Toad in the Hole

6 sausages (Grundhoffer's Breakfast Sausages worked great!)

1 c. flour 

3 large eggs 

1 cup whole milk 

1/2 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp white pepper 

1 T butter or beef tallow

Gravy: 

3 slices of  bacon 

1 red onion,  sliced

8 oz. (or more) sliced mushrooms

1 T butter 

1 clove garlic (minced) 

1 sprig thyme 

½ T. Worcestershire sauce 

1 c. hard cider 

½ c beef stock 

½ tbsp wholegrain mustard

1 T butter (to finish)

Method:
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Heat a small oven-safe frying pan (or 9x13 if you are doubling the recipe) over medium heat, adding 1 T of butter or beef tallow. Once melted, add the sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the sausages, add more butter, and place the pan in the oven to heat the fat. In a blender, combine flour, salt, pepper, eggs, and milk and blend until smooth. Carefully remove the pan from the oven, pour in the batter, and place the sausages in the center. Bake for 25-30 minutes until puffed up and golden brown, avoiding opening the oven to keep the batter from deflating. 

For the gravy, cook diced bacon over medium heat in a large pan until it starts to brown. Add sliced red onions and mushrooms and cook for 5-10 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then add thyme leaves and cook briefly. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, pour in cider, and simmer until reduced by half. Add beef stock and simmer for 5 more minutes. Stir in wholegrain mustard and butter until smooth. Serve the toad in the hole with the gravy Enjoy!

Cod & Potatoes in a Rosemary Cream Sauce

3 T olive oil
1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 t kosher salt
¼ t freshly cracked black pepper
2 T salted butter
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup chicken stock
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 t lemon zest
2 T lemon juice
2 t Dijon mustard
¼ t ground cayenne pepper
2 T capers, drained
1 pound cod fillet, cut into 4 pieces

Preheat the oven 450°F with a rack in the center position. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish with olive oil.

Add the potatoes and toss with 1 T oil, 1 t salt, and the black pepper. Roast until tender, 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter and remaining 1 T oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

Add the cream, stock, rosemary sprigs, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, cayenne, and capers. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the cod all over with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, nestle in the fish and pour the sauce over the top. Bake uncovered until the fish is flakey, another 10-15 minutes.

(insert smiley face here)

Melodee's Über Simple Steak Kabob Marinade

 

¼ c. Brown Sugar

½ c. Soy Sauce

1 t. Grated Fresh Ginger

There are no instructions to go by. She would have probably bought the cheapest cut of steak she could find and marinate for a few hours before "making" us thread the beef cubes onto a skewer. Then they would get grilled to golden brown perfection. I prefer mine a little more rare. Best served on a flimsy paper plate on top of a bamboo paper plate holder.

Amazon Link (not sponsored) "Reusable:The rigid structure without losing toughness enables it to bear more weight but not breaking.The longer life makes it absolutely worth your money."

Prosciutto, Apple & Date Flatbread Pizza

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil (for pan)

4 ounces (½ cup) mascarpone cheese

2 tablespoons warm tap water

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

½ teaspoon table salt, divided 

½ teaspoon pepper, divided 

1 pound pizza dough, room temperature

6 slices prosciutto 

2 ounces pitted dates, chopped (1/3 cup)

8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded (2 cups)

1 red apple, cored, halved, and sliced thin

½ cup thinly sliced red onion

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Brush rimmed baking sheet with oil. Combine mascarpone, warm water, rosemary, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl.


Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into 5 x 7-inch rectangle and transfer to prepared sheet. If the dough springs back, let it rest for a few minutes before trying to roll it again.

Spread 2 tablespoons mascarpone mixture on each rectangle, leaving ½-inch border. Sprinkle evenly with prosciutto, dates, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper, then top with fontina, apple, and onion.

Bake until cheese is melted and crust is golden, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let flatbreads cool on sheet for 5 minutes before serving.

Upma Rava - South Indian Cream of Wheat Breakfast

1 cup cream of wheat (not instant)

2 T Ghee
1 t mustard seeds
½ t cumin seeds
1 t chana dal
1 t urad dal
¼ c cashews
1 med onion – finely chopped
1 green chili - chopped
1 t finely chopped ginger 

12 curry leaves
2 ½ cups water
1 t salt
⅓ c chopped cilantro

Heat a pan and toast the cream of wheat, stirring often. Take care not to brown it. Once toasted, transfer to a dish and set aside.

In a pan, heat ghee and add the mustard seeds. When they start crackling, add the cumin seeds along with chana dal and urad dal. Fry until they begin to get lightly golden. Add cashews and fry until golden. Add the finely chopped onions. Sauté until they become translucent, then add the chopped green chili, ginger & curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

Add 2.5 cups water, and salt as required and let it come to a rolling boiling. Lower the flame to its lowest. Slowly sprinkle in the rava while stirring to avoid clumping.

Cover and allow the rava upma to steam for 2 to 3 minutes on a low heat.
Then switch off the flame. Lastly add chopped coriander leaves and serve with coconut chutney or Priya red chili pickle.

Enjoy with a can of Trader Joe's 100% Mango Juice!

Experiment and add chopped carrots and/or frozen peas when the onion is added.

Monkey Bread

There are plenty of Monkey Bread recipes out there, but this is the one we always used:

- 3 tubes country biscuits

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1 teaspoon cinnamon

- 1 stick butter

- 1 cup brown sugar

1. Cut biscuits into quarters, drop into a bag with cinnamon & sugar.

2. Layer in a  9x13 pan.  Mix brown sugar and melted butter together.  Pour over biscuits.

3. Bake 375 for 25-30 mins.

CastelNegroni Olives

 

150g jar of Castelvetrano olives, drained
1 t of gin
1 t of sweet red vermouth (Carpano Antica)
1 t of Campari

½ t olive oil
1 orange 

Combine ingredients &  stir to coat the olives.

Peel two strips from your orange. Bend the strips individually, lengthways, over the bowl to release oil from the orange. Grate the remaining of your unpeeled orange into the bowl and stir.

Marinate for a few hours before serving, or keep in the fridge for up to 5 days for a more intense flavour.