Recipes

Servings: 6 Ingredients Russet potatoes (~2 lbs) Bacon (4 slices) Unsalted butter (4 tbsp) All-purpose flour (1/3 cup) Whole milk (4 cups) Shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz) Sour cream (4 oz) Chopped chives or scallions (2 tbsp) Salt (1/2 tsp or to taste) Black pepper (1/2 tsp or to taste) Directions Prick potatoes all over with a fork. Microwave potatoes on high until cooked through, turning once, 12 to 15 minutes total. Let potatoes cool slightly, then scoop out flesh and discard skins. Mash potatoes. Sauté bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth and light golden. Slowly whisk in milk and continue whisking until thickened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add cheese, potatoes, salt, and pepper, then stir until cheese melts in. Whisk in sour cream. Serve garnished with crumbled bacon and chives or scallions. Notes Leftovers from this recipe turn into (non-soup) mashed potatoes in the fridge.

Yield: 6-8 servings Ingredients Carrots (1 lb) White onion (1) Russet potatoes (2) Parsnip (1) Ground meat (2 lbs) Eggs (3) Breadcrumbs (2/3 cup) Yellow mustard (2 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce (1 tbsp) Ketchup Salt Black pepper Directions Peel and coarsely dice carrots, onion, potatoes, and parsnip. Add carrots, onion, potatoes, and parsnip to slow cooker and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, squish together meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Form mixture into a loaf and tap to remove air bubbles. Place loaf in slow cooker and spread ketchup over top. Cook on low for 6 hours. Notes Ideas to try: Top with BBQ sauce instead of ketchup Add cheese inside and/or on top

Yield: 12 servings (with 2 lbs pasta) Ingredients Olive oil (1 tbsp) Ground beef and/or pork (2 lbs) Yellow onions (2) Diced tomatoes (56 oz) Tomato paste (12 oz) Tomato sauce (16 oz) Bay leaves (2) Garlic (5 cloves) Dried oregano (1 tbsp) Salt (1-1/2 tsp) Dried basil (1 tbsp) Brown sugar (3 tbsp) Dried thyme (1 tsp) Parmesan rinds (2 1" pieces, optional) Red wine (1/2 cup, optional) Directions Finely chop onions. Mince garlic. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté ground beef/pork and onion until meat is brown, then drain. Transfer to slow cooker and stir in remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 8 hours. Discard bay leaves. Notes Best served over rigatoni and topped with grated parmesan. To try: add carrots.

Servings: 4 Ingredients Niter kibbeh (4 tbsp) Yellow onion (1 large) Garlic (3 cloves) Roma tomato (1) Tomato paste (3 tbsp) Berbere (2 tbsp) Red lentils (1 cup) Chicken or vegetable broth (2-1/2 cups) Salt (1 tsp) Directions Melt 3 tablespoons of the niter kibbeh in a medium stock pot. Add the onions and cook over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste and 1 tablespoon of the berbere and cook for 5-7 minutes. Reduce the heat if needed to prevent burning. Add the lentils, broth and salt, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover and simmer the lentils, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes (adding more broth if needed) or until the lentils are soft. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of niter kibbeh and berbere. Simmer for a couple more minutes. Add salt to taste. Serve with injera.

Ingredients Mole paste (2 tbsp) Hot water (5-6 tbsp)

Yield: 16 slices Ingredients For cake: Nutella (1/2 cup) Chocolate cake mix (15.25 oz) Chocolate pudding mix (3.9 oz) Sour cream (1/2 cup) Vegetable oil (3/4 cup) Water (3/4 cup) White sugar (3/4 cup) Eggs (4) Vanilla extract (1 tsp) For frosting: Softened cream cheese (8 oz) Powdered sugar (2 cups) Nutella (1/4 cup) For garnish: Hazelnuts (1/4 cup) Directions Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a Bundt pan. In a large bowl, mix all cake ingredients with an electric mixer on high for 3 minutes. Pour mixture into greased Bundt pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean (~50 minutes). Let sit for 5 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. In a medium bowl, beat all frosting ingredients until creamy. Finely chop hazelnuts. Once cake has cooled, spread frosting over cake and sprinkle with hazelnuts.

Yield: ~1 qt Ingredients Nutella (2/3 cup) Sugar (1/2 cup) Whole milk (1 cup) Vanilla extract (1/2 tsp) Salt (2 pinches) Heavy cream (1-2/3 cups) Directions Freeze freezer bowl for at least 24 hours. Blend Nutella, sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt, then stir mixture into cream. Chill mixture in fridge for at least 1 hour. Churn in ice cream maker for 30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm.

Servings: 4 Ingredients Olive oil (6 tablespoons) Panko bread crumbs (⅔ cup) Salt and black pepper Yellow onion (1 medium), minced Garlic cloves (4), minced Crushed red pepper (½ teaspoon) Tomato paste (⅓ cup) Cannellini beans (2 14-ounce cans), rinsed and drained Heavy cream (1 cup) Chopped jarred sun-dried tomatoes in oil (½ cup) Finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan (⅓ cup + ⅓ cup) Baby arugula (3 ounces) Finely grated lemon zest (2 teaspoons) Lemon juice (4 teaspoons, from 1 lemon) Toasted bread (optional), for serving Directions In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Stir in panko and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until toasted and golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. Wipe out skillet. Heat another 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir until darkened and combined, about 3 minutes. Stir in beans, heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, and ⅓ cup water. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Stir in ⅓ cup of cheese, then season with salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, toss arugula with the seasoned panko, lemon zest, lemon juice, ⅓ cup of cheese, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pile the greens at the center of the bean mixture. Serve with toasted bread, if desired.

Servings: 20 Ingredients Matzoh (4 sheets) Butter (3 sticks) White sugar (3/4 cup) Water (3 tbsp) Chocolate chips (1 heaping cup) Toasted pistachios (1/2 cup) Toasted coconut flakes (1/2 cup) Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides. Arrange matzoh in a single layer on baking sheet, breaking as needed to cover entire surface. Boil butter, sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is golden-brown and syrupy. Pour mixture over matzoh and spread to coat evenly. Bake until toffee is bubbling and the shade of a brown paper bag (~11 minutes). Remove from oven and let cool 1 minute. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly on top and let sit until melted (~5 minutes). Spread chocolate evenly over top and sprinkle with pistachios and coconut. Let cool, then break into pieces. Notes Feel free to use different toppings instead of pistachios and coconut.

Servings: 16 Ingredients White sugar (1/2 cup) Brown sugar (1/2 cup) Light corn syrup (1/2 cup) Salt (1/4 tsp) Water (1/4 cup) Peanuts (1-1/2 cups) Softened butter (2 tbsp) Vanilla extract (1 tsp) Baking soda (1 tsp) Directions Set a cookie sheet in an oven to keep warm. Add white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water to a heavy 2 qt or larger saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Stir in peanuts, set a candy thermometer in place, and continue stirring frequently. Shortly before temperature reaches 300°F, set out and grease or line cookie sheet. When temperature reaches 300°F, remove from heat and immediately stir in butter, vanilla, and baking soda. Immediately pour onto cookie sheet and gently tilt to spread. Let cool, then break into pieces. Notes If peanuts are roasted, wait until temperature reaches 250°F before adding peanuts. If peanuts are salted, omit salt.