I know this casserole is not the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen on this blog, but sometimes the most homely looking food is the best-tasting food. And for goodness sake, it’s a casserole. No one expects it to be photogenic, right? Despite it’s ho hum appearance, this baked chicken and rice dish is one of my favorite concoctions. It tastes like the delicious church potluck dishes that I loved as a child but without the Velveeta cheese and frozen broccoli that I detest as an adult. Except for the handful of shredded cheese tucked gently into the rice mixture, it’s healthy — kale, chicken breast, and brown rice — and doesn’t depend on sodium-laden canned soup for its creaminess. Best of all, it makes for an easy weeknight dinner. You can make the casserole in advance, store it in the fridge overnight and simply throw it into the oven half an hour before mealtime. You don’t even have to come up with a side dish since the casserole covers your four basic food groups.

Chicken and Kale Casserole

This recipe is highly adaptable. Experiment with different types or quantities of meat, cheese, and veggies. Broccoli and cheddar in place of the kale and mozzarella is a great combination. Omit the chicken and it’s an easy vegetarian meal. You can also substitute cooked white rice or pasta for the brown rice, though the texture of the casserole will be softer.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, or 1/2 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large bunch kale, tough stems removed and leaves chopped roughly
8 oz (225 g) crimini mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons (50 g) butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) milk
2 cups (200 g) cooked brown rice, small grain preferably
8 oz (225 g) cooked chicken breast, diced and if not already seasoned, sprinkled with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste
4 oz (100 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 2 quart casserole or a 11 in x 7 in baking dish.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the kale and cook 1–2 minutes, until it starts to wilt. Stir in the mushrooms and cook 5 minutes more, until the mushrooms start to soften. Season with salt and pepper and remove the pan from the heat.

While the vegetables cook, make the cream sauce. First, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly. The mixture should bubble and cook for 1–2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the mixture or let it take on too much color. Slowly pour in the milk to the flour/butter mixture, whisking constantly. The mixture should thicken as it cooks. You may need to add a bit more milk if the mixture seems too thick. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and freshly ground black pepper to the sauce. Let it simmer for about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.

Gently stir in the rice and chicken to the vegetable mixture. Fold in the shredded cheese, then stir in the cream sauce. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. Pour the mixture into the greased casserole or baking dish and cover with a lid or aluminum foil. If serving the next day, cool the casserole, then refrigerate.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking for 10 minutes more, until bubbly and slightly golden around the edges.

I’m usually not a fan of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. In comparison to chicken thighs, I find chicken breasts too easy to dry out and dull in flavor, reserved only for dishes with lots of other “wow” ingredients. Maybe it’s the bacon in this dish or the top-quality chicken that I used, but this one-dish chicken recipe proved me wrong. The sauce is savory and satiny, the meat moist and tender, and it all meshes perfectly on top of basmati rice. My kids both asked for thirds and I hid the leftovers for myself. 

I took advantage of my already hot oven and put in a batch of oatmeal freezer cookies before we sat down to eat. Despite the fact that it’s May, it’s damp and gray here in Wisconsin — but good weather for baking cookies. Freezer cookies are ideal desserts for busy people. You can make the dough days, weeks, even months in advance, then store it in your freezer until you need it. On the day you want to bake the cookies, simply thaw the dough in the fridge, slice, and bake it. Hot cookies fresh from the oven in minutes!

Chicken and Bacon Pot
adapted from Easy Everyday: Simple Recipes for No-fuss Food

Serves 4

High-quality chicken is essential for chicken breast-based recipes like this one. I used chicken shipped to me from Springer Mountain Farms, which prides itself on their 100% natural, vegetarian-fed and humanely raised (certified by the American Humane Association) chicken.

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 oz (225 g) bacon, diced
8 oz (225 g) white, button mushrooms
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 shallots or 1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup (40 g) flour
2 cups (500 ml) chicken broth or stock
2/3 cup (150 ml) white wine
1 bay leaf
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
basmati rice, to serve

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Heat the olive oil in a casserole dish, add the bacon and mushrooms, and cook over medium heat until golden. Transfer the bacon and mushrooms to a plate.

Put the chicken breasts in the casserole and quickly brown on both sides. Set the chicken aside with the bacon.

Saute the garlic and shallots (or onion) over a low heat in the same pan for about 5 minutes. Add the flour and mix well. Stirring constantly, cook the flour mixture about 1 minute, until well blended and nutty smelling, being careful not to burn the flour. Remove the pan from the heat, slowly pour in the stock and wine, and stir or whisk until smooth. Return the pan to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce slightly thickens. Mix in the bacon and mushrooms, then add the chicken, bay leaf, and seasoning. Cover and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Add the parsley just before serving with rice.

***

Grandma Dot’s Oatmeal Freezer Cookies
adapted from cooks.com

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

I freeze this dough in smallish logs, just enough to make about 8 cookies. By freezing smaller portions, the dough thaws more quickly. And because I only bake a few cookies at a time, they are always fresh.

1/2 cup (100 g) shortening
1/2 cup (85 g) brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup (90 g) flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups (120 g) rolled oats
1/4 cup (25 g) finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Cream the shortening and sugars. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, oats and nuts. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture until just blended.

Shape the dough into 2-inch rolls, like refrigerator cookie dough at the grocery store, on waxed paper. Roll up and twist the ends together. Chill until firm (at least 2 hours) or freeze for later use (place logs in a plastic bag before freezing). When ready to bake the cookies, thaw the dough (only if frozen), then cut into 3/4-inch slices. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet with at least 1 inch separating the cookies. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 10 minutes.

Every family has its own set of favorite meals and often its owns way of labeling them. Case in point, when my husband asks for “Thomas Jefferson’s chicken” what he really wants is gratin de volaille pavillon, a fancy name for the best chicken and noodles you’ll ever eat. We found this dish in college, pulled from The New York Times More 60-Minute Gourmet, which introduces the recipe by noting that this variation of chicken in cream sauce was “much admired by Thomas Jefferson.” Not sure how this culinary tidbit made it to modern times, but it stuck with us.

Though this preparation is not as easy as your average condensed soup-based casserole, the extra effort it requires is soon forgotten as you bite into the delicately sauced poached chicken and tender, buttery, tomato flecked noodles. It’s easy to see why it may have been a favorite of one of America’s founding fathers.

Gratin de Volaille Pavillon (Chicken and Noodles Baked in Cream Sauce)
adapted from The New York Times More 60-Minute Gourmet by Pierre Franey

Serves 6

2 cooked whole chicken breasts (see recipe for poaching chicken below, highly recommended)
12 oz (340 g) medium width egg noodles
5 tablespoons (75 g) butter, divided
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups (500 ml) chicken broth (use the broth from the poached chicken if possible)
1/2 cup (125 ml) heavy cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped
1 ripe tomato, chopped (or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Remove the chicken from the bones. Discard the skin and bones and cut the meat into 1 or 2 inch cubes. There should be about 3 cups.

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Do not overcook. Drain the noodles. Return them to the pot and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Toss gently.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons (30 g) of butter in a saucepan and add the flour, stirring with a wire whisk. When blended, add the chicken broth, stirring rapidly. When the sauce is thickened and smooth, simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the cream and let it simmer briefly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons (30 g) of butter in another saucepan and add the shallots. Cook briefly, stirring, then add the tomatoes and cook down for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream sauce and stir gently; set aside.

To the remaining cream sauce, add the egg. Bring to a boil stirring rapidly with a whisk. Do not overcook. Remove from the heat.

Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with the remaining tablespoon (15 g) of butter. Add the noodles, and smooth them over. Spoon the chicken and sauce mixture over the noodles. Cover with the cream and egg sauce, smoothing it over. Sprinkle on the cheese. Place the dish under the broiler and cook until nicely browned and bubbling on top.

Poached Chicken

2 whole, bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
2 cups (500 ml) water
1 cup (250 ml) dry white wine
1 small white onion, sliced
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs parsley
1 carrot, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Uncover and set aside. Let the chicken cool in its own broth.

I’d never heard of Catalina chicken before coming across this recipe for it a few years ago in the Cooks Academy Cookbook. This recipe is from the author’s grandmother, but after doing a quick online search to see if I could find out more about it, I found recipes with nothing but chicken, dried onion soup mix and a bottle of Catalina salad dressing as ingredients — the kind of “recipe” you often see on the back of food packaging or in a full-page ad for said soup mix or dressing in American women’s magazines. Given that this recipe comes from a Dublin cooking school and a country where Catalina dressing isn’t even sold, this version doesn’t take any prepackaged shortcuts — and is all the better for it. Besides, anything with hard cider in it is bound to be better than something that comes from a jar. The author says her grandmother always served this with homemade chips that she cut by hand with a crinkle cutter, but I like it with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the delicious sauce.

Catalina Chicken
adapted from Cooks Academy Cookbook by Vanessa Greenwood

Serves 4

If you don’t have a casserole pot (a.k.a. Dutch oven), then start off by cooking the food in a heavy-based frying pan instead, then transferring to an ovenproof dish with a lid or an ovenproof dish that you can cover tightly with foil. I’ve modified the original recipe to start off by browning the chicken to improve its flavor and appearance, but if you’re in a bit of a rush, you can skip this step and just add the chicken to the sauce along with the mushrooms and peppers.

olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
7 oz (200 g) mushrooms, quartered
1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon plain flour
2 cups (500 ml) dry cider (hard cider)
3/4 cup (200 ml) chicken stock
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
crusty bread, home fries, baked potatoes or mashed potatoes, to serve

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

In a heavy-based casserole pot, heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts and brown in the oil, then set aside.

Add the butter to the pot, then saute the mushrooms over a high heat until they turn golden on the outside. Set aside.

Lower the heat, add a little more olive oil and sweat the onions for 10 minutes with a pinch of salt (to help prevent them from browning too much) before stirring in the flour and cooking for 2 minutes more. Increase the heat, add the cider and stock and simmer for 10 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly.

Meanwhile, mix together the tomato puree, vinegar, sugar, paprika and chili powder and stir through the cider sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the chicken back to the pot in a single layer. Scatter over the peppers and mushrooms. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour, stirring halfway through. Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve.

Today marks our one-year blogging anniversary and our 200th post! To celebrate the occasion, we’re doing a little giveaway. To be in with a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift certificate, just leave a comment on this post telling us your favorite recipe from our site. The giveaway will close at midnight (US Central time) on Sunday, August 8 and the randomly selected winner will be notified by e-mail.*

I just got back from my 10-day solo trip to the States, so I know it’s hot back home (sadly, the same can’t be said of Ireland). If you can bear to turn on your oven for 45 minutes, then this is an easy way to use up an abundance of tomatoes now that they’re coming into season. It’s like a summertime version of Donal Skehan’s oven-roasted sausage and sweet potato recipe. It’s also incredibly easy to pull together and doesn’t take much prep work or thinking about — just right for when your head is still spinning from jet lag, a hard day at work or a long day taking care of the kids. I like to serve this with a green salad with balsamic vinaigrette and plenty of crusty bread to mop up all the juices.

*The competition has now closed. Congrats to Kathy, who likes the warm tofu with spicy garlic sauce!

Cherry Tomato and Sausage Bake
adapted from Jamie at Home by Jamie Oliver

Serves 4

Jamie suggests chopping up any leftovers to make into a chunky pasta sauce for penne or rigatoni, and I can vouch that it’s good. If you like this dish, you’ll also like balsamic roast chicken with rocket, roast tomatoes and Parmesan.

3 to 4 1/2 lb (1.4 to 2 kg) ripe cherry tomatoes (mixed colors if you can find them)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 red onions, quartered (leave the root end intact so the quartered segments stay together)
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (not too small or they’ll burn)
10 to 12 good-quality butcher sausages or Italian sausages
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
crusty bread, mashed potatoes, rice or polenta, to serve
green salad, to serve

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Place the tomatoes, herbs, onions, garlic and sausages in a large roasting tray or casserole dish, one that can more or less fit all the tomatoes in one layer (or you could do individual casserole dishes, like I did in the photo, or divide everything between 2 trays/dishes if you don’t have one that’s big enough). Drizzle well with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper, then make sure the sausages are on top. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, then give the tray a shake and turn the sausages over. Continue cooking for 15 to 30 minutes more, depending on how golden and sticky you like your sausages.

If you think the sauce is a little too thin once the sausages are done, lift them out and place the tray on the stovetop to cook it down to the consistency you like, then put the sausages back in. Check the seasoning and serve either with a good crusty bread (great for mopping up the sauce!), mashed potatoes, rice or polenta, a green salad and a nice glass of wine.

Every time I eat Greek food I think about Kristin’s mom and stepdad taking us to Chicago to eat at Greek Islands. As a sixteen-year-old, any trip to the big city was amazing, but my first trip to Chicago’s Greektown was especially memorable. Friday night traffic was terrible (and a little exciting), the restaurant was packed, the menu was filled with dishes I had never heard of, much less eaten, and we started the meal with flaming cheese. How could that not leave an impression?

After moving to Chicago after college, I ate in Greektown frequently, usually with a big group of friends. Greek food is perfect for groups. Everyone can find a dish they like, yet few people cook Greek food at home. I’ve been experimenting over the past couple years with some of my Greek restaurant favorites. This recipe was my first try at moussaka. Although I managed to forget to add the cinnamon to the sauce, it still turned out great. I paired it with fresh green beans, but a tossed salad with feta and olives would have been even better. After this success, I may even be up for setting a plate of saganaki aflame. Opa!

Hearty Moussaka with Low-fat White Sauce
adapted from Bon Appétit, February 1998

Serves 8

olive oil spray (or olive oil)
1 or 2 eggplants (1 1/2 lb/680 g total), peeled, cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
1 1/2 lb (680 g) zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 lb (450 g) red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef (sirloin or ground round)
1 x 28 oz (800 g) can whole tomatoes in juice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup (25 g) plain dry white breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups (700 ml) low-fat white sauce (see below)
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Spray 2 large baking sheets with olive oil spray or brush with olive oil. Arrange the eggplant slices and half of the zucchini rounds, overlapping slightly, on 1 baking sheet. Arrange the potato rounds and remaining zucchini, overlapping slightly, on the second baking sheet. Spray the vegetables generously with olive oil spray or brush with olive oil. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper. Bake the vegetables until tender and beginning to brown, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion for about 7 minutes, until tender, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if the mixture seems dry. Stir in the oregano. Add the beef and saute until brown, breaking it up with back of spoon. Add the tomatoes with their juices and the tomato paste, breaking up tomatoes with the back of the spoon. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and mix in the cinnamon.

Spray or brush a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish with olive oil spray. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the bottom of the dish. Arrange the potatoes in the prepared dish. Spoon half of the beef mixture over. Arrange the eggplant slices over. Spoon the remaining beef mixture over. Top with all of the zucchini, overlapping slightly if necessary.

Pour warm low-fat white sauce over the moussaka. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cheese on top. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 55 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Low-fat White Sauce

Makes 3 cups (720 ml)

6 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 cups (720 ml) low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup (30 g) grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the flour in a heavy medium saucepan to remove any lumps. Gradually add 1 cup (240 ml) of milk, whisking until smooth. Add the remaining 2 cups (480 ml) of milk and nutmeg. Whisk over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture thickens and boils. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the Parmesan, egg and butter. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat until heated through before using; do not boil.)

Last month I mentioned that I grew up in Texas, so it probably won’t surprise you that Tex-Mex food is my choice of comfort food. And nothing is more Tex Mex (or more comforting) than a steaming hot plate of cheesy, slightly spicy enchiladas. I’ve made quite a few different enchiladas recipes over the years, some with chicken, some with cheese, some red, some white, some green, but my most recent batch of sour cream chicken enchiladas may be my best rendition yet. It also happens to be one of the easier versions that I’ve made.

Easy Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
adapted from www.foodgeeks.com

Serves 4

3 cups (700 ml) water
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1 large onion, diced
1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas
1/4 cup (55 g) butter
1/4 cup (30 g) flour
1 x 4-oz (110-g) can diced green chilies
1 cup (225 g) sour cream
1/2 lb (225 g) Monterey jack cheese, shredded
toppings: chopped cilantro, diced avocado, salsa

In a large saucepan, bring the water, chicken, salt, carrot, celery, and half of the onion to a boil. The water should cover the chicken by about a 1/2 inch; add more water if necessary. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is just cooked through. Pour the chicken and vegetables through a strainer, reserving the broth. Set aside 2 cups (480 ml) of the broth, to be used for the sauce. The remaining broth can be frozen for later use. Discard the cooked vegetables. Cool the chicken, then shred it into pieces.

In a small frying pan, heat the vegetable oil. Fry each tortilla in the hot oil, about 30 seconds per side. Let the tortillas drain on a paper towel-covered paper grocery bag.

In a large saucepan (I use the same pan I cooked the chicken in), melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking frequently. Do not let the roux brown, but it should bubble. Whisk in the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and stir in the green chilies and sour cream. Cook the sauce until it’s smooth and creamy.

Lightly grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Spread 1 cup (240 ml) of sauce over the pan. Fill each tortilla with a couple tablespoons each of chicken, cheese, and the remaining onion. Roll up each tortilla and place seam side down in the prepared pan. Top with the remaining sauce and cheese and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbly. Serve with chopped cilantro, diced avocado, and salsa.

***

Baked Acorn Squash

Serves 2

acorn squash, or other winter squash
olive oil or butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Cut the squash in half, then scoop out the seeds and membrane. (I like to use a grapefruit spoon for this task.) Place the squash skin side down in a small roasting pan. Drizzle the squash with olive oil or place a pat of butter in the hollow of each, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tightly cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil, then roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the squash is tender. You may want to add 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water to the bottom of the pan to speed the cooking or when the squash is very large.

In the US, it’s the day after Thanksgiving today — which means it’s also now officially Christmastime! So I won’t waste any time giving you this cookie recipe, an adaptation of my favorite oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, but this time with a festive twist to them with the brandied cranberries. For any Black Friday shoppers, a couple of these cookies and a cup of coffee would keep you going through the afternoon sales. For anyone else, do you really need an excuse to eat a cookie like this? A few weeks ago, when I told a friend that I was going to make these, she said they sounded like the perfect Christmas cookie, but I said I couldn’t wait that long to make them. Any recent Thanksgiving excesses aside, you shouldn’t either.

Avoca’s Shepherd’s Pie
adapted from Avoca Café Cookbook

Serves 6

You can prepare the shepherd’s pie in advance, leave it to cool and reheat it later, although it will need more time in the oven (40 minutes instead of 20). For my family of four, I like to divide the pie into 4 individual gratin dishes and 4 ramekins for the kids’ portions, which makes enough for two dinners. This way, I can cook the second batch fresh on the day, as opposed to reheating one big casserole dish.

for the pie:
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 lb (900 g) minced beef (you could also use ground turkey for a leaner version)
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs of thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon tomato puree
3 carrots, diced
1 3/4 cups (400 ml) chicken stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

for the potato topping:
3 lb (1.4 kg) potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk or cream
1/2 cup (110 g) butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

In a large pan, gently sauté the onion in the vegetable oil for about 10 minutes, until soft but not brown. Add the mince a little at a time and cook until browned. Add the Worcestershire, thyme, tomato puree, carrots, stock and some salt and pepper. Cook on a low heat for 50 minutes, then transfer to a large casserole or pie dish or individual gratin dishes, ready for the mashed potato topping.

Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Drain well, then return to the pot and add the cream, butter and salt and pepper to taste. Mash well, then taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Cover the mince mixture with the mashed potato. Run the tines of a fork along the potato topping (this will help it to brown). Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the potato is nicely browned and the pie filling is bubbling. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

***

Brandied Cranberry, White Chocolate, Pecan and Oatmeal Cookies

Makes about 16 cookies

You can make these cookies without the brandy if you prefer.

3/4 cup (100 g) dried cranberries
1/3 cup (80 ml) brandy
2 cups (240 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup (170 g) packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup (150 g) white chocolate, roughly chopped
1/2 cup (50 g) pecans, roughly chopped
1 cup (80 g) porridge oats

Put the dried cranberries in a wide, shallow bowl and add the brandy, making sure all the cranberries are covered with brandy (you may need to add a bit more). Cover and place in the fridge. Allow the cranberries to soak for at least 1 hour. Place a colander over a bowl and strain the cranberries, reserving 1 1/2 teaspoons of the brandy. Set both aside.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter and brown and granulated sugars until well blended. Beat in the reserved 1 1/2 teaspoons of brandy, the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk, mixing until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients, working until just blended. Stir in the cranberries, white chocolate, pecans and oats by hand, using a wooden spoon. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Use a table knife to scoop and press the dough into 1/4-cup measuring scoops (or roll 90 g of dough into a ball for 1 cookie), and place the mounds onto the prepared cookie sheets. The cookies should be 3 inches apart.

Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Earlier this year, I was working on a cookbook and came to realize that there are just some things that I’m probably never going to cook — things like wood pigeon, pheasant, partridge or oxtail. I completely skip over the chapters on feathered game and furred game in the Jamie at Home cookbook. And even though I’ll now eat both white and black pudding (aka blood sausage), I won’t touch things like tripe or kidneys and I couldn’t bring myself to try haggis when I was in Edinburgh several years ago. For this Yank, raised on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, I’m not terribly adventurous when it comes to food; pâté is the closet I get to eating offal. I’m just glad I didn’t dismiss this recipe out of hand when I first came across it last year, seeing as how it calls for rabbit. Lucky for me, Nigel Slater also explicitly said you could substitute chicken, otherwise I would never have tried what is now my favorite autumn casserole. But if you want to make it with rabbit, go right ahead. Just don’t ask me over to dinner.

Chicken, Sausage and Apple Casserole
adapted from Nigel Slater in The Observer

Serves 6

3 tablespoons olive oil
6 boneless chicken breasts (though you could use other bone-in chicken pieces if you prefer)
6 to 8 good-quality sausages
2 large onions, roughly chopped
4 dessert apples (such as Granny Smith, McIntosh, Cox’s Orange Pippin or Braeburn), peeled, cored and chopped
3 sprigs rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 bay leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/4 cups (540 ml) apple cider or juice, chicken stock or, at a push, water
1/4 cup (60 ml) brandy (optional)
2 x 14-oz (400-g) cans of cannellini, flageolet or haricot beans
3 tablespoons double cream (optional)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar (or more to taste)
crusty bread, to serve

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot. Add the chicken breasts and sausages and let them brown nicely on all sides.

Remove the meat to a plate and add the onions to the pan. Let them soften without coloring, about 10 minutes. Add the apple, allowing it to color on all sides, adding more oil if necessary. Stir in the chopped rosemary, flour, bay leaves, salt and pepper, then the cider/juice or stock and brandy, if using. Let the liquid bubble for a couple of minutes, stirring to dissolve any crusty bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the drained, cooked beans. Add the chicken and sausage back to the pot, nestling them down into the liquid as much as possible.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, covered. Check the meat is tender, then stir in the cream if you are using it and the cider vinegar. The sauce should be quite sweet, but if it’s too much so, reduce it by stirring in more cider vinegar. Check the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, and cider vinegar as necessary. Serve in shallow bowls, with plenty of good crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

***

Berries with Maple Cream
adapted from Every Day with Rachel Ray

Serves 8

Bon Appétit has a similar version of this, using frozen maple cream. I’d still like to try the Bon Appétit recipe someday, since it doesn’t require an ice cream maker, but this version is much faster and easier if you want a quick treat.

1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
4 tablespoons maple syrup
3 cups (1 lb) assorted fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
zest of 1 lemon or orange

In a large bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Add the maple syrup and beat until the cream holds stiff peaks. Set aside. In another bowl, toss the berries with the lemon zest. Divide among 8 bowls and top with the maple cream.

I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a Rick Bayless groupie. I love that he cooks food that tastes like what I ate while I lived in Oaxaca. I love that he lives in the same neighborhood and attended the same yoga studio that I did while I lived in Chicago. I love that he was one of the chefs who put Chicago on the map as a food destination. And I love that his restaurants Topolobampo and Frontera Grill live up to their hype. There are definitely some things about him that I don’t love, though. His role as a Burger King spokesperson, for example. Or the fact that most of his recipes take well over an hour to prepare and a double column list of ingredients to purchase. And frankly, his daughter’s overacting bothers me so much that I stopped watching his PBS cooking show. But his food always keeps me coming back for more. You may have noticed that Kristin is also a fan. We both pull a lot of recipes from his Mexican Everyday (Recipes Featured on Season 4 of the PBS-TV series “Mexico One Plate at a Time”)cookbook. Tonight’s casserole is from his Julia Child Cookbook of the Year award winner, Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen. I’ve made it so often, the book automatically opens to the chipotle and tomato sauce-flecked pages of this recipe.

I always serve this casserole with black beans and plain yogurt to cut the spicy sauce and round out the flavors of the vegetables. Canned black beans are fine in a pinch or, if you have a bit more time, last month’s slow cooker version is even better.

Layered Tortilla-Tomato Casserole with Greens and Melted Cheese
Adapted from Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen: Capturing the Vibrant flavors of a World-Class Cuisine

Serves 6 as a main dish

for the sauce:
6 garlic cloves
3 lb (1.4 kg) ripe plum tomatoes (about 15)
2 to 4 chipotle chiles en adobo (depending on your spice preference)
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
salt, about 1 1/2 teaspoons

for the casserole:
10 oz (280 g) spinach
2 small or 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 ear of corn, husked, kernels cut from the cob (or 1 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted)
8 oz (225 g) shredded Monterey Jack or Chihuahua cheese
12 corn tortillas
fresh cilantro, for garnish

For the sauce: Roast the unpeeled garlic on a heavy griddle or cast iron skillet, turning occasionally, until soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. They should blacken in spots. Cool and peel. Roast the tomatoes on a baking sheet under a very hot broiler until blacked on one side, about 6 minutes. Turn the tomatoes over and roast the other side. Cool, then peel. In a food processor or blender, process the tomatoes, chiles, and garlic to a medium-fine puree. You may need to do this in two batches depending on the size of your processor.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium to large pot (4 quarts) with tall sides. Once the oil is hot, add the tomato puree and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently as it sears and thickens. Taste and season with salt, usually 1 teaspoon.

For the vegetables: In a vegetable steamer, steam the spinach, covered, until tender, about 3 minutes. Immediately spread onto a baking sheet to cool, then chop roughly. Steam the zucchini until just tender, about 4 minutes, then spread out to cool. Sprinkle the vegetables with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

For the tortillas: Pour the remaining 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the oil into a small skillet and set over a medium heat. Cover a paper grocery bag with a few layers of paper towels. Quick-fry the tortillas one at a time for a few seconds per side in the hot oil to soften them. Drain the tortillas on a single layer on the paper towels, blotting off any excess oil. Cut them in half.

To assemble: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a large casserole dish or 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom, then lay out 6 tortilla halves in a single layer, covering as much of the sauce as possible. Spread on the greens, then 1 cup (240 ml) of sauce, then 1/2 cup of the cheese. Top with another 6 tortilla halves. Spread on the corn and the same amount of sauce and cheese. Top with a third layer of 6 tortilla halves, the zucchini and sauce and cheese. Top with the remaining tortilla halves, sauce and cheese.

Cover lightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.Uncover and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until bubbly and golden. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve hot.