Bacon/Leek/Cheddar Braid

Posted on June 1, 2022 by sparecake

A big ol’ bread, full of tasty things!

Bacon waiting to happen

Ingredients:

Filling:

  • 1/2 pound bacon
  • white and light green part of three leeks, thinly sliced and washed well
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar, grated or sliced into chunks
  • 10 leaves sage, thinly sliced
  • 1 egg

Bread:

  • 3 1/2 – 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 envelopes (4 1/2 teaspoons) yeast
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large egg

Egg wash:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • grated parmesan cheese

In a large pan, cook the bacon until crispy. I personally prefer to cut the raw bacon with kitchen shears over the pan, but you can also cook the bacon and cut/crumble it after.

Drain on paper towels, leaving the bacon grease in the pan behind. Cook the leeks over medium in the bacon grease until softened.

Combine the bacon, leeks, cheese, and sage in a bowl and stir in the egg to evenly coat and set aside. You can do this earlier, if you need to fiddle with timing.

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour with the yeast, sugar, and salt. Heat the water and butter together until very warm (120-130 degrees, when the butter has melted). Drizzle the water into the flour mixture while stirring, and continue to stir for 2 minutes.

Add the egg and a second cup of flour, and stir another 2 minutes.

Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough, beginning with 1 1/2 cups, up to 2 cups as necessary. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, around 10 minutes.

Cover, and let rest 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 3 even portions and roll each out to a 16×4″ rectangle.

Spoon the bacon mixture over each rectangle and pinch closed into 3 chunky ropes.

The dough sticks together pretty well, and there’s usually a bit of un-filled dough at the end you can tear off as needed to patch any places it splits. I had a little bit of filling left over – that’s ok!

Gently transfer the ropes to a lined baking sheet, putting the seam-side down.

Place the ends of all 3 together, press together, and carefully braid to the far end, pressing that end together as well.

Lightly grease with spray grease and let rise until doubled, about an hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix together the egg and water for the egg wash and brush over the bread. Sprinkle a bit of grated parm over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until browned.

If you had any leftover filling, toss it in the oven halfway through, to cook for 15 minutes.

Slice and serve warm, but if you’re not eating it all right away, put uneaten parts on a cooling rack so that the bottom doesn’t get soggy from steam.

Store wrapped in the fridge, and toast back up in the toaster oven as needed.

Bacon/Leek/Cheddar Braid

Filling:

  • 1/2 pound bacon
  • white and light green part of three leeks, thinly sliced and washed well
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar, grated or sliced into chunks
  • 10 leaves sage, thinly sliced
  • 1 egg

Bread:

  • 3 1/2 – 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 envelopes (4 1/2 teaspoons) yeast
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large egg

Egg wash:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • grated parmesan cheese

In a large pan, cook the bacon until crispy. I personally prefer to cut the raw bacon with kitchen shears over the pan, but you can also cook the bacon and cut/crumble it after. Drain on paper towels, leaving the bacon grease in the pan behind. Cook the leeks over medium in the bacon grease until softened. Combine the bacon, leeks, cheese, and sage in a bowl and stir in the egg to evenly coat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour with the yeast, sugar, and salt. Heat the water and butter together until very warm (120-130 degrees, when the butter has melted). Drizzle the water into the flour mixture while stirring, and continue to stir for 2 minutes. Add the egg and a second cup of flour, and stir another 2 minutes. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough, beginning with 1 1/2 cups, up to 2 cups as necessary. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, around 10 minutes. Cover, and let rest 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 3 even portions and roll each out to a 16×4″ rectangle. Spoon the bacon mixture over each rectangle and pinch closed into 3 chunky ropes. The dough sticks together pretty well, and there’s usually a bit of un-filled dough at the end you can tear off as needed to patch any places it splits.

Gently transfer the ropes to a lined baking sheet, putting the seam-side down. Place the ends of all 3 together, press together, and carefully braid to the far end, pressing that end together as well. Lightly grease with spray grease and let rise until doubled, about an hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix together the egg and water for the egg wash and brush over the bread. Sprinkle a bit of grated parm over the top, then bake for 30 minutes, or until browned. Slice and serve warm, but if you’re not eating it all right away, put uneaten parts on a cooling rack so that the bottom doesn’t get soggy from steam. Store wrapped in the fridge, and toast back up in the toaster oven as needed.

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Chicken with White Beans and Tomatoes

Posted on May 25, 2022 by sparecake

The recipe I was looking at for this used both oven and stove for ages, and it was almost 90 this weekend so…nope, crock pot time! The transition worked just fine, and made a very tasty meal! There is, however, some work to be done the night before (crock pot or not), so don’t forget to give yourself that head start!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound dried white cannellini beans, sorted and rinsed (I used bumblebee beans, you can use anything similar)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage, divided
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, divided
  • 3 teaspoons dried thyme leaves, divided
  • 6 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 (5 1/2-pound) whole roasting chicken, giblets discarded
  • white and light green parts of 1 leek, thinly sliced and well rinsed
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 quart low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 heads garlic, tops removed
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • crusty bread, to serve

The night before:

Put the beans in a large bowl and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Let stand.

In a small bowl/ramekin, combine combine 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon sage, 1 tablespoon rosemary, and 2 teaspoons thyme; set aside. In another small bowl, stir together 4 teaspoons salt, and the pepper; set aside.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towel and gently loosen the skin, by sticking your hand or an upside-down spoon under the skin and moving it around to detach the connective bits but without tearing up the skin. Rub the oil mixture both on and under the skin, all over the chicken. Sprinkle the salt mixture all over the top, under the skin, and in the cavity of the chicken. Tie the legs with kitchen twine. Place on a wire rack on a baking sheet and refrigerate overnight uncovered.

When ready to cook, take out the chicken and let stand at room temp. Drain the beans. In a small pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Cook the leek and minced garlic until softened, 3-4 minutes. (In as small a pan as I used, where it wasn’t all a single layer, it took several more minutes.)

Transfer the cooked leeks to a crockpot. Add the drained beans, the broth, bay leaf, and remaining teaspoons of sage, rosemary, and thyme.

Stir everything together, then place the chicken on top. Place the two heads of garlic alongside the chicken, where they can be in the liquid too.

Cover, and turn on high heat. Cook for 4 hours.

At 4 hours, carefully remove the chicken – it will most likely be fall-apart tender. Stir the drained tomatoes, the vinegar, and as much of the remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons of salt as desired into the liquid with the beans.

Serve with crusty bread to soak up some of the liquid, and squeeze some of the garlic cloves out of the heads out on each plate as well.

Chicken with Beans and Tomatoes

Adapted from Taste of the South.

  • 1 pound dried white cannellini beans, sorted and rinsed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage, divided
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, divided
  • 3 teaspoons dried thyme leaves, divided
  • 6 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 (5 1/2-pound) whole roasting chicken, giblets discarded
  • white and light green parts of 1 leek, thinly sliced and well rinsed
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 quart low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 heads garlic, tops removed
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • crusty bread, to serve

The night before:

Put the beans in a large bowl and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Let stand.

In a small bowl/ramekin, combine combine 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon sage, 1 tablespoon rosemary, and 2 teaspoons thyme; set aside. In another small bowl, stir together 4 teaspoons salt, and the pepper; set aside. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel and gently loosen the skin, by sticking your hand or an upside-down spoon under the skin and moving it around to detach the connective bits but without tearing up the skin. Rub the oil mixture both on and under the skin, all over the chicken. Sprinkle the salt mixture all over the top, under the skin, and in the cavity of the chicken. Tie the legs with kitchen twine. Place on a wire rack on a baking sheet and refrigerate overnight uncovered.

When ready to cook, take out the chicken and let stand at room temp. Drain the beans. In a small pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Cook the leek and minced garlic until softened, 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the cooked leeks to a crockpot. Add the drained beans, the broth, bay leaf, and remaining teaspoons of sage, rosemary, and thyme. Stir everything together, then place the chicken on top. Place the two heads of garlic alongside the chicken, where they can be in the liquid too. Cover, and turn on high heat. Cook for 4 hours.

At 4 hours, carefully remove the chicken – it will most likely be fall-apart tender. Stir the drained tomatoes, the vinegar, and as much of the remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons of salt as desired into the liquid with the beans. Serve with crusty bread to soak up some of the liquid.

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Crispy Baked Tofu with Broccoli

Posted on May 18, 2022 by sparecake

Unusual for me to use tofu, but this way it turns out with crispy edges that are good, and the sauce to put on top is great! It looks like a ton of steps, with all the chunks of ingredients, but everything comes together easily while you wait for other steps.

Ingredients:

Tofu:

  • 1 block extra firm tofu
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Broccoli:

  • 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

For serving:

  • 1/4 cup sliced scallions
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (skipped those!)
  • cooked rice or other grain like quinoa

To get started, take the tofu out of the package, pat it dry with paper towels, then wrap it in more paper towels, put it between two plates, and put some weight on top for half an hour to press out additional moisture. While this is setting, you can prepare the sauce for the tofu, and get the broccoli ready.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat/parchment/foil, and lightly grease before setting aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, and honey for the tofu, then set aside.

On half the baking sheet, combine the broccoli, olive oil, and garlic, tossing to coat the broccoli, and spreading it in a single layer. Sprinkle with the salt.

Once the tofu has been drained, slice into 1″ cubes and put in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, tossing to coat, then pour the oil/soy/honey mixture on top and toss again.

Spread on the other half of the baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping once halfway through to make sure everything crisps up evenly. The start of the baking time is a good time to get some rice water heating on the stove!

While the tofu and broccoli bake, prepare the sauce. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, water, and vinegar. Place the cornstarch in a small dish and stir in 2-3 tablespoons of the soy/oil/water/vinegar mixture, stirring until no clumps of cornstarch remain.

Pour the cornstarch mixture back into the pot with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and cook until thickened.

When everything’s ready, serve the tofu and broccoli over rice, drizzled in a bit of the sauce and with the scallions and sesame seeds (if desired) sprinkled on top.

Crispy Baked Tofu with Brocolli

From Savory Simple.

Tofu:

  • 1 block extra firm tofu
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Broccoli:

  • 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

For serving:

  • 1/4 cup sliced scallions
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
  • cooked rice or other grain like quinoa

To get started, take the tofu out of the package, pat it dry with paper towels, then wrap it in more paper towels, put it between two plates, and put some weight on top for half an hour to press out additional moisture. While this is setting, you can prepare the sauce for the tofu, and get the broccoli ready.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat/parchment/foil, and lightly grease before setting aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, and honey for the tofu, then set aside.

On half the baking sheet, combine the broccoli, olive oil, and garlic, tossing to coat the broccoli, and spreading it in a single layer. Sprinkle with the salt.

Once the tofu has been drained, slice into 1″ cubes and put in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, tossing to coat, then pour the oil/soy/honey mixture on top and toss again. Spread on the other half of the baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping once halfway through to make sure everything crisps up evenly. The start of the baking time is a good time to get some rice water heating on the stove!

While the tofu and broccoli bake, prepare the sauce. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, water, and vinegar. Place the cornstarch in a small dish and stir in 2-3 tablespoons of the soy/oil/water/vinegar mixture, stirring until no clumps of cornstarch remain. Pour the cornstarch mixture back into the pot with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and cook until thickened.

When everything’s ready, serve the tofu and broccoli over rice, drizzled in a bit of the sauce and with the scallions and sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

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Vermont Cheddar Bread

Posted on April 20, 2022 by sparecake

Another one from The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day, so it’s simple and doesn’t require kneading, just stirring! The recipe makes 4 loaves, slightly less than 1 pound each.

Extra cheese and now it’s breakfast?!

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon granulated yeast
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Mix the yeast, salt, and sugar in the water in a large bowl or tub.

Stir in the remaining ingredients without kneading until well mixed.

Cover, not airtight, and allow to rest until it rises and collapses, about 2 hours. Use immediately or refrigerate and use over the next week.

When ready to bake, dust the surface of the dough and cut off a grapefruit-sized piece.

Dust the piece with more flour and shape into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough from the top to the bottom, then rotate, repeating on all four sides. Allow to rest on a cornmeal or parchment covered peel for 1 hour (40 minutes if not refrigerated).

Whoops, don’t own a peel.

Preheat a baking stone in the middle of the oven to 450 degrees and place a metal broiler tray on a lower shelf. Sprinkle the loaf liberally with flour and slash the top about 1/2 in deep with a serrated bread knife. Slide the loaf onto the hot pizza stone. Pour 1 cup of hot water into the broiler tray to create steam and close the door. (Alternately, skip the broiler tray and chuck a handful of ice into the bottom of the oven when you’re putting in the dough.) Bake for 30 minutes or until richly browned.

Cool completely on a rack before slicing and eating.

Vermont Cheddar Bread

From The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day.

  • 3 cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon granulated yeast
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Mix the yeast, salt, and sugar in the water in a large bowl or tub. Stir in the remaining ingredients without kneading until well mixed. Cover, not airtight, and allow to rest until it rises and collapses, about 2 hours. Use immediately or refrigerate and use over the next week.

When ready to bake, dust the surface of the dough and cut off a grapefruit-sized piece. Dust the piece with more flour and shape into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough from the top to the bottom, then rotate, repeating on all four sides. Allow to rest on a cornmeal or parchment covered peel for 1 hour (40 minutes if not refrigerated).

Preheat a baking stone in the middle of the oven to 450 degrees and place a metal broiler tray on a lower shelf. Sprinkle the loaf liberally with flour and slash the top about 1/2 in deep with a serrated bread knife. Slide the loaf onto the hot pizza stone. Pour 1 cup of hot water into the broiler tray to create steam and close the door. (Alternately, skip the broiler tray and chuck a handful of ice into the bottom of the oven when you’re putting in the dough.) Bake for 30 minutes or until richly browned. Cool completely on a rack before slicing and eating.

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Gooey Butter Cake

Posted on April 13, 2022 by sparecake

A simple but real easy cake that’s actually better a few days after baking, when the gooey-ness really sets in.

Ingredients:

  • 1 box yellow pudding-in-mix cake mix (my supermarket no longer has any mixes that mention pudding, I just got the yellow mix that said ‘butter’ and ‘moist’ in the name)
  • 3 eggs, divided
  • 1 stick butter, room temp
  • 1 pound powdered sugar, divided
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the cake mix, 1 egg, and the butter until crumbly, then press evenly into a 9×13” pan.

The dry one, on the left. The right one is the cream cheese mixture coming up next.

Blend 12 ounces of powdered sugar, the cream cheese, and the 2 remaining eggs until creamy. Pour over pressed mixture.

Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool slightly then press remaining powdered sugar into cake. Let cool a while longer, then slice and serve.

Gooey Yellow Cake

From The Mystery Writers Of America Cookbook.

  • 1 box yellow pudding-in-mix cake mix
  • 1 stick butter, room temp
  • 1 pound powdered sugar, divided
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the cake mix, 1 egg, and the butter until crumbly, then press evenly into a 9×13” pan.

Blend 12 ounces of powdered sugar, the cream cheese, and the 2 remaining eggs until creamy. Pour over pressed mixture.

Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly then press remaining powdered sugar into cake. Let cool a while longer, then slice and serve.

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Gochujang Pulled Pork Pizza

Posted on March 30, 2022 by sparecake

This recipe has a couple parts, because you have to make the pork, and the crust as well (although for them you could do store-bought). Super worth it, though! This is multiple favorite flavors all wrapped up in one! I had a 3 lb piece of pork, which after both pizzas was still enough for a few days of lettuce wraps and then a sort of unusual gochujang lasagna situation to use up a variety of leftovers. The recipe originally called for a 5 pound hunk of pork, which I guess if I’d done, I’d be eating leftover pork until May!

Gochujang Pork:

  • 5 lb pork shoulder or butt
  • 1/3  cup gochujang
  • 1/4  cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4  cup honey
  • 1/2  cup chicken stock

Gochujang Pizza Sauce

  • 6 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 tablespoons gochujang
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Kimchi Dipping Sauce

  • 1/2 cup drained kimchi
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

To put it all together:

  • 2 pizza crusts (I used refrigerator pizza dough)
  • 1 cup chopped pineapple (I used canned)
  • 1 cup grated pizza mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup red onions, thinly sliced (skipped it)
  • cilantro, to serve (hate it, skip)

To make the pork, the night before you want pizza put the pork shoulder/butt in a crockpot. Combine the gochujang, soy sauce, honey, and chicken stock in a medium bowl and pour over the pork.

Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Transfer the cooked pork to a large bowl and pour the liquid from the crockpot into a large pot, straining out any big lumps of fat that fell off in the liquid.

I think a bunch of this fat was stuff I pulled out while shredding the pork too, this wasn’t all loose floating fat chunks.

I started with my largest saucepan and it wasn’t big enough when this stuff bubble up. Heat on high and boil until reduced to about 2 cups, 15ish minutes.

While the sauce reduces, shred the pork with 2 forks. Pour the reduced sauce over the pork and stir together.

Prepare your crusts according to your recipe/package instructions. Make the gochujang pizza sauce by stirring together the tomato paste, gochujang, and rice vinegar in a small bowl.

pizza sauce left, dipping sauce right

Preheat your oven according to your crusts’ directions. Shape your two crusts, then top each with half of the gochujang pizza sauce, then the cheese, pork, pineapple, and red onions. Bake according to your crusts’ directions.

While the pizza bakes, make the kimchi dipping sauce by blending the kimchi and mayo in a blender or food processor. Easy peasy! When the pizza comes out of the oven, drizzle some of the kimchi mayo over the top, and use the rest for dipping crusts in as you eat. Sprinkle a bit of cilantro over the top as well, then enjoy!

Gochujang Pulled Pork Pizza

Barely adapted from The Endless Meal.

Gochujang Pork:

  • 5 lb pork shoulder or butt
  • 1/3  cup gochujang
  • 1/4  cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4  cup honey
  • 1/2  cup chicken stock

Gochujang Pizza Sauce

  • 6 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 tablespoons gochujang
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Kimchi Dipping Sauce

  • 1/2 cup drained kimchi
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

To put it all together:

  • 2 pizza crusts (I used refrigerator pizza dough)
  • 1 cup chopped pineapple
  • 1 cup grated pizza mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup red onions, thinly sliced (skipped it)
  • cilantro, to serve (hate it, skip)

To make the pork, the night before you want pizza put the pork shoulder/butt in a crockpot. Combine the gochujang, soy sauce, honey, and chicken stock in a medium bowl and pour over the pork. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. Transfer the cooked pork to a large bowl and pour the liquid from the crockpot into a large pot, straining out any big lumps of fat that fell off in the liquid. Heat on high and boil until reduced to about 2 cups, 15ish minutes.

While the sauce reduces, shred the pork with 2 forks. Pour the reduced sauce over the pork and stir together.

Prepare your crusts according to your recipe/package instructions. Make the gochujang pizza sauce by stirring together the tomato paste, gochujang, and rice vinegar in a small bowl.

Preheat your oven according to your crusts’ directions. Shape your two crusts, then top each with half of the gochujang pizza sauce, then the cheese, pork, pineapple, and red onions. Bake according to your crusts’ directions.

While the pizza bakes, make the kimchi dipping sauce by blending the kimchi and mayo in a blender or food processor. Easy peasy! When the pizza comes out of the oven, drizzle some of the kimchi mayo over the top, and use the rest for dipping crusts in as you eat. Sprinkle some cilantro over the top, then enjoy!

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Butternut Squash Lasagna

Posted on March 23, 2022 by sparecake

I’m a big butternut squash fan, so this is a big hit with me. Made it for the first time visiting friends ~2 weeks ago, and now made it again at home, so you know at least I think it’s worth a quick repeat! The squash adds good flavor, and there’s some spinach in there so you can tell yourself you’re getting important vitamins or something like that amid all your cheese and pasta.

  • 2 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 small handful fresh basil (chopped)
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 cups roasted butternut squash*
  • 4 ounces frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained) (I used twice as much this time, because my package was all frozen in one lump – this was neaaarly too much/too spinach-y)
  • 1 12-ounce package lasagna noodles
  • 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

*To make roasted butternut squash, cut a squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Coat the cut side with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, then place on a pan, cut side down, and bake at 350 for ~an hour, until the squash can be easily….squashed, with a fork. Scrape out of the skin and mash with your fork.

Wanted to get the broccoli out of my fridge, ate it all standing around in the kitchen while I worked on the lasagna.

In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, parm, egg, basil, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Add the squash and spinach and mix. Refrigerate while you prepare the pasta.

Boil a large pot of salted water and cook pasta according to box instructions.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spread a thin layer of marinara on the bottom of a 9×13″ dish. Put down a first layer of lasagna noodles and top with half the ricotta mixture.

Top with some of the marinara, then repeat with another layer of noodles, ricotta, and sauce. Add a final top layer of noodles, a last layer of marinara, and then top with the mozzarella.

Bake for 25 minutes. If the cheese on top isn’t browned to your liking, broil briefly to brown up the top, then serve.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Adapted from Mashed.com‘s stuffed shells version.

 

  • 2 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 small handful fresh basil (chopped)
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 cups roasted butternut squash*
  • 4 ounces frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
  • 1 12-ounce package lasagna noodles
  • 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

*To make roasted butternut squash, cut a squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Coat the cut side with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, then place on a pan, cut side down, and bake at 350 for ~an hour, until the squash can be easily….squashed, with a fork. Scrape out of the skin and mash with your fork.

In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, parm, egg, basil, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Add the squash and spinach and mix. Refrigerate while you prepare the pasta.

Boil a large pot of salted water and cook pasta according to box instructions.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spread a thin layer of marinara on the bottom of a 9×13″ dish. Put down a first layer of lasagna noodles and top with half the ricotta mixture. Top with some of the marinara, then repeat with another layer of noodles, ricotta, and sauce. Add a final top layer of noodles, a last layer of marinara, and then top with the mozzarella.

Bake for 25 minutes. If the cheese on top isn’t browned to your liking, broil briefly to brown up the top, then serve.

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Mini M&M Cookies

Posted on March 16, 2022 by sparecake

Some thick, very M&M-filled cookies to cheer you through the will-it, won’t-it weather of early spring.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 (3.4 oz) box Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 cup Mini M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment or silpats.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar.

Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until smooth.

Add the pudding mix, baking soda, and salt, and beat again until combined.

Beat in the flour until just combined, then stir in the 1 1/2 cups M&Ms by hand.

Using a large dough scoop, scoop dough onto the lined sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

These were going into the freezer, so didn’t need spacing.

Bake 9-11 minutes until the edges just start to turn golden. If desired, add a few more M&Ms on top of each cookie when they’re straight out of the oven. Cool on the sheets 3-4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I froze scooped out the dough onto a sheet, froze them, and cooked up a few in toaster oven at a time, and ate them without any cooling involved in the process.

Mini M&M Cookies

From Cookies & Cups.

  • 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 (3.4 oz) box Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 cup Mini M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment or silpats.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Add the pudding mix, baking soda, and salt, and beat again until combined. Beat in the flour until just combined, then stir in the 1 1/2 cups M&Ms by hand.

Using a large dough scoop, scoop dough onto the lined sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake 9-11 minutes until the edges just start to turn golden. If desired, add a few more M&Ms on top of each cookie when they’re straight out of the oven. Cool on the sheets 3-4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Oatmeal Maple Bread

Posted on February 16, 2022 by sparecake

It’s been a long time since I’ve made a new(-to-me) bread from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Long enough, actually, that they’ve come out with The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day! I don’t know if this recipe was in the original, but it’s a keeper in my book! This recipe (which can be halved) makes 2 hefty loaves of a lightly sweet bread with a crisp crust and a very soft fluffy inside. Having a thick slice at breakfast keeps me full significantly longer than any of my regular breakfasts.

Ingredients:

  • 2 3/4 cups warm water (100 degrees F or below)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated yeast
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup, plus more for brushing the tops
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup wheat bran
  • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl or storage tub, combine the water, yeast, salt, syrup, and oil, stirring together.

Add the remaining ingredients, stirring until all the dry patches have been incorporated, but not kneading.

Cover loosely and let rise until the dough has risen and then begun to collapse, about 2 hours. You can either move to baking now, or refrigerate the dough (or half of it) up to a week.

When ready to bake, grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2″ bread pan. Sprinkle some flour over the surface of the dough and cut in half, taking out an approximately 2 pound/large cantaloupe-sized portion of the dough. Dust with a bit more flour, then stretch the top of the dough down to the bottom. Rotate a quarter turn and repeat the stretching, then continue to rotate and repeat until you’ve pulled down 4 times and shaped the dough into a rough ball. Gently roll the ball just a bit to shape more into an oval, then place that into the greased bread pan.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise – 45 minutes for fresh dough, 90 minutes for refrigerated dough.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a pastry brush to brush approximately 1 tablespoon additional maple syrup over the top of the risen loaf.

Bake on the center rack for 50-60 minutes, until browned and firm, and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom. At 50 minutes mine wasn’t 100% done baking, but was a solid enough loaf that I could turn it out of the pan and put the bare loaf on the oven rack, to brown up a bit more on all sides.

Remove from the pan and cool on a cooling rack, ideally at least 2 hours – warm bread releases a lot of steam when cut, which negatively impacts the texture, so letting the bread cool fully helps create a better bread.

It can do breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner!

Oatmeal Maple Bread

From The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.

  • 2 3/4 cups warm water (100 degrees F or below)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated yeast
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup, plus more for brushing the tops
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup wheat bran
  • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl or storage tub, combine the water, yeast, salt, syrup, and oil, stirring together. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring until all the dry patches have been incorporated, but not kneading. Cover loosely and let rise until the dough has risen and then begun to collapse, about 2 hours. You can either move to baking now, or refrigerate the dough (or half of it) up to a week.

When ready to bake, grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2″ bread pan. Sprinkle some flour over the surface of the dough and cut in half, taking out an approximately 2 pound/large cantaloupe-sized portion of the dough. Dust with a bit more flour, then stretch the top of the dough down to the bottom. Rotate a quarter turn and repeat the stretching, then continue to rotate and repeat until you’ve pulled down 4 times and shaped the dough into a rough ball. Gently roll the ball just a bit to shape more into an oval, then place that into the greased bread pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise – 45 minutes for fresh dough, 90 minutes for refrigerated dough.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a pastry brush to brush approximately 1 tablespoon additional maple syrup over the top of the risen loaf. Bake on the center rack for 50-60 minutes, until browned and firm, and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom.

Remove from the pan and cool on a cooling rack at least 2 hours.

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Brussels Sprout Kimchi

Posted on February 2, 2022 by sparecake

Kimchi is most often cabbage based, and what are brussels sprouts but cute mini cabbages? This way you can skip a whole lot of chopping, though, which is perfect for me!

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 cups brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, outer leaves removed, and halved (if small) or quartered (if large)
  • 1/4 cup onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 inch ginger root, peeled
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1/8-1/4 cup gochugaru, depending on your spicy level preference – if you see both coarse and fine options, you want coarse
  • chopped scallions (optional)
  • grated carrots (optional)

Make a brine by heating the salt and water until the salt dissolves into the water. Remove from the heat and set aside. Place the prepared brussels sprouts in a large nonreactive bowl and set aside.

Combine the onion, garlic, ginger, and fish sauce in a food processor. Process until smooth, then pour into the bowl with the sprouts.

In the sink, in case of (very stinky) leaks.

Add the gochugaru, and the scallions and carrots if using. Stir well to combine.

Pack tightly into a quart jar (or two pints if that’s what’s available), and pour the brine over to fill any remaining gaps in the jar.

Press down with a glass weight, and make sure again the liquid completely covers the veggies and comes to the top of the jar.

Top with a fermenting lid. The lids I have are very similar to these, but all sorts of other options exist.

A dish to catch leaks is a good idea.

Leave the jars at room temperature (between 60 and 75), out of direct sunlight, for 7-10 days.

That’s what these lids are for.

Swap the fermentation lids for regular lids, store in the fridge, and enjoy!

Brussels Sprout Kimchi

Adapted from Weck Small-Batch Preserving.

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 cups brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, outer leaves removed, and halved (if small) or quartered (if large)
  • 1/4 cup onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 inch ginger root, peeled
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1/8-1/4 cup gochugaru, depending on your spicy level preference
  • chopped scallions (optional)
  • grated carrots (optional)

Make a brine by heating the salt and water until the salt dissolves into the water. Remove from the heat and set aside. Place the prepared brussels sprouts in a large nonreactive bowl and set aside.

Combine the onion, garlic, ginger, and fish sauce in a food processor. Process until smooth, then pour into the bowl with the sprouts. Add the gochugaru, and the scallions and carrots if using. Stir well to combine. Pack tightly into a quart jar (or two pints if that’s what’s available), and pour the brine over to fill any remaining gaps in the jar. Press down with a glass weight, and top with a fermenting lid.

Leave the jars at room temperature (between 60 and 75), out of direct sunlight, for 7-10 days. Swap the fermentation lids for regular lids, store in the fridge, and enjoy!

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