Easy apple tart with aged cheddar crust

"No fancy pastry skills needed here! Just roll out frozen puff pastry dough and top with sliced apples and grated cheddar"

Prep - 15 min
Baking - 30 min
Makes 8 servings.

1/2 (397-g) package frozen puff pastry dough, thawed.
1 c grated old cheddar
2 t chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
3 large apples (mcintosh or granny smith, peeled)
1/4 c sugar
1 T flour
1/4 cinnamon
1-2 T apricot, apple or peach jam or jelly (optional)

1. Place oven rack in lowest position in oven. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Lightly sprinkled counter with flour. Place puff pastry dough on top. Dust rolling pin with flour. Roll pastry into 16 x 10 rectangle. Pastry will be very thin and edges will be uneven. Place on a large, ungreased baking sheet.

2. Sprinkle half of cheese and half of rosemary along edges of dough, forming a narrow border. Fold edges over to completely cover and press down to seal. Slice apples into thin wedges. Place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and rosemary, sugar, 1 T flour and cinnamon. Toss to evenly coat. Tumble aples over center of pastry inside border. Evenly spread out and gently press down.

3. Bake on bottom rack of oven until pastry is deep golden and apples are tender - 30-35 mins. Place pan on rack.

4. To glaze apples, discard any chunky pieces of fruit from jam. Place jam in a small bowl and microwave on medium-high until melted (about 30 sec). Brush over warm apples. Let stand 10 min before cutting. Cut into squares and serve warm. Great with vanilla ice cream of whippped cream.

Nutrients - 5.5 g protein, 14.4 g fat, 29.3 g carbs, 0.9 mg iron, 108 mg calcium, 150 mg sodium, 2.1 g fibre, 263 calories.

Greek Herb Roasted Potatoes

Prep - 15 min
Roasting - 1.5 h
Serves 6

1/4 c water
3 T lemon juice
1 T olive oil
1 t each dried oregano leaves and salt
6 medium-size potatoes (yukon gold)
2 bay leaves (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a 9x13 baking dish, whisk water with lemon juice, oil, oregano and salt. Peel potatoes then cut into large chunks. Place in dish, toss to coat and tuck in bay leaves.

2. Roast, uncovered in the centre of a pre-heated oven, stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender (about 1.5 hrs). If water evaporates before potatoes are done, pour in a few more T of wter when needed. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Feta and sundried tomato stuffed turkey roll

Roasted turkey in one hour? You bet! A bonless turkey roll is great!

Prep - 15 min
Roasting time - 1 hour
makes 6 servings.

3 lb fresh or boneless frozen turkey breast, rolled
1 c crumbled feta
1/3 c finely-chopped sundried tomatoes
1/4 c kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 T chopped fresh rosemary or thyme
Butchers string
2 t butter, at room temperature.

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Discard netting on turkey. Unroll turkey and place skin side down on a cutting board. Cut horizontal slits into thick parts, then open these up like a book. Lightly pound with a meat mallet or bottom of a heavy pan until turkey is roughtly 1/2 in thick.

2. Sprinkle feta over top. Sprinkle tomatoes, olives and 1 T chopped roasemary along the long edge of the turkey. Tightly roll the turkey around the filling. Tie with butcher's string. Place on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet. Smear butter over turkey. Sprinkle with remaining rosemary. If making ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Roast in the centre of the oven, basting occasionally with pan joices, until un instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 160F. (60-70 min).

3. Remove from oven and let stand 10 min. Turkey temperature should reach 170 F. Thickly slice. Drizzle with pan juices. Great with Greek Roasted potatoes.

Nutrients: 52.2 g protein, 24.4 gfat, 3.4 g carbs, 3.7 mg iron, 157 mg calcium, 601 mg sodium, 453 calories.

Velvety Vegetable Bisque

"If you usually bypass good old root veggies because of their distinct and sometimes strong flavour, give 'em another chance! They mellow magnificently in this silky-smooth soup."

Prep - 15 min
Cooking - 30 min
Makes 8 cups.

3 garlic cloves
3 turnips or 1 small celery root
1 onion
1 small butternut squash or 1 lb pkg squash pieces
2 T butter
2 cans undiluted chicken broth
1/4 t each nutmeg and white pepper
sour cream (optional)
chopped chives (optional)

1. Chop garlic. Peel, then coarsely chop turnips, onion and squash.

2. Meltt butter in a large saucepan sset over med=high heat. Add veggies. Stir often until onion starts to soften - 3-5 mins. Then add broth and 2 cans water, nutmeg and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until turnips and squash are very soft - 25-30 mins.

3. Puree (I would use an immersion blender).

4. Spoon into bowls with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chives.

Nutrients per cup - 4.7 g protein, 3.8 g fat, 12.7 g carbs, 1 mg iron, 57 mg calcium, 550 mg sodium, 2.5 g fibre, 99 calories.

Rigatoni with roasted butternut squash and tomatoes

(Chatelaine, October 2005, page 253)

"Chunks of autumn squash and baby tomatoes roast to perfection while the pasta cooks, then it all gets tossed together with creamy goat cheese for an easy sauce. It makes an impressive begetarian entree"

Prep time - 15 mins
Cooking time - 25 mins
Makes - 3-4 servings

1 small butternut squash or 1 lb pkg squash pices
1 T olice oil
1 t dried italian seasoning or 1/2 t each of basil and oregano leaves
pinches of salt and pepper
1 pint grape tomatoes, or two large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 c kalamata olives, pitted
1/2 pkg rigatoni, penne or fusilli
130g log creamy goat cheese
1/2 c chopped fresh mint, basil or coriander

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. To cook pasta, fill large saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, peel squash, then cut into 1/2 in pieces. Place in a large bowl with oil and seasonings. Toss until evenly coated.

2. Tumble onto a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in centre of preheated oven 10 min. Stir, then add whole grape or chopped tomatoes. Continue roasting, stirrint occasionally until squash is fork-tender and tomatoes start to sfoten (about 15 more mins).

3. While the squash is roasting, coarsely chop olives. About 10 min before squash is done, add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente (10-12 min). Before draining pasta, ladle about 1 c pasta water into a small bowl of cup.

4. After draining pasta, return to pan set over low heat or turn into a big bowl. Add squash, tomatoes and olives. Crumble in cheese. Gently stir until evenly coated and cheese starts to melt. If pasta is too dry, stir in saved pasta water, a little at a time until moist and creamy. Stir in mint. Spoon into large wide bowls.

Nutrients per serving - 16.2 g protein, 17.8 g fat, 65.4 g carbs, 4.1 mg iron, 140 mg calcium, 853 mg sodium, 6.8 g fibre, 473 calories.