Sausage Stew

 Source: https://www.saltandlavender.com/sausage-stew/

Ingredients

1 lb smoked sausage, sliced

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1 medium onion, chopped

3 sticks celery, chopped

3 medium carrots, peeled & chopped fairly thin

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (can include rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram, onion & garlic powder)

1 tsp paprika

4 c beef broth

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 Russet potatoes, peeled & diced fairly small

1 (14 fl oz) can white (cannellini) beans, drained

Salt & pepper to taste

Procedure

1. Saute sausage in olive oil over medium-high heat until crispy and nicely browned (about 8-10 minutes), then transfer to a plate.
2. Add butter, onion, celery, and carrots to the pot. Cook until onions are lightly brown (about 8-10 minutes).
3. Add garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and paprika. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Add broth, bell pepper, potatoes, beans, and sausage. Bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to a rapid simmer. Cook, covered (with the lid slightly open), stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, the carrots have softened, and the flavors have had some time to build. Add more broth or water if the liquid is getting too low (1/2 cup at a time).

American Goulash

 Source: https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a37965499/goulash-recipe/

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 (15 oz) can beef broth
• 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
• 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1 Tbsp ground paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• Chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, chives, or dill, optional

Procedure

1. Heat oil in pot over medium-high heat. 
2. Add onion and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. 
3. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. 
4. Add ground beef, breaking it up into little pieces with a wooden spoon, and cook until no pink remains, about 5 minutes. If a lot of liquid or fat remains in the pot, drain most and discard.
5. Add beef broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, Italian seasoning, paprika, and ground black pepper. Stir to combine and return to a simmer.
6. Add macaroni and bring to a simmer once again. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 12 minutes, until the macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally. 
7. Remove from heat and fold in cheese. 
8. Serve topped with chopped herbs, if desired.

Tuna Casserole

Based on gordonramseyeats.com

Ingredients

• 2 5oz cans of tuna, drained and flaked
• 3 cups cooked egg noodles (roughly equivalent to 3 cups dry)
• 1 10oz can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or cheddar with mozzarella / monterey jack for extra gooeyness
• 1/2 cup sour cream / mayo / Greek yogurt (optional - 1/4 cup mayo also worked well)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup crunchy topping (breadcrumbs, potato chips, fried onions/shallots)
• 2 tbsp melted butter (if using breadcrumbs or chips)

Procedure

• Boil noodles in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup, milk, sour cream/mayo, and seasonings. Whisk until smooth.
• Stir in tuna, peas, onion, and noodles and mix well.
• Fold in 1/2 c of cheddar cheese.
• Pour mixture evenly into 9"x13" baking dish.
• Sprinkle 1/2c cheddar cheese on top.
• If using breadcrumbs or crushed chips, mix with melted butter, then sprinkle on top.
• Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 mins until bubbly and lightly browned.
• Rest for a few minutes before serving. Top with fried onions/shallots, if using.

Corn Chowder

Modified from https://natashaskitchen.com/corn-chowder-recipe/

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1.5 cups milk (not needed when I made this with frozen corn, would have been too much liquid)
• 1 cup cream
• 4 cups of corn kernels from 4-5 ears of corn, reserve cobs for stock OR 3 cups of frozen corn + 1 can creamed corn
• 4 oz (4 slices) bacon
• 1 onion, finely diced (~1.5 cups)
• 1 carrot, 1/4in dice (~1 cup)
• 3 stalks of celery, finely diced (~1 cup)
• 1 lb Yukon potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4in slices
• 2-3 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Chopped chives or scallions to garnish]

Procedure

• Combine bare cobs, stock, milk and cream in pot. Bring to boil and then simmer uncovered for 20 mins. Remove cobs.
• Brown bacon and then remove. Leave about 2-3 Tbsp of bacon grease in the pot. 
• Saute the mirepoix until onion is soft.
• Add potatoes, corn, salt, pepper, and the prepared corn stock (if using fresh corn) or just the broth (if using frozen corn).
• Bring to light boil and simmer for 10-15 mins until potatoes are tender. 
• Add cream at this point if not using fresh corn. 
• Immersion blend about 1/4 of the soup for a creamier texture. 
• Ladle into bowls and garnish with bacon and chives/scallions.

Personal Notes

• I did not add the milk when I made this recipe with frozen corn. It would have made the soup too liquidy/diluted and the taste was just right after the addition of heavy cream.
• I added the heavy cream after the potatoes were tender because milk/dairy usually isn't added til the end in soup recipes.
• I ended up blending about 1/2 the soup or more and it was great.

Cottage Pie

 Derived from https://www.thewholesomedish.com/the-best-classic-shepherds-pie/

Meat Filling Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 lb 90% lean ground beef
• 2 tsp dried parsley leaves
• 1 tsp dried rosemary leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup frozen mixed peas & carrots
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

Potato Topping Ingredients

• 1½ - 2 lb russet potatoes (about 2 large potatoes), peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1/3 cup half & half
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Potato Topping Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place potatoes in large pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are fork tender, 10-15 minutes.
3. Drain potatoes and return them to the hot pot. Let rest for 1 minute to evaporate any remaining liquid.
4. Add butter, half & half, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mash potatoes and stir well.
5. Add parmesan cheese to the potatoes. Stir until well combined.

Meat Filling Procedure

1. Add oil to large skillet and heat over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the onions. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add ground beef and break apart with a wooden spoon. Add parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until meat is browned, stirring occasionally.
3. Add Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Add flour and tomato paste. Stir until well incorporated and no clumps of tomato paste remain.
5. Add broth, frozen peas and carrots, and frozen corn. Bring the liquid to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Casserole Assembly Procedure

1. Oven should be preheated to 400 degrees F.
2. Pour meat mixture into a 9x9 (or 7x11) inch baking dish. Spread into an even layer. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top of the meat and spread evenly.

1. If the baking dish looks very full, place it on a rimmed baking sheet so that the filling doesn’t bubble over into oven. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Baby Back Ribs

 Adapted from https://www.askchefdennis.com/easy-oven-baked-baby-back-ribs/

Ingredients

• 1 rack baby back pork ribs (2-2½ lbs per rack) - each person eats about 1/2lb
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 3/4 cup barbecue sauce

Procedure 

(A rack of ribs fits nicely in the toaster oven. Reduce oven heat 25 degrees for convection. Using toaster oven, the roasting had browned the ribs enough and they fell off the bone. No broiling was needed.)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 275 degrees F.

2. Rinse and pat the dry the ribs with a paper towel. Remove any silver skin or membrane from the ribs.

3. Split the racks in half (1 lb portions)

4. Rub mustard into the top of the ribs

5. Season with sea salt and cracked black pepper.

6. Wrap the ribs in foil, sealing the edges of the foil, making sealed packets.

7. Place the ribs on a baking sheet, bone side down.

8. Place the ribs on a rack in the center of the oven. Cook the ribs for 2½ hours.

9. Fold back the foil to expose the ribs. Liberally coat the ribs with barbecue sauce and leave foil open.

10. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F (no need to wait for it to preheat). Place the ribs back in the oven for 25 minutes.

11. For fall of the bone ribs, the internal temperature needs to be 190 -205 degrees.

12. If not browned to your liking, set the oven to broil. When hot, place the baking tray under the broiler for 3-5 minutes. Repeat with an additional layer of bbq sauce, if desired. Serve the ribs.

Crispy Spiced Chickpeas With Peppers and Tomatoes

Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020381-crispy-spiced-chickpeas-with-peppers-and-tomatoes

Note: I did not have the combination of spices, fresh herbs, jalapenos, and pomegranate seeds listed below, so I used Trader Joe's Za'ater blend on the chickpeas instead and it worked great! I would try roasting the chickpeas for longer next time, as they weren't quite crisp.

Ingredients 

• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ tsp ground cayenne
• 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 6 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 red, orange or yellow bell peppers (or a combination), stems and seeds removed, sliced lengthwise ¼-inch thick
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 small red onion, sliced
• 2 jalapeños, stem and seeds removed, sliced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated or mashed to a paste
• 1 cup fresh herbs (any combination of parsley, cilantro, mint or dill)
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• Couscous or rice, for serving (optional)

Procedure

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees and arrange racks on the top and bottom thirds of the oven.

2. In a large bowl, toss chickpeas with 2 tablespoons oil, the cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne and ½ teaspoon salt until evenly coated. Spread onto a rimmed sheet pan in a single layer and top with 3 thyme sprigs.

3. On a second sheet pan, combine bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, jalapeños and remaining thyme sprigs with 2 tablespoons oil and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Spread vegetables into one layer.

4. Place chickpea pan on the bottom rack and vegetables on the top rack and roast for 10 minutes. Switch pan positions. Roast chickpeas until crisped but still tender, about 5 minutes, and roast vegetables until golden brown, about 10 minutes. If the vegetables are tender but not browned, place the pan under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes to caramelize. Discard thyme sprigs.

5. While the chickpeas and vegetables roast, whisk lemon juice, garlic and remaining ¼ cup oil in a small bowl. Season with salt to taste.

6. Arrange vegetables on a large platter and drizzle with half the dressing, then top with crispy chickpeas, fresh herbs and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle remaining dressing over everything. Serve with couscous or rice, if you like.