Recipes

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Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 5-6 peeled and chopped potatoes

  • 8 tablespoons butter, melted

  • 1/4 cup soy milk, warmed

  • salt and white pepper to taste

Directions

  • Boil the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and place in a large mixing bowl.
  • Heat the butter, soy milk and a teaspoon of salt.
  • Mash the potatoes by hand.
  • Add the butter, soy milk and salt a bit at a time while continuing to mash. When the desired consistency has been reached, add white pepper to taste and additional salt to taste.
  • Finish with an electric mixer if desired to eliminate lumps.

Notes

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Caramelized Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Caramelized Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

  • olive oil spray

  • 4 slices thick-cut applewood bacon diced

  • 1 cup diced yellow onion

  • 1½ pounds brussels sprouts trimmed and halved

  • 2 cloves garlic minced

  • kosher salt to taste

  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

  • 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze

  • 1 tablespoon minced parsley for serving

Directions

  • Spray a large 12-inch skillet with olive oil, add in the diced bacon and heat over medium heat. Stir and cook the bacon for 5 minutes.
  • Add in the chopped onion, stir and cook until the bacon is crispy and the onions are soft and translucent and the edges are golden.
  • Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon and onions to a paper towel lined plate, leaving the bacon fat still in the skillet.
  • In a single layer place the halved brussels sprouts, cut-side down in the skillet before adding the rest. Cover and allow the steam to help to cook the sprouts. Let the brussels sprouts cook for 5-8 minutes this way before stirring.
  • Add the bacon and onions back into the skillet with the minced garlic. Stir and continue to cook the sprouts until fork tender but not too soft. Season with a little bit of kosher salt and a lot of black pepper, to taste.
  • Drizzle in two tablespoons of the balsamic glaze, stir and serve hot with a sprinkle of minced parsley.

Notes

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Sweet Potato Biscuits

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Ingredients

  • 9 ounces all-purpose flour, such as Gold Medal (about 2 cups, spooned; 255g)

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • 2 teaspoons (8g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 4 ounces cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 8 tablespoons; 110g)

  • 9 ounces sweet potato purée, from one large sweet potato (about 1 heaping cup; 255g)

  • 3 ounces milk, any percentage will do (about 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon; 85g) – I used oat milk

Directions

  • Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 400°F. Should your kitchen be warmer than 75°F, please see our guide to baking in a hot kitchen before getting started; the specifics are focused on pie dough, but the overall principles are true of biscuits as well.
  • Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl, then whisk until well combined (this may take up to 1 minute). Add the butter, toss to break up the pieces, and smash each cube flat. Continue smashing and rubbing until the butter has mostly disappeared into a floury mix, although a few larger, Cheerio-sized pieces may remain. This can also be done with 4 or 5 pulses in a food processor, just take care not to overdo it. The prepared mix can be refrigerated up to 3 weeks in an airtight container, then used as directed below.
  • Mash the sweet potato purée and milk together with a fork, or combine with an immersion blender until perfectly smooth. Add to the dry mix in a large bowl, and fold with a flexible spatula until fully absorbed. The dough will seem rather crumbly and dry at first, but keep mixing until it finally comes together. Once the dough forms a rough ball, turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
  • With your bare hands, gently pat the dough into a squarish shape about 1/2-inch thick, then fold in half; repeat twice more for a total of 3 folds, using only enough flour to keep your hands from sticking. Finish by patting the dough to a thickness of 3/4 inch. If needed, dust away any excess flour, then cut into 1 3/4-inch rounds and arrange in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Gather scraps into a ball, pat and fold a single time, then cut as many more biscuits as you can. The final round of scraps can be gathered and shaped into a single biscuit by hand.
  • Bake until the biscuits are well-risen and golden brown, about 25 minutes (or longer if cut thicker than 3/4-inch). Let the biscuits cool about 5 minutes to help set their crumb, then serve as desired, whether alongside soups and stews or split for shortcake or breakfast sandwiches. Leftovers can be stored up to a week in an airtight container; to serve, split the stale biscuits in half, brush with melted butter, arrange on a baking sheet, and broil until golden brown, then serve with jam.

Notes

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Sweet Potato Taquitos

Sweet Potato Taquitos

Ingredients

  • 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes, about 6 cups

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • Kosher salt and pepper

  • ½ teaspoon cumin

  • ½ teaspoon coriander

  • 12 small yellow corn tortillas

  • Vegetable oil, for frying, as needed

  • ½ cup guacamole, for serving

  • dairy-free taco ranch dressing

  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, for serving

Directions

  • Heat oven to 400°F. Toss sweet potatoes in olive oil and turn out onto a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper then bake for 45 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are soft and cooked through.
  • Remove from oven and add the sweet potatoes into a mixer with a paddle attachment. Turn on low until the potatoes are mashed.
  • Season with cumin and coriander then set aside.
  • Heat oven to 200°F (93ºC). Fill a large pot with enough oil to reach 2-inches up the side of the pan. Heat oil to 375°F (190ºC).
  • When the oil is hot, lay out the tortillas on a clean workspace and spread a heaping spoonful of the sweet potatoes down the middle of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling and secure it with a toothpick.
  • Working in batches, fry the flautas in the oil, turning once, until golden brown on all sides, about 4 minutes.
  • Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. While assembling and frying the other tortillas, place the cooked taquitos on a baking sheet and put in the oven to warm.
  • To serve, place the warm taquitos on a serving plate and spoon guacamole on the top the drizzle the sour cream over. Drizzle with taco ranch and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

Notes

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Andouille Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing

Andouille Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing

Ingredients

  • For the cornbread

  • 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup vegetable oil

  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

  • 1 cup buttermilk

  • 1 large egg

  • For the stuffing

  • 1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

  • 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions

  • 1 cup chopped celery

  • 1 cup chopped green bell peppers

  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic

  • Basic Cornbread (recipe below)

  • 3 slices white or whole wheat bread, torn into 1/2-inch pieces

  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions

  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne

  • 2 large eggs, beaten

  • 1 to 2 cups chicken stock, as needed

Directions

  • For the cornbread
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
  • Pour 1 tablespoon vegetable oil into a 9-inch baking pan or heavy cast iron skillet. Place pan into the oven as it preheats, allowing it to heat for at least 10 minutes.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne and stir with a wooden spoon. Add remaining oil, buttermilk and egg to the mixture and stir well to blend. Pour the batter into preheated pan and bake 25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool, preferably sitting overnight to dry out a bit, before using in dressing.
  • For the stuffing
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and set aside.
  • In a large skillet, cook the sausage until brown and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Add onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic, and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl to cool.
  • With your fingers, crumble the corn bread into the bowl, add bread, the green onions, parsley and thyme, and mix well with your hands. Add salt, pepper, cayenne and eggs and mix well with your hands. Add enough broth, 1/2 cup at a time, to moisten the dressing, being careful not to make it mushy.
  • Transfer to the prepared dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Notes

  • recipe from NPR
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Wacky Cake

Wacky Cake

Ingredients

  • For the Cake

  • 1½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup (200 g) sugar

  • 4 tbsp (4 ) (rounded) unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 6 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 cup (250 ml) water

  • For the Vanilla Frosting

  • 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 2½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Directions

  • Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In an ungreased glass or ceramic 8-inch square pan (do not use metal), add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, and stir to combine with a fork.
  • Make three wells in the mixture and to those wells add the vinegar, vanilla extract and vegetable oil. Pour the water over the entire mixture and mix with a fork until thoroughly combined and no dry ingredients remain.
  • Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 26 to 30 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  • Make the Vanilla Frosting: Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla, mixing until incorporated. Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
  • Using a spatula, spread the vanilla frosting evenly over the top of the cake. The cake can be stored, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature, for up to 4 days.

Notes

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Leftover Cranberry Sauce Oat Bars

Leftover Cranberry Sauce Oat Bars

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 1 cup cold butter, cut into 3/4 inch pieces

  • 1 cup leftover cranberry sauce, room temperature – any flavor

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 325* F
  • Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
  • Combine flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse 2 or 3 times until blended. (if you do not have a food processor, use a hand pastry blender)
  • Add the butter and pulse 8-10 times until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of small peas. (Or use your hand pastry blender.)
  • Remove 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture and set aside.
  • Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared pan.
  • Drop teaspoons of the cranberry sauce evenly over the crust, then spread it gently with the back of the spoon to cover the crust.
  • Sprinkle reserved crumbs evenly over the jam layer.
  • Bake until the top is lightly browned, 50 – 55 minutes.
  • Transfer to a rack and let cool until firm, about 2 hours (or chill until firm).
  • Using a sharp knife, cut into 12 squares.

Notes

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Sauteed Zucchini & Mushrooms

Sauteed Zucchini & Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided

  • 2 small zucchini, cut into thin, half moon slices

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced

  • 1 pound small button mushrooms, cleaned and patted dry

  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 teaspoons fresh chopped herbs, use what you have on hand, or use 1 teaspoon dried herbs (thyme and oregano are great in this dish)

  • ¼ cup vegetable broth

  • Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

  • Add olive oil and 1/2-tablespoon butter to a large skillet and set over medium-high heat.
  • Add zucchini slices to the hot oil; season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until fork-tender. Remove zucchini from skillet and set aside. If there’s any liquid in the skillet, wipe it out.
  • Return skillet to the burner and add remaining butter; melt butter over medium-high heat.
  • Stir in the onions and cook for 2 minutes, or until just softened.
  • Add mushrooms and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender and nicely browned. Stir occasionally.
  • Stir in garlic and herbs; cook for 20 seconds.
  • Return zucchini to the skillet and mix with the mushrooms; cook for 1 minute, or until heated through.
  • Pour in the vegetable broth and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed.
  • Remove skillet from heat.
  • Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Notes

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Half-Size Cottage Pie

Half-Size Cottage Pie

Ingredients

  • Leftover mashed potatoes

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 carrots

  • 1/2 medium onion

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1 pound ground beef

  • Brown gravy (butter, flour, beef stock and salt)

  • 1/2 cup frozen peas

  • salt & pepper

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Microwave leftover potatoes to make them easier to spread.
  • Peel and dice carrots and onions. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When olive oil is shimmering and fragrant, add the carrots and onions and cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
  • Remove carrots, onions and garlic to a 9×9″ glass or metal/enamel baking dish (metal/enamel is better because you can finish the dish under the broiler, but I don’t have the right size–so sad for me). Add the ground beef to the same skillet and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Drain the fat from the meat and return to the heat.
  • Return the carrots, onions and garlic to the skillet. Add the brown gravy to the skillet and mix thoroughly. Add the frozen peas and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove mixture to the baking dish.
  • Smooth mashed potatoes over the top of the ground beef mixture. Bake for 15 minutes. If you’re using a metal/ enamel baking dish, you can finish the dish under the broiler for another two minutes to achieve a slightly browned and crisp top. Don’t do this if you’re using a glass baking dish as the heat of the broiler will cause the glass to explode.
  • Serve with salad of your choice.

Notes

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Housemade Potato Chips

Housemade Potato Chips

Ingredients

  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced paper-thin

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, plus more to taste

  • 1 quart oil for deep frying ( I use peanut oil)

Directions

  • Transfer potato slices to a large bowl of cold water as you slice them.
  • Drain slices and rinse under cold water. Refill the bowl with water, add 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, and put slices back in the bowl. Let potatoes soak in the salty water for at least 30 minutes.
  • Drain and rinse slices again. Pat dry.
  • Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
  • Working in small batches, fry potato slices until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Continue until all of the slices are fried.
  • Season potato chips with additional salt or other seasonings if desired.

Notes