Category: Fall & Winter Dinners

Black Bean Burgers

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Well, I’ve tried several recipes that are light at this point, and I think only one is post-worthy (the sweet potatoes from a few posts ago). So, I’m abandoning that approach, and going instead back to my old stomping grounds for good recipes. We tried this one last week, and I’m already sure it will grace our table many times in the future. It’s from the 2011 America’s Test Kitchen Annual, and I love the red pepper in it–it’s terrific. A suggested variation is to sub 1 T. minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce for the cayenne and replace 1/4 c. of the red pepper with 3/4 c. thawed frozen corn. Sounds like a good plan for next time.

Black Bean Burgers

2 slices high-quality white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
2 large eggs
3 T. olive oil
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
1 shallot, minced (about 3 T.)

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Pulse the bread in a food processor to coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Spread the crumbs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and dry, 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature. {I just realized I skipped this step–the burgers were quite moist–I’m sure this dries them out and gives them quite a different, likely better, texture. But, foregoing it still produced great results.}

3. Whisk the eggs, 1 T. of the oil, the cumin, salt, and cayenne together in a small bowl. Place 2 1/2 cups of the beans in a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher until mostly smooth. Stir in the bread crumbs, egg mixture, remaining 1/2 c. beans, bell pepper, cilantro and shallot until just combined. Divide the bean mixture into 6 equal portions, about 1/2 c. each, and lightly pack into 1″ thick patties.

4. Heat 1 T. more oil in a 12″ nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully lay half of the patties in the skillet and cook until well browned on both sides, 8-10 minutes, flipping them halfway through.

5. Transfer the burgers to a plate and tent loosely with foil. Return the skillet to medium heat and repeat with the remaining 1 T. oil and remaining burgers. Serve.

Deep Dish Pizza Crust

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I did the traditional pizza I posted earlier for many years, but since I’ve happened upon this recipe, I’m almost wholly converted. I find this recipe to be much simpler–less messy, less time-intensive, and more capable of handling a pile of toppings. I don’t fill the pans as full of olive oil as the recipe calls for most of the time, but it’s worth doing the first time, so you know how terrific the recipe can be, and then pare back according to the needs of your constituents (or conscience). I almost always use this crust for a barbeque chicken pizza, so I jotted that down at the bottom.  This recipe is from the 2007 America’s Test Kitchen Annual.

Deep Dish Pizza Dough

1/2 c. olive oil
3/4 c. plus 2 T. skim milk, warmed to 110 degrees (or 1/3 c. dry milk powder plus 3/4 c. warm water)
2 t. sugar
2 1/3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 envelope (2 1/4 t.) instant yeast
1/2 t. salt

Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 200 degress. When the oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off. Lightly grease a large bowl with cooking spray. Coat two 9″ cake pans with 3 T. oil each.

Mix the milk, sugar and the remaining 2 T. oil together in a liquid measuring cup (if using dry milk, just mix the water, sugar, and oil together). Mix the flour, yeast, and salt (and dry milk, if using) in a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook. Turn the machine to low and slowly add the milk mixture. After the dough comes together, increase the speed to medium-low and mix until the dough is shiny and smooth, about 5 minutes. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, gently shape it into a ball, and place it in the greased bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place it in the warm oven until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

After the first rise, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough in half, and lightly roll each half into a ball. Working with 1 dough ball at a time, roll and shape the dough into 9 1/2″ round and press it into an oiled pan. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm spot (not in the oven) until puffy and slightly risen, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the plastic wrap from the dough. Ladle 2/3 c. pizza sauce on each dough round leaving a 1/2″ border around the edges. Sprinkle each with 1 1/2 c. cheese and any other toppings your desire. Bake the pizzas until the cheese is melted and the crust is browning 16-20 minutes. Remove the pizzas from the oven and let them rest in the pans for 1 minutes .Using a spatuala, transfer the pizzas to a cutting board, cut each into 8 wedges, and serve.

Barbeque Chicken Pizza: I’ve based this variation off of Wayland Bakery, where they used to serve my favorite barbecue chicken pizza.

Sauce: 1 part pizza sauce to 1 part of your favorite bbq sauce (the Test Kitchen recently rated Masterpiece KC to be taster’s fave–I’ve actually never tried it, so I’ll add it to my list).  An easy pizza sauce is to simmer one can of crushed tomatoes (I think 20 oz?) with 2 minced cloves of garlic and about 1 T. olive oil for twenty minutes.

Toppings: shredded chicken (can be microwaved and shredded, or use leftovers), a mixture of mozzarella and monterey jack cheeses (I just throw a couple handfuls of each on top of the pizza), and sauce

After the pizza comes out of the oven, add about 3 green onions, sliced thin, and a good 1/4 c. cilantro, minced (or larger leaves, which is pretty but tends to turn off the small children here, not that they would eat this pizza anyway).

If you have more time, you can caramelize onions and add them with the chicken, and leave off the green onions at the end. I like this way better, but don’t always get to caramelizing the onions.

Thin-Cut Pork Chops with Rosemary-Balsamic Glazed Shallots

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This is another really great recipe that has come from my experiments with fast-cooking these last few weeks. It’s from Emeril’s 20-40-60 Fresh Food Fast. It also goes back to the library tomorrow.

Pork Chops with Rosemary-Balsamic Glazed Shallots

4 6-oz. center-cut pork chops
2 t. kosher salt
1 t. white pepper (I used black)
2 T. Wondra Flour (I used all-purpose)
3 T. olive oil
1 T. unsalted butter
1 c. thinly sliced shallots
1 t. minced garlic
1/2 t. chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 c. chicken stock

1. Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Dust each pork chop lightly with the flour and set aside.

2. Set a 12″ cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil and butter. When it is hot, place the pork chops in the skillet and sear for 2 minutes per side. Remove the chops from the skillet and set them aside. Add the shallots to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until lightly caramelized, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Add the balsamic vinegar and deglaze the skillet. When the vinegar has nearly evaporated (about  1/2 minutes), add the chicken stock. Increase the heat to high, and return the pork chops to the skillet. Baste the pork chops with the stock and cook until the liquid has reduced to a sauce consistency 6-8 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and serve. (I completed the meal with polenta and roasted acorn squash.)

Skillet Tamale Pie

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This is a recipe Rex loved from the Best’s 30-minute meals. I’m cataloging it because I have to take the book back to the library tomorrow.

Skillet Tamale Pie

2 T. vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
2 T. chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. 90% lean ground beef
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (6-8 oz.) package cornbread mix (or homemade)
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 T. minced cilantro

1 . Heat oven to 450.

2. Heat oil in a 12″ skillet over medium and saute onion, chili powder, 1/2 t. salt and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until gragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Make filling” stir in ground beef, beans, tomatoes, and bring to simmer, breaking meat with a spoon.

4. Make topping batter either to package instructions or homemade recipe below.

5. Stir in cheddar and cilantro into filling and seaons with salt and pepper. Dollop corbread batter over filling and spread evenly.

6. Bake 10-15 minutes and serve.

Homemade cornbread topping:

3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. cornmeal
3 T. sugar
3/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
3/4 c. buttermilk
1 large egg
3 T. butter, melted and cooled

Whisk dry ingredients together. In separate bowl, whisk buttermilk and egg together. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until uniform, then add butter until combined. Proceed in recipe above.

Stir-Fried Shrimp and Snow Peas with Coconut Curry Sauce

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With all the craziness of our new schedule, I have decided I needed to drastically cut down on dinner prep time, and so I checked out the Best Recipe’s 30-Minute Meals and have been trying a few out. This was by far my favorite from this last week. I thought it was great, so I’m thinking of making it again this week 🙂

Stir-Fried Shrimp and Snow Peas with Coconut Curry Sauce

This is the recipe--made with chicken, though

 

Coconut Curry Sauce
1 c. coconut milk
1 T. fish sauce
1-2 t. red curry paste
1 t. light brown sugar
1 t. cornstarch

Stir Fry
1 lb. 21/25 shrimp, peeled and deveined (or thinly sliced chicken breast or steak or cubed tofu)
2 t. soy sauce
2 T. vegetable oil
1 bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced (1 1/2 c.)
8 oz. snow peas, strings removed
1 c. bean sprouts
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. grated fresh ginger

1. Prepare Sauce and stir-fry shrimp (or meat): Prepare sauce and set aside. Toss shrimp with soy sauce. Heat 2 t. of oil in 12″ nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up clumps, until curled and lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to clean bowl.

2. Stir-fry vegetables: Add 1 more tablespoon of oil to pan and return to high heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in snow peas and bean sprouts and cook for 1 minute.

3. Combine and simmer: clear center of pan and add remaining 1 t. oil, garlic, and ginger. Cook, mashing garlic mixture into pan with back of spatula until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in cooked shrimp. Whisk sauce to recombine, add to pan, and bring to simmer. Cook until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately. [I served just with rice, and left some of the chicken and snow peas out of the sauce, to be sure my kids would eat it–was great!]

Butternut Squash Soup

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After a few unseasonably warm days this week, I was thrilled when the weather people told us it was only going to be in the 60’s today. We had some friends over for dinner and I had 2 butternut squash on hand. Perfect for some Autumn soup! This is a mishmash of a few different recipes and tasted great, if I do say so myself.

Butternut Squash Soup
1-2 butternut squash (about 4 lbs total weight)
3 T. butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 C. broth (I used homemade turkey stock I had tucked away in the freezer)
3-4 t. nutmeg
2 t. kosher salt
1 C. milk

In stockpot or dutch oven, saute onions and garlic in butter until onions are clear. Meanwhile, peel, seed and dice squash. Or, do what I did, which is poke holes all over the squash and microwave for 10-15 minutes. Cut in half, scoop out seeds, and scoop the now-mushy squash into the stockpot.

Add broth, nutmeg and salt and simmer on medium for about an hour (or if you added raw squash, until the squash is soft enough to be mashed). Remove from heat and blend either in sections in a regular blender, or in the pot with an immersion blender. (I got to use my newish immersion blender!)

Prior to serving, whisk the milk into the soup. I used 1%, though I think it would have been better with whole milk.  Or even cream.  Yum!

Roasted Beef & Root Vegetables (Crock Pot)

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This was the second meal I made this past weekend as we were finishing up moving in.  Since it’s in the crock pot, it’s perfect for not heating up the kitchen in the summer, but the hearty flavor and root vegetables would make it a great fall or winter dish too.

I had beets and potatoes on hand.  Carrots, turnips or anything that grows underground would also work well.

Roasted Beef & Root Vegetables

1 – 1 1/2 pounds of stew beef
2 onions, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
10-15 small red potatoes, chopped in eighths
10 small beets, quartered (or more.  I love beets, but my Farm Share usually has a limit on how many I can take)
16 oz can unsalted diced tomatoes
1 1/2 T. olive oil
1/4 C. red wine
1/2 – 1 T. Kosher salt
2 t. pepper
handful of fresh dill (or my substitute when my dill plant is looking puny (it did not take well to the new house), a tablespoon or so of McCormick’s salt-free “It’s a Dilly” seasoning*)

Mix everything together and cook on low for 8 hours.  Smells and tastes divine!  In fact, my husband Jason declared it was the best crock pot meal I’ve made.

*which I just discovered was discontinued.  Shame.  It’s tasty.  Well, any sort of dill-based seasoning should work, if you don’t have fresh dill.

Croque Monsieurs

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In February’s Living, Martha had a great idea for leftover ham that I tried, the Croque Monsieur. These

Martha's pic of the Croque Monsieur minus the sauce

sandwiches are great: a simple variation on a grilled ham and cheese (essentially, you pour a bechamel sauce on top and broil. Brilliant!) that works out well. I think this is our plan for Easter ham . . .

Croque Monsieurs
Makes 4

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for bread
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese, plus 8 slices
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 8 thick slices rustic bread
  • 12 slices ham
  • Dijon mustard, for bread

Directions

  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Add milk; bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking frequently, until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add grated cheeses. Whisk until melted and smooth.
  2. Butter bread. Arrange half the slices, buttered side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Top each with 2 slices Gruyere and 3 slices ham. Spread mustard onto unbuttered sides of remaining bread. Place on top of ham, buttered side up.
  3. Preheat broiler. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Cook each sandwich until golden brown and cheese melts, about 5 minutes per side. Return to baking sheet. Spoon 1/3 cup sauce over top of each sandwich. Broil until tops are bubbling and golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Chinese Pork and Cabbage Dumplings

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Potstickers are undoubtedly one of the most divine foods. This recipe is also quite straightforward, and terrific. The dipping sauce also really makes it shine. I served these with rice and broccoli. Yum. And thanks to Kung Fu Panda, my kids think they’re cool to eat, too.

Pork and Cabbage Dumplings
from the Best International Recipe

Filling:
3 c. minced napa cabbage leaves
3/4 t. salt
3/4 lb. ground pork
4 scallions, minced
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
4 t. soy sauce
1 1/2 t. minced or grated fresh ginger (must use! critical for flavor)
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/8 t. black pepper

Dumplings:
24 round gyoza wrappers (you can use wonton wrappers, which will decrease cooking time to 6 minutes, and increase the yield to 40)
2 T. vegetable oil
1 c. water

For the filling:
Toss the cabbage with salt in a colander and set over a bowl and let stand for 20 minutes, until cabbage begins to wilt. Press the cabbage gently with a rubber spatula to squeeze out any extra moisture, then transfer to a medium bowl. Add the remaining filling ingredients and mix thoroughly, then cover with plastic and refrigerate until mixture is cold, 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

For the dumplings:
Fill, seal and shape the dumplings. If you haven’t done this before, I found a great, short video clip here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE82VmqPYj4

I usually use water and my fingers to seal, just because it’s easy–and fun. As you fill the dumplings, place them on a floured or parchment-lined sheet. At this point, they can be frozen for up to a month. (It’s great to have help with this step or else it takes a little while. We’ve had fun filling and cooking these with friends as a casual dinner party.)

When ready to cook, brush a non-stick 12-inch skillet with 1 T. of oil, then arrange half the dumplings in the skillet with the flat side facing down. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and cook the dumplings, without moving, until golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add 1/2 c. of water and cover immediately. Continue to cook, covered, until most of the water is absorbed and the wrappers are slightly translucent, about 10 minutes. Uncover the skillet, increase the heat to medium-high, and continue to cook, without stirring, utnil the dumpling bottoms are well browned and crisp, 3-4 minutes more. Slide onto a towel-lined plate to let drain, then transfer to a platter. Cook remaining dumplings and serve with sauce.

Scallion Dipping Sauce

1/4 c. soy sauce
2 T. rice vinegar
2 T. mirin or white wine mixed with 1 t. sugar
2 T. water
1 scallion, sliced thin on the bias
1 t. chili oil (optional)
1/2 t. toasted sesame oil

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve.

Pork Chops with Curried Creamed Apples

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I recently threw away my 15-year-old paperback copy of Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook (the one in the plaid cover) as it had fallen into decay & ruin. I thought that I had rescued all the recipes that I used from it. Alas, I discovered tonight that not only did I not save our favorite pork chop recipe, but also it is not in the newer edition of that cookbook (which I own in the 3-ring-binder format). What follows is my attempt to reconstruct that dish. I am happy to report success, or near enough. In the original recipe, we used the electric frying pan & bone-in chops. If anyone can figure out what the settings for that would be, please add them below. Please–in that version, the chops cook in the sauce & it’s equally delicious while being less work.

4 boneless pork chops

1-2 tbs butter

1 large apple, cored & chopped (does not need to be peeled)

roughly the same amount of chopped onion (or a bit less)

3 oz cream cheese (a little less than half of what is now the standard pkg)

1-2 teas. curry powder

2 chicken boullion cubes

1 cup apple juice or water

1. Set broiler to high. Lightly grease top rack of broiler pan & arrange pork chops on it. Broil 3-4 inches away from heat for 10 minutes, then turn them over & broil 10 minutes more. If the internal temperature has not reached 160 degrees, or if you want them more browned, keep cooking 5 minutes more.

2. In a frying pan over medium heat, melt butter & cook apple & onion until onion is clear. Add everything else, cook & stir til cream cheese has melted & mixture gets bubbly. It will thicken upon cooling. Serve over pork chops & enjoy!