Citrus Almond Cake

1 small to medium orange
1 lemon
6 oz raw almonds (approx 1 1/3 cups)
1 c. all purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. olive oil
1 tsp anise seed, crushed
1/4 c. apricot preserves
whipped cream optional for serving.

For glaze*:
1/3 c. apricot preserves
1/8 c. fresh lemon juice
*Bring to a simmer in a saucepan, then brush onto warm cake

Place orange and lemon in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, covered. Meanwhile, heat oven to 325°, put almonds on a sheet pan and roast until well toasted, about 15 minutes. Cool almonds and then process in food processor until finely ground. Remove orange and lemon from water and cool for several minutes. When cool, remove rind and seeds from lemon, and just the seeds from the orange. Add to food processor and pulse until finely chopped, almost a paste. Raise oven heat to 350°. In a separate bowl combine flour and baking powder. Set aside. With mixer beat eggs and salt until foamy. Add sugar gradually, beating well. Fold in flour mix, then add ground almonds, citrus, apricot preserves, crushed anise and olive oil. Mix to combine. Pour into greased 9" spring-form pan and bake for about 1 hour. Prepare glaze and brush glaze onto warm cake while still in pan. When cool, remove sides and slide cake onto serving plate. Serves 10-12

Roasted Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup

This is so delicious...and easy! My friend, Anne, served it for book group lunch and everyone raved. Same thing when I served it to friends for dinner. Yum! I'm already looking forward to the leftovers. Serves 4.

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 med. butternut squash (2 1/2 lbs.), peeled, seeded and diced med.
1 med. onion, diced
2 T. olive oil
Salt and Pepper
4 c. chicken broth
1/4 t. cumin
1/4 t. coriander
1 T. lemon juice
Choice of garnishes: cilantro, fresh herbs, pine nuts, etc.

Heat oven to 425. In roasting pan, toss together chicken, squash, onion, and oil.
Season w/ salt and pepper.
Roast 30 min., or til cooked through
Put chicken on plate to cool.
Transfer squash and onion to soup pot. Add broth, cumin, and coriander.
Bring to a simmer over med-hi heat.
Mash or blend some squash til soup is thick and chunky.
Discard bones and skin from chicken, add meat (cut into bite-size chunks) to soup.
Stir in lemon juice and season w/ salt and pepper to taste.
Heat through and serve with garnishes of choice. (cilantro and pine nuts are good)

Wild Rice and Corn Chowder

A family favorite.

1/2# bacon
2 small onions, diced
1 large bell pepper (colorful), diced
4 stalks celery, sliced
8 oz. raw wild rice
1 1/2 qts. chicken stock (homemade, preferably)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp thyme
1 Tbsp basil
1/2 tsp (+ or -) crushed dry red pepper flakes
1 lb. corn (I use TJ's frozen white corn)
1 1/2 pints half & half (or part whole milk)

In a large skillet sauté bacon until nearly crisp. Add onions, bell pepper and celery and sauté with bacon 5 minutes. Drain off fat.

In a large soup pot, combine rice, stock, bacon and vegetavel mixture, garlic, thyme, basil and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour or until rice is done. Add corn and cream and cook 15 minutes more. Salt to taste. Serves about 8.