White Wine and Lemon-Steamed Salmon Cooked on Broccoli

During the calorically dense holiday season, it makes sense to have a couple of fish, poultry, or vegetable dishes to pull out of your back pocket.  This dinner is simple to cook, but the taste is anything but.  Sauté a small, chopped onion with some garlic and add broccoli.  Next, splash in white wine and fresh lemon juice.  Add a couple of salmon filets, cover, and that's it.  The vegetables become quite tender (don't start them ahead if you want them really crisp) and are infused with the citrusy-wine sauce.  In short, they're luscious.  The salmon is very moist-- cooked barely done, and isn't all hopped up with fancy or fattening sauces.  It reeks of itself...just as it should.  There's enough for two nights or for you and a friend.  Try this:

Roasted Vegetable Soup with Crispy Prosciutto

 Blogger's Note:  I wrote a post for this recipe several days ago and linked it to Pinterest and fb; somehow (??) the post disappeared.  Never happened before and hope it never happens again.
Here's the new shorter version.  I apologize if you've been looking for this recipe and it wasn't here!
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When I make a dinner that includes roasted vegetables (see below), I always make an extra big pan full of just vegetables so I can make this soup.  It's luscious, filling, healthy (even with the prosciutto) and is a whole meal if you add rolls or whole wheat crackers and maybe a little cheese.  The soup itself comes together quickly since most of it is already cooked.

Certainly this makes a beautiful, make-ahead first course for Thanksgiving (or any) dinner, as well.  Bring it to a potluck gathering in a crock-pot and plug it in out in the dining room or living room away from the maddening kitchen crowd.  It could also be a main course if you'd like something light or if you're cooking for someone who either can't chew or must be on a largely liquid diet. Skip the prosciutto and add a little grated Parmesan if needed.

For a vegan or vegetarian version, use vegetable stock and garnish with fried sage.  Try this:

Election Day Egg and Bacon Supper

You don't want to cook much tonight, but you want something to get you through until the wee hours of the morning.  TODAY SHOW'S  Savannah Guthrie says NBC news will be on until at least 3a.m.  So get your strength on with this quick breakfast for dinner.  Yes, there are some fried components (potatoes and bacon), but the eggs are poached and sit on gorgeous cheddar-smothered tomato slices with whole wheat English muffins.  Go ahead, tank up.