Serves: 4-6 | Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 70 mins

1. Drizzle small amount of olive oil in pan and heat to medium high, just below smoke point, and add ground chuck. Sprinkle with kosher salt and allow to brown on one side, getting some crispy bits, ~5 minutes. Flip and repeat. Mix together, splitting large clumps, continue to cook if there are any remaining pink bits.
2. Remove beef from pan with a slotted utensil and set aside. Leave fat and any bits that remain.
3. Heat rest of olive oil on medium heat and add garlic. Cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds.
4. Add onion, sprinkle with kosher salt and raise heat to medium-high.
5. When the onion is about halfway done (liquid is released but not evaporated), add oregano, basil, thyme, and sage. Add a small handful of the diced mushrooms.
6. When liquid is mostly gone, and onion is starting to brown and leave fond in the pan, de-glaze the pan with wine. Scrape up all the fond. Cook for 1-2 minutes to cook off alcohol.
7. Reduce heat to medium. Add tomato sauce and heavy cream. Let cook for ~5 minutes to let flavors come together. Adjust heat as needed to maintain simmer.
8. Turn off heat, add handful of beef, and add mixture to a high speed blender. Blend for ~1 minute or until smooth. This may need to be done in batches.
9. Wipe out pan, set on medium heat, add butter. When melted, add remaining mushrooms and sprinkle with kosher salt.
10. Cook spaghetti according to its instructions.
11. When mushrooms have cooked off their moisture, return sauce and beef to the pan and combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer while spaghetti finishes.
12. Add 1/4 cup of pasta water to sauce before draining.
13. Immediately before serving add basil, black pepper, and table salt to taste.
14. Plate pasta, top with sauce and then parmesan cheese.

Source

An Alex original!

Serves: 8 | Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 45 mins

1. In a large heavy bottomed pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until cooked and the fat is foamy, about 4-5 minutes.
2. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
3. Add garlic. Stir to prevent burning. Cook until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
4. Add onion, celery, and half of the carrots to pan and coat with the bacon fat.
5. Add curry powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and kosher salt. Mix to combine.
6. Boil other half of carrots in a separate small pot until soft. Drain and set aside.
7. Allow main pot to cook until onions are translucent and carrots and celery are beginning to soften, 4-5 minutes.
8. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant and a darker shade of red, about 1-2 minutes.
9. Add broths, water, milk, liquid smoke, Worchestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, the cream-style beans, and half of the bacon. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook, partially covered, for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
10. After about 10 minutes of cooking, skim as much as you can off the soup into a heat-resistant mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in flour until the fatty soup becomes thick like pudding but not quite a paste. More or less flour may be needed depending on amount of fat. Add back to the soup pot.
11. Remove the bay leaves.
12. Puree the soup using either a hand-held immersion blender or a traditional blender.
13. Add the remaining carrot, half the remaining bacon, and the great northern beans. Cook for another 5-10 minutes to let it all come together.
14. Add salt and pepper to taste, garnish with remaining bacon.

Notes

• Preferred ingredient brands: Wright hickory smoked bacon, broths made from Better than Bouillon
• If you can't find the Blue Runner cream style beans just get another 2 cans of great northern beans and mash them up and use that instead.
• You can use just chicken broth, but flavor will likely be less interesting. Maybe add more cayenne or other hot stuff to make up for the lack of the chipotle broth.
• If you want to just skim the fat and not add back with flour to lower calories, it will definitely work, but reduce flavor. In that case, after disposing of the fat, take out a ladle full of soup and whisk the flour into that and add back to pot.
• When I used to make this from the canned condensed soup, I would garnish with lime juice as well, but it was so good without it, I didn't want to mess with it. Might be worth trying though.

Source

Found the below recipe to try it from scratch and altered it based on experience. The result is absolutely incredible, please try it.

https://www.rachelcooks.com/bean-and-bacon-soup/

Serves: 2 | Prep Time: 60 mins | Wait Time: 70 mins | Cook Time: 45 mins

1. Process flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, about 5 seconds.
2. Scatter shortening over top and process until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 10 seconds.
3. Scatter butter over top and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses.
4. Transfer mixture to a bowl and sprinkle 3 tablespoons of ice water over the mixture.
5. Using rubber spatula, stir and press dough until it sticks together. Add water if dough does not come together, 1 tablespoon at a time.
6. Form dough into 3" disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for minimum of 1 hour or maximum of 2 days.
7. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. Let chilled dough rest on counter to soften, about 10 minutes.
9. Roll out dough on parchment paper to 12" round, about 1/4" thick
10. Using a 12 oz oven-safe ramekin as a guide, cut out 2 rounds of dough about 1/2" larger than the diameter of the ramekin.
11. Fold under and crimp outer 1/2" of dough round then cut 3 vents in center of each crust. Slide parchment paper with crusts onto rimmed baking sheet.
12. Bake until crusts just begin to brown and no longer look raw, 10-12 minutes. Set aside.
13. While crusts are in the oven, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, celery, 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook until browned, 8-10 minutes.
14. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute.
15. Stir in flour, cook for 1 minute.
16. Slowly whisk in broth, cream, and soy sauce, scraping up fond from bottom of the pan.
17. Place chicken in sauce, bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook until chicken reaches internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, 10-15 minutes.
18. Transfer chicken to a plate, let cool for 1-2 minutes and bring sauce back to medium heat to simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Shred chicken using 2 forks while waiting for sauce.
19. Return chicken to the pan and add peas, parsley, and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste.
20. Divide filling between ramekins and placed crusts on top of filling. Place pot pies on baking sheet and bake until crusts are deep golden brown and filling is bubbling along edges, 10-15 minutes.
21. Allow pot pies cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Source

The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook by America's Test Kitchen, pg. 122

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 40 mins

1. In a Dutch oven or large sauté pan on the stove, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring often, until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside to a paper-lined plate/bowl.
2. Add the mushrooms to the pan with the bacon fat and return to medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until browned, about 8 minutes.
3. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme to the pan and sauté for 5-6 minutes.
4. Add the puréed tomatoes, white wine, salt, and pepper.
5. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cook 10-15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook until al dente.
7. Reserving about one cup of the pasta-cooking water, drain pasta.
8. Add the cream to the pasta sauce along with the peas, drained pasta, and cooked bacon.
9. Bring to a simmer, adding reserved pasta-cooking water as needed to thin the sauce, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
10. Serve, garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Source

The BEST Creamy Mushroom Sauce - Italian Pasta alla Boscaiola

Pasta alla boscaiola, aka “Woodman’s Pasta”, is a classic Tuscan Italian sauce made with smoky bacon, earthy mushrooms, tomatoes and cream, creating the ultimate Italian comfort food!

WhitneyBond.comWhitney Bond

Serves: 4-6 | Prep Time: 25 mins | Cook Time: 60 mins

1. Combine jalapeños, lime juice, pinch of sugar, and pinch of salt. Let sit at room temperature while you make the soup.
2. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
3. Add onion, celery and a large pinch of salt, and sauté until lightly golden and soft, about 10 minutes.
4. Add garlic and chili powder and sauté until fragrant, 1 minute.
5. Add potatoes, broth, and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are very tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup, adding some water as needed to thin it out.
7. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add cheese and half-and-half, and cook at a very gentle simmer, stirring, until the cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
9. Top each bowl with pickled jalapeños, plus a drizzle of their pickling liquid and a pinch of chili powder, and more Cheddar.

Source

Potato-Cheddar Soup With Quick-Pickled Jalapeños Recipe

If cheesy mashed potatoes became a cozy soup, it would be this It’s rich but not excessive, hearty but not heavy, and spiked with a little chili powder and some garlic to liven it up The homemade pickled jalapeños give this a bright tang that perks up every creamy bite

NYT CookingMelissa Clark

Serves: 2 | Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 40 mins

1. Combine all dry rub ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Cut rack of ribs in half in order to fit into instant pot, if necessary. Pat dry.
3. Apply dry rub to ribs liberally on both sides until mixture no longer is able to be worked into the meat. You may have some dry rub left over, but not a lot.
4. Place the trivet into the instant pot and pour in the water, apple cider vinegar, and liquid smoke. Place the ribs on the trivet upright against the walls.
5. Cover and seal the instant pot. Cook on manual, high pressure for 25 minutes for baby back ribs, 30 minutes for spare ribs.
6. Add bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, boiled apple cider, garlic, and cayenne pepper to a saucepan and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce glaze to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Mix cornstarch and water for the glaze in a small bowl then add to glaze. Cook 1-2 minutes or until thickened.
9. Preheat oven to broil with a rack in the upper third when the instant pot timer is close to done.
10. Allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes for baby back ribs and 10 minutes for spare ribs.
11. Brush glaze onto the ribs and place under broiler for 2 minutes to caramelize.
12. Serve and enjoy!

Source

Dry Rub

Meathead’s World Famous Memphis Dust Rub Recipe

This popular Memphis dust bbq dry rub recipe is the only seasoning blend you’ll ever need for pork, chicken, fish, beef, and veggies. The rub is based on Memphis style BBQ, where ribs are served “dry,” letting the seasoning and smoked shine by skipping the sauce.

Meathead's AmazingRibs.comMeathead

Glaze

Baked Pork Chops with Bourbon Glaze (30 min recipe) - The Chunky Chef

Thick and juicy pork chops, seared and baked, then brushed with the most amazing bourbon glaze! All made in 30 minutes or less!

The Chunky ChefThe Chunky Chef

Serves: 6 | Lead Time: 2 Days | Prep Time: 45 mins | Cook Time: 120+ mins

1. Combine Pinot Noir, thyme, and bay leaf in a large mixing bowl with chicken and onions for 12-24 hours prior to cooking.
2. Separate chicken and onions from the marinade and pat dry.
3. Strain wine into a saucepan and reserve herbs. Simmer on medium heat, skimming off impurities that rise to the surface until reduced by half. Set aside.
4. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat large oven proof pot such as a dutch oven on stove with 3 tbsp of vegetable oil on medium-high heat.
5. Add chicken thighs skin side down and cook 2-3 minutes or until browned. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Set aside to a large tray.
6. Add chicken drumsticks to pan and cook 2 minutes or until browned. Repeat for 3 or 4 sides, depending on shape. Set aside to the large tray.
7. Cook pork belly pieces for 3-4 minutes, tossing to sear all sides. Set aside to the large tray.
8. Cook mushrooms for 5 minutes or until golden. Set aside to a bowl.
9. Sauté onions for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
11. Add butter until melted. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until aromatic and just starting to brown.
12. Turn down heat to low. Add tomato paste and combine.
13. Add flour slowly, stirring vigorously.
14. Slowly pour in beef stock while continuing to stir to combine smoothly.
15. Slowly pour in reduced wine while continuing to stir to combine smoothly.
16. Add everything previously set aside and combine.
17. Increase heat to bring to a simmer, then cover and set in preheated oven. Cook for 45 minutes.
18. Remove from oven, add salt and pepper as needed.
19. If time permits, refrigerate overnight. Reheat on low heat, covered. Add water, if needed if sauce is too thick.
20. Prepare noodles according to instructions on container.
21. Serve over noodles and garnish with parsley.

Source

Coq au Vin

A traditional Coq au Vin recipe, with very tender chicken in a rich red wine sauce. Incredibly easy to make, and it’s even better the next day!

RecipeTin EatsNagi

Serves: 3-4 | Prep Time: 25 mins | Cook Time: 25 mins

1. Sauce can be prepared and stored in advance and makes several of these stir fries, about 5-6. Combine all sauce ingredients with a whisk and store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator.
2. Cook rice according to your preferred method.
3. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or high sided pan on stove on high heat
4. Once oil is hot enough to spatter droplets of water, add chicken without stacking as much as possible. Cook for 2 minutes to caramelize.
5. Flip chicken and cook for another 2 minutes. Toss a few times to ensure it is mostly or entirely cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
6. Add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil into pan, let it get hot and add garlic. Cook for ~30 seconds or until aromatic and just barely starting to brown.
7. Add bell peppers, onion, and chili peppers. Combine all ingredients in the pan well. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until onions are translucent and peppers are starting to soften and brightly colored. Stir/toss frequently.
8. While vegetables are cooking combine 4 tbsp of sauce with 8 tbsp of water in a saucepan. Cook on stove on medium heat, stirring every couple minutes until it thickens and is dark brown. If sauce is ready before being added to the stir fry, turn to very low heat and continue to stir occasionally.
9. Add mushrooms to the vegetables and cook for 2-3 minutes. Continue to stir frequently.
10. Add chicken and sauce. Combine well. Cook for another 1-2 minutes and let flavors come together.
11. Remove stir fry from heat and let rest for a few minutes.
12. Serve over prepared white rice, garnish with sesame seeds and sriracha sauce.

Source

Sauce

Real Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce (Charlie!)

An authentic, all purpose Chinese Stir Fry Sauce I use in 90% of my regular stir fries. Made in a couple of minutes, store it in the fridge for weeks.

RecipeTin EatsNagi

Serves: 2 | Prep Time: 25 mins | Cook Time: 20 mins

1. Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces
2. Whisk egg and milk together. Place chicken in wash and put in fridge for 15-20 minutes.
3. Bring peanut oil in large dutch oven on stove to ~370F
4. Whisk all breading ingredients together.
5. In batches, without crowding the dutch oven, dredge chicken in breading and let dry for 1-2 minutes, and fry in oil 2 minutes per side or until slightly darker than golden brown.
6. Set on plate and serve! Don't drain on paper towels, which will make the nuggets soggy.

Source

Chick-fil-A Nuggets (Copycat)

Chick-fil-A Nuggets made with chicken breast meat and no pickle juice are an spot on copycat of the original nuggets without the hefty price tag!

Dinner, then DessertSabrina Snyder

Serves: 3-4 | Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 25 mins

1. Heat beef broth and red cooking wine until reduced by half. Set reduction aside.
2. While the liquids reduce, in a sided pan, brown the ground beef with about 3/4 of the paprika, about 5 minutes. Set the beef aside, leaving the hot grease in the pan.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to box instructions. Drain and set aside.
4. Add the garlic to the greasy pan and cook ~30 seconds or until aromatic and just starting to brown.
5. Add the onion and remaining paprika to the greasy pan and cook until starting to soften and become translucent, about 5 minutes.
6. If the pan is dry, add 1-2 tbsp of butter or other fat/oil.
7. Add the thyme, sage, salt, and mushrooms. Cook until onions are completely soft and mushrooms are browned, and liquid is mostly cooked off, about 5-10 minutes.
8. Add beef back into the pan. Slowly add and stir flour into mixture.
9. Add broth/wine reduction, stir to combine. Allow to simmer 1-2 minutes to remove raw flour taste.
10. Add soup and sour cream. Stir to consistent texture. Add more sour cream (or heavy cream, milk, whatever) if sauce is too thick. Simmer for another 3-5 minutes to allow flavors to combine.
11. Combine sauce and pasta. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Source

An original Alex recipe! Concept based on memory from childhood. Thanks Mom and Dad for making this!

Notes

• This recipe has the specific Paprika mixture I use, but feel free to adjust ratios or use what you have if you only have 1 or 2. It just might not be as good ;)

Serves: 2-3 | Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 15 mins

1. Bring a large pot of salt water to boil and add pasta. Cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Whisk together garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and sage.
3. Melt butter in a pan at medium-high heat
4. Add garlic. Cook for ~30 seconds or until aromatic and just starting to brown.
5. Add kosher salt and mushrooms. Cook for another 1-2 minutes or until mushrooms are brown and soaked with butter and salt. Yummmmm.
6. Add heavy cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and spice/herb mixture. Stir to combine. Turn heat down to medium-low and let simmer while the pasta finishes.
7. When the pasta is nearly done, add peas to the pan.
8. Add 1/4 cup of water from the pasta pot into the sauce.
9. Turn heat back up to medium-high and simmer for 2-4 minutes to reduce slightly and let flavors come together.
10. Turn off heat and fold in the cheese.
11. Add basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Recommend excessive amounts of pepper to balance the acidity from the lemon.
12. Combine sauce and pasta. Let rest and stir occasionally to allow sauce to thicken on the pasta.
13. Serve with optional parsley garnish and non-optional Parmesan cheese garnish.

Source

Lemon Garlic Chicken Asparagus Pasta

Lemon Garlic Chicken Asparagus Pasta makes an easy & delicious weeknight meal. Best of all, full of spring flavors and comes together in under 30 minutes!

The Recipe Critic

Serves: 3-4 | Prep Time: 25 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins

1. Boil carrots until soft.
2. While carrots are boiling, finish prep of other ingredients.
3. Combine cinnamon, brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg, coriander, and cardamom. Lightly dust both sides of all chicken pieces, leaving at least 1/4 of the spice blend.
4. Start cooking rice, with preferred method.
5. Melt butter over medium-high heat and add chicken when hot. Cook on both sides for ~3-5 minutes each, or until brown and caramelized and raw color is gone.
6. When carrots are soft, add corn to the boiling pot for 30 seconds to get warm and drain.
7. Remove chicken from the pan with slotted utensil and set aside.
8. If pan is dry, add another tbsp of butter. Add garlic, cook for ~30 seconds or until aromatic and just starting to brown.
9. Add shallots and kosher salt to garlic butter to coat. Cook until shallot is soft and paste-like, about 5 minutes.
10. Turn heat to low and slowly stir in flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes to remove raw flour taste.
11. Slowly stir in chicken stock and turn heat to medium high. Scrape up any fond that has built up in the pan.
12. Add heavy cream, sage, thyme, remaining spice blend and set-aside chicken. Stir until combined and consistent.
13. Simmer for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to reduce slightly and let flavors come together. Any inconsistent color in the sauce should blend.
14. Salt and pepper to taste, serve over rice. Garnish with parsley if you like.

Notes

• I'm aware the picture has peas instead of carrots. I didn't have carrots the time I happened to take a picture, but I prefer them over the peas. Of the carrots, peas, and corn, pick 2. All 3 is too much.

Source

This is an Alex original!

Notes

To enhance flavor, coat chicken with your favorite dry rub before cooking

Serves: 3-4 | Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins

1. In a skillet over medium heat, add 2/3 cup chicken broth and wine, reduce by half. Combine with remaining broth off heat.
2. Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces.
3. In a large pot over medium high heat add half the butter and cook the chicken until golden brown and no longer pink.
4. Add the remaining butter and cook the garlic for ~30 seconds or until aromatic.
5. Add the mushrooms, thyme, sage, and rosemary and cook until tender.
6. Add the artichokes and flour and cook for another minute.
7. Slowly add the broth/wine reduction, half and half, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion power and whisk until incorporated.
8. Add the penne and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
9. Remove from the heat, add Parmesan cheese and spinach and stir until the spinach starts to wilt.
10. Wait 2-3 minutes to allow some thickening and serve with extra Parmesan cheese to garnish as desired.

Source

One Pot Creamy Spinach Mushroom Artichoke Chicken

One Pan Creamy Spinach Mushroom Artichoke Chicken requires only one pot and 30 minutes to bring you an incredible creamy and delicious meal!

The Recipe Critic