Baked Chicken and Spinach Flautas

  • 5-6 boneless & skinless chicken thighs
  • 16 OZ beer
  • 2 TSP paprika
  • 2 TSP salt
  • 2 TSP garlic powder
  • 2 TSP ground cumin
  • 2 TSP chili powder
  • 3 C fresh baby spinach
  • 20 SM flour tortilla
  • 12 OZ cheese (shredded)
  • Olive oil

Oven: 425°

  1. Put the chicken in a deep sided saute pan and cover with the beer.
  2. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. Remove the chicken from the liquid and shred it.
  4. Mix together the chicken and seasonings.
  5. Pour out all but ¼ C of the cooking liquid.
  6. Add the spinach and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach is wilted. Drain thoroughly.
  7. Spoon spinach onto tortillas, then chicken, then top with cheese. Roll the tortilla up. Place seam-side down on a foil lined baking sheet.
  8. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
  9. Brush the flautas lightly with olive oil.
  10. Bake for 10 minutes, turn over and bake for another 10 minutes or until crispy.

Yields 20 flautas.

Roast Chicken – MTM

  • 5-6 LB hen
  • 2 TBS butter (cut into ¼ TBS pats and frozen)
  • Olive Oil
  • Herbs (sage, oregano, Italian blend, etc.)
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • non-stick cooking spray

Vegetable Options (choose 2 or 3):

  • 1 LB carrots (cut into batons)
  • 1 LB parsnips (peeled and cut into batons)
  • 1½ LB baby gold potatoes (quartered)
  • 2 LB fresh Brussels sprouts (halved)
  • ½ onion (cut into half-rings)

Equipment:

  • Large roasting pan
  • 2 ¼-sheet pan cooling racks (or a rack that will cover the bottom of the pan)
  1. Spray the large roasting pan and the cooling racks with cooking spray.
  2. Add the vegetables to the pan, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and herbs (save the vegetable off-cuts for stock making another time). With gloved hands mix thoroughly.
  3. Place the cooling rack(s) directly on top of the vegetables in the pan.
  4. Rinse, spatchcock and remove the wishbone from the chicken (save the spine and wishbone for stock making another time). Pat dry.
  5. Loosen the skin over the breast, thighs and drumstick using your fingers. Avoid tearing the skin. Place the chicken in the pan on the cooling rack(s).
  6. Liberally season all parts of the chicken under the skin.
  7. Insert the frozen butter pats under the skin, one for each thigh and drumstick, four for the breast.
  8. Drizle the chicken with olive oil and rub in throughly.
  9. Liberally season all parts of the chicken.
  10. Tuck the wingtips under the back of the breast.
  11. Roast using the approximate times below until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 165° and the thighs are over 170-175°.
  12. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before carving and serving.
  13. Serve with the roast vegetables.
Chicken WeightOven TemperatureTime
4.75 LB375°1 hour
6 LB375°1 hour and 15 minutes

Cold Brewed Coffee (Rumble Jar) – MTM

Ingredients:

  • 80 GR coffee (coarse ground)
  • Water

Equipment:

  1. Add coffee to the Rumble Jar filter and put on the lid.
  2. Place the filter in a 1 QT mason jar and fill with water to the very top. Seal the jar well.
  3. Rotate the jar 2-3 times and place in the fridge to brew for 24 hours.
  4. Halfway through the brew time top up the jar with water (displaced by the air in the grounds) and rotate a few more times.
  5. Once brewing is complete strain through a fine-mesh reusable drip coffee filter – if less sediment is desired you can use an actual paper filter as well but this will take longer. This should produce ~20 OZ of concentrated coffee.
  6. Rinse the mason jar and return the filtered coffee to it. Dilute by topping up to 30 OZ with cool water. Store in the fridge.
  7. Serve cold or hot (heated for 1:50 in the microwave).

Yields three 10 OZ servings.

Aeropress Coffee – MTM

Ingredients:

  • 22 GR (~2 level scoops, a double shot) coffee (fine ground)
  • Tiniest pinch of salt
  • Boiling water

Equipment:

  1. Add filter, grounds and salt to the Aeropress coffee maker.
  2. Pour in just enough freshly boiled water to wet the grounds, then wait for 15 seconds.
  3. Pour in enough water to reach just above the “3” mark.
  4. Stir for 10 seconds.
  5. Wet the rubber of the plunger, insert and gently press (the weight of two hands resting on the plunger is usually sufficient), taking ~30 seconds to complete the process.
  6. Top the brewed coffee with 7 OZ of the boiled water.

Yields ~10 OZ coffee.

Gravy – MTM

  • 42 GR all-purpose flour
  • 29 GR vegetable oil
  • 1 QT stock of your choice (chicken, beef, vegetable, etc.)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Essentially this gravy is a roux that is then flavored and thinned to the desired consistency with stock. In the absence of stock you can use water and bouillon.

  1. Combine the oil and flour in a small pot.
  2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk until it begins to take on color.
  3. Lower the heat and continue stirring until sufficiently browned (at least the color of peanut butter). The darker the color, the deeper the flavor, just take care not to burn the roux.
  4. Kill the heat and begin adding your stock, at least ½ QT to start and this first amount quickly (it will splash and sputter, so take care). Immediately turn the heat back on to low and whisk vigorously to incorporate until smooth. The gravy will be exceedingly thick.
  5. Return to a simmer and add more stock while whisking until you reach your desired consistency.
  6. Adjust seasoning as needed.

Chicken Stock (Bulk) – MTM

Chicken stock is the best way to make use of cast-off chicken carcasses and vegetable off-cuts from cooking. Gather and keep onion, carrot, parsnip and celery off-cuts as well as chicken bones, organs and carcasses (less so fat and skin) in GAL zip-top bags in the freezer until ready to make stock. You can supplement this with inexpensive chicken frames, necks and feet from the store (chicken feet especially add quite a bit of collagen to the stock, giving it a nice texture).

~16 ¾-Full QT Containers

  • 24+ QT pot
  • 4 GAL bags vegetable off-cuts and chicken carcasses
  • Chicken frames, necks and feet from the store (optional)
  • Basil leaves
  • Black peppercorns
  • ?? GAL water (Top with water to 20 QT mark in pot)

~27 ¾-Full QT Containers

  • 36 + QT pot
  • 6-7 GAL bags vegetable off-cuts and chicken carcasses
  • Chicken frames, necks and feet from the store (optional)
  • Basil leaves
  • Black peppercorns
  • 6 GAL water

~32 ¾-Full QT Containers

  • 50+ QT pot
  • 8-9 GAL bags vegetable off-cuts and chicken carcasses
  • Chicken frames, necks and feet from the store (optional)
  • Basil leaves
  • Black peppercorns
  • ?8? GAL water (Top with water to 10-11 GAL mark in pot)
  1. Combine all ingredients in the pot (if frozen, at least partially defrost the store-bought chicken as it will stick to the packaging).
  2. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 3-4 hours, stirring occassionally.
  3. Kill the heat and allow to steep for 1 hour.
  4. Strain and divide into QT containers, only filling ¾-full if freezing for later use.
  5. Allow to cool to room temperature, refrigerate overnight, then freeze.

Eggs – Hard Cooked, Soft Cooked, Poached – MTM

Hard Cooked Eggs

Steam, do not boil. Steaming is more consistent and the temperature does not fluctuate as when cold eggs are introduced to boiling water.

  1. Add ½” water to a pot with a tight-fitting lid that is large enough to accommodate a steamer basket.
  2. Put a steamer basket in the pot, cover and bring to a boil.
  3. Add eggs straight from the fridge to the steamer basket, cover and steam for 11 minutes for a creamy yolk, longer for a more solid yolk.
  4. Remove eggs to an ice bath and cool for at least 20 minutes.
  5. For easy peeling, place the eggs one at a time in a pint mason jar with almost enough water to cover the egg and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Finish peeling under a thin stream of water from the tap.

Soft Cooked Eggs

Steam, do not boil. Steaming is more consistent and the temperature does not fluctuate as when cold eggs are introduced to boiling water.

  1. Add ½” water to a pot with a tight-fitting lid that is large enough to accommodate a steamer basket.
  2. Put a steamer basket in the pot, cover and bring to a boil.
  3. Add eggs straight from the fridge to the steamer basket, cover and steam for 5½ minutes for a loose dippy yolk (for “eggs and soldiers”).
  4. Immediately remove eggs to a bowl and run under cold tap water for 30 seconds.
  5. Dry and serve while still warm.

Poached Eggs (Using Poaching Cups)

  1. Crack open and add eggs to poaching cups and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Add ½” water to a pot with a tight-fitting lid that is large enough to accommodate poaching cups.
  3. Cover and bring to a boil.
  4. Add poaching cups to the pot and steam for 4½ minutes for a loose dippy yolk.
  5. Immediately remove poaching cups from the pot and serve the eggs while hot.

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Salisbury Steak:

  • ½ onion (grated fine)
  • ½ C panko breadcrumbs or ⅓ C ordinary breadcrumbs
  • 1 LB ground beef
  • 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 egg
  • 2 TBS ketchup
  • 1 beef bouillon cube (crumbled)
  • ½ TSP Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 TSP dijon mustard or 2 TSP dry mustard powder

Gravy:

  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • ½ onion (finely chopped)
  • 5 OZ mushrooms (sliced)
  • 2 TBS butter
  • 3 TBS flour
  • 2 C beef broth / stock
  • ½ C water
  • 2 TSP dijon mustard
  • 2 TSP Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt and pepper

Salisbury Steaks:

  1. Place breadcrumbs in a bowl. Use a box grater and grate the onion over the breadcrumbs. Mix with fingers, leave to soak for a few minutes.
  2. Add remaining Salisbury Steak ingredients into the large bowl. Use your hands to mix until just combined. Mix well for a couple of minutes until the mixture becomes a bit “pasty” which will ensure your patties hold together well.
  3. Divide into 5 and pat very firmly into oval patties around 3/4″thick.

Cooking and Gravy:

  1. Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the steaks and cook the first side for 1 minute or until browned, then gently flip and brown the other side (they will still be raw inside). Remove onto plate.
  2. If skillet is looking dry, add a touch more oil. Add chopped onion and garlic and cook for 2 minute until onions are a bit translucent.
  3. Add the mushrooms into the skillet and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until golden.
  4. Turn heat down to medium. Add butter. Once melted, add flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
  5. Gradually add in beef broth, stirring as you go. Once mostly lump free, whisk in remaining Gravy ingredients.
  6. Add steaks along with the juices on the plate. Cook for 5 – 7 minutes, or until gravy is thickened, stirring occasionally around the steaks. If the gravy thickens too quickly, add more water.
  7. Remove steaks onto a plate. Taste gravy and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Serve salisbury steaks topped with the mushroom gravy. Sprinkle with a bit of parsley if desired.

Yields 5 servings.

Calories:286cal | Carbohydrates:15g | Protein:25g | Fat:13g | Saturated Fat:5g | Cholesterol:101mg | Sodium:651mg | Potassium:678mg | Fiber:1g | Sugar:4g | Vitamin A:225IU | Vitamin C:3.2mg | Calcium:42mg | Iron:3.4mg (19%)

https://www.recipetineats.com/salisbury-steak-with-mushroom-gravy/

Pasta alla Papalina (Creamy Ham and Peas Pasta)

  • 300 GR (10½ OZ) fettucine or tagliatelle
  • 30 GR (1 OZ) butter
  • 1 MED onion (diced)
  • 300 GR (10½ OZ) prosciutto cotto or cooked ham (diced into ½” pieces)
  • 150 GR (5 OZ) peas, fresh or frozen
  • 250 ml (8 fl OZ) heavy cream
  • 3 MED eggs
  • 100 GR (3½ OZ) Parmesan cheese (grated)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously, and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Reserve 250 ml (1 cup) pasta water before draining.
  2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan and fry the onion for 1-2 minutes until it softens. Add the ham and cook for 3-4 minutes until it changes colour a bit.
  3. Next, add the peas to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until tender (might take longer if using fresh peas). In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and grated Parmesan.
  4. Pour the cream over the ham and peas mixture and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in a bit of pasta water, then transfer the drained pasta to the pan. Toss it well to cover in sauce and turn off the heat.
  5. Pour the egg and parmesan mixture over the pasta and toss immediately and thoroughly. Season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately, with extra grated Parmesan on top if you want.

Yields 8 servings.

Calories: 378 | Total Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Unsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 1099mg | Carbohydrates: 16g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Protein: 24g

https://skinnyspatula.com/pasta-alla-papalina-ham-peas-pasta/