Shepherd’s Pie

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I’ve been on an Alton Brown kick lately. His Southern biscuits are heavenly and super easy, and so I was inspired to try his Shepherd’s Pie. (Really Cottage Pie since it’s made with ground beef, but let’s not quibble.) I halved Alton’s recipe, since it serves 8, and I used bacon drippings instead of olive oil, since the ground beef we had was super lean, and I added a tiny bit of maple syrup. Crazy delicious!!!

For the mashed potatoes:
1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled and cut into ½” chunks
1/8 cup half & half
3 Tbsp butter, cut in chunks
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the meat filling:
1 Tbsp bacon drippings or olive oil
1 medium chopped red onion
2 carrots, washed well and diced small
½ tsp garlic powder
1 lb ground beef
½ tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp tomato paste
½ cup chicken broth
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried rosemary, roughly crumbled
½ tsp dried thyme leaves
½ tsp maple syrup
handful frozen corn kernels
handful frozen peas

Boil potatoes with a good pinch of salt in a large pot of water. Turn down to a simmer and let cook 15-20 minutes until very tender. Drain, add butter and mash. Stir in half & half, salt and pepper and check seasoning.

In another large pot, add bacon drippings or olive oil. Add onions and carrots and cook over medium heat 5-6 minutes, until onions are a translucent and carrots are softening. Add garlic powder, ground beef, salt and pepper and cook several minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid at the bottom of the pot has dried up and the meat is browned. Add the flour and stir well. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme and maple syrup, and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes until everything has thickened up a bit. Stir in corn and peas, and check seasoning.

Spread in a 9×11 baking dish. Drop the mashed potatoes by heaps onto the beef and spread to cover completely.

Bake at 400 for 25 to 30 minutes. Let rest for a bit before serving.

You can dab the top with butter, and if you want the top with browner bits, you can put it under the broiler for 2 minutes.

Cabbage, Leek and Toasted Walnut Pasta

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This is based on a great recipe from Hetty Lui-McKinnon in the New York Times. I’ve made it three times in the past month or so, and every time it is really good. I love sautéed cabbage and when you add leeks, cheese, walnuts and pasta, it’s practically perfect!

I usually have Romano Cheese in the fridge, but tonight I had a couple of other hard cheeses I needed to use up, and they tasted good, too. So it’s very forgiving about what kind of cheese you actually need.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1½ tsp whole cumin seeds
3 medium leeks, halved, cleaned and cut into 1″ lengths
1 lb. cabbage, cut into 1″ cubes (about 1/2 of a good-sized cabbage)
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ pound spaghetti or any other pasta
1 cup grated Romano Cheese (or other hard cheese) plus a little more for a garnish
Juice of ½ lemon
1 cup walnuts, toasted in the oven for 5 minutes or so

Directions

Heat oil and butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and stir for 10-15 seconds. Add leeks, cabbage, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Cook stirring from time to time – about 10 minutes or until you can see the cabbage has softened and it’s starting to brown on the bottom of the pan just a bit. 

This is really delicious as is – and you could stop here for a simple side dish. But keep cooking it, so it caramelizes just a little and really brings out the sweetness in the cabbage.

Meanwhile, set a pot of salted water boiling and cook the pasta for the time recommended on the package. When it’s done cooking, save ½ cup of the pasta water and drain the rest of the pasta.

Add pasta, pasta water and cheese to the cabbage mix and stir well. Squeeze lemon juice over and stir in walnuts, saving a few for a garnish. Check seasoning and serve hot with extra walnuts and cheese sprinkled over. So delicious!

Ina’s Lemon Mashed Potatoes

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Ina Garten has one of the best recipes for Lemon Pureed Potatoes. I basically make her potatoes, but I don’t peel the potatoes and I just mash them. But they are absolutely incredible. It’s basically just mashed potatoes, but you add lemon zest at the end, which completely transforms it. It doesn’t need gravy or extra butter or anything – it’s perfect just the way it is.

Ingredients:

2½ lbs large Yukon Gold potatoes, washed but not peeled, cut into 1″ pieces
2 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ lb (2 sticks) butter or vegan butter
3/4 cup whole milk or whatever plant-based milk you like
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest (2 lemons)

Half fill a large pot with water and add a tablespoon of salt. Add potatoes, and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and let them simmer for 15-20 minutes until nice and soft when you poke them with a fork.

Remove from heat, drain and mash with a potato masher. Add salt, pepper and butter and continue mashing until the butter has melted. Add the milk and stir well. If you’re going to serve right away, add the lemon zest and stir. Check seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. 

I left the potatoes a little lumpy, since we like it that way. If you want them perfectly smooth, you can buzz them or run them through a food mill, but just add a 1/4 more milk if you do that. (That’s what Ina does.)

Ina says that the lemon zest can get bitter and to wait and add it later if you aren’t going to serve it right away. I haven’t noticed bitterness when I’ve had leftovers the next day, but just to be on the safe side, listen to Ina.

Mushy Peas with Mint

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I’ve been dreaming about Mushy Peas ever since we came back from Ireland. Finally had a chance to make them last night, when our friends hosted a wonderful dinner with the Ireland trip gang.

Fresh mint really makes this dish something special and unbelievably (January in Nebraska?) I still had some growing. These very bright green Mushy Peas were surprisingly delicious and definitely worth making again.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 24 oz bag frozen peas (not petite or baby – you want full-size peas)
1 bunch of scallions, greens and white parts, chopped into 1″ sections
1 shallot, roughly chopped
big handful of mint leaves
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
3/4 stick butter, cut into chunks (can use vegan butter, too)

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, and add scallions and shallots. Sautee for a couple of minutes and then add everything else except the butter. Stir well, cover and let cook over low heat for 5 minutes, shaking occasionally.

When you can see that the peas and scallions look softened and the mint leaves are wilted, remove from heat and transfer to a medium bowl. Use an immersion blender and buzz everything until it’s fairly smooth. (You can also use a food processor.)

Add the butter and stir until it’s completely melted. A little pat of butter makes a nice garnish! These also reheat nicely in the microwave.

Apple Cranberry Upside Down Cake

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I made Thanksgiving punch with apple cider, ginger ale and a pinch of pumpkin pie spice mix, served with a glass with sliced apples, sliced oranges and frozen cranberries, tossed with a little lemon juice. It was pretty good and several people enjoyed it, but of course I cut enough fruit for 30 extra glasses!


So I found this amazing recipe by Rachel Ballard on FeastandFarm.com, to use up the apples and cranberries. Rachel uses 12 full ounces of cranberries, but I just used about a 1/2 cup since that was all I had. It is fast, super easy and so delicious!

Ingredients
1/2 cup frozen cranberries
4 cups Fuji apples, cored and thinly sliced but not peeled
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 Tbsp freshly grated orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice from the orange you zested
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 stick butter melted and cooled slightly
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream or heavy whipping cream (I only had whipping cream)
1 cup all purpose flour
Good pinch Kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a 10-inch pie plate.

In a medium bowl, mix the cranberries, apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, orange juice and zest. Put in the bottom of the pie pan.

In the same bowl, beat the eggs until lighter and fluffier–about 2 minutes. Add the white sugar, butter, vanilla, salt and sour cream (or whipping cream) and mix well.

Gently mix in the flour just until no pockets of flour remain.

Spread the batter over the fruit as evenly as possible. It will be thick.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or so, until the cake is lightly browned. Check it with a toothpick–if it comes out clean it’s done.

Let cool for 10 minutes or so, and then gently loosen the edges with a butter knife and hold serving plate over it and flip. Serve warm or at room temperature. So good!

Classic Chili

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We had a chill and soup cookoff on our block recently and I was thrilled when my Classic Chili won for best Chili. My friend Jane made a fabulous, creamy Asparagus and Crab Soup that won best Soup. I’ll share that recipe if I can get it from Jane.

But I think it was awfully close – every chili and soup I tried was delicious!

This recipe is a blend of two chili recipes: the old Chili Con Carne recipe from the Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook my mom used to make, and a Classic Chili recipe from TheWholesomeDish.com. I also added a couple of Poblanos and a jar of Rotel tomatoes and peppers. I made it a few days before the block party and that may have made it even better.

(I forgot to take a photo, but found one that looked remarkably similar by Leanna Myers on Unsplash.)

INGREDIENTS

4 big frozen hamburger patties from Costco or 1 lb. ground beef
1 large yellow onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, chopped (I used a yellow bell pepper)
2 Poblano peppers, chopped
2 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped (the last from the garden!)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 can regular Rotel Tomatoes
1 large bay leaf
2 Tbsp chili powder
1½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 ½ tsp cumin powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1∕4 tsp smoked paprika
3 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups of water
1 (15 ½ oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Cheddar Cheese (optional)
Crackers (optional)

In a large dutch oven, cook the intact hamburger patties until pretty well browned on both sides. Break the patties up into small chunks. Add the onion and cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent. Add bell pepper, poblanos and fresh tomatoes and cook another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add canned tomatoes, Rotel, and everything else except the kidney beans. Stir well and simmer for at least 30 minutes, uncovered. Add the kidney beans last and cook another 5 minutes. (The kidney beans won’t get so broken down that way.) Remove bay leaf.

Serve topped with cheddar cheese and with crackers. You could also add a dollop of sour cream.

Bhuta ka Salen (Corn Curry)

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This is the first dish I ever learned to cook when I moved to Karachi. I learned it from Kumy’s sister and mom and it remains an all-time favorite. I love to fish out the rounds of corn and dip them in the curry, but it can be messy! If you’re squeamish, cut the corn off the cobs before you cook it.

When sweet corn is in season, there is nothing better.

Ingredients:

6 ears sweet corn, cut into 1½” wide rounds
1 yellow onion, finely diced
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large bunch cilantro, leaves and about 2″ of stems, rough chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded (if desired) and rough chopped
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 large clove of garlic (or 2 small)
1/2 cup corn water
3 Tbsp gram flour (check online for substitutes)
1 can coconut milk
½ lemon

Boil water (do not add salt!) in a large pot and cook corn pieces for 3-5 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat and drain, saving a cup or so of the corn water.

Heat oil in a large frying pan and add onion. Sauté on medium heat for several minutes until onion is soft and transparent. Let cool a bit.

Add cooked onions with cilantro, jalapenos, turmeric, salt, garlic and water, and buzz with an immersion blender or food processor until smooth. Then pour back into frying pan and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly.

In a little cup, stir together a couple spoons of the corn water with the gram flour until smooth. Add gram flour slurry into the frying pan and cook a few more minutes to thicken, stirring frequently.

Reduce heat and add coconut milk. Stir well and finally add the sweet corn, tossing to coat with the curry.

Just before serving over rice, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the dish. Yum!

Corn & Tomato Salad

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Gorgeous Cherry Tomatoes by Gavin Tyte on Unsplash.

I love when little tomatoes are so sweet they’re like candy! Last night I made a super easy, really delicious salad form Southern Living – perfect for a warm, summer evening. I had good cherry tomatoes and frozen corn, so that’s what I used. I also added a little more seasoning and an avocado, Yum!

Ingredients

Dressing:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
½ – 1 tsp Sriracha or other hot sauce

1 bag frozen corn, thawed (I used Trader Joe’s Roasted Corn)*
1 10 oz. container cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, cubed
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley or cilantro, chopped
3/4 cup grated mild cheese (I had a mozarella/parmesan blend)

Mix dressing ingredients in a big bowl until smooth. Add veggies and cheese and toss.

*Southern Living makes it with corn from 4 ears of yellow corn, so you could use that if you have it on hand, too. I’d cook the ears in boiling water for a minute or so and let them cool before cutting the kernels off the cob.

Garbanzo & Feta Salad

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I’ve made this amazing “Chickpea Salad” from The Pioneer Woman twice in two weeks. Does that tell you something? I did make a few changes to her recipe, but nothing too drastic. It’s a great side dish, or even main dish, since there’s protein in the garbanzos and feta. So delish!

I made it yesterday, holding back on the avocadoes and dressing until just before tossing it and serving it today at a picnic. So you can easily make it ahead of time.

INGREDIENTS:

2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
6 oz. feta, cubed (omit for a vegan version)
4-5 baby cucumbers, (or 1 English cucumber), cut into half moons (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 pt. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional – Kumy doesn’t like raw onions, so I didn’t add this.)
2 avocados, cubed
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

FOR THE DRESSING:
1/3 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp dried Basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

Mix all veggies, beans and feta in a large bowl. If making ahead, don’t add avocadoes.

Mix dressing ingredients in a mason jar, close lid and shake like crazy.

Drizzle dressing over and toss well.

Note for photo: my avocadoes were quite ripe, and were very creamy.

Yogurt with Berries and Granola

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When you want a really light, delicious breakfast, snack or dessert, nothing beats good yogurt, berries and granola. This is a dish that I make all the time, but never think of writing down.

We usually buy the best whole milk plain yogurt we can find (Brown Cow makes amazing yogurt!) and then add a little honey or jam. My favorite jam to add is Spicy Peach, paired with Cinnamon Granola. But you can really use almost any jam or fruit, even a frozen berry mix if you want to, and any granola you have on hand.

Ingredients

1 cup any berries – blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are good
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/2 Tbsp Spicy Peach Jam
handful of Cinnamon Granola

In a wide, flat bowl start with yogurt, and drop jam over in little plops. (Technical term.) Toss berries and then granola over. Stir gently and devour.