My book club’s most recent pick, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver, provided the perfect inspiration for our meeting’s dinner menu. The book centers around the author’s year of eating only local foods, including produce and animals that she raised herself. After getting past the initial defensiveness of my own food choices, I came to love the book and have been truly inspired by it. It also provided a ready theme for our book club dinner — local. Luckily, by living in Wisconsin, I have easy access to farms that offer direct-to-seller meat and produce. I had a freezer full of beef from Sulzer Beef at my disposal. I also rediscovered Outpost Natural Foods, which in recent years has made a concerted effort to carry more local products.

My friend Alex brought a wonderful rhubarb strawberry crisp made with strawberries she picked from a nearby farm and rhubarb from her garden. For the salad, I used a winter salad mix from Milwaukee’s own urban, award-winning farm, Growing Power. To serve, I splashed some balsamic vinegar and olive oil over the greens (not local, I’m afraid), then used a vegetable peeler to grate long strips of Wisconsin Parmesan over the top. We rounded out the meal with an assortment of other Wisconsin cheeses (lemon chevre, cranberry cheddar, and Gorgonzola) and a fresh baguette from our local Breadsmith bakery.  A feast that doesn’t require gallons of petroleum to transport it to the table tastes even better than one that does.

Filipino-style London Broil
adapted from Indoor! Grilling by Steven Raichlen

Serves 4 to 6

2 medium lemons
1 cup (240 ml) soy sauce [Kikkoman brand is made in Walworth, Wisconsin]
1/2 cup (120 ml) distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 bay leaves, crumbled
1 tablespoon coriander seed
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 sirloin or top or bottom round steak (1 1/2 to 2 lb/680 to 900 g)

Rinse the lemons. Cut each in half and squeeze out the juice with a citrus press. Place the lemon juice in a large nonreactive mixing bowl. Cut the rind of 1 lemon into 1/4-inch dice and add it to the juice. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, oil, onion, garlic, bay leaves, coriander seed, and pepper and whisk to mix. Set aside half of the lemon juice mixture to use as a sauce.

Spread half of the remaining lemon juice mixture in the bottom of a nonreactive baking dish just large enough to hold the meat. Place the meat on top and spread the other half of the lemon juice mixture over it. Let the steak marinate for at least 6 hours, or ideally overnight. The beef can also be marinated in a resealable plastic bag.

Place a grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over a medium heat. When the grill pan is hot, a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Drain the meat, scraping off most of the marinade with a rubber spatula. Place the beef in the hot grill pan. Sirloin or round steak will be cooked to medium-rare after 5 to 8 minutes per side. To test for doneness, use the poke method: when cooked to medium-rare the meat should be gently yielding.

Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let it sit for 5 minutes. Cut the meat into broad thin slices, holding a sharp knife blade at a 45-degree angle to the top of the meat. Spoon the reserved sauce over the slices and serve at once.

***

Oven-roasted Potatoes

Serves 6

3 large baking potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
handful of flat-leaf parsley, minced [I love parsley and use about a half bunch in this recipe]
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Toss the cubed potatoes with the olive oil, parsley, garlic, basil, oregano and paprika. Spread in a single layer on a large baking sheet (or 2 smaller baking sheets). Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, turning the potatoes halfway through cooking, until golden brown and tender. Immediately season with salt and pepper to taste.

I’ve always thought of cheese soup as a Midwestern, and particularly a Wisconsin, thing. There’s no reason for me to think that, other than that Wisconsin is known as the Dairy State and leads the nation in cheese production. UW-Madison, where Kelly and I both went to college, is also well known for often topping the polls for the highest student beer consumption (and in fact, the student union in Madison was the first college union in the country to sell beer), so I guess it’s no surprise that beer bread is what I thought of to serve with this soup.

The beer bread is surprisingly light and sweet (a little too sweet for my taste, actually; next time I’m going to try adding some salt to counteract it). It’s also so fast to make that your oven probably won’t even have finished preheating by the time you’ve got it all mixed up and ready to go. You’ll never buy an overpriced beer bread mix again after making this from scratch.

Cauliflower Cheese Soup
adapted from Tender: A Cook and His Vegetable Patch by Nigel Slater

Serves 4 to 6

Instead of serving this soup with a bread on the side, Nigel Slater toasts 2 slices of dark rye bread, melts a little cheese on top, cuts the slices into triangles and floats them on top of the soup.

2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 head of cauliflower, broken into florets
3 1/2 cups (840 ml) water
2 bay leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (200 ml) crème fraîche or sour cream
1 heaped tablespoon grain mustard
1 cup (100 g) coarsely grated Gruyère, Cantal or a strong, mature Cheddar
finely chopped fresh chives, to garnish (optional)

Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onion and garlic and fry until soft, but don’t let them color. In a separate pot, boil the cauliflower in the water for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender. Add the bay leaves to the onion and garlic, then add the cauliflower and its cooking water. Bring to the boil and add salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft. Remove the pan from the heat, discard the bay leaves and allow the soup to cool slightly. Puree the soup in two batches in a blender (or use a hand-held immersion blender right in the pot). Pour the mixture back into the pot and stir in the crème fraîche, grain mustard and grated cheese. Bring the soup slowly back to a simmer and stir just until the cheese has melted, then ladle into individual bowls, garnish with chopped chives, if using, and serve.

***

Irish Beer Bread

Makes 1 loaf

I called this Irish beer bread only because I used an Irish ale (Smithwick’s, which is pronounced Smittick’s), but you can use any beer. The stronger the beer you choose, the stronger the flavor of the bread.

2 1/2 cups (300 g) self-rising flour
1 tablespoon sugar
12 fl oz beer (350 ml), at room temperature
2 tablespoons (30 g) butter, melted (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 1-lb loaf tin. Sift the flour and sugar into a bowl. Pour in the beer and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Pour into the greased loaf tin, pour the melted butter on top, if using, and bake for 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before you slice it.

It’s not for nothing that rice and beans is such a staple dish in so many parts of the world (Kelly has already written about this here). Not only is it the ultimate budget food, but when eaten together, rice and beans form a complete protein (you could argue that the inclusion of chicken in this dish is a bit of protein overkill). It’s also wide open to interpretation — just have a look at all the variations listed in this article (or see this lentil-rice salad with chorizo). Another option would be to make this smoked paprika roasted chicken from Simply Recipes for dinner one night, then use the leftover shredded chicken in this dish the next day.

Far from being a bland, stodgy bowl of starch, this recipe is full of flavor, not least because of the whopping 2 1/2 tablespoons of ancho chile powder or smoked paprika called for. I was afraid it would be too spicy or overpowering for my small children, but they loved it. We had big bowls of it on its own as a cheap and cheerful midweek meal, but a simple salad of chopped romaine with this tangy avocado dressing served alongside would round things out nicely.

Red Chile Chicken and Rice with Black Beans
adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Serves 4

For a vegetarian version, simply omit the chicken and only use 1 1/2 tablespoons of ancho chile powder or smoked paprika; I think next time I’ll substitute some feta cheese for the chicken. Rick Bayless says he also sometimes adds a big handful of spinach along with the green onions or herbs.

2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
4 skinless chicken breasts
2 1/2 tablespoons ground ancho chile powder or smoked paprika (use less if omitting the chicken; see above)
1 medium white onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup (180 g) rice
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) chicken (or vegetable) stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 x 14-oz (400-g) can black beans, drained and rinsed (rinsing will keep them from making the rice sticky)
a few chopped green onions or a handful of chopped cilantro
1/2 to 1 cup (120 to 240 ml) salsa, to serve (optional)

Heat the oil in a medium-large heavy pot over a medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts first with salt, then with 1 tablespoon (yes, tablespoon!) of the ground ancho chile powder or smoked paprika. Place them in the hot oil in a single layer (do this in two batches if need be so you don’t crowd the chicken in the pot). Brown for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate to cool, leaving behind as much oil as possible.

Add the onion and rice to the pot. Stir for a few minutes, until the rice turns opaque. Add the garlic and the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons (again, that’s not a typo) ancho chile powder or smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock and salt (use less salt if your stock is already quite salty). Stir well. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Cook for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Uncover the pot and add the chicken and black beans. Re-cover and cook for 12 minutes longer. (Note: I found that my rice didn’t need this much time to cook, so just keep a close eye on it, test it and use your judgment.)

Uncover, sprinkle on the green onions or cilantro and test a grain of rice: it should have no more than a hint of chalkiness in the center; if it’s still too firm, cook for another 5 minutes or so. Otherwise, simply re-cover the pot, remove it from the heat and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes to finish cooking the rice in its own trapped steam. Fluff the rice mixture with a fork and serve with the salsa on the side.

I know this dish doesn’t sound like much. In fact, on the night I had planned to make it, it suddenly sounded so boring and unappealing that I briefly debated ordering take-out instead and wondered what I’d been thinking when choosing to make this earlier in the week as part of my weekly meal planning. But I’m glad I resisted the fleeting urge to order pizza — it was surprisingly delicious, and we liked the leftovers the next day even better. This meal isn’t going to win any beauty contests either (the lack of photo today is no accident), but you’ll be so busy tucking in that you won’t care too much.

Chicken with Lentils
adapted from The New York Times, January 20, 2010

Serves 4 to 6

You could also serve this with a pan-fried salmon fillet instead of chicken (you can follow the instructions for cooking the salmon here).

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb (225 g) bacon, diced
3 lb (1.4 kg) chicken thighs (about 6 to 8 thighs), patted dry
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
2 leeks, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 head radicchio, cored and finely chopped (don’t worry if you can’t find this, just leave it out)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
2 cups (400 g) green or Puy lentils
3 cups (720 ml) chicken stock, more if needed
crusty bread, to serve

Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the bacon and cook on a medium heat, until golden. Remove. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pot, skin side down. Sear until golden on a medium-high heat, working in two batches if necessary. Remove from the pan. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan.

Add the onions, leeks, celery and carrots and cook on a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the cumin. Add the radicchio, if using, the vinegar and thyme and saute briefly. Add the lentils, stock and cooked bacon.

Return the chicken to pan, bring to a simmer and cover. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, but not all. The lentils should be saucelike but not soupy. Add a little more stock if needed. Check the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed, then serve with crusty bread.

In celebration of Mardi Gras, Reuben cooked up a great pot of jambalaya. Out of the million and one versions of this classic Cajun cuisine, this one is my favorite. It’s low fat, cooks in one pot, and is a great way to use up leftover ham. The kale provides a burst of color and an extra serving of vegetables — very needed in my household as we struggle through the recent exchange of sicknesses between the kids. Much to our surprise, our 8-month-old devoured her kale. Pretty impressive, Anabelle, but you’re still too young for beads.

Jambalaya with Shrimp and Ham
adapted from Ellie Krieger

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more, to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 oz (170 g) diced, smoked ham
2 1/2 cups (600 ml) low sodium chicken broth
1 x 14-oz (400-g) can diced tomatoes
1 cup (180 g) uncooked long-grain white rice
1 lb (450 g) peeled and deveined medium shrimp (tail-on preferred)
hot pepper sauce

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add the onion, peppers and garlic and saute until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Mix in the next 11 ingredients (salt through the diced tomatoes). Bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until rice is done and most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the shrimp and cook, covered, for 5 minutes more, or until shrimp is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with hot pepper sauce.

***

Toasted Garlic Kale

Serves 2 to 3

1 bunch kale, washed and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water as you would for cooking pasta. Add the chopped kale and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until the kale turns bright green. Immediately drain the kale and rinse with cold water.

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat but do not let the oil smoke. Add the garlic and saute, stirring frequently, until the garlic just begins to turn golden. Add the drained kale to the oil and garlic, lower the heat, and saute until the kale is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

I’ve sworn off high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) for a few years now. My HFCS ban is one of the reasons I started cooking more of my own meals. At least in the United States, it’s pretty difficult to avoid HFCS in processed or convenience foods. Soda — or pop, depending on where you live — was one of the easier HFCS products to cut. I had already succumbed to the Diet Coke craze during college, like so many other calorie-conscious co-eds. Which is all a long way of saying that I’ve had a 2-liter bottle of Coca-Cola perched on my fridge for a few months that I certainly wasn’t going to drink. I also have a freezer of pork, including several hams, begging to be eaten. It all came together to form a perfect “excuse” to make the ham in cola recipe that Kristin sheepishly sent me a few weeks ago. Despite my reservations, the ham turned out beautifully, just as Kristin promised it would.

Ham in Coca-Cola
adapted from Nigella Bites by Nigella Lawson

Serves 8

for the ham:
1 x 4 1/2-lb (2-kg) ham
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
1 x 2-liter bottle cola (recommended: Coca-Cola)

for the glaze:
1 heaped tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons English mustard powder
2 tablespoons Demerara (raw cane sugar) or granulated brown sugar

For the ham: Place the ham and the onion into a large pot or Dutch oven and pour the cola on top. On a medium-high heat, allow the cola to come to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid, though not tightly, and allow to cook for 2 1/2 hours (1 hour for every 2 lb/900 g).

Preheat the oven to 500°F (240°C).

For the glaze: Pull the ham from the pot and allow it to rest on a cutting board, reserving the cooking liquid if you want to make Nigella’s South Beach Black Bean Soup. Using a sharp knife, trim the skin, leaving a thin layer of fat on the ham. Using the knife, score the fat diagonally into large diamond cuts. Spread the honey over the meat. Gently pat the powdered mustard and sugar around the meat, so it sticks to the honey. Gently place the ham in a roasting pan (lined with aluminum foil for easier clean-up). Cook the ham for about 10 minutes, or until the glaze is burnished and bubbly.

To braise the ham in advance and then let it cool, take the ham from the refrigerator, glaze it according to the recipe, and allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes. Place in a 350°F (180°C) oven for 30 to 40 minutes,  turning up the heat if you think it needs a more crispy exterior.

***

Parmesan Smashed Potatoes
adapted from the The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten

Serves 8

4 lb (1.75 kg) red new potatoes, unpeeled
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus 2 teaspoons
1 cup (240 ml) half-and-half (or half milk, half cream)
1/4 lb (110 g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place the potatoes and 1 tablespoon of salt in a 4-quart saucepan and add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer covered for 25 to 35 minutes, until completely tender. Drain.

In a small saucepan, heat the half-and-half and butter. Put the potatoes into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix the potatoes for a few seconds on low speed, to break them up. Slowly add the hot cream and butter to the potatoes, mixing on the lowest speed (the last quarter of the cream should be folded in by hand). Fold in the Parmesan cheese and the remaining salt and pepper; taste for seasoning and serve immediately. If the potatoes are too thick, add more hot cream and butter.

***

Roasted Beets with Greens and Goat Cheese

Serves 6

2 bunches beets with greens, washed well
8 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 oz (60 g)  goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove the greens from the beets and set aside. Toss the beets in 5 tablespoons of olive oil, then wrap in aluminum foil. (I usually place 2 to 3 beets in each foil packet.) Roast until tender, 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes before peeling and quartering the beets. If the beets are very large, cut into 1-inch pieces instead of quartering them.

While the beets cool, roughly chop the beet greens. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned. Stir in the beet greens and saute, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until they’re wilted and tender. If the greens begin to scorch, add a tablespoon or so of water or cover with a lid. Season the greens to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon the greens onto a plate, top with roasted beets and then crumbled goat cheese.

There are lots of differences between British English and American English, both big and small. There’s that whole thing about spelling things with –our instead of –or, like colour and neighbour, or using –re at the end of a word instead of –er, like centre or theatre. (Growing up in suburban Illinois, whenever we saw a strip mall calling itself a ‘shopping centre,’ we’d laugh at its pretensions.) I’ve also had to learn to say petrol instead of gas, lift instead of elevator, car park instead of parking lot and now order coffee to take away instead of to go. The differences in food names are even more pronounced: aubergine instead of eggplant, courgette instead of zucchini, mangetout instead of peas, and chips instead of fries (and crisps instead of chips). But my favorite (or should I say favourite?) is rutabaga instead of swede. I always thought the word rutabaga seemed a little ludicrous, almost like a made-up word, but it actually comes from the Swedish rotabagge, which explains why it’s also called a swede, given the word’s country of origin. Whatever you want to call it, it’s an underused vegetable, often appearing in root vegetable mashes, and it’s perfect in this cheap and cheerful soup.

Bacon corn muffins, bacon, onion and thyme bread or Irish soda bread would also work well with this soup instead of the buttermilk cheddar biscuits.

Sweet Potato, Rutabaga and Bacon Soup
adapted from Healthy 1–2-3 by Rozanne Gold

Serves 4

I threw in a parsnip because it was looking lonely in my vegetable crisper, left over from a different dinner, and it worked perfectly well with the other flavors in the soup. A small chopped onion or a couple shallots would also be good additions.

5 slices bacon (plus extra for garnish, optional)
2 large sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lb/680 g)
1 large rutabaga (swede) (about 1 1/2 lb/680 g)
5 cups (1.2 litres) chicken or vegetable stock or water
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces. Heat a large pot. Add the bacon and fry until cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pot.

Peel the sweet potatoes and rutabaga and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (it doesn’t have to be perfect, it will all get blended later anyway). Add to the pot and cook for 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the water, along with some salt and pepper to taste (not too much salt, though, because of the bacon). Add the cooked bacon. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cover. Cook for 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft.

When the vegetables are tender, puree the soup until smooth in a blender, food processor or with a hand-held immersion blender. If the soup is too thick for your liking, simply add more stock or water until it reaches the desired consistency. Ladle the soup into bowls, then, if using, crumble the reserved cooked bacon into small pieces and scatter on top.

***

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits
adapted from Back to Basics by Ina Garten

Makes 8 biscuits

If you have any leftover biscuits, they’re delicious reheated for breakfast the next day with some scrambled eggs.

2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks (180 g) cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup (120 ml) cold buttermilk, shaken
1 cold extra-large egg
1 cup (90 g) grated extra-sharp Cheddar
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk
Maldon sea salt (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Place the flour, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas.

Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer still on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix only until moistened. In a small bowl, mix the Cheddar with small handful of flour and, with the mixer still on low, add the cheese to the dough. Mix only until roughly combined.

Dump out onto a well-floured board or counter and knead lightly about 6 times. Roll the dough out to a rectangle 10 by 5 inches. With a sharp, floured knife, cut the dough lengthwise in half and then across in quarters, making 8 rough rectangles. Transfer to the prepared baking tray. Brush the tops with the egg wash, sprinkle with salt, if using, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the biscuits are cooked through. Serve hot or warm.

I’ve been trying to go back to cookbooks I haven’t used in awhile, so last week I pulled The River Cottage Meat Book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall down off the shelf and cassoulet caught my eye. While I wound up using a different version, it ticks a lot of boxes — this one can be made in a slow cooker, is good value (cassoulet is a traditional French peasant dish), is hearty, rib-sticking food for cold nights and makes more than enough for two meals.

This takes more time to pull together than most slow cooker recipes, especially if you use dried beans and then have to boil them, so unless you aren’t in a rush in the mornings, it might be best to make this at the weekend. It would make plenty for Sunday’s dinner and Monday too, and you’ll probably still have enough to stash in the freezer. If you like the idea of a cassoulet but don’t have a slow cooker or don’t have all day to let it cook, you could try Jacques Pépin’s 30-minute version. In his recipe, Hugh F-W suggests serving this with an orange and watercress salad.

Slow Cooker Cassoulet
adapted from Thomas Keller

Serves 8 to 10

In Hugh F-W’s recipe for cassoulet, he adds 1 onion, 2 peeled garlic cloves and 1 bouquet garni to the dried beans when they’re cooking, which is a nice touch if you want to make a little extra effort. And as much as I love bacon, I don’t actually think it’s necessary here — it gets overpowered by the chorizo and all the other flavors. Dare I say it, but next time I’m going to leave it out.

1 lb (450 g) dried Great Northern, cannellini or haricot beans, or 2 x 14-oz (400-g) cans of beans
3 lb (1.4 kg) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces (you can ask your butcher to do this for you)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 oz (110 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips (optional; see above)
3 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 cups (480 ml) dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc (or use stock or water if you prefer not to use alcohol)
1/4 cup (60 ml) tomato paste
1 x 28-oz (or 2 x 400-g) cans whole plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
2 cups (480 ml) chicken stock
1 lb (450 g) fully cooked or smoked chorizo or garlic sausage links, sliced on the diagonal
1 garlic head, halved crosswise
1 cup (100 g) panko or breadcrumbs
a handful of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish
crusty bread, to serve

If you’re using dried beans, soak the beans in plenty of cold water overnight. Drain the beans and put them in a large pot with enough fresh cold water to cover them by 1 inch (see above if you want to add some aromatics). Bring to the boil and skim off any scum that rises to the surface, then reduce the heat and simmer until the beans are tender but still retain their shape, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, season the pork generously with salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat a large frying pan and add the bacon, if using. Cook until crisp on both sides, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels but reserve the bacon fat in the pan. Once drained, add to the slow cooker.

Add half of the pork to the pan and brown on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to the slow cooker and repeat with the remaining pork.

Add the onions and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, about 7 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Transfer the onion and wine mixture to the slow cooker, then stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, stock, cooked beans, chorizo and garlic.

Set the cooker to low and cook, covered, until the pork pulls apart easily with a fork, about 8 hours (though it could be as much as 10 hours). Skim off any fat and remove and discard the garlic. Fold in the panko or breadcrumbs and the parsley. Taste and season as needed.

Let the cassoulet stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle each serving with parsley and serve with warm crusty bread.

I really wanted to name this post Two Dip Dinner, but I couldn’t risk setting a clever title precedent. Regardless, that’s the unofficial title in my house for this kid-friendly fare. A special thank you to our friend Leah for this menu inspiration. Kristin and I have been lucky to be friends with Leah for nearly 20 years. She’s been kind enough to share some of her favorite recipes with us so we can share them with you.

Tzatziki Chicken with Couscous and Hummus
adapted from Leah’s recipe

Serves 4

1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts (thighs preferred)
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 package plain whole wheat or regular couscous (about 6 oz/170 g)
2 to 3 cups (475 to 700 ml) chicken broth or water (check couscous package for exact amount)
2 to 4 scallions
2 tablespoons olive oil

for the tzatziki sauce:
2 small cucumbers, peeled and grated, divided
2 teaspoons coarse salt, divided
2 cups plain whole milk yogurt, divided
2 small garlic cloves, minced, divided
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided
1 teaspoon dried dill, divided

You’ll be making two separate preparations out of the tzatziki sauce ingredients: a marinade and a dipping sauce. For the marinade, put half of all the sauce ingredients into a food processor and pulse until blended and runny. Pour the marinade over the chicken in a Ziploc bag or lidded container. Seal the bag or cover and marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours.

For the dipping sauce, after grating the cucumber, put it into a paper towel and squeeze dry. Stir the grated cucumber into the remaining half of the tzatziki sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Do not put this part in a food processor. Stir in the vinegar and sugar. Refrigerate for 15 minutes before serving (though the longer it can sit in the fridge to let the flavors develop, the better).

After the chicken has marinated, preheat an outdoor grill or stove-top grill pan. Lightly grease the grill. Remove any excess marinade from the chicken and place the chicken pieces onto the hot grill. Discard the marinade. Cook the chicken for 8 to 12 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness; thighs will need more time than breasts.

While the chicken cooks, make the couscous according to package directions, using the amount of chicken broth or water recommended. Fluff the couscous after it cooks and fold in the scallions and olive oil.

Serve the chicken with with couscous, tzatziki sauce, and hummus.

***

Hummus

1 small garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 x 14-oz (400-g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Put all the ingredients into a food processor and puree until smooth.

My newest working mom trick is double Sunday dinner. I find that if I can make Monday night’s dinner while cleaning up Sunday night’s dinner mess, the week goes much better. I’ve tried a few make-ahead meals with mixed results; curried pork stew is great, butternut squash lasagna, not so much. This vegan stew is one of my favorite make-ahead meals yet. You certainly won’t miss the meat. A word of warning, though: when peeling the butternut squash, throw the peels in your compost or garbage can. Do not attempt to put them down your garbage disposal. Do not attempt to put them down your mother-in-law’s garbage disposal. The cost of the plumber fixing the sink takes away from the enjoyment of the meal. Trust me on this one.

Coconut cream pie has been on my mind for a long time. When I found James Peterson’s version in his new book, Baking, I had no choice but to make it. The book, by the way, is a nice compilation of recipes and techniques ranging from bread to pastries to cakes. I’m not sure it’s the “baking education” promised on its cover, but I’ve been salivating over its pictures and recipes for weeks. Despite my several adaptations (shortcuts, really), my first coconut cream pie turned out much better than any version I’ve had from a bakery. I wish I had tried it sooner.

Quinoa with Moroccan Winter Squash and Carrot Stew
adapted from Bon Appétit, January 2006

Serves 6

for the stew:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup (240 ml) water
1 x 14-oz (400-g) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
5 to 7 carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

for the quinoa:
1 cup (170 g) quinoa
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups (480 ml) water
1/2 cup (15 g) chopped fresh cilantro, divided

For stew: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Mix in the paprika and the next 7 ingredients. Add 1 cup (240 ml) water and the tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Add the squash and carrots. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

For quinoa: Rinse the quinoa and drain. Melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot. Cover and cook until the vegetables begin to brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, and turmeric and sauté for 1 minute. Add the quinoa and stir 1 minute. Add 2 cups (480 ml) of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.

To serve, rewarm the stew and stir in half of the cilantro. Spoon the quinoa onto a platter, forming a well in the center. Spoon the stew into the well. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro.

***

Coconut Cream Pie
adapted from Baking by James Peterson

Makes 1 pie

1 x 10-inch pie crust (homemade or Pillsbury refrigerated recommended)
2 cups (480 ml) unsweetened coconut milk (regular or light)
1 cup (240 ml) milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar plus 2 tablespoons
1/4 cup (25 g) plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup (40 g) unsweetened dessicated coconut
2 cups (180 g) sweetened shredded coconut, divided
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream

Use a 9– to 10-inch pie pan. Roll the dough into a round about two inches larger than the pie pan. Line the pie pan with the dough, fold under the excess dough and crimp the edges. Prebake the pie shell according to your recipes (or package instructions). I highly recommend lining the crust with aluminum foil and adding an inch or so of pie weights or dried beans during the first half of the baking time. This will keep the crust from shrinking, warping, and performing other unknown pastry tricks. Carefully remove the pie weights/beans and tinfoil during the last half of the baking time to allow the crust to fully cook.

Set the oven to 350°F (180°C). In a medium saucepan, bring the coconut milk and milk to a simmer with the vanilla. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, 1/2 cup (100 g) of sugar, and the cornstarch until smooth. Slowly pour half of the milk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk. Stir the mixture with a whisk over medium heat until it bubbles and thickens. Immediately remove it from the heat, stir until smooth and transfer to a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to cool to room temperature.

Fold the dessicated coconut and 1 cup (90 g) of the sweetened shredded coconut into the pudding and spread this mixture in the now cool pie shell. Chill for at least 1 hour.

While the pie chills, toast the remaining 1 cup (90 g) of shredded coconut in a heavy pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until lightly browned. Pour the toasted coconut into a small bowl to cool.

Before serving, combine the heavy cream with the 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat it to stiff peaks. Spread the whipped cream over the pudding mixture, doming the cream in the center, and sprinkle the toasted coconut over it.