Small Berry Cobbler

Last week was my birthday (hooray aging!) and Mom made me a boysenberry cobbler to celebrate. I went out to Sauvie Island and picked a lot of berries, so we found a nice big recipe online for the cobbler topping and went to work. Unfortunately I don't remember where we found it, but it was a decent recipe, thick and fluffy like biscuits. At least I'm pretty sure that's how it would have turned out if the baking hadn't been interrupted by a major boil-over of berry juice that caused Mom to declare it finished. It was close, but the bottom of the topping was still gooey and underdone. Yes, I ate it anyway.

The next day, as I was packing up to go home, Mom packed the cobbler up too and put it in my car, deciding that it was probably cooked enough that popping it back into the oven wouldn't be such a big deal. In all likelihood she was right, about the re-baking anyway. What was a big deal was the drive over a curvy mountain pass to get home. I pulled the pan out of its (thankfully) sealed cold bag and got down to the business of cleaning spilled berry juice off of the outside while the oven heated up. I was a little worried about the amount of juice on top of the cobbler topping, but it's not like I could do anything about it.

Twenty minutes later and my fears were realized. The top of the cobbler was blackened and crisp, while the under-side remained doughy and definitely not done. Crap spackle. It looks like my boysenberry efforts were all for naught because this cobbler has now stunk up two kitchens and still refuses to cook all the way through. My taste buds feel betrayed. Twice they were promised delicious cobbler, and twice they've been thwarted, and unless there's some sort of secret supernatural diet force at work (wouldn't that be cool!) they shall not be denied.

Friday morning finds me at the grocery store, picking up berries and dairy to make my own cobbler, but after the two-day-disaster of the soft and fluffy dough I'm more in the mood for something heartier than a biscuit, something scone-ish, and when it comes right down to it I'm only one person and I really should not be baking a 9" pie plate full of sugary goodness. So I took my berries home, dug out my 1.75 quart casserole, and began to put together a small, scone-inspired, cobbler. It was pretty tasty, and perfect for four dessert-sized servings.

Filling:
3 cups fresh berries (I used 2 cups of raspberries and 1 cup of blueberries, but pretty much any berry will work)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Topping:
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4-1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar to sprinkle on top

Preheat the oven to 400°. Mix the filling together and pour it into an 8.5" x 6.5" casserole dish. Mix the dry ingredients for the topping in a small mixing bowl, then add the lemon zest and stir. Cut the butter into small pieces and then cut it into the dry ingredients. Add 1/4 cup of the milk and then check your dough. It will probably be a bit dry, so add a touch more milk. You want the dough to just come together, so don't go crazy and dump all the milk in.

When it holds together, pat the dough into 1/2" thick pieces and lay them on top of the berry mixture. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar on top and bake for 35 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

"Baked" Beans

4 cups dry navy beans
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 pounds bacon, browned and cut into small pieces
2 onions, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon baking cocoa
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Magic Dust

Soak beans in cool water for around two hours. Add the liquid smoke and a teaspoon of salt and simmer until the beans are firm, but not crunchy, approximately 1 hour. Drain and reserve the liquid. Brown the onion and garlic over medium heat. In a small saucepan combine ketchup, molasses, salt, pepper, mustard, baking cocoa, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar; bring to a slow boil.

Put everything, except the reserved bean water, into a crock pot, add the Magic Dust and stir. Add just enough of the reserved bean water to cover the beans. Put the lid on and set the crock pot to 350° (medium/high) and leave it alone for a couple hours. Check on it periodically and if they look dry add more of the reserved water.

Sharp and Spicy Mac and Cheese

Serves 12 (can easily be cut in half)

6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
5 1/2 cups milk
5 cups sharp white cheddar, grated
1/2 cup pepper jack, grated
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni

Baked method:
a bit of butter for the pan
AND
1/2 cup Panko breading
OR
2 tablespoons butter, melted
6 slices of white bread, cubed (you may want to cut crusts off as well)
- melt the butter in a large bowl then stir in the cubed bread.

If you're going to bake it, then preheat your oven to 375° and butter a 3 quart casserole dish. Put a large pan of salted water on to boil for the pasta. Pour the milk into a large sauce pan and put it over medium/low heat, it should be slowly heating up while you're dealing with the roux. If you're new to heating milk you will probably be tempted to turn up the heat, but you should resist. Milk will burn fairly easily and then you're out a quart and a half of milk because there's no coming back from that. Once you burn the milk the flavor will take over everything else.

Melt the 6 tablespoons of butter in another large sauce pan over medium heat. Pay close attention when the butter starts to bubble and keep your whisk and the flour handy because the next step will seem to take forever to get started, but once it does your window of opportunity for flavor perfection closes fast! Again, resist the temptation to turn up the heat. Butter is super-fragile and if your pan is too hot it will skip right past the delicious nutty flavor of brown and go directly (and quickly) to the bitterness of black. The butter will go from melted to bubbling, then it will bubble for a bit (this is the part that takes forever) before it starts to foam. The foam will rise and fall fairly quickly, and you want to be extra vigilant about burning during this step. When the foam falls you should have a nice, rich, brown liquid and that's when you should remove it from the heat and whisk in your flour.

Once your flour is completely integrated with the butter return the pan to the burner and start whisking in the warm milk, a cup or so at a time. Add a bit of milk, whisk until smooth, repeat until all of the milk is added. Bring the sauce up to just under a boil, stirring constantly, then start adding cheese. Again, a cup or so at a time; add cheese, whisk until smooth, repeat until all the cheese is added then turn the heat to low.

Now is a good time to put the pasta into the boiling water. If you're going to bake your mac and cheese then you don't want to cook it all the way through, just until the outside is done but it's still crunchy in the middle.

While your pasta is cooking you can perfect the spicing in your cheese sauce. Begin by adding the nutmeg and the salt, then stir in the pepper and cayenne. Give it a taste and adjust as you see fit. When you have the flavor the way you like it turn the heat off and wait for your pasta to finish. Once your noodles are done to perfection drain them and add them to the cheese sauce. If you're not going to bake it then you're ready to serve, or you can put it in a crock pot and take it to a party.

If you are going to bake it then pour everything into the casserole dish and top with either the Panko or the bread and butter mixture and slide it into the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, until topping is brown and cheese is bubbly, then let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

Russian Tea Cakes

I have several versions of this recipe in my possession that were passed down from grandmothers on both sides of my family and they're all pretty much the same, except for the names. Great Grandma called them Russian Tea Cakes, Grandma Mil dubbed them Mexican Wedding Cakes and somewhere in Grandma Mil's notes, in handwriting I don't recognize, the recipe is tagged Shortbread Sugar Pops. Recently I made them for a Gay Pride bbq, colored the sugar to match the pride flag and called them Prop 8 Cakes. Whatever you call them, they're addictive and delicious.

dough:
1 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped fine

coating:
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Mix dough ingredients together, cover tightly and refrigerate for at least one hour. If you're in a hurry you can skip the refrigeration, but it does make it oh so much easier to handle the dough once it's been chilled.

Preheat oven to 400°. Form dough into 1" balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. These cookies don't spread so you can feel free to place them close together. Bake 10-12 minutes, until firm and lightly browned. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before coating.

Put 1/2 cup of powdered sugar into a plastic bag and add warm (but not hot) cookies. Shake to coat.

To make colored sugar:

When I decided to do the rainbow colors I Googled "how to color powdered sugar" and came up with a couple different methods. They both sucked, but one significantly less than the other. The truly sucky method was the baggie method. The instructions I found were to put your sugar in a plastic bag and drip a couple drops of food coloring down the side then shake the bag to mix. This was completely ineffective. I wound up with a dime-sized ball of color in the corner of the bag and a dog who thought it was dance party time in the kitchen. No good at all.

So once I calmed the dog down I went with method number two; the food processor method. Again the instructions were very simple, just put the sugar and color in the food processor with the chopping blade and whir it up until the sugar is the color you want. Easy peasy, right? Wrong. Turns out it takes quite a bit more than the "drop or two" of color that I was instructed to use. Realistically, more like a full teaspoon to color 1/2 a cup of sugar. And it made a HUGE mess in the food processor. Only a bit of the sugar accepted the color, and then it gooped up on the edges of the bowl. I did find that if you leave the processor running for a bit then the caked on color begins to flake off the sides and reincorporates with the rest of the sugar, lending a bit of color to the whole batch. The real problem with this method is that between colors everything must be cleaned and absolutely dry before starting the next.

What I really learned from this experience is if I want colored cookies the better way is probably to make a glaze and dip them, rather than try to color the sugar itself. To do a glaze just put your sugar in a bowl with the color and just enough milk (just a teaspoon or two) to mix it into a liquid. Then either dip your cookies or put them on a rack and pour the glaze over them.

Salsa Fresca

One of the things I love most about summer is the veggies at their peak. Sure, if you live in the U.S. you have access to cherry tomatoes all year long, but they're only really good during the warm months. Speaking of cherry tomatoes, you might have noticed that I use them fairly regularly and you may be wondering why. (Even if you weren't wondering I'm going to tell you.) The reason I use them instead of regular tomatoes is simply because they have the most flavor. If you'd like you can pretty much swap out one tomato for another in most any recipe, but the smaller varieties are where the flavor's at.

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (if you like a bit more heat in your salsa then leave some seeds in)
juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt

Toss ingredients together in a bowl and let sit for at least 10 minutes. Serve with chips or tacos or breakfast burritos or...

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

Cucumber Salad

It's summertime! And nothing says summer like fresh, cool cucumber salad. When I was a kid Mom made this with just onion and cucumbers and it was delicious, but now that I love LOVE tomatoes so much I find that I put them in more and more things.

1 1/2 cups rice vinegar
2 cups water
2 cups sugar (you can cut this some, but no more than 1/4 cup)
2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1 purple onion, thinly sliced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

Combine vinegar, water and sugar in a small sauce pan and slowly bring to a boil. When the sugar is dissolved boil for one minute then pour it over your sliced veggies. Chill it for at least an hour before serving, and four is better. This keeps fresh and delicious in the fridge for up to a week and makes a tasty handy snack on a hot afternoon.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

Rich and Savory Pizza Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups halved or quartered cherry tomatoes
1 cup white wine
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup vodka
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
salt
pepper

Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat then add the garlic. Let the garlic fry just a bit before adding the tomatoes and the wine. Reduce the heat to medium and slowly simmer the tomato mixture until the tomatoes begin to separate from their skins. Add the vinegar and simmer until you have about half a cup of liquid, then add the vodka.

Simmer slowly until you're back down to a bit more than 1/4 cup liquid before adding the basil. Give it a couple more minutes over the heat, until it's at a consistency you like. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking and then let it cool just a bit before spreading it on your crust. Choose your toppings wisely, the wrong toppings will easily be overpowered by this rich sauce.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

Shredded Chicken

Shredded chicken is so good for so many things. You can use it in a sloppy-joe style sandwich, or on a pizza, but the best way to use it is in pretty much any Mexican or Tex/Mex food that needs meat. Tacos, burritos and enchiladas are all better with some tasty shredded chicken.

3 poached chicken breasts, preferably still warm
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
2 sun dried tomatoes, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 chili pepper, seeded and diced (you can leave the seeds in if you'd like it extra spicy)
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
salt
pepper
water

Put the chicken breasts in a high-sided skillet over medium-high heat and add the broth and the wine, and enough water to cover the chicken. Bring it to a low boil and turn down the heat. Add the tomatoes, garlic, onion, chili powder and cumin and keep it at a very low boil.

The secret to getting tender and juicy chicken is keeping it at that very low boil for as long as it takes for the chicken to naturally break apart, while keeping it moist enough that it doesn't dry out. So, take a pair of tongs and periodically turn your chicken around in the pan until it starts to fall apart. Add more water if it looks dry and bring it back to a low boil.

When the chicken starts to break up add the basil and allow it to simmer while you use a fork to gently pull the chicken into strips. Taste it and add salt and pepper accordingly. If you feel it needs more time to soak up spices you can always add more water, but keep in mind that your finished product should only have about 1/4 cup of liquid, just enough to keep it moist but not wet. If you're making it with the intention of reheating later you might want to leave a bit more liquid so that you don't wind up with dry chicken for your next meal.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

Ho' Cakes

My Grandma Nita used to make these deliciously sweet corn hot cakes for us and they are certainly an extra-bright spot of memory in my happy childhood. The trick is to get them the right size, both diameter and thickness. They should be thin, and not at all cakey (exactly the opposite of restaurant pancakes), and should really be no larger than a biscuit in diameter. If you make them thicker and larger they begin to resemble cornbread instead of tasty breakfast cakes.

Serves two:
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream (you can easily substitute plain yogurt)
1/2 cup buttermilk (regular milk will work, but buttermilk pushes them to over-the-top-amazing)
1/2 package of "JIFFY"® Corn Muffin Mix (do not substitute another brand if you can at all help it)
butter

The other slightly tricky thing about these is that there are no hard measurements. You'll have to just keep making small adjustments until you get the right consistency. When finished the batter should be thin and runny, and it will get thicker the longer it sits so if you're making a lot you should be prepared to add more liquid.

Mix the sour cream, buttermilk and "JIFFY"® mix until you have the right consistency. Melt a bit of butter over medium heat and pour your batter in.

When the edges round down and the center has a ring of air bubbles it's time to turn them. If your skillet is too hot they'll burn before this happens because cornmeal is nearly as fragile as butter, but if they're a bit extra dark don't worry too much about it. They'll still be pretty tasty, if not nearly as attractive as they should be.

Serve with butter and syrup, or jam, or even just plain. However you decide to serve I'm sure they'll be a treat you'll remember.

Recipe by: Juanita Sink

Cheddar Chowder

Makes 2 quarts

4 cups potatoes, diced in pieces no larger than 1/2 an inch square and boiled
1 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
12 oz bottle of your favorite beer (I prefer an IPA)
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Boil your potatoes until they're just cooked through, then drain and set aside. Put the beer and broth into a decent sized pot and over medium/high heat, slowly bring them to a boil. Put the cream cheese in and stir constantly until it is smooth. Add the potatoes, onion and garlic and bring it back to a boil.

While waiting, put the parmesan and cheddar in a baggie with the flour and the spices and shake it around until the cheese is coated. With the soup boiling add the cheese mixture one handful at a time, stirring until it is completely melted between each addition. Don't leave any cheese or flour in the baggie, make sure it all gets incorporated.

Turn it down to a simmer and let it bubble for 15 minutes or so. You'll want to let it cool a bit before serving. I like to serve it with a warm sourdough loaf, or (if I'm feeling particularly ambitious) in carved out sourdough bowls.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

Whiskey Snaps

1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 egg yolks
½ cup pecans, finely ground
2 ½ cups flour
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ cup whiskey
granulated sugar for the tops

Beat butter until creamy then add sugar gradually and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in egg yolks. In a small bowl, combine the ground pecans with one cup of the flour and mix together. Add to butter mixture and blend well. Sift the rest of the flour together with the salt, ginger and cinnamon. Slowly add to the butter mixture in small batches, alternating with the whiskey. Cover tightly and chill for at least one hour.

Roll out about two heaping tablespoons of dough at a time on a well-floured cloth to ¼” thickness. Cut dough into 2” diamonds with a sharp knife. Place on a greased cookie sheet and sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes, or until slightly brown. Cool on a rack.

Recipe by: Mildred Coggins

Banana Nut Bread

4 medium to large ripe bananas (5 if they're small), smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
pinch of salt
1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°. Mash the bananas in a large bowl then mix the melted butter into them. Mix the sugar, cardamom, egg, and vanilla together in a smaller bowl, then fold it into the banana mixture. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Fold in the flour, then 3/4 of the nuts. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle the last 1/4 cup of nuts onto the top of the loaf. Bake for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Carefully remove from the pan and slice to serve.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

Grandma Nita's Golden Chicken Bites

2 poached chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter

Put all of the dry ingredients in a big baggie and mix it all together. Add the chicken and shake it up. The chicken will come out evenly coated with delicious breading. Melt half the butter in a skillet over medium/high heat. Brown the chicken on one side. Melt the other half of the butter and turn the chicken over. Enjoy.

Recipe by: Juanita Sink

I know it's really REALLY simple, but this is one of those things that always makes me think of my childhood. When I was a kid these could always be found in Gramma's fridge, along with rice - there was always rice - and they're fantastic as a cold snack or as a topping for the rice, or in a wrap... There's so much you can do with delicious fried chicken! Me, I mostly think about my gramma.

Poached Chicken Breast

Serves: You Decide

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 cups (roughly) water or chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using broth)

Choose a pot just large enough to hold your chicken in one snug layer. Heat the olive oil in the bottom of the pot and then sauté the garlic for two minutes. Layer the chicken on the bottom of the pan and cover with water or broth. There should be about one inch of water above the meat. Add in your herbs and put on high heat to boil.

When the water comes to a boil, cover the pan most of the way with a lid, leaving about a one inch gap between the lid and the edge of the pan. Turn it down to a low boil and cook for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the heat. Put the lid on completely and let the chicken sit in the hot water for 20 minutes.

You now have perfectly poached chicken ready to be cubed or shredded and used in other dishes, or even enjoy all by itself if you like.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

Steak with Beer Reduction and Gorgonzola, and "Fries"

Serves: 4

4 steaks, about 1/2 inch thick
Steak rub (such as McCormick Grill Mates)
2 tablespoons butter
12 oz bottle of fruity beer (think raspberry or peach - I like Bridgeport's Stumptown Tart. It only comes in a 22 oz bottle, but that leaves you with a nice glass to enjoy while you're cooking.)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons crumbled gorgonzola
2 medium/large potatoes, cut into wedges

Start by bringing your meat and beer up to room temperature then preheat the oven to 450°. Wash your potatoes and cut them into wedges, leaving the skins on for a rustic feel, then sprinkle both potatoes and steak with the steak rub.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan on high heat and brown potatoes on the non-skin sides. Arrange them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven. Set the timer for 8 minutes. While waiting, heat the beer and brown sugar in a small pot over medium heat. Stir it until the sugar melts then let it sit at a low boil while everything else cooks. When finished it should be about 1/4 cup of delicious.

When the timer goes off melt the other tablespoon of butter over high heat. When it's melted (and not before) put the steak in the pan. Brown it for 2 minutes on each side. Don't touch it, poke it, lift it, or disturb it in any way. Just let it be. When the time is up add the meat to the potatoes in the oven and bake for another 5 minutes (or until it's done to your liking).

Top each steak with a bit of sauce and a tablespoon of cheese and enjoy!

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

Arroz con Pollo

Serves 4

Meat:
4 bone in skin on whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick together)
1 lime
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons olive oil

Rice:
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tomatoes, cubed
1 tsp thyme
salt and pepper
2 cups white rice
3 cups chicken stock

This is one of those recipes that is all about prep work because when you get ready to put it together you won't have time for chopping and seasoning, so plan ahead. Four hours before you plan to cook put your chicken in a large bowl and squeeze the juice of the lime over it, then slice the remainder of the lime and add it to the chicken. Sprinkle the garlic, cayenne, cumin and salt and pepper over the chicken pieces and then toss it all together. Make sure it all gets mixed well. Let it marinade for at least four hours, or up to overnight. If you refrigerate it be sure to return it to room temperature before cooking. If you put the chicken in cold it will significantly lengthen the amount of time needed to cook, which usually translates to scorching the bottom 1/4-1/5 inch of your rice.

Chop onion and red pepper and put in a bowl with 6 cloves of minced garlic and the cumin and cayenne pepper and set aside. Chop tomatoes and put them into a separate bowl with the thyme and salt and pepper. Let those sit for a few minutes.

Put the cup of flour in a large bowl or baggie. If you like your chicken a little extra spicy then add another teaspoon of cayenne to the flour. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Dredge chicken through the flour mixture and place it in the pan. Brown both sides of the chicken in the olive oil. You're not looking to cook it all the way through, just bring it to a nice rich brown. Set the chicken aside and put the onion mixture in the pan and saute just until the onions are clear. Add the dry rice and let it sit for a moment before adding the tomatoes. Give it all a couple stirs and then pour in the chicken stock. Make sure everything is level in the pan and lay your chicken pieces on top. Bring it back up to a boil before putting the lid on, then reduce the heat to a simmer and let it do its thing for 30 minutes.

Check after half an hour and if your rice looks done then check the temperature of the chicken, it should be 180° in the center of the meat - be sure you're not testing it at the bone. If your rice is dry but your chicken isn't close then go ahead and add a bit (like 1/4 cup) more broth or white wine.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

Arroz con Pollo is one of those super-versitile dishes that no two people ever make the same. Years ago I was taught to make it by a Puerto Rican guy I used to date. I've fine-tuned it to my personal tastes over the years so this isn't quite the way he made it, but it's a good jumping-off point for you to find your own version. Some of the variations I've seen, and sometimes use, include adding chorizo or prosciutto or ham to give the chicken more depth. You can also add a hot pepper (jalapeno, or even habanero if you're feeling brave) to the onion and red pepper mixture to spice it up a bit, or celery to give it a bit of crunch. Or add olives or peas or capers to the rice, but if you're adding frozen peas stir them in at the end because they'll overcook if you put them in for the whole simmer. I've even added pine nuts to it when I have them on hand. Go crazy, but keep a couple things in mind: First, whatever you add should be in pieces no larger than 1/4 inch square; any bigger will mess with the overall texture. Second, this is a latin dish so try to keep more or less in line with latin traditions.

Enjoy!

Basic Potato Salad

Serves: you decide

Potato salad is another one of those summer favorites that I regularly get asked for a recipe for, and it's also one of those things that you just have to play fast and loose with. There's no such thing as a recipe for potato salad, at least not in my kitchen, but there are a few rules. The most important thing is to leave plenty of time for it to chill in the fridge. I like to do mine up the night before to allow the flavors to meld together.

Must have:
potatoes (any kind - and I leave the skins on)
eggs
purple onion
pickles (I prefer dill, but sweet will do)
Best Foods mayonaise
plain yellow mustard (like French's)
salt
pepper
lemon pepper
paprika

Nice to have:
red and/or yellow bell pepper
mild to medium hot pepper (I like red jalapenos)
celery
green onion
balsamic vinegar
dill
fresh basil
lemon zest

Rough measurements:
I generally figure about 1 potato per person if it's a major part of the meal, a bit less if I'm taking it to a pot luck, and then use half as many eggs as potatoes. The rest of the ingredients are pretty much based on what you feel is balanced.

Start by cutting up your potatoes into 1" cubes and then put them in a pot cold water and put them on to boil. Put a lid on them just until they start to boil, then remove the lid and let them boil until they're just soft enough to put a fork through easily. You don't want them to be too soft or they will fall apart when you start to mix them.

Since you're waiting for your potatoes, boil your eggs. Recently I found an article online at What's Cooking America which taught me more than I ever thought I'd want to know about boiling an egg. I followed the instructions diligently and I must say I turned out the best boiled eggs I've ever produced.

I like to cut stuff up while I'm waiting for the main parts to cook. Dice your onions and pickles, and peppers and celery if you're using them. Zest the lemon and chiffonade the basil and pull together anything else you're going to put in there.

When the potatoes are done, drain them and put them into a large bowl. Peel and dice your eggs and add them to the potatoes. Add the other stuff you've chopped up and give it a stir. Now you can start adding in the mayonnaise. Start with one cup and fold it into the solid ingredients. You want it to bind everything together without it being runny. If you need more add it in sparingly because it's difficult to come back from runny. When it holds together you can add in some mustard.

Now begins the process of tasting and seasoning and tasting and stirring and wondering if it will all come together in the refrigerator and seasoning and tasting. Err on the side of caution and remember that it will get stronger as it sits.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

Campstove Biscuits and Gravy

Serves: you decide

I love camping. Everything from my "pack light and hike or ride in" days to the occasional "is it an rv or a rolling hotel?" trip. For the last few years I've settled into the mid-range of "tent camping with more gear than I can carry in one trip from the car," and part of the reason it's more than I can carry is food. When you're packing ultra-light you have a tendency to pack processed foods that don't require refrigeration or much actual cooking. But it turns out that if you're taking a cooler then there's no reason to eat pre-packaged foods.

You'll notice there aren't any hard measurements in this recipe. That's because I'm a flexible cook, especially away from my home kitchen, and this is so easy that you can be too - regardless of your skill level.

Items needed:
Bisquick
heavy cream (you can use regular milk, but the biscuits won't be as flaky)
sausage (your choice of type, but stay away from sweet ones; they're not nearly as tasty as savory or spicy when added to the gravy)
flour
butter
milk
salt
pepper
cayenne pepper

Gather everything together before you start, you don't want to be digging into a tub for spices when you should be stirring.

Start with the biscuits. The basic proportions are 3 parts Bisquick to 1 part cream. I just eyeball some Bisquick into a bowl (roughly 1/2 a cup per person) and then start mixing in some cream. Stir it with a fork until the dough comes together then pat it out onto a board or plate until it's about 3/4" thick. Use an upturned coffee cup to cut it into rounds.

With the flame on medium-low melt a pat of butter in your camp pan. When the butter is melted and bubbling drop your biscuits in. Keep in mind this ain't no diet breakfast, because the secret to making biscuits in a pan is lots of butter. If your biscuits absorb all the butter before they're done you'll have to add more. A dry pan will cause them to burn on the outside while remaining undercooked in the middle. When they're golden brown on both sides pull them out and set them aside.

Next cook your sausage. Once it's done, pull it out of the pan and set it aside as well, but not on the same plate as the biscuits. (You don't want the biscuits to soak up the sausage grease.)

Now for the fun step - the gravy. If your sausage was fairly lean and didn't leave much for drippings in the pan then add another pat of butter, but feel free to skip it if there's sausage fat in the pan. With your fat bubbling in the pan add in some flour; about a teaspoon for a little gravy, or a tablespoon for a lot. Stir it around until it soaks up the fat and begins to brown. Once you have a smooth roux and it is the golden light brown color of goodness begin adding milk, start with about a cup. Keep stirring it to keep it smooth and bring it to a slow boil. If it looks too thick, add more milk; if it looks thin then keep stirring. Once you're happy with the consistency then season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. Add the sausage back in and pour it over the biscuits.

Put your feet up next to the fire and enjoy some delicious breakfast.

Recipe by Kelly Sink

Apple Tatin

Serves 8

1 sheet puff pastry (I prefer Pepperidge Farms)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 pounds tart, firm apples (4-6 apples)

Preheat oven to 375°

In a heavy skillet (I use my 10" cast iron pan) over medium heat melt the butter. Add the sugar and stir. Just before the sugar is melted remove it from the heat and add the vanilla and cinnamon. Don't worry if the caramel separates, it will come back together.

Peel and halve and core enough apples to wedge them in tightly, face down in the caramel. Peel and thinly slice one more apple and shingle it in a layer over the other apples.

Roll out your puff pastry and tuck it around the edges of the apples, on the inside of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350° and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes. The puff pastry will be a deep, golden brown.

Let it cool for five minutes, but no more than 10 (lest it set up in the pan) and turn it out onto a large plate. Be careful, sugar burns are a bitch to deal with.

Recipe from: The Grand Central Baking Book, page 194

CHEATER METHOD:
The two most fragile ingredients in baking are, hands down, sugar and butter, which means caramel is tricky business. It can go from awesome to burned in the blink of an eye. If you don't feel comfortable giving it a go you can cheat. Get a high-quality caramel sauce (I used Mrs. Richardson's for this test) and pour about 3/4 of a cup into your pan. Warm it on low heat. When it begins to move freely around the pan whisk in 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch to help it set up. Remove from the heat and proceed to the apple step. Enjoy!

Sesame Beef

Makes about 1 cup of marinade

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
juice of one lemon
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 sweet onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh ginger, minced

toasted sesame seeds

If possible make the marinade up the night before so that it has time to marinade itself before it has to marinade the meat. Slice beef paper thin and marinade at least 1 hour. When you're ready to cook put 1/4 cup of the marinade into your wok and heat it on high. When it's on the edge of boiling add your meat. Stir it around in the wok until the liquid is gone. Add sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

West African Peanut Soup

Makes roughly 15 servings, and it freezes well

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, finely diced
2 yellow bell peppers, diced
10 cloves of garlic, minced
4 dried cayenne peppers (thin red pepper, about 4" long, usually available dried), diced with seeds
28 ounces (2 cans) fire roasted tomatoes, with juice
8 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup uncooked rice
18 ounces creamy organic peanut butter (Big brands, like Jiff, will add a lot of both sugar and salt to your soup and will skew the flavor profile.)
1/2 cup chopped plain peanuts (roasted or raw, your preference)
1/4 cup sugar in the raw (use light brown sugar if you need a substitute)
salt and pepper

fresh basil, chiffonade
roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped


Over medium/high heat, heat olive oil in a stock pot. Cook onion, bell pepper, and garlic until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, vegetable broth, pepper, and cayenne peppers. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Add rice and stir. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 25 minutes, or until rice is tender.

When rice is cooked, whisk in peanut butter, peanuts and sugar and return to a simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with a garnish of chopped peanuts and fresh basil.

This delicious and hearty soup keeps very well, but it does tend to thicken. Not to worry, just add a bit of water when you reheat it.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

What's for dinner?

So it turns out my original idea of one-a-day blog postings is much harder to deliver on than originally anticipated. Which is cool, I guess. I mean it's not like anyone pays me to keep this up. The problem isn't writing the recipes, it's coming up with them. So I'm turning to you, readers of the blog, to come up with a few ideas for me. A bit of direction.

For instance, as we start the summer which would you appreciate more; 50 ways to dress up your salad or 30 days of grilled chicken? Light and fruity deserts or what to do with rice? Whatever it is that you want to know more about let me know. Unless it's fish, I don't do fish. I have a "no meat without feet" policy. So what'll it be?

Oh, and as for the one-a-day policy, that's gone now. I'm going to take a week off to get a couple buffers going, then starting May 24 I'll be moving to a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule for posts.

One Minute Chocolate Frosting

Covers one 2-layer 8" cake

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa powder

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Completely cool your cake, then put it on a cake-board that is the same diameter and fill it. Lay out a sheet of foil to catch the drippings, then put your cake on a small stand (such as a bowl) in the center of the foil. Now you're ready to give your attention to the frosting.

Put all ingredients into a small sauce pan over medium heat and stir until everything is melted. Then bump the heat up to high and bring it to a full boil while stirring constantly. Boil and stir for one minute then remove from heat. Continue stirring for three minutes to cool it down a bit then pour it over your cake. It will set up into a shiny, fudgey coating of goodness.

Recipe by: found on allrecipes.com

Pork Grillades

Serves 6-8

1 large pork loin (about 2 pounds)

1 large (or 2 medium) onion

2 green bell peppers

12-18 cloves of garlic

2 cans of unsalted Roma tomatoes

1-2 tablespoons crushed red pepper

3-4 celery stalks

3 cups to 1 quart chicken broth

1 cup flour

salt and pepper

butter

Mix flour, salt and pepper in a wide bowl, plate or plastic bag. Cut the pork into 3/4 inch medallions, then pat dry and dredge in the flour mixture. Melt a pat of butter on medium heat and brown the loin slices. Just brown them, do not cook them through. Be sure to wipe the pan and start with fresh butter for each pan full. Set pork aside on paper towels.

Julienne the peppers and onion, mince the garlic, and cut the celery into thin slices. Sauté in butter in same pan as pork was cooked for about 8 minutes. Stir in 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the flour mixture. Transfer to a 2 quart sauce pot and add the pork medallions.

Add tomatoes, crushed peppers and 3 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil then simmer uncovered for 25 minutes. If mixture is too thick add more stock, if too thin then make a roux and slowly stir it in.

Serve over grits or rice and enjoy.

Recipe by: Dwayne Beliakoff of Violetta in downtown Portland

Prep Work: Cutting Boards

When I decided to write this I thought about suppressing my preferences and presenting facts about the two big cutting board camps, allowing you to decide which is right for you, but then I remembered that this is a blog, my blog, and I don't have to maintain any semblance of journalistic integrity. So I'll just be up front about it; I prefer wood and I always have. That's not to say that I didn't learn anything. In fact at the start this article there were two plastic cutting boards in my kitchen. Of course they were for emergency use only, or for use with sticky or hard-to-clean things that I just didn't feel like scrubbing, but that was before I knew that the grossness of plastic extended far beyond how it looks. Now that I do know, the plastic is out. I can hear some of you now, "Wait... what?!? But plastic is nonporous and you can put it in the dishwasher! No f'n way is it gross! How is that even possible?"

Well, yes way. Totes way. Scientifically proven way, by real live respected science guys and ever'thing. Way.

There are several obvious reasons (read: my original reasons) to choose wood over plastic. It's better looking, it's easier on your knives, and if taken care of properly a good wooden board can become an heirloom. But in a world with a pathological obsession with sanitation it all comes down to germs, and I have shocking news for some of you: Wood harbors far fewer germs than plastic.

Just how gross is plastic? According to a study done at U.C. Davis, pretty gross. They originally set out to find a method of cleaning wood cutting boards to a standard that would make them "almost as safe as a plastic board", but what they actually found out was that after contaminating the boards with either a cultured nutrient solution or just plain raw chicken juice, wood yielded fewer bacteria than the plastic. In fact, they "encountered unexpected difficulty in recovering inoculated bacteria from wood surfaces, regardless of wood species and wether the boards were new or used and untreated or oiled." It seems that while bacteria can be easily found on a plastic surface, you actually have to partially destroy the wood in order to get the same bacteria out of it.

The thinking on the street is that because a plastic board is non-porous it is easily sanitized. Turns out that's just not the case. When it's brand new a plastic board is non-porous and very easy to clean, unfortunately that's not when it needs it. Once you break the surface of the board with the edge of your knife (which you do every time you slice something) you create a valley of doom that is nearly impossible to clean. Dr. Cliver et al. found in their extensive testing, "that disease bacteria such as [E. coli and Salmonella] were not recoverable from wooden surfaces in a short time after they were applied, unless very large numbers were used. New plastic surfaces allowed the bacteria to persist, but were easily cleaned and disinfected. However, wooden boards that had been used and had many knife cuts acted almost the same as new wood, whereas plastic surfaces that were knife-scarred were impossible to clean and disinfect manually, especially when food residues such as chicken fat were present." Take that, plastic board beeyotches!

How's it do it? Well, it seems that there are a couple things in play here.

First off there's the oil. Conditioning your board with mineral oil helps preserve the 'self-healing' quality of the wood. What this means is that when the knife makes contact with the board and cuts the surface just a bit a well-oiled board will expand to fill in the cut. A dry board will also reseal itself, but it takes longer, plus it's just plain bad board maintenance.

Secondly, there's what the board absorbs. Yes, some of that chicken juice gets absorbed, and I'm pretty sure that's the idea that has perpetuated the myth that plastic is cleaner. Thing is though, once something has been absorbed the wood reseals and traps any bacteria well below the surface where they stagnate and die. The only way to find bacteria once it has been absorbed is to split or drill the board.

So, once you've finished cutting raw meat on your wooden board simply clean it with soap and water and then use a clean towel to dry it. When it dries completely your cutting surface is once again sterile. If you're one of those people who is über-paranoid about germs and you still don't trust that it's clean then you can wipe it down with white vinegar, but you should avoid bleach. Bleach dries the wood out very quickly and will shorten the life of your board. Also it will leach the natural color from the wood.

Finally, let's cover the dishwasher issue. I'll just break this to you quickly, like ripping off a band-aid. Most home dishwashers only reach temperatures of between 120°-140°F, less if your water heater has been adjusted to a more energy-efficient setting. Water must be much hotter than that—about 190°F for several seconds to make sure items are actually sanitized. Sorry, germophobes, but if you're counting on hot water to kill germs then your Amana just isn't cutting it the way you think it is. It does, however, do a very nice job of conserving water when compared to the running water method of hand washing.

So you've gone and gotten yourself a brand new butcher block. Mazel tov! Now what?

As much as I love wood boards, and as awesome as they are, they're sort of a pain in the ass when they're new. When you get your board home give it a quick wash. Don't scrub it, don't submerge it in water, and don't (now or ever) even think about putting it in the dishwasher. For this first time you're just looking to remove any surface debris so just give it a wipe with some hot, soapy water and then let it dry.

Once it's dry apply a thick layer of food-grade mineral oil, which is shelved with the laxatives in any pharmacy. (Sometimes I see a very small bottle of thin "cutting block oil" in the kitchen gadget section at Fred's for an outrageous price, but since that's also mineral oil I never purchase it.) Rub the oil over all sides of the board until it is completely absorbed. Repeat several times. By the fourth or fifth coat you'll notice the absorption rate slowing down. This is your cue to really slather it up and then let it sit for a few hours. If it takes less than two hours to absorb then add another coat. Repeat until it stops absorbing oil. Use a clean cloth to wipe off the excess and your new board is ready for use. You will need to apply more mineral oil periodically, about once a week for the first month, then once a month or so for the first year, then as needed after that. Treat it right and you will be passing it on to your children.

*P.S. - Just so they don't feel left out I'll take a moment to talk about other types of cutting boards that are currently on the market. Namely glass, marble, granite and steel. While one of these may strike your stylistic fancy and look great in your kitchen you should consider using them as serving platters as they are not appropriate cutting surfaces. They are much too hard and will blunt, and possibly chip, your knife edge. This is a one-way ticket to the cutler.

There are also a couple fresh horses in this race, but I don't know much about either one. First up is bamboo, and it is certainly good looking, though I'm not sure how well the laminate wears. Second is hard rubber. It is said to have the same healing properties of wood, but as far as I could tell that is just a rumor and not something I could confirm. And that literally exhausts my knowledge of them as cutting boards.

*P.P.S. - Unfortunately I could only track down pieces of the referenced study here and there because The Journal of Food Protection®, wanted $37.00 to download the entire article. $37.00?!?! So if you want to read all of the findings you'll have to pay for it yourself.

Kelly Sink

Fruit Scones

Makes about 24 2" scones

4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cold unsalted butter
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cup buttermilk
About 3/4 cup good quality preserves or jam

Preheat oven to 350° and lightly grease your baking sheet, or cover it in parchment

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Dice the butter into 1/2 inch cubes and use your hands to mix it into the dry ingredients. (You can use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, but be careful not to over-mix.) You'll know it's ready when the texture goes from silky to mealy, but there are still dime- to quarter-sized pieces of butter floating around. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in 1 1/4 cup of the buttermilk. Mix just until the dough comes together. If you feel it needs more buttermilk then add it in small increments.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and kneed it a couple times before rolling or patting it out into a 1 1/2" or 2" thick sheet. Use a 2" cookie cutter to cut out your scones and place them on the cookie sheet, leaving about an inch between them. Use your thumb to press a well into the center of each scone and fill with a tablespoon or so of your chosen jam. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Recipe by: Piper Davis and Ellen Jackson, page 22 of The Grand Central Baking Book

Quinoa Black Bean Salad

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups cold water

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups cooked black beans. If using canned beans, drain and rinse well
1/2 cup chopped celery
Optional: 1 carrot, peeled, halfed lengthwise, sliced thin diagonally
Optional: 1 cup chopped fresh yellow or green beans
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced, OR 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 red pepper, sliced thin

1 green pepper, sliced thin
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or basil
1/4 cup chopped scallions
Optional: 1 large ripe tomato
Optional: 1/2 cup sliced olives

Dressing:
2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper
Pinch cayenne or chili powder

Directions:
The quinoa can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. Soak the quinoa 1/2 hour in cold water. Rinse very thoroughly in water several times. For each rinse, pour off most of the water and finish draining through a large fine mesh strainer. Place in 2 quart pot with 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, turn down to low, cover tightly, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit 5 minutes, covered. Fluff gently with a fork and set aside to cool.

Sauté jalapeno or ginger, fresh garlic and celery in 2 tablespoons oil until the garlic is browned and the pepper and celery are softened. Add the green and red peppers and sauté briefly. Add the cumin and coriander, cook and stir 5 minutes. Blend dressing ingredients with a whisk or shake in a jar. Gently combine sautéed veggies, tomatoes, black beans, quinoa and dressing in a large bowl. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the dressing with the cilantro or basil and scallions, and garnish with fresh lime slices. Serve warm, or cover and chill.

Recipe by: Stacey Stromberg, who got it from her friend Kristina. It's really tasty!

Ham and Cheddar Mac and Cheese

Serves 4

4 tablespoons butter, plus a bit for the pan
3 slices white bread, cubed
2 3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon course salt, plus a bit for the water
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
9 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
4 ounces Gruyère, grated
8 ounces cooked ham, cubed
1/2 pound elbow macaroni (or other short pasta)

Heat oven to 375° and put a pot of salted water on to boil. Combine the milk and the cream a medium saucepan and slowly warm it over medium heat, stirring frequently. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium/high heat. When the butter starts to bubble add the flour. Be sure to stir it until it fully incorporates with the butter and cook for just a minute before slowly adding the milk. Add the milk a bit at a time, whisking briskly as you do. Continue to whisk or stir vigorously until it begins to thicken and bubble. It should be creamy and smooth.

If you haven't done it yet, put the macaroni in the water and boil it until it's done. While the pasta is boiling, start adding the grated cheese in small handfuls, stirring until it is completely melted between batches. Save out the last small handful of each type of cheese for topping. Once the cheese sauce is smooth you can start adding in the spices. This can get fairly spicy fairly quickly so start with the measurements given, or maybe even make them a bit scant if your palate is sensitive. Mix them in completely and let them rest for a moment before tasting the sauce and then adjusting the spices as you see fit. When the taste is satisfactory add in the cubed ham, and then the cooked and drained macaroni, and fold them into the sauce.

Melt a tablespoon of butter and coat the bread pieces in it. Then butter the sides and bottom of a 2-quart baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce mixture into the baking dish and top with the reserved cheese. Spread the buttered bread cubes out on the top and slide it into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or so, until it is golden brown on top and bubbly all the way through.
Let it sit on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink - adapted from Martha Stewart's Macaroni and Cheese

Mushroom Lasagna

Makes 12 servings

9 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups chopped baby portobello mushrooms
1 large sweet onion, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
2 thin slices prosciutto
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2/3 cup white wine or chicken broth
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup milk

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook and stir the mushrooms and onion in oil until tender. Add the parsley, prosciutto, garlic and Italian seasoning; cook two minutes longer. Add wine; cook and stir until liquid is evaporated. Add tomatoes and heat through.

Spread 1 cup sauce in greased 13x9 baking dish. Layer with three noodles, 1 1/3 cups sauce, and a scant 1/4 cup of each cheese. Repeat twice. In a small bowl, combine the cream, milk and remaining cheeses; spoon over the top.

Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Recipe by: Gary Bachara of Wilson, NC and printed in the April/May 2010 issue of Taste of Home magazine.

This will definitely be added to my regular recipes, but with a few modifications. First off, ditch the prosciutto. There's not enough in there to make it worth while, and it doesn't need the extra calories or salt. Then if you use the white wine instead of chicken broth you've got a vegetarian meal. What it does need is a bit more cheese. Next time I'll add ricotta, as well as a bit more parmesan and mozzarella. Any other variation suggestions?

The OMG Burger

Serves 6

1.6 pounds of lean beef (I use 5% fat)
1 egg
1/4 sweet onion - finely diced
4 cloves garlic - minced
6 crackers - ground
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste (I use 1/2 teaspoon each of alder smoked salt and freshly cracked pepper)

Use your hands to mix everything together, then let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Divide into six patties and bbq, top with a good cheddar cheese if you'd like.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

I love cheeseburgers. In fact, I like to tell people I'm "cheeseburger fat" rather than "ice cream fat" because I will always choose a cheeseburger. To me cheeseburgers are like sex - it has to be really, really bad to walk away from once you've ordered it. And like sex, it's available at every turn. No matter where you go (at least here in the Northwest) there's always a cheeseburger available. They're so prevalent that they've factored into my evaluation of pubs. My formula is: [(quality of cheeseburger) X (quality of whiskey)\price] + overall ambiance = rate of my return.

So what do I look for? I expect a burger to be cooked all the way through without sacrificing juiciness, to be of quality beef while maintaining a decent price, and an artisan cheese will push it over the top. So as a cheeseburger expert, when I make a cheeseburger I want it to be the best cheeseburger I can make, and that's what this recipe is. It is, hands down, the best cheeseburger I've ever eaten.... and I've eaten some damn fine cheeseburgers.

Strawberry Shortcake with Crème Fraiche

Serves 4-6

Filling:
3 cups fresh fruit
1/4 cup (+/-) sugar, depending on the sweetness of the fruit and your tastes
2 tablespoons lemon juice
crème fraiche

Cut berries into smaller chunks (I usually slice them), put them in a bowl and cover with the sugar. Give them a quick mash with a fork, but not too much. You're looking to release the juice not turn it into jelly. Drizzle the lemon juice over the top and set them aside for at least one hour out at room temperature, four or more in the fridge.

Shortcakes:
2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then drop the butter in in small chunks, no more than 1/2 an inch big. Use your hands to incorporate the butter into the flour mixture by rolling it around in your palms and squeezing it through your fingers. When the mixture is grainy and the butter is pea-sized make a well in the center of the mixture and add the cream. Mix with a fork until the cream is absorbed and the dough just starts to come together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed several times. Pat the dough out to 1" thick and cut it to the size/shape you'd like. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and put your shortcakes on the pan. Refrigerate for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown on top. Let cool completely before serving.

Recipe by: Piper Davis and Ellen Jackson, page 140 of The Grand Central Baking Book

Cherry Bomb Potatoes with Sausage

Serves 2+

2 fist-sized red potatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 sweet onion
1 cherry bomb pepper (or other red pepper)
2 tablespoons butter, separated
1/4 pound spicy Italian sausage
salt and pepper
sour cream

Put a mid-sized sauce pan of salted water on to boil. Cut your potatoes into 1/2 inch wedges. Slice the garlic into thin slices, the onion into 1/2 inch 1/2 rounds, seed and core the the pepper and slice it too. Put a 10" skillet on to medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of butter in it. When the butter is melted and the water is boiling put the potatoes in the water and the garlic in the skillet. Return the potatoes to a boil and let them be until they're just starting to be tender, about 15 minutes. Let the garlic brown for just a minute before adding the onions, then saute for 10 minutes or so. When the onions are clear and limp add the sausage and let it brown.
When the potatoes are ready to come out of the water add the second tablespoon of butter to the onion pan. Drain the potatoes and add them to the skillet with the chopped pepper. Crisp up the edges of the potatoes and you're ready to serve. Spoon the mixture into a bowl and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

Bruschetta

Makes about 2 cups

1 medium tomato,
or 2 roma tomatoes,
or 5-6 plumb tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
10-12 large basil leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Start by dicing your tomato and putting it in a bowl then sprinkling with a bit of salt and pepper. Let it sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients, it will help to draw out the flavor of the tomatoes. Slice your garlic into thin slices and then mash with the knife blade, the chiffonade your basil leaves. Add garlic and basil to the tomatoes and drizzle the olive oil and vinegar over the top. Give it all a stir and let it sit for a few minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve over toasted baguette slices.

For some easy alterations you can add some grated parmesan over the top, or a slice of fresh mozzarella underneath.

When the basil is fresh and the tomatoes come into season I like to whip up a batch of bruschetta for lunch and relax in the garden with a good book.

Recipe by: Kelly Sink

Carnitas Burrito at La Superior

Tonight I ventured outside my kitchen to a local Mexican eatery called La Superior. If you're in North Portland and you want good Mexican food then make your way down Lombard to this little hole in the wall.
When you open the door you immediately enveloped in the smells of slow-roasting meat and fresh salsa. The restaurant is tiny, and lacks outdoor seating, but what's there is comfortable and clean. I ordered a carnitas burrito (sans rice and cilantro, because one doesn't belong inside the burrito and the other is gross) and my friend Jeff ordered a trifecta of enchiladas in mole sauce, both with a frosty bottle of Mexican Coca-Cola.
The service was quick and the food was delicious. The pork of my burrito was perfectly seasoned and moist and tender, and the beans were scrumptious. On Jeff's plate was three enchiladas, one of chicken, one of beef and one of the same pork in my burrito and all three were covered in the richest, most full bodied, mole sauce I've ever tasted. And then there's the Mexican Coke. Since the mid 90's colas made in the US have used high fructose corn syrup instead of sugar as a sweetener, but in Mexico they still use real sugar and glass bottles, and that is a refreshing treat on a warm evening.

Baked Camembert Pasta

Serves 4-6

1 8oz box of camembert cheese
2 cloves garlic
1 sprig rosemary
olive oil
pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°. Unwrap the cheese and place it back in the wooden box. Score a circle in the top skin, scrape off and discard. Peel and finely slice the garlic and pick the leaves off of the rosemary stalk. Lay the garlic on top of the cheese, sprinkle with pepper and scatter the rosemary on top. Drizzle with olive oil and put it on a cookie sheet. Slide it into the hot oven for 25 minutes, until golden and melted.
Either toss directly on your pasta, or serve family-style on the side.

Recipe by: Jamie Oliver, page 44 of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

Habanero Gold - My favorite jelly

Makes 9 8oz jars

1 1/2 cup white vinegar
2/3 cup finely sliced dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped habanero pepper
6 cups granulated sugar
2 pouches (3 oz each) liquid pectin

Measure the vinegar into an oversized measuring cup and add the apricots. Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least four hours, or overnight. When you're ready to begin, start by preparing your water bath canner and jars. Measure the sugar into a stock pot and put over a medium heat. Add everything except the pectin and stir to mix it all up.
When the sugar starts to melt a bit turn the heat up to high. Stir constantly until it comes to a full, roiling boil that cannot be stirred down.
Stir in the pectin and boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly. When the timer goes off remove it from the heat and quickly skim off the foam. Ladle the jelly into your prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Put lids on and screw down the rings to fingertip-tight. Process in the canner for 10 minutes, then let them cool completely before serving.

Recipe: Page 131 of the Ball Compete Book of Home Preserving by Judi Kingry and Lauren Devine

My family always asks if I'm bringing "the jelly" whenever there's a function, a couple friends will do almost anything for the promise of a jar or two of their own, and I have learned that for personal use it's best to use a four ounce jar so as not to consume too much. It's that good.
You can serve it as is on nachos, or in a quesadilla, or as a topper to pretty much any meat. I frequently add it to a hot salami/pepperoni sandwich for a little extra kick. My favorite way to serve it is mixed with cream cheese as a delicious dip. One of my friends even has regular pb&js with this jelly.

Microwave Popcorn on the Cheap

1/4 cup unpopped popcorn
1 plain lunch sack

Put the popcorn in the bag and fold the top over a couple times. Put it in the microwave for three minutes or so, depending on the strength of your microwave. Top with your favorite topping and enjoy! According to Alton Brown on page 236 of I'm Just Here for the Food: Food + Heat = Cooking you can staple it twice - and ONLY twice - if you are worried, but I've never had a bag bust open and spill.

Somewhere in the deepest recess of my memory I have a picture of popping corn in the microwave as a child, so I guess I've always known it could be done this way. But since microwave popcorn took off like bottled water, and we had one of those old-school microwaves that you didn't want to look at lest you go blind.... or develop a super-power, I somehow forgot it. (Ok, I peeked a few times, but no superpower. Dammit.) Now I do it this way all the time, and it's awesome. All of the convenience of microwave popcorn at 1/10th the cost, with the added bonus of missing out on all the chemicals involved in conventional microwave popcorn. Win-win!

Dutch Pancake

Serves 2-6

Preheat the oven to 425°. Put the cold butter into the pan and put the pan into oven. You want the pan to be hot and the butter sizzling when you pour the batter in. Whir the eggs in the blender at high speed for one minute. With the motor running, gradually pour in the milk and salt then slowly add the flour. Blend for another 20 seconds or so. Quickly pour it into the hot pan and return to the oven for 20-25 minutes, until fluffy and golden brown.

Pan Size	Butter	Eggs	Milk & Flour	Salt
9" pie plate	3 Tbs	2	1/2 cup	pinch
12" pan	1/3 cup	4	1 cup	1/2 tsp
16" paella	1/2 cup	6	1 1/2 cup	3/4 tsp

This recipe has been a favorite in my family for as long as I can remember. In fact, I don't think my mother's paella pan has ever had a paella in it; it only gets used for Dutch Pancake. I want to say that she gleaned the recipe from Sunset magazine, but since she makes it from memory the original has been long lost in the Sink household. It is delicious plain, or served with maple syrup or a bit of lemon juice and powdered sugar. I like to add chopped pecans to mine just before it goes in the oven, as in the photo. If you really want to go for the whole "meal in one pan" thing, try adding chunks of cooked ham or bacon.

For as many years as Mom's been making this in her kitchen, and now me in mine, I've never once witnessed a guest who had ever seen the warm, puffy goodness before. Always they say they've never heard of such a thing as Dutch Pancake, always I smile and say to get ready for awesome, and always they are surprised and delighted by this tasty treat. I was beginning to wonder if I'd subconsciously made up the Sunset Magazine origin story because so many of our family faves came from those glossy pages. And then I was flipping through The Grand Central Baking Book and on page 39 is a surprisingly similar recipe, complete with reference to Sunset Magazine. Apparently the original recipe belongs to Viktor Manka, a Seattle restauranteur. The recipe printed by Piper Davis and Ellen Jackson is slightly different from Mom's, and I'm honestly not sure how either compares to Mr. Manka's, but I do know that I love Dutch Pancake, and I'm positive that you will too.