Review of last recipe (photo above) - Could have set up the shot better ... the salad is quite delicious, though would have been better on a day warmer than 15 degrees.  The herb dressing is really good.   A keeper!

I've been quite excited of late, because I knew I would be moving from the Vegetables/Pasta/Soup/Salad/Sandwich category to entrees and desserts.  My plan going forward is to continue alphabetically, but to go from A-Z in each category of my accordion file.  To finish off this file, I will be jumping from Poultry/Meats to Fish/Seafood to Desserts, and moving from A-Z.  Although making desserts for a year or so may have sounded good, in reality, it would have killed any attempt at keeping my weight down.  I usually halve or quarter my testing recipes, but it's more difficult to do that with desserts (it changes the pan size, baking time, etc), so this approach is more balanced.  When I'm not able to make a smaller dessert, my friends at work will be the beneficiaries.  And, I don't have to go from front to back A, then Z, then B, then Y ... just from category to category to category from A-Z.  In any case, I'll see how this works out, as I'm now counting that there are over 30 recipes that start with the word 'chicken' (at least it'll be chicken every third blog, not every other).

TODAY'S RECIPE - Apple-Glazed Roast Pork
Accompany with roasted potatoes and a light, fruity Gamay, Beaujolais or dry Sauvignon Blanc.

Serves 6

1 jar (12 oz) apple jelly
4 tsp dijon mustard
3 tsp lemon juice, divided
1 2 1/2 lb pork loin roast, at room temperature
salt and pepper
1 tbsp brandy

In a small saucepan, melt jelly over low heat.  Stir in mustard and 1 tsp lemon juice, and set aside. 

Rub roast generously with salt and pepper.  Place on rack in shallow foil-lined roasting pan.   Roast in preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.  Brush lightly with jelly mixture and continue roasting, brushing with jelly once more, 30-45 minutes.  Let stand in warm place for 10 minutes more.

Scrape any browned drippings from roasting pan into remaining jelly.  Add remaining 2 tsp lemon juice and the brandy and heat through.  Season generously with salt and pepper.

Slice roast thin and serve with sauce.

Nutritional Information:  399 calories, 30 G protein, 35 G carbs, 15 G fat 90 mg cholesterol

Review of last recipe (photo above) - As in all the carrot based soups I have tried, just not that good.  Disappointing ...

TODAY'S RECIPE - ITALIAN RICE SALAD (From Sandra Hitchens)
The recipe is from The New York Times (unknown date), and I don't know who Sandra Hitchens is, and in a Google search, didn't come up with anything definitive.

Serves 8-10

The salad:
1 lb tiny bay scallops
5 cups cooked rice
1 lb shrimp, cooked, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2  cups finely diced green pepper
3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1-1 1/2 cups cooked quartered artichoke hearts
1/4 cup capers
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill

The dressing:
10 tbsp olive oil
6-7 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp minced parsley

Saute scallops in hot butter for about 3 minutes, just enough to cook them lightly.  Combine scallops with remaining salad ingredients in a serving bowl.

Whisk oil and vinegar and beat in remaining dressing ingredients.  Pour over salad and toss gently.

Chill or serve at room temperature.  It's better if the salad is not too cool, as this detracts from the flavors.

Review of last recipe (photo above) - I didn't know if I liked fennel (I don't like licorice flavor, but don't mind slight anise flavor, which is just what fennel is), but the salad was good, and made better by some great sausage from my local butcher ... it's was just not good enough to make again.

TODAY'S RECIPE - LEMON-CARROT BISQUE
This soup is also good cold.

2 tbsp butter
2 medium carrots, grated
1/4 cup minced onion
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp grated lemon peel
3/4 cup half and half
salt and freshly ground pepper
dash of hot pepper sauce
2 lemon slices for garnish
minced fresh mint or parsley for garnish

Melt butter in heavy saucepan over low heat.  Add carrots and onion.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally; 5 minutes.  Blend in chicken broth, lemon juice and peel.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally; 15 minutes.  Add half and half and cook 10 minutes.  Transfer to blender and puree until smooth.  Season with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce.  Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with lemon slices and minced mint or parsley.

Review of last recipe (photo above) - I really had high hopes for the recipe, and maybe because I used store bought sauce, when I usually make my own, I was disappointed.  Sometimes I buy Classico Four Cheese just to have something that can be added to the remains of some of my homemade sauce, but thought I'd try Paul Newman's Marinara since I think he makes a really good product.  It's not a bad sauce; I don't know the results weren't better.

TODAY'S RECIPE - HOT SAUSAGE SALAD IL CAPRICCIO
The recipe comes from The Boston Globe (undated), so I'm assuming it's from Il Capriccio in Waltham.

Serves 8

1 lb Italian pork sausage (preferably homemade ... I don't think so)
1 head fennel, sliced thin
2 red peppers, sliced thin
3 tbsp olive oil
8 leaves radicchio
8 leaves arugula
8 leaves boston lettuce
8 tsp balsamic vinegar

Prick the sausage and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until done.  Drain, cool and slice thinly.

In the meantime, blanch the fennel in boiling water for 10-15 seconds and immediately chill in cold water and dry.  Blanch the red pepper for 5 seconds, chill and dry.  Put the olive oil into a nonstick frying pan.  Add the sausage, fennel and pepper.  Heat, tossing the ingredients together.  Serve on warm plates lined with a leaf each of radicchio, arugula and boston lettuce.  Top each portion with 1 tsp vinegar. 

Nutritional Information:  240 calories, 10 G protein, 20 G fat, 5 G carbs, 300 mg sodium

Review of last recipe (photo above) - It's a pretty dish, but nothing I would want to make again.

TODAY'S RECIPE - LINGUINE WITH QUICK RED SEAFOOD SAUCE
Make this sauce up to the point of adding the seafood.  Return to heat, and finish when pasta is almost ready.

Serves 4

1 lg onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups meatless tomato sauce (store bought or homemade)
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp dried basil
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp brandy (optional)
1 1/2 lb. seafood; combination of medium sized shrimp (shelled and
     deveined) and quartered sea scallops
12 oz linguine, cooked and drained

In a large heavy pot, saute onion and garlic in oil over medium-high heat until golden.  Add wine and cook until reduced to 2-3 tbsp.  Stir in tomato sauce, parsley, basil, bay leaves and salt and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cover, simmering for 10 minutes.  Add brandy and seafood and cover, simmering for 4 minutes or until seafood is just barely firm.  Toss with hot linguine and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information:  663 calories, 37 G protein, 84 G carbs, 20 G fat, 199 mg cholesterol, 1,153 mg sodium

Review of last recipe (photo above) - What a surprise! These were really good, and I think a good use for canned potatoes would be for home fries.  The nice thing was they didn't taste old, like second time around potatoes usually do.

TODAY'S RECIPE - HOT POTATO-KIELBASA SALAD
Whenever this recipe was published (no date on it), the cost per serving was 79 cents ... $4.74 total!

Serves 6

3 lbs. small red skin potatoes
1 lb kielbasa
3/4 cup water
1 medium sized onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp caraway seed
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 cup sliced radishes
1/2 cup parsley, chopped

Scrub potatoes and cut into quarters.  Cook in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and keep warm.

Cut kielbasa into 1 1/2" lengths and cut 3 slits in each piece, cutting almost to the bottom.  combine with 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, cover.  Lower the heat and simmer 3 minutes.  Drain, saving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.  Keep kielbasa warm.

Saute onion in oil in a large skillet until lightly browned, stirring often.  Blend in flour until smooth.  stir in reserved cooking liquid, vinegar, sugar, caraway seed, celery seed and pepper.  Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and bubbles.

Add potatoes, kielbasa, radishes and parsley; toss to mix.  Serve.