Strawberry-Peanut Butter Oatmeal

Just a variation on the same steel-cut oatmeal porridge I wrote up a few weeks ago.

Strawberry-Peanut Butter Oatmeal
Adapted from Cook's Country
1 1/2 tsp. butter
1/2 c. steel-cut oats
2 c. water
generous 1/2 c. chopped strawberries
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 c. sliced almonds

1. Toast oats in butter over medium heat until nutty and delicious.
2. Add water and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally until desired consistency.
4. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Green Bean Casserole

This is basically just the classic Campbell's green bean casserole recipe with extra mushrooms added.

Green Bean Casserole
Slightly adapted from Campbell's
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. dark mushroom soy sauce
1 dash black pepper
4 c. green beans (raw)
227g cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 1/3 c. fried onions

1. Combine soup, milk, soy sauce, and pepper in a large bowl.
2. Stir in beans, mushrooms, and 2/3 c. fried onions.
3. Pour into baking dish. Bake at 350F for ~30 minutes.
4. Remove from oven. Stir and top with remaining fried onions.
5. Return to oven for additional 5-10 minutes.

Stuffing with Bacon (and Mushrooms)

I love homemade stuffing, but I've never really made it before. I mean, my mom showed me how she did hers once when I was a kid, but I don't remember enough to re-create it. I decided to give it a go this year. I pretty much just grabbed the first recipe I found and rolled with it since i was in a bit of a hurry. It did come out tasty, if somewhat drier than I'd prefer. And I think it'd definitely benefit from the addition of mushrooms next time!

Stuffing
Adapted from allrecipes.com
1 lb. bacon
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
7 ribs celery, chopped
227g cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp. poultry seasoning (recipe below)
2 loaves day-old bread, cubed OR 1 bag of "stuffing croutons"
4 c. chicken stock
1 c. milk (optional)
2 eggs, beaten

Poultry Seasoning
8 parts fresh sage
3 parts dried thyme
2 parts dried marjoram
2 parts dried rosemary
4 parts dried parsley
1 part black pepper
1 part ground nutmeg (optional)

1. Cook bacon, drain on paper towel lined plate and cut into bite-sized pieces.
2. Add butter to pan with bacon drippings and melt.
3. Cook onion, celery, and mushrooms in butter-dripping mixture over medium heat until softened.
4. Stir in poultry seasoning and bacon pieces.
5. In a very large bowl, combine bread and onion-bacon mixture.
6. Add chicken stock. If stuffing is still too try for your liking add an additional cup of stock or a cup of milk.
7. Stir in eggs.
8. Pour into roast pan and bake at 400F until desired doneness. (I baked mine in two batches; 30 minutes each.)

Mustard Glazed Ham with Peach Sauce

My family always had either roast chicken or turkey with various sides for Christmas dinner. In recent years we've switched to rappy pie and green bean casserole, but it's still a chicken and potato based dinner. We had a nice smoked ham roast from our pork box this year though so I decided to give that a go for Christmas dinner. I've never cooked a ham before, but I found a recipe that I liked the look of on allrecipes and went from there. I'm really pleased with how the ham came out, and the sauce is quite nice as well.

Mustard Glazed Ham
Slightly adapted from allrecipes.com
1 small, uncooked ham roast (mine was ~2.5 lbs.)
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves (optional)
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 c. brown sugar

1. Place ham on rack in roast pan. Pour a little water under the rack. Bake ham at 350F for ~1 hour.
2. Combine remaining ingredients. Brush onto ham. Top up water under rack in roast pan if needed. Bake for an additional hour or so.
3. While ham is baking, prepare peach sauce (recipe below). Carve ham and serve with sauce.

Peach Sauce
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 c. peach nectar
1 c. peach preserves
5 c. frozen peach slices
1 Tbsp. ginger paste (I only used 2 tsp. and the ginger didn't come through at all)
1 hot cherry pepper, seeded and minced
1 (3") cinnamon stick

1. Combine sugar, vinegar, nectar, and preserves in pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add remaining ingredients and reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Serve with ham (or over stuffing).

Crêpes

I have a whole bunch of recipes to catch up on -- including some new curries -- but, for now, I'm just going to quickly write up these crêpes.

Basic Crêpes
Slightly adapted from allrecipes.com
4 eggs
1 c. water
1 c. milk
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt (I totally forgot to add the salt to my batter!)
2 c. flour
1/2 c. icing sugar

1. Beat eggs with water, milk, and butter.
2. Sift in flour, salt, and sugar. (I forgot to add any salt to my batter, but the crêpes didn't seem to suffer any from the lack.)
3. Lightly grease a non-stick pan and pre-heat over medium heat.
4. Pour ~1/4 c. of batter into the pan and tilt the pan to get a thin, even layer.
5. Cook, shaking pan frequently. When the crêpe releases from the pan and slides around when shaken, it's done on that side. Flip and cook for an additional 30 seconds or so.
6. Fill crêpes as desired and serve.

We had a selection of fruits, cheeses, and spreads available to go with our crêpes. Suggestions below:

• Nutella
• Peanut butter and fresh raspberries 
• Strawberries and chocolate sauce
• Blueberry compote and brie
• Banana slices and Nutella
• Lemon juice and granulated sugar
• Apple pie filling (preferably home-made)
• Bananas in caramel sauce

Blueberry Compote
Frozen blueberries
Icing sugar
Maple syrup
Corn starch
(Lemon juice)

I was flying by the seat of my pants for this one, so I'm not sure of exact measurements or proportions. I think I used a bit over a cup of blueberries, ~1/4 c. each of sugar and syrup, and a Tbsp. or so of corn starch. It was pretty much just a case of mixing everything together in a pot and heating it until it thickened. It came out pretty well considering how haphazardly it was thrown together. I think I'd probably add ~1 Tbsp. of lemon juice and a few extra Tbsp. of maple syrup next time, but I'm pretty pleased with it overall.

Chicken thighs with pancetta, white beans, and rosemary

Another quick recipe from Cook's Country. This one came together easily, but the chicken was a bit bland, despite the strong flavour of the sauce surrounding it. symbol suggested, next time, marinating it for 5-10 minutes before cooking; the de-boned chicken thighs have a lot of surface area and should pick up flavour quickly even without cutting them into smaller pieces.

We've made some changes from the original recipe. Boneless skinless chicken thighs are used instead of bone-in, skin-on; the amount of pancetta is increased; and the chicken is broken up and mixed with the beans rather than served on top of them.

Ingredients

• 2½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 5 oz pancetta, chopped fine
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• ~2 tsp rosemary
• 2 (15-oz) tins of cannellini (white kidney beans)
• 1 C chicken broth

Procedure

1. If you're going to marinate the chicken, do so now. We just seasoned it with salt and pepper and found that inadequate.
2. Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and preheat to 450°F.
3. Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned on both sides, ~5-7 minutes per side.
4. Remove chicken and transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Roast until chicken registers 175°F internally, ~12 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, put the pancetta, garlic, and rosemary in the pot and cook until garlic is golden brown, ~3-5 minutes.
6. Add beans, broth, and ¼tsp pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, ~10 minutes.
7. Break up roasted chicken thighs (if desired, and if not already cut apart; I found that breaking each thigh into 2-3 pieces with a spatula was sufficient) and return to the pot, including any juices that have accumulated on the baking sheet. Mix and serve.

Cuban Sandwiches with a Twist

Based on the Pork Cutlet Cuban Sandwich recipe card from the most recent issue of Cook's Country, but we subbed out the ham for bacon.

Cuban Sandwiches with a Twist
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country December/January 2015/2016
4-8 slices bacon
4 pork chops, trimmed/de-boned
pepper, to taste
3/4 c. orange juice
1/2 c. chopped dill pickle
I forget how much yellow mustard
4 kaiser rolls
8 slices swiss cheese
1 c. chopped cilantro

1. Fry bacon.
2. Remove bacon from pan and fry pork chops, seasoning to taste.
3. Remove pork chops from pan and add orange juice. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until syrupy.
4. Remove from heat and stir in pickle and mustard.
5. Lightly toast kaiser rolls.
6. Add 1-2 slices of bacon to the bottom of each roll. Add a slice of cheese to the top and bottom of each roll. Continue to toast until cheese is melt-y.
7. Top each roll bottom with a pork chop. Spread 1/4 of the sauce over each chop. Sprinkle with cilantro and cap with the cheesy roll top.

Stove-Top Steel-Cut Oatmeal

My mom used to make porridge with apples and raisins in the mornings before school when I was little. I still make it every once in a while, but I'm usually in too much of a hurry to bother with the stove. It works pretty well with quick oats and water from the kettle, but stove-top is always better.

I've always used either quick oats or (old-fashioned) rolled oats for my baking and porridge needs. I've heard good things about steel-cut, but I've always been a bit intimidated by them. Besides, with the grains being more intact, I wasn't sure if steel-cut oats would make a nice creamy porridge like I like. I was worried it'd be hard little oat nuggets suspended in a watery "broth". So, when I saw this Cook's Country recipe that specifically called for steel-cut oats (and promised creamy, delicious results) I had to give it a try!

Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Cook's Country December/January 2015/2016
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 c. steel-cut oats
4 c. water
1/2 c. raisins
1/8 tsp. coarse sea salt
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. Melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add oats and toast, stirring constantly for ~2 minutes.
3. Stir in water and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the raisins while the oats simmer to allow them to plump up in the hot water.
5. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients.

This makes way more porridge than I need to feed just me and the toddlebot in the morning, so I think next time I'll halve the recipe. I'd also add some chopped apple and a bit more cinnamon for added fruity goodness (and also a bit of nostalgia).

Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 c. steel-cut oats
1 apple, peeled and chopped
2 c. water
1/4 c. raisins
1/8 tsp. coarse sea salt
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

As above, but toast the apple pieces with the oats before adding the water.

Steel-cut oatmeal is definitely a different experience from rolled oatmeal. The grains do stay more distinct and a little firmer. But the porridge still gets nice and creamy, not the watery broth that I'd feared. It's sort of like a sweet, oat-based risotto. Different, but still quite tasty. I'm excited to try more variations in the future.

"Mitty" Chawal

Made this to go with Kashmiri Batak. Might try grinding spices next time rather than just bruising.

"Mitty" Chawal
From 660 Curries
2 c. basmati rice
1 tsp. black peppercorns
8 green cardamom pods
12 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks (3" each)
1/4 c. ghee
2 onions, chopped
2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt

1. Rinse the rice three or four times in cold water. Cover with fresh water and let stand 20-30 minutes.
2. Bruise spices in mortar and pestle.
3. Heat ghee over medium heat. Add onion, sugar, and spices. Stir-fry 10-15 minutes.
4. Drain rice. Stir rice and onion mixture together in rice cooker. Add salt and 3 c. water. Turn on rice cooker.
5. Allow rice to steam on "warm" setting (without lifting lid) for 10 minutes after cook cycle completes.
6. Fluff with rice paddle and serve.

Kashmiri Batak (Duck Stew)

I've been curious about this curry ever since I saw the recipe. It's been in the back of my mind ever since as something to try... sometime. I finally got around to it tonight and I'm so glad I did! It is delicious! The duck was (apparently) a pain to skin and cut up. TF said that no matter how good this curry was, he wasn't willing to do that again. It's hard to argue with the results though!

Kashmiri Batak
From 660 Curries
1 duck, skin removed, cut into 8 pieces
2 Tbsp. ginger paste
2 Tbsp. garlic paste
1 tsp. coarse sea salt
1 tsp. ground turmeric
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 onion, sliced thin
4-6 black cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks (3" each)
2 tsp. fennel seeds, ground
1 1/2 tsp. ground Kashmiri chiles (or 1 tsp. sweet paprika + 1/2 tsp. cayenne)
1 tsp. ground ginger
12 oz. (~340g) halved pitted cherries (frozen are fine)
1/2 c. chopped black walnuts
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro

1. Combine ginger paste, garlic paste, 3/4 tsp. salt, and turmeric.
2. Slather duck pieces with marinade and chill for at least an hour.
3. Heat oil over medium heat. Add duck and marinade. Brown on both sides (5-10 minutes per side). Remove duck from pot.
4. Add onion, cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon, and 1/2 c. water. Deglaze pan. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook 5 minutes.
5. Add ground fennel, chiles, ginger, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook for 30-60 seconds.
6. Add 1 1/2 c. water, cherries, and walnuts. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium. Return duck to pot. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
7. Remove duck from pot. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook until sauce thickened (~10 minutes).
8. Stir in cilantro. Serve duck over rice ("Mitty" Chawal goes nicely), with a generous portion of sauce.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

We don't make carbonara often, because while it is incredibly delicious, it is equally unhealthy. But we figured that celebration of my birthday is excuse enough.

If you order carbonara in most restaurants, you will likely get some variation on alfredo with bacon and peas. While tasty, the only ingredients this has in common with classic carbonara are the butter and the pasta. The recipe here is based on the carbonara recipe in Guiliano Hazan's Classic Pasta Cookbook, with some modifications.

The recipe as written calls for less pancetta, and omits the mushrooms. Symbol and I like pancetta, so we doubled the amount. The mushrooms are a recent experiment that worked out well. With the additional pancetta and mushrooms, we also added an extra egg to balance out the sauce. If you want the original version back, drop the mushrooms and use two eggs (or four egg yolks) and ⅓C wine; it is delicious either way.

Ingredients
For 1 lb dried, store-bought pasta

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ lb mushrooms, sliced thin
• 8 oz pancetta, cut from a ¼" slice into thin strips[1]
• ½C dry white wine
• 3 eggs[2]
• ⅓C freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsely
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure

1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. When it boils, add some salt and the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, put butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When the butter has melted, add the mushrooms. Sautee until they cook down and start to brown.
3. Add the pancetta. Cook until well browned but not crisp.
4. Add the wine and continue cooking until it has reduced by half. Remove from the heat.
5. In a large wok[3], beat the eggs together with the parmesan, parsely, a pinch of salt, and a generous amount of black pepper.
6. When the pasta is cooked al dente, return the skillet with the pancetta to high heat. Drain the pasta, and add it to the wok. Toss until the pasta is well coated.
7. Add the hot pancetta and mushrooms and toss again. The residual heat should cook the egg nicely. If it doesn't, put the wok over medium low heat and continue mixing for another 30-60 seconds to set the egg. Serve.

[1] If you can find pancetta in "bricks", or get it custom cut at the deli, that's best. Failing those, some restaurants sell packages of pre-cut pancetta, but this is a lot more expensive and not as flavourful. If all lse fails, you can use a lean, unsmoked bacon instead.

[2] The original recipe calls for four egg yolks; I typically use two whole eggs, or three if making it with mushrooms, because we rarely have a use for egg whites.

[3] If everything works out as intended, the heat from the pasta and pancetta will perfectly cook the egg. I find it rarely does and being able to apply a bit of extra heat is a good backup plan.

Cheeseburger Pasta

Years ago, a friend of mine on IRC gave me her cheeseburger pie recipe: a meat pie filled with ground beef, onion, dill pickles, and cheese.

It's delicious (and I've had great results taking it to potlucks), but sometimes I don't feel like making a pie crust. So I decided to try using it as a pasta sauce instead, with a few changes to the proportions. The result was fantastic; symbol and I both loved it. And despite the relatively lengthy ingredient list, it comes together quickly and easily.

As far as the pasta goes, you probably want something small-to-medium sized that interacts well with the chunky sauce (i.e. not noodles); pictured here are smallish rigatoni, but penne rigate, cavatappi, or rotini would probably also work well.

Ingredients
For 1 lb dried, store-bought pasta:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 large onion
• 4 cloves of garlic (or more to taste), minced or crushed (or equivalent in garlic paste)
• 2 tbsp flour
• ⅔ C milk
• ⅓ C dill pickle brine
• 1 C minced dill pickle
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp prepared mustard
• ¼ tsp cayenne
• 2 C shredded cheese; a mix of cheddar and parmesan is good, but consider adding mozarella or swiss for additional delicious gooeyness

Procedure

1. Bring the pasta water to a boil. Add salt and pasta as normal.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown the beef and onion together over medium high heat.
3. Add the garlic and sautee until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the flour, then add the milk and pickle brine. Mix well and stir in the salt and pepper, mustard, and cayenne (and/or any other spices you desire).
5.  Reduce heat to medium and cook until noticeably thickened, which should happen extremely fast, perhaps 1 minute.
6. Reduce heat to low. Add the cheese, a fistful at a time, and stir in so that it all melts together into a tasty goo.
7. Once the pasta is ready, drain it and immediately pour the sauce over it and toss well. Nom.

The original recipe notes that "anything that tastes good on a cheeseburger will probably taste good on this"; for the pasta version, I note that mushrooms (especially in combination with swiss in the cheese mix) would probably be a delicious addition.

Smoked Chicken

Hey! I made something that didn't come out of a Cook's Country magazine! This one's from the Internet. Specifically, I spent a while browsing the Amazing Ribs site and decided to try the smoked chicken recipe posted there.

Sweet Georgia's Brown Smoked Chicken
From AmazingRibs.com
1 chicken (mine was ~1.2kg and came already spatchcocked and injected with brine)
1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt per lb. of meat (only if bird is not pre-seasoned/brined)
4-5 Tbsp. Meathead's Memphis Dust

1. If chicken is fully in tact, either spatchcock it or cut it in half with kitchen shears.
2. If chicken has not already been brined or seasoned, rub with salt (dry brine).
3. Dust chicken on all sides with spice mix.
4. Preheat grill, adding desired wood chips/chunks. (I used a divided smoker box full of whiskey barrel chips. Half dry, half wet.)
5. Adjust burners to achieve a temperature of ~325F and indirect heat.
6. Cook chicken, skin side up, over indirect heat for ~2 hours with legs pointing toward the hotter side of the grill.
7. If desired flip skin side down over direct heat for a few minutes to crisp the skin just before serving.
8. Chicken can be cut into parts or pulled for sandwiches.

This chicken smelled heavenly while cooking and tasted even better! We served it with creole potato salad, oil and vinegar coleslaw, grilled corn on the cob, and some old-fashioned lemonade for a complete summer barbecue meal. Phenomenal!

Meathead's Memphis Dust
6 Tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar
6 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/4 c. sweet Hungarian paprika
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. ginger powder
2 Tbsp. peppercorns
2 Tbsp. dehydrated onion
1 1/2 tsp. rosemary

1. Grind peppercorns, onion, and rosemary into a fairly uniform looking powder.
2. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well-combined, breaking up any chunks of sugar or other clumps that form.

Rhode Island Dynamites

Easy, tasty, and comes together relatively quickly = Weeknight winner!

Rhode Island Dynamites
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country June/July 2015
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
3/4 tsp. pepper, divided
2 lbs. ground beef
1 Tbsp. canola oil
2 onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped (I used orange because they looked the nicest this week)
1/4 c. minced pickled hot cherry peppers + 2 Tbsp. brine
1/4 c. tomato paste
1/4 c. garlic paste
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
Sub rolls or hot dog buns

1. Stir baking soda, salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper into 3 Tbsp. water until dissolved.
2. Combine baking soda mixture with beef. Let stand 15 minutes.
3. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook until liquid evaporates and meat starts to sizzle.
4. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook until veggies soften.
5. Add cherry peppers, brine, tomato paste, garlic paste, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.
6. Add tomato sauce. Stir and scrape bottom of pot/pan. Reduce heat to low. Simmer until desired consistency achieved. (Original recipe calls for 45 minutes of simmering, but we didn't have time for that and called it done after only 10 minutes. It was still delicious!)

Rigatoni with Sausage and Chives

Another recipe card to the rescue!

Rigatoni with Sausage and Chives
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country June/July 2015
1 lb. rigatoni (or penne)
1 lb. sausage, casings removed (I used some of my parents' excellent beef sausage, but it would also be good with pork sausage)
1 onion, chopped (onion and garlic combo used in place of the shallots called for in the original recipe)
1 Tbsp. garlic paste
1/2 c. white wine
1 c. half-and-half
3/4 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese + extra for serving
1/4 c. minced chives
10-15 grinds pepper

1. Boil pasta in salted water. Reserve 1/2 c. of cooking water for adjusting sauce.
2. Cook sausage over medium heat, breaking it apart as it cooks.
3. Remove sausage with slotted spoon and cook onion and garlic in residual fat.
4. Add wine and cook until almost completely evaporated.
5. Add half-and-half and broth and cook until thickened.
6. Stir in sausage and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan, chives, and pepper.
8. Toss sauce with pasta.
9. Serve with extra Parmesan.

Chilaquiles

Did this a bit differently than the recipe called for due to lack of blender. The sauce was supposed to be smooth, but I actually really liked the chunky version. Might add a few more veggies and an extra chile next time.

Chilaquiles
Adapted from Cook's Country June/July 2015
5 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds discarded
1 (28 oz.) tin whole tomatoes, broken up
1 poblano chile, minced (seeds discarded)
1 jalapeño, minced (seeds discarded)
3 Tbsp. garlic paste
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped (divided)
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
500g skinless, boneless chicken breast
10 corn tostadas, broken in quarters
100g feta cheese, crumbled
3 green onions, sliced
1 avocado, chopped

1. Toast the guajillo chiles until dark and fragrant. Cool and grind.
2. Combine tomatoes, guajillo, poblano, jalapeño, garlic, 1/4 c. cilantro, onion, and chicken broth in pot. Bring to a boil and add chicken. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is done. (15-20 minutes)
3. Remove chicken and shred.
4. Increase heat and cook until sauce thickens. Return shredded chicken to pot and stir into sauce.
5. Stir in tostada pieces. Cover for a couple minutes until chips soften a bit.
6. Top with remaining cilantro, cheese, green onions, and avocado.
7. Serve with lime wedges and sour cream.

Here's how I'd change it up next time:

Better Chilaquiles
5 dried guajillo chiles
1 dried chipotle chile
2 (14 oz.) tins fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 jalapeño chile
1 poblano chile
3 Tbsp. garlic paste
1 onion
1/2 c. cilantro
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, bruised
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds, bruised
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 c. frozen corn
500g chicken
12 tostadas or equivalent tortilla chips
150g feta cheese
2 green onions
1 lime
guacamole
sour cream
radishes (optional)

Braised Spring Vegetables

This is a gently cooked dish of early season vegetables. They come out a bit soggy, but tender and flavourful.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 shallot, sliced into thin rings
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• a pinch of red pepper flakes
• 10 radishes, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
• 2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 2 tsp grated orange zest
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2" lengths
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

Procedure

1. Heat oil, shallot, garlic, thyme, and pepper flakes in a dutch oven over medium heat until the shallot is just softened, about 2 minutes.
2. Stir in radishes, lemon zest, orange zest, bay leaf, 1 tsp salt, and 1¼ cups water. Cover and cook until radishes can be easily pierced with a sharp knife, 3-5 minutes.
3. Stir in asparagus and continue to cook, covered, until tender, 3-5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in peas. Let stand, covered, until peas are warmed through, about 5 minutes.
5. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Stir in tarragon and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Hoisin-Sesame Flank Steak

I also have quite a backlog, and this is one of the earliest Cook's Country recipes we cooked. It's another one of the 30-minute recipe cards.

We cooked this long enough that I don't really remember the details, but as best I recall it was tasty and we didn't significantly deviate from the recipe as written.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp Sriracha
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 (1½ pound) flank steak, trimmed
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Procedure

1. Whisk together hoisin sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, and cornstarch in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium high heat until just smoking.
3. Cook steak until well browned and meat registers 125°F (for medium rare), 5-7 minutes per side. Transfer to carving board and let stand for five minutes.
4. Stir hoisin mixture into now-empty skillet and cook over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits, until sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes.
5. Slice steak thin against the grain and transfer to platter. Stir any accumulated meat juices into sauce and spoon over meat. Sprinkle with cilantro and sesame seeds. Eat.

They suggest serving this over rice. We served it with braised spring vegetables, which I'll be uploading the recipe for shortly.

Slow Cooker Strata

I'm a bit behind on my blogging. I just haven't been feeling like writing up my recipes after dinner this week. So now I've got a bit of a backlog. I'll start with the most recent experiment, breakfast this morning, and work my way back through the week.

This recipe makes a huge amount. I mean, I'm not really surprised seeing as the recipe called for a dozen eggs (among other things), but still! Huge! I'd make a few tweaks next time, but overall, this strata was pretty tasty, if large.

Slow Cooker Strata
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country June/July 2015
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
12 oz. breakfast sausage (I used maple flavoured)
2 onions, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
2 Tbsp. minced chipotle in adobo + 1 tsp. adobo sauce
2 Tbsp. garlic paste
2 tsp. cumin seeds
14 oz. baguette, cut into 1/2" cubes (this took ~1 1/2 baguettes for me)
2 blocks lactose-free jalapeño cheese, grated (generous 3 c.)
12 large eggs
3 c. half-and-half
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
4 scallions, sliced thin

1. Sauté onion, bell pepper, and sausage, breaking up sausages if you were not able to get bulk sausage meat.
2. Add chipotle, adobo, garlic paste, and cumin seeds and cook for another minute or so.
3. Stir in baguette.
4. Grease slow cooker with butter.
5. Place half of bread mixture in slow cooker. Sprinkle with 1 c. grated cheese. Place remaining bread mixture on top.
6. Beat eggs with half-and half. Add salt and pepper.
7. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture. Press down on bread to submerge. Top with remaining cheese.
8. Cook on low until internal temperature registers 160F. Let stand, uncovered, for 30 minutes, sprinkle with scallions, and serve.

I think I'd halve the recipe next time, change up the cheese, and add a few more veggies just to round things out a bit.

Smaller Slow Cooker Strata
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
6-8 oz. breakfast sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
227g cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1" lengths (optional)
1 Tbsp. chipotle in adobo + 1 tsp. adobo
1 Tbsp. garlic paste
1 tsp. cumin seeds
7 oz. baguette, cut into 1/2" cubes
2-4 oz. cottage cheese
1 1/2 c. half-and-half
6 large eggs
1/4 tsp. pepper
2-4 oz. mozzarella, grated
2-4 oz. extra-old cheddar, grated
4 scallions, sliced thin

I'd sauté the mushrooms and asparagus with the sausage and other veg. Mix the cottage cheese into the bread mixture. Dump the bread in all at once and then top with a combination of mozzarella and cheddar. (Mozzarella for meltiness, cheddar for flavour.) I've also deliberately excluded the salt in this version because I found the original to be just a bit too salty for my taste. It's easy enough to add a bit more salt at the table if you find it a bit flat without it.

Roast Pork with Asparagus

I changed up a couple details for this recipe to fit what was available/on hand. It came out delicious and was very quick and easy to put together with almost no prep work! It would've been even faster if I'd done it with pork tenderloin as the recipe suggested. I ended up using a boneless rib roast, so it took a little longer to cook since it was thicker than tenderloin. Still wonderful and pretty quick though.

Roast Pork with Asparagus
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015
1 Tbsp. dried rosemary
1 Tbsp. + 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
800g boneless pork rib roast
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
800g (or more) asparagus
1/2 c. chicken broth
140g soft, unripened goat cheese
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1. Combine rosemary, 1 Tbsp. pepper, and 1 tsp. salt.
2. Dry pork and sprinkle with pepper mixture.
3. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in large pan over medium-high and sear pork on all sides.
4. Roast for 30-35 minutes at 450F. (Until internal temperature reaches 140F.)
5. Heat remaining oil in empty pan (still over medium-high). Add asparagus, broth, and remaining salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.
6. Remove asparagus to serving dish/platter. Crumble goat cheese on top.
7. Add vinegar and cook until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
8. Slice pork and place on top of asparagus. Drizzle with sauce and enjoy!

Basil-Apricot Chicken Salad

This was so good! Although I think it could've used even more basil. Still, very tasty and extremely easy! Thank you once again, Cook's Country.

Basil-Apricot Chicken Salad
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015
3/4 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 shallot, minced
1/4-1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
1/2 c. dried apricots, chopped
1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 (900g) rotisserie chicken
1 head red or green leaf lettuce

1. Combine everything but chicken and lettuce in a large bowl.
2. Separate the skin and the bones from the meat of the chicken. Shred the meat and add it to the bowl. Stir to combine.
3. Put a few lettuce leaves on each plate. Spoon some of the chicken mixture onto the lettuce. Drizzle with a little olive oil if desired. (I didn't feel it needed the extra oil.)

Chicken Noodle Casserole

This is another Cook's Country "recipe makeover". This did come out nice and tasty, but it was also fairly time-consuming and labour-intensive. For me, the poor deliciousness:effort ratio means that this isn't one I'm likely to make again. If I ever do make it again though, I'd probably make a few changes. The recipe below reflects the "what I'd do next time" version rather than what I actually did this time.

Chicken Noodle Casserole
Adapted from Cook's Country June/July 2015
8 oz. wide egg noodles
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
1 Tbsp. oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
227g cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped (optional)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 c. chicken broth
1 (12 oz.) can 2% evaporated milk
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 c. frozen peas
1 tsp. pepper
200g light cheddar, grated
20 reduced-fat Ritz Crackers, crushed

1. Boil pasta in 2L of water and 1 Tbsp. salt until molto al dente. Drain and run under cold water until pasta is cool to the touch. Set aside.
2. Cook bell pepper, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in oil with 1/4 ts. salt until beginning to brown. Stir in thyme and cook for an additional minute or so. Set aside.
3. Whisk cornstarch with 3 Tbsp. broth.
4. Combine evaporated milk and remaining broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add chicken and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until chicken registers 155F (about 10 minutes). Transfer chicken to plate.
5. Whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce, bring to a boil, and cook until thickened. (This should only take a minute or so.) Remove from heat.
6. Shred chicken and stir back into sauce. Add sautéed veggies and noodles. Add frozen peas, 3/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Stir to combine. (In the original recipe, the grated cheese was added as soon as the sauce came off the heat to create a cheese sauce base for the casserole. TF and I found that the cheese flavour didn't really come through at all that way though. I think a cheese topping/crust would make the flavour a bit more distinct, so I'll try it that way next time.)
7. Toss cheese with crushed crackers. Top the casserole with the cracker mixture.
8. Bake at 425F for 15 minutes.
9. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

These are wonderful little nuggets of delicious! They're more like a (slightly sweeter than usual) dinner roll than a "sweet" roll though. Definitely very tasty either way.

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
From Cook's Country June/July 2015
1 c. pineapple juice
1/2 c. whole milk
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1/3 c. honey
5 1/2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. rapid-rise yeast
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg
2 tsp. white vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Combine pineapple juice, milk, 4 Tbsp. butter, and honey and microwave until temperature reaches 110F. (This should take about 1 minute.)
2. In a large bowl, mix 5 c. flour, yeast, and salt.
3. Slowly stir in pineapple juice mixture.
4. Combine egg, vinegar, and vanilla and then stir into flour mixture.
5. Flour your hands and the counter with remaining 1/2 c. of flour. Kneed dough until smooth and elastic.
6. Turn into greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
7. Punch down the dough. (Actually, I learned that it's better if you gently press it down, but punching is more fun!)
8. Divide dough into 18 equal portions and form into smooth, tight balls. (The Cook's Country folks described a method of dividing the dough into thirds, shaping each third into a rectangle and then cutting each of those into six equal portions. The small rectangles/logs could then be shaped into balls. I tried this method, but still found it difficult to get even rolls. They were still delicious, just really uneven.)
9. Place the rolls into a greased 9"x13" baking dish as they are formed, creating 3 rows of 6. (Or six rows of three, if you prefer.)
10. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for an additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (Or do as I did and let them rise in the fridge overnight.)
11. Remove plastic wrap and bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes. (Add an extra five minutes or so if the dough has been chilled. Mine looked done on the outside, but were still a bit doughy in the centre.)
12. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then use a spatula/lifter to transfer them to a wire rack. Brush with remaining butter.
13. Serve warm. If you need to reheat them, wrap in tin foil and heat at 350F until warmed through.

Seared Scallops with Couscous Salad

I've been leaning pretty heavily on the Cook's Country "30 minute supper" recipe cards lately. The original version of this recipe came off of one of them. That said, I changed it pretty significantly. The original recipe called for making a very simple couscous side/salad using instant couscous, tomatoes, parsley, and olive oil. That was then served with scallops seared in olive oil and topped with a pickled pepper-orange-scallion salsa/chutney. I changed things up a little bit when I put mine together.

Couscous Salad
Adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015 and The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert
1 lb. instant couscous
4 c. vegetable stock (or vegetable trimmings/peels + water)
1 tsp. coarse sea salt
4 Tbsp. butter
1 (375mL) jar pickled pepperoncini peppers, minced
1/4 c. pickled pepper juice, or more to taste
1/4 c. + 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
juice and grated rind of one orange
4-5 tomatoes, chopped
8 scallions, sliced thin
1 c. fresh cilantro (or parsley), chopped
1/2 tsp. pepper

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (optional)

1. Put stock on to boil. Set a colander on top of the pot and seal the edges so that steam only rises through the colander. Line colander with cheesecloth.
2. Add 2 c. of cold water to couscous. Stir it around to break up any clumps, let stand for a minute or two, then drain.
3. Dump couscous into cheesecloth lined colander and steam for 20 minutes.
4. Lift cloth out of colander and dump into large shallow plate/pan. Rake and break up any clumps with a whisk. Stir in 1 c. of water and a tsp. each of salt and oil. Allow to stand 10 minutes.
5. Rake again and break up any clumps. Place cheesecloth back in colander and dump the couscous back in. Steam for another 20 minutes.
6. Lift cloth back out of colander and rake couscous again. Stir in another cup of water, but do not add any more salt or oil. Let stand 10 minutes.
7. Rake and put couscous and cheesecloth back in colander and steam for a final 10 minutes.
8. Remove couscous from colander, break up any lumps and stir in 1 c. of broth and 4 Tbsp. of butter.
9. Combine cooked couscous with remaining ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy warm or chilled.

Seared Scallops
400g large sea scallops
1 Tbsp. garlic butter
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Pat scallops dry with a paper towel and melt butter in pan.
2. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on scallops and sear in butter over medium-high heat. They should only need about 1 1/2 minutes per side, two minutes at the absolute maximum.
3. If desired, deglaze the pan with a little broth and pour over the scallops.
4. Serve immediately over warm couscous salad.

I realize that the multiple couscous steamings may seem a bit labour-intensive and daunting, but it really does make a huge difference to the texture and final result! I can't stand instant couscous prepared according to the box (pour hot/boiling water over and let stand for a few minutes). But properly steamed couscous? I can't get enough of it! It's delicious! Seriously. I promise that it's worth every minute of extra time it takes to do it this way. Besides, waiting for it to steam gave me time to do all the chopping and other prep work for the recipe, so it didn't really add that much to the overhead. If you've never tried steamed couscous before, definitely give it a try. You're in for a treat!

Sweet Glazed Peaches

These peaches were fairly easy to put together and they were tasty. That said, a good fresh peach is tasty enough on its own that I don't think I'd bother going to the trouble of making this one again. Not unless I wanted something fancy to show off for dessert or something.

Sweet Glazed Peaches
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
6 peaches, peeled and halved
1/4 c. apple jelly
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 c. pistachios, toasted and crushed/chopped
vanilla ice cream, for serving

1. Combine lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Add peaches to bowl and make sure they get well-coated with the mixture.
2. Place peaches, cut side up, in baking dish (or an oven-safe skillet if you have one large enough to accommodate them). Pour any residual lemon-sugar mixture over the peaches. Pour 1/3 c. water around the peaches. Place under broiler (about 6" away) for 12-15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, microwave the jelly with the butter until melted. Stir to combine.
4. Baste peaches with half the glaze mixture and return to oven for 5-7 minutes.
5. Baste again, then remove to plate using a slotted spoon.
6. Pour the residual liquid into a skillet (or simply move the skillet to the stove top if you were able to broil the peaches in the skillet). Cook over medium heat until syrupy.
7. Pour syrup over peaches and top with pistachios. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Caribbean-Style Chicken Curry

This was phenomenal! Quick, easy, and completely delicious! We served it over basmati rice, which worked quite well. I think a nice arugula salad would've rounded out the meal though.

Caribbean-Style Chicken Curry
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country February/March 2015
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 Tbsp. jerk seasoning
1/8 tsp. cayenne
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (19 oz.) can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 (14 oz.) can coconut milk
salt and pepper
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 c. cashews, toasted and crushed/chopped

1. Heat up the peanut oil over medium-high heat and rub the chicken thighs all over with the jerk seasoning and cayenne. Toss the chicken in the pan and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is done (internal temp of 175F). I accidentally took mine up to 190F, but it doesn't seem to have come out any the worse for wear.
2. Remove the chicken to a serving dish. Add the garlic to the pan and let it cook for a minute or so.
3. Add the pineapple and coconut milk. Cook until slightly thickened.
4. Add 1/4 c. cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken.
5. Top with cashews and remaining cilantro. Serve over rice.

Gnocchi with Creamy Tomato Sauce

I completely forgot to post about this last night after making it! It came out very saucy and definitely wanted garlic bread to go with it. I think next time I'd try wilting a little baby spinach into the sauce as well. Just to make it a little more balanced and use up some of the excess sauce.

Gnocchi with Creamy Tomato Sauce
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country February/March 2015
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 lb. gnocchi (preferrably vacuum packed)
1 onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped

1. Brown the gnocchi in 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Set aside.
2. Add more oil to the empty pan and sauté the onion until translucent. Add garlic and cook another minute or so.
3. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, 1/2 c. water, and cream. (Optionally add ~8 oz. fresh baby spinach at this point.)
4. Return gnocchi to pan. Simmer until gnocchi is tender (5-7 minutes).
5. Transfer to baking dish and top with cheese. Bake at 475F until cheese is browned.
6. Top with basil. Serve with crusty bread/garlic bread

Pork Chops with Sautéed Zucchini

This one came together super quickly and easily. I was a bit concerned about putting butter on pork chops, since I worried it would make them greasy, but the compound butter was really quite tasty!

Pork Chops with Sautéed Zucchini
Slightly Adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
2 Tbsp. fresh chives, minced
1 Tbsp. grainy mustard
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
4 (8-10 oz.) 1/2"-thick, bone-in pork chops
salt and pepper
1 1/2 lbs. zucchini, sliced 1/4" thick
1 clove garlic, minced

1. Combine butter, chives, mustard, lemon juice, sea salt, cayenne, and granulated garlic and set aside.
2. Heat oil over medium-high and add pork chops. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 4 minutes per side (or until done). Remove to plate.
3. Add zucchini and garlic to empty pan. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until zucchini is cooked through (~7 minutes).
4. Remove zucchini to plate. Arrange pork chops on top. Top with herb butter.

Honey Cake

I've been craving cake for days. And the latest Cook's Country featured a really nice looking recipe for honey cake. So, when the Toddle-Bot went down for his nap today, I got to work!

Honey Cake
From Cook's Country August/September 2015
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. water
4 large eggs
6 Tbsp. unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 c. canola oil
1/4 c. orange juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 c. honey (preferably raw)

1. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
2. In a separate bowl, combine water, eggs, apple sauce, oil, orange juice, and vanilla.
3. Whisk honey into liquids until mixture looks homogeneous.
4. Whisk liquids into dry ingredients until well combined.
5. Pour into greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan. (Or do what I did and use a 9"x13" baking dish.)
6. Bake at 325F for 45-55 minutes if using a Bundt pan. (Mine took about an hour in the Pyrex baking dish.)
7. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before turning out of pan. Optionally glaze once cool.

The folks and Cook's Country just recommended a simple vanilla icing for this cake: icing sugar, water, and vanilla. I wanted something that would accentuate the honey's flavour even more (not to mention use up the last few spoonfuls of honey from the jar), so I went a different route...

Honey-Orange Glaze
2-3 Tbsp. honey
1 c. orange juice

1. Boil orange juice until reduced to 1/4-1/3 c.
2. Combine with honey. Cook down a bit more if desired.
3. Pour over cake.

Spaghetti with Broccolini and Capers

Have I mentioned how much I love the "30 minute supper" recipe cards that come with the Cook's Country magazines? They are amazing! Like, seriously, they have become my go-to for weeknight suppers. TF takes the toddle-bot out for a walk and while they're at the park, I get going on dinner. I usually don't actually manage to finish everything in 30 minutes, but it still makes for a quick, easy, and usually quite delicious dinner. So, here's yet another selection from our ever-growing recipe card collection!

Spaghetti with Broccolini and Capers
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015
375g spaghetti (or other long, noodle-y pasta)
1 Tbsp. + 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
400g broccolini, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
2 cloves elephant garlic (or 4 cloves regular garlic), sliced thin
2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. dry white wine (I used 20 Bees)
1 c. grated Pecorino Romano (~2 oz.)
1/2 c. capers, drained and minced
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1. Bring 4L water to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta and 1 Tbsp. salt. Cook, stirring often, until al dente. (This took about 7 minutes for my spaghetti.) Drain, reserving ~1/2 c. of the cooking water.
2. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add broccolini, garlic, pepper, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook until broccolini is just tender (4-5 minutes). Remove to plate.
3. Return empty pan to heat and add broth and wine. Cook until liquid is reduced to about 3/4 its original volume.
4. Toss pasta with liquid from pan. Adjust consistency with reserved cooking water as desired.
5. Add cheese, capers, and lemon juice to pasta. Toss with broccolini mixture.
6. Serve with additional cheese grated on top.

Bean and Beef Burritos

We needed something quick and easy for dinner on a lazy Sunday afternoon and the latest Cook's Country was able to provide. I tried making it as written and it was okay... not great though. I made a few adjustments that TF agrees give it a bit more body and flavour. I think this recipe provides a solid base, but I'd probably tweak it even more if I made it again.

Beef and Bean Burritos
Adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015
1 (15 oz.) tin black beans, divided
1 Tbsp. canola oil
2 onions, minced
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. cumin seeds, bruised
1/2 Tbsp. coriander, crushed
1 Tbsp. chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 Tbsp. garlic paste
800g lean ground beef
1 (14 oz.) tin fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, minced
lettuce
cheddar cheese, grated
sour cream
tortillas

1. Drain and rinse the beans. Set half aside and mash the other half with 1/2 c. water.
2. Heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook until slightly browned.
3. Add bay leaf, cumin seeds, and coriander and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add chiles (and their sauce) and garlic paste and cook for an additional minute.
5. Add beef, breaking up chunks, and cook until no longer pink. (~10 minutes.)
6. Add mashed beans and tomatoes. Cook until most of the liquid is gone.
7. Add whole beans, salt, and cilantro. Cook until warmed through.
8. Fill tortillas with beef-bean mixutre, top with shredded lettuce, grated cheese, sour cream, and any other toppings you desire. Wrap and enjoy!

Barbecued Chicken Thighs

The June/July issue of Cook's Country is chock full of amazing-looking barbecue recipes! I'veb een itching to try a few out. And, now that we finally have a grill, I actually can!

Barbecued Chicken Thighs
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country June/July 2015
2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar, divided
1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
1 Tbsp. smoked hot Spanish paprika
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. white pepper
3/4 tsp. granulated garlic
4 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 (13"x9") disposable roasting pan
1/2 c. + 2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce
1/2 c. chicken broth
6 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1/2 Tbsp. garlic paste
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp. hot sauce (I used sriracha)
2 Tbsp. apple jelly
1 1/2 c. wood chips (I used whiskey barrel chips)

1. Salt the chicken thighs and let them stand for at least and hour, or in the fridge overnight.
2. Combine 1 Tbsp. sugar, paprika, black pepper, white pepper, and granulated garlic. Set aside 4 tsp. of the spice blend. Use the rest to season the chicken.
3. Whisk 1/2 c. barbecue sauce, broth, sliced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and 2 Tbsp. hot sauce together in a bowl. Place the seasoned chicken thighs skin side down in the roasting pan and pour the broth mixture over them.
4. Place wood chips in a smoker box (or alternatively, create a wood chip "packet" out of heavy duty aluminum foil). If the smoker box has adjustable vents, close them half way. If using foil, cut several holes in the top of the packet to let smoke escape.
5. Place wood chip packet/box directly over primary burner of gas grill (or directly on top of hot coals on a charcoal grill). Preheat grill (all burners on high) for 10 minutes. Then turn off all but the primary burner. Adjust primary burner to maintain a temperature of 325-350F.
6. Place the roasting pan full of chicken on the indirect side of the grill. Braise for 30-40 minutes.
7. While chicken is braising, mix up the glaze: Microwave jelly until melted. Stir in garlic paste, 2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and 1 Tbsp. hot sauce. Set aside.
8. Remove chicken from pan and place directly on grill, skin side up. Discard braising liquid.
9. Brush skin with half of glaze and sprinkle with remaining spice rub. Cover grill and cook for another 20-30 minutes.
10. Brush chicken with remaining glaze. Cover grill and continue cooking for an additional 30-40 minutes. (Until internal temperature registers 170F.)
11. Flip chicken skin side down and turn all burners to high. Leave lid open and cook for 2-3 minutes. (Until sugar is caramelized, but not burnt and internal temperature registers 175F.) 
12. Serve with grilled asparagus. (Brush lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grill while chicken is finishing.) 

Chocolate Chess Pie

I feel like a summer barbecue just isn't complete without something sweet to nibble at the end of the evening. Usually I go with fruit pies, but TF had had his eye on this chocolate "chess" pie for a while and I decided that this would be a good opportunity to try it out.

Chocolate Chess Pie
From Cook's Country February/March 2015
enough dough to make 1 9-inch pie crust
12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1-Tbsp. pieces
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 c. + 1 tsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large eggs + 2 large yolks
1/4 c. heavy cream
1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1. Roll out your pie crust into a 12" circle. Carefully place into a 9" pie plate. Trim and crimp edges.
2. Line the crust with two layers of parchment paper and fill with pie weights (or dried beans).
3. Bake at 375F for 18-25 minutes. (I needed about 20.)
4. Remove weights and parchment paper and bake for another 3-6 minutes.
5. Remove crust from oven and allow to cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325F.
6. Microwave butter and chocolate in bowl at 50% power, stirring occasionally, until melted. (They said 2 minutes total, but I only needed 30 seconds!)
7. In a separate bowl, whisk 1 1/2 c. sugar, flour, and salt together.
8. Whisk eggs, yolks, cream, and vanilla into sugar mixture.
9. Whisk chocolate mixture into sugar-egg mixture until no streaks remain.
10. Pour filling into cooled pie shell.
11. Sprinkle top of pie with remaining 1 tsp. sugar.
12. Bake at 325F until centre of pie is just set and registers 180F. (This should take 35-40 minutes).
13. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. You must wait at least four hours before cutting or the filling will be runny!
14. Serve with Tangy Whipped Cream!

Tangy Whipped Cream
1 c. heavy (whipping/35%) cream, chilled
1/4 c. sour cream, chilled
1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Chill bowl and beaters.
2. Whip all ingredients together on medium-low until foamy.
3. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form. 

Bangers and (Sweet Potato) Mash with Guinness Gravy

This is just something I kind of improvised on the fly when we weren't sure what to have for dinner one day. I came out really nicely, so I figured it was worth recording in case we ever want to make it again.

Beef Bangers (aka Beef Sausages)
4 beef sausages (~1 lb.)
1 bay leaf
6 peppercorns
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1/4-1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/4-1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. dried parsley
15 turns freshly ground black pepper
pinch of granulated garlic
a few shakes of dehydrated onion

1. Add all the ingredients to the pan along with enough water to almost cover the sausages.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until water is almost gone and sausages are cooked. Flip and rotate sausages as necessary during cooking.
3. Remove sausages from pan and keep warm while you make the sauce.

Guinness Gravy
Cooking water from Beef Bangers
1 onion, chopped
1 shallot, minced
1/4 c. Guinness
flour

1. Add onion and shallot to pan and cook until browned.
2. Deglaze pan with Guinness and 3/4 c. water.
3. Make a slurry of flour and water (~1 Tbsp. flour to 5 Tbsp. water) and stir this into the sauce.*
4. Cook, stirring, until reduced to desired consistency.

* Next time I would consider replacing the flour slurry with a roux.

Sweet Potato Mash
sweet potatoes
milk
butter
salt
pepper

1. Peel and boil your sweet potatoes.
2. Drain and mash adding butter and milk. (As far as I can tell, the secret to really good mashed potatoes -- sweet or otherwise -- is to add half again as much butter as you think you need.)
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Lemonade

It's been a while since I've made anything from historical recipes and I decided that it was high time. Lemonade seemed like the perfect choice to go with our barbecue this past weekend, so I dug up this post from Cooking in the Archives and had a go.

To Make Lemonade
Boil One Quart of Spring Water, let it stand until it is Milk Warm. Pare five clear Lemons very thin and put the parings in the warm Water. Let it stand all Night, the next Morning strain off the peel thro' a fine Lawn Sieve, Squeeze the juice of the five lemons, Strain it, and put it in the Water, put in Eleven Ounces of double Refined Sugar, One Spoonful of Orange flower water, Mix these well together, it will be fit for use.

Now, Marissa (one of the blog authors) argues that there are two valid interpretations of this recipe based on the two definitions of "pare". It could mean to peel or it could mean to thinly slice. So, she sliced up all her lemons, let them steep in the water, and then tried to press the juice from the slices the next day. Which, I don't think is what the recipe intended at all!

Yes, there are two equally valid definitions of the word "pare". However, context matters! What does "put" mean? Does it mean the same thing when I say "put out the cat" vs. "put out the fire"? Is "putting down my book" the same as "putting down my dog"?

If I say that I am sad because I had to put my dog down, would you think that since "put" has multiple definitions any interpretation that uses one of those definitions would be equally valid? Or would you look at the context and realize that some interpretations make significantly more sense than others?

So, back to the recipe! Yes, in isolation "pare five lemons" could mean either "peel" or "slice", but when the recipe later talks about straining off the peel, I feel that the ambiguity is removed. The fact that it says to "squeeze the juice of the five lemons" rather than "squeeze the juice from the parings" or "slices" or some variation thereof is also telling.

I love the Cooking in the Archives blog and I'm thrilled that they're sharing all these wonderful recipes, but I am somewhat disappointed in the lack of critical thinking on display with this one.

Anyway, enough of my griping and complaints! Let's talk about the actual lemonade! This is a food blog afterall.

I scaled the recipe up a bit since I wanted a nice big pitcher of lemonade to serve to guests. I also scaled back the sugar some since everyone at dinner preferred their lemonade quite tart.

Lemonade
7 lemons
6 c. water
11 oz. (~312g) sugar
1 Tbsp. orange blossom water
sparkling water (to serve)
ice (to serve)

1. Bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Meanwhile, peel the lemons with a vegetable peeler, taking off as little of the white pith as possible. Add the peel to the warm water. Allow to stand several hours or overnight.
3. Strain the pieces of peel out of the water.
4. Juice the lemons, strain the juice, and add it to the water.
5. Stir in the sugar and orange blossom water. Adjust sugar to taste.
6. Serve with ice and chilled sparkling water.

The original recipe says nothing of ice or sparkling water or dilution, but Marissa suggested these for serving and I find they make lovely additions! You can, of course, drink the lemonade straight, but it is quite... intense. Very lemony, but I found I actually preferred it mixed about 1:1 with chilled sparkling water. The mild fizz actually enhanced the flavours while making it slightly less lip-puckering and more refreshing.

Pasta with Mushroom Sauce

A surprisingly creamy mushroom sauce -- surprising because it doesn't rely on cream at all, although it uses both cheese and butter. Instead, the pasta is cooked with the sauce, and the starch it releases acts as a thickener.

The recipe as written calls for shiitake and button mushrooms and campanelle pasta. I don't remember what pasta we used -- rotini, perhaps -- but as far as the mushrooms go we went all-in on cremini.

The result has a pleasant creaminess to the mouthfeel and a thick, clinging sauce, without the heaviness of an alfredo.

Ingredients
for 1 lb dried, store-bought pasta

• 1.5 lbs whole cremini mushrooms
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• salt and pepper
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 tbsp minced fresh sage
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ oz dried porcini mushrooms, rinced and finely chopped
• ⅓ C dry white wine
• 1 C freshly grated romano or parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp minced chives

Procedure

1. Coarsely chop half of the mushrooms; quarter the other half.
2. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Add all of the cremini mushrooms and ¾ tsp salt. Cover and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, ~5 minutes.
3. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until all liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to brown, ~10 minutes.
4. Add shallots, sage, garlic, and porcini mushrooms and cook until fragrant, ~1 minute.
5. Add wine and cook until evaporated, ~2 minutes.
6. Stir in 4 cups water, the pasta, and 1¼ tsp salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked al dente. Remove from heat.
7. Stir in romano, ¼ C hot water, lemon juice, and remaining 2 tbsp butter. Stir vigorously for one minute, until the sauce thickens.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with chives and additional cheese.

Carolina Chicken Bog

This "bog" is an almost risotto-ish dish, consisting of chicken, sausage, and rice simmered in broth. It's chickeny and delicious without being overwhelmingly heavy, and has a very small preparation footprint, coming together in a single pot.

This is yet another recipe from Cook's Country.

Ingredients

• 1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs. The recipe calls for bone-in; we got boneless.
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 lb beef sausage, sliced into rounds. (The recipe calls for half a pound of kielbasa, but beef sausage is the immortal god-king of sausages and I will take any excuse to use it.)
• 1 onion, chopped fine.
• 3 garlic cloves, minced.
• 4 C chicken broth.
• 2 C long-grain white rice.

Procedure

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook chicken until well browned, 6-8 minutes. Remove and buffer chicken on a plate.
2. Add sausage and onion. Cook until onion is translucent and sausage starting to brown, 3-5 minutes.
3. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, ~30 seconds.
4. Return chicken to pot. Add broth, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper, and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and tender, ~30 minutes.
6. Remove chicken (again). Stir rice into pot and simmer, covered, until rice is fluffy and tender.
7. Shred chicken and mix shredded chicken with rice mixture. Remove from heat and let stand for ten minutes.

Shrimp Wraps with Mango Salsa

Quick easy lunch or light dinner.

Shrimp Wraps with Mango Salsa
Adapted from Cook's Country
Heaping 1/2 c. frozen mango chunks, chopped smaller
1/2 onion, minced
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, minced
Juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
1 tsp. black pepper, divided
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
400g jumbo shrimp (21-30/lb.), peeled and deveined
2 tsp. chili powder
1 head green leaf lettuce

1. Combine mango, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, and 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Chop shrimp into chunks (roughly thirds). Toss with chili powder and remaining salt and pepper.
3. Heat oil in skillet and add shrimp. Cook over medium-high heat until shrimp is done (about 4 mintues).
4. Spoon shrimp into lettuce leaves (you should have enough for about 4 wraps). Top with mango salsa. Roll up like a burrito and enjoy!

Tuna Salad Sandwiches (with Eggs, Radishes, and Capers)

Yet another Cook's Country pick. I modified the recipe slightly, and I would make a few more tweaks next time. Nice change from your bog standard tuna salad for lunch or a light dinner though.

Tuna Salad Sandwiches
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country April/May 2015
1 onion, minced
6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 cans low-sodium solid white albacore tuna in water
2 ribs celery, minced
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 radishes, halved and sliced thin
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced thin
1/4 c. capers, rinsed and minced
4 slices bread, toasted

1. Combine onion and 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Drain tuna well and pat dry. Break up with a fork.
3. Combine tuna and all remaining ingredients with softened onion. Adjust seasoning to taste.
4. Assemble your sandwiches! Serve with a nice salad on the side and enjoy!