Spiced Cranberry Bread Puddings

1 cup sugar, divided

� cup organic frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate, thawed

� cup orange juice

2 tsp finely grated orange peel

3 cups cranberries (about 12 oz) thawed if frozen

Non stick vegetable oil spray

12 slices white sandwich bread

� cup apricot preserves

Ground cinnamon

Freshly grated nutmeg

4 large eggs

1 tbs Grand Mariner or other orange liqueur

1 tsp vanilla extract

� tsp coarse kosher salt

2 cups heavy whipping cream

Bring � cup sugar, cranberry juice concentrate, orange juice and grated orange peel to boil in a heavy large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Mix in cranberries, return to simmer.  Reduce heat to medium-low; gently simmer 3 minutes (cranberries should not break).  Pour cranberry mixture into strainer set over bowl and drain.  Return syrup to same pan.  Boil until very thick and reduced to generous � cup, about 7 minutes.  Fold berries into syrup.  Cool to room temperature.

Spray six 1-to 1 � cup ramekins with non stick spray.  Line bottom of each with round of parchment paper.  Cut round from each bread slice to fit bottom of ramekin.  Spread each bread round with 1 teaspoon preserves, then sprinkle with cinnamon and grating of nutmeg.

Spoon 1 tablespoon cranberries (with as little syrup as possible) into each ramekin.  Top with one bread round, preserve side down.  Repeat 1 time with berries and bread rounds.  Reserve berry syrup.  Whisk eggs, liqueur, vanilla, salt and remaining � cup sugar in medium bowl until well blended.  Add cream and stir until sugar dissolves.  Pour custard, � cup at a time, over bread in each ramekin (generous � cup each).  Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to one hour, occasionally pressing bread to submerge.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place puddings in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan.  Add enough lukewarm water to pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.  Bake until puffed and firm to touch, about 45 minutes.  Remove from water.  Let cool 10 minutes.  Using small sharp knife, cut around each.  Turn out onto plate; peel off paper.  Spoon some reserved syrup over.  Serve warm.

Tarragon Crab Salad

1 large egg yolk

1 tbs white wine vinegar

1 tbs water

3 tbs mild olive oil

1 lb jumbo lump crab meat, picked over

2 tsp chopped tarragon

3 tbs chopped chives

2 large tomatoes (1 � to 2 lbs total), sliced thick

3 cups baby romaine leaves

Blend yolk, vinegar, water, � teaspoon salt, and � teaspoon pepper in a blender.  With motor running, add oil in a slow stream.

Toss crabmeat with dressing, tarragon, and chives.  Season tomatoes with salt and served topped with romaine and crab.  Serve with a toasted baguette.

Shrimp in Ginger Butter Sauce

6 oz large shrimp in shell, peeled

2 tbs unsalted butter

1 � tsp grated peeled ginger

2 tbs medium-dry sherry

2 tbs coarsely chopped cilantro

Pat shrimp dry and season with salt. 

eat butter in a heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then saut� ginger 30 seconds.  Add shrimp and saut� 2 minutes.  Add sherry and saut� until shrimp are just cooked through, 1-2 minutes.  Stir in cilantro and season with season with salt and pepper.  Serve with a baguette.

Chicken Scalloppine with Hazelnut-Cream Sauce

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 tbs butter

1 tbs canola oil

1 large shallot, minces (about � cup)

� cup Madeira

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

� cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked chopped (about 1 � oz)

Remove tenderloins from chicken breast halves.  Slice each chicken breast half on diagonal into 4 cutlets.  Place cutlets and tenderloins between 2 pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap.  Using mallet, pound each piece to about � inch thickness.  Sprinkle pounded chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.

Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.  Working in batches, add chicken to skillet and saut� until lightly browned and cooked through, about 1 � minutes per side.  Transfer chicken to plate; cover to keep warm.  Add shallot to same skillet and saut� until tender, about 3 minutes.  Pour in Madeira and bring to boil, stirring to scrape up any browned bits.  Add cream; boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.  Stir in hazelnuts.  Season sauce with salt and pepper.  Pour sauce over chicken and serve.