verbs vol. 77
last *two* weeks' cooking activities
Cooking
Banana Muffins: this recipe is a riff on the banana muffin recipe my mom has been following for years out of the aptly named cookbook “Muffin Mania” by Cathy Prange and Joan Pauli
Banana Muffins
3 large bananas, very ripe
½ cup white sugar
1 egg
⅓ cup melted butter
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (I like swapping ¼ cup for almond flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
Preheat oven to 375F. Mash bananas in a large bowl and add in the sugar and slightly beaten egg. Fold in the melted butter. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Scoop into lined muffin tins. Bake at 375F for 25-35 mins until deep brown.
Other things I cooked:
The First Mess’s Butternut Squash Flatbread: wow I loved this recipe and definitely will be making it again! The garlicky miso sauce is so zingy, and I love anything topped with fresh fennel. I actually chopped my squash and froze it a few weeks ago (on a single parchment lined sheet pan, then into a baggy once frozen), and then roasted it from frozen for this and it turned out great (it just took a bit longer).
Roasted Tomato Soup: I had a few tomatoes and peppers at the end of their life, so I loosely followed @rootedinspice’s tomato soup recipe (minus the harissa as I didn’t have any) - loved this!
Chicken Stew: my grandmother used to make this delicious chicken stew that is now one of my mom’s classic meals, and I am always trying to replicate it. It’s the ultimate comfort meal for me. I did sliced leek, quartered potatoes and chopped carrots in my cast iron (tossed in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper), topped with two chicken legs seasoned with salt n pep, Summer Savory and Bell’s Seasoning. I added about ½ cup of water to the pan and then roasted for 45 mins at 400F. Once the chicken legs were golden brown and cooked through, I removed them, added 1 cup of chicken broth, then covered the pan with tin foil to allow the vegetables to finish cooking. Such a cozy little stew!
Spaghetti Sauce: truly just eating all the comfort food this week! I start with diced onion, finely diced celery and carrot, and 3 minced garlic cloves in a large dutch oven with olive oil, salt and pepper. Once the veggies are softened, I add in 1 lb of lean ground beef and let it brown (med-high heat) and cook through. Once the meat is cooked I deglaze with ½ cup red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot for all the bits. Then I added in 1 pint of mushroom finely chopped, dried basil and oregano, then 1 large can of tomatoes plus enough water to rinse out the can. I let this simmer for 1-2 hours, adding water if it gets too thick, and finish with a pinch of brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste!
Reading
Following
@jacquelynshao - I saved her fall quinoa bowl to make next week for lunches!
Listening
A crunchy fall playlist inspire by this perfect photo of christian bale - a perfectly named Spotify playlist.
Using
My cast iron pan. I will always preach about Lodge brand - it’s affordable, great quality, and especially in the winter season, there’s nothing better than a versatile cast iron pan for both stovetop and oven cooking.
Thinking
About how grateful I am for my health. Recovering from covid the last two weeks has been a humbling experience, and I’m grateful to be back to feeling like myself and having my energy (and appetite!) back!
Laughing
Have a great week,
Kaleigh