Creamy Chipotle Chicken - 5 to 6 cups

 A Pati Jinich Recipe

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken  breasts
• 1 white onion, halved, half left whole, half thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 1¼ teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt, divided
• 3 cups water
• 1 pound ripe plum tomatoes
• 3 to 4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, seeded, plus 3 to 4 tablespoons of  the adobo sauce
• ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 cup Mexican crema, crème fraîche, or heavy cream

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Directions

1. Put the chicken breasts, whole onion half, garlic cloves, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 3 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, cover again, and cook for 10 minutes more, until the tomatoes are completely cooked, mushy and the skins start to break apart. Remove the chicken breasts and transfer to a bowl.
3. With a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes, garlic, onion, bay leaves and ½ cup of the cooking liquid (that the chicken cooked in) to a blender. Add the chipotle chiles and the adobo sauce, the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and the pepper, and puree until smooth. Set aside.
4. Once the chicken has cooled enough to handle, finely shred with your hands or two forks. You should have about 5-6 cups.
5. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet or casserole over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the sliced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Stir in the chicken and pureed tomato mixture, mix well, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes, until it darkens and thickens.
6. Reduce the heat to low and slowly stir in the cream. Once incorporated, increase heat to medium-low and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will have thickened further.
7. Remove from heat and serve as a filling for Red Gorditas, tacos, tortas, or eat as is with a side of rice, or beans, or both.

Smashburgers - Makes 4

Smashburgers - makes 4

Adapted from Your Home Based Mom

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef or hamburger meat 80/20 (85/15 ok if using a griddle)
• Steak seasoning (see below)
• Cheese (Ideas: Cheddar slices, feta crumbles, etc.) 
• 4 buns
• Butter

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Equipment/Other:

• Griddle
• Frying pan
• Grill press or metal spatula

Directions

1. Form 1/4 lb balls with the ground beef (do not overwork!)
2. Heat griddle to 375 deg F (on a grill is ideal so that the house doesn't stink up)
3. Place ball of meat on hot griddle (sizzling sound is great!), cover with a piece of parchment paper, and press down with the grill press as thin as possible (1/4" or less is ideal).
4. Sprinkle each patty with steak seasoning (eyeball it, or 1/4 tsp per patty if you must). Cook 3 minutes on this side.
5. Flip patties with the spatula, scraping up the crusty skin that formed underneath. Do NOT press again, and do NOT sprinkle seasoning on this side. Cover with cheese, and cook for 2 more minutes for "medium done", or 1.5 minutes for "medium."
6. While the patties are resting, heat butter in a frying pan. Just before it gets brown, separate a bun and place the two halves in the pan. Toast fry as desired. Alternatively: butter the buns, then toast them in a toaster oven.

Ideas for serving

1. Green leaf or romaine lettuce
2. On-the-vine tomato slices
3. Sauteed mushrooms
4. Pickles
5. Mayo and mustard

Steak Seasoning (adapted from Hey Grill Hey)

• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp black pepper 
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder (optional)
• 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme

Mini Quiche Egg Phyllo Cups - Makes 4 (serves 2)

Mini Quiche Egg Cups - makes 4 cups

Adapted from the Washington Post

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter for greasing
• Two sheets of Phyllo Dough, defrosted (about 14x17")
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup milk (even non-dairy), heavy cream, or half-&-half
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 tsp fine salt (less if extra fine)
• OPTIONAL: Cooked diced meat, veggies, shredded or crumbled cheese, salsa, herbs, and other add-ins as desired
• OPTIONAL: Minced fresh herbs, as desired

Equipment/Other:

• Standard Muffin Tin (12 wells)
• Pizza stone or large baking sheet (the muffin tin will sit on top to bake evenly)
• Large liquid measuring cup

Directions

1. Position rack in the lower third of oven and place a pizza stone or large baking sheet on it. Preheat to 375 deg F. 
2. Lightly grease the wells of a standard muffin tin with butter.
3. Set the stack of thawed phyllo dough on a clean work surface and cover with damp towels, keeping the stack covered as much as possible while you work.
4. Transfer one sheet of the phyllo to a large cutting board and brush the top with oil. Don't overdo it or cover every inch as too much oil will weigh down the layers. Layer another sheet directly on top of the first and brush it with oil. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets except for the top sheet, which does not need to be oiled (but don't freak if you accidentally do so).
5. Use a sharp knife to cut the phyllo stack into 6 rough squares, about 4.5"x4.5" (don't sweat the precision). Press one stack (consisting of 6 squares) into a well of the muffin pan, folding or fluting the edges slightly to make a pretty cup. Repeat for the remaining stacks (this recipe makes a total of 4 stacks/cups). 
6. In a large liquid measuring cup (ideally with a spout), whisk the milk and cornstarch until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs, salt, & pepper and whisk again until uniform.
7. Carefully pour the egg-milk mixture into each phyllo cup, dividing as evenly as you can (about 2/3 to 3/4 full). Drop in desired add-ins (but NOT fresh herbs).
8. Set the pan on the preheated stone/sheet and bake 15-20 minutes, or until the edges of the phyllo are a rich golden brown and the centers of the egg are puffed and mostly set (they'll continue cooking once you pull them out).
9. Let the cups cool in the pan for 5 minutes before eating. The puffed centers may deflate, which is fine.
10. Serve warm with additional toppings (now you can add fresh herbs) as desired.

Crockpot Mac & Cheese - Serves 3

Slow-cooker Crockpot Mac & Cheese - serves 3, or 4 medium servings

Adapted from Spend With Pennies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni, cavatappi, or similar pasta
• 10.5 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 2.5 to 3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (~1 block Murray's Rustic Red + 1/2 block Extra Sharp White Cheddar)
• 1 cup Gruyere, shredded
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder (or ground mustard seeds) 
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Optional: 1 tsp onion powder

Equipment/Other:
4 to 6 qt slow-cooker

Directions:

1. Boil pasta according to directions to make them *very* al dente (at sea level, cook for about 1-2 minutes less than directed on the bag. If at elevation, cook about to the time stated on the bag). 
2. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop pasta from continuing to cook.
3. Add all ingredients to the slow-cooker. Gently fold a couple times to combine. Cook on low for 3 hours, or on high for 2 hours. Stir once or twice as needed during cook time.
4. Serve hot, ideally.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes w/ Sour Cream Dip - Serves 2

CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES with Sour Cream Dip - Serves 2

Adapted from Modern Honey

Ingredients for Smashed Potatoes

• 0.75 lb (12 oz) Fingerling Potatoes (i.e., Petite Yukon Gold)
• 1.5 Tbsp Butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• Optional: Fresh Parsley, chopped

Ingredients for Sour Cream Dip:

• 2 Tbsp Mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp Sour Cream
• 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Dijon or yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill, or 1/2 to 1 tsp dried dill 
• Optional: Shredded or creamed cheese (cheddar preferred, but whatever you have on hand is fine)

Equipment/Other:
Baking sheet

Drinking glass with smooth bottom

Smashed Potato Directions

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with water. Place on high heat until boiling. Boil for about 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and fork-tender, depending on their size. You want them to be soft enough to smash!
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (or 400 degF in Air Fryer). 
3. Drain the water and place the potatoes in a colander to allow the steam to release for about 5 minutes. 
4. Prepare the baking sheet (if using oven, you can line with silicon baking mat or parchment paper; if using air fryer, use whatever the air fryer came with). 
5. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and press on each one with the bottom of a glass to "smash" them. If they're large (i.e., the smashed potatoes have a diameter the size of a tennis ball or larger), cut them in half with a knife.
6. Drizzle the smashed potatoes with melted salted butter and extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
7. Bake in a 425-degree oven for about 35-45 minutes (or 400-degree Air Fryer 30 minutes), depending on the level of desired crispiness. 
8. While baking, make the Sour Cream dip below.
9. Once done baking, sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with sour cream dip.

Garlic Cheddar Sour Cream Dip:

In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the sour cream dip.
Top the potatoes with the dip, or serve on the side to dip the potatoes in.

Easy Slow Cooker Ravioli - Serves 8-10

 Adapted from: RecipeTinEats

Grade Level - 1, in Ducbee's Opinion

(1 - easiest, 5 - difficult)

Ingredients

30-40 oz frozen ravioli, any variety (e.g., 2 Gina Italian Village bags)

45 to 48 oz pasta sauce, divided (any variety of approx 2 jars)

3 cups shredded mozzarella (pre-shredded bagged is fine)

Optional vegetable additions: Minced garlic cloves, diced onions, diced peppers, sliced mushrooms

Equipment/Other:
5 to 6 qt Crockpot/Slow cooker

Directions

1. Spray or oil the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray. 
2. Spoon 1 cup of pasta sauce into the slow cooker.
3. Sautee any optional vegetables as desired. Add remaining pasta sauce to sauteed vegetables and simmer 2 minutes.
4. Add half the frozen ravioli to the slow cooker
5. Top with half the cheese
6. Top with half of the cooked pasta sauce
7. Repeat layers one more time, ending with cheese
8. Cover and cook for 4 hours on low (do not overcook the pasta)

NOTE: At 3 hours in our vintage Crockpot, pasta was cooked, but the insides of the ravioli was only room temp

Za'atar Slow Cooker Chicken - Serves 2 large or 4 small servings

Adapted from: Taste Of Home

Grade Level - 2, in Ducbee's Opinion (Hands get dirty, but that's it)

(1 - easiest, 5 - difficult)

Ingredients
1/8 cup za'atar seasoning

1/8 cup olive oil

1.5 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1.5 lb bone-in chicken thighs or drums (5-ish pieces)

1/2 cup olives (green and kalamata are a good mix)

1/4 to 1/3 cup dried apricots

1/4 to 1/3 cup pitted dried plums (prunes)

1/4 cup water (or chicken or vegetable broth if you have some to use up)

Cooked basmati or other rice or cous cous (optional), to serve

Equipment/Other:
Crockpot/Slow cooker

Large bowl

Directions

1. In the bottom of a slow cooker, arrange olives, apricots, and plums.
2. In a separate large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients.
3. Add chicken to the bowl; toss to coat
4. Add 1/4 cup water (or broth); top with chicken. Cook, covered, on Low for 5-6 hours (our crockpot was just under 5) or until chicken is tender.
5. Serve with rice or cous cous

Chicken Stock from Scratch - 5 to 6 cups

Adapted from: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/how-to-make-chicken-stock and https://www.recipetineats.com/chicken-stock-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-68755

Ingredients

• 1 chicken carcass (from a 4-6 lb chicken)
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, quartered
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Parsley stems
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, optional
• 10 peppercorns, optional

Directions:

• Strip the chicken carcass of meat: Use your hands to pull and peel the meat off the bones. Transfer the meat to a container and keep in the fridge to use for whatever.
• Make the stock: Into a large stock pot or Dutch oven add the chicken carcass – bones, skin and any random bits. Add the chopped celery, carrots, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, parsley stems and peppercorns if using.
• Cover with water and simmer: Pour 10 cups (2.5 qt) of cold water over the ingredients in the stockpot and turn the heat to medium, just until it begins to have a low boil, then reduce to medium low (or whatever temp you need to keep the stove at for a gentle simmer). You want the stock to simmer and never boil. Boiling can cause the fat and proteins to emulsify and give you dark, greasy stock.
• Skim the stock: Push the ingredients down to make sure they are submerged in the water and let the stock simmer on medium low for the next 3 hours. Cover with a lid. Check every 45 minutes or so and use a spoon to skim any scum that may form off the surface. This is not an exact science. If you lose track of time, and it simmers for 4 hours that’s Ok. You’ll just have a more concentrated stock and might need to add water. If you’re short on time and you only have 2 hours then you’ll just have a lighter stock. That’s Ok too. There is no room for perfectionists in stock making!
• Strain the stock: Layer a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth. Set it over a large bowl, then ladle the stock into the lined strainer. Press on the solids to release any additional liquid. When it’s done you should have between 5 and 6 cups of stock depending upon how much it has reduced.
• Cool: Allow to cool on the counter, then refrigerate. This allows any fat to rise and solidify.

NOTES: 

• Carcass of roasted chicken after removing the cooked meat does not yield enough flavour. 
• Also, when cold the stock will turn to a soft jelly like due to gelatin. Gelatin gives the stock richness that you don’t get in liquid store-bought stock. Gelatin is good! 
• Homemade stock is not salted, so it can be massively reduced to make things like jus without becoming too salty. You cannot make fine sauces like jus using store bought stock. Note however that homemade chicken stock has a small amount of natural salt. If you reduce it by say 90% or more, you will begin to taste it. Think of it as natural seasoning!

Salsa (Multiple)

 Source: Pati Jinich

Jalapeño Salsa Verde with Cumin (makes ~2 cups)

Ingredients

• 1 pound tomatillos, husked and  rinsed
• 3 to 4 jalapeños, to taste
• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¾ teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
• ½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro, leaves and tender upper stems

Directions:

• Preheat the broiler with a rack 2-3 inches from it. Place the tomatillos, jalapeños, and garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Broil for about 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the tomatillos are charred and mushy. Alternatively, you can char them on a preheated comal, griddle, or skillet preheated over medium heat, but it will take a few minutes more.
• When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic cloves and remove the stems from the jalapeños. Drop the tomatillos, garlic and 1 or 2 jalapeños into a blender.
• Set a small skillet, griddle, or comal over medium-low heat. Once it’s hot, toast the cumin seeds and oregano for less than a minute, stirring constantly until fragrant and browned; don’t let them burn. Scrape into the blender, along with the salt. Pulse until fairly smooth but you can still see the tomatillo seeds. Taste and add the remaining jalapeños as desired.
• Pour into a bowl. Stir in the cilantro and serve. The salsa will keep for up to 5 days, covered, in the refrigerator.

Chile de Árbol Mixed Salsa (makes ~2 cups)

Ingredients

•  ½ pound tomatillos, husked and  rinsed
•  ½ pound ripe plum tomatoes
•  10 to 12 dried chiles de árbol, or to taste, stemmed (with seeds)
•  3 garlic cloves, peeled
•  ¾ teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste

Directions:

• Place the tomatillos, tomatoes, chiles de árbol, and garlic cloves in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, until the tomatillos and tomatoes are soft, cooked, and their skins are just starting to peel, and the chiles have rehydrated.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ingredients to a blender, add the salt, and pulse until fairly smooth but the tomatillo seeds are still visible. The salsa will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Lemon Pasta

 Source: https://www.loveandlemons.com/lemon-pasta/

Ingredients

•  8 ounces spaghetti
•  4 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into pats
•  2 tablespoons lemon zest, plus more for garnish
•  2 garlic cloves, minced
•  ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
•  1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
•  Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
•  Chopped fresh parsley or basil leaves, for garnish

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the package instructions, cooking until al dente. In the final minutes of cooking, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water.

2.  A few minutes before the pasta is ready, add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Heat the butter until  it foams, then reduce the heat to low and add the lemon zest and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until  fragrant. Remove from the heat if your pasta is still cooking.

3. When the pasta is al dente, use tongs to transfer it from the pot to the skillet with the butter mixture. Add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and cook over low heat, tossing until a sauce forms and lightly coats the pasta. Add half the cheese and toss to incorporate. Add the lemon juice and remaining cheese and toss again, cooking until the sauce is smooth. If it becomes too thick or clumpy, add more pasta water as needed to loosen it. Season to  taste with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice.

4. Garnish with more lemon zest and fresh parsley. Serve with more cheese.

Baked Zucchini - Serves 1-2

 BAKED ZUCCHINI 

Adapted from: RecipeTinEats

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 small to med zucchini (King Soopers size)
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tbsp breadcrumbs (panko or matzo meal)
• 1/2 tbsp parmesan or other cheese, grated (pre-grated actually good for this recipe)
• Optional: Small wedge of lemon

Equipment: Bowl to toss, small baking tray with rack preferred, airfryer or convection oven

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F with oven shelf high on the rack (no preheat necessary if using airfyer)

2. Trim ends of zucchini. Cut lengthwise into 6 wedges. Cut across in half for a total of 12 small wedges.

3. Toss zucchini in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper. Sprinkle with most of the breadcrumbs.

4. Line the zucchini in two rows next to each other, skin side down. 

5. Sprinkle with the rest of the breadcrumbs and the cheese. 

6. Bake or airfry 12 minutes until parm is golden

7. Serve immediately