Eat Your Veggies: Broccoli Trees With Creamy White-Bean Dip

Ingredients:
2 pounds broccoli, cut into 1 1/2 inch-wide spears
1 garlic clove
1 (19oz) can white beans such as cannellini, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup silken tofu (6 1/2oz), drained and gently rinsed
2 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp EVOO
1/4 tsp ground cumin
pinch of cayenne


Blanch broccoli in a pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, 2 minutes, then drain in a colander. Immediately plunge colander with broccoli into an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain again. Spread broccoli out on a kitchen towl to dry. Broccoli will still be crisp.


With motor of a food processor running, drop garlic through feed tube and process until finely choppe. Add remaining ingredients (except broccoli) and 1/2 tsp salt and puree until smooth. Force dip through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids. Serve broccoli with dip.


Recipe from www.epicurious.com

Eat Your Veggies: Caramelized Shallot & Sage Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients: 


Batch of "perfect mashed potatoes" (recipe at bottom)

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cups thinly sliced shallots

1 tsp chopped fresh sage
1 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
2 tsp sugar
Salt

Prepare perfect mashed potatoes. Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy medium skillet over high heat. Add shallots; saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir until shallots are golden, about 5 minutes longer. Add fresh sage, white balsamic vinegar, and sugar; stir until caramelized, about 2 minutes. Stir shallot-sage mixture into potatoes. Season with salt.

Perfect Mashed Potatoes


Ingredients: 


2 pounds Yukon Gold or russet potatoes (unpeeled)
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)


Place potatoes in large saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well; cool slightly. Peel and mash potatoes; place in large saucepan. Over medium heat, dry out potatoes for 2 minutes, stirring  occasionally.


Meanwhile, heat milk in small saucepan until warm. Stir butter into potatoes. Add wamr milk and stir until completely absorbed. Season with salt.