Barbecue Chicken Stromboli

Taking advantage of a few of our made-ahead items makes this go quickly!

• 1 portion Pizza Dough, thawed if frozen
• 1 portion Shredded Chicken Base, thawed
• 3/4 C barbecue sauce
• 1/3 C chopped red onion
• 1/3 C chopped green pepper
• 2 Tbsp chopped sweet pickles or banana peppers (optional)
• 1 C shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 Tbsp water

1.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.  Roll Pizza Dough into a 10"x12" rectangle.
2.  For filling, in a medium bowl combine Shredded Chicken Base, barbecue sauce, red onion, green pepper, and pickles if desired.  Spread filling on dough to within 1 inch of the edges.  Sprinkle with cheese.  In a small bowl combine egg and water; brush some of the egg mixture on edges of dough.  Roll up the rectangle; pinch dough to seal seams and ends.
3.  Place loaf, seam side down, on prepared baking sheet.  Brush with more egg mixture.  Cover loosely with cling film.  Let rise in refrigerator overnight.
4.  Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Remove cling film from loaf.  Using a sharp knife, cut a few slits in the top of the loaf for steam to escape.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden.  Cool slightly.  Cut into slices to serve.

Robyn's notes: I ought to have put more effort into pressing/rolling the dough into the right size rectangle, this was really bulging to burst.  But it was still tasty, and because of the overnight rest it just went straight into the oven to be served for dinner.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on YouTube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Chicken Pot Pies

Since we've made several components ahead of time, this goes together in a blink!

• 1 1/2 C frozen mixed vegetables (beans, corn, carrots, and peas)
• 1 portion Shredded Chicken Base, thawed
• 1 portion Cheese Sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp snipped fresh thyme
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 recipe Pastry Dough

 1.  Preheat oven to 425°F.  For filling, in a large bowl combine frozen mixed vegetables, Shredded Chicken Base, Cheese Sauce, thyme, pepper, and salt.  Divide filling between two 10oz ramekins or custard cups.
2.  Divide Pastry Dough into two portions.  Roll each into a 6-inch circle (or size needed to top your baking dish).  Place pastry circles on filling.  Turn edges under, crimp as desired.  Using a sharp knife, cut a small cutout or a few slits in each pastry top to allow steam to escape.
3.  Place pot pies on a baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Robyn's notes:  Nice and quick, and our pastry dough works quite well in this recipe.  Remember to use an unsweetened pastry dough here.  To make pot pies ahead, complete step 1, then cover with cling film and refrigerate until ready to bake.  Remove cling film and follow remaining steps.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Chicken Enchiladas

Once you've prepared by making the chicken base and cheese sauce, assembling these tasty enchiladas takes no time at all!

• 1/2 of a 15oz can navy beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 portion Shredded Chicken Base
• 1 portion Cheese Sauce
• 1 C shredded 4 cheese Mexican blend
• 1/2 of a 4oz can diced green chile peppers, drained
• 4 flour tortillas, 8inch

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.  Coat rectangular baking dish with cooking spray.  For filling, in a medium bowl combine beans and chicken.  Stir in half of cheese sauce, half of the cheese, and the green chiles.
2.  To assemble enchiladas, place about 1/2 C of filling on each tortilla.  Roll tortillas and place, seam side down, in baking dish.  Top enchiladas with the remaining cheese sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
3.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until heated through.  If needed, cover loosely with foil the last 10 minutes, to prevent overbrowning.  If desired, serve with chopped tomato, fresh cilantro, and/or sour cream.

Robyn's notes: to make these ahead, follow instructions through step 2.  Then cover baking dish with foil or cling film, and place entire dish into a resealable freezer bag.  Seal and freeze up to 3 months.  To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight.  Preheat oven, remove bag, cling film/foil, and follow instructions in step 3.  These were pretty good, though I'm not giving them 4 stars because I can't eat beans or chiles, so I had to do a lot of picking things out.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Cheese Sauce

After making a batch of this, several other recipes will go like lightning!

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 C finely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 C milk
• 1 1/2 C shredded 3-cheese blend

 1.  In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic; cook 4-5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally.  Stir in flour and pepper; cook and stir for 1 minute.  Gradually stir in milk.  Cook until sauce is thickened and bubbly, stirring frequently.  Add cheese, stirring until melted.
2.  Place cheese sauce in 1 Cup portions in airtight containers.  Cover and store in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Robyn's notes: a simple and straightforward cheese sauce, made particularly nice by the addition of garlic.  This sauce makes Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken PotPies, and Cajun Chicken Pasta go much faster on those days you don't have time, and can easily be used to make mac n cheese just by stirring cooked pasta into it and baking.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Make-Ahead Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Utilize leftovers and spend a little bit of time prepping ahead, and you can have this casserole in the freezer, ready and waiting for you to throw it into the oven on one of those too-busy nights! 

• 2 C cooked chicken, diced or shredded
• 2 large slices deli ham, roughly chopped or torn
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1/4 tsp ground mustard (see note, below)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• dash pepper
• 3/4 C milk
• 3 large slices deli swiss cheese
• 1/2 C breadcrumbs

1.  Spray inside of small oven-safe casserole dishes or cocottes with cooking spray.  Spread chicken evenly along bottom of each.  Sprinkle ham evenly over tops. 
2.  In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat until just bubbling.  Add flour and seasonings, whisk until fully incorporated, being careful not to burn.  Add milk all at once.  Continue whisking until flour is fully incorporated and sauce has thickened, about 3-4 minutes. 
3.  Pour white sauce over chicken-ham mixture in each casserole dish.  Top with slices of cheese, tearing or cutting to shape if necessary. 
4.  Cover with container lid or foil.  Casseroles can be refrigerated for a day or frozen for a few weeks.  To bake: remove from fridge or freezer and place on counter to start thaw.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Remove lid from dish and top casserole with breadcrumbs.  Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, or until heated through (if starting from frozen, this may take longer).  

Robyn's notes: if I were making this again, I would change the white sauce a bit.  I would leave out the ground mustard and after adding the milk would stir in a Tablespoon of Dijon mustard.  I felt like the finished dish was simply missing something, and I find that Dijon in chicken cordon bleu helps add the needed depth.  Italian breadcrumbs will taste best, if you only have plain you can add Italian seasoning and some dessicated grated Parmesan cheese (in the green plastic container, you know what I mean).  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Fast Fruit Pie

If you've kept a batch of our make-ahead pie/tart dough in the freezer, you can use it to throw together this quick pie, using frozen fruit! 

• 1 C frozen sliced peaches, unsweetened
• 1/4 C frozen raspberries, unsweetened
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp tapioca starch (tapioca flour)
• 1 batch pie dough

1.  Preheat oven to 400°F.  In a medium bowl, combine raspberries, peaches, sugar, and tapioca starch.  Fruit does not need to be thawed ahead of time.  Set aside. 
2.  On a lightly-floured surface, roll one portion of dough to fit inside of 7-inch pie pan.  Gently place into pan, pressing into place carefully.  Roll second portion of dough to the same thickness as the first.  Use small cookie cutters to cut out sections of dough, set aside. 
3.  Transfer fruit mixture to dough-lined pie pan.  Top with cut-out dough pieces.  Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, or until dough is golden and fruit is cooked through inside.  Allow to cool on a rack for several minutes before serving. 
You can change up the fruit used in this pie to your preference, as long as it totals about 1-1 1/4 C.

Robyn's notes: by fluting the edges of the crust or using a lattice top instead of cut-outs, you can make this pie very pretty.  My intent here was to show a fast, delicious pie, not one for presentation, but feel free to go wild with the look.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe (and the dough!) on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Make-Ahead Pizza Dough & Frozen Pizzas

With these in the freezer, you'll never be at a loss for a meal when you're in a rush!

• 1 packet (0.25oz or 2 1/4 tsp) yeast
• 1 1/2 C warm water, divided
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 3/4 C flour
• 1 1/4 C whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

1.  In a small bowl, stir the yeast into 1/2 C of the warm water.  Let sit for 5 minutes until dissolved.
2.  Combine the remaining 1 C warm water with olive oil.  Set aside.
3.  Combine the flours and salt in the bowl of stand mixer with dough hook attached, and mix to combine.  With the mixer running, add the yeast mixture and water-olive oil mixture to the flour.  Mix until a ball forms, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl if needed.  Mix for another minute to knead.
4.   Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand until dough is satiny and smooth, dusting with more flour if needed, for about 3 minutes.
5.  Place dough in an oiled container or bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
6.  Turn dough out onto floured surface and divide into 5 equal pieces.  Round the dough into tight balls, cover with a clean towel, and let sit for 20-30 minutes.
7.  The dough can be baked now, or may be wrapped tightly and stored in the refrigerator for 8 hours or the freezer for about 2 months.  To thaw frozen dough, move to refrigerator still wrapped, for 8 hours.
8.  To make frozen pizza, preheat oven to 500°F.  Press dough into 8-inch cast iron skillet.  Add preferred toppings and bake pizza until the crust is set but not browned, 5-6 minutes.  Let pizza cool to room temperature, wrap well, and freeze.  Bake directly from the freezer for about 12 minutes.

Robyn's notes: this is quite easy and makes a good pizza dough with the right texture and bite.  Use it to make Cast Iron Pizza.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Cast Iron Skillet Mac n Cheese

If you really want nice crunchy browned cheese bits around the edges of your mac n cheese, a cast iron skillet is the way to go!

• 1 C small elbow pasta
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 3/4 C milk
• 1 C shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/4 C bread crumbs

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Cook pasta until not quite cooked through, about 5 minutes.
2.  In 8 inch cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add flour and whisk constantly until combined and just starting to brown.  Do not overcook flour.  Add milk all at once, whisking constantly.  Continue whisking until thickened.
3.  In small bowl, combine 1/4 C of cheese with breadcrumbs.  Set aside.  Add cheese to white sauce and stir through to combine.  Stir pasta into sauce, top with breadcrumb mixture.  Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes until hot throughout and browned on top.

Robyn's notes: if desired, the pasta can be cooked in the skillet first, instead of in a separate pan.  For me, the weight of the cast iron, combined with how shallow it is, makes me nervous about carrying it full of boiling water and pasta to the sink to drain.  But I have done it, so I can promise it's possible.  I got mostly set up to do this and only then realized I was out of regular elbow mac, so instead of going back to the store I used gluten-free.  Barilla brand gluten-free elbow mac, while oddly translucent in the box, tastes the same in this recipe as regular pasta.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Cherry Garcia Bread

I made ice cream bread a few years ago, when it was making its way across the web like lightning.  It was fine, it definitely was bread, but it just wasn't very interesting.  My very first thought at the time was that it needed dark cherries.  So when I noticed that Ben & Jerry's pints were on sale recently, I decided that Cherry Garcia® would make a good experiment. 

• 1 C Cherry Garcia® ice cream, softened
• 3/4 C self-rising flour (see notes, below)

1.  Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Grease and flour a mini loaf pan.  
2.  Stir together ice cream and flour until flour is just moistened.  Do not overmix.  Spoon into prepared loaf pan.  
3.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Robyn's notes: if you don't have self-rising flour on hand and don't want to buy it just for this purpose, you can make your own.  Self-rising just means the leavening is already mixed into the flour.  To make, combine 1 C all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt, then measure what the recipe calls for from the mixture.  I bake at high altitude, so this took more than 35 minutes to get properly done in the center, but closer to sea level the shorter time may work best.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

 

Mini Hash Brown Pies

These can be made as one pie in a single, larger skillet, but I do enjoy individual servings and don't get a lot of opportunities to use my mini skillets. 

• 4 strips bacon, diced
• 1/2 C frozen shredded hash browns, thawed and drained
• 3 eggs
• dash pepper
• 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese (or blend)
• 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1.  Divide bacon between two mini cast iron skillets, cook over medium-high heat about 2 minutes.  Add half of potatoes to each skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, 3-4 minutes.
2.  In a medium bowl, beat eggs together with pepper until fluffy.  Stir in cheese.  Pour half into another bowl.
3.  Add bacon-potato mixture from each skillet into each bowl of egg.  Stir well.
4.  Pour oil into now-empty skillets.  Add mixtures to skillets and cook over medium-high heat until bottom is golden brown and top is lightly set.
5.  Loosen edges with heat-resistant spatula and slide each pie onto a plate.  Place another plate upside down on top of pie, and flip, holding the plates together.  Slide the now-inverted pie back into the skillet, tucking in the edges.
6.  Cook for a few more minutes, until egg is completely set.

Robyn's notes: to thaw the potatoes quickly, microwave them for a couple minutes, stirring halfway through.  Squeeze thawed potatoes in a paper towel to get all moisture out.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Cheesy Eggs in a CrockPot Lunch Warmer

I won a CrockPot Lunch Warmer in a raffle and have been trying it out.  Works great for its intended purpose, which is to warm up leftovers or canned food over a few hours, to avoid sad desk lunches in places where a microwave isn't available or isn't convenient.  While it is not to be used to cook food, uncooked meat should never be heated in a lunch warmer, I was able to make this successful from-scratch dish for one.

• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 C shredded cheese

1.  In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and milk until well combined.  Add remaining ingredients and stir.
2.  Pour into lunch warmer insert.  Plug in and cook for 90 minutes, stirring after 45 minutes.

Robyn's notes: obviously not the most efficient way to scramble eggs, but it certainly does work well when the lunch warmer is the only heating method available.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe and discuss the warmer generally on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Somali Xalwo

Massively popular in Somalia, I understand that xalwo (pronounced halwa) was originally for special occasions only--weddings and greater Eid, for example--but has in the last few years become available less expensively and is now eaten far more often.

• 1/4 C butter
• 1/2 Tbsp cardamom
• 3 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 C vegetable oil
• 1/4 C cornstarch
• 1 3/4 C water, divided
• orange and yellow food colouring, if desired
• 1/4 C brown sugar
• 1 1/4 C sugar

 1.  In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter and lightly brown it.  When foam subsides, turn off heat and stir in cardamom, nutmeg, and oil.  Set aside.
2.  In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch, 1/4 C water, and a drop of each food colouring (see notes, below).
3.  In a deep pot over high heat, combine sugars and 1 1/2 C water.  When this comes to a boil, carefully stir in cornstarch mixture.  Reduce heat to medium-high and cover for 2-3 minutes.
4.  Start adding the butter mixture, a spoonful about every 2 minutes, and stir well with each addition, until all butter is incorporated.
5.  Continue cooking and stirring gently until the xalwo starts releasing oil.  Use a ladle or baster to remove oil and discard.  Repeat this step, stirring and removing oil, until the xalwo comes together into a mass.
6.  Transfer to a bowl, carefully, and cool 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

Robyn's notes: This was ok, but I had a weird experience with the flavour.  The candy didn't seem to smell like anything at all, but once I put it in my mouth it felt more like I was smelling spices than tasting them.  That was sort of off-putting, so I can't go above 3 stars.  I didn't use food colouring, I went traditional in that respect and used saffron.  For instructions on doing so, watch the video linked below.  Gotta be patient with step 5.  I was so worried that I would overcook and crystallize the whole batch that I thought no oil was being released.  I kept turning the heat down and then inching it back up because of that worry.  In the end I could have just cooked it merrily along, the oil did release at the end, though it wasn't easy to scoop out.  Once cooled, I found it easiest to cut with a pizza cutter.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Syrian-Style Falafel

This is a shortened, at-home version, which takes advantage of canned chickpeas.  The true traditional falafel wouldn't stoop to such a convenience food.  Remember not to discard the rest of the chickpeas, there are other recipes here on the site that use the other half can, and the liquid they're canned in--aquafaba--is a great vegan egg replacement in things like meringue, mayonnaise, and some frostings.

• 1/2 can chickpeas, drained
• 1/4 C chopped onion
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2-3 Tbsp flour
• olive oil

1.   Combine chickpeas, onion, parsley, garlic, salt, cumin, and coriander in food processor bowl.  Pulse until blended but not pureed.
2.  Add baking soda and 2 Tbsp of flour, and pulse.  The dough should form a ball but not stick to your hands.  Pulse in additional flour if necessary.  Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for 2-3 hours. 
3.  Form into walnut-size balls and flatten gently.  Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat and fry for 1-2 minutes per side, or until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels. 

Robyn's notes: I folded these into flatbread, with sliced tomato and cucumber, and some Tahini Dipping Sauce.  The baking soda is used because I use canned chickpeas.  Without it, the finished product would be mushy and unpleasant.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Tahini Dipping Sauce

• 3 Tbsp tahini
• 2 Tbsp water
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp salt

1.  Whisk together tahini and water.  Add lemon juice and continue mixing, adding salt to taste.

Robyn's notes: added a needed touch to the flatbread sandwiches I made using Syrian-Style Falafel, but not exciting.  I didn't use the full amount of salt, didn't feel it was needed.  Made about 1/4 C total.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Zurbian

This is a quick home version of the Yemeni dish, reduced to serve two people.  It really hits the spot and makes the whole house smell amazing!  This will also help use up leftover lamb from last week's video recipe.

• 1/2 lb lamb shoulder, diced
•  2 C water
• 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
• 2/3 C basmati rice
• 1/2 Tbsp clarified butter (see notes)
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 C plain yogurt
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1 small garlic clove, minced

1.  In a medium saucepan, bring lamb and water to a boil.  Add bouillon, reduce heat to low; cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
2.  Remove lamb from pan, set aside.  Add rice to the liquid and boil for 10 minutes.  Drain rice and set aside.
3.  Melt butter over medium-high heat, add onions, and cook until golden brown.  Add cooked lamb, stir gently to mix.
4.  In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, tomato, spices, and garlic.  Pour mixture over lamb in pan.  Add rice on top, do not stir.  Cover and cook on low for 25 minutes or until rice is fully cooked. 

Robyn's notes: In the video I pour saffron water over the top of the rice before leaving it at the last step of cooking.  Saffron is not cheap, so I wouldn't buy it just for this recipe, but if you have some in the house you should use it!  Don't hoard it until it dries up and isn't worth using anymore.  To make saffron water, grind saffron threads to a powder.  Place 1/4 tsp powder in a small bowl and pour 1/4 C hot water over them.  Allow to sit and steep for about 10 minutes.  That's it! 
Clarified butter is just butter that's had the milk solids and water cooked out.  This makes it more concentrated and also makes it shelf-stable for awhile, it does not need to be kept in the fridge.  In a medium saucepan, melt 1/2 lb of unsalted butter over low heat and slowly cook until the bubbling ceases and the liquid turns clear, about 30 minutes.  Strain and cool, leaving any solids that have formed in the bottom of the pan.
This was quite good, though I didn't have quite as much lamb as I should have, so it did get a touch overcooked.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Shorba Libya

This warm and filling lamb stew from Libya will fill the whole house with a heavenly aroma that will bring both of you to the table at top speed! 

• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 lb lamb shoulder, diced
• 1/2 of a 14oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 Tbsp tomato puree
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• salt to taste
• 2 C water
• 1/2 Tbsp dried mint
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1.  Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add onions, and cook until tender.  Add lamb, chickpeas, tomato puree, spices, and salt, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2.  Pour in water, stir through, and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until lamb is cooked through.
3.  About 10 minutes before the end of cooking, stir in mint.  Add lemon juice just before serving.

Robyn's notes: Leftover chickpeas can be used to make hummus, or falafel.  In my market tomato puree only comes in huge cans, so the leftover can be used to make pizza sauce or if preferred, tomato paste can be watered down to approximate tomato puree.  I served this with some naan alongside.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!  

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Iranian Cinnamon-Date Omelette

Persian cooks have a lot of fabulous dishes in their repertoire, but if you had to focus on one thing they do particularly well, it's the way they combine sweet with savoury.  If you really want to start your day off right, this omelette for one is the way to go!  This recipe is courtesy Yasmin Khan, and her book The Saffron Tales.

• 4 pitted Medjool dates, halved
• a couple pinches of ground cinnamon
• a good pinch of ground ginger
• 3 Tbsp water
• 2 eggs
• pinch of sea salt
• 2 tsp milk
• 1 Tbsp butter

1.  Place dates, cinnamon, ginger, and water in a small pan.  Stir well, cover, and cook on low for 5 minutes, or until dates have softened.
2.  Meanwhile, crack eggs into a small bowl with sea salt and milk.  Beat until fluffy.
3.  Heat a skillet over low heat, add butter.  When butter has melted and is bubbling, add dates and cook for 2 minutes.  Space the dates out evenly in the pan and pour in the beaten eggs, giving the pan a gentle shake to even out the eggs.
4.  Cook until the omelette is almost set, then fold in half and lightly press closed.  Serve with a dusting of additional cinnamon.

Robyn's notes: this was good, though I'm picky about my eggs and like them very cooked through.  The sugar in the dates, of course, starts to crystallize fairly quickly, so the underside of the omelette in the pan got darker than I wanted it before the top was as set as I like.  Still enjoyable and great for those who like the traditional omelette that's still a bit wet in the center.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Ful Medames

This is originally an Egyptian dish (going way, way back), which has become popular in other countries as well, such as Sudan and Syria.  In those places it would be cooked long and slow, from dried beans instead of canned.  It's often sold as street food, and in some neighborhoods shop owners will all gather together at mid-morning and have a shared meal from one large pot of Ful.  It's pronounced "fool" and has various spellings.  This is a very streamlined version, to work well in a small home kitchen.

• 1 can (14 oz) fava beans (broad beans)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• fresh parsley

1.  In a medium saucepan, bring beans with their liquid to a boil, reduce heat to low, simmer for 10 minutes.
2.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine garlic, cumin, paprika, lemon juice, and salt.
3.  With a slotted spoon, remove fava beans from their cooking liquid to a mixing bowl.  Partially mash the beans, leaving most intact.  Gently stir in the lemon juice mixture.  If necessary, add some of the cooking liquid to keep the mixture wet, but not soupy.
4.  Transfer to a shallow serving dish, drizzle with olive oil, and top with tomato and parsley.  Serve with flatbread.

Robyn's notes: other traditional accompaniments include lemon wedges, hard-cooked eggs, crumbled feta, and cucumber slices.  I was surprised at how hard it was to find fava beans in my area.  I did eventually get a couple cans at an independent market a few towns away that specializes in "world cuisine".  More urban areas will likely find it less difficult.  They can be purchased online, but I chose not to go that way because I could only buy them by the case.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Slow-Cooker Gooey Brownie Cake

Ok, so it doesn't look great in a photograph.  But it tastes fabulous! 

• 4 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1/2 C sugar
• 3 Tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp + 1 1/4 tsp flour
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• dash salt
• 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp chocolate chips

1.  Line insert of 1 1/2 quart slow cooker with foil, then lightly grease foil.
2.  Whisk together melted butter, sugar, cocoa powder, flour, egg, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl.  Fold in chocolate chips. Scrape batter into prepared insert in even layer.
3.  Cover and cook on LOW for 3.5 hours or HIGH for 2 hours.  Cake should be set around edges and gooey in center.

Robyn's notes: ok, it tasted quite good, but it wasn't the consistency I was hoping for.  I had a hard time getting it to set fully, and the lining seems unnecessary.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Slow-Cooker Swiss Steak

There are few dishes easier than this one, with prep about 2 minutes before it goes into the slow cooker to be ready for dinner!

• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 3/4 lb beef top round steak
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 1/3 C chopped celery
• 1 can (8oz) tomato sauce

1.  In a large zip-top bag, combine flour, salt, and pepper.  Cut beef into two portions; add to bag and shake to coat.
2.  Spray slow cooker insert with nonstick spray.  Place onion inside, layer with beef, celery, and tomato sauce.  Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender.

Robyn's notes: this cooked the meat through nicely and smelled fabulous, but wasn't hugely exciting.  That was partly because I wasn't really in the mood for beef, so I have to be fair and mention it.  I served it over rice.  If desired, giving a quick sear to the meat in a skillet before putting it in the slow cooker would add some depth of flavor.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe and talk a little about slow cookers generally on youtube!

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often