Meat and Potato Pies

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/4 C plain bread crumbs
• 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp ketchup
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 C frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
• 1 C prepared warm mashed potatoes
• 1/2 C shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.  In medium bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, ketchup and salt; mix well.  Press mixture in bottom and up sides of two ungreased mini pie pans.  Bake at 375°F for 5-7 minutes.
2.  Stir vegetables into mashed potatoes, set aside.
3.  Remove beef crusts from oven; pour off any drippings.  Spoon potato mixture evenly into partially baked crusts.  Return to oven; bake an additional 5 - 8 minutes, or until beef crusts are thoroughly cooked and potatoes and vegetables are thoroughly heated.
4.  If desired, sprinkle tops with cheese just before the last 5 minutes of baking.

Robyn's notes: if mini pie pans are not available, two ramekins/cocottes or custard cups, as long as they are oven-safe.  The mashed potatoes can be warm or hot, just not cold.  They can be leftovers, or freshly made for the occasion, and instant will work.  If using a custard cup or any other container that size, your crust will be thinner and therefore cook faster.  Watch me demonstrate this video on youtube!  

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Greek Yogurt Parfaits

I made this last year for my sweetheart's birthday and completely forgot to get a picture.  I'm not a big consumer of Greek yogurt, but have found one brand that I like (interestingly, a store brand), which is apparently no longer being sold.

• 1 C vanilla Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp raisins
• 2 Tbsp toasted sliced almonds

1.  Spoon one quarter of yogurt into each of two thin glasses or parfait cups.  Top with one quarter of honey, raisins, and almonds.  Repeat these layers and serve.

Robyn's notes: he had requested a birthday dessert without sugar, and since we were having lamb with a pomegranate glaze for dinner I thought this would be light and refreshing to follow it.  It had the added benefit of being very quick, especially nice after having spent the afternoon preparing and cooking the entree.  I used golden raisins, but either sort will work.  

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Salmon with Asparagus and Herb Vinaigrette

I actually made this for my sweetheart's birthday 3 years ago, while on my hiatus from this site.  It went far more quickly than I expected. 

• 2 (6-ounce) center-cut salmon fillets, about 1 1/2 inches thick
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 C olive oil, divided
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 pound thick asparagus, tough ends trimmed
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 4 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp minced fresh parsley, basil, or mint leaves
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1.  Pat salmon dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Heat 2 Tbsp oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Carefully lay salmon in skillet, skin side up, and cook until well browned on first side, about 5 minutes. 
2.  Flip salmon over, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook until center of thickest part of fillets is still translucent when cut into with paring knife and instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 125°, about 3 minutes longer.  Transfer salmon to platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest while cooking asparagus. 
3.  Wipe out skillet with paper towels, add butter and 1 tsp more oil, and heat over medium heat until butter has melted.  Add half of asparagus to skillet with tips pointed in one direction and add remaining spears with tips pointed in opposite direction.  Sprinkle with 1/8 tsp salt and gently shake asparagus into even layer. 
4.  Cover and cook until spears are bright green and still crisp, about 5 minutes.  Uncover, increase heat to high, and continue to cook until spears are tender and well browned on one side, 5 to 7 minutes, using tongs to move spears from center of pan to edge of pan to ensure all are browned.
5.  Meanwhile, whisk remaining 3 Tbsp oil, shallot, lemon juice, parsley, and mustard together in small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer asparagus to platter with salmon, drizzle with vinaigrette, and serve. 

Robyn's notes: this is probably his favourite meal I've ever cooked for him.  The whole time he was eating it he raved about how good it was.  I can't eat salmon, so I took his word for it.  

***** 5 Stars: Excellent. A favourite for both of us, I will make this repeatedly

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast

With Couscous and Strawberries & Cream

This recipe actually came from my old health insurance company.  If I opened their recipe section every day for a month they would send me a Visa gift card, so I absolutely followed through.  Their formatting was awkward and I've made a change, but the nutritional info they provided (see below) is still accurate.

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, 3.5oz each, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
• salt and pepper to taste
•  1 oz reduced-fat goat cheese (or feta cheese)
• 4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and diced  
• 1/2 C frozen spinach leaves, thawed and drained (or fresh spinach, wilted, see below)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.  Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. 
2.  Combine cheese, tomatoes, and spinach.   Spread mixture down center of each chicken breast.  Roll up and secure with toothpicks.  Place chicken on baking sheet and brush with olive oil.
3.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until juices run clear.
4.  Serve with  1 1/2 C cooked whole wheat couscous (not gluten-free!) and finish with 1 C sliced strawberries topped with 3 Tbsp light whipped cream.

Robyn's notes: I never buy frozen spinach, but I always seem to have fresh baby spinach in the fridge.  Therefore what I've done in making this is to wilt the fresh spinach.  I stem my spinach, then place the leaves in a small skillet with about a Tablespoon of water, then cook on medium-high, gently stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until wilted.  Then I remove the leaves to a paper towel.  Remember that spinach cooks down, so for 1/2 C of prepared leaves about 1 C fresh are needed.  Meal is gluten-free if using a different side dish, like rice.  The nutritional info includes the side dish and dessert.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

 Nutritional Information: 766 calories; 30g fat; 9g saturated fat; 62g protein; 66g carbohydrate; 15g fiber; 412mg sodium

Pear Butter

Served over Baking Powder Biscuits, shown above.

• 3 lbs pears
• 2 C sugar
• 1/2 tsp grated orange peel
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp orange juice

1.  Wash pears, core, peel and slice. 
2.  Combine pears and 1/4 C water in a large saucepot.  Simmer until pears are soft.  Puree using a food processor or food mill, being careful not to liquefy.
3.  Measure 1 quart pear pulp, combine with sugar in a large saucepot, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cook until thick enough to round up on a spoon.  As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking. 
4.  Ladle hot butter into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles, adjust two-piece caps.  Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner at sea level, increasing 1 minute for every additional 1,000 feet elevation.

Yield: 5 half-pints

Robyn's notes: I made this the same day I made Spiced Peach Butter, and while he didn't have a preference between the two, enjoying them both, I admit I preferred this one slightly.  It had such a fresh, summery feel that I didn't want to stop eating it!  I did make one error with this, taking a phone call while the pulp was cooking.  I knew that the peach butter had cooked for over 25 minutes uncovered, so I covered this batch and stirred less frequently.  At the end of my phone call I realized I was approaching that 25 minute mark, and rushed to stir.  It had started to stick while I wasn't watching it, and a small amount of the butter scorched.  Fortunately it didn't give a burned flavour to the whole batch, and I got to it in time, but it's a good reminder to focus on one task at a time. 

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

Spiced Peach Butter

Served over Baking Powder Biscuits, shown above.

• 2-2.5lbs peaches
• 2 C sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1.  Wash and blanch peaches.  Put peaches in cold water; peel, pit, and slice peaches. 
2.  Combine peaches and 1/4 C water in a large saucepot.  Simmer until peaches are soft.  Puree using a food processor or food mill, being careful not to liquefy. 
3.  Measure 1 quart peach pulp, combine with sugar and spices in a large saucepot.  Cook until thick enough to round up on a spoon.  As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.
4.  Ladle hot butter into hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles, adjust two-piece caps.  Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner at sea level, increasing 1 minute for each additional 1,000 feet elevation.

Yield: about 5 half-pints

Robyn's notes: the only peaches available to me were cling, where I'd rather have had freestone.  While peeling went surprisingly well, I mangled the heck out of each peach in attempting to get the pits out.  For the peeling process I had each peach in the boiling water for a full 60 seconds, while my instructions suggested 30-45.  However, I had canned peaches in light syrup the previous day and found them very hard to peel, and remembering that water boils at 208F at my altitude, felt that the longer blanch might help.  It definitely did, after each peach had been moved to a bowl of ice water for a couple minutes the peels slid right off.  The thickening took longer than anticipated, I was cooking the pulp for more than 25 minutes before I decided it was probably good enough.  Again, at this altitude, everything takes longer to cook.  We definitely liked this, and when I asked if he had a preference between the two flavours of fruit butter I made that day he said no.  Personally, I felt that this was slightly more of a winter dish, but that's probably because I made the spiced version, and I associate those spices more with the holidays.  It can also be made as plain peach butter, by omitting the ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

*** 3 Stars: Good.  At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Old-Fashioned Baking Powder Biscuits

My favourite biscuits of all time, my mom has been making these as long as I can remember.  When I struck out on my own for the first time she made me a recipe binder with some well-loved dishes, several of which she reduced to serve fewer people.  The original recipe made 8-9 biscuits, my mom did the work of cutting it down to this form.

• 1 C flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 C shortening
• 1/3 - 1/2 C milk

1.  Preheat oven to 450°F.
2.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
3.  Using a fork or two table knives, or a pastry blender, cut shortening into flour mix until consistency of coarse meal.
4.  Add milk beginning with smaller amount; stir with fork until mixture leaves sides of bowl and forms a soft, moist dough, adding additional milk one Tablespoon at a time, if necessary to achieve desired consistency.
5.  On floured surface, toss lightly until no longer sticky.  Roll out to 1/2 to 1 inch thick; cut with 2 inch floured cutter or cut into squares with serrated knife or dough blade.
6.  Place on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 450°F for 8 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown.  Serve hot.  Yield: 4 biscuits

Robyn's notes: to make these into buttermilk biscuits, add 1/8 tsp baking soda to flour mix and substitute buttermilk for milk.  For cheese biscuits, add 2oz shredded Cheddar cheese to flour-shortening mixture.  Bake on greased baking sheet.  These are a big hit around here, and we will both eat basically as many as are available, so it's good to limit it to making fewer.  You can watch me prepare these biscuits on youtube!  

***** 5 Stars: Excellent. A favourite for both of us, I will make this repeatedly

 

Now on YouTube!

I've been wanting for a long time to start uploading cooking demonstration videos, but had to wait until Google+ was uncoupled from YouTube.  First video covers one of my more popular recipes, Small-Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Soft Pretzels

I made these for a care package for my sweetheart for Valentine's Day.  He's still trying to avoid sugar as much as possible, which means no red cupcakes or pink cookies or similar, and I despaired at finding something visually related to the holiday until the light dawned: heart-shaped pretzels!  The recipe would make 4 pretzels, I used it to make 2 plus a bunch of pretzel bites. 

• 3/4 C warm water, 110-115°F
• 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 envelope active dry yeast (1 1/8 tsp) (not rapid rise)
• 11 oz all-purpose flour
• 1 oz unsalted butter, melted
• Vegetable oil
• 1/3 C baking soda
• 2 C cold water
• pretzel salt (or kosher salt)

1.  Heat oven to 350°F.  Combine the warm water, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until the mixture foams.
2.  Add flour and butter and, using dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Remove dough from the bowl, clean the bowl, then oil it well. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.  At the same time, spread baking soda on a baking pan and bake at 350°F while dough is rising - about 55 minutes.  Be very careful when removing pan from oven!  Do not breathe in the soda dust!
4. Turn oven heat up to 375°F. Line sheet pan with parchment paper and lightly brush with oil. Set aside.
5. Add baked soda to cold water, stir to dissolve. Turn dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, and, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place into cold water solution and allow to soak for 3-4 minutes. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
6. Remove pretzels from water using a large flat spatula or spider. Place onto lined pan and sprinkle with salt.  Allow to air-dry for 15 minutes.  Move to a fresh section of the pan and bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, watching for appropriate browning. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes before serving.

Robyn's notes: this is multiple recipes from other sources combined and reduced.  I can't eat anything that requires chewing at the moment (just had surgery), so no star rating or opinion on finished product until he gives me his feedback.  This was actually a very easy baked good to make, even though there are so many steps.  For the pretzel bites, I let them air-dry for about 10 minutes instead of 15, and baked for about 10 minutes instead of 20.  Each was about an inch of dough prior to baking.

Couscous Pancake with Topping Options

• 1 C cooked couscous, cooled
• 1 1/2 Tbsp beaten egg
• 3 Tbsp dried grated Parmesan cheese (Kraft)
• olive oil

1.  Mix together couscous, egg, and cheese.
2.  Heat about 1 Tbsp oil in small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Spoon one-fourth of couscous mixture into oil in skillet and flatten into a pancake.  Cook, uncovered, 3-4 minutes or until underside is golden.  Turn with large spatula and cook other side.  Repeat with remaining couscous mixture until four pancakes have been cooked.

Robyn's notes: I ate one of these pancakes alone, sprinkled with a bit of extra Parmesan, and liked it but definitely felt it would be a good base for something more.  Since the couscous I used was Parmesan flavour, I thought chicken with marinara sauce and a bit more Parmesan would go well, but have made so many things with marinara sauce recently that I wanted to branch out a bit.  Two pancakes I topped with about 1.5 oz each diced cooked chicken breast, then about a Tbsp each of marinara sauce, and sprinkled fresh Parmesan over the top.  Quite good!  The other two pancakes I topped with again about 1.5oz each diced cooked chicken breast, then about a Tbsp each of chunky applesauce, and sprinkled just a bare amount of grated Cheddar over top.  Also good, and the sweet from the applesauce was a good addition, though in this case I think I preferred the first toppings.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often 

One of my xmas gifts was a waffle-maker, which I had wanted for years, and I swore I was going to "waffle everything".  So I used this recipe to make a couscous waffle, which I have done several times.  It's good, though the pancake is a bit better. 

Slow-Cooker Tomato Chicken Bake

This recipe has gone through some adjusting, but I was determined to find an easy way to use up some leftover pasta sauce that was in the fridge. 

• 1 C rigatoni (no substitutions)
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 oz total)
• 1/4 C mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 1/2 C marinara sauce
• 2 Tbsp water

1.  Spray the inside of a 1.5 quart slow-cooker with cooking spray.  Pour pasta into crock, spreading to cover bottom.  Place chicken on top of pasta and top with cheese.  Pour marinara sauce over chicken and pasta, add water to crock.  Cook on LOW for 5 hours.

Robyn's notes: the pasta will not be al dente, because of the long cook time, but part of the point was that I wanted a recipe that I could just toss together and not worry about until dinnertime.  A medium sized, good thick pasta is necessary to hold up without becoming mush, which is why the rigatoni.  I used Barilla brand because it's the best quality my market sells and therefore the most heavy-duty.  Even penne is not as thick as rigatoni, despite being a similar shape.  The end result is not hugely exciting, but it's hearty, filling, and tasty, and requires so little work that it's worth making.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

 

Cream Cheese Mints

• 4oz room temperature cream cheese (not light or 1/3 less fat)
• 1/2 tsp peppermint or spearmint extract
• 3 C powdered sugar

1.  Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth (to get air into it), adding the extract at the same time. 
2.  Add powdered sugar 1/2 C to 1 C at a time and mix until well combined.
3.  As the dough is exposed to the air it will become less sticky.  Scoop up small amounts from the sections that aren't too sticky and roll into 1/2 inch balls, placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Quickly press each ball flat with a fork, lifting fork fast before it can stick.  Refrigerate several hours or overnight.  Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Robyn's notes: the first Christmas that I made these, I batched the dough into 3 bowls, adding red food colouring to one, green to another, and leaving the third white.  I then combined half balls of multiple colours to get the effect shown above.  The following year I gently swirled red and green food colouring into the white dough, so each mint ended up lightly marbled with all three colours.  This was easier and I liked the look better.  Leaving the mints white is totally fine, too.

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

Cheesy Chicken Couscous Pie

This time of year it seems most people are looking to use up Thanksgiving leftovers.  While this recipe is a great use for stuff left in the fridge, it has no connection to turkey day.  Truth is, it's very cold outside (-12°F when I got up this morning), and I will basically do whatever is necessary to avoid a grocery store trip until it's a bit warmer. 

• 1 C Parmesan couscous, cooked and chilled
• 1 1/2 Tbsp beaten egg
• 2 slices prosciutto, torn into small pieces
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 C cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 4 oz chicken, cubed, cooked, and chilled

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.  Mix together couscous and egg, then divide evenly between two mini pie pans, pressing into base and up sides.  Bake these shells for 15 minutes, then allow to cool for 3-5 minutes.
2.  Meanwhile, in a small skillet, saute prosciutto in butter until crispy, drain on a paper towel. 
3.  Combine cream cheese and milk, stir in all but 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese.   Fold in chicken and all but about 1 Tbsp of cooked prosciutto. 
4.  Divide chicken mixture evenly, pouring into cooked couscous shells.  Sprinkle remaining Parmesan and prosciutto over tops of each, and bake at 375°F for 15-17 minutes.

Robyn's notes: I had leftover prosciutto, couscous, chicken, and a mix of cream cheese and Parmesan in my fridge, which is how this recipe came into being.  But it can obviously be made from scratch if those items aren't hanging around.  While I try not to write recipes that call for specialty equipment, this one does require mini pie pans.  Without them, mini tart pans might work, but otherwise I can't advise for adjustments.  Bacon could be used in place of the prosciutto, in which case it might be wise to add a bit of salt, prosciutto is very salty so doesn't need it.  If cooking the chicken for this recipe, a bit of garlic salt might be a nice addition.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Creamy Tomato Couscous

This should look very familiar, as it's a variation on a recipe I posted not long ago.  I have this jar of marinara sauce needing to be used up, and the bulk couscous I have in the cupboard is tomato, so I thought "why not?!". 

• 1/2 C water
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp butter (if desired)
• 1/2 C uncooked couscous
• 2 Tbsp cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
• 2 heaping Tbsp marinara sauce

1.   Bring water, salt, and butter if using to a boil in a small saucepan.  Quickly stir in couscous, cover, and remove from heat.  Let stand 4-5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
2.  Combine cheeses, stir mixture into couscous. When incorporated, stir in marinara sauce.

Robyn's notes: I really quite enjoyed this, the tomato sauce gave it a little extra oomph that I liked.  I tested the recipe alone, not as the side to a meal, so I can't say what it would work best alongside.  

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

English Muffin Pizzas

Change of plan for dinner tonight, because I've misplaced my notes for the meal I was going to make, and after wasting a lot of time looking (and some time watching the snow), I gave up and decided to just make something quick. 

• 2 English muffins, split
• 4 Tbsp marinara sauce
• 4 Tbsp mozzarella cheese
• various preferred pizza toppings

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.  Spread 1 Tbsp sauce over each muffin half, top with cheese and toppings of choice.  Bake at 375°F for 9-11 minutes or until cheese is melted and just browning at the edges. 

Robyn's notes: be careful not to oversauce, pizza really requires far less sauce than many people think.  This is a good option when needing something quick and easy, or to use ingredients left by previous meals, especially marinara sauce.  Speaking of which, for this occasion I cracked open the last jar of store-bought sauce in my cupboard--the rest are all homemade and therefore half-pints--so the clock is ticking on using it before it needs to be tossed.  Recipes utilizing it are forthcoming, and there are several listed in Using Up Ingredients.  Vegetarian if no meat is used as a topping.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Grilled Chicken with Chipotle-Orange Glaze

This is the recipe I bought the chipotles in adobo sauce for in the first place! 

• 1 Tbsp orange juice concentrate, thawed (see notes, below)
• 1 1/2 tsp finely chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp molasses
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (8 oz total)
• 1/8 tsp salt

1.  Preheat grill or broiler to high, lightly oil the rack.
2.  Whisk orange juice concentrate, chipotles, vinegar, molasses, and mustard in a small bowl.
3.  Sprinkle chicken with salt.  Grill or broil chicken for 2 minutes.  Turn the chicken, brush with glaze, and cook, brushing occasionally with more glaze, 4 minutes more.  Turn the chicken again, brush with the glaze, and cook until no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 5 minutes more.

Robyn's notes: the day is not coming when I will either thaw an entire package of orange juice concentrate in order to use 1 Tablespoon or try to shave off the right amount still frozen to just thaw a bit.  So what I did was juice an orange into a thin glass early in the day, and let it sit.  The juice will separate, with much of the water rising to the top and leaving a concentrated juice at the bottom.  I poured off the watery top and used just the remaining thick juice for this recipe.  Because of my sensitivity to spice, I didn't chop up the chipotle.  I left the whole pepper in the bowl when I whisked the glaze together, so it would provide some kick but not too much.  It's a good thing, too, because this was quite spicy for me, though quite good.  After slicing the chicken for the plate I drizzled on a little extra glaze.  I broiled this, but it would be oven-free if grilled.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

 

Chipotle-Mornay Muffin Melts

I seem to be on a bit of a chipotle kick recently.  Since so much of the can is left over after each recipe, I was brainstorming and came up with a bunch of ideas that I thought would be good to try.  Then I got pretty busy elsewhere in life and had a few days in a row where I needed quick, easy dinners.  So instead of spacing those recipes out as I usually would, I had chipotle-based dishes a couple nights straight.

• 2 English muffins, split
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced into coins
• 1/4 tsp salt, divided
• pinch pepper
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 3/4 C milk
• 3/4 C shredded Gruyere
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

1.  Toast English muffins, top with a single layer of egg coins, and season with about 1/8 tsp of salt and the pepper.
2.  In a small saucepan, melt butter.  Stir in flour, remaining 1/8 tsp salt, and pepper.  Stir in milk all at once.  Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly.  Stir in Gruyere until melted; add chipotle pepper and let adobo sauce incorporate completely.  Pour sauce over egg-topped muffins.

Robyn's notes: a Mornay sauce is Bechemel (white sauce) with Gruyere and egg yolks added.  In this case the egg is not in the sauce, but under it!  I thought this worked out pretty well, I was pretty stingy with the pepper and adobo sauce, so it just added a little kick and some depth of flavour.  My only real complaint is aesthetic, I wish the final dish wasn't so pale!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Slow-Cooked Baked Potato with Chipotle Cream Sauce

Sure, a potato can be baked in the oven, in the microwave, on a grill, even tossed into a campfire.  But sometimes on a busy or stressful day it's nice to know that your potato is ready and waiting for you, without your needing to do anything else to it.

• 2 medium russet potatoes
• 1 Tbsp oil
• pinch kosher salt
• 1/4 C mayonnaise
• 1/4 C sour cream
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped

1.  Poke potatoes in several places with a fork, rub with oil and sprinkle with salt.  Wrap in aluminum foil, place in 1 1/2 quart slow-cooker, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2.  In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, and chipotle with sauce.  Refrigerate, covered, for at least one hour to allow flavours to blend.
3.  Split potatoes, spoon sauce over top, and serve.

Robyn's notes: use as much or as little of the adobo sauce with the pepper as fits your preference for spice.  I'm very sensitive to it, so I use just the littlest bit.  The remaining sauce and peppers in the can will last a few days covered in the fridge, or can be frozen.  If freezing, pour into a zip-loc bag and seal, flattening the bag so that the peppers are in a single layer when the bag is laid on its side.  Freeze in that position.  Next time you need a pepper, you can break or cut off just the one with some sauce and allow it to thaw, without having to thaw the entire bag.  See Using Up Ingredients for other uses.  I find it really difficult to get small or medium russet potatoes anymore, unless I buy a 5-10lb bag.  If Jumbos are all that's available, one will serve two people.  It's been awhile since I had a baked potato come out as perfectly cooked as this: cooked through perfectly but not dry inside.  The sauce was a nice topping for it, though about halfway through the potato I had to start adding shredded cheese to cut down the spice.  But as I say, I'm very sensitive to heat.  I had some mashed potatoes in the fridge that I brought home from a potluck, so I saved a bit of this sauce to stir into them when re-heating.  That was ok, gave them a bit of a kick, but didn't provide much in the way of flavour, just spice.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Three-Cheese Mac with Crispy Prosciutto

This recipe comes from the cookbook "One Pan, Two Plates", which has some absolutely amazing-looking recipes.  However, from the moment I received it I simply couldn't believe the dishes inside were truthfully 2 servings.  As soon as I started this one, I had a sinking feeling about how many days this was going to have to be eaten (2 Cups of elbow mac is way more than 2 servings, according to the box of pasta it's just over 4 servings).  But I had purchased all the ingredients, looked forward to it for ages, and can't review a book without cooking from it, so I went ahead.  This is ridiculously oversized.  The only way this serves two is if one of them is a horse. 

• salt
• 2 C elbow macaroni
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 6 thin slices prosciutto, cut crosswise into strips
• 1/2 C panko bread crumbs
• 1 1/2 Tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 C warm milk
• 1/3 C crumbled goat cheese
• 1/3 C grated Parmesan
• 1/3 C shredded Gruyere
• pinch grated nutmeg
• freshly ground pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Position rack in center.
2.  Fill 12-inch ovenproof skillet with water up to about 1 inch from the top.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add 2 tsp salt and toss in macaroni.  Stir once or twice to keep pasta from sticking.
3.  Reduce heat to medium-high.  Cook at gentle boil until almost cooked through, chewy but not tough (about 2 minutes less time than the package calls for).  Drain and run cold water over pasta to stop cooking and avoid clumping.
4.  Add 2 Tbsp butter to pan and melt over medium-high heat.  Add prosciutto and toss in pan until crispy, about 2 minutes.  Transfer prosciutto to plate.  Put panko in a small bowl, pour hot butter from pan over panko and toss to coat.
5.  Return pan to medium-high heat and add remaining 2 Tbsp butter.  When butter is melted, sprinkle in flour and 1/4 tsp salt.  Cook, stirring, until flour becomes foamy, about 1 minute.  Whisk in warm milk, and stir until mixture is thickened, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and all all three cheeses, nutmeg, and pepper, stirring until cheeses are melted.  Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.  Stir in macaroni and prosciutto until pasta is coated and prosciutto is evenly distributed.  Smooth top and sprinkle panko over top.
6.  Transfer to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until juices are bubbly and top is lightly browned. 

Robyn's notes: so many problems with this.  I don't give a lot of 1-star ratings, so clearly I had some issues.  We'll start with the two things that were entirely my own fault: a 12-inch cast-iron skillet full of food or water is beyond my ability to easily lift.  I'm disabled, and I get that this is not a problem for many cooks, but trying to move a heavy skillet full of boiling water from the stove to the sink so I can drain it was dangerous.  Secondly, my oven is not full-size.  It's not tiny, but it is slightly smaller than a normal oven, which means I don't have a burner large enough to accommodate a 12-inch skillet.  Ok, those are the only things that were my own issues.  I was very careful about the heat level, especially since my burner is small, but when I added the first butter in step 4, it smoked up fast and sudden and started to burn immediately.  I did the best I could with it, but that meant the prosciutto was given a slight burnt taste, as was the panko.  The sauce looked luscious and thick and creamy and cheesy when I stirred in the mac and prosciutto, but when the pan came out of the oven there was no sauce left.  The noodles were just dry, and basically have no flavour.  Any bite without a bit of prosciutto in it is bland bland bland.  Since this is, as I said above, way more than two servings, and the cheeses and prosciutto were not cheap, I will be eating this terribly bland meal at least once a day for the next couple days.  I am not happy.  

* 1 Star: Not Too Good. Neither of us liked this enough for me to bother making it again without complete overhaul

 

Pear Rose Cardamom Oatmeal

This recipe comes from Vegan Slow Cooking for Two or Just for You, which I've had for over a year and had not yet cooked from.

• 1/2 C steel-cut oats
• 2 C unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 small pear, chopped
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp rosewater, food grade
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• sweetener to taste (sugar, stevia, etc)

1.  Spray 1 1/2 qt crockpot with cooking spray.  Add all ingredients except sweetener.  Cook on low overnight (7-9 hours).
2.  Stir oatmeal well and add sweetener.

Robyn's notes: this tasted good, but I found the texture extremely unpleasant.  It was just a mush, and fairly slimy.  I sweetened with brown sugar and found myself adding quite a lot of it just to break up the unpleasant feel in my mouth.  

** 2 Stars: Acceptable. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, if I make changes