Seared Seitan with Tarragon Pan Sauce

The best vegetarian gravy we’ve found, this will be at every thanksgiving from here on out.

Seared Seitan with Tarragon Pan Sauce (with green beans & potatoes)

Tarragon adds a feeling of elegance and rich flavor to pan sauce that's made with seitan. Serve it with green beans and mashed potatoes for a classic, comforting meal.
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Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Dish, Side Dish
Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Seared Seitan with Tarragon Pan Sauce
  • 16 oz Seitan cubed (sub firm tofu)
  • 2 cloves shallots diced
  • 2 tsp tarragon finely chopped, fresh
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp mustard
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 1/2 cups stock
Mustard Green Beans
  • 1 lb green beans trimmed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp mustard
  • 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Mashed potatoes
  • 1 lb russet potatoes cubed
  • 2 tbsp greek yogurt sub sour cream
  • 2 tbsp butter

Method
 

Prep
  1. Seitan / Shallots / Green beans - (If prepping right before cooking, get oven heating first.) Prep as directed. Store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
  2. Tarragon - Finely chop tarragon. (Can be done up to 1 day ahead)
  3. Potatoes - Peel and cube potatoes.
Make
  1. Heat oven to 425F / 218C.
  2. Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water and some salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove lid from potatoes and simmer until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, toss green beans with olive oil, mustard (portion for green beans), and balsamic vinegar. Season with some salt and pepper and spread out on a sheet pan. Roast until tender, shaking the pan halfway through cooking, 18 to 20 minutes.
  4. Once green beans are roasting, heat a large skillet with cooking oil over medium heat. Add seitan and sear on all sides until golden, 6 to 8 minutes.
  5. Add butter (portion for seitan) to pan with seitan. When butter melts, add shallots and tarragon. Saute until shallots are soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in apple cider vinegar and mustard (portion for seitan).
  6. Add flour to seitan and stir until no dry spots remain. Slowly pour in stock while whisking. Simmer sauce until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with some salt and pepper. Set aside, covered to keep warm.
  7. Drain potatoes and let sit in a colander for ~5 minutes to allow the steam to escape (this creates creamier potatoes vs. liquidy potatoes).
  8. Use a masher to mash potatoes with sour cream, butter (portion for potatoes), and some salt.
  9. Serve seitan and sauce over mashed potatoes. Enjoy green beans on the side.

Notes

Adapted from cooksmarts

Shredded Brussel’s sprouts salad

This is a sprouts salad that my friend Brussel (the weightlifter) taught me. I usually have this with chicken tendies, which I’ve included as well.

Shredded Brussel's sprouts salad (with chicken tenders)

Chicken tendies seared and tossed with mustard and tarragon pan sauce, aren't you fancy? Shredding brussels sprouts to serve in a salad on the side gives them flavor and crunch.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shredded Brussel's sprouts salad
  • 1/2 cup pecans chopped
  • 1 lb brussels sprouts shredded
  • 1 tsp mustard Use dijon if you want texture, but just know that "fancy" mustard is all bs. Make it yourself and you'll know why.
  • 1 tsp wine vinegar red or white wine
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 3 tbsp olive oil avoid all european OO, it's unregulated crap. California / Australian is the best.
  • 1/2 cup cranberries, dried
  • 4 oz goat cheese
Mustard chicken w/ tarragon
  • 2 cloves shallots diced
  • 2 tsp tarragon chopped
  • 1 lb chicken breasts cut into big strips, like tenders
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
  • 2 tsp wine vinegar red or white
  • 1/3 cup stock I use "better than bouillon" and it's great
  • 1 tbsp mustard again, whatever mustard you want. I go with generic because the ingredients are pure & simple.
  • 2 tsp honey

Method
 

Prep
  1. Pecans / Shallots / Tarragon - Prep as directed. Store separately. You can leave the pecans raw for the salad, or if you prefer, you can toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until fragrant, ~4 minutes. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
  2. Brussels sprouts - Put the slicing disk in a food processor and shred sprouts. If using the best processor (Breville Sous Chef) turn the slicer to just under 2. We've had it thinner as well, it makes it more voluminous which you may prefer but make extra dressing to compensate. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
  3. Chicken breasts - Slice into thick strips. Season with some salt and pepper and tenderize with a fork. (Can be done up to 1 day ahead)
Make
  1. Combine mustard, vinegar, honey (the portions for the sprouts), and olive oil. Season with some salt and pepper. Toss with brussels sprouts, cranberries, and pecans. Crumble goat cheese over top.
  2. Heat a skillet or saute pan over medium-high. Add cooking oil. When oil begins to shimmer, add chicken and saute until golden brown and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and return pan to heat. Add shallots and vinegar (portion for the chicken) and saute, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan, until shallots become tender, ~3 minutes. Add stock, tarragon, mustard, and honey (the portions for the chicken) and whisk. Simmer until sauce thickens, ~2 minutes. Add chicken back into the skillet and stir to coat in sauce.
  3. Serve chicken with extra pan sauce over top and salad on the side. Enjoy!

Notes

Adapted from Cooksmarts

Grump Pup’s Peanut Butts (Peanut Butter)

An old recipe I’ve made off and on since 2010, and now that peanut butter is sold out everywhere during the pandemic I’ve been making this regularly. Amelia gave tasting notes and I kept modifying the recipe until we settled on this one: Not as sweet as Jiff and not so bland as natural, with a little cinnamon kick.

Grump Pup's Peanut Butts (Peanut Butter)

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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 2 jars
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs peanuts roasted, unsalted
  • 3/4 tsp salt or more to taste
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon ground
  • 4 tbsp peanut oil less if you like your pb thick

Method
 

Blender
  1. Put it all in a blender.  Blend it up, scraping the sides with a spatula to get it going. Don't give up, and let the motor rest if it gets hot. It will eventually blend like a thick smoothie once it gets fine & hot. I don't have a food processor, but I hear it's much faster.
Food processor
  1. edit: Now that I have a food processor it's so easy! Just turn it on and let it go until it's your desired smoothness - I prefer a fast moving tornado (about 2 to 3 minutes). No need to pulse, no need to let it cool.

Buttermilk pie crust

I didn’t invent this recipe myself, but I’m including it here because it’s so good: it’s makes an all butter, fairly flaky, and yet still tender.

Buttermilk pie crust

All butter, flaky, tender crust.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 2 crusts
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbs granulated sugar
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter cut into tiny cubes and kept cold
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk a few more Tbs if dough is too try

Method
 

  1. In a medium/large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
  2. Add cold butter cubes and press into the flour with your fingers (or food processor or fork) until flour looks like it has little butter pebbles in it.
  3. Make a well in the flour mixture. Pour in buttermilk. Stir with fork until dough starts to come together.
  4. If your bowl is big enough, just keep working in the bowl, otherwise dump onto a floured table. Knead the dough just until the parts stick together and dough looks shaggy. Don't over work your dough or you'll just make it tough.
  5. Divide into two equal parts. Shape into disks.
  6. Wrap each disk in parchment paper, spare plastic, or similar. Refrigerate 1 hour or more.
  7. Roll out as you would any pie crust.

Notes

hint: bake your pies in the bottom part of your oven to help cook the bottom crust underneath the pie, especially if you don't blind-bake it.

Chocolate chip cookies

This recipe is from the New York Times. It is perfect and simply cannot be improved. Yes, waiting 24 – 72 hours between making cookie dough and baking them seems absurd, but I promise you: these cookies are worth the wait.

 

Chocolate chip cookies

Print Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 1 day 1 hour 3 minutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 1/2 oz cake flour
  • 8 1/2 oz bread flour (you can substitute all purpose)
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp course salt
  • 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • 10 oz light brown sugar
  • 8 oz granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 lbs 60% cacao chocolate chips/discs
  • sea salt (to sprinkle)

Method
 

  1. Take the unsalted butter out of the fridge. Let it soften.
  2. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
  3. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. I usually fold them in with a spatula instead of the mixer.
  4. Scoop dough into 3 1/2-ounce mounds (the size of generous golf balls) and set back into your bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic/beeswax wrap and refrigerate for 24 - 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
  5. Now that you've waited at least 24 hours and are absolutely desperate to eat these damn cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats. Transfer your cookie dough to the baking sheets, making sure to leave ~2 inches in between them so they can spread.
  6. Sprinkle each cookie dough ball lightly with sea salt (if the salt doesn't stick, spring the cookies lightly with water and then add the salt flakes) and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 - 20 minutes.
  7. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies directly onto the rack to cool a bit more. Eat with abandon. Thank the gods for delivering this manna from heaven.

Notes

I usually bake the cookie dough in a few batches, so I have fresh cookies for a few days in a row. Just keep the bowl tightly covered with plastic/beeswax wrap so the dough doesn't dry out in the fridge. You can also freeze these cookies; they'll just need a bit more time in the oven.

Dutch baby

This is my go-to breakfast for Sunday mornings. It’s made up of six ingredients I always have on hand, and it’s a cinch to whip up. It’s originally from the NYT, but I made a couple alterations.

Dutch baby

This pancake emerges from the oven puffed and golden, then deflates into a craggy, tender pancake that's perfectly accompanied by a dusting of powdered sugar and a generous squeeze of lemon. Other topping suggestions: apricot jam or lemon curd.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Breakfast
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 eggs (room temperature)
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup milk (room temperature)
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract

Method
 

  1. Pull eggs and milk out from fridge; bring 'em to room temperature.
  2. When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  3. Combine eggs, flour, sugar, and almond extract. You can mix the ingredients in a blender or by hand with a whisk. Either way, mix until smooth.
  4. Add milk to batter. Mix again until fully incorporated.
  5. Once your oven reaches 425 degrees, put the butter in a heavy 10-inch skillet or baking dish and place it in the oven. As soon as the butter has melted (~2 minutes) add the batter to the pan, return pan to the oven, and bake for 20 minutes, until the pancake is puffed and golden.
  6. Pull the pancake out of the oven. Wonder at its puffed glory. Mourn as it deflates. Cheer again when you realize you get to eat it slathered in a dusting of powdered sugar and lemon juice.

Notes

  • The batter turns out smoother if you let the eggs and milk come to room temperature, but you can go straight from fridge-to-oven if you're short on time.
  • The original recipe uses nutmeg to flavor the batter; I vastly prefer a splash of almond extract here but any warming spice or extract will work.

No-Knead Sour Dough Bread

Very easy and good!

No-Knead Sour Dough Bread

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups sour dough starter Be sure to return 1 cup to starter container
  • 1/2 cup warm milk
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 TBS sugar
  • 2 TBS cooking oil
  • 1 egg
  • 2 1/2 cups flour

Method
 

  1. Let all ingredients come to room temperature. Mix milk, salt, sugar, and cooking oil together in mixing bowl. Beat the egg and add to mixture. Add the sour dough starter and mix well. Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, mix well. Cover and set in warm place to proof, at least two hours. It should double in bulk. Punch down and put into a well greased loaf pan. Cover and let rise until about an inch below bottom of pan, about 1 hour 45 minutes, or longer if colder. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. It is done when it starts to shrink away from the sides of the pan. When done, remove from oven, brush top with melted butter. Set on rack to cool. Very fine, very fine.

Crockpot Lentil Soup

A great weeknight soup

I’ve been making this soup all winter to go along with no-knead bread. Found at Pinch of Yum

crockpot lentil soup

Crockpot Lentil Soup – a clean and simple soup made with onions, garlic, carrots, olive oil, squash, and LENTILS! Super healthy and easy to make.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 13 hours
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

FOR THE CROCKPOT:
  • 2 cups butternut squash peeled and cubed
  • 2 cups carrots peeled and sliced
  • 2 cups potatoes chopped
  • 2 cups celery chopped
  • 1 cup green lentils
  • 3/4 cup yellow split peas or just use more lentils
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 8-10 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons herbs de provence
  • 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
ADD AT THE END:
  • 2-3 cups kale (stems removed & chopped)
  • 1 cup parsley chopped
  • 1/2 cup olive oil rosemary olive oil or other herb infused oil is delicious
  • 1 swish sherry, red wine vinegar, or lemon juice to add a nice tangy bite
  • 10 slices Parmesan cheese a few thin slices on top of each bowl

Method
 

  1. Place all ingredients in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8 hours.
  2. Place about 4 cups of soup in a blender with the olive oil. Pulse gently until semi-smooth and creamy-looking (the oil will form a creamy emulsion with the soup). Add back to the pot and stir to combine. Stir in the kale and parsley. Turn the heat off and just let everything chill out for a bit before serving. The taste gets better with time and so does the texture, IMO!
  3. Season to taste (add the sherry, vinegar, and/or lemon juice at this point) and to really go next level, serve with crusty wheat bread and a little Parmesan cheese. It’s called Detox Balance.

Green bean casserole

A thanksgiving crock-pot classic. Laugh at the onion rings all you want, this dish will disappear.

Green bean casserole

Print Recipe
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Comfort
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs fresh green beans washed and cut up (says if use frozen use 4 packages but doesn't say what size? If using frozen beans reduce cooking time to: cook high 4 to 5 hours or low 8 to 10 hours)
  • 1 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can French fried onion rings
  • 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
  • 1 can water chestnuts thinly sliced
  • Slivered almonds optional
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup water

Method
 

  1. Spread in layers as listed above, making about three layers.
  2. Save enough French-fried onion rings to crumble and sprinkle over top about 20 minutes before serving.
  3. Add 1/2 cup water and cook on high for 7 to 10 ours, or low 12 to 18 hours.

Green Chile Stew

This recipe from Shannon won the great 2010 chili cook-off, a party and a dish that have become Logan Square legend.

See note for vegetarian version.

Green Chile Stew

Print Recipe
Servings: 8 people
Course: Main Dish
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

stew:
  • 1 pound pork stew meat cut into bite-size pieces
  • all-purpose flour for flour mix
  • cumin for flour mix
  • garlic powder for flour mix
  • powdered green chili for flour mix (optional)
  • salt & pepper for flour mix
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 30 oz chicken broth or other broth 2 cans
  • 1 scant cup posole pieces or 1 can whole posole don't use dried whole posole or it will take too long
  • 3-4 cups chopped roasted hatch green chile
  • 4 tomatoes roughly chopped
  • dried oregano
  • extra cumin powder and garlic powder
  • honey
To serve:
  • limes
  • cilantro
  • avocado
  • queso fresco
  • tortillas

Method
 

  1. toss pork in flour mixture to coat.
  2. cook onion in a little olive oil till soft.
  3. add pork and then garlic on top of pork. don't stir much so that pork can brown. when pork is browned add the chicken broth and stir to deglaze the pot.
  4. add posole pieces. add some water to reach correct amount of liquid. bring to a boil, stir, then turn down to a simmer and cook covered for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
  5. add chiles when convenient. when almost done, add tomatoes and oregano.
  6. if there is too much liquid cook at high temp with lid off until broth is reduced. taste for cumin and garlic, adding more if desired. add honey until tomato flavor 'peaks.'
  7. serve with sides, making sure to add lots of delicious fresh lime juice.

Notes

if you don't want meat,this is still good without the pork, just cook the flour/spices with the onion and use veggie broth instead of chicken. if you are one of those 'gluten free' people, instead of using flour on the pork to thicken the stew, just add a few finely chopped potatoes along with the posole.