Five spice crackle cookies

I have had a jar of Chinese five spice around for a while. Usually I use it on duck, but that isn't on regular rotation at home. When I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit I saved it immediately. It's a hit!

Five Spice Crackle Cookies

From Bon Appetit

Makes 16–18

Ingredients

• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) salted butter
• ⅔ cup (packed; 133 g) dark brown sugar
• ½ cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
• 2 Tbsp. Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 2¾ cups (344 g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• ¾ cup (83 g) powdered sugar, sifted

Method

1. Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 375°. Cook ¾ cup (1½ sticks) salted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it foams, then browns, about 4 minutes. Immediately transfer to a large heatproof bowl, scraping in any brown bits stuck to bottom of pan. Add ⅔ cup (packed; 133 g) dark brown sugar, ½ cup mild-flavored (light) molasses, and 2 Tbsp. Chinese five-spice powder and whisk vigorously until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth and emulsified, about 2 minutes. (It will look oily at first, but keep whisking.)
2. Add 1 large egg yolk and 1 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract; whisk vigorously until combined and slightly lightened in color, about 2 minutes. Add 2¾ cups (344 g) all-purpose flour, ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1 tsp. baking soda and mix with a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms and no pockets of dry flour remain.
3. Place ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar in a small bowl. Using a #20 cookie scoop (about 3 Tbsp.) and working one at a time, scoop out portions of dough and roll into smooth balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar to thoroughly and generously coat, then divide between 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing at least 2" apart (about 9 per sheet). Roll dough balls in granulated sugar again to create an even, thicker layer and return to baking sheets. Freeze, uncovered, 15 minutes.
4. Place ¾ cup (83 g) powdered sugar, sifted, in a small bowl. Working quickly and one at a time, coat balls in powdered sugar, rolling and pressing in slightly between your hands to create an even, generous layer that covers the entire exterior (like you are making a snowball); place back on baking sheets, spacing at least 2" apart.
5. Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until puffed slightly and cracks have formed, 12–14 minutes. Let cookies cool on baking sheets. (They will deflate a bit as they sit.

Pressure Cooker Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

If only the weather would get a bit cooler, this would be the perfect cozy soup. Made it anyway, and now I'm uncomfortably warm, but this recipe is delicious so I'm posting it to remember for an actual cold day.

Pressure Cooker Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

Adapted from the New York Times

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter 

1 yellow onion, minced

2 pounds mixed mushrooms (I just buy sliced white and baby bella mushrooms)

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

6 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped (or use the pre-minced stuff like me)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

¼ cup all-purpose flour

5 cups chicken stock (I cheat and just add 5 teaspoons of Knorr's chicken bouillon to 5 cups water) OR vegetarian stock if you'd like to keep this soup vegetarian friendly

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 cup wild rice

1 cup sour cream

Chopped scallions or chives and fresh dill, for topping (optional)

Method

1. Turn on the sauté setting on a 6- to 8-quart electric pressure cooker. Melt the butter, then add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. 
2. Add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and shrunk a bit, about 8 minutes. Add the celery, carrot, chopped garlic, thyme, garlic powder and several generous grinds of black pepper. Stir to combine. Add the flour and stir until the vegetables are evenly coated and no white spots remain.
3. Pour in the stock and lemon juice, and turn off the heat. Scrape the bottom of the pot very well to incorporate flour and any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom. (This will add flavor and also prevent a burn warning later.) Stir in the wild rice.
4. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pressure reduce naturally for 10 minutes, then release the remaining pressure manually.
5. Put the sour cream in a small bowl and slowly whisk in a few spoonfuls of warm soup until smooth, then stir the mixture into the soup. (This prevents the sour cream from separating.) Taste the soup and add salt and pepper to taste. I did not need to add more salt.
6. Serve the soup in bowls topped with chopped scallions or chives and dill. Reheat any leftovers on low until warm. (Boiling can cause the sour cream to break.)

Pumpkin Bread

In a clearout of the pantry, 3 cans of pumpkin were uncovered. Why do we have so many? No idea. Thankfully, pumpkin bread is delicious. As usual, I've cut sugar, used the whole can of pumpkin and cut back on oil to balance the increased pumpkin. And a few spices were modified due to what I had on hand (pumpkin pie spice instead of a variety of warm spices in the original recipe). Delicious!

Pumpkin Bread

Adapted from Sally's Baking Recipes

Ingredients

• 170g all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

• 3/4 teaspoon salt 

• 2 large eggs, at room temperature 

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 50g whole wheat flour

• 100g granulated sugar

• 100g packed light or dark brown sugar

• 1 can (15oz) pumpkin puree

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 60g semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Method

1. Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lowering the oven rack prevents the top of your bread from browning too much, too soon. Grease a metal 9×5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt together until combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin, oil, and orange juice. Pour these wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix together using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon. There will be a few lumps. Do not over-mix. Gently fold in the chocolate chips, if including.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60–65 minutes, making sure to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent the top from getting too brown. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with only a few small moist crumbs. This may be before or after 60–65 minutes depending on your oven, so begin checking every 5 minutes around the 55-minute mark.
4. Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing and slicing.
5. Cover and store leftover pumpkin bread at room temperature for up to 3–4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Pad Kra Pow (vegetarian)

This is a favorite around here - and now that we're really trying to limit our meat consumption, we've gone almost entirely vegetarian at home. This means lots of tofu and various meat substitutes, and when they're used in super flavorful dishes like pad kra pow, it's hard to even notice the difference. You could use ground pork or chicken instead if you prefer the meat version, but I get zero complaints about the veggie version!

Pad Kra Pow (vegetarian)

Adapted from The Woks of Life

 

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 tablespoons oil
• 5-6 Thai bird chilies (I buy these in bulk in the frozen section of 99 Ranch)
• 1 onion (thinly sliced) or 3 shallots (I never have shallots on hand...)
• 5 cloves garlic (sliced)
• 1 pound veggie ground meat substitute (I use Impossible ground meat, Beyond breakfast sausage, or Gardein crumbles - basically whatever is in the freezer)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 bunch holy or Thai basil leaves
• Green beans, chopped into small 1/2 inch pieces (optional)

Method

1. In a non-stick pot over high heat, add the oil, chilies, onion and garlic, and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the veggie ground meat and stir-fry for 2 minutes, breaking it up into small bits. If you are using green beans, add now and stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
2. Add the sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Stir-fry for another minute and deglaze the pan with the water. Because your pan is over high heat, the liquid should cook off very quickly.
3. Add the basil, and stir-fry until wilted. Serve over rice.

Celery Salad With Roasted Mushrooms, White Beans and Feta

I can honestly say I've never made anything like this before. But every main individual ingredient sounded delicious to me, and when combined, it is truly a satisfying salad. I doubled the entire recipe because 1) feta comes in a 6 oz container and 2) if I'm going to the effort of roasting mushrooms, I might as well roast twice as many, right?

Celery Salad With Roasted Mushrooms, White Beans and Feta

Adapted from The Washington Post. From cookbook author Joy Manning. Tested by Ali Sharman. 

Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

For the marinated celery

• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder (original was 2 tablespoons minced shallot, which I skipped as I didn't have any)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (original was champagne or other white wine vinegar)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar (original was 3/4 teaspoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (original was 1/4 teaspoon - but I LOVE black pepper)
• 8 ribs celery (leafy stalks from the heart preferred), sliced very thin on the diagonal
• 1 1/2 cup cooked white beans (original was 1 cup)

For the roasted mushrooms

• 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

For assembly

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 3 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Method

1. Make the mushrooms: While the celery is marinating, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Arrange the mushrooms in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the oil, season with salt and toss to coat. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the mushrooms have browned and are tender. 

2. Make the marinated celery: In a large bowl, whisk together the onion powder, vinegar, oil, sugar, salt and black pepper until the sugar has dissolved. Add the celery and beans and toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

3. Add mushrooms, parsley, mint and dill to the marinated celery and beans and mix until combined. 

4. Top with crumbled feta and serve.

Arroz Rojo (Mexican Red Rice)

Adapted from Anna Luis Rodriguez's recipe in The Washington Post

This caught my eye since I usually have these ingredients on hand. Unsurprisingly I wanted to add a lot more vegetables, so proportions below show what I did (if you want the more traditional version please go to the original).

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
• 2 medium Roma tomatoes (8 to 10 ounces total), halved lengthwise
• 1/4 large white onion (3 ounces total), roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or chicken bouillon paste, such as Better than Bouillon or Knorr
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups water, or more as needed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cup frozen mixed vegetables (no need to defrost) - I used some fresh veggies since I had them (carrots, celery) and added frozen corn and peas
• 1 habanero pepper, halved lengthwise and seeded (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

Method

1. In a large bowl, cover the rice with water and let soak for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, bouillon, tomato paste and habanero and puree until smooth. You should have about 1 cup of thick sauce. Add the water so you get 3 cups of sauce total and blend again until well combined.
3. Drain the rice, then rinse 2 to 3 times or until the water runs mostly clear. Drain the rice again.
4. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently until it turns bright milky white and some grains start to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables (inc the cilantro) and stir to combine with the rice. Pour in the tomato sauce, stir to combine and increase the heat to high. When it starts to boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice looks fluffy, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, to ensure the grains are evenly cooked, for another 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Remove the cover to release the steam. Fluff with a fork and serve, with more cilantro on top if desired.

Opie's Tater Tot Casserole

After visiting friends out in Llano, we stopped by Opie's BBQ in Spicewood on the way back to Austin. While the brisket was great, the thing that blew us all away was the tater tot casserole. I immediately went on a hunt for a recipe, and found some online guidance from folks who also did their best to recreate this gorgeous, stupidly good dish.

Opie's Tater Tot Casserole

Adapted from Sobiedaddies on Food.com

Ingredients

• 1 (2 lb) bag frozen tater tots (I use Hill Country Fare brand from HEB)
• 2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans reduced-fat cream of chicken soup (can also use cream of mushroom if you want to make this vegetarian)
• 1 (8 ounce) low-fat sour cream
• 1 (16 ounce) package sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (original recipe called for low-fat cheddar but I can't find low-fat sharp cheddar, only mild, and I'd rather have the sharpness so I throw caution to the wind)
• 1 (8 ounce) package colby & jack cheese, shredded
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (6 ounce) container French-fried onions

Method

1. Mix everything but the Colby cheese and French-fried onions in a large bowl (make sure tots are still frozen so they don't break apart).
2. Scoop mixture into one 9x13 pan.
3. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for one hour.
4. Top with Colby cheese and then French's onions and bake for another 5-10 minutes until onions are golden brown.

 

4 Ingredient Spicy Tofu

 

This has been a repeat favorite at home, probably because it's so easy, so tasty, and pretty healthy on top of it all. It's surprisingly vegan too.

4 Ingredient Spicy Tofu

Ingredients

• 1 bag ground meat substitute, around 12-16 oz (this has been very good with the Gardein frozen ground be'f or the Impossible ground beef)
• 1 container tofu, 14-16 oz (any firmness works - I usually can find firm at my local grocery store, but I also love softer tofu in this dish when I make it to an Asian grocery store), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 12 oz bag of frozen shelled edamame
• Half of a 9.88 oz jar of Laoganma chili oil with fermented soybeans

Method

1. Heat a non-stick pot over medium heat. Add ground meat substitute and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned.
2. Add tofu, edamame and chili oil. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all ingredients are mixed and warmed through.
3. Eat on its own, or serve over rice.

Red curry butternut squash and kale stew

A riff on the original recipe with lots of substitutions and Instant Pot tweaks...

Red curry butternut squash and kale stew

Yield: 12 servings (freezes well)

Ingredients

12 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes

2 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 can Thai red curry paste

1/2 a head of garlic, minced

3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about 2 tablespoons) [this did not make it into my grocery shop but I would add it next time]

2 tablespoons ground turmeric

8 oz (1/2 bag) of split peas, rinsed

4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (I used chicken since that's what I had on hand)

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

2 (13-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk

16-ounce bag shredded kale

Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

Cooked rice, for serving

Toasted unsweetened coconut flakes, for serving (optional)

Method

1. In the Instant Pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on the sauté setting. Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. 
2. Add the curry paste, ginger, and turmeric, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add the butternut squash, coconut milk, stock and split peas. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and cook for 30 minutes at pressure.
4. Release pressure and add kale to Instant Pot. Replace lid and cook for 15 minutes at pressure.
5. Divide among shallow bowls with a scoop of steamed rice and top with cilantro and coconut flakes, if using.

Pozole Rojo

A and I visited Lazarus 2 and tried their pozole one evening, and loved it so much that I immediately started Googling for recipes so I could make it myself. Simply Recipes had a recipe that formed the basis for what I wanted to make, so credit goes to them for providing me with the bones of a recipe that I then tweaked to make it even simpler and to fit the ingredients that were on hand.

Pozole Rojo

Adapted from Simply Recipes

Ingredients

• 2 ounces dried guajillo chiles
• 2 ounces dried ancho chiles
• Salt
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 1 large (108 ounce, 6 lb 12 oz, 3 kg) can white hominy, drained and rinsed
• 3 pounds pork steaks (preferably with bone), cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes (keep all the fat!)
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1/2 small cabbage, thinly sliced
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons dry oregano (Mexican oregano if available)

Optional garnishes (can prep while pozole is cooking):

• 2 avocados, chopped
• 4 limes, quartered
• 1 bunch red radishes, sliced thin
• 1 cup cilantro, chopped

Method

1. Remove and discard the stems, seeds, and large veins from the chili pods. Heat a cast iron pan on medium high and heat the chili pods for a couple minutes, until they begin to soften. Do not let them burn. While the chilies are heating, bring a medium pot with 3 cups of water to a simmer and remove from heat. Once the chiles have softened, add the chiles to the pot hot water and cover. Let the chiles soak in the hot water for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of a large 10-12 quart stockpot) on medium high heat. Pat the pork pieces dry with paper towels. Sprinkle them generously with salt. Working in batches, taking care not to crowd the pan or stir the meat much, brown the meat on all sides. 
3. Once the meat has browned, return all of it to the stockpot and add 5 quarts of water. Scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add the rinsed hominy. Add bay leaves, cumin, and oregano. When you put the oregano in, smoosh together with your hands so that the oregano breaks up more as it goes in. Add a tablespoons of salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Prepare the red sauce by puréeing in a blender the chilies, 2 1/2 cups or so of their soaking liquid, a teaspoon of salt, and the garlic. (To prevent the blender from creating too much pressure, it's probably best to start with the chiles and garlic and only a cup of the liquid in the blender, and then adding the rest of the liquid.) Strain the red sauce through a sieve, discarding the tough bits of the sauce. [Note: I did not do this as I am lazy and do not own a sieve. It was fine.]
5. Add red chili sauce to the pot with the pork and hominy. Add another couple teaspoons of salt. Add the shredded cabbage (this is something I did because I love cooked cabbage and I think it makes sure that we eat enough veg as part of this soup - some people would prefer the cabbage to be raw and added to the hot soup as a garnish - you can do it either way). Return to a simmer, lower the heat to just high enough to maintain a simmer, partially covered.
6. Cook for 2 to 3 hours until the pork is completely tender. Skim away excess fat. Taste for seasoning and add more salt to taste (you will likely need more than you expect, perhaps a tablespoon or more.) The resulting soup should be rather brothy, as you will be adding a lot garnishes. Add more water if necessary.
7. When getting ready to serve the pozole, you can prep the garnishes (slice the radishes, chop the cilantro, etc.) To serve, arrange the garnishes in bowls on the table and serve the pozole soup into bowls. Let your guests pick and choose which garnishes they would like on their pozole. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE RADISHES. They really transform the dish.

Turmeric Cashew Chicken

This sauce. This sauce! It is so easy and so delicious that I am slightly upset I only discovered this recipe in 2023.

I've tweaked it, obviously, as it didn't have enough delicious curry flavors the first time I made it, and I had more spices on hand that I thought would work, so I've noted what are additions from the original recipe. I'm also lazy, so skipped the step where you marinate chicken in chopped garlic and ginger, and instead just threw everything into the blended sauce. Trust me, you won't notice a difference.

Turmeric Cashew Chicken

Serves 4

Adapted from Bon Appetit January 2023 issue

Ingredients

2/3 cup raw cashews

5 garlic cloves

1 2" piece of ginger, roughly chopped (I leave the skin on too, after I wash the ginger)

1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (original recipe called for boneless skinless thighs, which is probably more delicious but not what I've been cooking with)

1 tsp kosher salt

2 red Thai chilies (or 1 jalapeno in original recipe)

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 1/2 tsp turmeric (1/2 tsp in original recipe)

1 tsp garam masala (my addition)

3 big handfuls of baby spinach or kale (my addition)

Steamed rice, cilantro sprigs, and lime wedges (for serving)

Method

1. Place cashews in a small bowl and pour in hot water to cover. Let sit until softened (you should be able to crush a nut easily between 2 fingers), 15-20 mins.
2. Drain cashews and transfer to a blender. Add  garlic cloves, ginger, red Thai chilies, 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, 1 tsp. cumin seeds, 1 ½ tsp. ground turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala, ½ tsp. kosher salt, and 1½ cups water to blender and blend until smooth. Set cashew sauce aside.
3. Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook chicken, sprinkling with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, tossing occasionally, until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add reserved cashew sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 6 minutes.
4. Add spinach or kale and stir to wilt completely, about 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Divide steamed rice among shallow bowls and spoon cashew chicken over; top with cilantro sprigs. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Tomato, Asparagus, And Herbed Ricotta Tart

Hey y'all. While lots of cooking has been happening here (pandemic, etc), I will freely admit that it has not been particularly inspired. More of a "what will get us fed somewhat healthily with a minimum of effort", which means nothing makes it onto the level of saving the recipe on this site. The discovery of this tart recipe was remarkable in that I had a lot of what was needed AND it sounded really different from our usual meals. I upped all the herbs by quite a bit, since I love them, and didn't use any garlic though I'm sure that would be a nice addition. I know the original recipe says it makes 6 servings, so don't be alarmed by A and I ate this whole thing, split between just the two of us. And I don't regret that decision at all.

Tomato, Asparagus, And Herbed Ricotta Tart

Adapted from Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients 

• One (9- to 11-oz) sheet puff pastry rolled to a 10- by 12-inch (25- by 30-cm) rectangle
• 12 ounces whole milk ricotta
• 1 3/4 ounces (about 1/2 cup) Parmesan cheese finely grated
• 1 medium sprig (about 10-12 leaves) fresh basil finely chopped
• 1/4 oz package of fresh chives finely chopped
• small bunch of flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, optional
• Zest of 1/2 or whole lemon 
• 5 ounces asparagus spears woody ends trimmed
• 1 medium tomato, sliced and seeds removed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large egg beaten
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Unroll the puff pastry onto the prepared baking sheet.
3. Using a sharp knife, score a 3/4-inch (2 cm) border around the edge of the pastry, being careful to not cut all the way through. Prick the pastry inside the border all over with a fork. This will help to stop it from puffing up in the oven.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ricotta, garlic (if using), Parmesan, chopped herbs, and lemon zest, then season liberally.
5. Spread the ricotta mixture over the tart inside the border. Place the asparagus spears over the tart and dot around the tomatoes. Gently press down on the tomatoes so that they sink slightly into the ricotta mixture, brush lightly with olive oil.
6. Brush the pastry border with the beaten egg and bake until the pastry is golden and cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. Season with pepper and serve.

Polenta Lasagne

I've been really enjoying these big casserole-type dishes where I can do all the prep and cooking on Sunday and then have great meals throughout the week. It certainly helps that A and I have no problems with leftovers, especially when they're dishes we really enjoy.

I don't usually go for recipes with this many steps but I couldn't resist the sound of this (maybe because it has 3 types of cheese in it??)

I subbed arugula in my version as I think it has a lot more flavor than spinach. I also omitted nutmeg as I didn't have the energy to seek out nutmeg for the tiny pinch needed. And I definitely added the red pepper flakes to give just the tiniest kick, as I didn't want this dish to be too bland as it was already full of soft textures. 

And for whatever reason - I struggle to find polenta in my local grocery store so have been subbing coarse ground cornmeal lately. Still tasted oh so fine.

Polenta Lasagne

Adapted from the NYTimes

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups polenta (not instant) or coarse-ground cornmeal
• 5 ounces arugula (about 5 cups)
• 2 cups grated Parmesan
• 1 pound whole-milk ricotta (about 1 2/3 cups), preferably fresh
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (25-ounce) jar good-quality marinara sauce (3 cups)
• Large pinch of red-pepper flakes
• 1 pound shredded mozzarella (about 4 cups)

Method

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees and butter an 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet pan. Grease a rubber spatula with butter.
2. Prepare the polenta/cornmeal: In a large pot, bring 6 cups water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, then slowly pour in polenta/cornmeal, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking often, until polenta/cornmeal thickens, 8 to 12 minutes. Whisk in 4 tablespoons butter until melted. Whisk in arugula until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in 1 cup grated Parmesan.
3. Scrape polenta/cornmeal onto the prepared baking sheet. Using the greased rubber spatula, spread the mixture into a thin, even layer to cover the entire pan, all the way to corners. Sprinkle 1/2 cup grated Parmesan on top. Bake until polenta is firm and cheese has melted, 12 to 18 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack until completely cooled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or place in refrigerator until cool to touch, about 40 to 50 minutes. (Polenta can be baked the day before and refrigerated until needed.)
4. When ready to bake the lasagna, heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
5. Prepare the ricotta filling: In a small bowl, mix ricotta, parsley, basil, egg, black pepper, nutmeg and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix until well combined and set aside.
6. Taste the marinara sauce. If it needs some zip, stir in any or all of the optional ingredients.
7. Assemble the lasagna: Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut cooled polenta in half widthwise, creating 2 pieces roughly 9-by-13 inches each. Using a large spatula, gently place one half in prepared baking dish. (It is important for polenta to be completely cooled and firm; otherwise, the pieces may break when transferring to baking dish. If anything breaks, just reassemble it in the pan. It won’t make much of a difference once it’s covered in sauce and baked.)
8. Spread about half the ricotta mixture in an even layer on top of polenta. Pour about half of marinara sauce on top of ricotta, sprinkle with about half of the shredded mozzarella. Repeat with remaining polenta, ricotta, marinara and mozzarella. Once assembled, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on top.
9. Place baking dish on top of a rimmed sheet pan in case the lasagna bubbles over. Bake until cheese melts, about 30 minutes. If you like the top of your lasagna more brown, broil it for 2 minutes after baking until it develops brown spots.
10. Remove from oven and let lasagna stand for about 15 minutes to firm up before serving. 

Baked Falafels

My friend V inspired me to try making falafels at home and they've quickly become a favorite. The biggest drawback for me is that I don't have a food processor. I have a blender. So it's definitely a little bit more effort, but the end results have really been worth it. The other thing that held me back in the past is that I really don't enjoy deep frying at home. Enter V's solution of baking the falafels. They're still crispy, and I expect they're a tiny bit healthier too. So here's my mashup of two recipes to create my new favorite baked falafels. I often double the recipe below since they get eaten so quickly. Note: the chickpeas need soaking overnight, so don't try and make this if you're tight on time!

Baked Falafels

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen + Cookie and Kate

Ingredients

Falafels

• 1/2 pound (1 1/4 cups or 225 grams) dried chickpeas
• 1/2 a large onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, if you’re measuring, or a big handful
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, if you’re measuring, or a big handful
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for blending if needed

To serve

• For wraps - we use fresh tortillas from HEB. For burgers, I love the potato hamburger buns. 
• Shredded cabbage, mixed with ranch dressing
• Finely chopped parsley and/or cilantro
• Hummus

Method

1. Put chickpeas in a bowl and cover with water so there's 2 inches of water above the top of the chickpeas. Cover the bowl and leave it to soak overnight in the fridge.
2. Drain soaked chickpeas and place in large bowl. Add onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, salt, red pepper flakes, and cumin. Mix to combine.
3. In small batches (I usually do about 1 cup at a time) - add mixture to blender and blend until ingredients are roughly chopped. Some larger pieces of things can remain, but it should look like couscous. You may need to add a little olive oil or water to get the blender to mix well, but don't add too much - you need the final mixture to hold together and shape into falafels. Scrape blended mixture into clean bowl and keep doing this until you've blended all of the falafel mixture. Give the mixture in the new bowl a good mix at the end to make sure everything is combined evenly. Let this mixture rest in the fridge for 30 minutes so it can firm up. (I often skip this fridge step because I am LAZY.)
4. Heat oven to 375F/190C. Add 1/4 cup olive oil to a baking sheet and tilt the baking sheet until it is completely covered in oil.
5. If making smaller falafels, I use my hands to scoop out a falafel-sized amount of mixture and then shape it into patties about 2-3 inches wide and about 1/2 inch thick. If making falafel burgers, I scoop out enough mixture to form a burger-sized patty. I drop each of these patties onto the oiled baking sheet, leaving some space in between them so I can flip them later. 
6. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the falafels halfway through baking, until the falafels are nice and brown on both sides. 
7. For wraps: Warm a tortilla and smear hummus across the middle in a stripe. Place falafel patties on hummus stripe and top with cabbage, cilantro and/or parsley, if using. Fold it up like a taco and eat! For burgers: toast buns and smear hummus on bottom bun. Add falafel patty and cabbage, cilantro and/or parsley and any other burger condiments you enjoy.

Chicken Ginger Rice Soup

This is a cobbled together recipe using plenty of influences, including dak gomtang (Korean chicken soup) and also growing up watching my mom cook lots of delicious soups. Everything is to taste, so here's my version. This makes a huge amount of soup - I usually spoon it into jars for our lunches and it'll make 10-12 jars, easily, which is 5 or 6 meals for me and A.

Chicken Ginger Rice Soup

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

• Whole 5-lb chicken (the best one you can afford)
• A 6 inch piece of ginger root (or even more if you really like ginger)
• 1 large yellow or white onion
• 1 tbsp chicken Better than Bouillon (if using water to fill pot) or 1 carton chicken broth
• 1 bundle of green onions (usually 6-8 in a bundle, depending on the size of each green onion)
• 1 lb spinach or kale greens (or any other leafy dark green that you enjoy)
• 2 cups jasmine rice
• Fresh ground pepper to taste
• Salt to taste
• Chopped cilantro, to garnish

Method

1. Get a large soup pot that can comfortably hold your whole chicken and then some. Slice your onion into half-moons, and put in the pot. Cut off 2 inches of ginger root and bruise it with the flat edge of your knife and drop into the pot. 
2. Rinse the chicken and remove any giblets. If you like nibbling on the giblets, put them in the pot (I always do). If they make you squeamish, I guess you can discard them (sad!) Put whole chicken in the pot, breast side up. Add chicken broth if using, and then top off with enough water to cover chicken. If you're using water, fill pot to cover chicken, then add the chicken Better than Bouillon. Grind lots of fresh pepper into the pot too - whatever you think you'll enjoy.
3. Bring pot to a boil. Once it's boiling, turn down heat to a simmer and let it cook for 25 minutes. Then turn off the heat and flip the chicken so it is breast side down. Cover with lid and let it sit for 30 minutes.
4. Remove chicken from pot and put it on a plate to rest for 15 minutes. Remove the bruised chunks of ginger and discard. Once cool enough to handle, remove all of the meat from the chicken and chop into bite size pieces. If you don't like chicken skin in your soup, you can discard, but I tend to include some pieces in the soup for that lovely chicken fat richness.
5. Peel the remaining ginger and slice thinly (cross wise first, then into matchsticks). 
6. Chop green onion into small rings (I use both the white and green parts).
7. Add rice, ginger, green onion, and all of the spinach or kale greens to the chicken broth and simmer for 20-30 min. Rice should be fully cooked by the end of this time, and greens should be completely wilted. Take off heat when done.
8. Add chicken meat back into the pot and stir to fully combine. Taste and check if soup needs additional salt or pepper.
9. Serve in bowls with cilantro on top, if desired.

Marinated Celery Salad with Chickpeas and Parmesan

This was delicious. The dressing is not all that different from my usual salad dressing - after learning to make the dressing in the bottom of the same bowl I plan to mix the salad in, I've been far likelier to make my dressing at home since it doesn't dirty any extra bowls, and it can be quickly adjusted to go with whatever salad ingredients I'm planning to use. I'd say the croutons are really not optional in this, as they provide well-needed crunch so the salad isn't too one-dimensional.

Marinated Celery Salad with Chickpeas and Parmesan

Adapted from the NYTimes

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD:

• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar, more as needed
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon honey or maple syrup
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
• 4 cups cooked or canned chickpeas
• 4 large or 6 small celery stalks, with leaves, cut into large julienne
• 2 large scallions, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced on a diagonal, or 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 to 2 cups loosely packed celery leaves, coarsely chopped 
• 1 pint small tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup loosely packed basil leaves, rolled and julienned (optional)
• 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, coarsely grated, or crumbled feta

FOR SERVING (OPTIONAL):

• 1 small loaf (or 1/2 large loaf) day-old, peasant-style crusty bread

Method 

1. In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, honey/maple syrup and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Drop in garlic cloves, stir, and set aside 15 to 30 minutes (or 5 minutes, in my case, as I'm still not sure I like raw garlic flavor) to let the flavor infuse.
2. (If you're me, you pull out garlic cloves now.) Gradually whisk in oil; dressing will emulsify. Mix in chickpeas, celery and scallions. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
3. Remove garlic cloves from dressing (unless they're already long gone...). Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil. Set aside to come to cool room temperature.
4. If desired, make croutons, for serving: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pull the soft bread out of the center of the loaf, leaving most of the crust behind, and tear bread into bite-size pieces. You should have about 3 cups. Spread pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, until golden and crisp; let cool. (I often use bolillo rolls to make croutons - it's a good shortcut.)
5. Just before serving, mix tomatoes, basil and croutons, if using, into the salad, then top with cheese and more black pepper.  

Scallion Pancakes with Chili-Ginger Dipping Sauce

I have very fond memories of going to a Chinese restaurant on Sundays as a kid (not every Sunday, probably more like once every couple of months, but it was as close to a "regular" spot as we got). I think it was the previous iteration of Pao's Mandarin House - this would have been in the 80s and early 90s, and I remember it being in Central Austin. Anyway - two things were always ordered - pig ears and scallion pancakes. When I saw this recipe and realized I had all the ingredients in the house, I was so excited! It really brought back some nostalgic feelings for easier times.

Scallion Pancakes with Chili-Ginger Dipping Sauce

From Bon Appetit

Ingredients

Sauce
1 ½" piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce (I used dark soy)
2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp. chili oil (I used chili flakes once, then sriracha the other time)
1 tsp. sugar

Pancakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup chilled club soda (I used lime sparking water since that's what I had on hand)
2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce (I used dark soy)
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
10 scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal (about 2 cups)
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Method

Sauce

Whisk ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Set sauce aside.

Pancakes and Assembly

1. Whisk flour, cornstarch, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk club soda, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a medium bowl to combine, then pour into dry ingredients and whisk until smooth (be careful not to overmix; it’s okay if there are a few small lumps). Fold in scallions.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high. Pour ¼ cup batter into skillet. Cook, moving pan around on the burner for even cooking, until bottom of pancake is set and golden, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook, pressing down on pancake to create direct contact with pan, until other side is golden, about 1 minute. Continue cooking, turning often to keep scallions from burning, until golden brown and crisp and cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer pancake to a wire rack. Repeat process with remaining batter and remaining 3 Tbsp. oil 3 more times to make a total of 4 pancakes.
3. Cut each pancake into wedges if desired and serve with reserved sauce on the side for dipping.

Sook Mei Faan (Cantonese Creamed Corn With Tofu and Rice)

Sook Mei Faan (Cantonese Creamed Corn With Tofu and Rice)

Adapted from the NYTimes

The original recipe caught my eye as I had all of the ingredients already, and I looooove corn dishes. I was a little dubious as to whether A would be into this, as he sometimes finds the more subtle, soft-textured Chinese dishes (like congee) a little off-putting. But he loves corn too, so I went ahead. Turns out he found this just as delicious as me and it was a comforting, healthy lunch dish that he asked for more of.

Ingredients

2 (14-ounce) packages silken tofu, drained (I have also used firm tofu if you're wanting a more hearty chew to your tofu)

3 cups corn kernels (1 pound), from 3 large cobs or thawed from frozen

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 scallions, finely sliced, plus more for serving

1 ½ cups vegetable stock (used Better than Bouillon)

 Kosher salt

 White pepper (used black pepper instead because I didn't have white)

2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

 Steamed rice, for serving (I didn't serve this dish with rice - just on its own)

 Cilantro leaves and tender stems, for garnish

 Sesame oil or chile oil, for drizzling (only had sesame oil on hand)

Method

1. Carefully pat the tofu dry with a clean kitchen towel, and cut each block into 8 slices.
2. Place half the corn kernels into a blender or food processor, and blitz until creamy but still chunky. (I had to add water to the blender to get it to blitz, but I just reduced the amount of vegetable stock I added later accordingly)
3. Heat a medium saucepan or deep skillet over medium-high. When hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the ginger, garlic and scallions, and cook for 20 seconds until aromatic. (They shouldn't brown too much.) Add the remaining corn kernels, along with the blitzed corn and vegetable stock, season well with salt and white pepper, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to bring the mixture to a boil. Stirring constantly, slowly add the cornstarch slurry, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is slightly thickened.
4. For each serving, lay half a package of tofu in a bowl and top with a generous amount of the creamed corn. Finish with scallions, cilantro and drizzle with sesame oil.