Now I’ve never been the staunchest meat-eater so believe me when I say: “I am relieved to have something that didn’t require meat.” Here in the wilds o’ Canada, they love their meat: variations on pig products, game and heck, even horse. Thus I have married a meat-eater.

Matt was out of town last night and I leapt on the chance to make something vegetarian for myself. I’m not saying the spouse doesn’t eat non-meat main dishes; he just doesn’t prefer them. I, on the other hand, do. So: vegetarian shepherd’s pie it is!

I wanted to use broccoli cheese soup for the binder here but I couldn’t find it so I subbed plain ole’ cream of broccoli instead. To make up for the lack of cheese, I shredded about two cups worth of jalapeno mozzarella to supplement. You put one cup with veggie mixture; the other cup for topping. Also, if you have time, make your own mashed potatoes; the difference is worth it.

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

3 cups thawed, drained mixed vegetables

1 can broccoli cheese soup

1 (4 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained

3 cups mashed potatoes

1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine veggies, soup, water chestnuts; mix well. Spoon into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Spread mashed potatoes over top. Bake, covered, 20 minutes; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until mixture is hot and cheese is melted.

Let me tell you about something that makes Matt happy. He likes going through the fridge, the freezer, the pantry, looking for bits and pieces of things to use up or somehow make into a brand-new dish. I call it the Holdover from His Bachelor Days, or as other Americans know it, Being Canadian. Now I am not saying this to mock but I do understand that as a single girl in Atlanta, I was absolutely crappy about using up odds and ends. I cannot tell you how many times I had to throw food out that could have truly found a second purpose.

Maybe he’s rubbing off on me but I think he was proud of me for this dish.

Utilizing not one, not two, but THREE last bits o’ things, I whipped up this dinner. The only things I bought new were the jar of peanut sauce and the bell pepper. Of course, if you don’t have any leftover rice noodles lurking in your pantry, spaghetti will do just fine.

Peanut Noodle Salad with Shrimp

8 oz. spaghetti, linguine or rice vermacelli

3/4 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

3/4 cup frozen peas

3/4 to 1 cup peanut sauce

1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

Prepare spaghetti according to package directions. During last minute of cooking, add shrimp and peas. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again. Transfer to a serving bowl and mix with 3/4 cup peanut sauce. Top with bell pepper slices. If dry, add peanut sauce a tablespoon at a time until smooth.

I have been busy in the kitchen, y’all. With the thermometer inching its way down with what seems like every day, I am happy to spend time in the kitchen where it’s warm.

One thing I did achieve with my culinary delights is finding a crab cake recipe that Matt didn’t immediately spit out. Perhaps in central Canada, seafood is strange and foreign because that is the only reason I can figure for it (I grew up along the Florida Panhandle where we know seafood).

And as though we didn’t have enough sweets in the house or anything else to bring, I made sweet potato-chocolate bars for a lovely dinner party last night. It occurred to me on the drive over that I could’ve probably used canned pumpkin and saved myself a time-consuming step, but then I seem to always do things the hard way.

I think what I liked best about these was how the sweetness of the chocolate was tempered by the sweet potato. After all, when you use semisweet chocolate, you pretty much taste nothing but sugar. Another bonus: graham cracker crust!

Oooh, before I forget: the recipe calls for a baking time of 25 minutes; I found that I had to bake mine an additional 20 minutes to get center nice and set, your mileage may vary.

As I’ve chronicled previously, I like to have one weekend morning where I make something slightly fancy and/or involved for breakfast. I realize that this takes away from Matt’s yearning to cook more on weekend (Kitchen Dominatrix is me) so I try not to step on too many toes. Once again, I cull from Smitten Kitchen’s compendium of breakfast recipes. This time, in the form of a crisp. As Deb says in her entry, she reduced the amount of sugar so you can eat this crisp with plain yogurt. Not me, I just ate the crisp itself.

I want to say that the crisp turned out perfect and that all was well in Crispland. Well, that would be a flat-out lie. I do battle with my oven constantly. And I cannot get that oven to obey despite the fact it has a damned thermometer in it. I honestly think it runs too hot no matter what temperature I set it on for baking. Also, it tilts slightly so anything baking in the oven will have its far edge burned. Mostly what I do is set the timer for half the baking time so I check on said item in oven. If it looks like it’s getting too brown, I cover it with parchment. I should have done so with the crisp but more’s the folly with me.

Listen: it didn’t ruin it. I was lax and should have checked more. But it did ruin my plans of giving leftover crisp to our neighbors.

Potato Chip Crab Cakes

1 egg

2 to 3 tbl. reduced-fat mayonnaise

1 tbl. Dijon mustard

1 lb. fresh jumbo lump crab meat, drained

3/4 cup crushed baked potato chips, about 3 oz.

In a bowl, beat egg. Add 2 tablespoons mayonnaise and mustard and stir to combine. Add crab meat and chips and gently stir of combine.  If mixture isn’t holding together, add additional mayonnaise. Do not overwork the crab, as it breaks into pieces easily. Form into 6 patties and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes. The patties will become firmer upon refrigeration.

In a large, lightly oiled skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat, add the crab cakes and cook undisturbed until the bottoms are golden brown. Flip once and cook until bottoms turn golden brown and cakes are cooked through.

Sweet Potato Chocolate Bars

from “Every Day’s A Party” by Emeril Lagasse (Morrow, 1999)

1 1/2 lbs. medium-size sweet potatoes

1 tbl. vegetable oil

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg

pinch of salt

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs

3 cups milk

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 cups pecan pieces

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

8 oz. semisweet chocolate morsels

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Rub the sweet potatoes with the vegetable oil and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until fork-tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and let cool, then peel and mash in a large bowl.

Add to the mashed potatoes the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla, eggs, and 2 1/2 cups of the milk and mix well. Set aside.

Lower the oven temperature to 350.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs and pecan pieces in a food processor and process for about 1 minute, to make a fine meal. With the motor running, gradually pour the melted butter through the feed tube and process for about 1 minute. Transfer the crumb mixture to a 13×18-inch baking pan and, using your fingers, firmly press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

Pour the sweet potato mixture into the crust and spread evenly with a rubber spatula.

Put the chocolate morsels and the remaining 1/2 cup of milk in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Spoon the chocolate in three rows, about 2 inches apart, lengthwise over the sweet potato mixture. Then, with a knife, make a zigzag pattern to marbleize  the chocolate and the sweet potato mixture.

Bake until the edges are browned and the filling is set, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. To serve, cut into bars.

Breakfast Apple Granola Crisp

from Smitten Kitchen

3 pounds of whatever apples, or mix of apples, you like to bake with, peeled, cored and cut into medium chunks
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup flour
2 cups oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened, as you wish; I used unsweetened)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix apple chunks with lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and pinch of salt in a 9×13-inch baking dish until apples are evenly coated. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the honey. Stir in the flour, oats, almonds, coconut and another pinch of salt until clumps form. Sprinkle evenly over the apple mixture and bake in the oven for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until the apples are softened and bubbly. Should the granola brown before you wish it to, cover the baking dish carefully with foil for all but the last few minutes of baking time, when removing the foil will help the granola recrisp. Cool to room temperature and then stash in the fridge to eat with your morning yogurt.

And by “them,” I mean “me.” I really try to do this baking thing every Wednesday—mainly because it’s the weakest part of my cooking-fu and I welcome any chance to try. I had planned on making a fairly elaborate layer cake but opted for the somewhat simpler poundcake.

Anyone from the South knows poundcake. Your grandma probably made it, maybe an aunt. And while the idea itself may seem deceptively easy—a pound of eggs? butter? flour? sugar? pssh! I got this!—it’s a little more difficult than that. The end perfection of any poundcake is a tight crumb.

If my mad photo skills were anything resembling awesome, the above photo would have demonstrated this to you. So take my word for it that the cake turned out delicious. Also, do wait for the cake to cool COMPLETELY before inverting it and taking it out of its bundt pan. If you don’t, then it remains tasty but unattractive.

Dot’s Poundcake

1 lb. (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 2/3 cups granulated sugar

8 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

pinch of salt

1/2 cup canned evaporated milk

1 tbl. vanilla extract

1 tbl. almond or lemon extract (or some of each)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan, or spray with a generous amount of cooking spray. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, add eggs one at a time, alternating with the flour and pinch of salt. Add the evaporated milk and extract(s), and mix 1 to 2 minutes on low. Spoon batter into the prepared pan; tap on the countertop a few times to remove any large air bubbles.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until top is golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. (If the cake seems to be browning too quickly, reduce the heat to 300 degrees.)

Cool for 15 minutes in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack. Cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

I love have people over for dinner. Try as I might, however, I can’t help feeling a little hurried as I rush to make sure things are done on time but for the love of God, that’s why I make my husband be the entertainment while I finish up. Last night’s dinner with our friends Max and Julie—who brought a delightfully yummy apple pie AND ice cream—was less harried as I actually pre-planned for once. Instead of beginning to cook with an hour before they arrived—it’s my usual m.o.—I began nearly two hours before since I was unsure how long it would take to make and cook the meatballs. There was even enough time for Matt to put together the salad you see above: butter lettuce with pomegranate seeds and orange segments.

These meatballs were a dream and ridiculously easy.

Now the recipe claims you get about 2 1/2 dozen meatballs out of this but I got over 40. Probably because I made them a little smaller than it called for. Once you get past the meatball-making stage and down to the business of sauce, this is a really lovely dinner to whip for friends.

Spaghettini with Middle-Eastern Meatballs

from Pasta by Jane Stacey (Collins, 1995)

Meatballs:

1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey

1/2 onion, finely chopped

3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/3 cup dried currants or seedless dark raisins, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp. fennel seeds

1/8 tsp. cumin seeds

2 tbl. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 tbl. olive oil

Sweet-and-spicy sauce:

2 tbl. butter

2 tbl. olive oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 small red or green bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup dry red wine

1 (28 oz.) can peeled whole tomatoes in juice

2 tsp. honey

1 tsp. hot pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary or 1/4 tsp. dried

2 tsp. minced fresh oregano or 1/4 tsp. dried

2 tsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 lb. dried or fresh spaghettini

6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

fresh mint leaves, thinly slivered (optional)

Prepare the meatballs: in a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well with your hands. Pull off small pieces of the mixture and roll into 1 1/2- to 2-inch balls; you should have about 2 1/2 dozen.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and cook, turning frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until browned on all sides, adding more oil if necessary. Transfer to a platter.

Prepare the tomato sauce: in the same skillet, melt the butter with the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Stir in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the tomatoes with their juice, the honey, hot pepper flakes, ground cinnamon, rosemary, oregano and parsley. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally to break up the tomatoes, for about 20 minutes to blend the flavors. Season with the salt and pepper. Add the meatballs to the sauce and rewarm them, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

Divide the pasta among heated serving bowls and top with the meatballs and the sauce. Top with the meatballs with the cheese and sprinkle with mint leaves if desired. Serve immediately.

I suspect that somewhere in my blood, there is a strain of Irish heritage. I’m not saying that I have an unnatural love for foods constructed from the humble potato but I will say that when I run across a potato-based recipe, I have a hard time figuring out reasons as to why I shouldn’t make it. In fact, there is a potato-based variation of angels on horseback that I want to make because I can’t figure for what reason I would serve them. So: that recipe is tabled for another time. Since going nutty with this passel of Passover recipes I have been doing, there was one for potato kugel. Despite being from the South, kugel is not uncommon to find there. One of my former favorite restaurants, Agnes & Muriel’s, used to have a really nice noodle kugel on their vegetable list. Sadly, that restaurant is no longer what it used to be (opening a location in Buckhead!).

I believe I’ve told you my difficulties with finding matzo meal; well, this recipe is no different. You can sub AP flour with no troubles. It really is like a hash brown casserole; what I find interesting and yummy about it is that there is a certain slight sweetness to it. No sugar in the recipe so I can’t figure out why.

Crisp Potato Kugel

adapted from “Fast & Festive Meals for the Jewish Holidays: Complete Menus, Rituals and Party-Planning Ideas for Every Holiday of the Year” by Marlene Sorosky (William Morrow)

1 large onion, peeled

6 medium baking potatoes, peeled (about 4 lbs.)

2 large eggs

1 tsp. salt or to taste

6 tbl.  (3/4 stick) kosher for Passover margarine, melted

2 tbl. matzo meal (or use same amount AP flour)

2 tbl. kosher for Passover margarine

Place rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

In a food processor with the shredding disc or with a hand grater, grate the onion and transfer to a large colander. Grate potatoes and add to onion ( you will need to do this in several batches). Drain well, squeezing out excess moisture.

In a very large bowl, whisk eggs, salt, melted margarine and matzo meal. Stir in potatoes until well-combined.

Place 2 tablespoons margarine in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Melt in oven and tilt dish to coat evenly. Transfer potatoes to baking pan, distributing evenly. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375. Bake for 45 more minutes, or until top is crisp. Cut into squares.

Remember that battered folder I was telling you about, the one full of clipped recipes? Well, I came across a batch of Passover recipes and thought, “Sure, why not?”

Never mind that I am not Jewish nor is it anywhere near Passover. Never mind that I subbed fresh green beans for the asparagus in this recipe because mid-October asparagus is NOT cutting it. And never mind that the result is so bright, fresh, tangy, toasty, that I don’t think I mind that I used green beans at all.

I also made a traditional (albeit slightly modified) honey cake.

Just a thought, but I’m guessing that there aren’t many Jewish folk here in Sherbrooke because matzo meal proved impossible to find. After scouring the Internet looking for a swap—and believe me, despite the lack of Jewish heritage, people were particularly tenacious on this point regardless—I found that it may be acceptable to use plain ole breadcrumbs. It’s not like I had many options so I went with it. It turned out pretty good; the holes you see in the previous picture were made with a chopstick to allow the soaking syrup to inundate the cake. In fact, I served it with homemade whipped cream, which cut the richness of it nicely. Tomorrow I’m going to tackle potato kugel!

Baked Asparagus with Toasted Walnuts

adapted from “Fast & Festive Meals for the Jewish Holidays: Complete Menus, Rituals, and Party-Planning Ideas for Every Holiday of the Year” by Marlene Sorosky (William Morrow)

4 tbl. chopped walnuts

2 to 3 lb. thin-speared asparagus, woody stems removed (alternately, you could do as I did and use the same amount of green beans, trimmed and blanched)

salt and freshly ground pepper for asparagus and topping, to taste

1 tbl. kosher for Passover margarine, cut into small pieces

3 tbl. walnut oil or olive oil

1 1/2 tbl. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnuts on a cookie sheet and set aside. Spread asparagus on a separate sheet; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and dot with margarine. Bake nuts until aromatic and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Bake asparagus for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender but still crisp.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice and and salt and pepper to taste. Before serving, spoon topping over asparagus and sprinkle with walnuts.

Passover Honey Nut Cake in Soaking Syrup

adapted from “A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking” by Marcy Goldman (Broadway)

For the cake:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

3 tbl. orange juice

1 tsp. finely minced orange zest

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon (or 1/2 tsp. for more pronounced cinnamon flavor)

1/2 cup matzo cake meal (or the same amount of plain breadcrumbs)

1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts or almonds

1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts

for the soaking syrup:

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup orange juice

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup water

1 tbl. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

fresh whipped cream for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 7- or 8-inch round layer cake pan (if you do not have one, you can use a round foil pan of the same or similar size, available in the supermarket baking aisle).

To prepare the cake: In a medium mixing bowl, using a wire whisk beat the granulated sugars and brown sugars with the oil and eggs until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Stir in the orange juice and zest, salt, cinnamon, cake meal and nuts. Turn the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is light brown and set. Cool for at least 20 minutes.

To prepare the syrup: While the cake bakes, in a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, orange juice, honey, water, cinnamon and lemon juice. Heat to dissolve the sugar and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture becomes syrupy. Cool well.

Pour the cooled syrup over the cooled cake, poking holes in the cake with a fork or toothpick to permit the syrup to penetrate. Allow it to stand for 2 to 4 hours to absorb the syrup. The syrup may pool on top of the cake or around the bottom and you may  need to repoke the holes or scoop the syrup back on top.

You may prefer to refrigerate this cake so that while it is absorbing the liquid, it is also firming up. Also, chilling the cake offsets its sweetness and makes it easier to cut.

I have a HUGE laundry list of things I want to cook and bake. Seriously, newspaper clippings alone comprise two folders’ worth of food to make and boy, we haven’t even touched all my cookbooks (both owned and borrowed) yet. When I ran across an easy version of that French classic coq au vin, I thought: “Why the hell not? Unless I decide to have a super-fancy dinner party, the real deal is just going to sit in that Julia Child cookbook.”

I warn you; while this dish is easy to whip together, it is not attractive. Maybe if you put some parsley sprigs on it or something, but really, it isn’t going to charm you with its looks.

Maybe one day I’ll get around to the hours-long joy of the original. But until then, I can satisfy myself with a fairly good imitation.

Poor Man’s Coq Au Vin

4 thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup red wine, or to taste

3 tbl. capers

1 tbl. chopped fresh sage

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a lightly oiled large skillet over medium-high heat, brown chicken on both sides. Remove chicken and wipe out excess oil. Add chicken broth and 1/2 cup wine to pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and return chicken to pan, turning often until cooked through.

Remove chicken, taste and add additional wine, if desired, and season with salt and pepper. Increase heat, add capers and sage and cook until sauce thickens. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

For hangovers and/or quasi-hangovers, I am a firm believer in the high fat/high protein restoratives. Despite my prodigious drinking during Fakesgiving the day before, yesterday was merely slightly headachy and slow-moving. Regardless, I whipped some fatty decadent pasta to eat for lunch.

I freakin’ heart pasta carbonara. This is a super simple version of it; you can chopped parsley, sauteed mushrooms or peppers, whatever. Consider my brain power was extremely limited yesterday, I just did the easiest one I could think of. Bacon, parmesan, pasta…what’s not to love?

Pasta Carbonara

1/2 lb. of pasta of your choice (I used fettucine)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

4 slices bacon

2 eggs

salt and pepper

Bring large pot of water to boil. As you wait for the water to boil (don’t forget that lid!), chop the bacon into 1/2-inch pieces. Fry bacon over medium heat until it’s done to your liking. Put aside bacon pieces; reserve one tablespoon of fat, if able. Cook pasta for time directed on package. Meanwhile, lightly beat the two eggs in a bowl; add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Once pasta is done, drain thoroughly. Quickly back the pasta back into the hot pot and pour the egg mixture over it. Working swiftly with tongs, coat the egg mixture all over pasta. Once the pasta has absorbed egg mixture, season with salt and lots of pepper. Add bacon pieces and the pork fat if you want. Finally, garnish that baby with the leftover Parmesan. A bowl of this and some ginger beer and you’ll be all right.

Living in Quebec (or Canada, for that matter) is a world of weirdness at times. Upon checking the Weather Channel online this morning, it’s a balmy 69 degrees back home. Here? We’re gonna be lucky if we reach 50 degrees. I’m not used to proper seasons; I’m used to long drawn-out summers, brief springs, brief autumns and a quick winter. Also? It’s Thanksgiving here tomorrow.

I am inclined to blame this on the fact it gets colder here than I am used to but the LSC has a cold. I’ve been pumping him full of cold meds and Emergen-C so as to limit his spread of disease. The LSC is also the kind of guy who is resolutely stubborn about being sick so when he slept in yesterday morning, it gave me plenty of time to make breakfast at my leisure. In between making these kick-ass home fries, I worked on my crossword, sipped juice, checked on the sleeping husband from time to time. And yes, these home fries were kick-ass. I think everyone has attempted home fries with varying degrees of success. Raw or raw-ish on the inside, burnt on the outside, etc.

But thanks to Smitten Kitchen, I found a recipe which produced results that astounded me. (That sounds like a very busy sentence, upon re-reading it.) Once I roused my honey for breakfast, we were both gobbling down these ideal spuds. Creamy on the inside, golden brown and crisp on the outside.

With winter breathing down our necks, the LSC (despite his sickness) and I prepped the house for the season. Cleaning chimneys, sealing windows, storing patio furniture, we got a lot done. By the time, he finished his own list of chores, I was not in the mood to whip up something overly elaborate for dinner. You know what always comforts on cold nights? Grilled cheese.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t fancify your grilled cheese.

Sorry for the poor picture but my camera doesn’t like close-ups. Notes for the sandwich: I subbed a semi-soft local cheese since I couldn’t find any Taleggio; I used whole grain bread because I am one of those people who doesn’t like raisins. This is a nice savory and sweet variation on a classic.

Home Fries

loosely adapted from Cook’s Country

1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch cubes
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 onions, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Seasoning of your choice: Garlic powder or salt work great, as does smoky Spanish paprika or chopped chives

1. Arrange potatoes in large microwave-safe bowl, top with 1 tablespoon butter, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on high until edges of potatoes begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes, shaking bowl (without removing plastic) to redistribute potatoes halfway through cooking.

2. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in large regular or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to small bowl.

3. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes and pack down with spatula. Cook, without moving, until underside of potatoes is brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn potatoes, pack down again, and continue to cook until well browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring potatoes every few minutes, until crusty and golden on all sides, 9 to 12 minutes. Stir in onion, seasonings of your choice and salt and pepper to taste.

Grilled Taleggio Sandwich with Apricots and Capers

adapted from Eric Greenspan

15 dried apricots

1 tbl. nonpareil capers

1 tbl. Dijon mustard

1 tbl. extra virgin olive oil

8 slices dark raisin bread

5 tbl. butter, at room temperature

4 small handfuls arugula

8 oz. taleggio cheese, rind removed, at room temperature

4 pinches fleur de sel

Place apricots in small saucepan and add water just to cover. Bring to full boil and immediately remove from heat. Mix in capers, mustard and olive oil. Pulse in blender to chunky consistency; set aside.

Spread one side of each bread slice evenly (to the edges) with 1/2 tablespoon butter. With buttered sides down, top four slices with 2 tablespoons of apricot mixture, handful of arugula and equal portions of cheese. Top with remaining slices, buttered side up.

Place large skillet over high heat, and melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Reduce heat to low and add sandwiches. Cook until browned and crisp on both sides, about 2 minutes a side. Transfer to a platter lined with paper towels, and sprinkle each with a pinch of fleur de sel. Cut in half and serve.