A womans place is in the kitchen-Part II

My last post indicated that I would try to make something new from several of the Cooks Illustrated magazine. Well, although I did not make every single recipe that I set out to make, I did make most of them: Beef empanadas, check. Roasted smashed potatoes with crispy pan fried pork chops, check. Ultimate chocolate cupcakes with ganache filling, check. Chicken pot pie with savory crumble topping, check. Although I enjoyed all of these dishes there were a few that were standouts and are now permanently included in my Target binder. The chicken pot pie was awesome. The beef empanadas were amazing (I think it has something to do with the fact that there is tequila in the dough!). The roasted smashed potatoes were delish. The crispy pan fried pork chops were not my favorite. And, the ultimate chocolate cupcakes were not ultimate (fear not, readers. I am determined to make THAT recipe work).

I promised to include recipes for the dishes that I really enjoyed. So, I spent some time in my basement office scanning magazine pages and creating PDF's which I could link here. But, lo and behold, I can't attach PDF's to this blog, so if you want any of the above recipes, feel free to leave a comment and I will e-mail you the PDF's. It will only cost you $5.95 + S & H. Just kidding. Well, sort of. I am, afterall, unemployed.

 Chicken Pot Pie with Savory Crumble Topping

This chicken pot pie was amazing. And, best of all (for Rob) it really only required getting 2 pans dirty! That's a good thing in anyones kitchen. Instead of a traditional pastry topping, this pot pie gets a crumbly, parmesan doughy topping. If you are a traditionalist, you probably would love this, but it's a great way to make chicken pot pie that can easily be reheated on a cold and dreary winter day.



 Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Filling

Like I said, these did not live up to their "ultimate" name, at least not in my opinion. Others thoroughly enjoyed these chocolatey cupcakes. I think these need some work, and I am willing to sacrifice my waistline making several batches of cupcakes to get it just right, wink wink. The photo above shows the cupcakes without frosting. Even though I am a chocolate fanatic there was just something about these cupcakes that I did not love. Stay tuned for the next batch.

 

Roasted Smashed Potatoes with Crispy Pan Fried Pork Chops (and a side of white beans from the farmer's market)

The smashed red potatoes were gorgeous! I love these, and they are going to be my go-to side dish from here on out when something calls for potatoes. They are super easy, and guaranteed to be something your guests have never had before (unless of course they subscribe to Cooks Illustrated!) The pork chops on the other hand were not my favorite. Truthfully, it was the buttermilk. It made the pork chops taste tangy, a flavor which I am not very keen on. Even though they were the perfect crispy-ness and cooked to perfection, I am going to keep searching for an alternative. On the other hand, if you like that tangy buttermilk taste, you will love this recipe!

My week of trying recipes from Cooks Illustrated was a culinary success. However, it hit me hard in the wallet. These were recipes that call for a teaspoon of this and a 1/4 teaspoon of that...most of these are ingredients (i.e. herbs and spices) that you do not have handy in the pantry of course! One saving grace I found during this week, neighbors! Call upon your neighbors when a recipe calls for something that you may not have in your own pantry/cupboards. Chances are, you will find most of the ingredients in someone else's kitchen. It helps to have some neighbors that like to cook more than you do.

Feel free to leave a comment if you want any of the recipes above.