Recipe Tue Mar 11 2008

Weekly Recipe Roundup

Tonight, I suggest you pick up a nice bottle of red wine and invite your friends over for Sunday brunch: this week, local food bloggers are offering up recipes for sophisticated and fast mid-week meals, and comforting weekend breakfasts.

I'll get to the brunch menu in a moment, but first here are two great excuses to buy a bottle (or two) of red: Mushroom and Red Wine Risotto, a nice little vegan number from My Vegetable Blog; and from The Blue Kitchen, a perfect companion dessert pairing red wine and strawberries.

If it's chicken you crave, try this Chicken and Cous Cous Salad from The Knife Sharpener. Cous cous is super fast, and the addition of radishes gives this salad a peppery kick. Cook up extra chicken on Cous Cous Night, and you'll be prepped and ready to whip up Russian Chicken Salad the following night.

Who can resist a mid-week hero? Try this zesty meatball version, compliments of Little Spatula. A simple salad with Italian dressing would make a healthy side.

Did you invite your friends over for Sunday brunch yet? I hope so, because Thursday Night Smackdown (a blog from New Jersey, written by a friend) promises the "best eggs ever." Bold statement, but when you read the recipe, you just might find yourself nodding in agreement. Pair this creamy egg dish with Matcha Pancakes, which I'm going to go ahead and call "healthy" because of the matcha. Complete the spread with a side of sauteed spinach, plus grapefruit segments, vanilla yogurt, coffee and tea.