SOUTHWESTERN RICE/STUFF 0.5 lb sausage or beef, sliced or ground (chicken won't work) 1 15 oz can black beans or chili beans 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes 1.5 cups minute rice (can use brown rice if you're a Health Nazi) 1 medium onion, chopped into small cubes (optional, but recommended) 0.5 cup water cayenne pepper to taste cumin to taste 2 cloves minced garlic (totally optional) In a large skillet, brown sausage or beef (and the onion and garlic if using those things) over medium-high heat. Use 1 tbsp. oil if cooking sausage, to make it brown better. After browning is complete, add the beans, tomatoes, and water. Stir in cumin and cayenne pepper to taste. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture starts to boil. Simmer to blend the flavors for 5-10 minutes, or if you're impatient, just add the minute rice. When rice is added, reduce heat to low and cook until the rice has absorbed almost all of the liquid, which should take about 5 to 10 minutes depending on what sort of rice you used. Makes roughly 4 servings. Reheats well. Serve with hot sauce if desired. NOTE: In a pinch, you can use dehydrated mashed potato flakes instead of rice if you have no rice available. The potato variation tastes pretty good, but it looks terrible. --MG tested BONEHEAD LASAGNA 12 lasagna noodles 1 lb ground beef 15 oz whole-milk ricotta cheese 2 jars spaghetti sauce (premium brands taste better) 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1 egg (optional) cayenne pepper (optional, but recommended) Italian seasoning mixture (in most grocery stores) grated parmesan cheese to taste (optional) 0.25 tsp salt water Brown 1 lb. ground beef in skillet. Drain. Add both jars of spaghetti sauce and cayenne pepper to taste, stir well. Let this simmer on low heat while you: Boil a large pot of water containing 0.25 tsp salt. Add lasagna noodles when pot is boiling. Noodles will take about 10-12 minutes to cook thoroughly, check package directions. After noodles are cooked, drain noodles in colander, then rinse noodles with cold water until they can be handled easily. In bowl, mix ricotta cheese, multiple dashes of Italian seasoning mixture, (and egg if you want) with fork until fairly uniform. Remove sauce mixture from heat. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a relatively deep 13x9 baking pan, spread out about 0.75 cup sauce. Then lay down 3 noodles. Spread the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella over everything. Repeat sauce, noodles, ricotta, mozarella, sauce, noodles, ricotta, mozarella, sauce, noodles, mozarella, any leftover sauce, parmesan cheese if using it. Cover pan with Al foil.[1] Bake for 30 minutes at 350 F, then remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Makes about 9 servings. Goes well with inexpensive red wine. [1] At this point, you can refrigerate the lasagna for at least 24 hours before finally cooking it, which can be *really* useful. --MG tested FILET MIGNON WITH BACON AND POTATOES N pieces of beef tenderloin, sliced about 0.33" thick 2*N pieces of ordinary bacon 4 or 5 potatoes salt and pepper to taste 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil Cube 4 or 5 potatoes so that the pieces are roughly 1 cm on each side. Heat 1.5 tbsp. oil in skillet on medium-high heat. Add potatoes, salt, and pepper, and stir well. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until potato cubes are tender. Preheat broiler to 500 F. Wrap each beef tenderloin piece in 2 slices of bacon. Arrange pieces on broiler pan, broil for 7-8 minutes on each side. Check all pieces for doneness in the center, if too pink, return to broiler for 1-2 minutes. --MG tested BONEHEAD ENCHILADAS 1 lb. ground beef (or ground pork!) 10 flour tortillas, "soft taco" size 1 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella, jack, mexican, whatever) 1 ... er, 10? oz can enchilada sauce 1 medium onion, chopped 1 pouch taco seasoning 0.333 cup water Preheat oven to 350 F. Brown ground beef and chopped onion in skillet on medium-high heat. NOTE: Don't over-cook this stuff, it's going in the oven later. Drain. Add 0.333 cup water and taco seasoning to beef, cook for a few minutes until reduced. Remove mixture from heat. Take one tortilla and add several tbsp. of mixture to it. Roll tortilla up so that it forms a tube-like covering around the mixture. Place rolled enchilada into 13x9 baking pan. Repeat for all other tortillas. Shake can of sauce, open it, and pour sauce in a uniform layer over enchiladas. Sprinkle shredded cheese over enchiladas. Cover pan with Al foil, bake at 350 F for 10-15 minutes. Makes about 5 servings depending on how hungry your guests are. Goes well with bread, garlic bread, and inexpensive red wine. --MG tested TORTILLA SOUP 6 cups chicken broth 1 lb chicken thighs, diced 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes 1 15 oz can black beans 1 7 oz can yellow corn salt + pepper to taste 1 tbsp. vegetable oil tortilla chips, quite a few shredded cheese, quite a bit Salt and pepper chicken, then brown chicken in 1 tbsp. vegetable oil in a skillet. Add 6 cups chicken broth, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can black beans, and 1 can yellow corn to a large pot, heat on high until boiling. Add cooked chicken to large pot, reduce heat to low. Simmer soup for 15-30 minutes to blend flavors. Crush a handful or so of tortilla chips into a bowl. Sprinkle a small amount of cheese on top of those chips. Then pour about 1 cup of hot soup on top of this chip+cheese mixture, and stir well. Makes a bunch of servings. Soup can be reheated, though you should reheat the soup in the microwave first, then crumble the chips and cheese into the hot soup afterwards. --MG tested SALSA/RICE CHICKEN 1 tbsp. oil 1 lb. chicken, diced 1 cup thick and chunky salsa 0.75 cup water 1 can corn 1 cup ricotta cheese 2 cups instant rice (uncooked) 0.5 cup mozzarella cheese (optional!) Heat oil in large skillet. Add chicken and brown, stirring frequently until done. Add salsa, water, corn, and ricotta cheese to skillet. Mix well. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice. (Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese if using that). Cover. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes before serving. --MG tested THE TOTALLY VAGUE CHICKEN CURRY 1 lb. chopped chicken 1 large onion, chopped finely 2 cloves garlic, minced 2-3 green chilis, minced 1 tsp. cayenne 1 tsp. cumin 0.25 cup vinegar 0.5 cup coconut milk 0.5 cup water 1 tbsp. chili paste rice, plenty of it 2 tsp. garam masala (optional?) 3-4" ginger, peeled, then grated or chopped (optional) 6" dried lemon grass (optional) NOTE: The person who originally posted this recipe was REALLY vague about too many things, and I have never been able to make this work consistently. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not good. I have not been able to determine why. Caveat user. Mix chicken, spices (except lemon grass) and vinegar. Let this mixture sit a good long while in the fridge. Meanwhile, let the lemon grass sit in warm water. Cook a bunch of rice in whatever rice-cooking thing you have (saucepan, rice-cooker, whatever.) Chop up the lemon grass finely, add to chicken mixture, dump everything in a pot, add coconut milk and water, boil until done. Serve over the rice you cooked. Makes about 4 servings. The vagueness of the original directions is horrible. I think you marinate the chicken for 24 hours or so, and the "boil until done" part takes about 20 minutes. I Could Be Wrong. CHICKEN POT PIE [[ this is not exactly how it really should be made, but it appears to work reasonably well. ]] 1 cup cooked chicken 10 ounces frozen mixed vegetables 2 cans Cream of Chicken soup 1 cup Bisquick baking mix 1/2 cup milk 1 egg Heat up 2 cans cream of chicken soup in saucepan. When mixture is hot, add chicken and mixed vegetables until heated through. Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish. Combine Bisquick, milk, and egg; pour over chicken mixture. Bake at 400 F. for 30 minutes or until golden. --MG tested LAYERED CHICKEN ENCHILADA PIE 1 package tortillas (burrito size) 2 cups cubed cooked chicken 0.5 cup uncooked instant white rice ~12 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1 (15 ounce) can black beans 1 (19 ounce) can enchilada sauce 1 (8 ounce) can corn 1 cup salsa 2 tbsp thinly sliced green onions (optional) Reduced fat sour cream (optional) Chopped green onions (optional) NOTE: Some "burrito size" tortillas are bigger than others. If you use "Mission" brand tortillas, there's no need to cut anything into strips, and you'll only need 5 tortillas. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9-inch round (2-quart) glass baking dish or casserole with nonstick cooking spray. Cut 5 of the tortillas in half. Cut remaining tortillas into 2 1/2-inch-wide strips. In large bowl, combine chicken, rice, 1 cup of the cheese, beans and 1 cup of the enchilada sauce; mix well. Layer 4 tortilla halves in bottom of sprayed baking dish. Top with 1/4 cup enchilada sauce and half of the chicken mixture. Top with 2 tortilla halves; fill in empty spaces with 3 tortilla strips. Spoon corn over tortillas. Spread salsa over corn. Layer with 2 tortilla halves and 3 strips. Top with remaining half of chicken mixture. Continue layering with remaining 2 tortilla halves and strips, enchilada sauce, cheese and 2 tablespoons green onions. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. Cool 5 minutes. Top with sour cream and green onions. --MG tested MEXICAN CHICKEN LASAGNA 2 cups cooked chicken, diced into small pieces 24 oz cottage cheese 1 can (4.5oz) green chilis 1 can (15oz) refried beans 1 can (15oz) yellow corn 1 1/3 cups pasta sauce 1 1/3 cups salsa 12 corn tortillas 1/2 cup shredded cheese Preheat oven to 350 F. In large bowl, combine chicken, cottage cheese, chilis, and corn. Put pasta sauce into 9x13 pan, coat bottom of pan evenly with sauce. Take 4 corn tortillas, cut each tortilla into 4 pieces. Distribute tortilla pieces evenly over sauce. Empty beans into a bowl, then heat beans in microwave for 1 or 2 minutes for easier spreading. Spread beans over tortilla pieces. Take 4 corn tortillas, cut each tortilla into 4 pieces. Distribute tortilla pieces evenly over beans. Spread chicken/cheese/corn mixture evenly over tortilla pieces. Cover pan with Al foil, put in oven for 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Take 4 corn tortillas, cut each tortilla into 4 pieces. Distribute tortilla pieces evenly over chicken mix. Spread salsa over tortillas, top with shredded cheese. Re-cover pan with Al foil, put in oven for 15 minutes. Take out of oven, let cool for ~5 minutes before serving. Recipe can be halved. Use a 9x9 pan if halving recipe. It's easier to make doubled, because then you don't have to deal with half a can of beans, half a can of corn, etc. --MG tested CHICKEN ENCHILADAS 1 lb chicken, chopped into small pieces 8 oz sour cream 10 soft taco size flour tortillas 1.75 cups shredded cheese 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce 1 can (15 oz) enchilada sauce 1 onion, chopped into small pieces black pepper salt 0.25 cup water (original 0.5 cup, that makes it too soupy) Brown chicken. Add onion, sour cream, 1 cup cheese, 0.5 tsp pepper. Heat this until the cheese melts. Add 0.5 tsp salt, tomato sauce, water, and chili powder. Stir up and heat for a few minutes to reduce a bit. Roll up even amounts of the chicken mixture into the tortillas. Cover the tortillas with enchilada sauce and 0.75 cups cheese. Bake for 20 minutes uncovered at 350 F. --MG tested ALSATIAN SAUSAGE GRATIN 12 oz chicken sausage, sliced thinly 1 onion, chopped 1 Granny Smith apple, cored, chopped (no need to peel it) 3 cloves garlic 1 pound sauerkraut, drained, rinsed 1 pound potatoes, peeled, sliced in 3-4mm slices (2 medium potatoes? Roughly.) 0.25 tsp red pepper black pepper 4 tbsp olive oil 4 slices Swiss cheese 0.5 cup Riesling (can use other white wine) 0.5 cup chicken broth 0.5 tsp caraway seeds (optional, I think) Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in skillet, saute onions, apple, and garlic until they're soft and lightly browned. Add sausage and saute 2 to 3 min more. Add sauerkraut, red pepper to taste, caraway seeds if using those, black pepper, and white wine. Simmer 10 min. Preheat oven to 400 F. Rub 2qt casserole dish with 2 tbsp olive oil. Line bottom and sides of dish with potato slices. Fill dish with sausage mixture. Add chicken broth. Top with cheese slices. Cover casserole and bake for 30 to 38 min, until potatoes are tender and cheese is melted and starting to brown. Let stand 5 min before serving. Goes well with Riesling or cold beer. Reheats OK. --MG tested SHRIMP SCAMPI Chop 4 cloves garlic finely. Peel about 1 pound of shrimp for four people. Heat a non-stick saute pan on medium heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the pan, about 2 tablespoons. When the oil smells, it's hot enough to add the shrimp. Shake the pan frequently as the shrimp cook. Add the chopped garlic as soon as the shrimp turn pink. Cook until you can smell the garlic. [[ What the hell do *I* do in that circumstance? I can't smell most things. ]] Do not cook garlic until it turns brown, which results in a bitter flavor. Add about 6 tablespoons white table wine, then squeeze the juice from the lemon into the pan. Immediately add about 6 tablespoons of butter, while constantly swirling the pan. When butter is melted, sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately. --MG tested CHICKEN POTATO CURRY 3 large potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks 1/4 cup water 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon cinnamon 15-ounce can coconut milk 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional) 1 teaspoon cider or white vinegar 2 scallions, finely chopped (optional) (optional) ~1 lb. chopped-up cooked chicken In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the potatoes and water. Microwave on high until the potatoes are partly cooked, about 5 minutes. Potatoes don't have to be a specific variety. Meanwhile, in a large dry saute pan over medium-high, toast the cumin and cinnamon for 1 minute. Careful, it's easy to burn this. Add the coconut milk and curry paste, then bring to a simmer. Add the chickpeas and red onion, then return to a simmer. Once the potatoes have cooked, add them to the pan (with the chicken if using that), toss, then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the cilantro and vinegar. Serve topped with scallions. --MG tested RAMEN SLINGER 1 pkg beef ramen noodles 2 eggs 1 12oz can chili (hormel turkey chili, no beans) 1 c shredded cheese 1 c chopped onion hot sauce Bring 2 c water to boil in large skillet. Add ramen and cook 2 min. Stir in flavor packet. Crack eggs into a bowl, scramble them, and add eggs to the skillet and stir until they're done. Pour in chili, reduce heat to med low. Cook 2 min or until chili is heated through. Transfer to 1 or 2 plates, top with cheese and onion. Pass hot sauce at the table. --MG tested, modified ROAST VINEGAR POTATOES (Farker superdude72 thread 7240985) Peel 3 medium or large russet potatoes, and cut them into irregular chunks about half an inch thick. Boil in 2 quarts water + 2 T vinegar + 1 T salt for about 10 minutes. Drain. Toss in 1 T cooking oil. Roast in a baking pan covered with Al foil at 400 degrees until brown and crispy [40 minutes seems to work reasonably well, possibly a bit longer?]. The result: perfect roasted potatoes that are fluffy on the interior, and crispy on the exterior. The vinegar is key. It creates tiny fissures in the surface of the potato that vastly expand the amount of surface area that is exposed to oil, increasing crispyness. --MG tested, though the potato roasting time may need to be tweaked SUNDAY BEST FRUIT SALAD (makes quite a lot, probably enough for 10-12 people) 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, juice reserved 1 apple, peeled and cored 1 can peaches 1 banana, peeled and sliced 1 kiwi 1 pint strawberries [[ original: 2 apples, 1 can peach pie filling, 2 bananas, 3 kiwis. The modifications make it so there's less sugar and not quite as many leftovers. ]] In a small bowl, toss the chopped apples in reserved pineapple juice. Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. In a large salad bowl, combine the peach pie filling and pineapple chunks. Remove apples from pineapple juice and add to peaches and pineapple mixture. Add chopped bananas to reserved pineapple juice and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Peel and slice kiwi and 1/2 of strawberries. Chop the other 1/2 of strawberries and set aside. Remove bananas from pineapple juice and add to peach mixture. Add chopped strawberries; toss together. Arrange kiwi slices around the edge of the serving bowl and alternate with strawberry slices. Chill and serve. --MG tested KUNG PAO CHICKEN (SORTA) 10oz meat 3 Cloves Garlic and same amount of Ginger 5 Scallions 2 Tbsp Veg Oil 10 Dried Szechuan Chilis or 2 Tbsp Chili Flakes (hot) 2/3 Cup Roasted Peanuts Marinade 1/2 Tsp Salt 2 Tsp Light Soy Sauce 1 Tsp Rice Wine 2 1/4 Tsp Cornstarch 1 Tbsp Water Sauce 3 Tbsp Sugar 1 1/8 Tsp Cornstarch 2 Tsp Soy Sauce 3 Tsp Black Chinese Vinegar 1 Tsp Sesame Oil 1 Tbsp Stock or Water If you like, you can add Bok Choy, Baby Corn, etc. Just make anything you put in match the size of the chix cubes (~1/2 inch cubes) as this is part of the Kung Po Way. Cut the meat into 1/2 inch cubes and mix with the marinade. Peel and slice thinly the garlic and ginger. Chop the scallion into chunks the size of the meat cubes. De-seed the chilis and crush-em. Mix up the sauce ingredients. Heat up your Wok and add 2 Tbsp oil, add the chilis and stir fry for a minute. (Don't burn the chilis.) Fry the meat for a couple minutes. Add ginger, garlic and white scallion parts. Stir the sauce and add to wok. Add the peanuts. Add some green parts from the scallions for color. You may want to add some more water or stock. NUTRA LOAF 2.5 oz. nonfat dry milk 4.5 oz. raw grated potato 4.5 oz. raw carrots, chopped or grated fine 1.5 oz. tomato juice or puree 4.5 oz. raw cabbage, chopped fine 7 oz. lean ground beef, turkey or re-hydrated, canned or frozen Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) 2.5 fl. oz. oil 1.5 oz. whole wheat flour 1/4 tsp. salt 4 tsp. raw onion, chopped 1 egg 6 oz. dry red beans, pre-cooked before baking (or 16 oz. canned or cooked red kidney beans) 4 tsp. chili powder Shape into a loaf and bake at 350-375 degrees for 50-70 minutes. [[ NOTE: This is given to prisoners who act up. As written, it probably doesn't taste great. Too much oil, too little flavor. OTOH, a Farker in http://www.fark.com/comments/8083709 said, "If you used tofu and made vegetarian meatballs out of this, it'd probably be something fairly good." ]] LASAGNA ROLLS 10 lasagna noodles 15 oz ricotta cheese 6 cloves garlic, minced 10 oz baby spinach 2 tablespoons olive oil marinara sauce Bring a big pot of salted water to boil and cook the noodles al dente, stirring occasionally to make sure they don't stick together. If they seem to be, use metal tongs to gently peel them apart. Once cooked, drain them in a colander and run them under plenty of cold water to make sure they stop cooking and don't stick together. Preheat a large skillet over medium low heat. Add the olive oil and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish with olive oil. Spread 3 tablespoons of ricotta evenly over each lasagna noodle, leaving a little room around the side edges and 1/2 inch at each end. Scatter about 3 tablespoons of spinach mixture over the ricotta. Starting at the bottom end, roll noodle up and place, seam side down, in the casserole dish. Continue with all remaining noodles. Pour the marinara sauce over the rolls in thick ribbons. Bake for 20-25 minutes. [[ NOTE: Was originally a vegan recipe that was a lot more complicated at http://www.theppk.com/2014/06/green-lasagna-rolls/ . This could use some dead cows and/or pigs somewhere. ]] --MG tested MUJADARA (from Duha) 1/3 cup olive oil 4 or 5 large onions, halved and thinly sliced (use the slicing blade on your food processor) Salt and pepper 1 1/2 cups brown or green lentils, sorted and rinsed 1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice Plain yogurt or sour cream, optional, for serving 1. Heat the olive oil in a very large nonstick skillet over low heat (if you only have smaller skillets, divide the oil and onions between two). When the oil shimmers, add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 2. Meanwhile, bring 4 1/2 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan or small stockpot and add the lentils. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then add the rice and half the cooked onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, covered, over very low heat until the lentils and rice are tender, about 20 minutes more. You may need to add more water toward the end; check after 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. 3. While the rice and lentils are cooking, cook the onions remaining in the skillet over low heat, stirring often, until dark brown and nearly crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. 4. Serve hot or at room temperature, with browned onions sprinkled on top. Add a dollop of the yogurt or sour cream if desired. MATT'S CHICKEN/RICE 2 5oz cans chopped chicken 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 package Uncle Ben's Ready Rice, any variety 1 cup minute rice (or brown minute rice) 1 cup water 1 cup frozen broccoli or other frozen vegetables In 2qt saucepan, combine all non-Ready Rice ingredients and heat to boiling. Cover mixture, set heat to low, and simmer for 7 minutes, stirring once or twice. When there are about 2 minutes left, prepare Ready Rice according to package directions. Stir cooked Ready Rice into what's in the saucepan and serve immediately. Mixture can be reheated and will keep in the fridge for at least 1 week. --MG tested, works fine [[ Previous versions used a Knorr side dish. Knorr is owned by Unilever, which is still doing business in Putin's Russia, so buying anything from them is not a great look. ]] TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE (version 2) 1.5 cup (12 oz) elbow macaroni 2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup 1.5 cups milk 12 oz tuna (2 cans) 2 cups frozen vegetables 3 tablespoons butter, melted 0.5 teaspoon salt 0.5 teaspoon black pepper 1 cup coarsely crushed potato chips Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a casserole dish with cooking spray. Prepare macaroni according to package directions; drain. In a large bowl, combine soup and milk; mix well. Add macaroni, tuna, vegetables, butter, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish then top evenly with potato chips. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through. Serve immediately. --MG tested, works great RWDA'S POTATO CASSEROLE 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 8 oz container sour cream 1 8 oz/2 cup package shredded sharp cheddar 1 28 to 32 oz package frozen diced potatoes, hash browns, or Tater Tots 4 green onions, chopped salt and pepper to taste Mix all together, pour into 13x9 or similar casserole dish and bake at 350 F for one hour. Ta-da! Done. --MG tested NO BAKE CHICKEN VEGGIE PIZZA 0.5 cup cream cheese 0.5 cup sour cream 1 pizza shell 2 5oz cans chicken, drained 0.333 cup chopped yellow bell pepper 0.333 cup chopped green bell pepper 0.333 cup chopped red onion 0.333 cup chopped mushrooms 0.333 cup chopped tomatoes In bowl, combine cheese and sour cream until well blended. Spread sour cream mixture evenly over pizza shell. Top pizza with chicken and vegetables. Cut pizza into wedges and serve; makes 12 appetizer servings. NOTE: this also works with 2 smaller pizza shells. The many vegetables can also be replaced by 1 chopped bell pepper and 1 diced tomato. --MG tested, works fine ---crockpot recipes, fark thread 8783276, praxcelis--- ENCHILADA SOUP 4 boneless skinless chicken breast, shredded 2 bell pepper, seeded and chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 zucchini, peeled, seeded and chopped 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed 2 cans enchilada sauce 4 cups chicken stock 1/4 cup masa corn flour 1 1/2 cups water Chop and prep chicken, peppers, zucchini and garlic the night before Place all ingredients in slow cooker Cook on low eight hours SPANISH RICE 2 cups rice 1 sweet onion, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 15 ounces tomatoes with green chilies 1 3/4 cups chicken broth 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 cup salsa Mix all ingredients in crock pot Cook on high setting 4 - 5 hours, or on low setting 8 to 10 hours WHITE CHICKEN CHILI (got this one from a co-worker, adapted it to the crock pot) 3 chicken breasts, no skin, no bone, R-T-C 1 yellow onion, diced 2 tablespoons butter, melted 3 cans white beans 1 quart chicken stock 2 cans green chiles, diced 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder 1/2 teaspoon cayenne Poach chicken breasts in salted boiling water about 20 minutes Shred chicken and add to crock pot Sweat onion in butter until translucent Add onion, beans, stock, chiles, spices to crock pot Cook on low 6 - 8 hours Add sour cream and heavy cream to crock pot Cook 15 minutes ---end--- TORTILLA SOUP (RICK BAYLESS) 1 large dried pasilla (negro) chile, stemmed and seeded 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire-roasted) 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil 1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick 3 garlic cloves, peeled 2 quarts chicken broth 1 large epazote sprig, if you have one 2 cup shredded, cooked rotisserie chicken 1 large ripeavocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and cut into 1/4-inch cubes 1.5 cups (6 ounces) shredded Mexican melting cheese (like Chihuahua, quesadilla or asadero) or Monterey Jack, brick or mild cheddar A generous 4cups (about 6 ounces) roughly broken tortilla chips 0.5 cup Mexican crema, sour cream or creme fraîche for garnish 1 large lime, cut into 6 wedges, for serving Quickly toast the chile by turning it an inch or two above an open flame for a few seconds until its aroma fills the kitchen. (Lacking an open flame, toast it in a dry pan over medium heat, pressing it flat for a few seconds, then flipping it over and pressing it again.) Break the chile into pieces and put in a blender jar along with the tomatoes with their juice. (A food processor will work, though it won't completely puree the chile.) Heat the oil in a medium (4-quart) saucepan over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 7 minutes. Scoop up the onion and garlic with a slotted spoon, pressing them against the side of the pan to leave behind as much oil as possible, and transfer to the blender. Process until smooth. Return the pan to medium-high heat. When quite hot, add the puree and stir nearly constantly, until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6 minutes. Add the broth and epazote, if using. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt, usually about a generous teaspoon (depending on the saltiness of the broth). Just before serving, add the chicken to the simmering broth. Divide the avocado, cheese and tortilla chips between serving bowls. When the chicken is done, usually about 5 minutes, ladle the soup into the bowls. Garnish with the crema. Pass the lime separately. GUINNESS CAKE (corgimommy, Fark thread 9950497) 3.5 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp baking powder Pinch of salt 1 cup butter 1 cup packed brown sugar (I prefer a dark brown sugar for this recipe) 1 lb golden raisins (or a mix of golden and regular raisins) 3 oz chopped candied citrus peel 2 eggs 1 bottle of Guinness Set oven to 350 F. Line the insides and bottom of a high-sided round cake pan with waxed or parchment paper. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. In a pot on the stove simmer the Guinness, butter, raisins, and candied peel together. Bring it to a quick boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together and add the eggs. Stir until eggs are well incorporated. This is not like a cake better, this is more like a thick consistency, even thicker than a quick bread. Spread evenly in the pan and bake for 2 hours. If it starts to brown too much on the top, put a piece of foil over it for the last hour. You know that it is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack, then wrapping it in plastic wrap, then covering it in aluminum foil. The longer this sits wrapped up on the counter the better it is. When I choose to make it I usually make it a good 2 or 3 days ahead of time. I also will get some vanilla frosting and frost just the top. That way when you cut into the cake it looks like a Guinness on a plate. FERMENTED PICKLES You will need (per quart jar): Small pickling cucumbers* 1-2 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon mustard seed 10 peppercorns 1 bay leaf 1-2 heads of fresh dill (or 1 tablespoon dill seed, if you prefer) Sea salt and water to make 2% brine solution (instructions below) *It might be tempting to try to use the larger, slicing cucumbers to make pickles, but don't. They are mostly water and will give you a mushy, limp result. Your local farmer's market should have loads of pickling cucumbers if you can't grow them yourself, and you'll be glad you went to the extra trouble to find them. Here are my best tips for keeping your pickles super crunchy. How to Make 2% Brine: Dissolve 1 tablespoon fine sea salt in 4 cups non-chlorinated water. If you don't use all of the brine for this recipe, it will keep indefinitely in the fridge. I always use sea salt for my brines, but kosher salt or canning salt will work too. Just avoid iodized salts. The finer the salt, the less stirring you must to do to dissolve, which is niiiiiiice. I particularly like the ultra-fine salt from Fermentools.com, as it dissolves almost immediately (and comes with a super-handy chart on the front of the bag.) The Pickle Recipe: Start with very clean jars. Add the garlic, mustard seed, peppercorns, bay leaf, and dill to each jar. Wash your cucumbers thoroughly and discard any that are mushy or soft. Remove the blossom end from each cucumber, and pack them into the jars. I prefer to leave my cucumbers whole, as it seems to give a crunchier end result. Cover the cucumbers completely with the 2% brine solution. Add a weight to the jar to keep the cukes from floating to the top. (I use the handy glass weights from Fermentools, but you can get creative with whatever you have on hand.) Add the air lock assembly (or regular lid if that's what you're using), and set aside to ferment at room temperature for 5-7 days. Keep in mind, the warmer your kitchen, the faster the fermenting process. After the initial fermenting process is over, remove the airlock, cover with a regular lid, and store at 32-50 degrees for up to six months. (I'm keeping mine in my fridge.) The pickles will continue to slowly ferment and improve in flavor during the storage process. After about six months, they will start to slowly degrade, but will absolutely still be edible. However, I'm betting they'll be long-gone before then. INSTANT POT JAMBALAYA 1 tbsp oil 6 oz andouille sausage sliced thinly 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 cup long-grain white rice 1 bay leaf 0.5 tsp oregano 0.25 tsp white pepper 0.25 tsp black pepper 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper 1.5 cup chicken broth 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce 1 lb boneless chicken meat Select the Saute setting on the Instant Pot and heat the oil. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the onion and garlic and saute for about 3 minutes, until slightly softened. Add the rice, bay leaf, and spices and saute, stirring often, for 1 minute longer. Add the broth, Worcestershire sauce, and chicken and stir to combine, scraping down the sides of the pot to make sure all of the rice is covered with the cooking liquid. Secure the lid and set the pressure release to Sealing. Press the Cancel button to reset the cooking program, then select the Pressure Cooking setting, set it at "normal" and set the cooking time for 10 minutes at high pressure. Let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes, then move the Pressure Release to Venting to release any remaining steam. Open the pot and serve the jambalaya immediately. --MG tested INSTANT POT GUMBO 1/2 lb shrimp peeled and deveined 1 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces 1/2 lb andouille sausage or smoked sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup onions diced 1 cup green bell peppers diced 1 cup celery diced 1 Tbsp garlic minced 4 cups chicken broth 14.5 oz. (1 can) diced tomatoes or 2 cups chopped tomatoes 1 tsp white pepper 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste 1 tsp dried thyme 1 tsp salt or to taste 1 tsp brown sugar 1 tsp worcestershire sauce 2 tsp lemon juice 2 small bay leaves or 1 large 2 cups frozen okra 2 Tbsp green onions green parts only, sliced thinly Chopped parsley to garnish Instructions Rub shrimp with 1 tsp of Cajun or Creole seasoning and set aside. Press 'Saute' and when Instant Pot has heated, add 2 Tbsp olive oil to inner pot of Instant Pot. Add andouille sausage and chicken, and cook until browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Press 'Cancel' and transfer chicken and sausage to a plate using a slotted spoon and set aside. To make the roux, press 'Saute' and add remaining olive oil and all-purpose flour to inner pot. Cook oil and flour until the mixture resembles a dark peanut butter, stirring frequently, and being careful not to burn. This can take about 10 to 15 minutes. * Add onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Stir until vegetables are slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, tomatoes, white, black and cayenne peppers, thyme, salt, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, bay leaves, and frozen okra. Stir in reserved chicken and sausage. Using a wooden spatula, scrape the bottom of the inner pot to make sure there are no burnt bits stuck to the bottom. Close Instant Pot and cook on 'Manual' or 'Pressure Cook' mode for 4 minutes. Do a quick release of pressure and open the Instant Pot. Immediately stir in the shrimp and close the Instant Pot for 10 minutes. The shrimp will cook in the residual heat. Open the Instant Pot and sprinkle the gumbo with parsley and green onions. Stir and serve gumbo over Instant Pot Jasmine Rice or a rice of your choice. INSTANT POT BEANS AND RICE 1.25 cup dry beans 1.5 cup dry rice 1 cup salsa 0.5 bunch cilantro, stems and leaves divided 2 cups broth 1 cups water Put the dried beans in a pot of water and leave them to sit for 24 hours. Theoretically, you can get away without soaking them, but pre-soaking them reduces cooking time and reduces the amount of broth needed. If not pre-soaking beans, use 3 cups broth, 2 cups water, and increase cooking time to 25 minutes. First, chop your cilantro, keeping the leaves and stems roughly separated. Add the dried beans and rice to the bottom of your Instant Pot. Gently pour the broth and water over the rice and beans, then give everything a good stir. Next, add the salsa and stems of the cilantro into the pot. Do not mix! Close the Instant Pot, set the valve to sealing, and use the manual mode to cook on High for 19 minutes. One the cook time finishes, let the Instant Pot release pressure for an additional 10 minutes (leave the "Keep Warm" feature on). Finally, move the valve from sealing to venting to release all remaining pressure, and serve the beans and rice warm. Garnish with the chopped Cilantro leaves, and anything else you desire! --MG tested INSTANT POT MAC-N-CHEESE 0.5 pound uncooked elbow macaroni (1.66 cups by volume) 2 cups water (or half chicken stock half water) 2 tablespoons salted butter, cut into small pieces 0.33 teaspoon salt (or garlic salt) 0.25 teaspoon dried mustard powder 8 oz freshly grated cheese (can use 12 oz, 8 is more convenient) 0.75 cup whole milk or half and half (recipe can be doubled) Pressure cook: Add the elbow macaroni, water (or stock), butter, salt, and mustard powder to the instant pot. Stir to combine, cover, make sure the instant pot vent is sealed. Program the IP to manual high pressure for 4 minutes. Once the timer goes off, allow the pressure to release naturally for 4 minutes. If you do a manual pressure release immediately, just know that some of the hot liquid may sputter out from the vent. Finish: With the Instant Pot on the "keep warm" setting, stir in the shredded cheese and milk. Continue stirring until all the cheese is completely melted. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired and serve warm. --MG tested ALL-DAY LASAGNA (From https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna , where a Farker commented that they could feel their arteries hardening as they ate it. This could probably be improved by cutting the meat weight in half and leaving out all the eggs.) For the sauce: 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 medium red onions, finely diced 2 large cloves minced garlic 8 ounces pancetta, diced Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1.5 cups good red wine, preferably Italian 2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes 3 tablespoons tomato paste 0.75 pound ground sirloin 0.25 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano 2 eggs 10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried 2 large whole cloves garlic 0.5 cup flour 1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet For the lasagna: 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese 2 extra-large eggs 2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano 0.5 cup chopped parsley 1 pound mozzarella, grated 16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour. Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside. Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce. In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1 1/2 hours. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. INSTANT POT CRACK CHICKEN 6-8 slices cooked bacon 2 pounds boneless chicken breast 1 packet ranch seasoning 8 oz cream cheese 0.5 cup water 1 cup cheddar cheese Place chicken and cream cheese in the IP. Sprinkle the packet of ranch seasoning over the top. Add half cup water. Place your IP on Manual high pressure for 15 minutes. Do a quick release. Remove chicken only and shred. I used my kitchen aid to shred my chicken. Keep your IP on low. Add chicken back in. Add cheese and stir. Stir in bacon and enjoy. INSTANT POT CHICKEN POTATOES 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 2 pounds baby red or gold potatoes 3 tablespoons olive oil 1.5 teaspoons salt or to taste 0.5 teaspoon pepper or to taste 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon dried thyme 0.5 teaspoon dried basil 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons dry Ranch seasoning divided 1 cup chicken broth 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese In a large bowl toss chicken and potatoes in the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Stir together garlic powder, thyme, basil, oregano, and 2 tablespoons of the Ranch seasoning. Sprinkle over the chicken and potatoes, tossing to distribute the ingredients as evenly as possible. Add chicken broth to the instant pot/pressure cooker, then place chicken in the broth, and top with the potatoes. Place the lid on in the locked position and turn the vent to the sealed position. Set pressure cooker to "pressure cook" for 15 minutes. Once the cook time is finished, do a "quick release" by turning the vent to the venting position. Once float valve has dropped, remove the lid. Drain the pressure cooker or use a slotted spoon to transfer chicken and potatoes to a large platter. Sprinkle with Ranch seasoning and parmesan cheese and garnish with chopped thyme or parsley if desired before serving. INSTANT POT MOMO MEATBALLS Sauce 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other neutral oil with high smoke point 1 yellow onion chopped 28 ounces crushed tomatoes 2 cans, about 3 cups 1/2 cup Water Meatballs 1 pound ground turkey 93 percent lean 1/2 cup long grain white rice or quick-cooking brown rice 1 teaspoon ras el hanout spice blend 1 teaspoon kosher salt Chutney 1 bunch cilantro leaves and stems included 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 large green onion white and green parts cut into 1/2-inch lengths 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground Sauce: Select the Saute setting on the Instant Pot and heat the oil. Add the onion and saute for 10 minutes, until softened and beginning to brown. Add the tomatoes and water, stir to mix well, and bring to a simmer. Meatballs: In a bowl, combine the turkey, rice, ras el hanout, and salt and mix with your hands until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed. Don’t worry about overmixing, as you want the rice and spices to be evenly incorporated into the meat. When everything is well combined, shape the mixture into 12 meatballs each slightly larger than a golf ball. Place the meatballs in a single layer in the simmering sauce and spoon a little of the sauce over the top of each one. Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Press the Cancel button to reset the cooking program, then select the Poultry setting and set the cooking time for 15 minutes at high pressure. While the meatballs are cooking, make the chutney. Chutney: In a mini chopper or in a mortar with a pestle, combine all of the chutney ingredients and process or grind into a rough paste. When the timer goes off, you can perform a quick release by moving the Pressure Release to Venting, or you can let the pressure release naturally and leave the meatballs on the Keep Warm setting for up to 10 hours. Serve the meatballs in their sauce with a spoonful of chutney on top of each. IP ZUPPA TOSCANA COPYCAT 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound mild Italian sausage, casing removed 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 onion, diced 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano 3 russet potatoes, chopped 6 cups chicken broth Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 0.5 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped 1 cup half and half Set a 6-qt Instant Pot to the high saute setting. Add olive oil and sausage. Cook, stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat. Add garlic, onion and oregano. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in potatoes and chicken broth; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 5 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer's directions. Stir in kale until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in half and half until heated through, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately. PASTA WITH CHORIZO, CHICKPEAS, AND SALATA 0.5 lb pasta 0.5 lb chorizo 1 can chickpeas 1 cup mirepoix 2 oz tomato paste 1 bunch spinach ~2 tbsp shredded ricotta salata (optional, but good) red pepper flakes Boil water in medium pot, add salt, add pasta when water is boiling. Cook until pasta is just tender, 4ish minutes. Drain, reserving 0.333 cup pasta cooking water. While this is going on, make the sauce. Heat 2 tbsp oil over medium high, add mirepoix and tomato paste. Cook, stirring often, 2-3 minutes. Add the chorizo and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Add 0.5 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thickened slightly, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, the reserved cooking water, chickpeas, and spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted, 2ish minutes. Remove from heat, add salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta and sauce to individual bowls, crumble ricotta salata on top, add red pepper flakes. --MG tested GRANDMA LESLIE'S ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE 2 tbsp olive oil 1 lb ground beef 2 medium onions, chopped 3 medium carrots, sliced 2 medium green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped 2 medium zucchini, sliced 1 c corn kernels 28 ounces canned tomatoes 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp dried oregano 1.5 lb potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes 3 tbsp butter 2 tbsp sour cream 0.333 cup milk 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese Heat the oil in a very large saute pan over high heat and when it starts to shimmer, add the ground beef. Cook, stirring and breaking up, until deeply browned. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside, leaving any juices and rendered fat behind in the pan. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook onions, stirring frequently, until well-browned. Add the carrots and cook for 2-3 minutes longer. Add the bell peppers, zucchini, corn, tomatoes, Worcestershire, oregano and salt and pepper to taste, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, until vegetables are somewhat softened but still have some texture. Adjust seasoning. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a pot with salted water to cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes well, return to the pot and whip with the butter, sour cream, milk and salt and pepper to taste. To assemble the casserole, transfer the vegetable mixture to a 9x13" baking dish, then top in layers with the ground beef, then the mashed potatoes, then the cheddar cheese. Bake the casserole in a 350 F oven for 20 minutes, then turn on the broiler until the cheese is lightly browned. Remove casserole from the oven, allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, cut into hunks and serve. --MG tested CHEF JOHN'S AMERICAN GOULASH 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion, diced 2 pounds ground beef 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons kosher salt 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste 2 tablespoons paprika 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 2 bay leaves 1 quart chicken broth 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce 1 cup water 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 cups elbow macaroni 0.5 cup chopped Italian parsley 1 cup shredded white Cheddar cheese (optional) Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and ground beef. Cook, breaking the meat into small pieces, until browned, about 5 minutes. Cook and stir until liquid is evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes more. Add garlic, salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves. Cook and stir until flavors come together, about 3 minutes. Pour in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and marinara sauce. Rinse out the jar with 1 cup water and pour into the pot. Add soy sauce, stir, and bring soup to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer to let flavors intensify, about 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and bring soup to a simmer. Add macaroni; simmer, stirring occasionally, until just barely tender, about 12 minutes. Check for doneness after 10 minutes. Remove goulash from heat. Discard bay leaves; stir in parsley and Cheddar cheese. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Taste and season as desired. CORN AND SAUSAGE PASTA 12 oz. rigatoni, spaghetti, or any pasta you have on hand Kosher salt 0.25 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 sprigs basil, plus 1 cup leaves for serving 0.5 tsp. Aleppo-style pepper or other mild red pepper flakes 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears) 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces 2 oz. Parmesan, coarsely grated, plus more for serving Freshly ground black pepper Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a plate. Reduce heat to medium and cook garlic in same pot, stirring occasionally, until light golden around edges, about 2 minutes. Add basil sprigs and Aleppo-style pepper; cook, stirring, until basil is wilted, about 1 minute. Add corn and 0.5 cup water to pot and cook, stirring often, until corn is mostly tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in pasta and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Then add butter and cook, stirring, until butter is melted and sauce is smooth and creamy. Add 2 oz. Parmesan in several additions, stirring after each addition until sauce is smooth. Return sausage to pot and cook, adding a splash or two more of cooking liquid if needed to loosen sauce, until flavors meld, about 1 minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta among shallow bowls; top with basil leaves and more Parmesan. PARTHIAN CHICKEN (TASTING HISTORY) 1 lb chicken 0.5 tsp black pepper 1 tsp finely chopped celery (lovage leaves) 0.5 tsp caraway seeds 0.25 tsp asafoetida powder 1 tbsp nuoc mam (garum) 0.333 cup red wine 0.125 cup water NOTE: This is cut in 1/3 from the original Preheat oven to 450 F. (NOTE: This may be too hot as we're cooking less meat.) Mix pepper, celery, caraway seeds in a bowl, grinding if possible. Add garum, then wine to the bowl and stir well. In a separate bowl, dissolve the asafoetida in the water. Put chicken in casserole dish, then pour the wine over the chicken, then the asafoetida mix. Cover casserole (? Original was not covered, I always cover casseroles by default.) Bake until chicken has reached 165 F. Original was 45 minutes, this will take less time. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before eating. Serve with potatoes or couscous or something like that. IRISH STEW (TASTING HISTORY) Original at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8KpFs1CHgw 0.5 lb mutton or lamb 0.25 lb Irish (or Canadian) bacon 1.333 cup water 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped finely 2.2 pounds (1 kg) of potatoes salt and pepper to taste Peel and cut potatoes into small chunks. In large pot, put 1 layer of potatoes, 1 layer lamb, 1 layer bacon, 1 layer onions, salt and pepper, 1 layer potatoes, 1 layer lamb, 1 layer bacon, 1 layer onions, salt and pepper, and 1 layer potatoes. Add water. Heat on high until boiling, then turn heat down to low and simmer for 90 minutes. Keep an eye on this so that it does not dry out, add water if it gets dry. Serve hot in bowls, probably even better the next day. NOTE: I covered the large pot and stirred the stew every 5 or 10 minutes. The Tasting History guy didn't cover the pot, instead adding water if it got dry. Covering the pot makes the final stew have a lot more liquid stew-like consistency. Also, chorizo is a perfectly fine substitute for lamb, though it turns the stew a decidedly un-Irish red color.