Instant Pot Hard-Cooked Eggs

I'm not breaking any new ground with this one, but having it here will help me remember the adjustments I made for yield and elevation.

• 1/2 C water
• 6 large eggs

1.  Pour water into the inner pot of Instant Pot.  Insert steam rack, handles up, into the pot.  Carefully set eggs, in a single layer, on the rack, and place the inner pot into the cooker.
2.  Close and lock lid of Instant Pot.  Turn the steam release handle to "sealing" position.  Press "Manual" and cook at High Pressure 9 minutes.
3.  While eggs cook, fill a large bowl with cold water.  When time is up, immediately open the cooker using Quick Pressure Release.  Transfer eggs to cold water to stop the cooking process.  Cool completely and store in refrigerator.

Robyn's notes: this is the only way I make hard-cooked eggs anymore, and I've been making tons of them since I started doing it this way.  It's quick, I don't have to stand watching for the water to boil, and they cook exactly the way I want them to.  I've also found that they've been peeling more easily than hard-boiled eggs, but that could be more a function of the eggs themselves than the cooking process.  I fill the bowl with water and place it in the fridge while the eggs are cooking, so I don't have to bother with ice, taking it out just before the time is up.  Remember that 9 minutes is the cooktime for my altitude, sea level will be lower (though not by much).  Experiment to find your perfect time.

For my IP Mini, it's 3/4 C water and 7 minutes.

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

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

Allergy-Free Powdered Sugar

Corn-free powdered sugar, used just like store-bought, no need to adjust your recipes to use it!

• 1 C sugar
• 1 Tbsp tapioca starch

1.  Combine sugar and starch in a blender or spice grinder.  Process for 1-2 minutes, until consistency of light powdered sugar.  Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag.

Robyn's notes: this is very easy and quick.  If using a spice grinder or coffee grinder, it'll have to be done in batches, but in the blender it can all be done at once.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

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

Barbecue Chicken Stromboli

Taking advantage of a few of our made-ahead items makes this go quickly!

• 1 portion Pizza Dough, thawed if frozen
• 1 portion Shredded Chicken Base, thawed
• 3/4 C barbecue sauce
• 1/3 C chopped red onion
• 1/3 C chopped green pepper
• 2 Tbsp chopped sweet pickles or banana peppers (optional)
• 1 C shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 Tbsp water

1.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.  Roll Pizza Dough into a 10"x12" rectangle.
2.  For filling, in a medium bowl combine Shredded Chicken Base, barbecue sauce, red onion, green pepper, and pickles if desired.  Spread filling on dough to within 1 inch of the edges.  Sprinkle with cheese.  In a small bowl combine egg and water; brush some of the egg mixture on edges of dough.  Roll up the rectangle; pinch dough to seal seams and ends.
3.  Place loaf, seam side down, on prepared baking sheet.  Brush with more egg mixture.  Cover loosely with cling film.  Let rise in refrigerator overnight.
4.  Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Remove cling film from loaf.  Using a sharp knife, cut a few slits in the top of the loaf for steam to escape.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden.  Cool slightly.  Cut into slices to serve.

Robyn's notes: I ought to have put more effort into pressing/rolling the dough into the right size rectangle, this was really bulging to burst.  But it was still tasty, and because of the overnight rest it just went straight into the oven to be served for dinner.  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

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

Chicken Pot Pies

Since we've made several components ahead of time, this goes together in a blink!

• 1 1/2 C frozen mixed vegetables (beans, corn, carrots, and peas)
• 1 portion Shredded Chicken Base, thawed
• 1 portion Cheese Sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp snipped fresh thyme
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 recipe Pastry Dough

 1.  Preheat oven to 425°F.  For filling, in a large bowl combine frozen mixed vegetables, Shredded Chicken Base, Cheese Sauce, thyme, pepper, and salt.  Divide filling between two 10oz ramekins or custard cups.
2.  Divide Pastry Dough into two portions.  Roll each into a 6-inch circle (or size needed to top your baking dish).  Place pastry circles on filling.  Turn edges under, crimp as desired.  Using a sharp knife, cut a small cutout or a few slits in each pastry top to allow steam to escape.
3.  Place pot pies on a baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Robyn's notes:  Nice and quick, and our pastry dough works quite well in this recipe.  Remember to use an unsweetened pastry dough here.  To make pot pies ahead, complete step 1, then cover with cling film and refrigerate until ready to bake.  Remove cling film and follow remaining steps.  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

Chicken Enchiladas

Once you've prepared by making the chicken base and cheese sauce, assembling these tasty enchiladas takes no time at all!

• 1/2 of a 15oz can navy beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 portion Shredded Chicken Base
• 1 portion Cheese Sauce
• 1 C shredded 4 cheese Mexican blend
• 1/2 of a 4oz can diced green chile peppers, drained
• 4 flour tortillas, 8inch

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.  Coat rectangular baking dish with cooking spray.  For filling, in a medium bowl combine beans and chicken.  Stir in half of cheese sauce, half of the cheese, and the green chiles.
2.  To assemble enchiladas, place about 1/2 C of filling on each tortilla.  Roll tortillas and place, seam side down, in baking dish.  Top enchiladas with the remaining cheese sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
3.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until heated through.  If needed, cover loosely with foil the last 10 minutes, to prevent overbrowning.  If desired, serve with chopped tomato, fresh cilantro, and/or sour cream.

Robyn's notes: to make these ahead, follow instructions through step 2.  Then cover baking dish with foil or cling film, and place entire dish into a resealable freezer bag.  Seal and freeze up to 3 months.  To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight.  Preheat oven, remove bag, cling film/foil, and follow instructions in step 3.  These were pretty good, though I'm not giving them 4 stars because I can't eat beans or chiles, so I had to do a lot of picking things out.  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

Cheese Sauce

After making a batch of this, several other recipes will go like lightning!

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 C finely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 C milk
• 1 1/2 C shredded 3-cheese blend

 1.  In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic; cook 4-5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally.  Stir in flour and pepper; cook and stir for 1 minute.  Gradually stir in milk.  Cook until sauce is thickened and bubbly, stirring frequently.  Add cheese, stirring until melted.
2.  Place cheese sauce in 1 Cup portions in airtight containers.  Cover and store in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Robyn's notes: a simple and straightforward cheese sauce, made particularly nice by the addition of garlic.  This sauce makes Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken PotPies, and Cajun Chicken Pasta go much faster on those days you don't have time, and can easily be used to make mac n cheese just by stirring cooked pasta into it and baking.  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

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

Make-Ahead Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Utilize leftovers and spend a little bit of time prepping ahead, and you can have this casserole in the freezer, ready and waiting for you to throw it into the oven on one of those too-busy nights! 

• 2 C cooked chicken, diced or shredded
• 2 large slices deli ham, roughly chopped or torn
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1/4 tsp ground mustard (see note, below)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• dash pepper
• 3/4 C milk
• 3 large slices deli swiss cheese
• 1/2 C breadcrumbs

1.  Spray inside of small oven-safe casserole dishes or cocottes with cooking spray.  Spread chicken evenly along bottom of each.  Sprinkle ham evenly over tops. 
2.  In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat until just bubbling.  Add flour and seasonings, whisk until fully incorporated, being careful not to burn.  Add milk all at once.  Continue whisking until flour is fully incorporated and sauce has thickened, about 3-4 minutes. 
3.  Pour white sauce over chicken-ham mixture in each casserole dish.  Top with slices of cheese, tearing or cutting to shape if necessary. 
4.  Cover with container lid or foil.  Casseroles can be refrigerated for a day or frozen for a few weeks.  To bake: remove from fridge or freezer and place on counter to start thaw.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Remove lid from dish and top casserole with breadcrumbs.  Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, or until heated through (if starting from frozen, this may take longer).  

Robyn's notes: if I were making this again, I would change the white sauce a bit.  I would leave out the ground mustard and after adding the milk would stir in a Tablespoon of Dijon mustard.  I felt like the finished dish was simply missing something, and I find that Dijon in chicken cordon bleu helps add the needed depth.  Italian breadcrumbs will taste best, if you only have plain you can add Italian seasoning and some dessicated grated Parmesan cheese (in the green plastic container, you know what I mean).  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

Fast Fruit Pie

If you've kept a batch of our make-ahead pie/tart dough in the freezer, you can use it to throw together this quick pie, using frozen fruit! 

• 1 C frozen sliced peaches, unsweetened
• 1/4 C frozen raspberries, unsweetened
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp tapioca starch (tapioca flour)
• 1 batch pie dough

1.  Preheat oven to 400°F.  In a medium bowl, combine raspberries, peaches, sugar, and tapioca starch.  Fruit does not need to be thawed ahead of time.  Set aside. 
2.  On a lightly-floured surface, roll one portion of dough to fit inside of 7-inch pie pan.  Gently place into pan, pressing into place carefully.  Roll second portion of dough to the same thickness as the first.  Use small cookie cutters to cut out sections of dough, set aside. 
3.  Transfer fruit mixture to dough-lined pie pan.  Top with cut-out dough pieces.  Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, or until dough is golden and fruit is cooked through inside.  Allow to cool on a rack for several minutes before serving. 
You can change up the fruit used in this pie to your preference, as long as it totals about 1-1 1/4 C.

Robyn's notes: by fluting the edges of the crust or using a lattice top instead of cut-outs, you can make this pie very pretty.  My intent here was to show a fast, delicious pie, not one for presentation, but feel free to go wild with the look.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe (and the dough!) on youtube!

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

Make-Ahead Pizza Dough & Frozen Pizzas

With these in the freezer, you'll never be at a loss for a meal when you're in a rush!

• 1 packet (0.25oz or 2 1/4 tsp) yeast
• 1 1/2 C warm water, divided
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 3/4 C flour
• 1 1/4 C whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

1.  In a small bowl, stir the yeast into 1/2 C of the warm water.  Let sit for 5 minutes until dissolved.
2.  Combine the remaining 1 C warm water with olive oil.  Set aside.
3.  Combine the flours and salt in the bowl of stand mixer with dough hook attached, and mix to combine.  With the mixer running, add the yeast mixture and water-olive oil mixture to the flour.  Mix until a ball forms, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl if needed.  Mix for another minute to knead.
4.   Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand until dough is satiny and smooth, dusting with more flour if needed, for about 3 minutes.
5.  Place dough in an oiled container or bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
6.  Turn dough out onto floured surface and divide into 5 equal pieces.  Round the dough into tight balls, cover with a clean towel, and let sit for 20-30 minutes.
7.  The dough can be baked now, or may be wrapped tightly and stored in the refrigerator for 8 hours or the freezer for about 2 months.  To thaw frozen dough, move to refrigerator still wrapped, for 8 hours.
8.  To make frozen pizza, preheat oven to 500°F.  Press dough into 8-inch cast iron skillet.  Add preferred toppings and bake pizza until the crust is set but not browned, 5-6 minutes.  Let pizza cool to room temperature, wrap well, and freeze.  Bake directly from the freezer for about 12 minutes.

Robyn's notes: this is quite easy and makes a good pizza dough with the right texture and bite.  Use it to make Cast Iron Pizza.  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

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 Skillet Mac n Cheese

If you really want nice crunchy browned cheese bits around the edges of your mac n cheese, a cast iron skillet is the way to go!

• 1 C small elbow pasta
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 3/4 C milk
• 1 C shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/4 C bread crumbs

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Cook pasta until not quite cooked through, about 5 minutes.
2.  In 8 inch cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add flour and whisk constantly until combined and just starting to brown.  Do not overcook flour.  Add milk all at once, whisking constantly.  Continue whisking until thickened.
3.  In small bowl, combine 1/4 C of cheese with breadcrumbs.  Set aside.  Add cheese to white sauce and stir through to combine.  Stir pasta into sauce, top with breadcrumb mixture.  Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes until hot throughout and browned on top.

Robyn's notes: if desired, the pasta can be cooked in the skillet first, instead of in a separate pan.  For me, the weight of the cast iron, combined with how shallow it is, makes me nervous about carrying it full of boiling water and pasta to the sink to drain.  But I have done it, so I can promise it's possible.  I got mostly set up to do this and only then realized I was out of regular elbow mac, so instead of going back to the store I used gluten-free.  Barilla brand gluten-free elbow mac, while oddly translucent in the box, tastes the same in this recipe as regular pasta.  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

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

Bacon Cheddar Bread

• 3 slices bacon
• 3/4 C plus 2 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pinch cayenne pepper
• pinch pepper
• 2oz extra-sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1/2 C)
• 1/4 C whole milk
• 3 Tbsp sour cream
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing pan
• 1 large egg
• 1oz Parmesan cheese, shredded on large holes of box grater (about 1/3 C)

1.  In a cast iron skillet, cook bacon well.  Crumble and spread out to cool on paper towels.  Drain off excess bacon grease but do not wipe out or clean skillet.
2.  When bacon is completely cool and all grease is gone from it, preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne, and pepper together in medium bowl. Fold in cheddar, breaking up clumps, until it is coated with flour mixture. In separate bowl, whisk milk, sour cream, melted butter, and egg together until smooth. Gently fold milk mixture into flour mixture with rubber spatula until just combined (do not overmix). Batter will be heavy and thick.
4. Scrape batter into skillet and smooth top. Sprinkle remaining 3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese evenly over top of batter. Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out with few crumbs attached, 25-30 minutes.
5. Let bread cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

Robyn's notes: I had originally envisioned these as biscuits, but the batter was quite loose and ran together in the oven.  I cut the finished bread into four quarters along the lines where the biscuits had been dropped in.  Really good.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

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

Cherry Garcia Bread

I made ice cream bread a few years ago, when it was making its way across the web like lightning.  It was fine, it definitely was bread, but it just wasn't very interesting.  My very first thought at the time was that it needed dark cherries.  So when I noticed that Ben & Jerry's pints were on sale recently, I decided that Cherry Garcia® would make a good experiment. 

• 1 C Cherry Garcia® ice cream, softened
• 3/4 C self-rising flour (see notes, below)

1.  Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Grease and flour a mini loaf pan.  
2.  Stir together ice cream and flour until flour is just moistened.  Do not overmix.  Spoon into prepared loaf pan.  
3.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Robyn's notes: if you don't have self-rising flour on hand and don't want to buy it just for this purpose, you can make your own.  Self-rising just means the leavening is already mixed into the flour.  To make, combine 1 C all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt, then measure what the recipe calls for from the mixture.  I bake at high altitude, so this took more than 35 minutes to get properly done in the center, but closer to sea level the shorter time may work best.

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