Crispy Crunchy Chopped Salad ~ Karin Calloway

Another great recipe from Karin Calloway!

This Crispy, Crunchy Chopped Salad is tossed with a classic vinaigrette with a twist from champagne vinegar and a hint of sweetness from agave nectar. Feel free to customize the salad, substituting pears or peaches for the apple, dried cranberries for the cherries, honey-roasted peanuts for the candied pecans and feta for the blue cheese.

* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

* 3 tablespoons champagne or rice wine vinegar

* 1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey

* 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

* 1 head radicchio, cored and finely chopped

* 2 heads romaine lettuce, finely chopped

* 1 apple, peeled, cored, and finely diced

* 3 green onions, thinly sliced

* 1 cup dried cherries

* 1 cup store-bought candied pecans or pecan halves, toasted, coarsely chopped

* 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Whisk Dijon mustard, vinegar and honey in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place lettuces, apples, green onions, cherries, pecans and cheese in a large salad bowl. Pour dressing over salad just before serving and toss to coat.

Makes 6 servings.

Creamy Onion Soup ~ Karin Calloway

The transformation from raw onion to melted, sweet cooked onions is one of the truly amazing culinary conversions. What once made you cry, turns into something smooth and luscious. The perfect example of this transformation is in onion soup, and I’ve come up with a quick and creamy version that is full of mellow onion flavor.

While homemade beef broth is always preferable to canned broth, I’ve found that I can obtain a tasty pot of soup with a combination of canned reduced-sodium beef and chicken broths. The onion is the main flavor here, so the broths only play a background role. If you have time, by all means substitute real, homemade stock for the broth.

The key to the flavor of this soup is taking your time when sautéing the onions. Nearly caramelized onions impart richness in this soup, which is heightened by the addition of heavy cream and two types of cheese. A food processor helps take the time and tears out of slicing multiple onions. Simply peel, cut off the root and tops, slice in half and slice thinly in a food processor which has been fitted with a slicing disc.

Like most hearty soup recipes, all you need to complete your meal is some good crusty bread and a salad.

* 1/4 cup butter

* 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced, about 8 cups

* 1/3 cup flour

* 4 cups (32 ounces) reduced-sodium beef broth

* 4 cups (32-ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth

* 1 cup whipping cream

* Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

* 1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese, plus 1/4 cup for garnish

* 1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, for garnish

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions, reduce heat to medium and sauté, stirring often, for 15 minutes, until onions are wilted and beginning to caramelize. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add the broths and simmer 10 minutes. Add whipping cream and 1 cup of cheddar cheese and simmer 5 to 10 minutes more.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with additional shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.



Makes 6 servings.

Best Baked Eggs

If I could pick a personal chef, it would be Karin Calloway.... another great recipe from her!

by Karin Calloway

I call these the “best” baked eggs for two reasons. First of all, they’re delicious. Second, they free you up to prepare the rest of your breakfast or brunch while they bake.

Maybe a third reason to bake up this simple egg dish is that you can add whatever you have on hand to flavor up the eggs. While the recipe below is my favorite combination of ingredients, feel free to dig through the fridge and use whatever cheese or combination of cheeses you find. You can’t go wrong with crumbled goat cheese combined with the fresh herbs, and sharp cheddar would be delicious, too. Add some diced ham, crumbled bacon or browned sausage if you’d like a more substantial dish. The possibilities are limitless.

The eggs puff up when baking, but they deflate quickly. They’re delicious served immediately and leftovers reheat well in the microwave.

• 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
• 2 Roma tomatoes, cored and diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (basil, chives, thyme)
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 12 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon ground dry mustard
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle cheese, herbs and green onions evenly in the bottom of the pan.

Beat eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Pour egg mixture on top of cheese.  Bake for 45 minutes or until firm.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Garlic Soup- with or without cream

by Karin Calloway

Some people love garlic, others don’t. But few would pass on a creamy bowl of this delicious Garlic Soup. Yes, two cups of garlic is a lot. But the flavor of the garlic mellows as it simmers with leeks, onion and chicken broth. A bouquet garni (a little bunch of parsley stems, thyme and bay leaves tied together with butcher’s twine) gives the soup an herbal aroma and the surprising addition of French bread thickens the soup nicely. While the recipe calls for a cup of whipping cream or half and half, the dairy products can be omitted completely for a lighter version.

If your supermarket sells jars of peeled garlic cloves, this is a great place to use them. The purchase will save you the step of peeling seven or eight bulbs of fresh garlic. Serve the soup as a first course for a French menu or with a tossed salad and crusty bread for lunch or supper.

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 leeks (white and light green parts only), trimmed and sliced, about 2 cups
• 2 large yellow onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups garlic cloves, peeled and chopped (about 7 bulbs)
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 bouquet garni (parsley stems, thyme sprigs and bay leaf tied together)
• 2 cups stale French bread, cut into 1⁄2 inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup whipping cream or half and half
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, onions and garlic and sauté until golden, about 20 minutes. Add the chicken broth, bouquet garni and bread. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Remove the bouquet garni and puree soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Add the cream and heat to boiling. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Haute Chocolate ~ Karin Calloway's

"In this extra-rich version, whole milk and half and half are simmered together with two types of sugar and chopped chocolate. For the chocolate, I usually choose a bar of Valhrona bittersweet (look for bars with around 70 percent cocoa) and Ghirardelli semisweet, with 60 to 65 percent cocoa. If I have leftover milk chocolate on hand, I’ll usually add some in place of some of the semisweet chocolate for further chocolate character."

The cocoa can be served as soon as the chocolate melts, but I like to froth it up with an emersion blender before serving. Top each mug of cocoa with a big marshmallow.

 * 3 cups milk

* 3 cup half and half


* 4 tablespoons granulated sugar


* 3 tablespoons brown sugar


* 3.5 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped


* 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped


* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


* Marshmallows, for garnish


Heat everything in a saucepan, except the vanilla, until chocolates melt and sugar dissolves. Stir in the vanilla. Blend with an emersion blender until foamy. Ladle into mugs and serve with marshmallows.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Glorious Beef Stew

by Karin Calloway

Beef stew was company food when I was growing up. Although the hearty winter dish uses inexpensive stew beef, my mother’s version was company worthy. Based on a recipe from a neighbor, the stew contained browned beef, red wine, beef broth, carrots, onions, potatoes and green peas. The red wine, along with dried thyme and bay leaves are what took the stew from family food to company fare.

While my mother’s recipe calls for cooking on top of the stove, I’ve found that the dish can be prepared almost unattended in the oven. Butter and vegetable oil are heated in a roasting pan and the beef is added to brown in a 400 degree oven. This unattended browning of the beef is a coup for busy cooks, and only takes 15 to 20 minutes.

The oven method used for the stew makes it a snap to prepare, while maintaining the flavors of the stew of my childhood. Serve the stew as the centerpiece of a hearty winter meal with a green salad and crusty bread. The potatoes may be omitted from the recipe, and the stew served over broad egg noodles

• 2 pounds beef stew meat
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 14.5-ounce can beef broth
• 4 carrots, cut 1/2 inch thick
• 2 medium onions, cut into 8 wedges
• 5 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 10-ounce package frozen green peas, thawed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place butter and vegetable oil in a large roasting pan and heat in oven until butter is melted. Season beef with salt and pepper and add to the hot pan. Brown the beef in the oven, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Stir in thyme, bay leaf, red wine and beef broth. Cover, return to oven and cook 45 minutes. Remove pan from oven again, and stir in the carrots, onions and potatoes. Return and cook 45 minutes more. When done, stir in peas to heat through, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 8 servings.

Blistered Brussels Sprouts

by Karin Calloway

When I was growing up, I turned my nose up to Brussels sprouts. Little did I know that this strong smelling member of the cabbage family was a little gem when prepared properly. I am now a huge fan of Brussels sprouts, and prepare them often when they’re in season, usually in a sauté with prosciutto or pancetta, shallots or onions and garlic.

Blanching the Brussels sprouts and then shocking them in cold water will decrease the time it takes to sauté the sprouts while ensuring they are perfectly tender throughout. I like to blanch the sprouts early in the day and refrigerate them in a zip-top plastic bag. Just before dinner I’ll throw them into a hot skillet with other ingredients, letting the heat of the skillet blister them just a bit on the outside.

The sprouts also can be sautéed indoors or out on your Viking Wok/Cooker. Just follow the recipe as written, but stir your sprouts continuously until they begin to caramelize.

• 2 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, washed and trimmed
• 8 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 shallots or 1/2 small onion, coarsely chopped
• 6 thin slices prosciutto, chopped
• Coarse sea or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add Brussels sprouts and peeled garlic cloves and blanch for 4 to 5 minutes. Pour into a colander, drain and rinse with cold water until completely cool. Slice Brussels sprouts in half and cut garlic cloves into thin slivers.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and shallots or onion and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add prosciutto and sauté 1 minute. Add Brussels sprouts and slivered garlic and shake the pan or stir well to combine the ingredients. Cook, without stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Shake or stir the ingredients again, and then cook, without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more, until shallots and Brussels sprouts begin to caramelize. Season to taste with a sprinkling of the coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.