New year's brunch: a make-some/buy-some Southwestern brunch menu that's big on flavor and easy on you

By the time the major holiday cooking is over and News Year's Day rolls around, I want to have a few friends over but without a lot of fuss. This

Southwestern brunch is perfect because it requires minimal cooking. Rounding out the menu with purchased items--fresh salsa, guacamole, cheeses, olives and dried fruit--means you can sleep a little longer that morning.

An interesting cheese selection would be a California goat cheese such as Humboldt Fog, an Italian Pecorino with truffles, maybe a Spanish Manchego, or perhaps a blue cheese. Add some dried fruits and wafer-thin crackers, and your cheese board is complete. Alternatively, buy a wheel of Brie or Camembert, top it with some fig preserves and toasted nuts, and bake it at 350F for 10 minutes. Then watch it disappear.

The pomegranate margaritas are refreshing and easy-just make a big batch in a decorative glass pitcher, and pour. For a nonalcoholic version, mix pomegranate juice with carbonated water, and add a splash of lime.

CHIPOTLE PORTOBELLO
SALAD

Serves 8
30 minutes or fewer

I like to buy the prepackaged
organic romaine hearts for this
salad, and the long crostini-shaped
packaged croutons that
come in clear cellophane bags.

3 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. tamari or low-sodium
soy sauce

3 Tbs. fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp. ground chipotle
pepper

4 large portobello mushrooms,
stems removed

Salt and freshly ground
black pepper to taste

3 romaine hearts, rinsed
and torn into bite-sized
pieces

Creamy Lime-Cheddar
Dressing

1 11-oz. pkg. croutons

1. In large bowl, whisk
together 2 Tbs. olive oil,
tamari, lime juice and chipotle
pepper. Season mushrooms
with salt and pepper, and
brush with chipotle mixture.
Let stand 10 minutes.

2. Coat large skillet with
nonstick cooking spray, add
remaining 1 Tbs. of oil and heat
over medium-high heat. Add
mushrooms, and cook 3 to 4
minutes on each side, or until
lightly browned and tender.
Transfer mushrooms to cutting
board, let cool slightly and cut
diagonally into thin slices.

3. In large bowl, toss romaine
with Creamy Lime-Cheddar
Dressing. Transfer lettuce to
serving platter, and top with
mushrooms and croutons.

PER SERVING WITH DRESSING: 520
CAL: 16G PROT; 32G TQTAL FAT (5G
SAT FAT); 42G CARB; 15MG CHOL;
1,100MG SOD; 3G FIBER; 6G SUGARS


CREAMY LIME-CHEDDAR
DRESSING

Makes about % cup

30 minutes or fewer

2 green onions (white and
most of green parts),
chopped

1 Tbs. white miso or 1 tsp.
vegetarian Worcestershire
sauce

1 medium-sized clove garlic

2 Tbs. fresh lime juice

1/4 cup unsweetened soymilk

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup grated aged white
cheddar cheese or soy
cheddar cheese

Freshly ground black pepper
to taste

1. In food processor or blender,
combine onions, miso, garlic,
lime juice, soymilk, olive oil
and cheese, and process until
smooth and creamy.

2. Transfer to small bowl,
and season to taste with
black pepper.

INDIVIDUAL PEPPER &
CORN FRITTATAS

Serves 8

Frittatas are great party food
because they can be made
ahead of time and served warm
or even at room temperature.

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 medium-sized red bell
peppers, diced

8 green onions (white and
light green parts), sliced

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen
white or yellow corn
kernels

1 Tbs. dried oregano

2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. Ancho chile powder

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups liquid egg whites
or 12 large egg whites

1/4 cup plain soymilk,
milk or water

3/4 cup shredded Monterey
jalapeno jack cheese or
soy jalapefio cheese

1 plum tomato, cut into
8 equal slices

2 Tbs. chopped fresh
cilantra, for garnish,
optional

1. Preheat oven to 375E
Coat 8 6-oz. ramekins or
oven-proof custard cups with
nonstick cooking spray. Set
ramekins on baking sheet.

2. In 12-inch nonstick skillet,
heat oil over medium-high
heat. Add red peppers, green
onions and corn, and cook,
stirring often, 3 minutes, or
until vegetables are tender.
Remove from heat, stir in
oregano, cumin, salt and chile
powder. Let cool.

3. In large bowl, whisk whole
eggs, egg whites and soymilk.
Add cheese and cooled
vegetables, and stir well.
Divide mixture among
prepared ramekins. Top each
frittata with a tomato slice.

4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or
until frittatas are set, golden
brown and puffy. Let sit
5 minutes. Sprinkle with
cilantro, and serve.

PER SERVING: 200 CAL; 15G PROT; 9G
TOTAL FAT (4G SAT FAT); 16G CARB;
120MG CHOL; 410MG SOD; 3G
FIBER; 3G SUGARS

FRESH SAGE
CORNBREAD

Serves 8

A combination of cornmeal
and flour gives this cornbread
a light texture. Try to
use fresh sage; dried just
doesn't have quite the same
flavor, plus any extra fresh
sage leaves make a nice
garnish for the cornbread.

1 cup unbleached
all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow or white
cornmeal

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1 cup soymilk or buttermilk

1/4 cup canola or corn oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh sage

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
Coat an 8x8-inch square pan
(or 8-inch round pan) with
nonstick cooking spray.
Combine flour, cornmeal,
sugar, baking powder and
salt in large bowl.

2. Whisk together eggs,
soymilk and oil in mixing
bowl. Add to dry ingredients,
and mix just until blended.
Fold in sage.

3. Pour batter into prepared
pan. Bake 25 minutes, or until
top is lightly browned and
springs back when touched.
Set pan on wire rack, and let
cool 5 minutes. Cut into
squares, and serve.

PER SERVING: 310 CAL; 8G PROT; 12G
TOTAL FAT (1 5G SAT. FAT); 43G CARB;
70MG CHOL; 420MG SOD: 3G FIBER;
9G SUGARS

POMEGRANATE
MARGARITA

Serves 1

30 minutes or fewer

If only a couple of people are
likely to imbibe, you can make
these to order in a cocktail
shaker. Otherwise, multiply
this recipe by 8-12, and mix
together in a large pitcher.

1 oz. tequila

1 oz. Triple Sec

1 oz. fresh lime juice

2 to 3 oz. pomegranate juice
Margarita or coarse salt

In cocktail shaker, combine
tequila, Triple Sec, lime juice
and pomegranate juice. Add
ice, and shake well. Pour over
ice, and serve in glasses
rimmed with margarita salt.

PER SERVING: 190 CAL; OG PROT; OG
TOTAL FAT (OG SAT FAT); 16G CARB;
0MG CHOL; OMG SOD; 0G FIBER;
13G SUGARS