Recipe: Weeknight Beans on Toast

Weeknight Beans on Toast
Bon Appetit Magazine, Feb 2019, p.24
4.5 stars

This is a nice alternative to the Skillet Bruschetta with Beans and Greens (that we've made many times that goes with toast) -- incredibly delicious and overall healthy!  As noted within the recipe, I can see the leftovers being repurposed and used on top of pasta.

Ingredients: bread, sweet or hot Italian sausage, crushed tomatoes, baby spinach, white beans, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, extra-virgin olive oil, butter, Kosher salt, Parmesan, parsley

Tips:

• Use 2-3x the amount of spinach (recipe also notes that kale could be used)
• Measure the salt
• Use cannellini beans
• Did not make the garlic butter or broil the bread -- simply toasted the bread and buttered it

Recipe: Pork-Meatball Skillet Bake

Pork-Meatball Skillet Bake
MarthaStewart.com
4.5 Stars

I have decided that I am not a sausage and peppers fan (this recipe is essentially that recipe).  However, the dish was good, and I'm recording our thoughts here so that when I, thetaster, is out of town, then blogger the grandcruman can make and enjoy this!

This was a tasty recipe, despite me not loving the combination of sausage and peppers (and onion).  It was very easy to make, and I always love how the addition of fennel seeds can make pork taste like a spiced sausage.

Ingredients: crusty boule, fresh mozzarella, basil, ground pork, red and/or yellow bell peppers, onion, tomato sauce, fennel seeds, Parmigiano-Reggiano, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips/notes/changes:

• 1 pound of pork made 13 meatballs
• Add garlic to the meatballs
• Add red pepper flakes to the sauce
• Toast the bread before putting it in the broiler
• Use shredded mozzarella instead of fresh (fresh has too much water)
• Next time, cut the bell pepper slices in half so it's easier to eat
• Next time, sub the 1/4 cup water for white wine to add depth of flavor

Recipe: Crispy Baked Chicken Flautas

Crispy Baked Chicken Flautas
MarthaStewart.com
5 stars

This dish was so delish.  And easy, easy, easy, easy for a weeknight meal.
The chipotle in adobo always adds complexity to dishes we've made and takes this recipe to the 5 star level.

Ingredients: tortillas, ground chicken, chipotle in adobo, cilantro, Monterey Jack cheese, tomato paste, lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper; pico de gallo and sour cream for serving

Tips:

• Use 2.5 Tbsp of chipotle in adobo next time
• Great with chips and also guac on the side too

Recipe: Polenta Dutch Baby with Ham and Swiss

Polenta Dutch Baby with Ham and Swiss
Food & Wine Magazine, Jan 2020, p. 81
4 stars

This was an interesting dish -- considered a "large-format pancake" if you read about it at foodandwine.com. This recipe is from 2015 Food & Wine Best New Chef Jonathan Brooks who owns the Indianapolis restaurant, Milktooth.

I love polenta, so I really liked the texture which was a bit unexpected -- it's not a light souffle and not an eggy dense frittata but something in between with polenta's grainy texture.  Surprisingly, the entire dish only used three eggs.

The SALAD was absolutely delicious and one that we'll definitely make again.

Polenta Dutch Baby Ingredients: all-purpose flour, sugar, uncooked polenta, whole milk, eggs, unsalted butter, deli ham, Swiss cheese, Kosher salt

Salad Ingredients: baby arugula, red grapes, Dijon mustard, Champagne vinegar, pure maple syrup or honey, grapeseed oil

Tips:

• Use a non-sweet ham (not a honey ham, for example) because there will overall be too much sweetness in the dish
• Used extra-virgin olive oil instead of grapeseed oil

Recipe: Grain Salad with Greens, Cherries and Crispy Bacon

Grain Salad with Greens, Cherries and Crispy Bacon
Better Homes & Gardens, Feb 2020, p. 66
5 stars

YUMMMMMMM... this dish was so delicious and easy for a weeknight meal.

Farro = LOVE! (I just love its texture)
Kale = Healthy
Blue cheese = what can you not love?  Creamy!
Bacon = really, what can you not love?  Crispy!
Sweet dried cherries (we used raisins) = Sweetness
Dressing = Acidity

We'll definitely be making this again.

Ingredients: farro, bacon, kale, sweet dried cherries, blue cheese, red wine vinegar, coarse-grain mustard, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, black pepper

Tips:

• At least double the amount of kale

Recipe: Charred Vegetable Ragu

Charred Vegetable Ragu
Food & Wine Magazine, Jan 2020, p. 45
5 stars

We love bolognese sauce, but after trying this recipe, we think this beats out all the bolognese recipes we've ever made (and there's no meat in this dish!).  The char of the vegetables, including the whole roasted garlic head and umami from the mushrooms, all add a deep, complex flavor that was just so mmm mmm good. This is a restaurant-worthy dish.

Ingredients: dried pasta, portobello mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, garlic, yellow onion, celery, carrots, tomato paste, dry red wine, dried oregano, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, black pepper

Tips:

• Slice the cremini mushrooms instead of quartering them
• Even though this was so good without any meat, this dish could be taken to the next level with the addition of a 1/2 pound of hot Italian sausage