An easy breakfast treat. Can be prepared ahead of time and reheated as needed. Preheat oven to 350°. Select a large six-cup muffin pan and, if needed, lightly grease it. (I generally use a silicone muffin pan without buttering it.) Add a tablespoon or two of fillings to each cup. Some choices include: Add the
Prepare a filling by cooking a variety of vegetables; in one recent batch, I included: In a large pot, melt half a stick of butter and add the vegetables incrementally and cooking until things are mostly cooked, but turn the heat off before they’re fully cooked so that they can finish in the oven. Delicate
Set the oven to 425° and select a roasting pan or baking tray. Snap off the stem ends of the asparagus. Toss the asparagus in olive oil and salt. Roast for 8-15 minutes depending on thickness. Just before serving, optionally add and toss to coat: black pepper, lemon juice, parmesan, or whole-grain mustard.
A simple choice for times when you want something more than just pasta, but don’t have the time to make a lasagna. Turn the oven to 375°. Select a two- or three-quart casserole dish (such as a 9x12x2″ glass baker). Combine the pasta and tomato sauce and stir together. Layer half of the pasta into
These make a great accompaniment for eggs. Use yellow or red potatoes, like Yukon Gold, not the brown russet potatoes. Cut them into uniform-sized chunks, like 1/2″ x 1/2″ x 1″ or thereabouts. (The exact size isn’t critical, but avoid having a mix of big chunks and little bits, because you want them all to
A brief version of this recipe appears in Autumn Salad with Roasted Squash, but this vegetable is so delicious I figured it was worth calling out separately. Purchase a medium or large butternut squash. Set the oven to 400-425°. Set out a large baking tray or roasting pan, optionally lined with a piece of baking parchment.
This is best prepared in a stovetop popcorn popper; if you don’t have one, you can use a light saucepot with a snug lid and a handle that allows you to shake it vigorously while heating. Ingredients: • 1/4 cup vegetable oil • 1/4 cup popcorn • Scant 1/4 cup sugar (3-4 oz) • 1
A traditional cozy warm drink for winter. Ingredients: A bottle of red wine — to your taste, but not expensive — or replace this with a quart of traditional apple cider, or home-brewed hard cider. An orange. A handful of fresh cranberries, blackberries, or similar if available (optional garnish). Mulling spices: you can use an off-the-shelf
[I rarely serve mushrooms on their own, but this preparation is worth making an exception for. — Matthew] Start with at least a pound of mushrooms, remembering that they will shrink substantially when cooked. Any common type of fresh mushroom can be used; most recently I used a mix of cremini, portobello, and shiitakes. Cut
Roasting is an easy way to prepare any of the stalky brassica varieties, including broccoli, cauliflower, broccoflower, broccolini, and so forth. Preheat an oven to 400° or so. Prepare a baking sheet or shallow metal roasting pan. (Optionally lining it with foil or parchment simplifies cleanup.) Cut the brassicas into florets. (Broccolini stalks are so