Pulled Pork Barbecue

I just love pulled pork, particularly when it's soaked in vinegar-based sauce and then doused in a bit more Texas Pete. Pair that with tangy buttermilk coleslaw and some fresh-outta-the-fryer cornmeal hushpuppies and I am pretty much in hog heaven!

Unfortunately, until I happened upon this recipe for pulled pork, I'd never made it myself since most recipes require a smoker - an expense that I haven't yet found a good reason to incur. Instead, I mostly had to let my craving come and go unfulfilled. Happily, this recipe perfects pulled pork by first brining the meat and then slow-cooking it in the oven. Jason was a bit apprehensive (read: doubtful) when I told him I was going to make it, but he was pleasantly surprised when he finally sunk his teeth into the finished product.

I've made it twice now and both times it has turned out wonderfully.

Pulled Pork Barbecue

adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Serves 10-12 people

1 boneless pork butt (~5 pounds)

Brine
2 cups warm water
1 cup salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons liquid smoke
12-14 cups cold water

Using a sharp knife, trim away excess fat from pork butt. Don't even try to cut away all of it...you'll want it for flavor and lots of it will cook out anyway. Cut pork in half horizontally. Doing so permits the pork to cook faster and for there to be more surface area for your rub, greatly enhancing the flavor.

Combine salt, sugar, liquid smoke and warm water in a large container (I used a giant pot). Use wooden spoon to vigorously stir together so that the salt and sugar completely dissolve. Once they've done so, place the pork in the pot and cover completely with cold water. Set aside for 2 hours.

While the pork is brining, get everything else set up.

Rub
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Glaze
1/4 cub yellow mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons liquid smoke
Combine mustard and liquid smoke in a small bowl. Set aside.

Line a baking sheet (one with a lip to catch and hold the liquid that will cook off the pork) with aluminum foil. Place a wire rack on top of the baking sheet. Tear off piece of parchment paper large enough to completely cover the pork when it's set on the wire rack. Tear off two or three large pieces of aluminum foil.

Once the pork is done brining, use paper towels to pat off excess liquid. Place pork on wire racks and use a basting brush to completely coat pork with the mustard mixture. With a heavy hand, sprinkle rub all over the pork.

Cover the pork with the parchment paper and then use aluminum foil sheets to cover the parchment paper. Tuck foil to create a seal, which will prevent moisture from escaping. Don't skip out on the parchment paper; the mustard is so acidic that it will eat through the aluminum foil is there is nothing serving as a barrier.

Place in middle rack of oven for 3 hours.

Remove from the oven and discard the parchment and aluminum foil. Transfer liquid that has accumulated on the bottom of the pan into a medium bowl and place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. Skim off the fat that has come to the top of the liquid. Pour remaining liquid over the pulled pork.

Place the pork back into the oven and let cook an additional 1 1/2 hours. After removing pork from the oven, let it rest for 20-30 minutes before transferring to a large casserole dish. Use two forks to pull apart the meat.

I split the pulled pork into two smaller glass dishes and added the Sweet + Tangy Barbecue Sauce to one and the Lexington Barbecue Dip to the other.

I served the barbecues with this homemade coleslaw (I altered the recipe just a bit by doing the following: 1) I made only half the recipe; 2) I placed the carrots and coleslaw into the food processor and minced them; and 3) I substituted greek yogurt for the mayo to cut down on calories.)

Eat up!

Left: Sweet + Tangy Barbecue Sauce                                                                                                                              Right: Lexington Barbecue Dip

Deep Dish Pizza Crust [Chicago Style]

The only time I've ever eaten authentic Chicago Deep Dish Pizza was at Uno's in Chicago in the summer of 2011 with Jason and our friends, Brent + Jillian. And I loved it. True, it did sit like a brick in our stomaches but it was a flaky, buttery, delicious brick. I'd never thought to make it myself until I got an email from America's Test Kitchen that had the recipe. It's an easy recipe that take relatively little active time, though because of the two 45 minute rise times, it is probably a better recipe for a weekend night. We ate it for dinner and had New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert. Yumminess all around.

Deep Dish Pizza Crust [Chicago Style]

slightly adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Makes one 9" pizza crust [serves 2]

In a medium bowl, combine:
1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons yeast
Use a wooden spoon to mix together ingredients.

Sprinkle in:
3/4 teaspoon salt
Use wooden spoon to evenly distribute salt. [Adding in the salt after you've disbursed the yeast amongst the flour keeps the salt from having direct contact with the yeast and killing it.] Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients.

Pour into the well:
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons warm water
1 1/2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Again using the wooden spoon, pull the dry ingredients into the wet stirring vigorously. Once a ball of dough forms, invert bowl onto clean countertop. Use hands to knead dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. [Feel free to use a bread hook and an electric mixer; I just love kneading dough by hand.]

Lightly coat dough with:
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
Place back in bowl and tightly cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, 45 minutes to an hour.

Remove dough from bowl and place on clean countertop. Preheat oven 425 degrees. Use rolling pin to roll dough into an 8" x 6" rectangle. Use butter knife or spatula to spread 2 tablespoons of very softened, unsalted butter over dough, leaving a 1/2" border. Roll dough into a tight cylinder. Place dough so that the seam side is down and flatten into a 9" x 4" rectangle. Fold the dough like a business letter. Pinch the sides together to form a ball (see picture below).

Place back in bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Roll dough into a 13" circle.

Coat bottom and sides of 9" cake pan with:
2 tablespoons olive oil
Place dough in pan so that dough goes 1" up sides of pan.

Pour into the crust:
2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese (the pre-shredded stuff won't melt well, though I used it anyway because that's what I had on hand.)

Cover with:
1 cup pizza sauce
desired toppings

Bake on middle rack for 25-30 minutes.

Let rest in pan 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Eat up!

Sweet + Sour Pot Roast

Aunt Dot [left] and Grandma Kelley [right] in Grandma's kitchen making strawberry jam.

Several weeks ago, Jason, Audrey and I went over to my parents' house for a Sunday dinner of Sweet + Sour Pot Roast - a recipe from my Aunt Dot's kitchen, which I associate with my Grandma Kelley (her best friend). We have gone to my parents' several Sundays since Audrey's birth so that I can get out of the house and curb at least a little bit of the stir-craziness that develops over the course of a week. In addition to providing a respite from being home alone with a very cute infant, we are treated to delicious home cooked meals that I neither have to make nor have to clean up (for the record, I do try to help clean up, but Dad shoos me away). I cannot overstate what a blessing it has been for my parents to live close-by!

Now, I must admit that when Jason and I moved back to Winston-Salem, I was skeptical. While it did provide me a job in a terribly weak economy, Winston wasn't exactly where I'd envisioned myself landing. No, I had dreams of living in Denver, charting my own exciting and adventurous course in a bigger city with even bigger mountains nearby. Winston did not exactly seem exciting or adventurous. To be honest, it seemed like old news; a place I'd already experienced and didn't need to redo. As much as I'd loved my own childhood experience, I felt like I'd come full circle at the ripe-old age of twenty-five. I felt like I was reliving my parents' life when I wanted my own life.

But as we have made a life here, I have come to love Winston-Salem. I love the restaurants; I love its central North Carolina location; I love its history - particularly my history with it. But most of all, I love the people that Winston-Salem houses. And that is really what's most important anyway. Because without family and friends, what is a place? It is buildings and scenery and culture. But all those things without those you love cannot be more, at least not until you've been there long enough to make them your buildings, your scenery, your culture. No, it isn't not until that place houses your loved ones that it really becomes your home.

Does this mean I'd never leave Winston-Salem? Of course not. But I can now recognize that it provides its own excitement and adventure. Excitement and adventure that I get to share with my husband, my daughter, and my parents' over Sunday dinner. A dinner that you probably won't be surprised to know that I'd eaten numerous times, quite often on Sunday, with my parents, my brother, and my Grandma Kelley (from whom Audrey gets her middle name). Talk about full circle.

Sweet + Sour Pot Roast
Aunt Dot Newman [aka: "Ice Cube Dot"] with additions from Kathy Gondring [Mom]

Preheat oven 325º

In a large oven-proof Dutch oven, place:
3-4 pound rump roast
2 cups water
1 beef bouillon cube

Sprinkle over top of roast:
1 tsp salt
Cover and cook in oven for 1 1/2 hours.

In a medium bowl, combine:
1 medium white onion, sliced
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup catsup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried ground ginger (or 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger)
1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard (or 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard)
Add to Dutch oven and continue cooking for another 1 1/2 hours.

After beef has cooked for 3 hours, add:
1 green pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup diced sweet pickle or sweet relish
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces [optional]
Place back in oven and cook for 5-10 minutes or until veggies are tender. Remove from oven and place on stovetop over medium heat.

In a small bowl, combine:
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon corn starch
Add to the Dutch oven and cook until broth has slightly thickened.

Slice meat and serve with rice (Aunt Dot) or mashed potatoes (Grandma Kelley).

Eat up!

Chicken Divine

I grew up eating this casserole, which I knew simply as "Chicken Broccoli Casserole" on Christmas Eve. That was back when my Grandma Gondring still hosted Christmas Eve dinner. I hadn't had it in ages until my friend, Ashley, showed up with her version of the casserole to help us out when we had Audrey. Her rendition included rice, which I really love because it eliminates the need to make a side. Inspired by her dish, I went through all the recipes cards my Grandma gave me several months ago and found her recipe. Turns out I have been calling it the wrong thing all these years! [I love that is is called Chicken Devine because it dates the recipe perfectly.]

So here is my recipe for Chicken Divine - inspired by both my grandmother and my friend. I had a great time making it the last time Ashley came to visit us and really appreciate all of her help and companionship!

Chicken Divine
adapted from Grandma Gondring's kitchen and inspired by Ashley Kernodle's recipe

Preheat oven 350º

In a large, shallow casserole dish*, place:
3 cups cooked white rice [I used Jasmine rice]

Cover with:
1 large bunch of broccoli, cooked al dente + cut into bite-sized pieces
2 large chicken breasts, cooked + coarsely shredded

In a medium bowl, combine:
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of broccoli soup
Pour over chicken and broccoli.

In a small bowl, combine:
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon yellow curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Sprinkle over sauce.

Bake for 35 minutes or until the edges of the casserole are bubbling.

*I chose to divide this casserole into 8 individual portions so that I could freeze them, simplifying dinner with a newborn.

Eat up!

The Best Meatloaf and Gravy

I love cookbooks. I love the weight of the books in my hands when I pick up a stack and place them on my dining room table to peruse. I love scanning the index and then flipping the pages to find a new recipe. Normally, after ten minutes or so there are several pieces of scrap paper marking recipes I'd like to make. Out of necessity, I must pick just one - sometimes two - to make for that lunch or dinner or dessert. But those scrap pieces remain in place, calling me back over the course of several days or weeks to create the recipes they hold in place.

So I was thrilled when our friends, Brent + Jillian, gave us The Farm by Ian Knauer. It is wonderfully categorized by season, which is perfect for cooking while foods are in season. After reading through several recipes, I decided I'd try my hand at making meatloaf, a dish which I have sometimes enjoyed but never made. Meatloaf is one of those dishes that has a reputation of being dry and overcooked (probably a result of it being an elementary school lunch menu favorite), but at it's best, meatloaf represents comfort food at its best. Pair it with mashed potatoes and green beans and you've got a winter dish you really can't beat.

The Best Meatloaf
adapted from The Farm

Serves 4-6

Preheat oven 375º

In a large bowl, combine:
3/4 cub fresh breadcrumbs
3 tablespoon whole milk
Let sit about 10 minutes so that the breadcrumbs soaked up all of the milk.

In a food processor, process until finely diced:
3 cloves garlic
1 stalk celery
1 small carrot
1 medium white onion

In a medium skillet, heat:
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
Add the diced veggies. Cover and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.

While the veggies are cooking, add to the food processor:
3 strips of thick-cut bacon (uncooked)
2 prunes
5-7 dried cherries
Process until finely diced.

Add to bowl with breadcrumbs the processed bacon/dried fruit, the sautéd veggies, and:
1 1/4 pounds Angus ground beef*
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Use hands to mix together ingredients. Once evenly mixed, transfer to a standard glass bread pan.

*Meatloaf is usually made with equal parts ground veal, beef, and pork, so if you'd like to use a mix, go for it! I just don't eat veal and the grocery store was out of ground pork (and since this was Audrey's maiden voyage to the grocery store, I decided one stop was enough of an adventure).

pre-cooking

post-cooking

Place in oven and let bake for 60-65 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 155º. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

While meatloaf is resting, prepare gravy.

Beef Gravy
In a small saucepan, heat:
1 tablespoon bacon grease (for a healthier alternative, use olive oil or butter)

Once warm, whisk in:
1 tablespoon flour

After flour is incorporated, slowly whisk in beef broth. Use as much as needed for desired thickness; I used a little less than a cup.

Finally, whisk in:
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Serve with Bacon + Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and green beans.

Eat up!

Spinach Ravioli

Ravioli-making is no simple task, but if you choose to partake then you will not be disappointed. It was only after I made my own ravioli for the first time that I appreciated the price on the menu at restaurants that took the time to make their own. I tend to think that many pasta dishes are over-priced, as many, not all, of the ingredients are quite inexpensive. However, with ravioli what you're paying for is the sheer amount of human labor it takes to make enough ravioli to serve everyone who orders it.

I've learned that if I am going to make ravioli, I need to allot at least 3 1/2 hours to get the job done. And this is after several rounds of practice. So if this is your first go at making this delicious dish, I would give yourself a whole afternoon. Worst case scenario you end up with extra time on your hands.

The other lesson I've learned is that if I am going to make ravioli for a crowd, I make it the day before so that there is no chance I am crunched for time. It is no fun to be frazzled because your guests are arriving in 20 minutes, you still have two batches of ravioli to make, your kitchen is a mess, and you are not showered. Believe me - I speak from experience!

If you aren't going to use all of this ravioli in one sitting, you can freeze it for weeks/months at a time. I actually made this yesterday and froze all but two servings of this batch so that when little snow pea arrives, we have several easy meals on hand.

Spinach Ravioli
Kelley Gondring

Makes ~80 large ravioli (enough to serve as an entree for ten people)

Pasta
Determining the correct consistency for pasta dough is really tricky. It is truly a "practice makes perfect" kind of thing. While I follow this basic recipe, I always add either more oil or more flour (sometimes even an extra egg!) depending upon the consistency. I say this ahead of time so that you don't stress if you have to tweak the basic recipe.

Add to a food processor:
3 1/2 cups flour [do not pack flour]
6 whole eggs
1-3 tablespoons olive oil
Pulse together until the ingredients just come together.** The dough should be a bit crumbly rather than one cohesive ball. Remove from the food processor. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Add flour or olive oil as necessary.

**If the dough looks completely dry - not like dough at all - test it by taking a scant handful and pressing it together. If it doesn't stay together at all, add an extra egg to the food processor and pulse together again. If it does stay together but feels really dry, add another tablespoon or two of olive oil. Pulse together.

If the dough is one cohesive ball, there isn't enough flour. Remove from the food processor and place on floured countertop. Add one tablespoon of flour at a time as you kneed the dough together.

Cut the dough into eight pieces using a serrated knife. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Filling

In a medium bowl, combine:
3.5 ounces spinach, cooked, chopped, and drained*
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 whole eggs
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup minced white onion
2 teaspoons basil
1 teaspoon oregano
salt + pepper to taste
Mix together until evenly combined. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

*Weight is after spinach has been cooked and drained; I used one 10 ounce package of frozen spinach.

Steps 4 + 6

Assembly
1. Remove one piece of dough from the refrigerator.
2. Roll out using the lasagna attachment and carefully follow the directions that come with your Pasta Machine. Remember to lightly sprinkle flour on the dough whenever it begins to go from tacky to sticky, as it will get stuck in your machine if you don't.
3. Lay flat on cloth towel.
4. Place 1/2 tablespoon (1 1/2 teaspoons) filling 3/4"-1" away from the left and top of the pasta. Place next dollop of filling 3/4"-1" from previous dollop of filling. Repeat until you run out of room. [Start by placing the filling further apart so that you can practice. As you get better, you can place it a little closer together.]
5. If necessary, use a pizza cutter to cut between every third dollop of filling.
6. Use a pastry brush to brush water over the edges of the pasta and between the filling.

Steps 7 through 10

7. Take the bottom edge of the pasta and pull over top of the filling.
8. Use your fingers to press the top edge and bottom edge together.
9. Starting in the middle and working your way out, press the dough between the filling together, pushing the air bubbles out.
10. Use the pizza cutter to cut out ravioli and trim the edges. [I cut about half of the ravioli out in half moons. The other half I cut into rectangles, making about half of those even fancier by trimming the edges with a pastry wheel. If you choose to do this, let the ravioli dry for about 10 minutes before using the pastry wheel so that there is a clean cut.)
11. Place on lightly floured piece of waxed paper or on dry hand towel.
12. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Step 11

If you choose to freeze your ravioli, place them closely together on a cookie sheet, not letting them overlap. Place in freezer for 45-60 minutes before transferring to a freezer-safe bag.

If you choose to eat your ravioli right away, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Place ravioli in boiling water for 4-5 minutes. You'll know they're done when they float to the top. Serve with Tomato Sauce or Alfredo Sauce.

Eat up!

Alfredo Sauce

Spinach Ravioli with Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo Sauce
Kelley Gondring

Serves 4

In a medium saucepan, melt over medium heat:
8 tablespoons butter

Whisk in:
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream

Whisk in:
1 cup parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons of your favorite herb (basil, rosemary, sage, and thyme are my favorites)
1 teaspoon pepper

Serve with fresh pasta.

Eat up!

Fettucini Alfredo w/ Broccoli + Sausage

This is a really easy recipe - perfect for a weeknight meal. From turning on the skillet to sitting down for dinner, I think it took 25 minutes.

Fettucini Alfredo w/ Broccoli + Sausage
Kelley Gondring

Serves 4

In a medium skillet, heat:
1/2 cup water
2-3 links sweet Italian sausage
Cover and let cook for 6-8 minutes or until no pink remains in the sausage. Remove skillet from heat. Drain water. Transfer sausage to cutting board and cut into full moon. Return to skillet and heat to medium-high. Let brown for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to plate covered with paper towels. Blot off excess grease. Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of oil from the skillet.

Add to the skillet:
1/4 white onion, finely diced
Reduce heat to medium and cook onions 3-4 minutes or until tender.

Add:
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sauté one minute, stirring constantly to prevent garlic from burning.

Add:
1/2 cup butter

Once butter has melted, stir in:
1 cup whole milk

Once milk and butter are combined, stir in:
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon pepper
pinch oregano

Add:
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
Cover skillet and let broccoli cook for about 5 minutes or until it is tender. Mix in the cooked sausage.

While the broccoli is cooking, bring water to boil in a small pot. Add four servings of your favorite pasta. I used the Homemade Basil Pasta I made this weekend.

To serve, plate pasta first and evenly distribute the Alfredo sauce with broccoli and sausage between plates.

Eat up!

Homemade Basil Pasta

We get about half the amount of sunlight that is necessary to nourish our backyard garden, making it nearly impossible to grow much of anything back there. Fortunately, herbs seem to thrive and we've had quite the harvest of basil, oregano, and thyme. We've even had two lemon basil volunteers pop up and successfully produce. As the summer begins to fade, so, too, does the basil. In light of that fact, I made a couple batches of Lemon Basil Pesto. Because I ran out of cheese and nuts for more batches of pesto (I love the stuff!), I decided to spice up my normal homemade pasta by adding basil.

Homemade Basil Pasta
Kelley Gondring

Special Equipment: Pasta Machine [Kitchen Aid also makes an amazing Pasta Roller Attachment]

This recipe yields 18 lasagna noodles and two servings of linguini noodles.

Add to a food processor:
2 cups flour
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pulse together until the ingredients just come together. The dough should be a bit crumbly rather than one cohesive ball. Remove from the food processor. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

Cut the dough into four pieces using a serrated knife. [I find that the shape you choose to cut your dough will effect the length and width of your finished product. Cutting the dough into strips works well for longer noodles like angel hair and linguini whereas quartering the dough works well for lasagna noodles and when making ravioli.] Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

To roll out pasta, carefully follow the directions that come with your Pasta Machine. Remember to lightly sprinkle flour on the dough whenever it begins to go from tacky to sticky, as it will get stuck in your machine if you don't.

Pasta can be dried for later use or it can be boiled immediately for whatever delicious dish you're making for dinner! Unlike store-bought pastas that typically need 8-10 minutes to cook, the homemade stuff only needs a couple minutes in boiling water.

For those of you who choose to dry the pasta, lay out several clean kitchen towels. Place the pasta flat on the towels and let air dry for several hours. A note of caution: Dogs like pasta! The last time I made pasta, I left it to dry on the kitchen counter -- apparently close enough to the edge for our smart pup to pull the side of the towel off the counter, causing the pasta to fall on the floor and quickly disappear into her belly. When I walked back into the kitchen from whatever I was doing (clearly, not watching the dog), I noticed that the towel was cockeyed, the pasta was gone, and the dog was nowhere to be found. Funnily enough, I actually yelled for Jason and asked him if he'd eaten my noodles! Sydney never confessed, but when she innocently rolled over for a belly rub, her taut tummy gave her away.

Because the basil gives the noodles themselves a kick, I'd pair them with a milder sauce, such as a garlic butter or an alfredo.

Eat up!

Individual Chicken + Veggie Pot Pies

The first time I made this recipe, I tripled it to serve 13 friends our entree course at the Progressive Dinner Party we organized. I ended up with six or seven leftover pies because the recipe really only needed to be doubled, so Jason and I froze them and ate them when we either didn't have the time or the energy to cook.

What with birthing classes, game night, and prenatal yoga filling up our weeknights, we've managed to go through all those pies already! I decided use my Labor Day to make another batch since we didn't go anywhere for the holiday (and all our friends did). To be sure, this is at least a half-day endeavor, so plan accordingly. I actually split it up into two days, saving assembly for day two just because that worked better for our schedule.

As a side note, I'm not sure how real cooks who are pregnant roll out pie dough! Instead of being able to use my tummy straight-on to hold the waxed paper in place, I had to awkwardly use my side/hip and ended up with quite the flour-covered baby bump when all was said and done. When Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around, I wonder what ingenuity I'll have to employ to get the job done! Thoughts? Suggestions?

Individual Chicken + Veggie Pot Pies
adapted from epicurious

Filling
Add to a large mixing bowl:
3 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken*
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
1 teaspoon salt

*Because I wanted to the stock for other uses, I followed the recipe here to cook the chicken. I'd never used leeks to make stock, and I thought it was delicious. However, if you want to save a couple hours of your time, it is perfectly fine to buy a rotisserie chicken or to cook your own chicken breasts and/or thighs.

Bring about 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a small pot. Add:
1 cup green beans
Cook for 2-3 minutes so that the beans just begin to get tender. Drain and add to mixing bowl.

In a large skillet, heat:
2 tablespoons olive oil

Once oil is hot, add:
2 red or orange bell peppers, finely diced
8 ounces Cremini or shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 small white onion, finely diced
Cover and let cook 4-5 minutes so that veggies start to get tender. Uncover and let cook an additional 2-3 minutes to allow the excess water to evaporate. Remove veggies from skillet using a slotted spoon and place in the large mixing bowl.

Using the same skillet, add:
3 handfuls fresh spinach
Cover and let wilt (this will take about 2 minutes). Remove from heat. Let cool. Squeeze excess water from spinach and add to the mixing bowl.

Again, using the same skillet, melt over medium heat:
1/2 cup butter

Add:
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
Whisk flour and melted butter together to make a roux. Once roux is made, stir in:
1 1/2 tablespoons beef base
2 cloves minced garlic

A little at a time, whisk in:
1/2 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup milk
1 cup chicken stock
Once all the liquids have been incorporated, remove from heat. Add the sauce to the mixing bowl. Use a spatula to evenly distribute the sauce among the chicken and veggies.

Crust
In a food processor, combine:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
Pulse about 30 seconds or until ingredients come together. Remove from processor and form a large ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate about 30 minutes. The goal is for the dough to be warm enough to roll out, but not so warm that it becomes a gooey mess! [I actually made the dough the night before I put the pies together, so I refrigerated it overnight. Before rolling it out, it had to soften for about 30 minutes while sitting on the kitchen counter.]

Assembly
Cut dough into eight (8) evenly divided pieces. Use your hands to work into small rounds. Lightly flour and place between two pieces of wax paper.

Method #1
The is the method I used to give the pot pies a crust on the bottom, top, and sides. I put these in 2" aluminum tins and froze them for future dinners.

1. Use rolling pin to form a 9" disc.

2. Place one cup of filling in the middle of the disc.

3. Pull one side of the dough to the middle of the filling. Repeat four times (so five times total). By making it five-sided instead of four sided, it is easier to form a circle in the end.

4. Flip over the pie. Use the palm on your hand to flatten the pie a bit. Use your fingers to make the edges of the pie more circular and to create a small crust.

5. Use a fork to create a decorative edge.

6. Place in a 2" ramekin or aluminum tin.

If cooking immediately, preheat oven to 375º and bake for about an hour. You'll want to cover the top with aluminum foil so that the tops don't get too brown before the bottom and sides of the crust are cooked through. About five minutes before removing the pies from the oven, remove the aluminum foil. Use a basting brush to lightly coat the top of each pie with an egg wash.

Method #2
This is the method I used to give the pot pies a thicker top crust with no bottom or side crust. The benefit of this method is that it is easier assembly-wise and you don't have to worry with the bottom and side crusts getting cooked all the way through. However, I find these are harder to freeze because the edges of the crust hang over the side of the cooking dish (in my case a 3" ramekin).

1. Use rolling pin to form a 4 1/2" disc.

2. Fill each ramekin with 1 cup filling.

3. Place the dough on top of the ramekin.

4. Tuck the dough that's hanging over the edges onto the sides of the ramekin. Use fingers to create a crust.

5. Use fork to create a decorative edge.

Preheat oven to 375º and bake for 35 minutes or until the crust begins to turn golden brown. Once the crust begins to brown, use a basting brush to lightly coat the top of the each pie with an egg wash.

Eat up!

Lemon Basil Pesto

Lemon Basil Pesto
Kelley Gondring

Thoroughly wash and dry:
2 cups loosely packed basil leaves
1/4 cup tightly packed lemon basil leaves
Place in food processor.

Add:
1/4 cup pine nuts*
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese**
2-3 cloves garlic
salt + pepper to taste
two drizzles olive oil
Pulse ingredients together 20-30 seconds so that they are all about the same side. Puree 60-90 seconds or until paste forms. Do not add more olive oil before pureeing, as the basil will release its own oils and moisture.

*I used almonds because I was out of pine nuts.
**I used Dubliner cheese because I had a little block sitting in my refrigerator's cheese drawer; because it gives the pesto a somewhat stronger cheese flavor I used a little less than 1/4 cup.

Use on pasta or as a base for pizza.

Eat up!

Blackened Halibut with Peach Avocado Salsa

As I've mentioned, we caught a whole lot of Halibut when we were in Alaska. We have been slowly working our way through our supply (though you'd never know it by opening our freezer, where you'd find nearly two shelves full of one pound pieces of fish). I searched around for a different way to prepare it last night, and happened upon quite a few recipes with mango salsa. Unfortunately, when I got the "ripe" mango home from the grocery store, it turned out to be deceivingly soft on the outside while still hard as a rock on the inside. I looked around my kitchen for an appropriate substitute and spotted the two lone peaches in the fruit bowl and thought Why not? I actually liked peaches much better than mango, so it worked out perfectly!

Blackened Halibut with Peach Avocado Salsa

Kelley Gondring

Serves 4.

Rub
In a small bowl, combine:
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
3/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 pounds halibut (It is preferable to use a thick cut of fish so the spices don't overwhelm the fish; if unavailable, don't use all of the rub.)

Sprinkle rub on non-skin side of fish. Heat grill on high. Once heated, grill fish skin side down until the flesh is flakey. We used a less-thick piece of fish, so it took about 10 minutes. The thicker the filet, the longer your cooking time will be.

Peach Avocado Salsa
Combine in a medium bowl:
1 large avocado, peeled and diced
2 medium peaches, peeled and diced
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 small sweet red pepper, diced
1 small hot pepper, minced
Juice from 2 limes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Carefully mix together. Let sit at least 10 minutes before serving.

Serve fish with Peach Avocado Salsa and a green veggie, such as green beans or asparagus.

Eat up!