Cauliflower Bread Soup

From: A Tuscan In the Kitchen
This is considered one of the great soups from the Montalcino area of Italy. It has very little broth, looking almost like a sloppy bread pudding. Serve right away.

-salt
-olive oil
-black pepper
-garlic
-parmesan cheese
-cauliflower
-Italian bread

Remove the outside leaves from the head of the cauliflower and boil them in a large quantity of salted water for about 10 minutes. Coarsely chop the cauliflower into florets and add them to the pot. Cook at a low boil until completely tender.

Drain the leaves and florets and keep the water they were cooked in.

Slice the bread, toast it, and rub both sides with garlic. Soak the bread in the cauliflower water.

Now start to build the soup. In a large bowl, or individual bowls, make a layer of bread. Sprinkle it with olive oil, salt, papper, and Parmesan. The spread a layer of cauliflower florets and leaves over the bread. Make another bread layer an dkeep building until you run out, working quickly so the soup stays hot. Serve it right away when it's hot.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

This pesto has so much flavor - toss with pasta or spread on bread...

Yield: About 1 Cup

• 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
• 1/2 cup toasted whole almonds
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• 1 generous packed cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil
• 1/4 cup grated parmigianno regianno
• 1 cup olive oil

1. Drain your sun dried tomatoes, lightly rinse them, and then pat them dry with a paper towel.
2. Toast your almonds in a dry shallow pan. They will take about 10 minutes, and you will smell when they are done.
3. In a large food processor, combine the basil, toasted almonds, garlic, lemon zest, and salt. Process until coarsely chopped.
4. Add the sun dried tomatoes and parmigianno cheese and process until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped.
5. Now stream in the olive oil slowly and process until the pesto comes together.
6. Serve immediately or store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.

Chedder Scallions Drop Biscuits

2-1/4 cups flour
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3/4 stick (6 Tbs.) COLD unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1-1/2 cups coarsely grated cheddar (about 6 oz.)
3 scallions, chopped
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk

Put a rack in the middle of oven and pre-heat to 450. Butter a large baking sheet.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt (or put them all in bowl of mixer and stir on low until mixed)

Blend in butter with with fingers or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal (I do this in the mixer too- with the paddle, on low for a couple of minutes)

Mix in chedder and scallions.

Add buttermilk and mix until just combined.

Drop dough in 12 equal mounds about 2" apart on cookie sheet.

Bake until golden, 12-15 minutes (the recipe says 18-20 minutes, but they're done in 12 in my oven).

These are SO DELICIOUS, and easy. From Gourmet Cookbook.

Best Banana Bread

You can substitute chocolate chips for the coconut....
Makes one 9" loaf

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup coconut (or semi-sweet chocolate chips)
  
• 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large bananas)
  
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x5x2 1/2-inch metal loaf pan. Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Combine chocolate chips and walnuts in small bowl; add 1 tablespoon flour mixture and toss to coat.

Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in mashed bananas, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat in flour mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of nut mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter over. Sprinkle with remaining nut mixture. Cover with remaining batter. Run knife through batter in zigzag pattern.

Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes (Check frequently, don't overbake) Turn out onto rack and cool.

Zucchini Buttermilk Bread

This is a moist casserole bread, which makes a meal served with a big green salad:

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup minced sweet onion
1 cup grated zucchini
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups flour
2 T. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dill weed

- Stir together the melted butter, buttermilk, onion, zucchini and eggs

- Set aside 2 T. of the grated Parmesan

- Combine remaining ingredients and stir into egg mixture

- Turn into greased, floured, 9 -inch pie plate

- Sprinkle the top of the bread with the reserved cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until pick inserted into the center comes out dry. Don't overbake. Serve warm