Green Beans with Creamy Mushrooms and Shallots

Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living

Serves 8

1¾ lbs green beans, trimmed

1 tbsp plus 1½ teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 large shallots, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)

¾ cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock

2 tsp cornstarch

8 oz cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/8 inch thick

1/3 cup 2-percent Greek yogurt

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch beans until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat 1½ teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook shallots, stirring occasionally, until tender and just starting to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer shallots to a small bowl, and wipe skillet clean with a paper towel.

Whisk together stock and cornstarch. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet over high heat. Cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat to low; add shallots. Whisk in stock mixture. Cook until thick, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in yogurt and ½ teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Toss in beans. Serve warm.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Cannellini Chili

3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

5-6 garlic cloves, minced

1-3 hot peppers, seeded and chopped

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp chili powder

18 oz dried cannellini beans

3 cups chicken stock, divided

Garnish: sour cream, cheddar cheese, cilantro

Soak the cannellini beans overnight in enough water to cover by 1-2 inches. Rinse and drain.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the chicken for 3-4 minutes.  Place in the slow cooker. Add more oil if needed and sauté the onion, peppers, oregano, cumin and chili powder until onions are tender and spices are fragrant. Add garlic and cook another minute. Place in slow cooker with the browned chicken.

Blend 1 cup of the beans and ½ cup stock in a food processor until smooth. Add this to the slow cooker along with the rest of the stock and beans.

Cook on low for 5-7 hours until the beans are tender the chili has thickened. Serve with crusty bread and garnish if desired.

Effortless Dutch Oven Bread

Courtesy of simplysogood.blogspot.com

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1¾ tsp salt (we leaned more toward 2 tsp sea salt)

½ tsp yeast

1½ cups water (room temperature to lukewarm)

                                                             

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast.  Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 18 hours.  Overnight works great.  Heat oven to 450 degrees.  When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating.  Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough.  Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes.  Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.

Baked Brown Rice

Adapted from allrecipes.com

1½ cups uncooked rice *

1 (14-oz) can broth **

¼ cup butter, melted

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp dried herbs ***

Preheat oven to 350˚.  In a 2-quart casserole dish, combine rice, broth, butter, Worcestershire sauce and herbs. (Note – you must use a shallow dish. The rice will never cook in a deep dish. We tried and gave up after 2 hours. I’m sure you have better things to do with your time. And if you don’t, you need a hobby.)

Bake, covered, for one hour. Stir after the first 30 minutes.

* Try brown, black or jasmine rice. If the rice gets dry before it is tender just throw in some more stock. Ahh, the stock!

** Use any stock you want. If you’re having chicken, perhaps you’ll use chicken or turkey stock. Steaks? Try beef stock. Whatever blows your skirt up.

*** Use herbs to compliment your meal. Or use your imagination (within reason, people, within reason!!)

Szechuan Green Beans with Ground Pork

Courtesy of Cooking Light April 2006

½ lb lean ground pork

1 tsp cornstarch

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground white pepper

1 tsp peanut oil

2½ cups (1-inch) cut green beans

1 tsp minced fresh garlic

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp crushed red pepper

2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

 2 cups hot cooked white (or brown) rice

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork mixture, beans, and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until pork loses its pink color, stirring to crumble.

Combine hoisin and next 3 ingredients (through soy sauce) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add hoisin mixture to pan. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Serve over rice.

Turkey Fried Quinoa

1 to 2 cups cooked quinoa

2 green onions, chopped, white and green parts separated

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tbsp soy sauce, plus more to taste

Chopped cooked turkey, chicken, steak, pork, quail, lamb, you get the point...

Chopped cooked carrots, green beans, peas, etc.

Sesame and vegetable oil

In a large skillet, heat a splash of sesame and vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the white parts of the green onions and stir until wilted, 2 minutes. Stir in the eggs until set. Toss in the rest of your ingredients and heat through. Add the soy sauce and taste. Add more if necessary. Top with green scallions. I told you it was easy!

Game-Day Chili and Corn Bread

Adapted from allrecipes.com Chili I

2 tbsp vegetable oil

 2 yellow onions, chopped

 3 cloves garlic, minced

 1 lb ground beef

 ¾ pound beef sirloin, cubed

 1 (14.5 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes with juice

 1 (12 fluid oz) can or bottle dark beer

 1 cup strong brewed coffee

 1 (12 oz) cans tomato paste

 1 (14 oz) can beef broth

 ½ cup packed brown sugar

 3½ tablespoons chili powder

 1 tbsp cumin seeds

 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

 1 tsp dried oregano

 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper

 1 tsp ground coriander

 1 tsp salt

 4 (15 oz) cans kidney beans (optional)

 4 fresh hot chile peppers, seeded and chopped

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions, garlic, ground beef and cubed sirloin in oil for 10 minutes, or until the meat is well browned and the onions are tender.

Mix in the diced tomatoes with juice, dark beer, coffee, tomato paste and beef broth. Season with brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, coriander and salt. Stir in 2 cans of the beans and hot chile peppers. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1½ hours.

Stir in the 2 remaining cans of beans, and simmer for another 30 minutes.

Alton Brown’s Sweet Corn Bread Pudding

Courtesy of foodnetwork.com

½ yellow onion, diced fine

1 oz unsalted butter

½ tsp thyme

½ tsp rosemary

1 (15-oz) can creamed style sweet corn

1 cup heavy cream

2 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

½ cup yellow cornmeal, whole grain, stone ground

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 tsp kosher salt

Ground black pepper

2 cups cubed French bread

Heat oven to 350˚ degrees.

Sweat onions with butter and herbs in an oven safe skillet until translucent.

Combine corn, cream, eggs, baking powder, cornmeal, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add cubed bread and fold to combine. Pour batter into skillet, right on top of the onion mixture. Bake 50 minutes, or until set. Cool slightly before serving.

Apple and Sausage Patties

Courtesy of Williams Sonoma Entertaining

1 lb bulk pork sausage

1 tart green apple, peeled, cored and grated

¼ cup fine dried bread crumbs

2 tbsp heavy cream

1 egg yolk

½ tsp coarse salt

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Canola oil for cooking

Garnish: sliced apple or red peppers, parsley

In a bowl, combine the sausage, apple, bread crumbs, cream and egg yolk and stir until well blended. Stir in the salt and pepper.

Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and shape each portion into a patty 2 inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick. Arrange the patties on a rimmed baking sheet or tray and refrigerate for 15 minutes, or cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature before cooking.

Preheat the oven to 350˚.

Place a large fry pan over medium heat and lightly brush it with canola oil. Place 4 of the patties in the pan and fry until browned on one side, about 3-5 minutes. Carefully flip the patties and fry until browned on the other side and cooked through, about 4 minutes more. Transfer the patties to an ovenproof dish and keep warm in the oven.

Cook the remaining patties in the same way, oiling the pan as needed. Keep warm until ready to serve. Arrange the patties on a platter and serve immediately.

Editor’s Note: Try spicy Italian sausage with minced fresh rosemary, ground lamb with chopped fresh mint, or ground turkey with chopped fresh sage.

Not Your Mama's Tuna Salad

Adapted from Cook’s Country Magazine

3 (5-ounce) cans solid white albacore tuna packed in water

¼ cup onion, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp lemon juice

Salt and pepper

½ tsp sugar

½ cup plus 2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 celery rib, finely chopped

Step 1: Place tuna in a fine-mesh strainer and press dry with paper towels. Transfer to a medium bowl and mash with a fork until finely flaked. Alternatively you can scoop it out with your fingers and squeeze the moisture out with your fist, and then use your fingers to crumble the tuna into a bowl. Microwave onion and oil in small bowl until onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Combine onion mixture, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and sugar with tuna and let sit 10 minutes.

Step 2: Stir mayonnaise and celery into tuna mixture and season with salt and pepper. Serve or refrigerate in an airtight container for 1 day.

Tuna Salad with Sweet Pickles and Egg

Prepare tuna salad, adding ½ cup sweet pickle relish to tuna with cooked onion mixture in step 1. Stir 2 chopped hard-boiled eggs into salad in step 2.

Tuna Salad with Lemon and Dill

Prepare tuna salad, increasing lemon juice to 1 tablespoon and adding ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest and 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill to tuna with cooked onion mixture in step 1.

Tuna Salad with Roasted Red Peppers and Capers

Prepare tuna salad, adding ½ cup finely chopped jarred roasted red peppers, patted dry, and 2 tablespoons drained and minced capers to tuna with cooked onion mixture in step 1.

Breakfast Pound Cake

Courtesy of Southern Living

4 cups all-purpose flour

3 cups sugar

2 cups butter, softened (We used salted butter as no salt was added to the batter)

¾ cup milk (Highly recommend using whole milk)

6 large eggs (room-temperature)

2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325˚. Place flour, sugar, butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla (in that order) in the 4-quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer. Beat at low speed for 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Pour into a greased and floured 10-inch (16-cup) tube pan and smooth. (Alternatively, you can use baking spray that contains flour – much easier and less messy.) Bake at 325˚ for 1 hour 30 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely (about 1 hour).

Pork Chops with Tomato Gravy and Creamy Cheese Grits

Courtesy of Cook’s Country Magazine April/May 2012

Salt and pepper

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

4 (8- to 10-ounce) bone-in pork rib chops, 1 inch thick, trimmed

4 slices bacon, finely chopped

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 yellow onion, chopped fine

1 celery rib, chopped fine

1 garlic clove, minced

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce

1 tsp fresh thyme, minced

1 bay leaf

Combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, paprika, sugar, and cayenne in bowl. Pat chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with spice mixture.

Cook bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate, leaving fat in skillet. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Increase heat to medium-high and cook chops until well browned on 1 side, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate, browned side up.

Reduce heat to medium, add oil, and heat until shimmering. Add onion, celery, and garlic and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth, tomato sauce, thyme, bay leaf, and cooked bacon and bring to a boil.

Arrange chops, browned side up, in pan and add any accumulated juices from plate. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chops register 145 degrees, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer chops to serving platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Season gravy with salt and pepper to taste, remove bay leaf, cover, and keep warm. Stir any accumulated juices from platter into gravy and pour over chops. Serve with Creamy Cheese Grits.

Creamy Cheese Grits

Courtesy of Cook’s Country Magazine April/May 2012

½ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

3½ cups water

4 tbsp unsalted butter

4 scallions, white parts minced, green parts thinly sliced

1 cup milk

½ teaspoon hot sauce

Salt and pepper

1 cup old-fashioned grits

4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup)

4 ounces shark cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)

Puree corn and ½ cup water in blender until smooth, about 1 minute; set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add scallion whites and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining 3¼ cups water, milk, hot sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil.

Slowly whisk grits into saucepan until no lumps remain. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy, about 15 minutes.

Off heat, stir in Monterey Jack, cheddar, pureed corn, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with scallion greens.

Outrageous Brownies

Courtesy of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

1 lb unsalted butter

1 lb plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

6 oz unsweetened chocolate

6 extra-large eggs

3 tbsp instant coffee granules

2 tbsp pure vanilla extract

2¼ cups sugar

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 cups chopped walnuts (We didn’t add these but in hindsight I’d recommend them.)

Preheat oven to 350˚.

Butter and flour a 12x18x1-inch baking sheet. (We used a 13x2-inch oven-proof Pyrex dish for thicker brownies.)

Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. (If making thicker brownies, bake for 25 minutes and then an additional 25. Then proceed to check for doneness in five minute intervals.) Do not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into 20 large squares.

Pound Cake

Recipe courtesy of Cook’s Country April/May 2012

3 cups (12 oz) cake flour

1 tsp salt

4 large eggs plus 2 large yolks, room temperature

¼ cup milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups (21 oz) sugar

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened

6 oz cream cheese, softened

Adjust the oven rack to middle position and preheat your oven to 300˚. Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan.  (Reader, we used baking spray (made with flour) and it worked flawlessly.) Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Whisk eggs, yolks, milk and vanilla in a 2 cup liquid measuring cup.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat sugar, butter, and cream cheese on medium high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and very slowly add the egg mixture until incorporated (batter may look a bit curdled). Add flour mixture in 3 additions, scraping down the bowl as needed. Give the batter a final stir by hand.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and gently tap it on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 80 to 90 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway in the baking time. Cool the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes only. Remove the cake from the pan and let cool completely, about 2 hours. The cake can be wrapped with plastic and held at room temperature for 3 days.

Butternut Squash Soup

I honestly have no idea where this recipe is from. It is chicken-scratched on what looks like papyrus. If anyone recognizes it please let me know!

6 bacon slices

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 (20 oz) packages butternut squash, peeled and cubed or equivalent

1 (32 oz) container low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup whipping cream

2 to 3 tbsp fresh lime juice

1½ tbsp honey

2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/8 tsp ground allspice

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground red pepper

Garnishes: sour cream, fresh thyme sprigs

Cook bacon slices in a Dutch oven until crisp. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in Dutch oven. Crumble bacon.

Sauté onion and carrots in hot drippings in Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add celery and apple, and sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Add butternut squash and chicken broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Process squash mixture, in batches, in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return to Dutch oven. Add whipping cream and next 7 ingredients. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until thickened. Top each serving with bacon. Garnish, if desired.