American

American, baked entrees, cheese, potatoes, sauces, sides

Scalloped Potatoes

Hooray for cheezy comfort food! The key to this recipe is to slice waxy potatoes ethereally thin (no more than 1/8″, ideally more like 1/16″). I accomplished this with the slicing side of my grater. I tried using the food processor, but it didn’t slice them thin enough. Even if you can’t get them that […]

American, beef, meat, sauces

BBQ Meatballs

Where better to turn for down-home comfort food than a church cookbook? We had these at Christmas and they were delicious in an old-fashioned way. They’re basically like meatloaf in ball form, and can be spiced up according to taste. From Elim Centennial 1883-1983 Cookbook, Elk River MN. Makes about 55 1″ balls. Great with […]

American, meat, spicy, stew

Cowboy Chili

Some say beans don’t go in chili. I think this guy would eat anything in front of him. We’re home on the range tonight, or is it the Donner Pass? Being stuck inside during a historic snowstorm calls for improvisation, or in this case, a return to basics. Meat? Check. Dried chilis? Check. Can o’ […]

American, baked goods, dessert, holiday, pie, squash

Pumpkin Pie

Making pumpkin pie from scratch is all well and good (I see I have a very elaborate recipe for it in my notes), but sometimes you just need/want an easy pie. This is my version of a basic recipe using canned goods. It is for a deep-dish pie crust, so you will have extra if […]

American, baked entrees, chicken, roasting

Chicken Creole Style

This recipe comes from the galley copy of the meat version of The Schwarzbein Principle. With salt added, of course (and a few other tweaks). I also use bone-in chicken breasts, which takes longer but produces juicier results. Allow some time for marination. Served with Twice-Baked Potatoes. I removed the chicken from the bone after […]

American, bacon, baked entrees, potatoes, sides

Twice-Baked Potatoes

There is no worthier cause for burning your tongue than biting into a twice-baked potato. They’re a bit of a hassle to make, but the payoff is delicious, and makes great leftovers. They can be seasoned any way you like–this is for a bacon jalapeño version. 6-7 medium russet potatoes3 strips cooked bacon, chopped very […]

American, peppers, pork, sauces

Red Pepper Pork Chops

This is a simple-yet-flavorful meal, perfect for a weeknight dinner. It helps if you can season the porkchops an hour or more ahead of time, but not required. Here I serve them over couscous, with Couve Mineira on the side. I used boneless pork chops, but you could use bone-in. In fact, this would probably […]

American, baked entrees, beef, roasting

Eye of Round Roast

If you are confused, those are pink potatoes on the right. It may not be the most sophisticated cut of beef, but it’s cheap, easy to find, and if you follow my directions, delicious. This makes a lean, slice-able roast. I made a 5-lb. roast, but you can make this with a 3- or 4-pounder, […]