Sheet-Pan Chicken Quesadillas

For this recipe, I like to use the grilled chicken strips you can buy in packages at Costco. (I simply use kitchen shears to cut the strips into skinnier pieces). You could also use rotisserie chicken meat or whatever other cooked chicken you had on hand.

I also like to use ready-to-cook, fresh tortillas for this recipe. Our family's favorite brand is "Tortilla Land." Just be sure to cook them first before using them in the recipe below.

These taste great on their own, but served with sliced scallions, sour cream, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, salsa, and guacamole, they are next-level yummy!

3 tablespoons salted butter, melted and divided
14 (8-inch) tortillas, cooked
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sliced scallion whites
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
juice of 1 lime
salt and black pepper

Optional Toppings:

scallion greens

sour cream

avocado

cilantro

salsa

guacamole

lime slices

Preheat oven to 450-degrees F. Brush a half-size baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of melted butter.

Arrange 3 tortillas along one long side of baking sheet, overlapping each other and with half the tortillas hanging over the rim; repeat on the other long side. Arrange 2 tortillas at each end, overhanging and overlapping. Then place two tortillas in the center of the baking sheet to cover the bottom.

In small bowl, combine sour cream, scallions, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, lime juice, salt and pepper and stir well to combine. Set aside.

In large bowl, combine chicken, cheese, and beans. Toss to combine. Add sour cream mixture and stir until all is well mixed.

Spread chicken filling over tortillas. Place remaining 2 tortillas in center on top of filling, then fold overhanging tortillas to completely encase filling, pressing down firmly. Brush tops of tortillas with remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter.

Bake quesadillas in center of oven until tortillas are crispy and filling is hot and melty, about 20 minutes.

Allow to cool for a few minutes and then cut quesadillas into squares.

Top with desired toppings and serve.

Instant Pot Chicken Breasts

Both Michael and Matthew are constantly trying to bulk up and put on muscle mass for football. They need lots of lean proteins around during the week to make the multiple meals a day that they eat. This is a tender, moist, seasoned chicken breast recipe. I can cook 3-lb. batches in separate cycles without having to add additional chicken broth for successive rounds. I then store the chicken in two tubs in the fridge—one for Michael and one for Matthew.

I especially like this recipe because 1) it's unbelievably moist and juicy; and 2) it flavors the chicken without overpowering it. In other words, it has enough flavor to be delicious eating the chicken straight up on its own, or, you can use it in other recipes like quesadillas because the flavor isn't so strong that it competes or detracts from the other flavors going on in the dish you're making. Perfect.

Adapted from The Modern Proper.

Enough chicken stock to rise to the bottom rung of the trivet insert (the exact amount varies depending on what size of Instant Pot you're using)
2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper



Line an instant pot with the trivet insert. Pour the chicken stock into the base of the instant pot until it is just barely level with the bottom of the trivet.

Place the chicken into a large bowl (if using frozen chicken, make sure the breasts are separated). If it's fresh chicken, pat it dry with paper towels so that the seasoning will better adhere.

Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper toss to coat. 

Place the seasoned chicken into the instant pot (in a single layer), secure the lid and put the vent in the closed position.

Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes (for fresh) or 15 minutes (for frozen). It will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure. When the cook time is finished, you can wait for the pressure to release naturally or carefully move the vent a little at a time for a quick release. Do a quick check to make sure the chicken’s internal temperature registers 165° on an instant read thermometer.

BBQ Beef

This flavorful beef works great on buns as sandwiches or piled tall atop a mound of mashed potatoes for Sunday dinner.

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (3-pound) boneless beef shoulder or chuck roast
1 cup barbecue sauce
1⁄2 cup cider vinegar
1⁄2 cup chicken broth
1⁄4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1⁄2 medium yellow onion minced
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried thyme
6-8 hamburger buns (only needed if serving as sandwiches)
Butter (optional)
6-8 slices Swiss cheese (optional)

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat and brown the meat well, turning often, about 15 minutes. In a bowl combine the barbecue sauce, vinegar, broth, sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion, garlic and thyme. Pour over the meat and bring to a boil. Cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and roast in the oven for 5 to 6 hours. Remove the meat and shred it with a fork. Return the meat to the pot and keep warm.

Butter the hamburger buns, if desired, and broil them until they are barely brown around the edges. Place one slice of Swiss cheese, if using, on the bottom bun and place under the broiler just until the cheese has melted.

Fill the buns with the meat and serve.

QUICK & EASY POPOVERS

The ideal popover is crisp and well browned on the outside and hollow on the inside, with inner walls that are lush and custardy. This batter comes together quickly, so start heating your oven before gathering your ingredients and equipment. This recipe works best in a 6-cup popover pan, but you can substitute a 12-cup muffin tin, distributing the batter evenly among the 12 cups; start checking these smaller popovers after 25 minutes. Whole, 2%, or skim milk can be used. For consistent results, weigh the flour for this recipe. Do not open the oven during the first 30 minutes of baking.

1 ¼ cups (6¾ ounces) bread flour
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 ½ cups milk, heated to 110 to 120 degrees
3 large eggs
Salted butter

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray cups of popover pan with vegetable oil spray. Using paper towel, wipe out cups, leaving thin film of oil on bottom and sides. (I've also made them by brushing a thin layer of Crisco on the insides of the cups with a pastry brush and then dusting with flour).

Whisk together flour and salt in 8-cup liquid measuring cup or medium bowl. Add milk and eggs and whisk until mostly smooth (some small lumps are OK). Distribute batter evenly among prepared cups in popover pan. Bake until popovers are lofty and deep golden brown all over, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve hot, passing butter separately. (Leftover popovers can be stored in zipper-lock bag at room temperature for up to 2 days; reheat directly on middle rack of 300-degree oven for 5 minutes.)

Note:

• I have two 6-well popover pans and always make a double recipe for my family. (See stock photo of the pan I use below.) Available HERE.
• I use a size #12 (2.8-ounce) scoop for filling the wells of my popover pans. Available HERE.
• To get the milk the perfect temperature, I microwave a double recipe (so, 3 cups of milk) in a microwave-safe, silicone, cylinder measuring cup for 2 minutes and 30 seconds.

EASY FOCACCIA BREAD

Plan ahead with this recipe as it requires 2 separate rises and the first rise is especially long (either overnight in the fridge or on the counter for 3-4 hours). Good enough to serve to company! So, so simple and so, so good!

Do Ahead: Focaccia is best eaten the day it's made, but keeps well in the freezer. Slice it into pieces, store it in a freezer-safe container, then reheat it on a baking sheet in a 300° F oven.

1¼-oz. envelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp.)
2 tsp. honey
5 cups (625 g) all-purpose flour
5 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 Tbsp. Morton kosher salt
6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for hands
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for pan
Flaky sea salt
2–4 garlic cloves

Whisk one ¼-oz. envelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp.), 2 tsp. honey, and 2½ cups lukewarm water in a medium bowl and let sit 5 minutes (it should foam or at least get creamy; if it doesn’t your yeast is dead and you should start again—check the expiration date!).

Add 5 cups (625 g) all-purpose flour and 5 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 Tbsp. Morton kosher salt and mix with a rubber spatula until a shaggy dough forms and no dry streaks remain.

Pour 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil into a big bowl that will fit in your refrigerator. This puppy is going to rise! Transfer dough to bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with a silicone lid or plastic wrap and chill until dough is doubled in size (it should look very bubbly and alive), at least 8 hours and up to 1 day. If you're in a rush, you can also let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 3–4 hours.

Generously butter a 13x9" baking pan, for thicker focaccia that’s perfect for sandwiches, or an 18x13" rimmed baking sheet, for focaccia that's thinner, crispier, and great for snacking. The butter may seem superfluous, but it’ll ensure that your focaccia doesn’t stick. Pour 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil into center of pan. Keeping the dough in the bowl and using a fork in each hand, gather up edges of dough farthest from you and lift up and over into center of bowl. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat process. Do this 2 more times; you want to deflate dough while you form it into a rough ball. Transfer dough to prepared pan. Pour any oil left in bowl over and turn dough to coat it in oil. Let rise, uncovered, in a dry, warm spot (like near a radiator or on top of the fridge or a preheating oven) until doubled in size, at least 1½ hours and up to 4 hours.

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450°. To see if the dough is ready, poke it with your finger. It should spring back slowly, leaving a small visible indentation. If it springs back quickly, the dough isn’t ready. (If at this point the dough is ready to bake but you aren’t, you can chill it up to 1 hour.) Lightly oil your hands. If using a rimmed baking sheet, gently stretch out dough to fill (you probably won't need to do this if using a baking pan). Dimple focaccia all over with your fingers, like you’re aggressively playing the piano, creating very deep depressions in the dough (reach your fingers all the way to the bottom of the pan). Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake focaccia until puffed and golden brown all over, 20–30 minutes.

Hold off on this last step until you're ready to serve the focaccia: Melt 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Peel and grate in 2–4 garlic cloves with a Microplane (use 2 cloves if you’re garlic-shy or up to 4 if you love it). Return to medium heat and cook, stirring often, until garlic is just lightly toasted, 30–45 seconds. (Or, if you prefer raw garlic to toasted garlic, you can grate the garlic into the hot butter, off heat, then brush right away.)

Brush garlic-butter all over focaccia and slice into squares or rectangles.

Ice Cream Sandwiches (Brownies & Blondies)

These have been a HUGE hit with our kids since Michael was little. We often make them when the kids have their friends over to play. To assemble them, we use molds from Williams-Sonoma that we've had for over a decade (and that are no longer sold), but you can use any cookie cutter or mold with these recipes.

BROWNIES (for Ice Cream Sandwiches)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
10 Tbs. (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
9 scoops of your favorite ice cream, softened

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Line an 11-by-17-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

Over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour and cocoa powder. Set aside.

In a heatproof bowl set over but not touching barely simmering water in a saucepan, combine the butter and chocolate. Heat, stirring often, until melted, about 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the sugar and salt. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until well blended. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture and stir just until blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownie comes out clean, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for at least 1 hour. Using the ice cream sandwich molds, cut out 6 of each shape.

To assemble the ice cream sandwiches using the Williams Sonoma molds, snap the cookie sleeve of the mold into its corresponding base. Place 1 brownie cutout in the bottom of the sleeve. Place 1 scoop of ice cream in the sleeve and top with a second brownie cutout of the same shape. Using the press, press down on the top brownie until the ice cream has spread out evenly. Remove the base from the sleeve and carefully press the ice cream sandwich out. Repeat to make the remaining sandwiches.

Serve the ice cream sandwiches immediately, or place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper, cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 days. Makes 9 ice cream sandwiches.

BLONDIES (for Ice Cream Sandwiches)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
15 scoops of your favorite ice cream, softened

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Spray an 11"x17" baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper, allowing the parchment to hang over the long sides of the pan.

Over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium-low speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the brown and granulated sugars, increase the speed to medium and beat until slightly fluffy, about 1 minute, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Shape the dough into a rectangle and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Using your fingertips or a small rolling pin, evenly press or roll out the dough so it just fits in the prepared pan. Bake until the blondie is golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for at least 1 hour.

Remove the blondie from the pan by lifting the overhanging edges of the parchment. Transfer the blondie, still on the parchment, to a work surface. Using the ice cream sandwich molds, cut out 10 of each shape.

To assemble the ice cream sandwiches using the Williams Sonoma molds, snap the cookie sleeve of the mold into its corresponding base. Place 1 blondie cutout in the bottom of the sleeve. Place 1 scoop of ice cream in the sleeve and top with a second blondie cutout of the same shape. Using the press, press down on the top blondie until the ice cream has spread out evenly. Remove the base from the sleeve and carefully press the ice cream sandwich out. Repeat to make the remaining sandwiches.

Serve the ice cream sandwiches immediately, or place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper, cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 days. Makes 15 ice cream sandwiches.

Assorted Baked Doughnuts and Glazes

I'm a big fan, and long-time follower, of Erin Jeanne McDowell. She's a cookbook author, food stylist, and recipe developer who is a magician-baker, if you ask me. So you can imagine my delight when she published a recipe series for doughnuts, both baked doughnuts and traditional yeast doughnuts! I had to try them! Erin came through for me. These are hands-down the best doughnuts I've made, and I've tried many. And the glazes are phenomenal!


BAKED DOUGHNUTS
(Note: you can make them chocolate by subbing out 1/2 cup flour for 1/2 cup cocoa powder)

4 tablespoons (58 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 cup (60 g) vegetable or melted coconut oil
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 large (113 g) eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
1 1/4 cups (288 g) whole milk, at room temperature

 
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Grease and flour two sets of doughnut pans.

In a large bowl, whisk the butter, oil, and sugar together until well combined, about 1 minute.

Add the eggs one at a time and mix until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to combine.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix until combined. Add 1/2 of the milk and mix until fully incorporated. Repeat, adding another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining 1/2 of the milk, then finally the last of the flour. Mix until thoroughly incorporated, but do not overmix.

Transfer the batter to a large piping bag and cut a 1/2-inch opening from the tip. Pipe the batter into the prepared molds, filling them about 3/4 of way to the top of the mold. Give the pans a few good taps on your work surface to eliminate any air bubbles.

Bake the doughnuts until they spring back gently when touched and/or a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes inside the pan before inverting onto a cooling rack. Cool for at least 10 minutes more before glazing or finishing.

Note: To make swirl doughnuts, make one batch of vanilla batter and one batch of chocolate batter and swirl them together. Pipe a small amount of vanilla batter in two quarters of each doughnut mold, and fill in the remaining two quarters with chocolate batter, then use a toothpick to swirl them together.

Some finishing options: 

Vanilla Glaze: Mix 3/4 cup (85 g) confectioners' sugar, 3 to 4 tablespoons (45-60 g) heavy cream or milk (enough to make a runny glaze), and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. 

Chocolate Glaze: Mix 3/4 cup (85 g) confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons (14 g) dark cocoa powder, and 4 to 5 (60-75 g) tablespoons milk or cream. 

Matcha White Chocolate Glaze: Melt 1 1/2 cups (255 g) white chocolate and add 2 tablespoons (30 g) melted coconut oil and 1 tablespoon (9 g) matcha powder. Stir to combine. 

Powdered: Toss in confectioners' sugar while still warm to coat. (Keep in mind that the powdered sugar will be absorbed into the doughnut, so serve immediately or re-powder right before serving)

Cinnamon-Sugar: Toss in cinnamon sugar while still warm to coat.

YEAST DOUGHNUTS

1 1/2 cups whole milk (12 1/2 ounces)
1/3 cup water (2 1/2 ounces)
4 tablespoons butter (2 ounces)
5 cups all-purpose flour (25 ounces)
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar (2 ounces)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 eggs
6 cups Vegetable oil, for frying (use more if needed)

In a small pot, heat the milk, water, and butter until the butter has melted and the mixture is warm. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Mix the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a mixer (or a large bowl if mixing by hand). Add the warm milk mixture and mix to combine. Add the eggs, scraping the bowl well. Turn the mixer up to medium speed, and, using a dough hook, mix until the dough begins to pull away from the edges. If mixing by hand, knead until it easily pulls away from the sides of the bowl while as you knead (it will still be quite sticky).

Transfer the finished dough to a well-oiled container and cover. Allow it to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Alternatively, you can refrigerate the dough overnight so that it’s ready to make in the morning—but you may need to punch the dough down once or twice during that period to prevent it from over-fermenting.

To shape the doughnuts, roll out half of the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2-inch thick. Use a doughnut cutter to cut doughnuts (alternatively you can use two circle cutters, or even the rim of a drinking glass and the rim of a shot glass, to shape the doughnuts). I also like to cut the doughnuts into squares (about 2 inches by 2 inches) using a pizza cutter -- this is especially great for filled doughnuts.

Heat the oil to about 360° F. (You can use a candy/fryer thermometer, but I just do a test with one of the donut holes or a scrap piece of dough: If it rises rapidly to the surface, the oil is ready. If the donuts begin to brown too quickly, the oil is too hot.)

Fry the doughnuts, turning them halfway through cooking, until they're golden brown on each side. Drain on absorbent paper towels. Finish as desired. (You can glaze the donuts by dunking them, or by pouring the glaze over donuts on a rack).

Some finishing options:
Powdered: Toss in powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar.
Glazed: Mix 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (enough to make a runny glaze), and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional).
Chocolate-Glazed: Mix 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder, and 4 to 5 tablespoons milk or cream.
Chocolate-Coated: Dip doughnuts in tempered chocolate thinned with 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
Fruit-Glazed: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/4 cup fruit purée.
Violet-Glazed: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup cream or milk, and 1 teaspoon violet extract. Garnish with candied violets.
Pistachio: Glaze donuts with basic glaze, then press in chopped toasted pistachios.
Coconut: Glaze with coconut glaze (1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup coconut milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla), and press in toasted coconut flakes.
Black and White: Make a dark chocolate ganache with 1 cup chopped dark chocolate and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Make a white chocolate ganache with 1 cup chopped white chocolate with 1/4 cup heavy cream. Glaze half the doughnut with the chocolate glaze and half with the white glaze.
Caramel-Glazed: Melt 1 cup of caramel candies with 1/3 cup heavy cream in the microwave in 10-second blasts until fully melted. Thin the glaze with additional milk or cream as needed to get a pourable glaze.
Meyer Lemon: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with the zest and juice of 1 Meyer lemon, then add enough milk to form a pourable glaze.
Cinnamon Roll: Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Mix together 1 stick melted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon. Spread the mixture evenly all over the dough, then roll tightly into a cylinder. Cut into 1 inch-thick pieces, then fry until golden brown. Glaze with basic glaze.

Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower rinsed and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese grated
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese grated
3 oz. cream cheese cut into small pieces
Coarse salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl combine the cauliflower pieces and cream. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread half the cauliflower mixture in the middle of the pan.

In a small bowl combine the Jack, Parmesan, and cream cheese. Sprinkle half the cheese over top the cauliflower.

Spread the rest of the cauliflower over top the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top the cauliflower. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes until tender and the cauliflower just starts to brown on top.

Serve.

30-Minute Mini Meat Loaves

I grew up in a home where meatloaf was a staple. To this day, for me, classic comfort food = homemade meat loaf with a side of mashed potatoes. As a grown-up, the meatloaf recipe my mom made when I was a kid just doesn't taste as good as I remember it, so I've moved on to this yummy recipe! 

The recipe makes 4 mini loaves. For some, one mini loaf would be enough for 2 people, but I've got family members that can easily polish off a whole mini loaf all by themselves, so I double the recipe and make 8 mini loaves. Leftovers re-heat well for a meal on another day.

The recipe calls for meatloaf mix, but regular 80% lean ground beef works well, too. Or, you can substitute 3/4 pound each of ground pork and 85% lean ground beef.

The glaze is really what makes this! It's Eric's favorite part. Don't skimp, and save any leftovers to pass around the table to serve with the meatloaf.

Meat Loaves
17 Saltine crackers, crushed fine (about 2/3 cup)
¼ cup milk
3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
⅓ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 - 1 ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 large egg
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
1 ½ pounds meat loaf mix
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Glaze
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar


For the meatloaves: Adjust oven rack to middle position, place broiler pan with slotted top on oven rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees.

Mix cracker crumbs, milk, Worcestershire, parsley, mustard, egg, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Add meat and mix with hands until evenly combined. Form into 4 tightly packed loaves, each measuring 4 by 3 inches.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook loaves until well browned on top and bottom, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

For the glaze: While meat is browning, combine ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar in bowl.

To finish: Carefully transfer loaves to slotted broiler-pan top and spoon 1 tablespoon glaze over each loaf. Bake until thermometer inserted in middle of loaf registers 160 degrees, 7 to 9 minutes. Let loaves rest on broiler pan for 3 minutes. Serve, passing remaining glaze separately.

MAKE AHEAD: The loaves can be formed, wrapped with plastic, and refrigerated overnight. Let the loaves sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before proceeding with browning the loaves in a skillet.

Million-Dollar Mac & Cheese

I call this Million-Dollar Mac & Cheese because by the time you buy all 7 cheeses called for in the recipe, you've spent a million dollars. (It might also aptly be called Million-Calorie Mac & Cheese.) Our family loves this mac-n-cheese more than any other that we've ever tried, but it's definitely reserved for special occasions because it's pricey to make.

The recipe is from a very popular restaurant here in the DC area called Founding Farmers. The actual name of the dish is "Seven-Cheese Mac & Cheese." (The cheeses were chosen with intention to balance saltiness, stringiness, and flavor, and man, are they good!)

For this recipe, I like to use a good-quality radiatore pasta (a short, squat, ruffled pasta similar to rotini that holds the sauce well), or rigatoni, which also works well.

Of note:

If you've used this recipe from here before, note that as of Nov 2022, I've re-written the recipe here on the blog. I halved the amount of sauce and broke down the steps to be more intuitive and easier to follow. You can find the original recipe in the Founding Farmers cookbook. 

The cookbook recipe says it serves 4 to 6, but this is a heavy, rich mac-and-cheese. I'd say it serves more like 10-12, especially when used as a side dish.

INGREDIENTS (divided into sections that correlate with prep steps)

1-1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
¼ + ⅛ cup (1.5 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 pound dry noodles (macaroni, rigatoni, or radiatore work well)

2 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic*
*can substitute garlic powder, but if you do, use half the amount

1-1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded sharp yellow cheddar
1-1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded white cheddar
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Asiago

3/4 cups (3 ounces) shredded Gruyere
1/3 cup (1-1/4 ounces) shredded Muenster

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1-1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2-1/2 tablespoons finely sliced fresh chives (optional)



PREP

Preheat the oven to 325-degrees F. Butter a 4-quart casserole dish (or six 16-ounce individual dishes) with butter and set aside. Fill a 6-quart pot with water and bring to a boil.

Grate the indicated amount of each of the different cheeses (a food processor with the grater attachment works especially well for this). All of the cheeses, once grated, can be combined together EXCEPT for the smoked gouda, which needs to remain separate.


FIRST SAUCE

1-1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
¼ + ⅛ cup (1.5 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 pound dry noodles (macaroni, rigatoni, or radiatore work well)

Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat the whole milk and heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. In a separate 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter begins to bubble, whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly pour the hot milk and cream into the flour mixture while whisking. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens. Whisk in the Gouda and white pepper. Remove the sauce from the heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

When the pasta water is boiling, cook the macaroni for a few minutes short of the package directions. (Note: The pasta will continue to cook in the sauce in the oven, which is why they tell you to undercook it in this step. However, I do not like al dente pasta, and haven't ever wanted to risk having a 'bite' to the finished pasta, so I only undercook my pasta by 1 minute at most—doing so prevents an al dente finished product, but neither will the finished product be mushy, which is what the recipe, as written, is trying to guard against.)

Drain the pasta. Transfer it to the large bowl with the warm sauce and mix together until pasta is well coated.

SECOND SAUCE

2 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic*
*you can substitute garlic powder, but if you do, use 1/4 teaspoon instead of 1/2 teaspoon

In a separate, small bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, whole milk, salt, black pepper, and granulated garlic. Pour this mixture over the pasta.

CHEESE IT UP

1-1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded sharp yellow cheddar
1-1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded white cheddar
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Asiago
3/4 cups (3 ounces) shredded Gruyere
1/3 cup (1-1/4 ounces) shredded Muenster

Add the remaining shredded cheeses, and gently fold together until combined. Transfer the pasta mixture to the buttered casserole dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes (12 to 15 minutes if using individual dishes).

TOPPING

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2-1/2 tablespoons finely sliced fresh chives (optional)

While the macaroni bakes, prepare the topping: Melt the butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat; stir in the panko and salt until the crumbs are coated. Remove from the heat. Remove the macaroni from the oven, discard the foil, and sprinkle the buttered bread crumbs evenly over the top. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the bread crumbs are golden brown. Remove the dish from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes, then sprinkle the chives over the top and serve.

Seasoned Tilapia Filets

I had a bunch of tilapia filets I needed to cook up and went online in search of a new recipe to try. I struck gold. My family members are not big fans of fish, but everyone enjoyed this. From Taste of Home.

(I tripled the recipe to have enough seasoning for 6 filets)

2 tilapia fillets (6 ounces each)
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning (I used a different brand of steak seasoning because it's what I had on hand)
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Dash garlic powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Place tilapia in a greased 11x7-in. baking dish; drizzle with butter. In a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients; sprinkle over fillets.

2. Bake, covered, 10 minutes. Uncover; bake until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork, 5-8 minutes.

Ebelskivers

Ebelskiver/Aebleskiver [EH-bleh-skee-vor] is a traditional Danish pancake that is often filled in the center with either sweet or savory fillings. The name means “apple slices” in Danish, as ebelskivers are often filled with apples. A special pan is necessary to make these spherical delights, and can be easily found at a reasonable price online.

It takes a little time for the pan to come to temperature, so let it heat up a few minutes before you start cooking the pancakes. I don’t know if it’s just my crappy stovetop, but I find that it’s necessary to adjust the temperature as I go, sometimes from batch to batch. Word to the wise, start at medium-low.

We’ve been making these as a family for 15 years. They are often requested on birthdays and as a special treat for all sorts of occasions from holidays to “just because.” Our family’s favorite filling is Nutella, but you simply can’t go wrong with pretty much any filling (sweet or savory).

Note that this recipe doubles and triples easily, but you do need to use it right away so that the whipped egg whites don’t have time to deflate, so don’t make more batter than you can use at one time. I’ve made many different recipes for these over the years, but this one remains my go-to.

These cook quickly, so have all fillings and toppings ready to go.

Makes about 21 pancakes.

1 cup (5 oz/155 g) all-purpose flour

1-½ teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, separated

1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) whole milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Filling of choice 

(our family favorite is Nutella, but you can do sweet or savory fillings; ideas include cubed cheese, finely diced sauteed apples, chocolate chips, cooked ground breakfast sausage, lemon curd, orange cream, etc. Herbs and flavorings can also be added to the basic batter recipe to compliment the flavors of the fillings.)

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then whisk in the milk and melted butter. Add the yolk mixture to the flour mixture and, using a wooden spoon, stir until well blended. The batter will be lumpy.

In a clean bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry, peaks from. Using a silicone spatula, fold about one-third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then fold in the rest just until no white streaks remain. Use the batter right away.

Using a pastry brush, coat the wells of the ebelskiver pan evenly with melted butter and place over medium or medium-low heat. Let the butter heat for a few moments.

When the butter begins to bubble in the pan, use a Size #60 (0.54 oz) food scoop (or two soup spoons—one spoon to scoop and the other to scrape) to add roughly a tablespoon of batter to each well.

Working quickly, carefully spoon about 1 teaspoon of the desired filling (I use a #110 food scoop) into the center of each pancake.

Immediately add another tablespoon-ish of batter on top of the filling to enclose it.

Cook the first side until bubbles rise from the centers of the pancakes and they are lightly browned and crisp on the bottom (about 3 minutes).

Position 2 wooden skewers (I use bamboo skewers for kabobs) on opposite sides of a pancake, slide the tips between the edge of the well and the cooked edge, and lift and rotate gently. Repeat to turn the remaining pancakes.

Cook the pancakes until lightly browned on the second side, about 3 minutes longer. Use the skewers to transfer the pancakes to a plate or platter.

WARNING: The center fillings will be molten after being cooked, so allow the pancakes to cool off a little before eating.

Japanese Milk Bread

A tender, fluffy white bread, this loaf is made using the Japanese yeast bread technique, tangzhong. 

Tangzhong involves cooking some of the flour in liquid before adding it to the other ingredients. Doing so pre-gelatinizes the flour's starches, thus enabling them to retain liquid for a softer crumb. Supposedly, it also results in bread with a longer shelf-life, but our loaves never last long enough to be able to confirm that claim!


Tangzhong
3 tablespoons (43g) water
3 tablespoons (43g) whole milk
2 tablespoons (14g) Unbleached Bread Flour

Dough
2 1/2 cups (298g) Unbleached Bread Flour
2 tablespoons (14g) nonfat dry milk
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1/2 cup (113g) whole milk
1 large egg
4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, melted

To make the tangzhong: 

Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan, and whisk until no lumps remain.

Place the saucepan over low heat and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until thick and the whisk leaves lines on the bottom of the pan, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Transfer the tangzhong to a small mixing bowl or measuring cup and let it cool to lukewarm.


To make the dough: 

Combine the tangzhong with the remaining dough ingredients, then mix and knead — by mixer or bread machine — until a smooth, elastic dough forms; this could take almost 15 minutes in a stand mixer.

Shape the dough into a ball, and let it rest in a lightly greased bowl, covered, for 60 to 90 minutes, until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk.

Gently deflate the dough and divide it into four equal pieces; if you have a scale each piece will weigh between 170g and 175g.

Flatten each piece of dough into a 5" x 8" rectangle, then fold the short ends in towards one another like a letter. Flatten the folded pieces into rectangles again (this time about 3" x 6") and, starting with a short end, roll them each into a 4" log.

Place the logs in a row of four — seam side down and side by side — in a lightly greased 9" x 5" loaf pan.

Cover the loaf and allow it to rest/rise for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy.

Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

To bake the bread: Brush the loaf with milk** and bake it for 30 to 35 minutes, until it's golden brown on top and a digital thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 190°F.

Remove the loaf from the oven and cool it in the pan until you can transfer it safely to a rack to cool completely.

Store leftover bread, well wrapped, at cool room temperature for 5 to 7 days; freeze for longer storage.

**For a dark-gold, shiny crust, whisk together 1 large egg + 1 tablespoon cold water for an egg wash. Just before putting the bread in the oven, instead of brushing the top with milk, brush it with some of the egg wash (you won't use all of it). Bake as directed.

Blueberry Buckle

This is a fantastic and easy-to-make breakfast treat. The batter is very thick and at first you'll say to yourself, "I can't possibly stir in those blueberries!" but you can—just do so gently so as not to crush the berries.

Notes: A blueberry buckle is a blueberry coffeecake with a streusel topping. The batter will be extremely thick and heavy, and some effort will be required to spread it into the prepared cake pan. This buckle is best made with fresh blueberries, not frozen ones, which are too moist. If you'd like to serve the buckle as dessert, consider a vanilla ice cream or whipped cream accompaniment. Leftovers can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Ingredients

Streusel

½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour(2 1/2 ounces)
½ cup packed light brown sugar(3 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch table salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter(1/2 stick), cut into 8 pieces, softened but still cool

Cake

1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour( 7 1/2 ounces)

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/4 stick), softened but still cool
⅔ cup granulated sugar (about 4 3/4 ounces)
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
4 cups fresh blueberries (about 20 ounces), picked over

Instructions

For the streusel: In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt on low speed until well combined and no large brown sugar lumps remain, about 45 seconds. Add butter and mix on low until mixture resembles wet sand and no large butter pieces remain, about 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer streusel to small bowl and set aside.

For the cake: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9-inch round cake pan with 2-inch sides with nonstick cooking spray, line bottom with parchment or waxed paper round, and spray round; dust pan with flour and knock out excess.

Whisk flour and baking powder in small bowl to combine; set aside. In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, cream butter, sugar, salt, and lemon zest at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes; using rubber spatula, scrape down bowl. Beat in vanilla until combined, about 30 seconds. With mixer running at medium speed, add eggs one at a time; beat until partially incorporated, then scrape down bowl and continue to beat until fully incorporated (mixture will appear broken). With mixer running on low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat until flour is almost fully incorporated, about 20 seconds. Disengage bowl from mixer; stir batter with rubber spatula, scraping bottom and sides of bowl, until no flour pockets remain and batter is homogenous; batter will be very heavy and thick. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in blueberries until evenly distributed.

Transfer batter to prepared pan; with rubber spatula, using a pushing motion, spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface. Squeeze handful of streusel in hand to form large cohesive clump; break up clump with fingers and sprinkle streusel evenly over batter. Repeat with remaining streusel. Bake until deep golden brown and toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool on wire rack 15 to 20 minutes (cake will fall slightly as it cools).

Run paring knife around sides of cake to loosen. Place upside-down plate (do not use plate or platter on which you plan to serve the cake) on top of cake pan; invert cake to remove from pan, lift off cake pan, then peel off and discard parchment. Re-invert cake onto serving platter. Cool until just warm or to room temperature, at least 1 hour. Cut into wedges and serve.

Crepe Cake With Triple Citrus Mousse

Bright, citrus flavor. A little unexpected. A lovely, light dessert for Summer months.

MOUSSE:
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon minced lemon zest
1 tablespoon minced lime zest
1 tablespoon minced lemon zest
1/4 cup strained fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup strained fresh lime juice
1/4 cup strained fresh orange juice
pinch of salt
4 tablespoons butter, cubed
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

CREPES:
4 eggs
2-1/2 cups whole milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
melted unsalted butter

FOR SERVING:
sweetened whipped cream
citrus slices

For the mousse:
Whisk together eggs and egg yolks; add sugar and whisk until combined. Stir in zests, juices, and salt.

Transfer egg mixture to a saucepan (with a stainless-steel interior). Add butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until curd thickens and a thermometer registers 170-degrees F, 8-10 minutes. Immediately pour and press curd through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids. Cover surface of curd with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming; refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or overnight. .Fold whipped cream into curd to form mousse just before assembling.

For the crepes:
Blend eggs, milk, flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt in a blender until ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Cover batter and chill at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours. (This allows the batter to rest so that the flour can hydrate and the gluten can relax).

Heat a crepe pan over medium for 2-3 minutes. Brush bottom and sides with melted butter. Measure 1/4 cup batter; pour it to one side of the pan. Immediately twirl the pan to coat bottom with batter.

Cook crepe until edges begin to just brown, about 1 minute. Loosen crepe around the edge with a heatproof spatula, flip, and cook 20-30 seconds more. Transfer crepe to a wire rack to cool.

Continue cooking crepes, coating pan with melted butter for each. Stack crepes, layering parchment between layers.

Place one crepe on a flat serving dish. Spread 1/4 cup mousse to cover crepe using the back of a spoon; top with another crepe. Continue layering mousse and crepes, ending with a crepe.

Refrigerate cake until firm, about 1 hour. Top cake with whipped cream and citrus slices.