Very Quick Recipes

In an effort to make a New Year resolution to eat properly without eating out all of the time, I'm trying to alter my approach to cooking. I haven't quite figured it out, but ideally any dish that requires few ingredients, or ingredients with long shelf lives (so I can minimize grocery store trips), that requires little preparation, and that uses few dishes (so I can minimize cleaning time) would be great. That seems nearly impossible now that I write it out, but... maybe I can figure something out.

• Cream biscuits
• Congee! (Juk)

A Collection of Recipes

• Japanese Potato Salad
• Penne di Funghi con Pollo e Salsiccia
• Churros and chocolate
• Egg salad
• Shrimp and walnuts
• Chinese asparagus
  
• Mushroom Carbonara Pasta
• Chocolate Cake Roll
• Apple Cake
• Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Cake
  
• No-Bake Cheesecake
• Japanese Tuna Spaghetti
• Red Potatoes, Green Beans and Mushrooms
• Honey Ginger Salmon
• Japanese Chicken Rice

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Yields approximately 18 (2-inch) biscuits

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into cubes
1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato (approximately 1 large potato)
1/2 cup buttermilk, plus additional as needed
For the maple butter
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons real maple syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°
In a large bowl, mix together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender (or your fingers if you don't have one) cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is a mix of pea-size balls and small crumbs.

In a separate bowl, mix together the mashed sweet potato and buttermilk until well-combined. Fold into the flour mixture, adding more (up to 4 tablespoons) buttermilk if necessary. The dough should form a nice ball, and be just a bit on the sticky side, as opposed to crumbly and dry. Chill the dough for thirty minutes, if desired, although you can bake them off immediately if you would like. I happen to like the way the biscuits look when the dough has chilled (a bit more crackly on top), but the flavor is not affected by this step.

Pat out the dough onto a lightly floured surface to about a 1-inch thickness (do not roll out the dough with a rolling pin). Cut out rounds using a well floured biscuit cutter. Gather the remaining scraps and repeat until all the dough is used. Place the biscuits on a large sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes (or bake in batches).

For the maple butter, mix the room temperature butter and maple syrup until completely combined and smooth. Serve with warm biscuits or refrigerate until needed.

Note: the cooked biscuits will freeze beautifully and can be pulled out at a moments notice. Just bake at 375° until heated through.

Char Siu

Recipe from Kirbie Cravings.

Ingredients
2 lbs pork
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tbsp honey
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp cooking Chinese wine
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp 5 spice powder
3 drops red food color
honey for brushing

Directions
1. Combine all seasoning together to form a thick sauce. Then put with pork in a large container. (You may want to cut pork to smaller pieces first to make it easier to cook with. I cut mine into 4 pieces.) Marinate pork for a few hours or overnight in fridge. I marinated overnight.
2. Heat oven to 375 F.Prepare a baking tray with aluminum foil over it.Place marinated pork on the baking tray, bake pork for 30 minutes,then turn the other side,bake for another 30 minutes. Pork should be just about done.
3. Change setting to broil at 400F, roast the pork for another 10-15 minutes or until the top develops a slightly charred look.
4. Remove roast pork from oven,brush with honey to give a glossy shine look. Cut and serve as appetizer or main dish.

Pasta with Sausage, Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Recipe from Taste and Tell.

serves 4

Ingredients
1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced, 2 tablespoons of oil reserved
1/2 pound Italian sausage
8 oz. artichoke hearts, quartered
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
8 oz. short cut pasta
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
8 oz. mozzarella, cubed
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces with a fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a bowl. Add the artichokes and garlic to the same skillet, and saute over medium heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and sun-dried tomatoes. Boil over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta in boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta (do not rinse). Add the pasta, sausage, Parmesan, basil, and parsley to the artichoke mixture. Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed by the pasta. Stir in the mozzarella. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve, passing the additional Parmesan cheese alongside.

Broccoli Beef

I really hope to eat better once Grant is here!
Recipe from Dishing the Divine.

Ingredients
1 lb flank steak, cut into 2-inch-wide strips with the grain, then sliced across the grain in to 1/8-inch-thick slices
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dry sherry
2 tbsp chicken broth
5 tbsp oyster-flavored sauce
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
1 tsp corn starch
6 medium garlic cloves, pressed
1 piece (1 inch) ginger, minced
3 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil, divided
1 1/4 lb broccoli, florets cut into bite sized pieces, stems trimmed, peeled, and cut on diagonal into 1/8-inch-thick slices
2/3 cup water
1 small red pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4 inch pieces

Combine beef and soy sauce in medium bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour, stirring once.

Meanwhile, whisk sherry, chicken broth, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in measuring cup. Combine garlic, ginger, and 1 1/2 teaspoons peanut oil in small bowl.

Drain beef and discard liquid. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons peanut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking. Add half of beef to skillet and break up clumps; cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned around edges, about 30 seconds. Transfer beef to medium bowl. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons peanut oil in skillet, and repeat with remaining beef.

Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to now-empty skillet; heat until just smoking. Add broccoli and cook 30 seconds; add water, cover pan, and lower heat to medium. Steam broccoli until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes; transfer to paper towel–lined plate.

Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons peanut oil to skillet; increase heat to high and heat until just smoking. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until spotty brown, about 1 1/2 minutes.

Clear center of skillet; add garlic and ginger to clearing and cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds, then stir mixture into peppers.

Return beef and broccoli to skillet and toss to combine. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds.

Corn Muffins!

These won the Thanksgiving bread vote, so I will be making these for Thanksgiving dinner along with my turkey =)

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Yield: 12 regular-sized muffins or 48 miniature ones

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons corn oil (I used olive oil since it was handy)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup corn kernels (add up to 1/3 cup more if you’d like) – fresh, frozen or canned (in which case they should be drained and patted dry)

Directions
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg, if you’re using it. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, oil, egg and yolk together until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough – the batter will be lumpy, and that’s just the way it should be. Stir in the corn kernels. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes (12 minutes for minis), or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

Shrimp Fried Rice

Grant loves shrimp fried rice so I'm going to try to make a delicious version!

Recipe from PhamFatale.

Ingredients
5 cups steamed jasmin rice, preferably chilled
4 tablespoons canola oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 whole eggs, lightly beaten
2 dozen baby shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup chicken breast, cooked, finely diced
1 package frozen mixed diced vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans), (10 oz)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, freshly ground
2 stalks green oinion, finely sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 drizzle sesame oil, optional
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, finely chopped

Directions
Wash the shrimp and pat them dry. In a bowl, place the shelled and deveined shrimp. Add yogurt. Refrigerate overnight.

In a nonstick fry pan, cook a teaspoon of chopped garlic in a little oil until the garlic is slightly golden. Pour half the amount of the beaten eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Flip it and remove from the pan. Repeat with the rest of the eggs. Let it cool down for 5 minutes. Finely slice the thin omelets. Set aside.

Remove the shrimp from the refrigerator. Season with salt. In the same fry pan, add another tablespoon of oil. Add 2 teaspoons of chopped garlic and cook until it's slightly golden. Make sure the oil is hot. Saute the shrimp for about a minute or 2. Add pepper. Set aside.

In a small bowl, dilute the soy sauce with water. Set aside.

In a wok, add the remaining oil. Cook the remaining garlic until it is slightly golden then cook the vegetables. Stir fry until they are slightly translucent then season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate.

In the same wok, add butter. Stir fry the sliced green onions until it is golden. Add the rice and stir until each grain is evenly coated with butter. Spread the rice evenly oven the wok and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes. Scrape any grains of rice that may be stuck on the wok with a silicone spatula. You know it's time to add the soy sauce when some of the grains of rice start popping and jumping up in the wok.

Add the sliced omelets, the shrimp, the vegetables and the diced chicken to the wok. Toss using 2 spatulas positioned on either side of the wok to prevent the food from sticking to the bottom. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the coriander and finish with a dash of sesame oil and some pepper.

Tips

• All the vegetables and chicken cubes should be diced the same size for a homogeneous product.
• Preferably marinate your shrimp overnight. I always "precook" the shrimp first halfway in garlic, so there is no fishy smell. Then finish cooking them in the rice at the end. Do not overcook the shrimp.
• Chill rice overnight
• The addition of the oil and butter at the beginning is the same procedure as the one I make for my risotto to prevent from being soggy. Coating each grain of rice in fat prevents them from sticking to one another.
• The higher the range of your stove is, the better. We use a 20,000 BTU burner at home. The food cooks faster and you get to keep all the nutrients in your food, especially when sauteing vegetables. If you do not own a range with very high BTUs, when you place the rice in your pan, resist the urge of moving the rice. Let it untouch for about 2-3 minutes to let it dry a little.
• Make sure you've stir fried your rice over very high heat until you see each grain of rice popping in the wok.Then pour the soy sauce mixture.
• The addition of the sesame oil at the end is optional but brings a nice fragrance to the rice.

Serves 6

Chow Mein (Crunchy!)

I'm gearing up for abysmal east coast Chinese food (I know... I'm exaggerating) by gathering Chinese recipes. I definitely would love to learn to make these recipes on my own.

Recipe from Food Gal and RasaMalaysia.

Tomato Beef Chow Mein

Ingredients
(serves 4)
For meat:
½ pound flank steak, sliced thinly, against the grain
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cornstarch

For noodles:
1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

For sauce:
1 onion, sliced thinly
2 ribs celery, sliced diagonally
½ green bell pepper, sliced
4 large tomatoes, cut in large chunks
1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger or a few slices of fresh ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with ½ cup cold water until dissolved

Directions
To marinate beef: Mix beef slices with 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and ¼ teaspoon baking soda. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

To make noodles: Cook noodles in a pot of boiling water for about 1 minute. Drain noodles, rinse under cold running water, drain again. Put noodles in a bowl, and stir in 2 tablespoons sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce.

Heat a small amount of oil in two 12-inch non-stick frying pans. Divide noodles evenly between the two pans. Cook on medium meat until noodles are crispy and light-brown in color. Stir frequently to prevent burning. Set noodles aside and keep warm.

Add a little bit of oil to a large wok or non-stick frying pan, and brown the beef over high heat. Transfer beef to a bowl, and set aside.

Add a little more oil to the pan. On medium-high heat, sauté onion, celery, and bell pepper for a few minutes. Then add fresh tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, dark soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and ginger. Bring to a boil. Slowly stir in cornstarch mixture. Cook until sauce thickens. Add beef, then stir in the noodles. Serve immediately.

Chap Chae

I went to a Korean restaurant with my family yesterday and had some great Chap Chae. I know I'll miss quality Chap Chae when I'm in Philadelphia. I know they might have some "good" Korean food places, but after being spoiled by such fantastic Asian food here in the SGV, I'm a little wary of "east coast" Asian food. haha.

Recipe from Cooking Momofuku.

Ingredients
4 ounces glass sweet potato noodles
2 teaspoons grapeseed oil
1/2 red peppers thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 carrot, julienned
4 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup 1-inch pieces of green onion
1 large cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Directions
Add the noodles to a large pot of boiling water, and cook until tender. Strain the noodles, shock in a bowl of ice water, and drain. Using kitchen scissors, cut the noodles into bite-size pieces, then transfer to a large bowl.

Season the vegetables with salt and lots of black pepper. Heat the grapeseed oil in a large sauté pan, add the onions and peppers, and cook until the onions become soft. Add the carrots, mushrooms, scallions, and garlic and pan-fry until cooked.

Deglaze the pan with mirin, and add the noodles to the pan, mixing the noodles and vegetables thoroughly. Stir in the soy, vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve hot or at room temperature.

Recipe to an additional Chap Chae recipe!

Potato Salad

I'd like to envision myself making this for a family or friend barbecue.

Recipe from Dishing the Divine.

Ingredients
2.5 pounds of russet potatoes (you can use a mixture of russets and yukon gold if you prefer)
1 tbsp salt

for the vinaigrette:
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup salad oil

1/2 cup chopped sweet pickles + 1 tbsp of the pickle juice
1-2 stalks celery, chopped into small pieces
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped

for the mustard dressing:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tbsp prepared mustard
1 tsp prepared horseradish
1/4 tsp celery seeds (optional)
1/4 tsp salt

Directions
Peel and cut potatoes into 3/4 inch pieces. Place in a large saucepan and add water to cover by one inch. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of salt, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring once or twice, until potatoes are tender, about 5-10 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a knife.

Whisk the vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic, and oil together for the vinaigrette while the potatoes are cooking.

Drain the potatoes and while they are warm, add the vinaigrette. Stir gently to coat all the potatoes. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or as long as overnight.

Prep your pickles, celery, eggs and mustard dressing and gently stir them into the chilled potatoes ensuring that all the potatoes are well coated. Allow to sit in refrigerator for 1-3 hours and serve chilled.

Chicken Miso Ramen

Every so often I get a craving for ramen. This will become an issue in Philadelphia, as there's no Shinsengumi (my favorite ramen place). Perhaps this recipe will come in handy, then.

Recipe from Momofuki For 2.

Ingredients
Serves 2
4 cups of chicken stock
2 tablespoons shiro miso (white miso)
1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup of corn
1 tablespoon of butter
2 cups spinach
2 eggs
2 servings of ramen noodles

Optional Garnish:
sliced green onions
nori
sesame seeds

Directions
Heat up your chicken stock and gently stir in the miso until it is mixed in. Taste and add more miso if needed. Miso pastes vary in saltiness, so adjust accordingly.

Bring a pot of water to boil for the eggs. Gently lower them into the boiling water and cook for 6 minutes. Remove from the water and run them under cold tap water until they are cool to the touch. Peel and slice in half.

Heat the butter over medium heat and add the corn. Stir to coat each kernel of corn in butter. Set aside.

Blanch the spinach in salted boiling water until just wilted. Remove from the water and set aside.

Cook the ramen noodles according to the package, drain and place in the bottom of two large bowls.

Top the ramen with the shredded chicken, thinly sliced onions, egg, corn, spinach and a sprinkling of garnish. Enjoy!

Spinach, Artichoke and Prosciutto Pasta

I think by the time I actually get to school in September, I will have more than enough pasta dishes on hand to try. Yum!

Recipe from Dianasaur Dishes.

Ingredients
2-4 servings of spaghetti noodles
1 Tblsp butter
3 pieces thinly sliced prosciutto (or bacon) chopped
1/2 red onion chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
5 mushrooms sliced
6-10 artichoke hearts (depending on what’s in your jar or can) chopped
3/4 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup shredded gruyere or parmesan cheese

Directions
Start your pasta water boiling in a large pot and melt your butter in a large skillet on medium high. Add prosciutto, onion and garlic to the butter and stir to coat. Begin cooking your pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water.

When onions are softened add the mushrooms and artichokes and stir again to get everything coated in the melted butter. Let cook 2 minutes before adding the wine. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Uncover the skillet and add pasta water and spinach. Mix well and remove from heat as spinach begins to wilt. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Divide pasta among plates or bowls and spoon artichoke mix over top. Sprinkle with cheese and stir.

Pan-Roasted Salmon

I'm always looking for new ways to cook salmon. This one looks like it will do nicely for a quick dinner!

Recipe from A Sweet Pea Chef.

Ingredients
Makes 4 fillets
4 6-oz. salmon fillets, skinned
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. dry mustard
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine brown sugar, salt and spices for the salmon in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture on the top side (non-skin) of the salmon fillets.

Sear fillets, rub-side down, in oil in a large oven-proof non-stick skillet over high heat. When the fish releases easily and rub side is browned, about 2 minutes, flip fillets and transfer pan to the oven.

Roast fillets until they flake easily with a fork, about 5-6 minutes.

Cobb Salad

I had a great Cobb Salad this weekend in San Luis Obispo's Mo's BBQ.

Recipe from SkinnyTaste.com.

Serves 8

Ingredients
1/2 head of romaine, coarsely chopped
1/2 head of Boston lettuce (or Iceberg), coarsely chopped
2 hard-boiled large eggs, separated, whites and yolks finely chopped
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 oz chicken breast, cooked and diced
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup blue cheese

Dressing Ingredients
1/3 cup red-wine vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper

Directions
Combine chopped lettuce in a large salad bowl.
Arrange the chicken, bacon, tomato, egg and avocado in neat rows over the greens.
Whisk vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the oil in a slow stream, whisking until it is emulsified. Serve separately.

Macaroni and Cheese...

I love macaroni and cheese when it has a breadcrumb topping.

Recipes from Tracey's Culinary Adventures and Elizabeth's Edible Experience.

Mushroom Herb Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients
1 pound (16 oz) elbow macaroni (or other small pasta)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 pound baby bella mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
3 cups whole milk
6 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese
6 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside. Add the pasta to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook the pasta until it is al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander then return to the pot.

While the pasta is cooking, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and shallots to the pan and saute, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated from the pan, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more, just until the garlic is fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and season the mushroom mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in the vinegar and then set the pan aside.

To make the sauce, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is golden, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the herbs and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the milk to the pan and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens. Once thickened, remove from the heat and add the shredded Gruyere and cheddar cheeses, whisking until they are completely melted and the sauce is smooth.

Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and stir to coat. Add the mushroom mixture and mix to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking pan.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Pour the butter over the breadcrumbs and use a fork to coat the crumbs evenly. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top of the pasta.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until browned and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.


Macaroni and Cheese (Regular)

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package elbow macaroni
2 cups milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon onion salt
2 (10-ounce) blocks sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
1 cup soft plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup butter

COOK macaroni according to package directions; drain well. Set aside.
PLACE milk, flour, and onion salt in a quart jar; cover tightly, and shake vigorously 1 minute.
STIR together flour mixture, 3 1/2 cups cheese, and macaroni.
POUR macaroni mixture into a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish or 2 (11 inch) oval baking dishes.
Sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs and remaining 1 cup cheese; drizzle evenly with melted butter.
BAKE at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Also: http://picky-palate.com/2008/10/06/famous-gourmet-mac-and-cheese-artisanal/

Shrimp Basil Tomato Pasta

Recipe from Sugar and Spice Celeste.

Ingredients
(Serves 4)
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails removed)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
6 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 pound linguine
1 1/2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces, plus extra leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions
Season shrimp with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 4 teaspoons oil over high. Add shrimp; cook until opaque throughout, turning occasionally, 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.

Make sauce: To the same skillet, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil and garlic; cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add canned tomatoes and their juice, along with 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have softened and are saucy, about 15 minutes. Remove sauce from heat; stir in cherry tomatoes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain; return pasta to pot. Add tomato sauce, shrimp, and basil; season with salt and pepper, and toss. Serve immediately, garnished with basil leaves, if desired.

Fried Smashed Potatoes

My goodness these look epic.

Recipe from NoRecipes.

Ingredients
12 whole baby yukon gold potatoes washed
water and salt for boiling
1/2 C rendered duck fat (or butter or olive oil)

Directions
Add the whole potatoes to a large pot and cover with a few inches of water. Pour salt into the water until it tastes like the sea. Cover and bring the water to a boil. Remove the lid and simmer until you can pass a fork through the potato. Drain the potatoes and let the residual heat dry the skins (you’ll notice the skin start to turn white as the salt crystalizes).

Using the flat side of a chef’s knife (or the bottom of a plate), gently smash the potatoes so they are about 3/4″ thick. In a cast iron skillet, heat the duck fat until hot, then add the potatoes in a single layer. Fry until they potatoes are brown and crispy on one side, then use tongs to flip them and brown them on the other side.

Drain on a paper towel lined rack and serve immediately.

Mussels

I don't actually like eating mussels, but I know so many other people who do, this might be a good dish to make for them.

Recipe from Yummy Supper.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients
2 pounds fresh mussels
1 cup dry white wine
1 bunch spring onion (or one large onion), minced
1/2 celery stalk, minced
1 sprig of fresh thyme
fresh ground black pepper
1 bunch parsley

Directions
Rinse and scrub mussels with cold water. Remove beard by simply snipping with scissors.

In a Dutch Oven or large pot, combine mussels, thyme, white wine, celery, and onions. Bring liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook covered about 5 minutes until mussels shells open. Toss out any mussels that don't open after cooking.

Immediately serve mussels in their shells. Either sop up the liquid with crusty bread or heap mussels and their cooking liquid on top of fettuccine. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and lots of fresh pepper. Eat right away.

Inari

Since I don't really love raw fish/sushi, (I know... you're appalled and now want to throw rocks at me) this is one of my favorite dishes to order at Japanese restaurants. I'd love to make it myself some day. It doesn't seem too complicated.

Recipe from Shichimi.

Makes ~17 pockets, enough for 3-5 people

Ingredients
3 cups freshly cooked white Japanese rice
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 can inarizushi no moto (Fried tofu skins steeped in a sweet soy sauce.)

Directions
Place the still-hot rice in a large bowl, and gently but thoroughly mix in the vinegar, sugar, and salt. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste. (The inarizushi wrappers are fairly sweet, so you don’t want to overdo it on the sugar in the rice.)

Remove the inarizushi wrappers from the can and shake them to get rid of some of the excess liquid. Carefully open the wrappers on one end and lay them on a work surface.

When the rice has cooled enough for you to handle it, scoop up about two tablespoons worth and stuff it into one of the wrappers, gently packing the rice as you go. Be careful not to overstuff the wrappers, or they will tear. Repeat with the remaining wrappers, and keep at room temperature until serving. If you need to make the inarizushi in advance, refrigerate them for a few hours and bring them to room temperature before serving. However, the rice will become hard if you refrigerate it overnight.