Pice ar Maen

 

I had been wanting to make Welsh cakes for awhile, but basically just not getting around to it, because I knew they were traditionally made on a griddle, which I don't have.  One day I just decided to do it in my enamel cast iron skillet and they came out marvelously!

•  1 1/2 C flour
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 rounded tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 8 Tbsp butter, cold, diced
• 1/2 C milk chocolate chips
• 1 egg, beaten with enough milk to yield 1/3 C liquid

1.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
2.  Work in the butter until mixture is evenly crumbly, a few larger pieces of butter can remain.  
3.  Mix in the chocolate chips.
4.  Add the milk/egg mixture, stirring until everything is moistened.
5.  Turn the sticky dough out onto a well-floured surface and shape into a disc.  Roll into a circle about 1/4 inch thick.  Be sure to reapply flour under the dough while rolling, so that it won't stick.  Cut dough into circles using 3 inch biscuit or other round cutter.  Gather and re-roll scraps, cutting until all dough is used.
6.  Heat an ungreased skillet over low-medium heat (for an electric skillet, set to 325°F).  Dry-fry the cakes (no grease) for about 2 1/2 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through.  Let cool on a rack.

Robyn's notes: I don't even want to say how quickly I ate the first batch of these.  I didn't expect the dough to be as sticky as it was; simply cutting them out was a bit of a challenge.  Tradition would call for currants, not chocolate, but I went for my preference.  They certainly do make them with chocolate in Wales sometimes.  Do a test cake to see if the pan is the right heat.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

3-Ingredient Reese's Fudge

 picture coming soon

The well-known straightforward "cheater" Reese's fudge.

• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 3 C milk chocolate chips
• 25 mini Reese's cups

1.  Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper, set aside.  Unwrap peanut butter cups and chop into pieces. 
2.  In a medium pan set over medium-low heat, combine condensed milk and chocolate chips, stirring, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
3.  Pour into prepared pan.  Press chopped Reese's into the fudge mixture.  Let cool for at least two hours.

Robyn's notes: This can cool in the fridge if you're in a hurry, I just prefer the way chocolate goods come out when they're cooled on the counter instead.  Store in an air-tight container.  If you put the Reese's in the freezer for about 15 minutes before starting, it'll be easier to unwrap them and they'll stay together in chunks better.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Pasta Carbonara

 

• 1 large egg and 1 large yolk, room temperature 
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 1 ounce (about 1/3 packed cup) grated Parmesan 
• Salt and Coarsely ground black pepper to taste 
• 2 Tbsp water 
• 2 ounces of pancetta or bacon, diced 
• 6 ounces spaghetti

1.  Place a large pot of lightly salted water (no more than 1 tablespoon salt) over high heat, and bring to a boil.
2.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, yolk, garlic, and Parmesan. Season with a pinch of salt and generous black pepper.
3.  Meanwhile, heat large skillet over medium heat, add water and pork, and sauté until the fat just renders, on the edge of crispness but not hard. Remove from heat and set aside.
4.  Add pasta to the water and boil until a bit firmer than al dente. Just before pasta is ready, reheat pork in skillet, if needed. Place a stainless steel mixing bowl under colander, then drain pasta and let the draining pasta water heat the bowl.  Discard all but 1/4 C of the water, setting that aside, and use the empty heated bowl to combine all ingredients.  Stir for a minute or so.  Add some reserved pasta water if needed for creaminess. Serve immediately, dressing it with a bit of additional grated cheese and pepper.

 Robyn's notes: I have been working on my recipe for Pasta Carbonara for at least a year and a half.  The first time I made it, following a recipe from a well-regarded publication, I got pasta in scrambled egg.  So I did some research, and have been making slight tweaks to my recipe, trying to get it perfect.  I use very little of the pasta water, generally, but that's going to depend on taste and local conditions.  If desired, after the pork fat has cooled slightly, whisk one or two tablespoons, in a slow stream, into the egg/cheese/garlic mixture.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Sweet and Spicy Turkey Skillet

• 1 8oz turkey tenderloin
• 1/4 C apple juice
• 2 Tbsp bottled hoisin sauce
• 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger (see notes, below)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• dash cayenne pepper
• 1/2 C thin, bite-size strips red, green, and/or yellow sweet pepper
• 1 small onion, cut into thin wedges
• 1 Tbsp cooking oil
• 3 Tbsp cold water
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 small apple or pear, peeled, cored, and cut into wedges

1.  Cut turkey tenderloin in half horizontally to form two 1/2 inch steaks; set aside.  In a small bowl, stir together apple juice, hoisin sauce, ginger, salt, and cayenne; set aside.
2.  In a large skillet cook sweet pepper strips and onion wedges in hot oil over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes or until nearly tender.  Remove vegetables, reserving oil in skillet.  Add turkey to oil in skillet.  Cook about 4 minutes or until brown, turning once.
3.  Return cooked vegetables to skillet.  Add apple juice mixture.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until turkey is done.
4.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer turkey and vegetables to a serving platter, reserving liquid in skillet.  Cover and keep warm.
5.  Combine water and cornstarch; add to liquid in skillet.  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Add apple.  Cook, covered, about 3 minutes more or just until apple is slightly softened.  Spoon apple mixture over turkey and vegetables.

Robyn's notes: I was really exceptionally pleased with this, I thought it would be just "ok" for me and that he would really enjoy it, but turns out I liked it a ton.  I'd not used hoisin sauce before, but I was able to plan more recipes to use it, so keep an eye out for those, coming up.  I used ground ginger, because the weirdest things are selling out at this point in the pandemic (can't get frozen mango for love nor money around here, and I could get it easily three months ago, and Golden Delicious apples are an impossibility these days).  I measured generously, because ground herbs and spices are not as strong as their fresh counterparts.  I used a pear, just because apples are getting hard to come by and I wanted to use what I could get to make applesauce.  I did not cook as long as these instructions direct, because I was using my enameled cast iron skillet, which retains heat like crazy.  The turkey would have been bone dry if I'd cooked it for that long.  So I did about 3 minutes in the oil, turning once, and simmered about 6 minutes, at the most, slicing through to check for doneness.  I'm glad I pulled it when I did, it was perfect.  Thickness of the turkey will have a lot to do with this, I sliced it butterfly style so it was fairly thin.  

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

(Bonus: the Welsh for "apple juice" is "sudd afal")

Chicken with Peanut Barbecue Sauce

• 1/4 C spicy barbecue sauce
• 3 Tbsp apple juice 
• 2 Tbsp peanut butter 
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1.  In small saucepan, combine barbecue sauce, apple juice, and peanut butter; blend well. 

2.  Place chicken on broiler pan. Broil 4 to 6 inches from the heat for 10 to 14 minutes or until chicken is fork tender and juices run clear, turning once and brushing with sauce mixture during the last 5 minutes of cooking time.

3.  Bring remaining sauce mixture to a boil; serve with chicken.

Robyn's notes: this is so simple and tasty, great for a busy evening. I sometimes add just the tiniest dash of crushed red pepper, if the barbecue sauce I have on hand isn't spicy. I know I made this for the first time in 2001, because my mom was doing Weight Watchers then, and when I cooked for her I'd note the points value of the recipe. This one had "ww6" written on it (old points system).

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Marshmallows

I had long intended to make homemade marshmallows, without ever getting around to it.  I actually keep the necessary ingredients in the pantry all the time, so this made a good choice for Scratch-Made Sunday!  Personally, I'll now find it difficult to enjoy store-bought marshmallows, these are so creamy dreamy and easy to personalize with different flavours.

• 3 3/4 tsp unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 C ice cold water, divided
• 3/4 C sugar
• 1/2 C light corn syrup
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch

1.  Combine gelatin and 1/4 cup of the cold water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment.  Do not mix, allow to sit while continuing with next steps.
2. In a medium saucepan, stir together remaining 1/4 cup water, sugar, corn syrup and salt.  Cover and cook at medium high heat for 2-3 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer to side of pan, and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240°F. Remove from heat immediately upon reaching that temperature.
3. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once all syrup has been added, increase speed to high. Continue to whisk until mixture is lukewarm and very thick, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of mixing (if you'd like to make peppermint marshmallows, replace vanilla with peppermint extract).
4.  While mixture is whisking, prepare pan. Combine powdered sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray an 8x6" pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add sugar-cornstarch mixture and shake to coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.
5. When marshmallow fluff is ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar-cornstarch to lightly cover. Reserve the rest of the sugar-cornstarch mix. Let marshmallows sit uncovered for at least 4 hours or overnight.
6. Turn pan out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel or knife dusted with the sugar-cornstarch mix. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture. Can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.

Robyn's notes: this really isn't at all difficult, it's just time-consuming and there is a lot of dish-washing that can't be put off (get those sugar syrup- and marshmallow fluff-covered items soaking in hot water right away or you'll be chipping away at them for ages!).  I find it actually fairly soothing to make candy, but don't get complacent!  Sugar syrup at 240°F is a burn waiting to happen if you're not paying attention!  If you can get unflavored gelatin in a large canister, it's easy to measure out.  Otherwise, this is 1 1/2 packets from the box.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

 

Sourdough Discard Biscuits

• 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 rounded teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard

1.  Preheat the oven to 425°F, with a rack in the upper third. Grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment.
2.  Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Work the butter into the flour until the mixture is unevenly crumbly.  Add the starter, mixing gently until the dough is cohesive.
3.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and gently pat it into a round about 1"-thick.  Use a sharp biscuit cutter to cut four rounds, cutting them as close to one another as possible. Or slice with dough cutter into four irregularly shaped biscuits.
4.  Place the biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2" between them; they'll spread as they bake. Bake the biscuits in the upper third of your oven for 20 to 23 minutes, until they're golden brown.
5. Remove the biscuits from the oven, and serve warm. Or cool completely, wrap in plastic, and store at room temperature for several days. Freeze, well-wrapped, for longer storage.

Robyn's notes: even though I use the tiny starter method, I still get a lot of discard, so I was making these biscuits often for awhile.  Sourdough starters can vary in how liquid they are. If the dough seems very dry, dribble in a bit of milk or buttermilk until it comes together.  These come together easily and are quite good, especially with butter and honey.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Mint Chocolate Cookie Butter Truffles

With just enough mint but not too much, the creamy chocolate centers nearly melt in your mouth!

• 1 Cup mint chocolate cookie butter (see notes, below)
• 1 1/2 C milk chocolate chips, divided

1. Line a large baking dish with cling film or parchment paper. Pour prepared cookie butter into dish, spreading out as thin as possible. Refrigerate at least one hour.

2. Line another dish with cling film. Using a spoon or scoop and rolling quickly in your hands, form the chilled cookie butter into balls about one inch in diameter, placing each ball onto the cling film where they will not touch. Refrigerate at least one hour.

3. Fill the bottom of a double boiler with a couple inches of water, bring to a simmer. In the top section, melt 1 Cup of chocolate chips until the chocolate is 105°F. Remove top section from heat and stir in remaining 1/2 Cup of chocolate, a bit at a time, letting it melt before adding more. Allow chocolate to cool to 82°F. Return to the double boiler until it warms to 86°F. Remove from heat.

4. One at a time, drop chilled balls of cookie butter into melted chocolate, using a spatula or fork to completely cover each ball and to gently remove from chocolate. Place each ball on parchment paper to set. If temperature of chocolate drops below 82°F while coating the balls, return it to the double boiler briefly to heat to about 87°F. Allow truffles to rest while they set.

Robyn's notes: prepare cookie butter as instructed in that recipe, but using mint Oreos instead of plain. The cookie butter is really sticky, when it's chilling you want as much of it exposed to the air as possible, or you won't be able to form it into balls. If you don't want to temper the chocolate you can just melt it, but you won't get the same snap, and since the inside of the truffles will be soft, that firm coating helps.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently.

InstantPot Applesauce

Usually, I make a good-sized batch of applesauce and can it, so I have plenty on hand for just a little bit of work. However, if I don't have time to do those extra canning steps, I can make a smaller batch in the InstantPot Mini.

1 1/2 lbs apples (about four medium)
1 1/2 Tbsp unsweetened apple juice
1/4 C sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1. Peel, core, and slice apples into eighths. Cut each segment in half crosswise.
2. Place apples in the inner pot of Instant Pot Mini. Add apple juice.
3. Lock the lid in place. Select Pressure Cook or Manual, and adjust the pressure to High and the time to 4 minutes. After cooking, release the pressure naturally for 15 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
4. Unlock the lid. Add sugar and cinnamon. Smash with a potato masher to desired consistency. Carefully taste and adjust seasoning, adding more sugar if needed. Be aware that the apples will taste sweeter when hot.

Robyn's notes: if you're not sure which varieties are sauce apples (as opposed to eating or pie apples), feel free to ask the produce manager. Some options are Fuji, Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Cortland, Crispin, McIntosh, Liberty, and Rome. The best sauce is made with a combination of two varieties. It's good to keep a few juice boxes on hand in the pantry for this use, since the recipe calls for such a small amount of juice. Don't think you can skip the juice, the IP won't come up to pressure without the juice inside.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently.

Small-Batch Simple Vanilla Ice Cream

Sometimes a smaller household wants just enough ice cream for one dessert, without any left over to tempt you the next day.  Since the man of the house gave me an ice cream maker for Christmas, my test of the equipment was this small batch of simple vanilla ice cream.

• 1/2 C whole milk
• 1/4 C + 2 Tbsp sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 C heavy cream
• 1/2 Tbsp vanilla

1.  In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk to combine milk, sugar, and salt until the sugar is dissolved.  Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.  Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours or overnight (can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 3 days).
2.  Turn on the ice cream maker; pour the mixture into the frozen freezer bowl and let mix until thickened, 15-20 minutes.  If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours (do not freeze in ice cream maker's freezer bowl).

Robyn's notes: very simple and straightforward, and I was pleased with the results.  I'm happy with the Cuisinart Automatic Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker (ICE-21): there's no real assembly involved, just a power button and no display, it does the job successfully.  The freezer bowl does take up quite a bit of space in our freezer, which is unfortunate, especially considering that I have a Zoku pop maker also taking up space in there, but I can accept that.  Additionally, if I want to make more than one recipe at a time (or more than one large batch), I'd need to buy additional freezer bowls or wait several hours between batches, as the freezer bowl must be completely frozen before each use.  It refroze quickly, though, was freezing up as I tried to wash it.  This simple vanilla ice cream recipe is good, it's creamy and has a good taste of vanilla, but it's not exactly what you'll get in stores (obviously).  There is a tendency to coat the tongue and the spoon with cream, so a custard-style vanilla recipe would be the way to go if you don't care for that.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Cookie Butter Treats

One batter of only three ingredients makes two different treats!

• 1/4 C + 2 Tbsp chocolate cookie butter
• 1 egg
• 1/4 C + 1/2 Tbsp flour

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Combine cookie butter and egg thoroughly, stir in flour until incorporated.
2.  For cookies: spoon onto parchment-lined baking sheet in rounds.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, immediately move to cooling rack.  If desired, frost underside of half the cookies and top with the other half, making sandwich cookies.
3.  For cupcakes: spoon into cupcake liners.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, cool in pan for 2 minutes before moving to cooling rack.  Frost when completely cooled.

Robyn's notes: The cupcakes are pretty dense, so feel free to drop a maraschino cherry into the center, if desired.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Chocolate Cookie Butter

You don't know what you're missing until you've tried it!

• 1/2 C milk
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 12oz Oreos (about 30 cookies)

1.  In a large saucepan heat and stir the milk, butter, sugar, and cocoa over medium heat until milk is warm and sugar is dissolved; cool.
2.  Place cookies in a food processor or blender; cover and process or blend until coarsely ground.  With machine running, gradually add milk mixture, stopping to scrape container as needed.

Robyn's notes: this is great over toasty bread or bagels, shortbread, pound cake, fruit, or used as frosting.  Of course, it's also fantastic just on a spoon!  You can use flavored Oreos, such as peanut butter or mint, very successfully.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Allergy-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Everybody deserves a chance to celebrate with cake, even if that cake has to be friendly to their allergies!  Gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, corn-free, vegan, this should take care of all your eaters.

• 1/2 Tbsp ground flax seeds (flaxmeal)
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp warm water
• 1/2 C gluten free flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 rounded tsp xanthan gum
• 3 Tbsp vegan butter
• 1/4 C water
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 C + 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp dairy-free sour cream

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line four sections of full-size muffin tin with paper or silicone liners.  In a small bowl, whisk together flax and warm water, set aside.  In another small bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and xanthan gum.  Set aside.
2.  In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter.  Stir in water, cocoa, sugar, and sour cream.  Remove from heat.  Stir in flax-water mixture; whisk in dry ingredients until combined.
3.  Spoon into prepared pan.  Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool completely before frosting with Allergy-Free Peppermint Frosting.

Robyn's notes: my only (minor) complaint about this recipe is that it's not quite as nice to lick the pan as it is with standard cake batter.  It doesn't taste bad--oddly it tasted a bit banana to me--it's just not as rich as the other type.  I really quite enjoyed the finished product, especially once the cupcakes were frosted.  There were no texture issues, and it was light and airy.  You may get 5 cupcakes out of this, I did, but I was using my "heart-shaped" silicone liners, which can't hold as much batter.  The finished product made in them has never once come out heart-shaped, but I needed silicone liners and these were 80% off so I chose them instead of the regular shape.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Allergy-Free Peppermint Frosting

Easily changed to other flavours, this makes just the right amount for a few cupcakes!

• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp vegetable shortening
• 1/2 C allergy-free powdered sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp dairy-free milk (almond, rice, soy, etc.)
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract

1.  In a small bowl, beat shortening with whisk or fork until light.  Gently mix in powdered sugar until well combined.  Add milk, a bit at a time, and beat together until desired consistency.  Mix extract in completely.

Robyn's notes: change the extract to change the flavour, but be sure to check for hidden allergens in your extract choices: some may contain gluten or corn.  To make vanilla frosting without using extract, scrape the "caviar" from a vanilla bean and stir it into the milk before adding that to the bowl.  If you haven't ground the sugar very well when making your powdered sugar, there might be a slight grainy texture to this frosting, but if you've gotten a nice fine grind this will come out exactly like the standard homemade frostings.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Allergy-Free Baking Powder

I know, it's astonishing that baking powder is yet another place that corn hides.  But corn starch is there to stop the clumping, so many baked goods are a problem for those with corn allergies. 

• 2 Tbsp cream of tartar
• 1 Tbsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp tapioca starch

1.  Combine all ingredients, mix together thoroughly.  Store in an airtight container and use as needed.

Robyn's notes: This can be easily sized up, just maintain the ratio of the ingredients.  Give the container a good shake before using, just to be sure it's properly mixed.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Not only does this move quickly by using another batch of the chicken and the cheese sauce that we made earlier, but it's another recipe that can be made ahead and frozen, ready to thaw, cook, and serve! 

• 3 oz dried bow tie pasta
• 1 portion Cheese Sauce
• 1 portion Shredded Chicken Base
• 1/2 C frozen sweet pepper and onion stir-fry vegetables
• 1/4 C milk
• 1/3 C chopped roma tomato (one small)
• 3/4 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme, crushed
• 1/3 C panko bread crumbs
• 2 slices bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled
• 1 small clove garlic
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• 1/2 C shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.  Rinse with cold water until cool; drain again.  In a large bowl combine cooked pasta, Cheese Sauce, Shredded Chicken Base, frozen stir-fry vegetables, milk, tomato, Cajun seasoning, 1 clove minced garlic, and thyme.  Transfer pasta mixture to a 1-quart rectangular baking dish.
2.  For crumb topping, in a food processor or blender combine panko, bacon, 1 clove garlic, and paprika.  Cover and process until fine crumbs form.  Sprinkle shredded cheese and crumb topping on casserole.
3.  Bake, covered, for 30-35 minutes.  Uncover and bake 5-10 minutes more, or until heated through and golden.  Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

To make dish ahead: Prepare through Step 1.  Cover dish with foil, place entire dish in resealable freezer bag.  Seal and freeze up to 2 months.  To serve, thaw in refrigerator overnight, Preheat oven, and follow steps 2 and 3.

Robyn's notes: I really quite enjoyed this, and would definitely have it again.  If desired, you can add hot sauce when combining the main ingredients, that would make it too much for my taste.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Shredded Chicken Base

Keep portions of this in the freezer, and you'll have endless options for last-minute meals!

• 7 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 C lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried thyme, crushed
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 400°F.  Line two large baking pans with foil, and place chicken thighs in prepared pans.  Drizzle with lemon juice and oil.  In a small bowl, stir together salt, thyme, paprika, and pepper.  Sprinkle seasoning blend over chicken.
2.  Roast, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center.  Remove from oven and let cool 10-15 minutes.  Using two forks, pull chicken apart into shreds.
3.  To store, place shredded chicken in 1 Cup portions in airtight containers or freezer bags.  Cover and store in refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.  If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight before using.

Robyn's notes: an easy way to keep the freezer stocked, using chicken thighs keeps the meat from drying out the way chicken breasts can.  If preferred, you can use bone-in chicken thighs, but if so, you'll need to remove the skin before starting, and remove the bones after roasting (before shredding).  Bone-in chicken will also need another 5-10 minutes in the oven.  Use this prepped chicken for multiple other recipes on the site, and watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Cast Iron Butter-Basted Steak

What a simple way to make a delicious steak dinner for two!  I've made this for a Valentine's Day meal a few years back, and it's been a success then and now. 

• 1 (2-inch thick) boneless rib-eye steak
• kosher salt
• 8 Tbsp butter

1. Two hours before cooking, remove steak from refrigerator and salt heavily on both sides.
2. When ready to cook, heat 8-10 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high until hot.  Pat steak dry, and place the steak on one of its edges in the pan. Cook for one minute, then rotate to another edge. Continue until the entire outside edge of the steak is seared.
3. Remove the steak from the pan and place on a plate. Reduce heat to medium-low. Wait one minute, then add butter and let it melt.
4. Return the steak to the pan, laying it flat on one side.  Cook for one minute, basting the steak with the melted butter in the pan. Flip and cook for another minute, still basting. Repeat this five times, then use a meat thermometer to check the temperature.  Medium-rare would be a reading of 120° F.  If the meat has not reached the target internal temperature, keep flipping and basting.  It may take as many as ten or a dozen flips.
5. Remove the steak to a rack and let rest for ten minutes. Slice into 3/8-thick slices and serve.

Robyn's notes: very straightforward, just can't walk away from it at all once you start cooking.  Nice crisp sear on the outside, but tender within.  A two-inch thick steak may be too much for two people, depending on how hungry you are, but it needs to be that thick to cook properly.  If there are leftovers they make a nice sandwich for lunch.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Cast Iron Pizza

I'm always stumbling across recipes for pizza that start with heating the stone in the oven, but no matter how often I see tips for getting a makeshift pizza stone at the hardware store, I don't have one (for one thing, my oven's coils are on the bottom, so I couldn't put the stone on the floor of the oven and would have to place it on the rack, which would mean taking it out when I'm cooking something else, and storage space is limited).  This recipe will make a great pizza without fancy equipment!

• 1 portion pizza dough (about 6oz)
• pizza sauce and toppings as desired

1.  Preheat oven to 500°F.  Press dough into base of 8-inch cast iron skillet, being sure not to make any sections too thin.  Add preferred toppings (see note, below).
2.  Cook over medium-high heat on a burner for 2-4 minutes, or until pizza has puffed up and bottom is spotty brown.  Transfer skillet to preheated oven and cook an additional 7-10 minutes or until cooked through.  Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before eating.


Robyn's notes: this is, in my opinion, the best way to make a pizza.  The dough is just properly crispy on the outside but soft inside, the cheese comes out just right...in the absence of a pizza oven I don't think it gets better.  The photo above (and the video) are a simple cheese pizza, with tomato-based sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan.  But the technique works for any pizza toppings.  Mozzarella and basil leaves, alfredo, sausage, whatever you like.  Just remember that you probably want less sauce than you think.  Too much sauce makes the dough soggy.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookies

In my opinion, every birthday needs a sweet treat.  Today's mine, so here's something to celebrate! 

• 2 Tbsp clarified butter, melted, hot
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 C + 3 Tbsp flour
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• pinch salt
• 1/4 C chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.  Place clarified butter in a medium bowl and stir in softened butter until completely melted.  Whisking constantly, add both sugars, egg yolk, and vanilla.  Continue whisking about 1 minute.  Set aside.
2.  In a small bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt.  Set aside.  Return to butter mixture and whisk again, about 1 minute.  Allow to rest and then whisk one more time.
3.  Stir flour mixture into butter mixture.  Fold in chocolate chips.  
4.  Press half of mixture into bottom of each mini skillet.  Smooth top.  Bake at 375°F for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.  Allow to cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Top with ice cream and serve. 

Robyn's notes: while I did enjoy this quite a bit, it will be more of a special occasion dish.  Earlier this year we made a couple recipes that called for clarified butter.  If any is left from that, go ahead and use it, otherwise just start this recipe by clarifying some butter.  It only takes a short time.  Watch me demonstrate this birthday recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently