Baker's Theory

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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Brussels sprouts are experiencing some popular stardom these days. The little cabbages are popping up in restaurants everywhere, but you don’t need to pay $9 for a bowl of sprouts when you can whip them up at home in 20 minutes! I like Brussels sprouts either oven roasted or deep fried, (I know this negates any health benefit to eating a vegetable…) but deep frying anything can be a pain. Plus, it makes your hair smell. Anyway! Try these oven roasted Brussels sprouts! 

Cheesy, crisp, and tender with a little heat, these Brussels sprouts are an easy way to prepare and eat vegetables. They’re also a quick go-to veggie for the Thanksgiving table!

Delicious!
Rated 5 out of 5

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Serves: 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Nutrition: 90 calories per serving
4 g fat
10 g carbs
3 g protein

 

Ingredients

1 lb Brussels Sprouts, trimmed of the stem and quartered
1 Leek, chopped finely
2 cloves of Garlic, smashed and minced
3 tbsp Grated Parmesan 
1/2 tsp Red Chili Flakes
2-3 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 475 F 
2. Combine quartered sprouts, chopped leek, minced garlic, Parmesan, chili flakes, olive oil, and salt in a bowl. Stir until sprouts are evenly coated and shiny with oil. 
3. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper. Spread mixture on to pan and try not to crowd the sprouts. 
4. Bake on top rack for 15-20 minutes. Leeks and sprout leaves will be slightly charred and crisp. 
5. Squeeze lemon juice over the sprouts and serve. 
6. ENJOY!

Cottage Cheese Perogis

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My buddy Maddie gave me the idea for these cottage cheese perogis. At the last minute, I had some raspberry sauce I had made for a dessert, but it just seemed to work well with these perogis! It really complements the tanginess of the dry curd cottage cheese. If you’re unfamiliar with dry curd cottage cheese, it kind of tastes like a pretty bland and mild cottage cheese or yogurt. But add some salt and egg for richness and binding it together, and it’s a delicious flavor. Combined with the sweet and tart raspberry sauce, it’s just perfect. And it’s a fun deviation from the typical potato and cheese perogi! 

Cottage Cheese Perogis Recipe

Serves: 24
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 5-10 minutes

Nutrition: 90 calories per serving
2.7 g Fat
12.6 g Carbs
3.9 g Protein

Ingredients

For the dough
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup water
2 tbsp vegetable oil

For the filling
2 cups farmer’s cheese (also known as dry curd cottage cheese)
1 tsp salt
2 egg yolks

Oil for frying

For the raspberry sauce
12 oz fresh raspberries
1 cup white sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

For the dough
1. Combine all dry ingredients in a standing mixer bowl on low speed. 
2. Add water and vegetable oil slowly and mix on medium speed. 
3. Let the stand mixer do its work for a few minutes until a soft dough emerges!
4. Divide the dough into four equal balls of dough and roll each one as thin as you can–about 1/8″. Then cut out 4″ circles. *You can also roll it to 1/4″ thickness, cut out into 3″ circles, and then roll again to a wider circle. 

For the filling – make this while the dough is kneading in the stand mixer!
1. Combine cheese, salt, and egg yolks in a medium bowl.

Putting it together
1. Spoon 1 tbsp of filling into each 4″ dough circle and seal the dumpling by pinching the edges together. 
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan. 
3. Arrange 8 dumplings in the pan at a time, frying until golden brown on one side. Once golden, turn dumpling on another side to crisp a second side. 
4. Move perogis to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb some of the oil.
5. Serve with raspberry sauce!

For the raspberry sauce
1. Combine raspberries, sugar, and lemon in a heavy bottom sauce pan on low heat.
2. Mash the raspberries until the sugar dissolves on low heat. 
3. Raise the heat to high, bringing the sauce to a boil for about 30 seconds. 
4. Transfer sauce to a clean glass jar or Pyrex. Spoon some of the sauce into a dipping cup to serve with the perogis. 

 

Creamy Chicken Pozole

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Pozole is a unique and delicious soup that is perfect for any time of year. The green chiles give it a Latin flair and the hominy lends a potato-y corn type of texture. You can make this with or without milk, and it’ll still have a creamy consistency because you blend about half of the hominy. Substitute the milk with chicken broth if you opt for dairy free! 

This is one of my family’s favorite soups, and the brisk weather means it’s soup season now, so we get to have it often! My fiancé is a very basic (some might say picky…) eater, but he digs this soup! 

It’s also extremely easy to whip up on a week night, especially if you’ve already made shredded chicken. (If you want to make shredded chicken for your weeknight meals, I encourage you to check out how I do it here!) I don’t like dealing with raw chicken when I just want to get dinner made! And at 360 calories per serving, you can feel full AND even afford some calories for dessert afterwards…

Delicious!
Rated 5 out of 5

Creamy Chicken Pozole Recipe
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Nutrition: 360 calories per serving (when making 4 servings)
13 g Fat
43 g Carbs
17 g Protein

Ingredients

1 tbsp Bacon Grease
2 1/2 – 3 cups Hominy, drained (I use La Preferida 1 lb 13 oz can)
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
4 oz Diced Mild Green Chiles (also La Preferida in a can)
1 cup Diced Onion
1 cup Whole Milk plus 1 tbsp Heavy Cream
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup Cooked and Shredded Chicken Breast
1/4 tsp Chili Lime Seasoning
1/4 tsp Onion Salt
3 tsp Better than Bullion Chicken Base
2 cups Water
1 cup Frozen Sweet Corn

Instructions

1. Heat bacon grease in a skillet. Once melted, add hominy and fry for 3-5 minutes. 
2. Add minced garlic, chiles, and onion. Stir until the onions are translucent. 
3. Transfer half of the hominy mixture to a blender and pulse. Add a cup of milk and a tbsp of cream. Blend until creamy.
4. In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add cooked, shredded chicken breast and sautee. Sprinkle in chili lime seasoning and onion salt. 
5. Add the other half of the hominy mixture (whole pieces, not blended) to the chicken in the pot. 
5. Spoon in Better than Bullion chicken base and two cups of water. Stir, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. 
6. Add the pureed hominy mixture and stir to incorporate. 
7. Add the sweet corn and stir. Bring to a simmer. Do not boil or milk will curdle. 
8. Serve with queso fresco, pickled red onions, and/or a lime if making the dairy-free version. 

 

The Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese

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Macaroni and cheese is one of my top comfort foods. I like it saucy, too. The more cheese, the better! Jim and Joe pack this for lunch sometimes. You can dress mac and cheese up in so many ways–scallions, bacon, avocado, salsa, chicken, broccoli, meatballs, or anything else you can think of! Best of all, you can have it plain and still love it in its cheesy simplicity. 

Oh, cheese! Can I have some more, please? 

I was a picky eater growing up. Mac and cheese with sliced up hot dogs was all I’d agree to eat. Thankfully, my tastebuds evolved! But I am still a total snob when it comes to my macaroni and cheese. If it’s dry or not salty or not creamy enough, I’ll be grumpy, guaranteed. So this recipe, like many, takes my frustrations from restaurant macaroni and cheeses and addresses them! This is a) cheesy b) saucy c) firm noodle-d. And it reheats well! I hope you enjoy it. 

Oh, yeah!
Rated 5 out of 5

Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

Nutrition: 590 calories (when making 6 servings)
29.3 g Fat
61.3 g Carbs
22.5 g Protein

Ingredients

1 lb medium or large shell pasta
3 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup 1% milk
2 tbsp reserved pasta water
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

1. Boil salted water with a bit of vegetable oil in a medium pot on medium heat. Add pasta. Boil for 10 minutes, or until noodles are al dente. Drain, reserving 2 tbsp of the water the pasta boiled in for the sauce. 
2. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter. When bubbling, add minced garlic. Sautee garlic until golden.
3. Add paprika to garlic and continue stirring. 
4. Add pasta water, sour cream, cream, and milk to the butter-garlic mixture, stirring quickly with a whisk to break up the sour cream clumps. 
5. When hot, but not boiling, add the Parmesan and cheddar, continuing whisking until the cheese dissolves and melts. Add nutmeg if desired. It will be done when the sauce has an elasticity when you pull the whisk up from the sauce. Do not boil! 

6. Pour the sauce over the noodles in the pot and stir to spread the sauce evenly over the noodles. 
7. Enjoy! Garnish with green onions, buffalo chicken, salsa and avocado, meatballs, or plain!

Deviled Eggs

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Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are a fantastic party appetizer, and they’re really simple to make. You need eggs, mayo, and ground mustard. I just garnish with paprika because that’s the traditional way, but you don’t really need it. I love the collision of creamy, spicy, and salty flavors. Add in the cool and smooth texture, and it’s got all the necessary elements of a 10/10 party food for me. I’ll hang out by the snack table and eat a dozen of them when no one is looking. 

The one thing I’ll stress is the type of mayonnaise you use. Don’t use Kraft mayo. Under no circumstances use Miracle Whip. Only Hellman’s Mayonnaise gives the right flavor for deviled eggs, egg salad, and potato salad. I don’t care what else you have. It could be organic with olive oil and sea salt made from the tears of mermaids. If it’s not Hellman’s, don’t make it. 

This recipe is made with four hard boiled eggs, but if I’m throwing a party, I’d probably boil a dozen eggs to make 24 deviled eggs. The general rule I follow is 1 tbsp of mayo per egg. Four eggs = 4 tbsp of mayo = 1/4 cup mayo. Multiply as you need. Also, use a heaping 1/4 tsp of mustard. 1/4 isn’t quite enough and 1/2 is too spicy. 

Deviled Eggs Recipe

Serves: 8
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes (for boiling eggs)

Nutrition: 80 calories
7.4 g Fat
0.2 g Carbs
3.2 g Protein

Ingredients

4 medium-hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
1/4 tsp (heaping) ground mustard
pinch of paprika

1. Peel boiled eggs and halve lengthwise.
2. Remove yolks either by using a spoon or by pushing it out by pressing on the outside egg white side. Put yolks in a small mixing bowl. 
3. Add mayo and mustard to the egg yolks and mash together until it’s a smooth consistency. 
4. Using a tall drinking glass, open a gallon or quart-sized Ziploc bag inside the glass and pull the opening edges over the lip of the glass.
5. Transfer the egg yolk-mayo-mustard mixture into the Ziploc bag and push into one of the bag’s bottom corners. Seal the bag.
6. Remove bag from glass and snip the tip off the corner. 
7. Pipe the yolks back into the emptied egg whites in a spiraling motion. 
8. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired. 
9. Serve chilled.

Breakfast Tacos

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Sometimes you have leftover taco meat! Sure, you can have tacos for dinner, but why wait?! Give your morning a protein boost and scramble it up with your eggs. Carnitas, barbacoa, chicken, or even ground beef all work. 

This spices up breakfast and helps get rid of leftovers! What I like about this recipe is it is quick and I can have a tasty breakfast on a week day without rushing! I feel full all the way until lunch with these breakfast tacos. I top it with cheese and avocado if I have any! Pickled red onions work well, too. I like to have this with a little glass of fresh orange juice. The sweetness from the juice is a great companion to the spicy, savory tacos. 

Breakfast Tacos Recipe

Serves: 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes

Nutrition: 300 calories per serving (assuming you use chicken!)
15.3 g Fat
22.1 g Carbs
17.6 g Protein

Ingredients

1 egg

1 tbsp salsa

¼ cup leftover taco meat

1 pat of butter for the pan (1/3 tbsp)

2 white corn tortillas
1 tbsp cheese for topping (shredded cheddar or queso fresco work well!)

Instructions

1.     In a small bowl, whisk together egg with salsa. Set aside.

2.     In a small frying pan melt butter on medium heat.

3.     When butter starts bubbling, add leftover taco meat.

4.     Once meat has reheated fully, pour in the egg-salsa mix.

5.     Gently shuffle the liquid back and forth around the pan so that no part of the egg mixture is in the same place for more than a few seconds.

6.     Egg will start to curdle. If you like cheese in your eggs, add it at this step, about 1 tbsp per egg. Continue the back and forth shuffling until the eggs are no longer liquid, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

7.     Warm up two corn tortillas wrapped in a paper towel in the microwave for 10 seconds.

8.     Distribute the eggs on the tortillas and top with cheese.

9.     Serve immediately!

Eggs and Tortillas

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This is my take on an old family recipe from my grandmother who had to feed eight kids on a budget. Crisp, fried tortillas meet fluffy, creamy eggs. You can add salsa or some left over taco meat to the scramble if you wish! Garnish it with pickled red onions, avocado, salsa, or just eat it plain. This is a comfort food that brings me back home.

Delicious!
Rated 5 out of 5

Eggs and Tortillas Recipe

Serves: 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes

Nutrition: 200 calories per serving
14.6 g Fat
10.6 g Carbs
7.5 g Protein

Ingredients

1 egg
1 yellow corn tortilla
Splash of cream
Pat of butter
1/2 tsp corn oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional additional ingredients

1-2 oz carnitas or barbacoa (+40-50 calories)
1 tbsp salsa (red or green!) (+15 calories)
1 oz queso fresco (80 calories)

 

Instructions

1. Heat butter and oil in a skillet and spread so bottom of pan is coated.
2. Tear tortilla into bite-size pieces and toss into pan. Once crisp on one side, flip to fry the other side.
3. When both sides are crisp, pour beaten eggs, already seasoned with desired salt and pepper, over the fried tortillas and immediately fold until eggs are completely cooked. 
4. Serve immediately. 

Variations

Follow steps 1-2, then add carnitas or barbacoa. The tortillas will absorb the flavor of the meat. Whisk salsa into beaten eggs. Pour eggs over fried tortillas and meat and fold until cooked. Serve topped with queso fresco. 

Scrambled Eggs

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I could eat scrambled eggs for any meal. They’re fast, delicious, versatile, and (depending on how much cheese and butter you put in…) they’re good for you! It’s one of those basic foods everyone should know how to make, but there is an art to it. If they turn out the least bit flat or burned, it’s like eating metallic mush. They are worth learning to perfect! I like my scrambled eggs fluffy and a pale yellow, so that is what I offer in this recipe!

Uh, yum!
Rated 5 out of 5

Scrambled Eggs Recipe

Serves: 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes

Nutrition: 130 calories
11.1 g Fat
0.4 g Carbs
6.3 g Protein

Ingredients

1 egg
Splash of heavy whipping cream (1/2 tbsp – 1 tbsp)
Salt to taste
1 pat of butter for the pan (1/3 tbsp)

 

Instructions

1.     In a small bowl, whisk together egg with cream and a pinch of salt.

2.     In a small frying pan melt butter on medium heat.

3.     When butter starts bubbling, add egg mixture.

4.     Gently shuffle the liquid back and forth around the pan so that no part of the egg mixture is in the same place for more than a few seconds.

5.     Egg will start to curdle. If you like cheese in your eggs, add it at this step, about 1 tbsp per egg. Continue the back and forth shuffling until the eggs are no longer liquid, about 2-3 minutes.

6.     Serve immediately!

Chicken Ravioli

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Jim asked me to put this recipe in my arsenal, so I know it’s a winner. Once you get down the pasta-making, the filling is an absolute breeze–only four ingredients! This is a great recipe for impressing friends, or just having a delicious meal. I’ve been on a pasta-making kick lately because I just picked up an Atlas 150 from Sur la Table. I’ve gotten pretty good at rolling pasta by hand, but the pasta maker makes it so much faster. I can have dinner ready in under 30 minutes with it! 

You can have this ravioli plain, with butter, or with a rich alfredo sauce (or anything else you’d like). I hope you enjoy!

Oh, wow!
Rated 5 out of 5

Chicken Ricotta Ravioli Recipe

Serves: 3
Prep time: 20-45 minutes (depends on your equipment!)
Cook time: 5 minutes

Nutrition: 310 calories per serving
10.3 g Fat
30.9 g Carbs
20.9 g Protein

Ingredients 

For the pasta dough
2 cups flour
2 egg
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup water

For the filling
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
1/2 cup shredded chicken 
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

 

Instructions

For the pasta dough
1. Dump flour into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. 
2. Pour in egg, water, and salt into the well.
3. Slowly incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients using your hands to swirl. 
4. Once the wet and dry ingredients are incorporated, knead dough for about 5 minutes. 
5. Roll dough into a ball and divide into 8 equal parts. 
6. Roll each part into a flat disk, about 1/2″ thick. 
7. Roll the disks through the pasta maker to get a long sheet of dough.
8. Using a 2-3″ diameter cup or a ravioli cutter, cut dough into the ravioli circles. 

For the filling
1. Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl until evenly distributed.
2. Using a tablespoon, spoon the filling onto a ravioli circle. 
3. Place another ravioli circle on top.
4. Wet your finger in a little dish of water and drag it around the circumference of the ravioli circle to seal the filling in the ravioli, pressing it as you turn the ravioli. 
5. Repeat until you’re out of ravioli circles.

Putting it all together
1. Boil salted and oiled water in a medium pot on medium heat.
2. Drop in ravioli and boil until the ravioli floats to the top of the pot, about 2-3 minutes. 
3. Serve or keep in fridge up to 3 days. Works well with butter or alfredo sauce!

Chicken Pesto Linguini

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Pesto is so fresh! It indulges my need for flavor balance – savoriness, creaminess, and acidity. And you don’t actually have to cook it which is a nice bonus. Throw stuff in a food processor and you have pesto sauce. Easy!

I tried to give all the tiers of effort here with this recipe: fresh pesto, fresh pasta, and homemade shredded chicken. Maybe you make the pesto and boil some dry pasta and add in rotisserie chicken. Totally up to you! Follow this recipe as much as you want. I just want to convey enthusiasm for the dish because chicken + pesto + linguini rocks my socks. 

This is also my first attempt at doing an instructional video instead of putting my hands in fast forward. Feedback is welcome! I grew up watching the Food Network and learned a ton of tips about cooking from observing all the techniques of Paula Dean, Giada de Laurentis, Rachel Ray, Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, and Emeril. Maybe it helps you! Maybe you just prefer to see my hands at super sonic speed. Let me know!

Delicious!
Rated 5 out of 5

Chicken Pesto Linguini Recipe

Serves: 6
Prep time: 35 – 50 minutes (depends on your equipment!)
Cook time: 5 minutes

 

Nutrition: 330 calories per serving
21.9 g Fat
18.3 g Carbs
16.9 g Protein

Ingredients

For the pesto
2.5 oz fresh basil
3-4 cloves of smashed garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup walnuts or pine nuts
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
lemon zest
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

For the linguini
2 cups flour
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup water

For the chicken
1 cup cooked and shredded chicken

Instructions

For the pesto
1. Combine everything in a food processor until creamy. You may need to add more lemon juice to make the pesto more saucy. 
2. Set aside.

For the pasta
1. Dump flour into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. 
2. Pour in egg, water, and salt into the well.
3. Slowly incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients using your hands to swirl. 
4. Once the wet and dry ingredients are incorporated, knead dough for about 5 minutes. 
5. Roll dough into a ball and divide into 8 equal parts. 
6. Roll each part into a flat disk, about 1/2″ thick. 
7. Roll the disks through the pasta maker to get a long sheet of dough. *If you don’t have a pasta maker, use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about 1/8″ thick. This will take some time and muscle!
8. Run the long sheets through the linguini press on the pasta maker. *If you don’t have a pasta maker, put your long sheet of dough on a cutting board and cut thin strips of linguini with a knife. 
9. Dump linguini into a boiling salted pot of water on medium heat. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until noodles float to the top of the water. 

Put it all together
1. Combine pesto, pasta, and chicken in a bowl and toss together with tongs. 
2. Serve immediately or keep in refrigerator for 3-5 days.