High-flying turkey & black bean chili

Beans, black, cooked, rinsed	30 ounces
Lime juice, freshly squeezed
Salt, sea
Oil, extra-virgin olive	3 tablespoons
Onion, yellow, chopped	1 large
Garlic, minced	1 clove
Jalapeño, deribbed, chopped	1
Chili powder	2 teaspoons
Ancho chili powder	1 teaspoon
Paprika, smoked	1 teaspoon
Cumin, ground	1 teaspoon
Oregano, dried, gently crushed in your hand	1 teaspoon
Cinnamon, ground	½ teaspoon
Turkey, ground	1 pound
Tomatoes, fire roasted, crushed	28 ounces
Piquillo peppers, roasted, chopped	2
Maple syrup, grade B	1 tablespoon
Lime juice, freshly squeezed
Cilantro avocado cream
Avocado, halved, flesh scooped out	1
Water	2 tablespoons
Lime juice	¾ teaspoon
Cilantro, coarsely chopped	2 teaspoons
Salt	¼ teaspoon

1. In a bowl, combine the beans with a spritz of juice and a pinch of salt; set aside. In a 6-quart pot, heat the oil over medium heat. 
2. Add the onions and a pinch of salt, and sauté for 3 minutes, until the onions are translucent. 
3. Add the garlic, jalapeño, chili powder, ancho powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, and cinnamon, and sauté for another minute. 
4. Add the turkey, and break up the meat with a wooden spoon, and brown for about 3 minutes. 
5. If the pan is too dry or the spices stick, pour in a little juice from the tomatoes to deglaze the pan, stirring with the wooden spoon to loosen any bits stuck to the pan. 
6. Add the tomatoes and another pinch of salt, then the peppers and beans; stir to combine. 
7. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
8. Remove the cover and simmer for 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally. 
9. Stir in the maple syrup. 
10. Taste, and add the lime juice and salt, as needed. 
11. Place the avocado, water, juice, cilantro, and salt in a blender, and process until smooth, about 1 minute; transfer to a small bowl. 
12. Serve the soup in bowls garnished with a dollop of the cilantro avocado cream. 

Recipe mildly adapted from The Healthy Mind Cookbook by Rebecca Katz.

Mushroom-barley soup

Oil, olive	2 tablespoons
Garlic, minced	2 cloves
Onion, yellow, diced	1 large
Carrots, peeled, diced	2 large
Celery, diced	2 stalks
Salt, kosher	1 ½ teaspoons +
Thyme, dried	1 teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon +
Tomato paste	2 tablespoons
Mushrooms, cremini or button; sliced	1 pound
Pearl barley	½ cup
Bay leaf	1
Broth, mushroom or vegetable	5 cups
Lemon juice, fresh	1 tablespoon

1. Using an Instant Pot, select the Sauté setting, and heat the oil. 
2. Add the garlic and heat, stirring for 2 minutes with a wooden spoon. 
3. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and salt; sauté for 5 minutes, until the onion is softened. 
4. Add the thyme, pepper, and tomato paste; sauté for about 1 minute. 
5. Stir in the mushrooms, barley, bay leaf, and broth. 
6. Secure the lid, press Cancel, select Manual, and set the cooking time to 30 minutes. 
7. Let the pressure naturally release for 20 minutes, then vent the Instant Pot to release the remaining pressure. 
8. Carefully open the pot, remove and discard the bay leaf, and stir in the lemon juice. 
9. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Recipe from The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook by Coco Morante.

Pumpkin alfredo with ricotta-stuffed manicotti

Pasta, manicotti	7 ounces
Oil, olive	1 teaspoon
Ricotta	1 cup
Mozzarella, shredded	¼ cup
Egg, lightly beaten	1 large
Basil, minced	3 leaves
Sage, minced	3 leaves + 3 leaves
Garlic, minced	1 clove + 2 cloves
Salt	¼ teaspoon +
Pepper, red, crushed	Pinch
Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoons
Shallot, minced	1
Pumpkin puree	¾ cup
Crème fraîche	2 tablespoons
Parmesan	¼ cup +
Nutmeg, freshly ground	Pinch
Pepper, freshly ground

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 
3. Add the pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. 
4. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water; set aside. 
5. Drain the pasta, and toss with oil; set aside. 
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the ricotta, mozzarella, egg, basil, 3 sage leaves, garlic, salt, and red pepper. 
7. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, stirring constantly, until it begins to foam and brown speckles begin to appear. 
8. Keep stirring until the foam subsides, and the color turns to a medium brown. 
9. Add the shallots and 2 garlic cloves, and turn down the heat to medium-low. 
10. Cook until the shallots have softened, about 1 minute. 
11. Stir in the pumpkin, 3 sage leaves, crème fraîche, parmesan, and ½-to-¾ cup of the reserved pasta water. 
12. Stuff each manicotti with spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture, and arrange in a 13-inch-by-9-inch casserole dish. 
13. Pour the sauce around and over the pasta, and cover with a sheet of foil. 
14. Bake for 15, remove the foil and sprinkle with more parmesan, then bake for 5 minutes more.

Slow-roasted strawberry sandwiches

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F (Roast setting, if you’ve got it). 
2. Gently toss the strawberries with sugar. 
3. In a small glass dish, closely arrange the strawberries in a single layer. 
4. Roast for 3 hours, shaking the dish gently occasionally. 
5. Spread cream cheese on a graham cracker square, layer with roasted strawberries, top with another cracker square, then devour!

Natascha's dates

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Remove the seeds from the dates.
3. Hide an almond inside a glob of blue cheese.
4. Wrap with a basil and a mint leaf.
5. Bind with a stripe of prosciutto, and stuff gently inside the date.
6. Bake for 10 minutes.
7. Let cool 10 minutes before devouring.

Ropa vieja

Oil, extra-virgin olive	2 tablespoons + ¼ cup
Steak, skirt, cut along the grain into 6-inch pieces	2 ½-pounds
Salt, kosher	2 teaspoons + 1 ½ teaspoons
Onions, white, halved	1 large
Bell peppers, green, halved, seeded	1 large
Water	5 cups
Bay leaf	1
Garlic, smashed	3
Cumin, ground	1 teaspoon
Oregano, dried	1 teaspoon
Wine, dry white	¼ cup
Tomatoes, crushed	2 cups

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Heat 2-tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. 
2. Sprinkle the steak with 2-teaspoons salt. 
3. Working in batches, sear the steak pieces until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side; transfer to a bowl. 
4. Add a half of the onion and half of the bell pepper and cook, stirring after 2 minutes, until browned in spots, about 5 minutes. 
5. Return the steak to the pot, and add the water, bay leaf, and one clove of garlic.
6. Cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours. 
7. Transfer the steak to a bowl, and let cool 10 minutes. 
8. Shred the steak by hand, and return to the bowl. 
9. Pour the cooking liquid through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; reserve 2 cups liquid, discard the solids and remaining liquids. 
10. Thinly slice the remaining onion and bell pepper halves. 
11. Heat the remaining ¼-cup oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. 
12. Add the sliced onions, peppers, and remaining cloves of garlic. 
13. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. 
14. Stir in the cumin and oregano, and then add the wine. 
15. Bring to a simmer; add the steak and remaining 1 ½-teaspoons salt; fold to incorporate the vegetables. 
16. Simmer until the meat is warmed through, about 5 minutes. 
17. Add the tomatoes and 2-cups reserved cooking liquid. 
18. Bring to a simmer, stirring. 
19. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. 
20. Gently simmer, stirring every 5 minutes, until the meat is tender and the liquid is thickened, about 20 minutes. 
21. If necessary, uncover and cook several minutes to thicken the sauce. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, March 2018.