Woman's Day: Chocolate-Orange Tart

I remember when someone online (Facebook? Reddit?) mentioned this tart.  They were searching for the original recipe because theirs seemed wrong somehow.  And the more I thought about it, the more I remembered how much I love orange marmalade, and the more this tart sounded delicious.  So of course I found my way to the original recipe so that I could also partake.  And it's definitely worth it.

Note: I opted not to make candied orange peel this time around, so I can't vouch for that part of the recipe.  Mine came in a bag from Amazon.

Chocolate-Orange Tart
From Woman's Day magazine, September 2003

1¾ cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (13 to 14 whole crackers)
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted, cooled and finely chopped
⅓ cup granulated sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1½ cups heavy cream, divided use
4 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier, divided use
⅔ cup sweet orange marmalade
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Candied Orange Peel

Heat oven to 350°F. Have ready a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom.

Mix graham cracker crumbs, chopped almonds, sugar, and melted butter in a bowl until moistened. Press over bottom and up pan sides. Bake 15minutes or until lightly browned around edges.

Heat chocolate chips and 1 cup cream in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, stir in 3 tablespoons of the liqueur and let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile spread marmalade over bottom of crust. Pour on chocolate mixture; refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.

Shortly before serving, remove pan sides. Beat remaining 1⁄2 cup cream and 1 tablespoon liqueur and the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Spoon into a pastry bag; pipe around edge of tart. Garnish with candied orange peel.

Candied Orange Peel

Using a vegetable peeler, remove orange part of peel from 1 orange in 2-inch lengths. Cut in long, narrow strips. Cook in boiling water 1 minute, drain, then cook in light corn syrup to cover about 2 minutes until translucent. Lift peel from syrup with a fork; roll in sugar and place on oiled wax paper to dry. To curl strips, twist them around wooden skewers before drying.

Food Network Kitchen: Copycat Zuppa Toscana

I've been on a bit of a soup kick lately.  Not sure exactly why since the sun is still intently cooking us here in Texas.  Maybe I'm subconsciously wishing for cooler weather.  Whatever it is, I figured I should try to make one of the most recognized soups there is - Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana.  It's been a while since I've had the original, but this version is perfectly delicious and satisfying.

Note: Original recipe called for 6 cups chicken broth and 2½ pounds of potatoes, but it wasn't enough broth and was too much potato, so I've adjusted below.  It also called for sweet Italian sausage, but hot is better.  I also added about 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt.  I know the white wine vinegar sounds weird, but you can't taste it, it just makes the soup better in a vague way.

Copycat Zuppa Toscana
Adapted from Food Network Kitchen

4 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
4 large russet potatoes (about 2 pounds), unpeeled and cut into ¼-inch slices

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large white onion, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 cups chicken broth
6 cups curly kale, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
¾ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon; set aside to drain. Add the Italian sausage to the drippings and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Transfer to the paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Add the potatoes, garlic, and onion to the drippings and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken broth, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender and cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.

 
Add the kale, heavy cream, bacon and sausage and cook over medium heat until the kale is tender, another 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar just before serving.

Makes 12 cups

Butternut Bakery: Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Every once in a while I get a craving for some warm banana bread.  Straight out of the oven.  Ideally with pockets of melted chocolate.  And I keep trying new recipes to see what different ingredients do for the bread as a whole.  Looking for the perfect banana bread.  But if I'm really honest, they're all perfectly delicious, especially slathered in butter.

Note: The original recipe did not have pecans, but I added them because yum.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Adapted from Butternut Bakery blog

1½ cups ripe and mashed banana (around 3 to 4 medium bananas)

½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup mini chocolate chips + a handful more for sprinkling on top

½ cup chopped pecans

Preheat your oven to 325°F and grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.  In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix together the melted butter and sugars until you reach a paste-like consistency. This may take some vigorous whisking for a minute or two. You can either use a whisk or an electric mixer with the paddle attachment.  Add in your mashed bananas followed by the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla.

Once all of your wet ingredients are mixed together, fold in the dry ingredients. Then, fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.  Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it even. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top if you like.

Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let it cool completely before removing from the pan. Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.

Fine Cooking: Rack of Lamb with Ancho-Honey Glaze

For some reason I was just feeling like lamb, so I went cruising through my Fine Cooking archive to see if anything grabbed me.  And this recipe sounded awesome.  It's supposedly based on Moroccan honey-spiced lamb, which I'm sure is even more fantastic.  And it honestly wasn't that difficult to make.  A little juggling towards the end as you're reducing the sauce while basting the lamb, but not too bad.

Note: When I went to go obtain a rack of lamb, I almost passed out when I saw the price, so I ended up only purchasing four chops.  I basted each one separately, and I cooked them for about 10 minutes total, basting after 4 and 8 minutes.  They honestly could have probably come out at the 8 or 9 minute mark to make them medium rare, but they were still delicious.

Rack of Lamb with Ancho-Honey Glaze
From Fine Cooking magazine, December 2007

2 racks of lamb (each 1¼ to 1½ pounds with 7 to 8 ribs), trimmed or frenched
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup honey
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
½ cup orange juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly chopped mint, parsley, basil, or cilantro (optional)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.  Line a small roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet with foil (to make it easier to clean the glaze from the pan).

If necessary, trim the lamb so that only a thin layer of fat remains, being careful not to remove all the fat.  Arrange the lamb bone side down in the roasting pan, interlocking the bone ends if necessary to make them fit.  Season each rack generously with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, combine the honey, vinegar, cumin, ancho chile powder, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.  Brush the surface of the meat with about half (¼ cup) of the glaze.

Roast, brushing the lamb after 10 minutes and then again every 5 minutes with the glaze that has begun to caramelize on the roasting pan, until an instant-read thermometer inserted close to but not touching the bones reads 125°F for rare or 130°F to 135°F for medium rare, about 20 minutes for rare and 25 minutes for medium rare.

Meanwhile, pour the remaining glaze into a small saucepan, add the orange juice and garlic, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Simmer until reduced to a slightly syrupy glaze, about 7 minutes.  Add the herbs, if using.

Let the lamb rest for about 5 minutes.  Cut between the bones to carve the racks into chops and drizzle each chop with a little of the glaze before serving.

Makes 6 servings

Chef John Mitzewich: State Fair Lemonade

I have always wanted a good lemonade recipe, but no matter what I tried or how I searched, none of them ever tasted as good as the "fresh squeezed" lemonade you can get in a few places if you're very lucky.  However, this recipe has changed everything.  This lemonade actually tastes like lemonade.  Not too sour, not too sweet.  And on a hot summer day, this is everything.

Note: Since you're using the peel, it's probably not a bad idea to try and get some organic lemons to use.

State Fair Lemonade
From Chef John Mitzewich

6 lemons
1¼ cups granulated sugar
5 cups cold water

Wash lemons and peel off all the zest using a vegetable peeler; set peeled lemons aside. Add lemon zest to a bowl and cover with sugar; toss to combine. Cover and let sit for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to overnight.

Bring water to a boil in a pot over high heat; turn off heat and pour in lemon-sugar mixture. Stir and let sit until sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.

Pour through a mesh strainer back into the same bowl and discard the zest. Let cool to room temperature, 20 to 30 minutes.

Cut lemons in half and squeeze juice into the bowl. Pour lemonade into a serving pitcher; cover and chill thoroughly before serving over ice, at least 2 hours.

Makes 1½ quarts

Marmiton: Sauce au Comté et aux Morilles (Comté and Morel Sauce)

If you've looked through this blog with any regularity, you'll know that whenever I see fresh morels at the store, I must purchase a bag of them.  Not a ton, but enough to make something delicious with.  I didn't want to go my usual route and make them with chicken again (although that's absolutely delicious), so I went googling, and I came up with this recipe on a French website.  How's that for authentic?  Served over rice, it's a nice meatless meal.

Sauce aux Comté et aux Morilles (Comté and Morel Sauce)

Adapted from Marmiton.org

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 shallot, sliced thinly
5 ounces fresh morel mushrooms
2 cups heavy cream
1 small bay leaf
Pinch ground nutmeg
5 ounces Comté cheese, shredded

Melt butter, add shallot and morels, sweat morels until they release some liquid, add cream, bay leaf, and nutmeg.  Take off heat and let sit for 30 minutes.  Put back on heat, add the cheese, and stir until melted.

Cuisinart: S'mores Ice Cream

I seem to be on a bit of an ice cream kick lately.  I guess that's what happens when it's over 100F outside, and you just splurged on an expensive ice cream maker with an internal compressor.  Because when ice cream calls, it doesn't like to wait for the bowl to chill overnight.  This was one of the recipes included with the instructions, so I figured it was a good place to start.  And besides the marshmallow cream getting everywhere, I would absolutely make this again.

Note: Instead of melting the chocolate chips, I just poured some mini chips into the ice cream mixture.

S'mores Ice Cream

From Cuisinart

½ cup cocoa powder, sifted
⅓ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed dark or light brown sugar
1 pinch kosher salt
⅔ cup whole milk
1½ cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup marshmallow cream or fluff
2 full graham cracker sheets, crushed
2 ounces milk chocolate (⅓ cup chips), melted and reserved at room temperature

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugars and salt. Add the milk and, using a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk, beat to combine until the cocoa and sugars are dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Pour the mixture into the mixing bowl of the ice cream maker. Let mix until thickened, about 40 minutes. Five minutes before mixing is completed, gradually add the marshmallow cream, one spoonful at a time. Once mixed, add the crushed graham crackers and melted chocolate, one at a time, through the mix-in opening and let mix in completely. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

Tip: If marshmallow cream is too stiff, warm slightly in microwave before adding to freezer bowl.

Makes about 6 cups

I Heart Umami: Hobak Bokkeum 호박 볶음 (Stir-Fried Zucchini)

Of all the Korean banchan, this one comes in as my #2 favorite (behind the magnificent fish cake).  And when it's summer, with its plethora of zucchini, it's a perfect time to experience it at home.  I didn't even have Korean food to eat with it - it's just that good as a summer salad.

Note: This dish traditionally uses saewoojeot (fermented mini shrimp), but I opted to swap in fish sauce.

Hobak Bokkeum 호박 볶음 (Stir-Fried Zucchini)

Adapted from I Heart Umami blog

4 medium zucchini
6 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 large cloves garlic
2 green onions, chopped, plus more for garnish
2 to 3 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds

Trim away both ends of the zucchini and slice the zucchini into round discs about ¼-inch thick.  Then cut the discs in half to make half moons.

In a large mixing bowl, add the zucchini slices and sprinkle in salt and use your hands to gently rub the salt evenly into each slice. Set it aside for about 1 hour. This will pull out excess moisture.
In the meantime, finely mince the garlic and chop the scallions.

After 1 hour, dump out the excess water in the mixing bowl and then spread the zucchini slices on some paper towels. Use several extra paper towels to blot the tops of the zucchini until it is mostly dry.

Preheat a large sauté pan over medium heat until it feels warm. Add the vegetable oil and turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the zucchini and sauté for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients, sauté for 1 minute and then turn off the heat.

Transfer the zucchini onto a large serving plate and garnish with more scallion, sesame seeds, and oil. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Makes 6 servings

Serious Eats: Blackberry Ice Cream

Each year I purchase a membership to a pick-your-own farm, and they have row upon row of blackberry bushes.  You have to brave the heat, the bugs, and especially the wasps who want to share in the blackberry sweetness.  But you arrive home with a bag full of beautiful ripe berries.  The only problem is that they don't tend to keep very long, so these had to be instantly made into...something.  So I picked ice cream to cool off.  The flavor was absolutely spot on; however, with cream being the only dairy, it leaves a greasy film on your tongue, kinda like the whipped cream on the Frappuccino at Starbucks.  If I made this again, I'd probably do half cream, half milk.

Blackberry Ice Cream
Adapted from Serious Eats

40 ounces fresh blackberries, washed and drained
5¼ ounces sugar
⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
14 ounces heavy cream
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons bourbon, rum, or gin
½ ounce fresh lemon juice

In a 3-quart stainless steel saucier, combine blackberries, sugar, and salt. Using a metal spatula, crush the berries until the sugar dissolves (the spatula's comparatively sharp edge will minimize splashing compared to the dull edge of a potato masher). Using a kitchen scale, weigh the pot and fruit together, then make note of that number to track the reduction. Cook over medium heat until bubbling hot, then simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture has reduced by 14 ounces. The time required will vary depending on the size, shape, and type of cooking vessel, as well as the size and output of the burner, but expect about 30 minutes, and adjust heat as needed to proceed at a similar rate. (Try not to over-reduce the fruit, as it can produce unwanted flavors, but if you do accidentally do it, you can add back just enough water to correct the weight.)

When reduced by 14 ounces, strain into a large bowl through a fine-mesh stainless steel strainer. Press and stir the blackberries with a flexible spatula to extract their juices, until there's nothing left in the sieve but about 10 ounces seedy pulp, with 20 ounces blackberry purée in the bowl.

Discard the blackberry pulp. Stir the cream, cinnamon, and alcohol (if using) into the concentrated blackberry purée, along with lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Cover and refrigerate or place in an ice bath until no warmer than 40°F, then churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. Meanwhile, place a 1-quart container and flexible spatula in the freezer.

When ice cream looks thick and light, shut off the machine and, using the chilled spatula, scrape ice cream into the chilled container. Enjoy as soft-serve, or cover with plastic pressed directly against surface of ice cream, then close lid and freeze until firm enough to scoop, about 4 hours.

For a blueberry version: Frozen wild blueberries, Stoli Blueberry for the liquor, and add ¼ teaspoon of orange flower water.

King Arthur Baking: Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars

I first saw these advertised when I was flipping through Facebook one night.  Darn it, my phone seems to have figured out my preferences.  These looked so fantastic that even though I don't have any particular nostalgia for Little Debbie oatmeal creme pies, I knew they must be made as soon as possible.  So after waiting a couple of days for the Marshmallow Fluff to arrive, I got to savor this simple yet fabulous dessert.

Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars
Adapted from King Arthur Baking

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup dark brown sugar or light brown sugar, packed
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon ginger
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs
1¾ cups quick-cooking oats or instant oats*

*To substitute old-fashioned rolled oats, briefly pulse them in a food processor until each oat is about half its size (several short pulses).

Frosting

¾ cup vegetable shortening or 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup Marshmallow Fluff or 1 cup marshmallow crème, store-bought*
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon water
¼ teaspoon table salt

*Marshmallow Fluff is a New England ingredient available in certain other parts of the country. Marshmallow crème, more widely available, is a thinner consistency than Fluff. If you make your filling with marshmallow crème, you may need to add a bit more sugar to stiffen it up sufficiently.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan and line with a parchment paper sling.

To make the cookie base: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda until well-combined.

In a separate large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugars, spices, and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between additions, until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and thick. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined, then mix in the oats.

Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer with a flexible spatula or an offset spatula.

Bake the oatmeal cream pie bars for 35 to 40 minutes, until the color is a deep golden brown and a toothpick or paring knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan on the wire rack, then lift out of pan and let cool completely on the wire rack.

To make the frosting: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the shortening or butter, sugar, and marshmallow until well combined. Add the vanilla, water, and salt and beat until smooth.

Spread the frosting on top of the cooled bars, top with sprinkles, and slice into 16 pieces.

Makes 16 squares

NY Times Cooking: Pumpkin Maple Muffins

I may or may not have come across this recipe by watching a video that Jennifer Garner posted.  And the muffins may or may not have looked so scrumptious, I needed to have them in my life immediately.  And they certainly did not disappoint.  Like most of the things I find on the NY Times cooking site recently, these are a definite winner.

Note: Don't let the original recipe fool you, this makes a ton of batter, and I was able to make 24 normal-size muffins with one recipe.

Pumpkin Maple Muffins
From NY Times Cooking website

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour (or 1 additional cup all-purpose flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1½ cups pumpkin purée, about 1 (15-ounce) can
3 large eggs
1 cup light brown sugar
⅔ cup maple syrup

Heat oven to 350°F.  Spray muffin molds with nonstick spray or line them with paper liners.

Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter has melted, foamed and started to brown, about 5 minutes. Use a whisk to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pot. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric and nutmeg.

In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar and maple syrup until totally smooth. Whisk in dry ingredients, followed by browned butter.

Divide among prepared muffin tins and bake until the tops are puffed and spring back slightly when pressed, 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 24 muffins

Cafe Delites: Easy Honey Garlic Chicken

As food prices continue to go up, I find myself dipping into my freezer a little more often for my meat selections.  But when something comes up in the rotation, the trick is to figure out what to do with it.  And I didn't want the same old thing with these chicken leg pieces.  Luckily I happened across this recipe, and for how simple it is, it's pretty tasty.  I served it with rice to soak up all the extra juices.

Easy Honey Garlic Chicken

From Cafe Delites blog

6 chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
2 teaspoons garlic powder, to season
6 cloves garlic, crushed
⅓ cup honey
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Season chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder; set aside.

Heat a pan or skillet over medium high heat; sear chicken thighs on both sides until golden and cooked through.

Reduce heat after searing on both sides, cover skillet with a lid and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, while turning every 5 minutes until done. Drain most of the excess oil from the pan, leaving about 2 tablespoons of pan juices for added flavor.

When chicken is done and cooked through, arrange chicken skin-side up in the pan (if cooking with skin); add the garlic between the chicken and fry until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the honey, water, vinegar, and soy sauce. Increase heat to medium-high and continue to cook until the sauce reduces down and thicken slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Serious Eats: Cincinnati Chili

This chili has been on my cooking wishlist for quite a while, but I wanted to make sure that I used the best, most accurate (as far as I know) recipe I could find.  And when I saw this doozy of an ingredient list, I figured I had hit the lotto.  And it certainly doesn't disappoint.  Spicy like a traditional chili, but with a very different flavor profile.  The mountain of cheese on top certainly doesn't hurt, either.

Cincinnati Chili
From Serious Eats

2 pounds ground beef, preferably 80% lean
2 medium sweet onions (about 8 ounces each), finely minced

6 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated

¾ cup tomato paste (one 6-ounce can)

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3 bay leaves

1½ tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or the same weight, plus more to taste

⅓ cup active dry yeast

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons paprika

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon ground white pepper (can substitute black pepper if necessary)

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1½ pounds dried spaghetti

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup tomato paste

1 medium sweet onion (about 8 ounces), diced (optional)

One (15-ounce) can kidney beans, warmed and drained (optional)

1½ pounds medium Cheddar, finely shredded using the small holes on a box grater

Thin, vinegary hot sauce, such as Frank’s Red Hot or Crystal

Oyster crackers

In a large Dutch oven, combine 1 quart cold water with the beef. Using a stiff whisk or potato masher, stir vigorously until beef is broken up and a thick slurry forms, about 2 minutes. Add 1 more quart water along with the onions, garlic, tomato paste, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, salt, yeast, chili powder, paprika, allspice, cayenne, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, white pepper, cloves, and ground ginger and mix well.

Set Dutch oven over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring and scraping occasionally, until chili has thickened to a coherent texture, no longer soupy but not yet thick enough to stand a spoon in, and the flavors have melded, about 3 hours. Season with additional salt, if desired.

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook spaghetti until softened and no longer al dente, about 2 to 3 minutes longer than box directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together olive oil and tomato paste. Using tongs, transfer cooked spaghetti to tomato paste mixture, allowing excess water to drain back into the pasta pot each time. Toss until evenly coated.

Divide spaghetti among (preferably oval) serving plates, then top with a few generous ladles of chili, a scattering of onion and/or beans (if desired), and a generous pile of shredded cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces per serving). Serve with hot sauce and oyster crackers at the table, for diners to add as desired.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Allrecipes: Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

I'm a big fan of anything with mushrooms, and especially anything stroganoff, but I don't always have the time to thinly slice some nice beef and roughly chop a basket of wild mushrooms.  So when I saw this recipe, I figured I would try it out.  And it's not...bad, per se.  But it's definitely not as awesome as the original.  For a quick weeknight supper, it will do.

Note: I ended up adding some lemon juice to the final dish to try and get some of that sour cream tartness to shine through, like in the original.  I think it got overpowered by all of the processed products in the recipe.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Loosely adapted from Allrecipes

1 pound beef stew meat
2 tablespoons canola oil

½ cup water
1 (10½-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (4-ounce) can mushroom pieces, drained
1 envelope Lipton Beefy Mushroom or Beefy Onion soup mix
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

4 ounces sour cream

Set an Instant Pot to Sauté setting or, if using a traditional slow cooker, set a pan over medium-high heat.  Add the oil, and when it shimmers, add the stew meat.  Cook until the meat has browned.

If using an Instant Pot, cancel the Sauté, then add all remaining ingredients except for sour cream, then cover.  Set to Slow Cook on the Normal setting for 8 hours.

If using a traditional slow cooker, add the water to the pan to scrape up any browned bits, then pour into the slow cooker.  Add all the remaining ingredients except sour cream, then cover.  Set to Lo for 8 hours.

After 8 hours, uncover and add the sour cream, stirring well to incorporate.  Serve over noodles or mashed potatoes.

Makes 4 servings

Juliana Stark: Sweet Potato Casserole with Coconut Pecan Praline Crust

I don't normally whip up recipes that I find in comments online, but I had to make an exception for this beautiful orange side dish.  I just couldn't get past the words coconut pecan praline crust.  Do you blame me?  Luckily most of the ingredient amounts are provided, but for the initial mashing of the potatoes, you'll just need to wing it with the butter and ground cinnamon; do it to your taste preference.  And watch the casserole as it nears the end of the cooking time to make sure the topping doesn't burn.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Coconut Pecan Praline Crust
From Juliana Stark’s Cajun nanny, as seen on The Stay at Home Chef Facebook page

6 sweet potatoes
Butter
Ground cinnamon
⅓ cup melted unsalted butter
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
Pinch salt
⅓ cup chopped pecans
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prick potatoes with a fork and place on a sheet pan. Bake until tender, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool enough to handle. Scoop the potato flesh out of the skins and mash with some butter, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.

Mix together melted butter, brown sugar, salt, chopped pecans, flour, and shredded coconut. Grease a large pie dish, scoop in sweet potato mash and smooth out the top. Top with even, generous layer of topping mix. Bake at 350°F about 40 minutes until golden brown and crusty.

Alton Brown: Beef "Stew"

I put the stew in quotes on this one because it's not like any beef stew I've ever had.  As you can tell from the picture, there's very little liquid, barely even a gravy clinging to the meat and potatoes.  That being said, what is there is supremely delicious.  All that seasoning and low and slow cooking yields the most tender beef, the most succulent potatoes.  It would almost be a sin to drown it in watery sauce.

Beef "Stew"
From Alton Brown, as seen on Good Eats

¼ cup tomato paste
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon paprika
1½ teaspoons dried herbs, any combination of thyme, oregano, and rosemary

3 pounds English-cut short ribs
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 pound red potatoes, unpeeled and sliced
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Whisk together the tomato paste, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and dried herbs in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Season the short ribs with 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt. Place a large griddle over medium-high heat and once a drop of water bounces off, sear the meat until browned on all sides. Once browned, remove the meat to the bowl with the paste and toss to coat. Transfer to a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and seal tightly. Place the package in a metal pan and put into a cold oven on the middle rack. Set the oven to 250ºF and cook for 4 hours.

Remove the meat from the oven and carefully poke a hole in the pack while holding it over a heatproof container. Drain the liquid into the container and place it into the refrigerator to cool enough so that the fat separates from the rest of the liquid, approximately 1 hour. After 1 hour, transfer the liquid to the freezer and keep there until the fat cap has solidified, approximately 1 hour. Allow the ribs to sit at room temperature while the liquid is cooling.

Retrieve the liquid from the freezer and remove the fat cap that has formed on top. Measure out 1 tablespoon of the fat and reserve the rest for another application. Place the fat into a large saucier and set over medium heat. Once the fat has melted, add the onion along with the remaining teaspoon of salt and stir to separate the onions into rings. Allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes along with a pinch of black pepper and stir to combine. Next, add the liquid reserved from the meat and stir. Cover tightly and decrease the heat to low so that no heat is escaping the lid. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the meat away from the bone, removing and discarding the connective tissue. Once the potatoes are tender, uncover, and set the meat atop the vegetables. Cover and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Serve sprinkled with the parsley.

Makes 4 servings