Poutine isn’t an everyday meal, but it’s a favorite. Since I don’t like deep-frying at home, I bake the fries; they still get crispy without the fuss of frying. Montreal-style poutine is made with vegetable gravy, as in this recipe, but you can also make your favorite beef or turkey gravy. Of course, proper poutine uses cheese curds, and if you can find them do use those, but fresh mozzarella works for me. It has the same spongy quality, just maybe with a little less squeak. This recipe does come out a little more expensive than you would think because of the fresh mozzarella. If you use less or skip the cheese entirely, you can cut the price in half.
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Shakshuka, if you are unfamiliar, is eggs poached in tomato sauce that is often scented with cumin and sometimes other herbs and spices. It’s from North Africa and the Middle east and it’s a wonderful, simple and healthy brunch dish you should quickly add to your repertoire. Today I’m sharing a variation from the tomato based usual, to this spinachy, herby green Shakshuka! Keep reading
Casseroles are a great way to stretch your cooking-without a-recipe muscles. As one reader, Carolie, reminded me, they require little prep time, yield many meals, and the leftovers are easy to store. Casseroles also let you easily tailor an existing recipe to your own tastes.
So here’s my adaptation of one of Carolie’s favorite casseroles, itself a play on cabbage rolls, a traditional Eastern European dish that is delicious but labor intensive. This version is a good way to use up leftover rice or grains and lentils.
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Beef stroganoff is one of my husband’s favorites, so I make it as a treat for him—and one of my early readers, Dave, says his mother made it for him growing up. It’s a classic winter meal from Eastern Europe that warms up a cold house and fills the air with rich aroma. You can use any cut of beef; just adjust the cooking time based on the toughness. Dave’s mom made it with red pepper instead of carrot, so feel free to do the same if you can get red peppers at a good price.
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