Good Enough to Eat (34 page)

In a nonstick skillet, heat chicken stock and add onions and celery and cook until translucent. Add onions and celery to rest of ingredients; mix well. Heat oil in skillet and place hash mix in an even layer, pressing down to make a solid mass. Let cook a few minutes until the underside is browned and very crispy. Flip over, in sections if necessary, and cook other side until crispy as well (this can be done in two skillets or in batches, depending on whether you have one large enough for the whole recipe).

Hash should be only about ½-inch thick in skillet. Serve with scrambled egg whites, poached eggs, or tofu scramble.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in flour and salt until creamed together, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in milk a little at a time. Increase the heat to medium. Add nutmeg. Constantly stir with a whisk until mixture is thick and smooth.

Remove sauce from heat and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, add onions and cook until translucent. Add spinach and water to pan, lower the heat, and cover. Stir several times until spinach is heated through.

When spinach is almost done, add white sauce, sour cream, and Parmesan. Stir well and simmer until completely blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For a healthier version, substitute reduced-fat margarine for the butter, skim milk for the whole milk, and reduced-fat sour cream for the regular sour cream.

Really? C’mon. Just buy the Nestlé chips and make the recipe on the back of the bag.

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon with a whisk to combine. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and milk, and combine well. Mix in flour mixture. Add chocolate chips and oats. Drop rounded teaspoons on greased cookie sheets, and bake 12 to 14 minutes until browned around the edges.

I like to cook my bacon on a sheet pan in a 400°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes until crisp. And here is some of what I like to do with it.

Spread peanut butter on one side of a piece of bread and jam on one side of the other piece. Put bacon on top of peanut butter and close sandwich.

Blend well and put on pancakes and French toast.

Eat in moderation. There is no substitute.

Sauté onions, celery, and herbs in 1½ sticks butter. Toss with bread. Add stock slowly until moist but not overly soggy. Taste for seasoning. Stir in eggs and mix well. Put in deep foil pan. Melt remaining stick of butter and drizzle on top of bread crumbs.

Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes covered. Uncover and bake another 20 minutes. If you want extra moistness, melt another 4 to 8 tablespoons butter in 1 cup chicken stock and pour over top when you uncover the stuffing, then continue cooking.

For a healthier version, substitute whole wheat bread for the country bread, use 2 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil to sauté the veggies, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Use 4 egg whites instead of whole eggs. For extra moistness, just use the chicken stock and omit the extra butter.

In a bowl, break up meat with your hands and distribute seasoning evenly. Toss lightly with your fingertips to mix. Divide meat into four equal portions. Toss meat back and forth between hands to form a ball, and then gently press to make a patty. Depress patty in center slightly. Grill over direct heat without pressing down on patties 2½ minutes on first side. When well seared and brown, flip burger and cook additional 1½ minutes, uncovered. Cover patties with cheese and cook additional minute for medium rare, up to 2½ minutes for medium well. Serve on buns and top with preferred condiments.

Mix all ingredients lightly until well blended. Follow directions in cheeseburger recipe for forming patties. Heat oil and cook patties to internal temp of 160 degrees, then let rest, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes, before serving.