Light vegetable soup with poached eggs

Tomatoes, very ripe, skinned, quartered, seeded; dice some for garnish	2 ½ pounds
Spinach, trimmed, rinsed, shredded; finely shredded two leaves for garnish	14 ounces
Butter	4 ½ tablespoons
Water or chicken stock	6 1/3 cups
Potatoes, peeled, diced	5 ounces
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Eggs, poached	6

1. In a Dutch oven, melt the butter, add the spinach, and sweat over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. 
2. Add the tomatoes, stock, and potatoes. 
3. Bring to a boil, and then cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. 
4. In batches, purée the soup in a blender, and then pass through a fine sieve into a clean pot. 
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
6. Heat the eggs, if cooled, drain, and then place one in the middle of each warmed soup bowl; pour the soup around the eggs. 
7. Scatter the reserved spinach and tomatoes over the surface, and serve immediately. 

Yield: 6
Recipe adapted from Eggs by Michel Roux.

Slow-cooker picadillo

Olive oil, extra virgin	1 tablespoon
Bison, ground	2 pounds
Sausage, spicy chicken, diced	4 ounces
Chili powder	1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds, crushed	2 teaspoons
Oregano, dried	1 teaspoon
Cinnamon, ground	½ teaspoon
Water	½ cup
Tomato paste	2 tablespoons
Vinegar, red wine	2 tablespoons
Onion, diced	2 cups
Peppers, Anaheim or Cubanelle	2 cups
Corn kernels, thawed if frozen	1 cup
Olives, green, pitted, sliced	½ cup
Garlic, minced	5 cloves
Tomatoes, diced	28 ounces
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the bison and sausage, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes; drain, if necessary, and return to the skillet. 
2. Add the chili powder, oregano, and cinnamon, cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes. 
3. Stir in the water, tomato paste, and vinegar. 
4. Transfer to a 5- to 6-quart slow-cooker. 
5. Stir in the onions, peppers, corn, olives, and garlic. 
6. Add the tomatoes with their juice. 
7. Cover, and cook for 7 to 8 hours on LOW, or 4 hours on HIGH. 
8. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe from Delish.com.

Caramel cranberry-almond tart

Egg	1 yolk
Water, iced	2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Flour, all purpose	1 ¼ cups
Sugar, granulated	1/3 cup + 1 cup
Salt	¼ teaspoon
Butter, unsalted, cold, cubed	½ cup
Cream, heavy	1 cup
Cranberries, fresh or frozen	1 ½ cups
Almonds, sliced, toasted	1 cup

1. In a small bowl with a fork, combine the egg yolk, 2 tablespoon water, and vanilla.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
3. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter in the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse meal, with no butter pieces larger than small peas.
4. Add the egg mixture, and mix with a fork until the dough pulls together.
   If the dough is too dry, add water a tablespoon at a time.
5. Roll out the dough to a 12-inch round, and transfer to a 9 1/2-inch tart pan, preferably with a removable bottom.
6. Trim any excess dough by gently running a rolling pin across the top of the pan.
7. Press the dough into the sides of the pan so that it extends slightly above the rim.
8. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
9. Preheat to 375°F; ensure a rack is in the lower-third of the oven.
10. Place a sheet of parchment paper in the tart shell, and cover bottom with pie weights.
11. Bake for 20 minutes, cool on rack, and then place in baking sheet.
12. Reduce to 325°F; place rack in the middle.
13. In a heavy saucepan, stir together the sugar and 2 tablespoons water.
14. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, and continue cooking, shaking or tilting the pan but not stirring (which causes the sugar to crystallize), until the sugar dissolves and the syrup turns golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes; remove from heat.
15. Place a sieve over the top of the saucepan to prevent splattering, and slowly pour in the cream.
    Carefully watch the mixture to ensure it doesn't boil over.
16. When the bubbling stops, whisk well.
17. Add the cranberries and almonds, and stir to combine.
18. Pour the mixture into the tart shell.
19. Bake until the cranberries have collapsed and the mixture is bubbling, about 25 to 30 minutes.
20. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.
21. Remove from tart pan, and serve.

Recipe from The Williams-Sonoma Baking Book.

Banana, peach, mango & flax seed smoothies

Peaches, unsweetened, frozen	1 cup
Mango, sliced	1 cup
Mango nectar	¼ cup
Yogurt, vanilla	6 ounces
Banana, ripe, peeled, cut up, frozen	1
Milk	¼ cup
Flax seed meal	1 tablespoon
Honey	2 tablespoons

1. In a blender, combine the peaches, mango, and nectar; cover and blend until smooth. 
2. Divide among two glasses. 
3. In the same blender, combine the yogurt, banana, milk, flax seeds, and honey; cover and blend until smooth. 
4. Divide among the glasses, and swirl with a spoon.

Lemon pudding cakes

Flour, all purpose	½ cup
Salt, fine	½ teaspoon
Eggs, separated	3
Sugar	¾ cup + ¼ cup
Lemon zest, grated	1 teaspoon
Lemon juice	1/3 cup
Milk, whole	1 1/3 cup
Water, hot

1. Preheat to 350°F; place eight ½-cup ramekins in a large baking dish. 
2. In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt. 
3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the yolks with ¾ cup sugar until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. 
4. Stir in the flour with a spatula, and beat with mixer for 2 minutes until very thick. 
5. Stir in the zest, juice, and milk; mush out any large lumps. 
6. In another large bowl, using a mixer with clean blades, beat the whites until foamy. 
7. Sprinkle in ¼ cup sugar, and beat until soft peaks form. 
8. Using a spatula, add ¼ of the whites to the yolk mixture. 
9. Gently fold in the rest of the whites until no streaks are visible. 
10. Divide evenly into the ramekins, place in the oven, and fill the baking dish with hot water halfway up the ramekins. 
11. Bake until the centers are firm to the touch and the edges pull away slightly from the sides of the ramekins, about 40 to 45 minutes. 
12. Remove from the oven but leave in the water bath for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Recipe adapted from The Williams-Sonoma Baking Book.