olive oil 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 ½ cup Sugar Plum Tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or other small tomatoes 4 cups baby spinach ¾ cup of chopped fresh herbs: chives, basil, dill, parsley, thyme, oregano, what have you got?, divided 6 large eggs ½ cup sour cream 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 block TJ’s Feta Cheese, crumbled and divided
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil over high heat in a large skillet, until shimmering. Add 1 cup of the tomatoes. Toss until the tomatoes begin to blister and pop, about 5 minutes.
Add the onion and garlic. Stir occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the spinach and cover pan with a lid. The pan will be very full, but in a few minutes the spinach will cook down and wilt. Remove the lid and stir spinach every few minutes until most of the spinach is wilted, then remove from heat.
Add ½ cup of the herbs to the pan.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, salt, and pepper, then stir in half of the feta cheese and the spinach mixture.
Grease a 7×11″ casserole dish with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
Pour the egg mixture into the casserole dish, distributing the tomatoes as desired.
Sprinkle the remaining feta cheese over the top.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the frittata is set in the center.
Cut the remaining tomatoes in thin slices; drizzle with remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper (or use the vinaigrette of your choice) add the remaining ¼ cup of herbs, and stir. Cut the frittata into 6 pieces and put on plates. Top each serving with the dressed tomatoes & herbs.
beef stew meat cubes, or chuck roast/steak, cut into approx. 2″ chunks. If you buy it already cut up and it’s in smaller chunks that’s okay. Shouldn’t be any smaller than 1″. oil (olive, canola, etc.) salt and pepper yellow or white onion, peeled and chopped. carrot, peeled and chopped (optional) celery, chopped (optional) bay leaf Worcestershire sauce
Start in the morning and cook this all day. Choose a large deep skillet with a lid, or a Dutch oven. Put it on the stove with the burner on medium+. Once the pan gets hot add about a Tablespoon of the oil, then put in single layer of beef cubes and season liberally with salt and pepper. Do not crowd the pan or they will steam instead of brown. Cook for several minutes (5?) until brown on one side, then turn and brown the other. Remove the browned beef and any juice to a plate or bowl, and repeat for the rest of the beef.
Once the last batch of beef is browned, return all the beef and juices to the pan. Add the vegetables, a bay leaf or two, about a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce.
Cover the pan, turn the heat to low and let it simmer very gently (DO NOT BOIL) all day until it is very tender. Check it throughout the day to make sure it is not drying out, and that the simmer is still very gentle. Serve with potatoes, noodles, rice, or bread, and a vegetable. Slice it up and put it on a salad or in a quesadilla. You get the idea.
Highly recommended step: Place the ricotta in a cheesecloth-lined sieve and set the sieve over a bowl. Cover the ricotta with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or up to one day.
Cook shells in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes (they will still be quite hard); drain. Run under cold water to stop the cooking; drain again.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over high. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release juices, then are dry again and nicely browned, 5–6 minutes; season with black pepper and 1 tsp. salt. Reduce heat to medium, add wine, and cook, stirring, until reduced by half, 1–2 minutes. Add spinach, cover, and cook until beginning to wilt, 1–2 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is completely wilted and most of the liquid is evaporated, 2–4 minutes more. Transfer mushroom mixture to a large bowl; reserve skillet.
Melt butter in reserved skillet over medium-high heat, add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add marinara sauce, crushed red pepper, Pizza Seasoning or Italian Seasoning, if using, and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, 6–8 minutes.
While sauce cooks, add ricotta, 3 oz. Parmesan, mozzarella, fresh herbs, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt to mushroom mixture and stir to combine. Spoon about 2 Tbsp. ricotta mixture into each shell. The shell should be filled to capacity but not overstuffed.
Nestle stuffed shells into hot sauce in skillet, open side up.
Before cooking
Cover and cook over medium heat until shells are soft and warmed through, at least 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and more fresh herbs as desired.
12 oz mushrooms, such as maitake, crimini, white button, shiitake (stems removed), or oyster, cut into 1″ chunks (about 5 cups) 4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided 4 large fresh thyme sprigs 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 large shallots, or 4 small, thinly sliced (more?!) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 pound precooked polenta, cut into 1″ chunks (about 3 cups) 1/3 cup grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese, plus more for serving 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, for garnish crushed red pepper flakes, for serving (optional)
Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a shallow 2-quart casserole or gratin dish, or an 11×7″ baking dish, combine the mushrooms, 3 Tablespoons of the oil, the thyme, garlic, shallots, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper, tossing well. Roast for 15 minutes; the mushrooms should have started to wilt and glisten.
While the mushrooms are roasting, in a large bowl, toss the cubed polenta with the remaining 1 Tablespoon of oil, a big pinch or two of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper.
After the mushrooms have roasted for 15 minutes, take the baking dish out of the oven and stir in the polenta. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.
Turn on the broiler and broil for 1-2 minutes until the top of the polenta is crispy with some brown spots. (I did not do this as it was 93 degrees outside that day.)
To serve, garnish with parsley and finish with more Parmesan and red pepper flakes, if you like.
1.5 cups dry elbow macaroni 1 lb ground beef 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1/2 yellow onion, chopped fine 1 clove garlic, pressed 1/4 cup tomato sauce 3/4 cup heavy cream (this was too rich. I will try half-and-half next time) 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the pasta according to package directions until just tender – do not overcook. Drain in a colander and set aside.
While the water is heating up and the pasta is cooking, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. After it is brown, season with salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin.
In a small pan, cook the onion in olive oil until very soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
To the pan that the pasta was cooked in, add the seasoned cooked beef, onion, tomato sauce, half-and-half, and 3/4 cup of each cheese (save the other 1/4 cup of each cheese for the top. Stir well until the cheese is melted. Then add the pasta and stir again until well combined. Pour into an 8×8″ casserole dish (no need to grease it) and top with the remaining cheese.
Based on the recipe in “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime” by Ree Drummond.
1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder mixed seasoning 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 chicken breasts 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped another 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 14-oz jar green enchilada sauce (I used Safeway’s O Organics brand) 6 flour tortillas 2 cups grated cheese: jack, pepper jack, cheddar, or a combo
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the spice mix: Mix the cumin, chili powder and salt in a small bowl or ramekin.
If using raw boneless skinless chicken breasts: Coat both sides of the chicken with the spice mix.Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat, add the oil, then cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side until done in the middle. Remove to a plate. Shred when cool enough to handle.
If using cooked chicken: Shred your chicken, sprinkle with the spice mix, and set aside. Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat, add the oil.
Everybody: Cook the onions and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in the skillet over medium heat, turning down to medium-low after they get going. Cover, stir frequently, and let cook until they are as brown and soft as you like.
In a large bowl, mix the shredded seasoned chicken, the golden onions, and about 1/3 of a cup of the enchilada sauce.
Pour about 2/3 of a cup of enchilada sauce in a 9×13″ baking dish and spread it around to coat the entire bottom of the dish.
On a cutting board or large plate, lay one of the tortillas. Place 1/6th of the chicken in a line in the middle. Top the chicken with about a 1/4 cup of grated cheese. Roll up and place seam side down at one end the baking dish. Repeat, filling the baking dish with the enchiladas touching each other. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes until bubbly. Let rest for a few minutes to set. Serve with sour cream, pico de gallo, avocado or guacamole, cilantro, Mexican-style coleslaw…
Sam = yes Ma = yes Sean = hasn’t tried yet Anna = no thank you
3 cups broccoli florets, halved 3 cups cooked cubed chicken 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese 1/3 cup milk 1/2 cup light sour cream 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup (or make your own sauce if you have time) 1 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon salt optional: 3 Tablespoons breadcrumbs, mixed with 1 Tablespoon melted butter
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a medium-sized casserole dish. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the broccoli and cook 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 1 cup of cheese, milk, soup, sour cream, and seasonings. Stir in the broccoli and chicken. Pour into the casserole dish. You can top with buttered bread crumbs if you like. Bake for 18-20 minutes until bubbly and hot.
Based on “Chicken Casserole with Mushrooms (Chicken Gloria)” from Natasha’s Kitchen
Serves 4
1 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 large), cut into 1 -inch wide strips, larger strips cut in half cross-wise 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste 1/4 teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste 1/2 cup all-purpose flour to coat the chicken 2 Tablespoons olive oil divided 1/2 pound mushrooms, thickly sliced 1/2 medium onion or 1 large shallot, finely diced 1 garlic clove, minced
For the Sauce:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1 cup hot water 1 teaspoon chicken Better than Bouillon 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 3/4 cup half and half
Saute the onion or shallot in a small skillet in 1 Tablespoon of oil over medium-low heat until soft.
In the meantime, season chicken with salt and pepper and dredge both sides in flour. Heat 1 Tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Once oil is hot, add chicken and saute until golden. Work in batches so you don’t crowd your pan. Don’t worry about cooking the chicken through; it still needs to go in the oven. Transfer chicken to an 8×8″ casserole dish.
To the pan you took the chicken out of, add another teaspoon of oil if needed, and saute the mushrooms until soft and golden. Add garlic and sauteed onions and saute another 1-2 min. Spread the mixture over the chicken.
In a medium saucepan (or in the same pan you’ve been using), melt 2 Tablespoons butter. Whisk in 2 Tablespoons flour and cook until lightly golden (1-2 min).
Add the hot water (all at once), Better than Bouillon, lemon juice, and pepper, and whisk until smooth. Add the half & half and bring to a simmer. Taste and correct seasoning.
Pour sauce over the chicken and mushrooms. Cover with foil and bake at 350˚F for 45 minutes.
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium-large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground chipotle chile (or smoked paprika)
¼ teaspoon salt
2½ cups water
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (or tomatoes with chiles)
4 teaspoons lime juice
optional toppings:
chopped fresh cilantro
sour cream (for non-vegans)
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle or smoked paprika and salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the sweet potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. (I actually cooked it for much longer – like an hour.)
Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
Whole wheat sourdough is a great choice for this dish. Or do half sourdough and half whole wheat. A baguette or country bread will also work here. You could deliciously replace the parmesan with a crumbly salted cheese such as feta, ricotta salata or queso fresco; use just 1/2 to 2/3 cup instead
Serves 6 to 8
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups fresh corn (cut from 3 small-to-average cobs)
1 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions (both white and green parts from a 4-ounce bundle)
8 cups whole wheat, country or French bread in 1-inch cubes (weight will vary from 10 to 14 ounces, depending on bread type)
2 cups (6 ounces) coarsely grated sharp cheddar
1 cup (2 ounces) finely grated parmesan
9 large eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional)
2 3/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon table salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Generously butter a 3-quart baking dish (a lasagna or 9×13-inch pan works well here too). Toss corn and scallions together in a medium bowl. Combine cheeses in another bowl. In a large bowl, gently beat eggs and mayo together, then whisk in milk, salt and lots (or, if measuring, 1/2 teaspoon) of freshly ground black pepper. Spread one-third of bread cubes in prepared baking dish — it will not fully cover bottom of dish; this is fine. Add one-third of corn, then cheese mixture. Repeat layering twice with remaining bread, corn and cheese. Pour egg mixture evenly over strata. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 1 day.
When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake strata, uncovered, until puffed, golden brown and cooked through, about 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Do ahead: Strata keeps baked in the fridge for 4 days or longer in the freezer, wrapped well. It reheats wonderfully, either from the fridge or freezer and holds up well in lunch boxes.
Kristin's Favorite Recipes 