Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book (6 page)

Place a medium pot over medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and cook for about 1 minute. Slowly whisk the milk and mustard into the butter-flour mixture. Season the sauce with some fresh nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and cook for a minute or two until it thickens up.

Place 4 slices of the bread on the counter. Spread some of the sauce onto each slice of bread, then lay down 3 slices of ham per sammie, a couple slices of cheese, and another smear of sauce. Top each sandwich with the remaining bread slices.

Place a large skillet over medium-low heat and melt the remaining tablespoon of butter. Whisk the eggs in a high-sided dish. Dip the sandwiches in the egg and transfer them to the hot pan. Cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

While the sandwiches are cooking, in the bottom of a salad bowl, whisk the raspberry jam, shallot, and vinegar. Whisking constantly, stream in the EVOO, then season the dressing with some salt and pepper. Toss the salad greens in the dressing and serve them up alongside the best ham and cheese you've ever had!

Gyro, spiced ground lamb that is molded onto a giant rotisserie kebab, is hard to find if you do not live in a big city or near a good Greek diner. This simple sliced steak supper is a lean, mean knock-off of the big-city gyro pita. If you like these flavors as much as I do, check out the ground-meat gyro on
this page
.

SERVES 4

Heat the broiler to high and set the rack 6 inches from the heating element. Drizzle the meat with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Broil the meat for 7 minutes on each side, then let it rest for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt with the garlic, cumin, coriander, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Toss together the cukes, tomatoes, lettuce, and onions with the parsley and pepper rings. Char the flatbreads over an open flame on your stove or in a dry hot skillet. Slice the steak and serve the meat on a flatbread topped with some of the salad, sauce, and feta. Roll the flatbread around the gyro and wrap with foil or a piece of parchment to hold the sammie together while you're eating.

Topped with all the makings of an antipasto platter, this white pizza with garlic makes a great starter or party snack cut into squares. Many of the antipasto toppers can be purchased by weight at the salad bar counter, so you only have to buy what you need.

SERVES 6 AS AN APPETIZER

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Press the dough onto a baking sheet and top with the cheeses, garlic, and black and red pepper. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Top the cooked pizza with the lettuce, salami, roasted peppers, hot peppers, artichokes or mushrooms, and olives. Cut into squares and serve.

A few months ago I started cooking with whole wheat pasta because I was working on family-friendly recipes for my
Yum-o!
family cookbook. Whole wheat pastas are loaded with protein and fiber so it's a really easy way to help kids get more of both. I tried some whole wheat spaghetti for John and myself one night. The preparation was simple, just ten shallots and cheese dressed it, but from the first nutty-delicious bite I was hooked! (See That's Shallota Flavor Spaghetti, opposite.) The earthy flavor of chickpeas is a natural complement to whole wheat pasta, too. Here I let a couple of dip-n-spread favorites inspire a hearty vegetarian sauce.

SERVES 4

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. When it boils, salt the water, add the pasta, and cook to al dente. Heads up: you will need to save 1 ladleful of the starchy pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta.

While the water comes to a boil, heat the EVOO in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the chickpeas and eggplant and stir to coat with the garlicky oil. Season the chickpeas and eggplant with the cumin, coriander, and salt and pepper, then stir in the stock. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until the eggplant is tender. Stir in the tahini paste and lemon juice and transfer to a food processor. Process the chickpea and eggplant mixture until almost smooth, then transfer to a large pasta bowl.

Drain the pasta, reserving a ladle of starchy cooking liquid. Add the pasta water to the sauce, then add the pasta and toss with the sauce. Top with the parsley, scallions, and pine nuts.

Made with ten shallots per pound of whole wheat spaghetti, this pasta dish delivers unbelievable flavor—it's a knockout! It's like a bowl of French onion soup, hold the broth. Serve it up with sautéed broccoli rabe or a simple green salad.

SERVES 4

Heat the EVOO with the butter over medium-low heat in a skillet with high sides. Add the garlic and shallots and season with salt and pepper, then cook gently until caramelized, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water very liberally, then add the spaghetti and cook to al dente. When the pasta is nearly done, add 2 ladles of the starchy cooking water, about 1 cup, to the shallots and stir. Drain the pasta and add it to the shallots. Add the parsley and cheese and more pepper to taste. Toss for a minute or two to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce, then serve. Wow! Talk about yum-o!

This one will make you want to make out, so be careful who you serve it to.

SERVES 4