cooking

Edamame 🫛 inside

pan seared over rice with corn

and a pickle I'm pickle rickkkkk

With onions and garlic, balsamic vinegar reduction

Leftover potatoes

Ingredients

4.5 cups water

8oz elbow pasta

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp butter

1.5 cups sharp cheddar, grated

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp thyme

1.5 teaspoon onion powder

1 pinch of dried parsley

Salt, add to taste

Directions

Boil water in a pot. Add pasta and cook for 7 min or Al Dente. Drain and set aside.In a deep pan add the butter on medium low heat and saute garlic for 3 minutes or until fragrant. Slowly pour in whipping cream a little at a time until simmering. Whisk in shredded cheese a little at a time making sure it's melted before adding more. Add seasonings and simmer until thickened.Add pasta to cheese sauce and stir.Serve hot.Serves 3-4 people. :)

edited to add whipping cream

“Marry Me” Chicken & TortelliniTime: 40 mins

Original Recipe: https://craftycookbook.com/marry-me-chicken-tortellini/

Note, I didn't name this dish. "Marry Me Chicken" has been around for a while, it always features pan fried chicken breast served in a sun dried tomato cream sauce. This version serves it up over tortellini tossed in extra sauce.

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast16-20 oz fresh or frozen cheese tortellini2 cups half-and-half, or 1 cup cream + 1 cup whole milk1 ½ tsp chicken better than bouillon, or chicken bouillon cubes⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped fine½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, or sub basil or parsley1 tbsp freshly minced garlic¼ cup all-purpose flour½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (add more to make it spicy, or omit if very sensitive to spice)½ tsp dried oreganoolive oilgarlic powderfreshly cracked black peppersaltInstructions

Fillet the chicken breast(s) and pound to a thin, even thickness. Season all over with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Pour flour onto a shallow plate and dredge the chicken in it, shaking off any excess.Warm 2 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat, sear breasts for about 3 mins per side, until golden, then remove to a cutting board. Slice into the largest piece to ensure it’s cooked through, then tent with foil to keep warm. Do not wipe the pan clean. Turn off the heat to allow the pan to cool slightly.Meanwhile, begin boiling a large pot of salted water. Cook the tortellini per package instructions while preparing the rest of the meal. Drain and cover to keep warm until needed. (Most cook times are short, so wait until the sauce is almost done)In the pan you cooked the chicken, cook the garlic and red pepper flakes over medium heat until fragrant (about 1 minute), add more oil if needed. Next, add the half-and-half and reduce heat to medium low. Add the bouillon and oregano, mix well and scrape any browned bits into the sauce. Once simmering, add the parmesan (reserving a little for garnish) and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is the consistency of thick cream, about 10 minutes.After simmering, add the chopped sun dried tomatoes and mix well. Add the chicken back to the pan and spoon sauce over it until it’s coated. Warm it in the pan for 1-2 minutes, then remove to a cutting board and cut into bite sized pieces.Toss the tortellini in the sauce, then plate into serving dishes. Top with the chicken, then garnish with the reserved parmesan and fresh thyme.If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear how it went and any feedback you have in the comments section!

A. Meat Sauce

- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

- 3 large carrots, peeled & finely chopped

- 1 large onion, diced

- 4 large cloves garlic, minced

- 1 green bell pepper, diced

- 16 ounces lean ground beef

- 8 ounces ground pork

- ¾ cup red wine

- 2 cans, or fresh (28 ounces) diced tomatoes

- 1 tablespoon tomato paste

- 1/2 tablespoon ketchup

- Course kosher salt (Diamond Crystal Brand) and fresh, or dried, Italian herbs (oregano, rosemary, thyme).

INSTRUCTIONS

In a 10 or 12 inch heavy-bottomed stainless steel or cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until sufficiently pre-heated. Add onion and carrots, season slightly with a healthy pinch of kosher salt. Sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes.Add garlic and bell pepper. Continue cooking until garlic is fragrant but not scorched.Increase heat to high. Add beef and pork and cook, breaking apart the meat with a wooden spoon until mostly browned. Approximately 10 minutes.Add wine and deglaze. Boil off the wine until it is mostly evaporated, 3-4 minutes at least.Stir in tomatoes with all liquid if using canned. Reheat to boiling and then reduce heat to medium-low.Add ketchup and tomato pasteSeason with more salt and select italian herbs to your liking.Simmer the now mostly completed sauce, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened sufficiently.Preheat oven to 375.B. Béchamel

- Metal whisk

- 2 tablespoons butter

- 3 tablespoons flour

- 2 cups of milk, heated to just under a boil

- Salt and white pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

In a 2 or 3 quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat.Once butter is completely melted and covering the bottom of your saucepan, blend in the flour by small amounts, stirring frequently with whisk.Once all flour is blended in, continue cooking for 2 minutes without browning or coloring the mixture.Remove from heat. Allow to slightly cool and then pour in the heated milk in one swift motion. Immediately and quickly blend the mixture together with whisk.Return saucepan to the stove over medium-high heat and continue stirring quickly until the sauce comes to boil.Boil for about 1 minute, while stirring, until sauce is thick enough to coat and cling to the back of a spoon.Remove from heat and season slightly with kosher salt and white pepper. Careful not to over-season as to avoid overpowering the dish.If sauce is too thin, boil it down while stirring continually until reduced and thickened. If sauce is too thick, simmer and thin out with milk added in a tablespoon at a time. If sauce is lumpy, either strain or blend it and then simmer for a few minutes.C. Filling

INSTRUCTIONS

- 1-2 cups freshly made béchamel

- 7 ounces, approximate, ricotta cheese

- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese.

In roughly equal parts, combine all ingredients, stir well, and taste.Reserve some parmesan to both top unbaked lasagna and garnish completed lasagna.D. Assembly

INSTRUCTIONS

- 1 package (8 to 9 ounces) of no-boil lasagna noodles.

In the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish, ladle about 1 cup of meat sauce to evenly coat the bottom of the dish.Arrange 3-4 (depending on width of noodles) noodles over sauce, careful not to overlap or touch sides of the dish.Ladle 1 ½ cups meat sauce over noodles.Spread about ¾ - 1 cup of filling over meat sauce. Best method is to use a tablespoon, dropping dollops across the layer and then spreading slightly. The filling will loosen while cooking so it does not have to be perfect.Repeat steps 2-4 with all remaining ingredients until you finish with a final layer of meat sauce.Top assembled lasagna with filling and freshly grated parmesan.Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes in preheated oven at 375.Remove foil and bake for 15 additional minutes.Remove dish from the oven and raise oven rack to the highest position. Set broiler to high and place uncovered lasagna on topmost rack directly under heat elements. Broil carefully, with over door ajar, until the top is perfectly crisped and brown.Turn off heat, remove from oven and rest for a minimum of 15 minutes.With a serrated knife, divide lasagna into equal portions and guide your cuts by the small gaps between noodles.Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese. Pair with peperoncinis and the rest of that bottle of red wine.

The original recipe with more details and images can be found here.

https://delightbaking.com/chocolate-cheesecake-aka-russischer-zupfkuchen/

Total ingredients needed

300 g All-purpose flour250 g White sugar350 g Butter4x Eggs10 g Baking powder30 g Cocoa powder – Unsweetened2 packages (~16 g) Vanilla sugar500 g Farmer’s cheese (40% fat)1 package (~37 g) Instant vanilla pudding mix1x Vanilla bean1. Mix chocolate dough

300 g All-purpose flour30 g Cocoa powder – Unsweetened10 g Baking powder125 g White sugar1 package (~8 g) Vanilla sugar150 g Butter (softened)1x EggsStart by sifting in the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder and baking powderMix with a hand mixer using dough hooksAdd white sugar, vanilla sugar, softened butter and egg and mix until well combined2. Rest

Form a ball out of the chocolate dough Wrap it in cling film Place in the fridge for 30 minutes3. Melt butter

Place 250 g butter in a pot and bring it to low / medium heatStir while cookingAfter whe whole butter is melted put it aside to cool down4. Coat springform pan

Grease a 26 cm springform pan with butter on bottom and all sidesTake the chocolate dough out of the fridge and divide in halfPut one half aside and use the first one for coating the springform panPress the previously created dough into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan tightly5. Mix filling

3x Eggs125 g White sugar1 package (~8 g) Vanilla sugarPreviously melted butter500 g Farmer’s cheese (40% fat)1 package (~37 g) Instant vanilla pudding mix1x Vanilla beanMix all of the mentioned ingredients together with the hand mixer on low speedStart by adding the vanilla sugar and eggsAfterwards add the previously melted butter, farmer’s cheese, instant vanilla puddingScrape the insides of the vanilla bean and also add them to the mixtureYou want to have a homogenous mass so don’t mix too longAs the last step, pour the whole mixture into the coated springform pan6. Scatter chocolate dough

Take the other half of the chocolate dough you previously have put asideScatter it around the top of the filling7. Bake

Put a bowl with about 500 g water on the bottom of the oven and a baking grill in the middlePreheat it to 165°C (329°F) with the upper and lower heat functionAdd the chocolate cheesecake and bake for 60 minutesAfter 60 minutes of baking turn the oven off and slightlty open the oven door8. Cool

For a good result you want to cool down the chocolate cheesecake very slowlyAs mentioned before start the cooling down process by slightly opening the oven door for 60 minutesAfterwards place the cake on the counter for further cooling of 3 hoursAs the last step, put it in the fridge and let it chill for at least 4 hours

I thought it would be cool to make a very traditional Ragu alla Bolognese; i.e. the sauce that was the catalyst for the famed 'Spaghetti Bolognese' dish a lot of us know and love. This dish is said to have originated in Italy's Bologna region hence the name. For anyone interested it was Pelligrino Artusi who first published ragu as a recipe back in 1891.

The below recipe is just for the ragu sauce - it will make enough to top 6 servings of pasta. Best pasta to serve this with is tagliatelle, fettucine, or pappardelle.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 3+ hours

Total Time: Approx 6 hours

Servings: 6

EQUIPMENTSaucepanINGREDIENTS• 250g beef, hand minced (chuck, brisket, short rib, shank all work)⁣• 250g pork, hand minced (shoulder is best)⁣• Extra Virgin Olive Oil⁣ (EVOO)• 1 onion, diced⁣• 1 rib celery, diced⁣• 1 carrot, diced⁣• 2.5 tbs tomato paste (concentrated)⁣• 1 cup red wine⁣• 1 cup stock (chicken or beef) + more for topping up ⁣• 1 cup whole milk⁣• 1 cinnamon stick⁣• 1 bay leaf⁣

• a largish segment of lemon peel⁣• A little pinch of nutmeg⁣• Salt & black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONSUse a sharp knife or a heavy cleaver to finely chop the meat into a course mince.Heat a heavy bottomed pot on high-heat add enough EVOO to cover the bottom about 1/4 inch thick then add beef and saute for 6-7 minutes until browned on the outside. Remove the beef with a slotted spoon ensuring you leave rendered fat in the pot and set aside.Repeat the above step for the pork.Add onions, carrot, celery and saute for 15 - 20 minutes.Add red wine, then the beef and pork back in, then tomato paste, stock, milk, cinnammon, bay leaf, nutmeg, lemon peel. Give everything a good stir and season with salt (about 1 tbs) and black pepperSimmer on low heat for 3-6 hours - taste every half an hour; if it gets dry top up with either water or stock. It's done when the meat is tender and no longer chewy; obviously the longer you cook the more tender/melt in your mouth it will get. TO SERVETagliatelle Egg Pasta (cook according to packet instructions and add as much ragu as you like and a dash of reserved pasta water to make it a little saucy)Grated Parmiggiano Reggiano cheeseCracked Black pepperGlass of Red Wine! For those interested, below is a 2 min video of cooking process end to end.

I was inspired by vineyardbaker on Instagram and decided to try focaccia bread art for Easter. I used the recipe from this site for the focaccia.

https://www.inspiredtaste.net/19313/easy-focaccia-bread-recipe-with-herbs/

>Ingredients

>1/2 cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

>2 garlic cloves, finely minced [I used 5, but my husband and I are garlic fiends]

>1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

>1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried

>1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

>1 cup (235 ml) warm water

>2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)

>1/4 teaspoon honey

>2 1/2 cups (315 grams) all-purpose flour

>1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

In a cold medium skillet, combine olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, and the black pepper. Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes or until aromatic, but before the garlic browns. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and honey. Stir a few times then let sit for 5 minutes.

Add 1 cup of the flour and a 1/4 cup of the infused garlic-olive oil mixture to the bowl with yeast and honey. Stir 3 to 4 times until the flour has moistened. Let sit for another 5 minutes.

Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour and the salt. When the dough comes together, transfer to a floured board and knead 10 to 15 times until smooth.

Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl, cover with a warm, damp towel and let rise for 1 hour. (It’s best to let the dough rise in a warmer area of your kitchen).

After 1 hour, heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Use two tablespoons of the remaining garlic-olive oil mixture to oil a 9-inch by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. (See above if you do not have this pan size).

Transfer the dough to the baking sheet then press it down into the pan. Use your fingers to dimple the dough then drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the garlic-olive oil mixture. Let the dough rise for 20 minutes until it puffs slightly.

This is where I slightly deviated from the website's recipe.

I added sliced bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, black olives, green olives, cauliflower, and sprigs of thyme, rosemary, dill, and chives for the springtime decor. Just pressed slightly down into the dough. Then back to the original recipe.

Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool baked focaccia bread on a wire rack. [I ended up lowering the heat to 350 after 15 min and continued baking for another 6-ish minutes. It was slightly hard to the touch at this point instead of springy and I was worried I had overcooked it, but once it cooled and we cut into it, it was PERFECT.]

Chicken and Dumplings from Scratch

For full recipe, tips, & tricks, visit: https://maplewoodroad.com/food/easy-homemade-chicken-and-dumplings-from-scratch/

INGREDIENTS2-1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast2 Tbsp vegetable oil1/2 medium onion, chopped1-1/2 stalks celery, chopped3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped1-1/2 c peas2 cloves garlic, minced4 c chicken broth1/3 c heavy cream6 Tbsp salted butter, melted1 tsp thyme2 bay leaves1/2 c parsley, roughly chopped1/2 c all-purpose flourSalt and pepper to tasteDumplings (makes 10)1 c all-purpose flour1/2 tsp baking powder3/4 c heavy cream1 Tbsp unsalted butter, meltedPinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONSAdd 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil to a saute pan over low-medium heat. When the oil begins to sizzle, add the chicken breasts and brown on each side, for a total of about 10 minutes. Then, remove the chicken and set aside.In the same pan, saute onion, celery, and carrots for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.At this point, add butter and flour to the pan, whisk it together quickly, and then add the stock. Add the bay leaves, thyme, parsley, peas, and cream. Add the chicken back to the pan. Simmer for 30 minutes. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper as needed.After 30 minutes, remove the chicken and using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. Add the shredded chicken back to the pan.DumplingsIn a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt).Next, add in the heavy cream and melted butter.Mix everything together with a fork until it becomes a slightly sticky dough. Knead the dough with your hands for about one minute.Using a tablespoon, scoop out balls of dough and form them into small meatball-sized balls.Drop the dumplings into the thick sauce in the pan, making sure they’re not touching each other, as they'll puff up a bit while cooking.Cook for an additional 30 minutes.Serve in a deep pasta bowl, garnished with some fresh parsley and thyme. Enjoy!