Fall is "officially" here, even though temps are still hitting almost 100 degrees where I live. But since fall is my favorite season, I'm starting it anyway! Fall always makes me think of those classic comfort foods we've all had a million times. But what if there was a "twist" on some of them? I tried to take some of my favorite classic foods and give them a new spin. Hopefully you will still find them as delicious and comforting (and even more so!) as the originals. |
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What could be more comforting than a classic Mac and Cheese? Why, making it with gnocchi, of course! I happened to have some leftover gnocchi from my gnocchi newsletter (link below) that I had stored in the freezer (about 1/2 a recipe of the potato is the perfect amount for this recipe). This was the perfect way to use it up! This dish ends up being a perfect cross between a potato au gratin and mac and cheese. I do know some people who have a hard time making lump-free sauces, and that is definitely a concern. That's why I also made a video on how to make a "quick and dirty" bechamel (link right below the recipe), which is the base of this dish. No more lumpy sauces! | | |
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Serves 4 as a side dish Ingredients: 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups whole milk 2 ½ cups grated cheddar (or other cheese of your choice - I used white cheddar), divided Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg 8 ounces prepared gnocchi, boiled until cooked through ½ cup panko breadcrumbs Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste Procedure: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan set on medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook until foamy. Whisk in milk, a tablespoon or two at a time, until incorporated and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups of the cheese and the nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in gnocchi and transfer to oven safe dish. Melt remaining tablespoon butter. Add panko and remaining cheese and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle mixture over the top of the gnocchi mixture. Place in preheated oven and cook until sauce is bubbling and breadcrumbs are browned, approximately 15 minutes. Serve. |
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Chicken and Mushroom "Pie" with Parmesan Biscuit Topping |
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Who doesn't love a pot pie? Well, me, kinda. I've never been a fan of pie crust. Yes, let the shaming begin. I always enjoyed the filling of pot pie, but couldn't get around the crust! I tried puff pastry, and that was better, but then I tried biscuits on top only. Biscuits for the win! And even though I know mushrooms are grown primarily in the summer, they always make me think of fall. So I did a chicken and mushroom pie with parmesan-filled biscuits on top. It was delish! If you don't have chicken already cooked, you can throw some thighs in the oven while you are making the rest of the filling and it works out pretty well (this is exactly what I did). But if you have leftover roasted potatoes or rotisserie chicken, this is the perfect "dress up" dish for that! Also, if you've never grated your frozen butter for biscuits before, you will never do it another way. It always creates the flakiest biscuits around! |
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Serves 4 Ingredients: For filling: 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter 2 cups thinly sliced leeks (learn the best way to cut and wash them here) ½ cup diced celery 3 cups mixed mushrooms (such as crimini, maitake, shiitake, etc.), sliced (learn a trick on the safest and easiest way to slice a mushroom here) 1 ½ cups diced waxy potato (such as Yukon gold or red) ½ cup all-purpose flour 3 cups chicken stock (learn how to easily make your own here) 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (learn how to mince here) 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken ½ cup whole milk 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste For the biscuits: 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ cup freshly grated parmesan 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt ¼ teaspoon baking soda 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, placed in freezer for at least 20 minutes 1 ½ cup buttermilk Procedure: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Make the filling: In a large saucepan set over medium high heat, melt butter. Add leeks and celery and sauté until starting to soften, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, approximately another 5 minutes. Add potatoes and flour. Stir until flour has disappeared. Add stock, small amounts at a time, and stir until smooth. Add thyme and chicken and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender, approximately 10-15 minutes. Stir in milk and mustard, then transfer to a 9” x 12” baking dish. Make the biscuits: In a medium bowl, mix together flour, parmesan, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Grate frozen butter into flour mixture and toss gently. Stir in buttermilk until just mixed. Scoop or spoon biscuit mixture (it will be wet) on top of filling. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, approximately 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve. |
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Not all comfort food has to be heavy. My very first experience with sushi (as is most people's) was a California Roll. It's a good way to "ease" in to sushi - mostly familiar flavors, and nothing is raw or "scary". But what if we put those flavors together in a new form? I used a Springform pan to create the "unmoldable" cake you see here, but you could use any pan you like and serve straight from it. I also made half this recipe in a 7" pan, which was perfect for 2. If you like the small size, you could add another layer of each item for 4 people, or just use a bigger pan. To make this work correctly, you really do need to use sushi rice and Kewpie mayonnaise (found at most Asian markets, or even on Amazon). Since this mayo is based on a different vinegar, it has a different flavor that works best with sushi (though it is unfortunately not gluten free). When cooking sushi rice, the very hardest part of getting it right is the washing. So I made a video showing you how. | | |
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Serves 4-6 as an appetizer Ingredients: 1 ½ cups short grain or sushi rice, washed and soaked 1 ¾ cups water 1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar 2 teaspoons Kosher salt 8 ounces imitation crab meat, finely chopped ¼ cup Kewpie mayonnaise Kosher salt, to taste 1 ½ cup mashed avocado (learn the safest way to cut it here) 1 English cucumber, sliced thinly at a small angle 1 sheet nori, cut in thin strips Sesame seeds, for garnish Procedure: Place washed and soaked rice in pan with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover with tight-fitting lid and simmer for 17 minutes. Remove from heat, leaving lid in place, and let continue to steam for 5 minutes. While rice is steaming, place vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring regularly, until sugar and salt have dissolved. Fold vinegar mixture into the rice. Press rice into the bottom of a 10-12” springform pan (only half if you are using a 6-8” pan). Set aside to cool. Mix together imitation crab and mayonnaise. Season with salt and layer on top of rice. Next, spread a layer of avocado, topped with sliced cucumbers. Garnish with nori and sesame seeds. If doing a double layer “cake”, repeat these layers. Remove ring from springform and serve immediately. |
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My very favorite fun fact in the culinary world is that Caesar salad is not, in fact, Italian. It was created in Tijuana, Mexico (I swear - look it up!). It was simply adopted into many Italian-style restaurants because of the flavors it shares with Italian cuisine. Most people don't know that true Caesar dressing has anchovies and raw egg yolk. The anchovies give it that deep umami flavor that is the signature of this dressing. If dealing with the fish themselves "skeeves" you out a bit, you can find tubes of anchovy paste that make everything infinitely easier. Because many people find raw egg yolk to be scary, I have replaced the egg in this dish with avocado. You still get the creaminess that you are looking for, with an added nutrition boost! Sadly, most people dress their salad in a way that leaves soggy bits and undressed bits. I made a video showing you the best way to do it so that you never have that problem again! | | |
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Serves 4 Ingredients: 1.5 ounces avocado (approximately ½ small avocado) (learn the safest way to cut it here) 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon anchovy paste or minced anchovies 2 teaspoon red wine vinegar 1 small garlic clove, chopped 1 Tablespoon fresh squeeze lemon juice 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus additional for garnish 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped Croutons, for garnish (see below for a basic recipe) Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste Procedure: Place avocado, Dijon, Worcestershire, anchovy paste, vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, and Parmesan to the bowl of a small food processor or in the bowl of a blender. Blend until smooth. Add olive oil and blend again. Season with salt and pepper. Place lettuce, half the croutons, and a bit of additional parmesan in a medium bowl. Drizzle the dressing around the side of the bowl and toss. Serve immediately topped with remaining croutons and additional Parmesan, as desired. Croutons Ingredients: 2 cups cubed, stale bread (my favorite is sourdough, but any will work) 3-4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste Extras seasonings to taste, as desired (dried herbs, spices, Parmesan cheese, etc.) Procedure: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toss bread and oil together. Season with salt and pepper, and extra seasonings, if using. Lay flat in a single layer on a sheet tray and place in preheated oven. Bake until golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Store in airtight container for up to 4 days). |
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Still want to take cooking classes in the comfort of your own home? Do you have that one dish you've always wanted to learn to make? Let us do a virtual class with you! We can do one-on-one or group classes, all from the comfort of home. Email us today to schedule your class! info@stirringisnotcooking.com. |
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