Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes (Fool's Gold #12.1)

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and stir until a paste forms and the flour is completely incorporated. Slowly add milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly and letting the liquid get completely absorbed before adding more milk. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring often, until mixture bubbles and thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Drizzle about ¼ cup of the white sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Lay 3 noodles in the bottom of the dish. Cover with 1 cup of red sauce, then ⅓ of remaining white sauce and ⅓ cup Parmesan. Top with 3 more noodles, ⅓ of white sauce and ⅓ cup Parmesan. Top with 3 more noodles, 1 cup red sauce, remaining white sauce and another ⅓ cup Parmesan. Top with 3 remaining noodles and remaining 1 cup red sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1 ½ cups Parmesan. Cover lasagna with foil and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and cheese golden.

TIP: Extra red sauce will keep for 2 months in the freezer—or in your fridge for a few days. Perfect for a homey Spaghetti Bolognese.

WINTER

Liz’s Spaghetti for the Girls

Here’s the perfect use for those over-the-hill, must-use-today tomatoes. Any variety, any size.

Serves 4–6

4 pounds ripe tomatoes

¼ cup olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 small carrot, sliced

½ stalk celery, chopped

5 cloves garlic, chopped

Salt and black pepper

½ cup red wine

1 pound spaghetti

Garnishes

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Fresh basil leaves, sliced

1. Set a colander over a bowl. Cut tomatoes in half; squeeze halves over strainer to catch the seeds. Retain the juices in the bowl. Coarsely chop tomato halves.

2. Warm oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic; season with salt and pepper and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook 2 minutes, until alcohol cooks off. Add chopped tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes, mashing tomatoes with a spoon occasionally. Add reserved tomato juice during cooking if mixture seems dry.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions. In large serving bowl, toss pasta with sauce. Garnish with cheese and basil.

TIP: Use any red wine you have on hand—preferably one you can serve with the finished dish.

WINTER

Creamed Spinach and Spiced Chickpea Stir-fry with Coconut Rice

Remember, the spinach will look like a lot when you first put it into the pan—but it will cook down.

Serves 2

Rice

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup white rice

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Pinch of salt

Stir-fry

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

12 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped

¾ cup lowfat buttermilk

Salt and black pepper

Garnishes

¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled

¼ cup cashews, chopped

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring broth and rice to a simmer. Reduce heat to very low; stir in coconut milk and salt. Cover and cook 17 minutes, without stirring, until liquid has evaporated and rice is just tender.

2. Warm oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add chickpeas, garlic, cumin, ginger, coriander and cinnamon; cook 1 minute, stirring. Add spinach; cover and let sit 30 seconds. Uncover; stir-fry 5 minutes, until wilted.

3. Stir in buttermilk and cook until most of the liquid evaporates, yet mixture is still saucy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; garnish with feta and cashews. Serve with warm rice.

TIP: Buttermilk gives this dish its creamy texture—the recipe won’t work as well with skim milk.

WINTER

Golden Squash Risotto with Goat Cheese

Risotto has a bad reputation: You must stir the rice constantly, you can only use Arborio rice, and so on. Here we debunk those myths. California medium-grain rice is a perfect stand-in for Arborio and you don’t have to stir it the whole time. Just keep an eye on it and stir frequently.

Serves 6–8

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch cubes

Salt and black pepper

1 small onion, diced

2 ounces ham or 1 strip bacon, diced

1 cup California medium-grain or Arborio rice

½ cup white wine

1 can (14¾ ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth

4 cups water

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

1 cup (about 4 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled

1. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash; season with salt and pepper and cook 8 minutes, until lightly golden and almost tender. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.

2. Place pan (no need to clean) over medium heat. Melt remaining tablespoon butter. Add onions and ham; cook 4 minutes, stirring. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring to coat grains. Stir in wine and cook a few minutes, until wine evaporates, stirring often.