Tag: #TheKitchn

Posted in Curated Recipes

French Onion Beans

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

f I had to pick a desert-island food, I would choose beans without a moment’s hesitation (and hopefully remember to bring a can opener). With their plant-based protein and fiber coupled with their unmatched versatility, there isn’t much that beans can’t do. This recipe is one of my favorite bean-y mash-ups. It features all the cozy, melty, cheesy flavors of a classic French onion soup, made even heartier with the inclusion of soft, plump butter beans. Meet: French onion beans.

You may know butter beans as lima beans, but by any name they’re creamy, buttery, and the perfect blank canvas for bold French onion flavors. Here, they pair perfectly with caramelized onions before getting blanketed by crusty chunks of bread (technically optional, but the bread adds a lovely crunchy texture) and a shower of nutty Gruyère cheese.

Why You’ll Love It

  • It’s got that classic, well-loved flavor. The same savory, slow-cooked flavors you love in French onion soup shine through in this comforting dish.
  • Equally great as a main or a side dish. Paired with a simple green salad, this is a hearty, filling meal. Or it can be the back-up singer to a roasted chicken or pork chops (although, like all great back-up singers, it will likely steal the show).
Baked dish in a cast iron skillet with toasted bread, melted cheese, and white beans, garnished with parsley.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter

Key Ingredients in French Onion Beans

  • Yellow onions: Caramelized until they’re golden-brown, sweet yellow onions provide the signature French onion flavor in this dish.
  • Crusty bread (optional): In combination with the melted Gruyère, hunks of bread from a rustic sourdough loaf or baguette provide that quintessential French onion soup topping.
  • White wine: A splash gives this dish depth by balancing acidity and sweetness.
  • Beef or vegetable broth: Beef broth will deliver the savory umami flavors of a typical French onion soup, but don’t underestimate a good vegetable broth, which can easily make the dish vegetarian.
  • Butter beans: The backbone of the dish, providing the necessary heft and heartiness to make this a satisfying dish.
  • Sherry vinegar: Just a small amount will brighten the other ingredients here, adding a dynamic element that keeps you coming back for more.

The Kitch’n

Posted in Curated Recipes

The 2-Ingredient “Lemon Bars” I Can’t Stop Making (They’re So Easy)

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Lemon angel bars are my go-to whenever I need to make a super-easy dessert with almost no effort. The fact that they only use two ingredients still surprises me every time I make them. Just stir together angel food cake mix and lemon pie filling, bake, and you’re done! The bars come out soft and airy, with a light texture and a bright lemon flavor. I make this recipe whenever I want something simple and not too heavy. Even better, it’s the kind of dessert I can easily throw together for a last-minute get-together or potluck.

What Makes Lemon Angel Bars So Great

This recipe works because the angel food cake mix provides structure and lift, while the lemon pie filling adds sweetness, moisture, and citrus flavor all at once. There’s no measuring, no mixers, and no complicated steps. The bars bake up fluffy and tender with a soft, cake-like crumb. Once they’re cooled, I like to dust the top with powdered sugar (although they’re just as good plain). These bars prove that minimal ingredients can still deliver big, delicious results.

The Kitch’n

Posted in Curated Recipes

Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

few years ago, practically everything I made came from the air fryer, and before that, the Instant Pot was our dinnertime hero. But if I had to choose a countertop kitchen appliance that has stood the test of time, there’s no doubt I’d pick my slow cooker. I’ve relied on my slow cookers (I own three of them and have no plans to pare them down) more often in some years than others. This year is already shaping up to be a banner year for my slow cookers, thanks in part to my version of Hamburger Helper. 

Growing up, we ate boxed meals of pasta, cheese, seasonings, and ground beef so often that it’s one of my go-to comfort meals. Just one bite of this slow cooker version of Hamburger Helper brings me right back to the kitchen table of my childhood. Every bite is packed with savory ground beef, tender pasta, and a cheesy tomato sauce. It’s delicious, filling, and even easier than the boxed version thanks to the slow cooker.  

Why You’ll Love It

  • Tastes even better than the casserole you grew up with. This dinner is much more delicious than any convenience casserole thanks to ground beef, a cheesy tomato sauce, and tender pasta.
  • It’s so flexible. This is one slow cooker recipe that works with your schedule, no matter what that schedule is. The bulk of the time is spent softening the peppers and marrying the flavors of the meat and tomato sauce, so you can cook it from as little as 2 hours on HIGH or 6 hours on LOW, adding the noodles during the final 30 minutes. 
Creamy beef and macaroni dish in a bowl, garnished with parsley and served with a spoon.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Anna Billingskog

Key Ingredients in Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper

  • Ground beef: Cook and brown ground beef while breaking it up into hearty crumbles before adding it to the slow cooker. Make sure to drain off any excess rendered fat. 
  • Cottage cheese: Cottage cheese adds creamy texture and a protein boost to this retro dinner. The curds mostly melt away during the cooking process, but for a guaranteed smooth sauce, blend the cottage cheese and tomato sauce together in a food processor or blender first. 
  • Tomato sauce: Canned tomato sauce is a budget-friendly way to add easy tomato flavor.
  • Beef broth: One can of low-sodium beef broth adds enough moisture so that the elbow macaroni can cook right in the slow cooker.
  • Elbow macaroni: Add 6 ounces elbow macaroni 30 minutes before serving so it can cook right in the sauce.
  • Cheddar cheese: Shred sharp cheddar cheese on the large holes of a box grater, or save yourself a step and buy a bag of pre-shredded cheese.

The Kitch’n

Posted in Curated Recipes

Sweet Potato Salad

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Move over salad greens! In this recipe, the beloved sweet potato takes center stage as the base for this sweet potato salad. Not to be confused with a mayo-centric potato salad, the sweet potatoes in this salad get tossed with a slightly punchy shallot vinaigrette and accented with toasted nuts, dried cranberries, and crumbles of feta yielding a salad that’s packed with flavor and texture.

The key to getting the most flavor into the salad lies in the way the sweet potatoes are cooked. Here, cubes of sweet potatoes are roasted until fork tender and lightly browned in spots, bringing out their natural sweetness. Halfway through roasting, some of the dressing for the salad is added to the potatoes. When cooked onto the sweet potatoes, its bright flavor mellows and becomes particularly savory, adding another layer of flavor as well helping to yield a tender, silky texture. Serve it alongside simple prepared proteins like seared fish or roasted chicken. 

Why You’ll Love It

  • Loaded with flavor and texture. Thanks to cubes of tender sweet potatoes, chewy dried cranberries,salty feta, crunchy toasted nuts, and a shallot-y sherry vinaigrette, this salad has it all. 
  • The dressing can be made ahead of time. Make it up to a day in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. 

Key Ingredients in Sweet Potato Salad

  • Sweet potatoes: Because they’re cut into cubes, the size of the whole sweet potato doesn’t matter as long as you have 2 pounds total. 
  • Dried cranberries: As well as a nice pop of color, they provide welcome texture and a sweet-tangy flavor that contrasts well against the sweet potatoes. 
  • Crumbled feta: Provides a salty, tangy pop.
  • Shallot: Provides a quiet allium flavor in the dressing that doesn’t completely overpower the sweet potato. 
  • Sherry vinegar: As opposed to other vinegars, it contributes a more mellow tang in the dressing. 

The Kitchn

Posted in Kitchen Tips

Crispy Rosemary Roasted Potatoes Made Easy

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

I learned a ton during my brief restaurant stage in Barbaresco, Italy, but one trick alone was worth the plane ticket and hours of (unpaid) work. I discovered the secret to incredible rosemary roasted potatoes that boast a crispy brown exterior and creamy insides — and, miraculously, they don’t stick to the pan. They’re a cinch to make at a moment’s notice and the cleanup is so easy. Rosemary roasted spuds have become my go-to side dish for everything from roast chicken to pan-seared steak. 

There are a million recipes for roasted potatoes out there, from the British-style boil-them-first “roasties” to simple sheet tray versions with a rainbow of seasonings, but they all fail for me in one important way: They tend to stick to the pan. No matter how much oil I use, or how much I stir them, I end up jabbing at the spuds with a spatula to loosen them from the pan, often leaving behind the crusty bits I was most excited for. The trick I learned in Italy remedies this and produces the best roasted potatoes I’ve ever had. It’s so simple, I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of it before: Preheat the roasting pan. 

The Kitchn

Posted in Curated Recipes

The Old-School Ground Beef Breakfast I Can’t Stop Making

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

There is basically no kind of breakfast that tops a diner breakfast in my book. I’m from the Northeast and diner culture is big up here. I love all kinds of diners — classics that have been around for decades serving up waffles and omelettes, Greek diners, roadside diners, and new-school diners with menus full of twists on traditional fare. I love it all. When I learned of a storied breakfast recipe that has been served up in San Francisco diners for countless years, I knew I had to try it. I’ve never been to a diner on the west coast, but if this is what they’re slinging, I’m going to need to make a trip. Joe’s Special Scramble is the diner brunch dish of my dreams. 

Why Joe’s Special Scramble is So Great

If you’ve ever sat down for breakfast, looked at a menu and been unable to decide between breakfast and lunch, burger or omelette, this is the answer. Joe’s special scramble is a mix of scrambled eggs, seasoned ground beef, mushrooms, and spinach. It’s hearty and filling, but also indulgent. It scratches my itch for something kind of heavy to start my day (or midday, depending) with my want to also eat vegetables. Plop it next to some toast, hash browns, and a pot of strong coffee, and I am in heaven. 

Tips for Making Joe’s Special Scramble

  • You can make this just for one. If you’re making breakfast for less than four people, a ratio of 1 ounce of beef per large egg is just the right balance.
  • Brown the mushrooms first.  Mushrooms need room in the pan to brown properly. They just won’t get that same golden brown color and texture if you cook them at the same time as the beef. It’s worth it to cook them first and add them back in with the eggs.
  • Μake it your way. Add Worcestershire or soy sauce to the beef. Skip the nutmeg. Add hot sauce to the eggs. Sprinkle the whole thing with cheddar cheese (my favorite move). The possibilities are endless.

The Kitchn