Hearty Sausage and Bean Soup

I'm always cold.  I get hot coffee in 90-degree weather, and my apartment has more fuzzy blankets than a Pottery Barn catalog.  Since the weather has averaged about 15 degrees recently, I wanted a big pot full of satisfying, hearty soup.  If you want to make this vegetarian, you can easily leave out the sausage and use vegetable broth.  One bowl is perfect for an appetizer, or two for a full meal.

1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3 carrots
3 celery ribs
1 large onion
8 garlic cloves
4 cups low-sodium, fat free chicken broth
3 cups water
2 dried bay leaves
1/2 head savoy cabbage
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
1 can cannellini beans (15 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
salt
black pepper

Trail Mix Cookies

My sister-in-law and I have the tendency to faint when outdoors in 90-degree temperatures.  This stems from my general lack of muscle mass and her questionable choice to be a vegetarian.  Before a recent vacation to Florida, I decided to preempt our dizzy spells by making these cookies.  They have all the nutritious ingredients of chunky granola bars (dried fruit, nuts, oatmeal) plus the sweet tenderness of cookies.  The ingredient list is long, but it's one of those recipes where you throw everything into a big bowl, mix it up, and produce perfect cookies.  We kept our purses stocked, and no one fainted!

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2.25 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1.25 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest (1 lemon)
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts

Deep Dish Sausage Pizza

One summer break a few years ago, my brother and I got into the habit of making stromboli twice a week.  It started out harmlessly enough, just making use of leftover bread dough and ham combined with late-night Pizza Hut cravings.  But within a few weeks, we were adding so many fatty meats and cheeses that now the very idea of stromboli makes me vaguely nauseous.  So, now I stick to making regular pizza!  The only topping here is sausage, but since the crust is thick and sturdy, you can pile a lot in there.  For bunnies and vegetarians, sauteed baby spinach and halved mushrooms substitute for the sausage just about as well as vegetables can substitute for meat.  This recipe makes enough dough for two crusts; you can halve it, but who doesn't want two pizzas?

3.25 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (16.25 ounces)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (2.75 ounces)
2.25 teaspoons sugar
2.25 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
2 teaspoons salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1.25 cups water
1 onion
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic
28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese
1 pound ground sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese