Shortcut Creamed Spinach

Oh my… this silky side can be prepared dangerously easily. We loved it too.

The recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Julia Langbein. I modified the proportions. Although it was fabulously creamy, I would incorporate less crème fraîche next time.

The original recipe notes that heavy cream and fresh lemon juice could be substituted for the crème fraîche for a similar flavor profile. I personally loved the tanginess from the crème fraîche.

Yield: about 6 servings

• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 pound (16 oz) spinach (mature or baby spinach)
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• freshly grated nutmeg, optional
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup crème fraîche (I used 3/4 cup but would start with 1/2 cup next time)

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium. (I used a stainless steel sauté pan.)
2. Cook the garlic cloves, stirring occasionally, until golden around edges and very fragrant, about 3 minutes.
3. Increase heat to medium-high and add spinach, by the handful, stirring and letting it wilt slightly after each addition. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Add freshly grated nutmeg, to taste, if desired.
4. Cook spinach, stirring often, until mostly wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
5. Add 1/2 cup crème fraîche; stir until spinach is saucy and coated. Add more, as desired.
6. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.

One-Pot Sticky Coconut Chicken & Rice

I have a couple more chicken and rice dishes to share. 🙂

This wonderful one-pot dish was included in The New York Times’ Best Recipes of 2022. I was surprised that I missed it when it was first published!

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Kay Chun. I modified the proportions. I cooked it in a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven. Although it cooked perfectly, I may use a shallow and wide pan next time to be able to serve it directly from the pan at the table. We ate it with roasted cauliflower on the side.

Flavorful and fabulous comfort food! Easy to prepare too. The hot sauce garnish balances the richness of the finished dish.

Yield: Serves 6

• 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, each thigh cut into 2 equal-size pieces, patted dry
• 5 T neutral oil, such as safflower or canola, divided
• 3 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 1 1/2 tsp Morton kosher salt)
• 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 T minced fresh ginger
• 7 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice (or other short-grain white rice), rinsed until water runs clear
• 1 3/4 cups chicken stock
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup roasted cashews
• 4 scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced
• 3 T coarsely chopped cilantro
• hot sauce, for serving, optional

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. (I set my oven to true convection.)
2. Rub chicken with 2 tablespoons of oil, and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
3. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium. Working in two batches, brown chicken, turning halfway, until no longer pink, around 5 minutes on the first side and an additional 3 minutes after flipping. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the ginger and the garlic to the empty pot, and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds.
5. Add rinsed rice and stir until evenly coated in the oil.
6. Add stock, coconut milk, bell pepper, cashews, scallions and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir to lift up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. (I had a lot of browned bits!)
7. Arrange chicken on top, add any accumulated juices from the plate and bring to a boil over high.
8. Cover and bake until all of the liquid is absorbed, rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, 25 minutes.
9. Scatter cilantro over the chicken and rice, then divide among bowls. Serve with hot sauce, as desired.

Rigatoni Amatriciana

We may have a new favorite pasta dish in my house! I have already made this dish a couple of times. We didn’t even miss the garlic. 😉 It is an incredible version of the classic- a perfect weeknight dish.

The recipe was adapted from a Food and Wine “staff favorite” recipe, inspired by sommelier Arjav Ezekiel, co-owner of Birdie’s in Austin, contributed by Anna Theoktisto. We ate it with our favorite garlic bread and green salad, of course.

Yield: Serves 4 to 5

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 medium or large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 (4 oz) package chopped pancetta
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 (28 oz) can whole plum tomatoes (I used San Marzano)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 pound uncooked rigatoni pasta
• 1 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely shredded (about 2/3 cup), plus more for serving
• 3/4 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, finely shredded (about 1/4 cup), plus more for serving
• 2 T unsalted butter
• finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

1. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium. (I used a large enameled cast iron pan.)
2. Add onion, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes.
3. Stir in pancetta; cook, stirring often, until pancetta begins to render, about 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Stir in crushed red pepper.
5. Using your hands or a wooden spoon, crush tomatoes; add tomatoes and their juices to skillet. Bring to a boil over medium; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring often, until flavors meld and mixture thickens, about 20 minutes.
6. Stir in salt. Remove from heat.
7. While sauce cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add rigatoni, and cook according to package instructions for al dente, about 13 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
8. Add rigatoni, 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, Parmigiano-Reggiano, pecorino Romano, and butter to sauce in skillet.
9. Cook over medium, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and coats pasta, about 2 minutes.
10. Remove from heat, and garnish with parsley. Serve with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano and pecorino Romano cheeses, as desired.

Chicago Public School Butter Cookies

As soon as I read an article about these cookies, I was obsessed. 😉

Although named butter cookies, I would describe them as shortbread cookies. According to The Chicago Tribune, these fantastic cookies were the standout item served by the Chicago Public Schools from the 1960’s to the 1980’s. Now described as a “cult classic,” easily identified by the three-finger press on top of the dough, Crockett Cookies updated the original recipe by incorporating vanilla bean paste and sea salt.

The recipe was adapted from crockettcookies.com, via myrecipes.com and The Chicago Tribune. I modified the proportions and size, using a cookie scoop to ration the dough. I also baked the cookies in a convection oven. Crockett Cookies sells them (as well as a peanut butter version) in grocery and specialty stores throughout the Chicagoland area- genius.

They have quickly climbed the ranks to be one of my husband’s absolute favorites- tied with Tutu’s! 🙂 The texture is perfect- crispy on the edges and tender and crumbly in the center. Crazy easy and absolutely delicious.

Yield: Makes about 20 cookies

• 2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste (can substitute vanilla extract)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the vanilla bean paste and mix to blend.
3. Mix the salt into the flour, then add to the mixer and beat on medium until combined.
4. Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, make balls of dough and place on a cookie sheet lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper.
5. Using three fingers, press down on top of the dough to flatten, leaving the finger marks on the cookie. Place the cookies in the fridge and chill for at least an hour.
6. Preheat an oven to 375° and prepare 2 large rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper. (I set my oven to convection.)
7. Bake 12 minutes, on convection, or up to 15 to 18 minutes in a standard oven, until lightly golden brown on the edges. Rotate the pans halfway through the baking time.
8. Cool completely on a rack on the pan then transfer to an airtight container for up to a week or freeze for up to three months.

Note: To bake at a later date, the prepped cookies can be frozen in a single layer on a sheet pan, and then transfered to a zip top bag. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the baking time.

Roasted Eggplant & Lentil Soup with Fried Sage

I made this healthy and hearty soup with beautiful eggplant from a friend’s garden. I was also able to make one of my favorite eggplant dishes with her amazing harvest, Eggplant and Wild Mushroom “Meatballs.”

The soup was initially more fluid, but I preferred it re-heated and cooked down, as pictured. We scooped it up with fresh Portuguese Rolls. Perfect.

The recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier.

Yield: Serves 4

• one 1 1/4-pound eggplant, quartered lengthwise (I used 2 small)
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 cup French green lentils (5 1/2 ounces) 
• 14 large sage leaves, divided, plus more, as desired, for garnish
• 2 cups chicken stock (can substitute vegetable stock for a vegetarian version)
• 1 cup 1% milk 
• 1 T fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. (I set my oven to convection roast.)
2. Place the eggplant quarters on a rimmed baking sheet, skin side down. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until the eggplant is very tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cover the lentils with 2 inches of water. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 sage leaves and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the lentils in a colander and discard the sage leaves.
4. Scrape the eggplant flesh into a blender; discard the skin. Add 1 cup of the stock and puree until smooth; transfer to a clean saucepan. (I used a Vitamix.)
5. Add the lentils and the remaining 1 cup of stock to the blender and puree until smooth. Add the lentil puree to the eggplant puree in the saucepan.
6. Stir the milk and lemon juice into the soup and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper; keep the soup hot over low heat, stirring occasionally.
7. In a small skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the remaining 12 sage leaves and cook over moderate heat until crisp, about 20 seconds per side.
8. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the fried sage leaves and serve.

The soup can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently.

One-Bowl Crispies

These cookies were simple and sensational. The original recipe named them “Brown-Edge Cookies” which didn’t seem fabulous enough! They were named for a similar crispy cookie sold by Nabisco prior to 1996 called Brown-Edge Wafers.

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Mille Shea and Liz Laskey, adapted by Margaux Laskey. Millie Shea learned this all-butter recipe from her mother in the 1930’s.

The authors described them as “buttery like the Danish cookies in blue tins, tender in the middle like snickerdoodles and snappy like Scottish shortbread.” The article also stated that they would be placed in the intersection of a Christmas sugar cookie, vanilla wafer, and French tuile. Wow. That is a combination of quite a few favorites!

I made half of the recipe below, yielding about 32 cookies. The recipe (even half of the recipe!) definitely makes enough to share.

Yield: about 5 dozen

• 1 pound/453 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 pound/453 grams granulated sugar (2 1/4 cups)
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups/384 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon fine salt

1. Arrange two racks around the middle of the oven and heat oven to 375 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add egg and vanilla. Beat on medium until incorporated, about 1 minute. 
4. Add 1 cup flour and the salt and beat on low to just combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Add the remaining 2 cups flour and beat on low until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl, then beat on medium for 30 seconds just until no flour streaks remain. 
6. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 3 inches apart as the cookies spread quite a bit while baking. (I used a 1 T cookie scoop, leveled, and placed 8 cookies per sheet.)
7. Bake 2 sheets at a time, rotating the pans halfway through, until the edges are lightly browned and the centers are slightly puffed, 8 to 9 minutes on convection or up to 10 to 12 minutes in a standard oven. Be careful not to overbake.
8. Repeat with the rest of the dough. 
9. Cool on the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes, then transfer cookies to the rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

It seems like a good time to share more cookie recipes. 😉

Before the holidays, I started receiving weekly cookie emails (I subscribed ) from The New York Times- a pretty dangerous and crazy idea! This “pantry cookie” recipe caught my eye right away. A crowd-pleaser for sure.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Jerrelle Guy. The recipe starts by creaming the sugar with eggs rather than butter. The end result is a cookie with a crusty exterior and chewy interior. Cracks also form on the surface which are highlighted by the essential glaze. Great.

Yield: 15 to 16 cookies

• 1 cup/95 grams old-fashioned rolled oats 
• 1 cup/128 grams all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup/100 grams granulated sugar 
• 1/4 packed cup/55 grams light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 4 T/57 grams unsalted butter, melted 
• 3/4 cup/92 grams confectioners’ sugar 
• 5 teaspoons whole or oat milk, plus more as needed 

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees, preferably on convection, and line two large rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, combine the oats, flour and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat both sugars with the egg, cinnamon, vanilla and baking soda on high speed, scraping the bowl as needed, until glossy, pale and thick, a full 2 minutes.
4. Reduce the speed to medium. Very slowly drizzle in the melted butter and whisk until thoroughly incorporated.
5. Add the oat mixture and gently fold by hand using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula just until incorporated, being careful not to over mix.
6. Using a small cookie scoop or two spoons, drop 15 golf ball-size mounds of dough onto the sheet pan, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. (I used a 1 1/2 T cookie scoop.)
7. Bake until the edges and surface are set and lightly golden brown, but the center is still gooey, 10 to 11 minutes on convection or up to 12 to 14 minutes in a standard oven.
8. Remove from the oven and immediately rap the cookie sheet on the counter or stovetop a couple of times to help the cookies flatten a little more, and cool on the sheet for 5 minutes.
9. In a small bowl, mix the confectioners’ sugar and milk using a small whisk or fork until the icing is completely smooth and very thick but still moves if you tilt the bowl. Add more milk in small increments as needed. (I add the milk 1 teaspoon at a time to make sure the consistency is not too thin.)
10. Dip only the very tops of the cookies into the bowl of icing, leaving the deeper cracks in the cookies uncoated and allowing any excess icing to drip back into the bowl.
11. Flip the cookies over and return them to the cookie sheet to allow the icing to harden, 10 to 15 minutes. The iced cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

One additional note about special cookies….

My oldest just had his 17th birthday! He is DRIVING. We celebrated with several family favorites- enjoying Creamy Chicken and Greens with Roasted Poblano Tacos (first celebration), Thai One Pot (second!), a Maple Layer Cake, and, most importantly, with our traditional Number Cookies– two versions, Roman numerals are his preference. 🙂