What I used:

• 2/3 cup panko
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• zest of one lemon
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 (6-8 oz) salmon fillets, skin on
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• Lemon wedges, for serving

What I did:

1. Preheat the oven to 425.
2. Lay the salmon skin-side down on a cutting board and brush with the dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Mix the panko, parsley, lemon zest, a pinch of salt and pepper together. Drizzle it with a little olive oil and toss until the panko is coated.
4. Press the panko mixture generously on top of the mustard on each salmon fillet.
5. Heat the canola oil over medium-high heat in a large oven-proof saute pan. When the oil is very hot, add the salmon fillets, skin side down, and sear for 3 to 4 minutes, without turning, to brown the skin.
6. Transfer the pan to the oven for 5-7 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover with foil, and rest for 5-10 minutes.
   

What I used:

• 2 tsp plus 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 leek, white and light green parts, sliced 1/4-inch thick (I buy these pre-cleaned at TJ’s)
• 2 carrots, peeled and and 1/2-inch-diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 cup french green lentils
• 1 whole onion, peeled and stuck with 6 whole cloves
• 1 white turnip, cut in half
• 1 heaping tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

What I did:

1. Place the lentils, 4 cups of water, the clove-studded onion, and the turnip in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Once the lentils are boiling, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are almost tender.
2. Meanwhile, saute the carrots and leek in 2 tsp of olive oil over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until the carrots are tender. Add the garlic, cook for one minute, and season the whole thing with salt and pepper and remove to a medium bowl for later.
3. Once the lentils are tender, discard the onion and turnip and drain the lentils. Place them into the bowl with the leek and carrots.
4. Whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil, the mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the lentil mixture Add to the lentils, stir well, and allow the lentils to cool until just warm, about 15 minutes. Taste, season with salt and pepper and serve.
   

What I used:

• 1 large egg
• salt and black pepper
• 1 small onion, finely chopped (I would grate it with a microplane or box grater next time)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 ounces ground pork
• 8 ounces ground dark-meat turkey
• 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
• 2 tbsp olive oil

What I did:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together egg, 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Stir in the onion and the garlic, along with the breadcrumbs, parmesan, pork, turkey, and italian seasoning. Mix gently and form into 16 balls.
   
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the meatballs on all sides.
   
3. If you are making a gravy to serve with these, drop the meatballs into the gravy and cook gently through. Otherwise, finish cooking in a 350 oven for about 20 minutes.
   

What I used:

• 1 lb lamb shank for stew
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 28-oz cans of crushed tomatoes (I often use Tuttorosso brand, but San Marzano tomatoes would be ideal)
• chopped parsley and basil (about 1/4 cup of each)
• splash of red wine
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• small piece of rind from a hunk of parmigiano reggiano (optional)
• 1 tsp italian seasoning
• salt, pepper
• olive oil
• whole wheat spaghetti, grated parmesan cheese, and italian bread for serving

What I did:

1. Heat a tbsp or two in a large pot over medium high heat. Season your lamb with salt and pepper and brown thoroughly on both sides. Remove from the pot. Brown any other meat you’ll be using as well (sausages, meatballs — recipe for meatballs TBA) and remove from the pot.
2. Reduce heat to medium and saute the onion and garlic until tender (7-8 minutes). Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, parsley, basil, italian seasoning, parmesan rind, sugar, wine, salt & pepper.
   
3. Add the lamb back to the pot, bring to a bubble, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for 3-4 hours, removing the cover for the last hour. Stir occasionally.
4. Serve with spaghetti, bread, and some red wine.
   

   

What I used:

• 2 cups heart smart bisquick
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2/3 cup fat-free half and half (or milk)
• 2 tbsp butter, melted (I love terrygold salted butter!)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt

What I did:

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Mix the bisquick, cheese, milk, and garlic powder together with a wooden spoon. The dough will be very sticky. Using a spoon or an ice cream scooper, scoop biscuits onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10-13 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter and mix in the oregano and garlic salt. When the biscuits come out of the oven, brush with the melted butter while still warm.Mmmmmmm.
   

What I used:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped shallots
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• pinch allspice
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes (I used tuttorosso brand, but san marzano would have been ideal)
• 2 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth
• salt, black pepper
• 1/3 cup cream
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil
• shaved parmesan cheese for garnish

What I did:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and saute for a few minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
2. Add a pinch of allspice and the tomato paste. Let the tomato paste caramelize on the bottom of the pot for a minute or two before adding the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat back to a simmer and let bubble for 20 minutes.
4. Stir in the cream and basil and serve with some shaved parmesan.

Tuna and White Bean Salad
Serves 2
Just the Tip / Inspired by the Spontaneous Hausfrau

What I used:

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 19-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 5-oz can of tuna, drained (I like the italian tuna in olive oil)
• 1/4 cup shallots, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp pesto
• 2 tbsp sundried tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
• salt, pepper

What I did:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, pesto, shallots, and parsley.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

What I used:

• olive oil
• 9 oz brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 2-3 small sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced into 1/4 inch discs
• salt & pepper
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 tsp penzey’s arizona dreaming

What I did:

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, salt & pepper, lemon juice and arizona dreaming seasoning.
3. Transfer the veggies to a baking sheet in one layer and roast for 20-25 minutes until tender.
4. Drizzle with a little more olive oil serve.
   

Overall, the recipe is very tasty and light, but just be careful not to overcook the chicken during the roasting process as it will continue to cook in the stew.

Ina’s Chicken Chili
Serves 6+
Just the Tip / Inspired by Barefoot Contessa

What I’d use next time:

• 4 cups chopped yellow onions (2-3 large onions)
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the chicken
• 2 large cloves of garlic, minced or grated
• 2 red bell peppers, large-diced
• 2 yellow bell peppers, large-diced
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 19-oz can cannelini beans (I like progresso), rinsed
• 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for chicken
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled unsalted plum tomatoes in puree, undrained
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
• 4 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
• Freshly ground black pepper

For garnish: Corn chips, grated cheddar, sour cream

Here’s what I did:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook the onions in the oil over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and salt. Cook for 1 minute.
3. Crush the tomatoes by hand and add to the pot along with the basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
4. Meanwhile, brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until just cooked. Let cool slightly.
5. Separate the meat from the bones and skin and cut it into 3/4-inch chunks. Add to the chili, along with the beans, and simmer uncovered for 20 more minutes. Top with the garnishes and serve.
   

What I used:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 small-medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 7 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise sliced
• 4 cups low-sodium, organic chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp herbes de provence (or you could use italian seasoning)
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 15-oz cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 6 oz baby spinach
• grated parmesan for garnish (optional)

What I did:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the ol is rippling, add the onions, carrots, and garlic and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the kielbasa and sauté for a few more minutes, then add the broth, beans salt, pepper, herbes de provence and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, reduce the heat ad simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Spoon some of the soup into a food processor or blender (except for the kielbasa) and process until smooth. Return the pureed mixture back to the pan and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Stir in the spinach until wilted and serve.
   

What I used:

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 8 ounces chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1 tsp taco seasoning
• Salt and pepper
• cilantro for garnish

What I did:

1. Into a medium bowl, grate the cauliflower florets using a microplane or a box grater. Once grated, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and cook in he microwave for 7-8 minutes. Fluff with a fork, season with salt, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, saute the onions and peppers for a few minutes and then add the garlic and saute a couple of minutes more. Season with salt, add the tomatoes, salsa, black beans and saute for a minute or two. Add the cauliflower and taco seasoning and saute until all of the liquid has released. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle on the cilantro and serve.
   

What I used:

• 3 cups of this chili
• 6 cubanelle or poblano peppers
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat shredded cheese
  Garnishes:
• chopped cilantro
• chopped red onion
• low-fat sour cream
• avocado

What I did:

1. Preheat broiler and arrange the peppers on your broiler pan or baking sheet. Blister under the broiler on all sides — 4-5 minutes per side until charred. Once thoroughly charred, remove the peppers and put them in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap.
2. Preheat the oven to 350.
3. Let the peppers sit in the bowl for 5-10 minutes until cool enough to handle. Once cooled, remove the skin from the pepper, cut a slit down the center, and gently remove the seeds. Place the peppers on a baking sheet.
4. Scoop 1/2 cup of chili into each pepper and cover with a little shredded cheese. Secure the peppers closed with some toothpicks and bake for about 20 minutes until the cheese has melted. Remove the toothpicks and serve with the garnishes of your liking.
   

What I used:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 lbs pork shoulder or butt, cut into 2 inch chunks and trimmed of excess fat
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 16-oz jar of green salsa
• 3 tbsp chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 3-4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 28-oz can pinto beans, rinsed
• juice of one lime
• salt & pepper to taste

What I did:

1. Preheat oven to 300.  Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper and add to the pot. In batches, brown the pork on all sides– don’t rush this! This will take upwards of 40 minutes. Don’t rush it!
2. Remove the meat from the pan and turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion, season with salt, and saute for a few minutes until it’s starting to soften. If there is a lot of brown crud on the bottom of the pan (there should be if you took your time browning the meat! that is all flavor – good stuff), you can throw a splash of chicken broth in the pan to loosen it up a bit. Add the garlic and saute for a couple of more minutes.
3. Add the chipotles, salsa verde, cumin, and coriander to the pot, stirring until combined.  Return the pork and any juices from the plate back to the pan and add the chicken broth in until the pork is 3/4 the way covered with liquid. Bring to a boil.
4. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven to cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until the pork is extremely tender. Remove pot from the oven, remove the pork to baking sheet, and skim off any fat on the surface of the liquid in the pot.
5. Pull the pork apart using forks (or these AWESOME bear paws that I got in my Christmas stocking!). Return the pot to stove over medium high heat. Add the beans and cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens. Add the pulled pork, lime juice, season with salt and pepper, and serve with sour cream if you like.
   
   

What I used:

• 4 cups apples (about 4 apples), peeled, cored, and cubed into 1/2″ pieces
• 6 tbsp flour (I used white whole wheat since that’s all I keep in the house)
• 3/4 cup raw cane sugar
• 2 heaping tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2-3 pillsbury pie crusts (I used 3 which made the crusts easier to to cut out, but it could also be done with 2 in a pinch)
• 2 tbsp chilled butter cut into 12 equal pieces
• 1 tbsp butter, melted

What I did:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. In a large bowl, toss the apples with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour.
3. Using a 3.5-4″ biscuit cutter (or a large-ish lid of some sort), cut out 12 circles from your pie crust. Arrange the circles in the cups of a muffin tin. Reserve the scraps.
4. Spoon the apple mixture into the muffin tins until slightly mounded. Add a piece of butter on top of each pie, and then top with the reserved scraps of dough and seal the pies as well as you can.
5. Brush with the melted butter and bake for about 20 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool and remove from the tins.
   

What I used:

• 1 small acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced thinly into 1/4″ rings
• olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 10 sage leaves
• 1/2 ground beef
• 1 lb ground veal
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 6 slices fontina cheese
• 4 crusty rolls
• honey for drizzling
• salt, pepper

What I did:

1. Preheat oven to 425. Lightly coat (or spray) the squash slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender and browned at the edges, 22-25 minutes. Once tender, remove from oven and drizzle with a little honey. Reserve.
2. Melt the butter over medium-high heat until it foams. Add the sage and fry until crisp, 1-2 minutes. Drain the sage on a paper towel and discard the butter.  Chop the sage once it is cool to the touch.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ground veal, ground beef, sage, garlic, and parmesan cheese. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper and form into patties.
4. Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook for 4 minutes, flip, top the burgers with a slice and a half of fontina and cook for another 4 minutes.
5. Lightly toast the buns and place the cheeseburgers on the roll bottoms, top with the squash rings and set the roll tops in place.
   

What I used:

• 1/3 cup Hellmann’s mayo
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup lipton’s onion soup/dip mix
• salt, pepper to taste

Here’s what I did:

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Combine the cheese and mayo in a bowl. Combine the breadcrumbs and onion soup mix in another bowl.
3. Arrange the chicken in a baking dish (lined with foil for easy clean-up). Season each chicken breast with salt and pepper, then spread each piece with the mayo mixture.
4. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over top and bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken reaches 160 degrees. Let rest for 5 minutes and serve.
   

Kale and Potato Salad in a Creamy Mustard Vinaigrette
Just the Tip / Inspired by Five and Spice

Here’s what I used:

• 16 oz teeny tiny potatoes (from Trader Joe’s – or use fingerling
• 4 slices of nitrate free bacon, sliced into lardons
• 1 bunch of kale, removed from stems and roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, divided
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp plain 2% greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp grainy dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp real maple syrup
• salt and pepper

Here’s what I did:

1. Add the potatoes to a medium pot and fill it to cover with water. Bring to a boil and let cook until fork tender (20 minutes or so).
2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crispy in a large saute pan. Drain on paper towels. Reserve 2 tbsp bacon fat and add the kale to the pan, reducing hte heat to medium-low. Allow to thoroughly wilt (about 10 minutes).
3. Once the potatoes are tender, drain and add to a large bowl. Quarter the potatoes and pour 2 tbsp red wine vinegar over top. Loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, the maple syrup, greek yogurt, olive oil, mustard, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
5. Once the kale has fully wilted, add it to the bowl with the potatoes. Pour the vinaigrette over top, tossing to combine, and top with the bacon. Serve warm.
   

First, separate your egg white in a big bowl and the yolks in smaller bowls.

Then, whip your egg whites until you get stiff peaks. If your arm gets tired, have someone help you.

Ignore the yelling cat who hates the sound of whisk on metal.

You can stop when your egg whites look like this.

Fold in some bacon and chives into the egg whites and spoon them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for a few minutes, then slide the yolks onto the whites. Season with salt and pepper, and bake for another couple of minutes until the yolks are cooked.

Eggs on a Cloud with Bacon and Chives
Serves 4

Here’s what I used:

• 4 eggs
• 3 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 cup minced chives
• salt, pepper

Here’s what I did:

1. Preheat the oven to 450.
2. Separate your egg whites into a large bowl and the egg whites into 4 separate small bowls.
3. Whisk the egg whites until you have stiff peaks. Gently fold in the bacon and chives, and spoon the egg whites onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Make a little well in the center of each “cloud”, and bake for 3 minutes.
4. Slide a yolk onto each cloud, season with salt and pepper, and bake for 3-4 minutes until the yolk is set.
   

For instance, this recipe. Roasted chicken with some simply roasted brussels and some fried gnocchi. The brussels — a super basic Ina Garten recipe in my head. The gnocchi — something I saw on Nigella’s show a long while back that suddenly popped in my head tonight. Probably not something I would normally have posted. Not that it wasn’t really delicious (which it was!), but it just seems like such a simple meal. I didn’t really follow a recipe for any of the dishes (but can vaguely remember the origins), it was a bit of on-a-whim meal. That said, my cousin’s voice still lingered in my head and I decided this was the kind of dish that I used to post at the start of this blog — in fact, these were the types of dishes that I started this blog for. To document, file away for future reference as something I would certainly like to make again. Well, consider it posted and filed.
Pan-Roasted Chicken Legs and Gnocchi with Brussels Sprouts
Just the Tip

Here’s what I used:

For the chicken:

• 4 chicken legs with thighs attached
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt, pepper, thyme
• 3 shallots, minced
• 1 lemon
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 tbsp arrowroot powder or corn starch

For the brussels:

• 1 1/2 lbs brussels sprouts ends trimmed
• olive oil
• salt

For the gnocchi:

• 1 package shelf-stable packaged gnocchi (I used whole-wheat from Trader Joe’s)
• olive oil
• salt

Here’s what I did:

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Pat the chicken dry and season with salt, pepper, and a little dried (or fresh) thyme on both sides.
3. Heat a roasting pan over medium-high heat on the stove. Add the tbsp of oil and butter to the roasting pan and then add the chicken. Let cook for a few minutes on each side until browned. Sprinkle the shallots into the roasting pan, squeeze the chicken with the juice of the lemon, and add the 1 cup of the chicken broth to the pan. Transfer the whole thing to the oven and let cook for about 35 minutes.
4. While the chicken’s browning, toss the brussels with olive oil and salt and put on a small baking sheet. Add that to the oven as well.  These will take about 35-40 minutes as well (toss half way through).
5. After 35 minutes (or when the chicken reaches 165 degrees), remove the chicken to a plate and cover with foil. Heat the roasting pan over medium heat on the stove. Add the white wine and stir with a wooden spoon. Mix the remaining cup of chicken broth with the arrowroot (or cornstarch) in a separate bowl and add to the roasting pan. Cook until the gravy has thickened.
6. Meanwhile, heat a couple of tbsp of olive oil in a saute pan and let the gnocchi brown in them on both sides.
7. Spoon the gravy over top of the chicken and serve along side the gnocchi and brussels.