Bread - Tortilla

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 cup of masa harina and 1 cup of flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Stir in water and oil. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10-12 times, adding a little flour or water if needed to achieve a smooth dough. Let rest for 10 minutes.
2. Divide dough into 8 portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 7-in. circle.
3. In a greased cast-iron or other heavy skillet, cook tortillas over medium heat until lightly browned, about 1 minute on each side. Serve warm.

How-To: How to Make Homemade Tortillas

Test Kitchen Tips

1. Other fats work in place of olive oil. Traditionalists use lard, but shortening or coconut oil can be used as well. Just cut it into the flour before kneading.
2. Relax springy, hard-to-roll dough by resting it a few more minutes.
3. The key to making tender tortillas: Keep a keen eye on them and adjust cooking time or temp as needed. If they're too crisp, reduce heat a notch, or stop cooking a few seconds earlier.
4. For homemade chips, cut tortillas into wedges and bake at 350 degrees until crisp. Add a touch of oil and seasonings of your choice: We love sea salt and chili powder.

Homemade Tortilla Recipe Tips

Do I need a tortilla press to make this recipe?

No, you don't need a tortilla press to make this tortilla recipe. Although this Mexican cooking tool does create uniform, round, thin tortillas, a rolling pin works just as well.

Why don't my flour tortillas puff up when cooking?

Tortillas may not puff up if they are too thick or are cooked on a low temperature. Aim to roll out thin, even rounds into a 7-inch circle and cook over medium heat. Watch us make this flour tortilla recipe to see how!

What recipes can I make with flour tortillas?

Flour tortillas can be used in many recipes, like bean and cheese quesadillas, fold-over tortilla bake, or pretty ham pinwheels. And don’t forget classic tacos made with seasoned taco meat!

Nutrition Facts

1 tortilla: 159 calories, 5g fat (1g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol,  148mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1 fat.

Dad's Lasagna

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage 
• ¾ pound lean ground beef 
• ½ cup minced onion 
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed 
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes 
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste 
• 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce 
• ½ cup water 
• 2 tablespoons white sugar 
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil leaves 
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds 
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste 
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 
• 12 lasagna noodles 
• 1 cup of sliced green or black olives (optional)
• 2-3 cups of cooked spinach, drained (optional)
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese 
• 1 egg 
• ¾ pound mozzarella cheese, sliced 
• ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

• Step 1
  In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Step 2
  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. 
• Step 3
  Melt the butter in a large pan over medium high heat. Add as much spinach as will fit in the pan and cook until it wilts. Continue adding handfuls of spinach to the pan until it's all wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the spinach cool slightly, then squeeze the excess water out of the spinach. Coarsely chop the spinach. Place the spinach, ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
• Step 4
  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Step 5
  To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the spinach-ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
• Step 5
  Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

TIPS FOR SPINACH LASAGNA

• I recommend using whole milk ricotta and mozzarella cheese for the best flavor. That being said, if you’re looking to save a few calories, you can substitute in the part skim versions.
• Use freshly shredded cheese, not a bag of pre-shredded cheese.  The bagged shredded cheese from the grocery store often contains anti caking agents and does not melt smoothly.
• Use your favorite brand of marinara sauce. I typically use Newman’s Own or Classico brand OR make your own!
• This dish can be assembled up to 6 hours before you plan to bake it. Store it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.
• You can store any leftover lasagna in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Make sure to squeeze all the excess water out of the cooked spinach. This will prevent your lasagna from getting watery as it bakes.
• You can use 2 boxes of frozen spinach instead of fresh spinach. If you use frozen spinach, make sure to squeeze the water out of the spinach after you thaw it.

HOMEMADE MARINARA SAUCE

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or butter)
• 1/3 cup finely-diced white or red onion
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely-minced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes(with juices) or 4 large tomatoes chopped and slightly mashed
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or pink Himalayan sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
• 3 large sprigs of fresh basil
• 1 dash of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons of red wine

---

Instructions

1. Sauté onion and garlic: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until combined.  Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until combined.
2. Add remaining ingredients.  Add the tomatoes, oregano, salt and black pepper, and stir to combine.  Use a wooden spoon or a potato masher to gently break up the tomatoes as the sauce continues to heat.  Stir in the fresh basil sprigs.
3. Simmer.  Continue cooking the sauce until it reaches a simmer.  Then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and continue to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Season.  Remove and discard the fresh basil sprigs. Add Worcestershire sauce and wine. Taste and season the sauce with salt and pepper, as needed.  (If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can also purée it with an immersion blender until it reaches your desired consistency.)
5. Serve.  Then serve the sauce warm and enjoy!

Breakfast - Shakshuka

 

Shakshuka means "a mixture" and is a traditional Maghrebi meal of poached eggs in a simmering tomato sauce with spices, including harissa. Said to have originated in Tunisia, this breakfast recipe is popular in many parts of North Africa and the Middle East. Imaginative cooks can come up with numerous variations on the theme, but this is the first recipe I followed. It's easy, healthy and takes less than 30 minutes to make. 

PREP TIME: 10 mins 

COOK TIME: 20 mins 

TOTAL TIME: 30 mins 

COURSE: Breakfast, Main Meal 

CUISINE: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, North African 

SERVINGS: 6 servings 

CALORIES: 146kcal 

Ingredients 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 medium onion 

1 red bell pepper 

4 garlic cloves 

2 teaspoon paprika 

1 teaspoon cumin 

1⁄4 teaspoon chili powder 

3 medium tomatoes chopped, or 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes 

6 large eggs 

salt and pepper 

1 small bunch fresh cilantro 

1 small bunch fresh parsley 

1 carrot shredded (optional)

1 cup of cooked spinach drained (optional)

Instructions 

1. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the chopped bell pepper and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent. 
2. Add garlic and spices and cook an additional minute. 
3. Pour the can of tomatoes and juice into the pan and break down the tomatoes using a large spoon. If using carrots and/or spinach, add them now. Season with salt and pepper and bring the sauce to a simmer. 
4. Use your large spoon to make small wells in the sauce and crack the eggs into each well. Cover the pan and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the eggs are done to your liking. I like this dish withthe eggs slightly runny (soft-boiled)
5. Garnish generously with chopped cilantro and parsley. 

Notes 

If you're not dairy-free, crumbled feta or goat cheese on top is delicious addition. Traditionally it's also served with pita, but you can also serve it with slices of avocado. 

Many photos online show shakshuka cooked in a cast iron pan. Tomatoes are acidic and may erode the seasoning on your cast iron pan as well as dull the finish. You may also get a slight metallic flavor to the dish. I don't mind this, but if you do, I suggest cooking it in a stainless steel pan. 

Nutrition 

Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 256mg | Potassium: 409mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1371IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 3mg 

Homemade Oatmeal Creme Pies

 

Total Time 

35 minutes 

Ingredients 

For the Cookies 

1 cup unsalted butter, softened 

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 

1/2 cup granulated sugar !"2 large eggs 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups quick or old fashioned oatmeal 

For the Cream Filling 

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cup unsalted butter, softened 

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1 tablespoon milk or half and half 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. 
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. 
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add in oats and mix until incorporated. 
4. To make large cookies, use a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons) to drop dough onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow cookies to sit on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely. To makes small cookies, use a medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) of dough per cookie and bake for 10-12 minutes. Once cookies have cooled completely, prepare the cream filling. 

Prepare the Cream Filling: 

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes. This process will lighten the color of the butter and ensure you buttercream in extra fluffy. 
2. Turn the speed down to low and gradually add in the powdered sugar. Continue mixing on low speed until the powdered sugar is completely incorporated. Add in vanilla extract and milk and mix until combined. 
3. Turn mixer back up to medium-high speed and beat the mixture for an additional 3-5 minutes. If needed, add in a little more cream 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach the consistency you desire. 
4. To assemble the cookies, pipe or spread the cream filling on the flat side of half of the cookies and put the remaining cookies on top. 

Homemade Oatmeal Pies can be stored in an airtight container within the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies to sit at room temperature for one hour before serving. Recipe will yield 9 large sandwich cookies or 18 small sandwich cookies. 

Salad - Eric's Ultimate Chopped Salad

 

Ingredients  

• 2 chicken breasts
• 8 slices bacon
• 1 cup cooked and cooled Ditalini pasta (About 1/2 cup uncooked.)
• 3 heads romaine lettuce
• 1.5 cups chopped red cabbage raw
• 5 green onions chopped
• 1 yellow and 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
• 10 marinated mozzarella balls, sliced in half
• 1–2 roasted red peppers, sliced into thin slices, and cut in half
• 3–4 sun dried tomatoes, sliced into small slices (optional)
• Marinated mixed green, black and Kalamata olives
• Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, Caciocavallo, Fontinella, or Provolone cheese, sliced into thin one inch pieces
• 1 cup artichoke hearts drained and roughly chopped (optional)
• 1 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 1 cup dried cranberries (optional)
• 1 cup of croutons
• 1/4 cup of red onion, cut into thin slices,
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• pinch of salt, pepper, red pepper, and oregano

Red Wine Vinaigrette (optional)

• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Instructions 

• Begin  by dicing chicken breasts in to small, bite-size pieces and saute  and cook thoroughly in 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan. Set aside.
• Cook  bacon according to package directions. (I prefer a softer bacon  texture, rather than crunchy for this particular salad.) Set aside.
• Tear romaine leaves off of the stalks and wash and dry (air or salad spinner).
• Chop lettuce into bite-size pieces. (I remove most of the white stalks  and discard, as this tends to add bitter flavors to the salad.)
• Chop remaining veggies and bacon in to small, bite-size pieces. 
• In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and toss either individually or as a bulk salad! (Just remember, tossing all of your salad with the dressing will make any leftovers soggy!)

Pasta - Garlic Mizithra

 "Oh goodness…

There is a restaurant in San Diego called the Spaghetti Factory.  I love their pasta with mazithra cheese, a salad" - Mom

Spaghetti with Mizithra Cheese & Browned Butter tossed with a delicious blend of sautéed garlic, bacon, and mushrooms.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon water
• 1 cup mushrooms
• 2 tbsp. chopped bacon
• 3 tsp. chopped garlic
• 4 oz. browned butter *recipe follows
• 8 oz. dry spaghetti
• 1/2 cup Mizithra Cheese

Instructions

Bring  about one gallon of water to a boil in the sauce pan. 

Cook spaghetti in  the boiling water for approximately nine minutes. 

While the spaghetti  cooks, preheat a large skillet and sauté the bacon for approximately  three minutes. 

When the bacon is done, add mushrooms and sauté for 45  seconds. 

Then add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. 

Add the Mizithra  and browned butter and mix well. 

Drain the cooked spaghetti in the  strainer and add the spaghetti to the large skillet with the  ingredients, toss with tongs and serve immediately. Serves 2 

*Browned Butter recipe: 

1/2 cup butter (one stick – 1/4 lb) 

Instructions

Cut butter into cubes and place in a small saucepan with a light-colored  interior (this makes it easier to gauge the color of the butter as it  browns). 

Cook butter over medium heat until it comes to a low boil,  stirring frequently with a whisk for about three minutes. 

Cook while  stirring constantly to prevent residue from sticking and overflowing,  about four minutes or until foam subsides. Continue to cook until the  liquid turns an amber color, one to two minutes longer. 

Remove from  heat. Set aside for three to five minutes to let the sediment settle to  the bottom of the pan. 

Pour the browned butter through a strainer into a  small bowl and discard the sediment

Chicken - Chara's Spatchcock Chicken

 

Ingredients

• One 3-4 lb whole chicken
• 4-5 T Fresh Churned Garlic Butter, melted or 2 tbsp of olive oil
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage (or 1 tsp dried sage)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (or ½ tsp dried rosemary)
• ½ tsp paprika

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 425F.
• To spatchcock the chicken, use a pair of kitchen shears to cut out the backbone (save it for chicken stock or bone broth).
• Flip the chicken over to breast-side up, and press down on the breastbone to flatten the chicken.
• Pat the chicken skin all over with a paper towel, soaking up as much moisture as possible.
• Brush the chicken generously with melted Garlic Butter (or olive oil)
• In a small bowl, combine lemon zest, salt, pepper, thyme, paprika, and rosemary. Sprinkle on top of the chicken, rubbing in so it will stick.

If using a grill: 

• Reheat the grill by turning all burners to medium high heat for 15 minutes. Then turn off the middle burners only.
• Place chicken in the middle of the grill (not over flames), close the lid, and cook until internal temperature reaches 165° F.
• Allow chicken to rest 10-15 minutes, then serve.

If using oven:

• Place  the chicken on a sheet pan (the bigger the better, so any chicken  juices that splatter don't burn on the floor of the oven), and roast for  about 40-45 minutes, until the breast registers at 160F. 
• Let  the chicken rest for 10 minutes after roasting, so the juices can  redistribute. The chicken will also continue cooking slightly, to about  165F. Enjoy!

Chicken - Dad's Fried Chicken

 

INGREDIENTS

Buttermilk Marinade:

2 cup(s) buttermilk

1 tablespoon(s) Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon(s) salt

1 teaspoon(s) dry mustard

1 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon(s) cracked black pepper

Fried Chicken:

1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces 

2 cup(s) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon(s) baking powder

1 tablespoon(s) garlic powder

1 tablespoon(s) cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon(s) onion powder

1 tablespoon(s) thyme

1 tablespoon(s) oregano

1 tablespoon(s) sage

1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

1 tablespoon(s) black pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

5 cup(s) vegetable shortening

DIRECTIONS

1. Arrange chicken pieces on paper bag or butcher block paper

2. Season each piece of chicken with each of the seasonings (Dad had the big McCormick bottles so he eyeballed it - just enough for flavor, but a little more generous with the paprika)

3. Turn pieces over and then season the other side.
4. In plastic bread bag or small paper bag, add flour, salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, and onion powder
5. dredge chicken in buttermilk marinade and deposit chicken pice in bag and shake until coated, repeat with no more than three pieces at a time
6. In hot skillet, add crisco shortening or lard until about two inches deep.
7. Add each piece of chicken until skillet is full but not overcrowded

Buttermilk Marinade: In a gallon-sized sealable plastic bag or a large bowl with a tight-fitting lid, combine the buttermilk, mustard, salt, dry mustard, cayenne, and black pepper. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

2. Frying the chicken: Preheat oven to 150 degrees F. In a 13-inch by 9-inch by 2-inch pan,whisk together flour, baking powder, dry garlic, and salt. Add chicken pieces and turn to coat thickly. Let the chicken stand 10 minutes, turning occasionally to recoat with flour. Shake off excess flour before frying.

3. In a 10-inch by 12-inch heavy-gauge skillet with a deep-fry thermometer attached, heat the vegetable shortening over medium-high heat, bringing it to 375 degrees F. In batches of four,fry the chicken pieces, turning once when the coating is sealed and begins to brown -- 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Reduce the heat to medium to lower the temperature to 325 degrees F. Maintain temperature and continue to fry, turning the pieces halfway through cooking time until chicken is golden brown and cooked through -- about 20 more minutes.

5. Transfer to a wire rack on a baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm. Repeat the procedure for the remaining batches. Serve warm or at room temperature.