baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
3 eggs
2½ cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup canned creamed corn
1 3/4 cup (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar or Jack cheese
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
½ teaspoon kosher salt (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray two 8-inch square baking pans with cooking spray.
2. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (flour through black pepper) in a bowl.
3. Whisk eggs in a bowl. Whisk in milk and oil.
4. Pour egg mixture into cornmeal mixture; whisk using as few strokes as possible. (Batter will be thinner than the usual cornbread.) Stir in corn and half the cheese. Pour into prepared pans; top with remaining cheese. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Place foil over the top during the last 10 minutes of baking if the top is getting too brown. Remove from oven. Spread butter on top and sprinkle with salt, if using. Serves 12.

Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "It's Your Lucky Day," December 2009.

Per serving: 310 calories, 15g fat, 85mg chol., 11g prot., 33g carbs., 3g fiber, 660mg sodium.