2 tsp. butter
1 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 cups halved and thinly sliced Brussels sprouts
(about 1 1/2 lb.)
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 Tbls. sugar
1/3 tsp. salt
8 tsp. coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, saut? 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in Brussels sprouts, saut? 2 minutes. Add broth and sugar; cook 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently. Stir in salt. Sprinkle with pecans.
Makes 8 servings.

Puffed Pear Pancake
Deliciously easy!

3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. almond or vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1 ripe pear, thinly sliced
2 Tbls. sugar
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbls. butter

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or other oven-safe skillet in the oven to warm it. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, extract and salt until smooth. In a separate bowl, toss the pear with the sugar and cinnamon.

Carefully remove the preheated skillet from the oven and add the butter, swirling until it is melted. Arrange the pears in a single layer in the skillet and pour in the batter.

Return the skillet to the oven and bake 25 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve with maple syrup. Serves 4.

1 Tbls. unsalted butter
1 Tbls. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium poblano pepper, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
3 cups milk
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 tsp. salt
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 Tbls. chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges

Heat butter and oil in a soup pot over medium-low heat until melted. Add onion, poblano pepper, garlic and jalapeno pepper and cook, stirring until tender but not browned, 5 to 10 minutes.

Stir in milk, corn and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently until the corn is tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chopped tomato and simmer gently for about 2 additional minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove 1 1/2 cups solids from the soup and puree until smooth. Return to the soup; heat gently just to warm through. Stir in cilantro; ladle into warmed bowls. If you like, pass lime wedges at the table. Makes about 5 cups.