Instant Oats with Cinnamon, Pears and Pecans

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Start to finish: 7 minutes
Impresses: 1

Ingredients

1 packet instant or quick-cooking oats
Whole milk (measured per packet directions)
⅓ cup cottage cheese
½ fresh pear, diced
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ + ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup chopped pecans

Method

Prepare the instant oatmeal according to package directions. Once oats are cooked, remove and allow to cool slightly. Add the brown sugar and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, and stir to combine. Place the diced pears in a small bowl and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon. Stir to combine, then add to the cooked oats along with the cottage cheese and chopped pecans. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired and serve immediately. 

Notes: If your pears are slightly underripe, place them in a brown paper bag and store on your countertop for 1-3 days until they soften. Use the remaining pears for salads, fancied-up grilled cheese sandwiches or simply enjoy fresh slices.

French Onion Soup

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Start to finish: 1 hour
Impresses: 4

Ingredients

For the soup:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
½ cup white wine
6 cups beef stock
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon ground white pepper

For the grilled cheeses:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced
French baguette
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
1 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded

Method

For the soup:
Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook until caramelized, about 35 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic and thyme, and cook an additional minute. Bring heat to medium-high and add white wine to deglaze the pan.

Pour in beef stock, bay leaf and white pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.

For the grilled cheeses:
Heat oven to 425 F. Add butter slices to a large baking sheet and place in the oven until butter melts, about 5 minutes. While butter melts, cut 8 slices off the baguette. Place bread slices on the baking sheet in a single layer. Top 4 slices with ¼ cup each of shredded Swiss. Top the remaining four slices with ¼ cup each of shredded Gruyere. Bake for 5 minutes, or until cheese starts to melt. Assemble sandwiches by pairing a Swiss half with a Gruyere half.

Return to oven to bake an additional 3 minutes.

To serve:
Ladle into a bowl or ramekin and top with a petite grilled cheese.

Cast Iron Ribeye Steak with Herbed Butter

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Start to finish: 50 minutes
Impresses: 4

Ingredients

2 16-ounce bone-in ribeye steaks
2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Seasoned salt, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Onion powder, to taste
4 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme and oregano, chopped
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

Method

One hour before cooking, remove steaks from the refrigerator and season liberally on both sides with half the kosher salt. Return to the refrigerator. (This can also be done the night before or morning of.)

Thirty minutes before cooking, remove steaks from the refrigerator and season with remaining kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, seasoned salt, garlic powder and onion powder, to taste. (Approximately ¼ teaspoon of each per side.)

Allow steaks to come up to room temperature. Meanwhile, mix the softened butter and herbs in a small bowl and set aside. Ten minutes before cooking, set a cast-iron pan over high heat. For each steak, add 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil (or another oil with a high smoking point, such as canola or vegetable) to the pan, and heat until oil is shimmering but not smoking. Place steaks, one at a time, in the pan and cook for 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Only flip steaks once before removing to plate for juices to redistribute. Top freshly seared steaks with a dollop of the herbed butter. 

Croissants

Start to finish: 72 hours
Impresses: Everyone

Ingredients

For the dough:
¾ cup whole milk, warmed to 105 F
1 tablespoon instant yeast
+ ½ teaspoon
3½ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup Plugrá® unsalted butter, melted

For the butter block:
1½ cups Plugrá unsalted butter, straight from the refrigerator

For baking:
1 egg
2 tablespoons whole milk

Method

Day 1

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For the dough:
Using a kitchen scale, weigh all ingredients for the croissant dough. Whisk the instant yeast into the warmed milk, and set aside for 3-5 minutes, or until mixture is bubbly.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the flour, sugar and salt until combined. With the dough hook attachment, pour the butter into the dry ingredients and mix on low speed to lightly combine.

Stir in the milk and yeast mixture to form a shaggy dough. Knead the dough on medium-low speed for no more than 4 minutes. Dough should be soft and pliable. Work dough into a ball before placing on a greased baking sheet. Press dough down gently and wrap the entire tray with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 12-18 hours.

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Day 2

For the butter block:
(Make the butter block 1 hour before removing the dough from the refrigerator.)

Place cold butter on one half of a large piece of parchment paper, fold over with the remaining half of the parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, pound butter into a square that measures 9½ by 7 inches and is a little less than ½ inch thick. If necessary, trim or alter edges of the butter block to create a uniform shape. Place the butter block in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.

To encase the butter block:
Remove dough from the refrigerator, and place on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough lightly with flour, and dust a rolling pin with flour as well. Roll dough out into a large rectangle that measures 16 by 11 inches. Place butter block onto the center of the rectangle with the 9½-inch side running parallel to the 11-inch side of the dough. Fold remaining ends of the dough over the butter and pinch the seam closed. Wrap dough in plastic wrap again, and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

For the first turn:
Remove dough from the refrigerator, and place on a lightly floured work surface so the long end of the dough is facing you and the seam from the butter encasing is facing up. Dust the top of the dough and the rolling pin with a very thin layer of flour. Roll dough out into another 16-by-11-inch rectangle. Fold the long side of the dough into thirds, like a business letter, and wrap in plastic covering. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

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For the second turn:
Remove dough from the refrigerator, and place on a lightly floured work surface so the long end of the dough is facing you and the fold from the first turn is facing up. Dust the top of the dough and the rolling pin with a very thin layer of flour. Roll dough out into another 16-by-11-inch rectangle. Fold the long side of the dough into thirds, like a business letter, and wrap in plastic covering. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

For the third turn:
Remove dough from the refrigerator, and place on a lightly floured work surface so the long end of the dough is facing you and the fold from the second turn is facing up. Dust the top of the dough and the rolling pin with a very thin layer of flour. For the third time, roll the dough out into a 16-by-11-inch rectangle. Fold the long side of the dough into thirds, like a business letter, and wrap in plastic covering. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, lightly dust the work surface and rolling pin with flour. Roll dough out into a 28-by-10-inch rectangle. While rolling, periodically pick up the dough to ensure it is not sticking to the work surface. If any tears occur in the dough and butter becomes exposed, spread the area with a smidge of flour to cover the hole and continue rolling.

To cut the croissants:
Using a sharp chef’s knife or pastry cutter, cut the dough into alternating triangles about 4 inches wide at the bottom. The end pieces will be imprecise. Make a ¾-inch cut at the wide bottom of the triangle. (If the butter begins to melt at any point in the cutting and rolling process, cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.)

To shape the croissants:
Working with one triangle piece at a time, gently pull out the sides of the cut edge while rolling over onto the dough toward the tip of the triangle. While rolling, gently pull the tip of the triangle to stretch the dough out and ensure 3 complete rolls of the croissant. Place shaped croissants, with the folded points facing down to ensure they stay secure and tucked under while baking, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet coated with baking spray. When all croissants are shaped, cover completely in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. 

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Day 3

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To bake croissants:
Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper, and lightly coat with baking spray. Place chilled croissants on prepared baking trays 2 inches apart. Whisk together the egg and milk to create an egg wash. Brush the tops of the chilled croissants with a light coating of egg wash, and cover with pieces of parchment paper coated in baking spray. Allow croissants to rise at room temperature for three to four hours, or until croissants are doubled in size and jiggle slightly when the pan is shaken. (Make sure the croissants rise in a cool-to-warm space that is free of drafts and not near a direct heat source. The ideal temperature is 70-72 F, but the room temperature should not exceed 75 F or butter will leak out of the laminated dough.)

One hour before baking, preheat the oven to 425 F. When the oven is preheated and the croissants have fully risen, brush croissants with egg wash once more. Place croissants in the oven, and bake for 3 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 400 F, and continue baking for 15-18 minutes, or until croissants have risen and are deeply golden brown. Rotate the croissants 10 minutes into baking to ensure an even bake. Remove croissants from the oven, and cool the pans over wire racks for 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Remove croissants from the pans and allow to fully cool to room temperature. 

Croissants are best enjoyed the day they are made, but they can be reheated the following day in a 350 F oven for 5-10 minutes.

Spicy Tortilla Soup

Start to finish: 45 minutes
Impresses: 6

Ingredients

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1 yellow onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 jalapeño peppers, diced
8 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 teaspoon, ground cayenne pepper (optional)
4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
8-ounce block cream cheese, cubed
Lime wedges, for serving

Method

Add all ingredients except tortillas, cream cheese and lime wedges to a large crockpot. Stir together and cook on high 4 hours. In the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in tortilla strips and cream cheese. Stir every 10 minutes as cream cheese melts and tortilla strips soften. Serve with a wedge of lime.

Spinach Dip with Homemade Pita Chips

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Start to finish: 1 hour
Impresses: 1-2

Ingredients

For the spinach dip:
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
10-ounce bag frozen spinach, thawed and drained
8-ounce block cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup plain full-fat yogurt
1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided
1 cup shredded Parmesan, divided
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

For the pita chips:
10 large pitas
½ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method

For the spinach dip:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a cast-iron skillet,  saute the onion and garlic in butter over medium heat until soft. Add in the spinach and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix together the room temperature cream cheese and yogurt until smooth. Mix in ½ cup mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Add the sauteed spinach; stir to combine.

Spoon the mixture back into the cast-iron skillet and top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 350 F for 20-30 minutes, or until bubbly and golden on top. Serve warm with homemade pita chips.

Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

For the pita chips:
Preheat oven to 400 F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut each pita into 8 triangles and arrange on the baking sheet. (Make sure not to crowd them together or they won’t brown. Use a second baking sheet if needed.)

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic and salt. Generously brush the seasoned olive oil onto each piece of pita. Sprinkle with Parmesan if desired. Bake at 400 F for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing & Blue Cheese

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Ingredients

4 strips thick-cut bacon
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon diced shallot
2 teaspoons stone-ground mustard
1½ teaspoons brown sugar
Salt, to taste
1 container fresh spinach, for serving
2 ounces blue cheese crumbles, for serving
Thinly sliced red onion, for serving
Halved cherry tomatoes, for serving

Method

In a large skillet, cook bacon slices over medium heat until crispy. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. In a mason jar, combine 3 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat, sherry vinegar, shallot, mustard and brown sugar. Taste, and add more salt, if necessary. Toss the fresh spinach in the bacon dressing, and divide among two large serving bowls. Top with crumbled bacon strips, blue cheese, red onion and tomatoes before serving.

Notes: Dressing can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, heat the dressing in the microwave for 30 seconds, or until the bacon fat is liquid and the dressing is warmed through. Shake vigorously before using.

Brown Butter Yogurt Coffee Cake

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Start to finish: 1 hour 10 minutes
Impresses: 9-12

Ingredients

For the cake:
¾ cup unsalted butter, browned
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain full-fat yogurt

For the streusel:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the glaze:
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1-2 teaspoons milk

Method

For the cake:
To make the brown butter, melt the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. Once melted, stir frequently and watch closely for the formation of brown specks on the bottom of the pan and a nutty aroma. Once you see the brown specks form, stir for just a few more seconds, as the butter will brown quickly. Remove from heat and immediately pour into a separate bowl to prevent burning. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F, and line a lightly greased 9-by-13-inch cake pan with parchment paper (for thicker pieces of coffee cake, use a 9-by-9-inch pan.)

In a large bowl, whisk together the browned butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla extract until fully combined and smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

Alternate folding in half the dry ingredients and yogurt; then mix until just combined. The batter should be smooth and thick.

For the streusel:
In a medium bowl, mix together all the streusel ingredients until it comes together and forms clumps. Use your hands to form larger clumps if desired. 

Spoon half the coffee cake batter into the bottom of your pan, and spread into a smooth layer. Sprinkle half the streusel in an even layer over the batter. Top with the remaining batter and then sprinkle with the rest of the streusel. 

Bake 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. If the streusel begins to brown too quickly, cover with foil for the remaining baking time. Remove from oven, and let the cake cool completely in the pan before removing.

For the glaze:
To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and melted butter. Add milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Drizzle glaze over the top of the coffee cake and enjoy.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Maple Bacon Chicken Tenders

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Start to finish: 1 hour
Impresses: 4

Ingredients
2 cups leftover Maple Bacon Cornbread
Cooking spray
1 pound chicken tenderloins
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
3 eggs
¼ cup buttermilk

Method

Heat oven to 325 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Finely crumble leftover cornbread onto baking sheet (you can also use a food processor), spritz with cooking spray and bake for 8 minutes, or until lightly dried and toasted. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper.

Set 3 shallow dishes in a row, adding flour and Cajun seasoning to the first. Stir to combine.

In the second, whisk together eggs and buttermilk. In the third, add cornbread crumbles.

Increase oven to 400 F.

Dip your chicken into the flour, egg and then cornbread, to coat. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken and coat the tops with cooking spray.

Bake 18–20 minutes, flipping halfway through and spritzing with more cooking spray until tenders are golden and chicken is cooked through.

Serve immediately.

Yogurt-Marinated Steak with Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce

Start to finish: 30 minutes
Impresses: 2-3

Ingredients

For the steak:
2 pounds flank steak
½ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Olive oil for cooking

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
⅓ cup crumbly Gorgonzola
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

For the steak:
In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the steak to a shallow dish or gallon zip-close bag, and coat evenly in the marinade. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Remove steak from the fridge 1-2 hours before cooking and allow it time to come to room temperature.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Remove steak from the marinade and pat dry. Sear the steak for 5-7 minutes or until a crisp, golden crust has formed; then, flip and sear for another 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 130 F (for medium-rare). Transfer the steak to a cutting board, tent with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

For the sauce:
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour until dissolved and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the cream and continue to stir until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the Gorgonzola. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve:
Slice the steak against the grain, and serve with warm Gorgonzola sauce.

Seriously Supreme Pizza with Fresh Basil

Start to finish: 30 minutes
Impresses: 2-3

Ingredients

1 frozen meat lover’s pizza
½ cup fresh spinach
3-4 baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
¼ cup red onion, diced or thinly sliced
½ cup finely shredded cheese (pizza blend or part-skim mozzarella)
4-5 fresh basil leaves

Method

Heat the oven according to package directions (usually 450-500 F). While the oven is heating, prepare the fresh vegetables. Slice or dice into similar-sized pieces for even cooking.

Remove the frozen pizza from packaging, and then layer on the fresh spinach leaves, mushrooms and onions. Top with shredded cheese. Once the oven is fully heated, cook according to package directions (about 20 minutes). 

When the pizza is finished baking, remove from the oven. Chop the fresh basil and add on top, along with additional toppings or cheese if desired. Cut into 6 slices and serve immediately. 

Alternative toppings:

Greek-style: Black olives, sun-dried tomatoes and canned artichoke hearts. Drizzle with olive oil or pesto before serving

Summer special: Sweet corn kernels, sliced zucchini and fresh arugula

Spicy Southwest-style: Black beans, adobo chili peppers (with or without sauce) and poblano or jalapeño peppers

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

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Start to finish: 30 minutes
Impresses: 8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
8 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 bay leaves
2 cups egg noodles
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded and bones removed
1 cup half and half
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Method

Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat.

Add in onion, carrots and celery, and sauté, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes.

Stir in garlic, dried thyme and parsley, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Pour in chicken stock, pepper, salt and bay leaves, and stir to combine.

Bring to a boil and pour in egg noodles. Cook to package instructions.

While the noodles cook, remove meat from chicken and shred. Set aside.

Once noodles are tender, stir in the chicken and half and half.

Reduce to a simmer, and cook 2–3 minutes or until chicken is warmed through. Stir in parsley and serve immediately.

Roasted Asparagus With Parmesan & Lemon

INGREDIENTS

1 pound fresh asparagus
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
¼-½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
1 lemon

METHOD

Preheat oven to 375 F. Trim the tough, stalky ends off of the asparagus and rinse well. Place trimmed asparagus in an even layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and give the pan a shake to season all sides of the asparagus. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until asparagus is tender. (This may take longer, depending on the thickness of the asparagus.) Immediately after removing from the oven, sprinkle asparagus with shredded Parmesan and the zest of 1 lemon. If desired, dress the asparagus with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice as well.