SRC: Crispy Smashed Potatoes

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was paired up with Veggie Grettie.  Gretchen's blog is full of awesome-looking recipes, and they're all vegan and gluten free!  I chose to make her recipe for crispy smashed potatoes.  I've seen this sort of recipe on a few different blogs and it always looked really delicious, so this was the perfect excuse to give it a spin!  I'm definitely a big fan - the potatoes come out of the oven with a perfectly crispy, salty exterior and a creamy interior.  They make a great side dish, and you can easily change up the flavor by using different sorts of seasoning salt.  I served these with Swedish meatballs and homemade egg noodles - recipe coming soon!

Crispy Smashed Potatoes (adapted from Veggie Grettie, original recipe here)

Small potatoes (such as fingerling or new potatoes)
Olive oil
Seasoning salt (I used this awesome Aleppo chile salt)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with foil.
2. Toss the potatoes with a generous amount of oil and a good sprinkling of seasoning salt.  Place in a single layer on the baking sheet.  (If the potatoes don't fit in a single layer with a good amount of room between each potato, use two sheets - you're going to be smashing the potatoes later, so they need some space.)
3. Bake 20-30 minutes, shaking the baking sheet occasionally, until the potatoes are tender.
4. Use a heavy water glass or something similar to smash each potato until it is slightly flattened.  Space out the potatoes evenly, and then drizzle with a bit more oil.
5. Bake another 15 minutes or so, until crispy.

Fig-Balsamic Jam

A few weeks ago, I managed to find fresh figs at Trader Joe's for only $2 a pound!  I quickly snapped up four pounds, and used half of the figs to make this fantastic jam.  Since it doesn't use pectin, it's not overly sweet, and the balsamic vinegar adds a lovely acidic element.  This jam is fantastic with cheese and crackers - here, I served it with a creamy blue cheese, and the two were a perfect pairing.  But, it's not just good in savory bites - I've also enjoyed it on toast and in a plain old PB&J.  This is one jam I may be keeping all for myself rather than giving it away...it's that good!

Fig-Balsamic Jam (adapted from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home, via Authentic Suburban Gourmet and The Gingersnap Girl)
Makes 4 half pint jars

2 pounds fresh figs, stems removed, coarsely chopped
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 T lemon juice

1. Combine the figs, sugar, and vinegar in a large pot (use the biggest you've got for jam-making so you don't risk boiling over).  Bring to a simmer, and then reduce heat to medium low, maintaining a gentle simmer and stirring often.  Continue to simmer and stir until the jam thickens and passes the gel test, about 30 minutes.
2. Use an immersion blender to blend the jam until it's as smooth as you like it - I made mine fairly smooth.  Stir in the lemon juice and briefly return to a boil.
3. Transfer the jam to sterilized jars and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.  Make sure to check seals before storing.

Kale-Carrot Salad

This tasty salad is a great way to eat your veggies.  I love using kale in salads, but it needs a little bit of special treatment in order to be tasty raw.  I combine finely chopped kale with salt, lemon juice, and oil, and mash it between my fingers for a couple of minutes until it begins to wilt.  Then I let it chill out for a bit while I prep the rest of the meal, and then add some finishing touches - in this case, shredded carrots and toasted pine nuts.  A cumin-honey dressing adds some smoky sweetness.  This makes a great side dish for pretty much any meal - you could play around with the spices to pair it with different cuisines.  And, it keeps well in the fridge for a few days, so it's a great make-ahead side or a delicious green option to take for lunch.

Kale-Carrot Salad
Serves 4

1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves finely chopped
1 lemon
Olive oil
Salt
1 tsp honey
1 tsp ground cumin
4 small carrots, peeled and grated
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1. Place the chopped kale in a salad bowl.  Slice the lemon in half, and squeeze the juice of half the lemon over the kale (reserve the rest of the lemon for later in the recipe).  Drizzle on a bit of olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt over the greens.  Massage the greens with your hands for a couple of minutes, until they are nicely wilted.  Stash in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the salad/meal.
2. In a small jar, combine the juice of the other half of the lemon along with about 1/4 cup olive oil, a pinch of salt, the honey, and the cumin.  Screw on the lid tightly and shake well to combine.
3. Take out the bowl of kale and add the dressing, carrots, and pine nuts.  Toss to combine.

Herb-Crusted Pot Roast in the Crock Pot

I wasn't in the mood for a big birthday party this year because I have so much going on with school this semester, so instead I decided to celebrate with a small dinner party at home.  Since I was feeling a little overextended, I decided to make something that would impress my guests without involving a ton of work on my part.  Enter the slow cooker!  I love being able to do a little bit of prep early in the day and then have dinner ready when I need it.  This pot roast with herbs and sweet onions is melt-in-your-mouth tender and has great flavor, all for maybe 15-20 minutes of work.  I served it with roasted carrots (cooked separately in the oven a few minutes before the roast was done) and good bread from the grocery.  The leftovers were really tasty too, especially with some blue cheese crumbled on top.

Herb-Crusted Pot Roast in the Crock Pot (adapted from Yammie's Glutenfreedom, original recipe here)
Serves

Beef chuck roast (I used two, 6 pounds total)
Salt and pepper
Oil
Lots of chopped herbs: I used a few sprigs each of thyme, oregano, rosemary, and tarragon)
1 large yellow onion

1. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. In a large skillet, heat just enough oil to coat the bottom over medium high heat.  Add the meat (working in batches if necessary), and cook for a few minutes on each side, until nicely browned.  Be very careful when flipping, as the oil will spatter.
3. Scatter some of the herbs in the bottom of the crockpot.  Place the beef in the crockpot, and then scatter the rest of the herbs on top.  (If you're using two roasts, scatter some herbs between them as well.)
4. Cut the onion into medium-thick slices, and then scatter all over the meat.
5. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Corn Muffins with Cheddar and Caramelized Onions

I really love muffins for breakfast, but sometimes it's fun to switch it up a bit and go with savory muffins instead of sweet ones.  These take a little longer than your typical muffin recipe because of the caramelized onions - this step definitely takes some time (probably 25-30 minutes), but it's so worth it for the sweet, soft onions that result.  I recommend making a double batch and using the extra onions in another dish (maybe in an omelette).  Once the onions are done, they're combined with shredded cheddar and corn muffin batter to make some seriously dynamite muffins.  Next time I might also add some minced chives for a pop of green, but overall I was really happy with these morning treats.  They'd also be excellent next to a bowl of chili later in the day.

Corn Muffins with Cheddar and Caramelized Onions (adapted from the kitchn)
Makes 2 dozen plus a few extras

1-1/2 large onions, thinly sliced and slowly caramelized
1 cup all purpose flour
3 cups corn flour (such as Bob's Red Mill)
1 T plus 1 tsp baking powder
1 T salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 large eggs
2-1/2 cups buttermilk
10 T unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup honey
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375 and line muffin tins with baking papers.
2. Caramelize your onions, low and slow in a nonstick pan.  When they're done, let cool and roughly chop.  Set aside.
3. Whisk together the flour, corn flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and honey.  Whisk in the dry ingredients.  Fold in the caramelized onions and cheese.
5. Fill the muffin cups, using about 1/4 cup of batter per muffin.  Bake 20-25 minutes, until the tops are browned and a tester comes out clean.

Autumn Spice Cookies with Dark Chocolate

I make cookies for an event at my church most months, and it's always a good excuse to try a new recipe.  In October, I wanted to make something appropriate for the season, so I settled on these chocolate chip cookies with an autumn twist.  Cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom spice up these cookies and make them the perfect choice for when the air starts to get a bit chilly.  The original recipe called for molasses, which I would definitely use if I made these again - I thought I had it in the cupboard, but only discovered it was missing after I'd started the recipe.  I subbed in dark corn syrup, which worked just fine (and made the cookies extra chewy), but didn't have the same intense flavor that molasses would have contributed.  Either way, these spice cookies were definitely the perfect choice for October!

Autumn Spice Cookies with Dark Chocolate (adapted from Serious Eats, original recipe here)
Makes about 5 dozen

2-1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/3 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup chopped dark chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment, foil, or a Sil-pat.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a small bowl.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Add both sugars and beat another 2 minutes or so.  Beat in the egg until fully incorporated, followed by the corn syrup.  Beat in the flour-spice mixture until just incorporated, and then stir in the chocolate using a rubber spatula.
4. Scoop the batter onto cookie sheets in small spoonfuls.  Bake 6-8 minutes, until set on top - be careful, these burned easily.

Chard and Sweet Potato Gratin

This is one of those high-effort but high-reward dishes.  It's definitely got a heck of a lot of steps - cooking the chard and then squeezing it dry, making a sauce, slicing sweet potatoes, grating cheese, and then putting everything together and baking.  So it's for sure more of a weekend project rather than a weekday dinner.  That said, if you have the time, this dish is totally worth it.  The creamy potatoes combine really well with the more earthy greens, and the sauce binds everything together nicely.  I'd actually add more cheese and sauce if I made this again - I was adjusting the recipe for the amount of sweet potatoes and chard that we got in our CSA, and I think I got the ratio a little off.  The gratin was plenty creamy and delicious, but hey - you can never go wrong with more cheese and bechamel!  Serve this with a simple protein - maybe roasted chicken or seared steak - and you've got a fantastic dinner.

Chard and Sweet Potato Gratin (adapted from Smitten Kitchen, original recipe here)
Serves 6 as a side dish

2 T unsalted butter, divided
1/2 small onion, minced
2 bunches Swiss chard (about 1-1/2 pounds)
A few grates of nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1 cup half-and-half, plus a little extra as needed
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T flour
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick rounds (a food processor is great for this)
1 T minced parsley
1-1/2 tsp minced fresh oregano
2-1/2 ounces Emmentaler cheese, grated

1. Prepare the greens.  Melt 1 T of the butter in a heavy pot over medium-low heat, stirring often, until softened and starting to brown.  While the onions cook, separate the chard leaves from the stems.  Chop the stems into fairly small pieces, and cut or tear the leaves into roughly 1-inch pieces (nothing here has to be exact).  Once the onions are soft, add the chard stems along with the nutmeg and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring, until the veggies are tender, about 8 minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high and add the chard leaves in batches if necessary, stirring until all the greens are wilted.
2. Line a colander with cheesecloth and pour the greens into the cheesecloth.  Let rest until cool enough to handle, and then squeeze the greens to remove as much liquid as possible - it will be a lot!  Set aside.
3. Make the sauce.  Combine the half-and-half and garlic in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1 T butter in a nonstick skillet over moderate heat.  Add the flour and whisk to combine using a silicone whisk (which will be safe for the nonstick coating).  Cook the roux, whisking, for about 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in the warm half-and-half and boil, whisking, for one minute.  Season with salt and pepper and then set aside.
4. Assemble the gratin.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a 1-1/4 quart (or so) baking dish with oil.  Spread half the sweet potatoes into the dish in an even layer.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, a quarter of the herbs, and about 2 T of the shredded cheese.  Distribute half the greens evenly over the cheese, and the season with a bit of salt and pepper, a quarter of the herbs, and 2 T cheese.  Check the bechamel - if it's quite thick, whisk in a little more half-and-half to get a pourable consistency.  Then pour half the bechamel sauce over the greens.  Spread it around a bit with a rubber spatula.  Then repeat the same layering as the first time around, ending with any remaining cheese.
5. Bake about 1 hour, until golden and bubbling.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
6. If you want to prepare this ahead - you can prep and assemble everything the day before and stash in the fridge.  Then you'll just have the baking to do the night you want to eat the gratin.