Turkey and Sausage Gumbo

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 3 T plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 6 T  all-purpose flour
• 2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 pound andouille sausage (or kielbasa), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped fine
• 1 celery rib, chopped fine
• 1 (16-ounce) package frozen okra, thawed
• 2 teaspoons Creole spice mixture, such as Zatarain's or Emeril's
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound shredded cooked turkey or chicken (great use of leftover thanksgiving turkey)
• 3 scallions, sliced thin

Instructions

1. Prepare the sausage, onion, bell pepper, and celery while the roux browns 
2. MAKE THE ROUX AND SAUCE: Whisk 3 tablespoons of oil and flour together in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture is color of an old copper penny, about 15 minutes. Slowly whisk in clam juice and water and bring to simmer. Continue to simmer until needed in step 3.
3. SAUTÉ SAUSAGE AND VEGETABLES: While roux cooks, heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add andouille, onion, bell pepper, celery, okra, Creole spice mixture, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. ASSEMBLE GUMBO: Slowly stir roux mixture into vegetables, scraping up any browned bits. Add turkey/chicken. Simmer until vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 ­minutes.
5. Off heat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with scallions before serving.

Source: adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Chicken and Dumplings

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

Stew

• Shredded chicken off of one rotisserie/roasted chicken (or leftover thanksgiving turkey!)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, cut in half lengthwise and then into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, minced
• 6 tablespoon  all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 4 1/2 cups  chicken broth
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon leaves 

 Dumplings  

• 2 cups  all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

1. Add the butter to the Dutch oven and melt over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, onion, and a pinch of salt and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the flour. Whisk in the sherry, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the broth, milk, thyme, and bay leaves. Add chicken and simmer while you prepare the dumplings.
2. For the Dumplings (concurrent with step 1): Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Microwave the milk and butter in a microwave-safe bowl on high until just warm (do not over-heat), about 1 minute. Stir the warmed milk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until incorporated and smooth.
3. Stir the peas and tarragon into the stew, and season with pepper. Drop large-marble-sized dumplings over the top of the stew, about 1/4 inch apart. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the dumplings have doubled in size, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve.
   
   Source: adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Chocolate chocolate cookies

AKA, the best cookies ever

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/2 cup for coating
• 1 1/2 cups  all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
• 1 large egg white
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 4-5 ounces Ghiradelli 60% cacao chocolate chips (1/2 a bag)

Instructions

1. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large  baking sheets with parchment paper. Place ½ cup granulated sugar in pie plate. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl. Whisk corn syrup, egg white, and vanilla together in small bowl.
2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low, add corn syrup mixture, and beat until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds, scraping bowl as needed. With mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture and chopped chocolate; mix until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping bowl once. Give dough final stir to ensure that no pockets of flour remain at bottom. Chill dough 30 minutes to firm slightly
   
3. Roll dough between hands into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Drop dough balls into baking dish with sugar and toss to coat. Set dough balls on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake, reversing position of the baking sheets halfway through baking (from top to bottom and front to back), until cookies are puffed and cracked and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), 10 to 11 minutes. Do not overbake.
4. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes
   
   Source: adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Red lentils with kale

Ingredients:
For Dal:
2 c split red lentils, rinsed
3 c water
1 t salt

For vegetables:
4 T oil and butter
2 t cumin seeds
4 t black mustard seeds

2 hot red chilis or red pepper flakes to taste
2 t ginger paste
2 t garlic paste
1 t turmeric
1 t ground coriander (optional)
1/2 t ground cumin (optional)

1 onion, diced (optional - it's good even without)
1 large bunch kale, washed and chopped
1 tomato, diced (optional)
1 bunch cilantro, washed and chopped (optional)
salt to taste

1. Simmer dal, salt, and water for roughly 10 minutes, on low once it comes to a boil. Skim off foam near beginning

2. While this simmers, in a nonstick pan, fry butter, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds till they begin to pop. Add chilis through turmeric for a few seconds till aromatic.

3. Add onion and cook till soft.

4. Add kale and tomato and cook till reduced.

5. Once dal is cooked, combine spinach mixture, garnish with cilantro and serve over rice.

Source: amalgam of a Madhur Jaffrey, Cook's Illustrated, and an eCurry recipe.

Egg pasta with stand mixer

Ingredients: 

• 4C flour
• 3/4 t salt
• 2 t olive oil
• 3 large eggs
• ? water

Directions: 

1. In a measuring cup, combine salt, olive oil and eggs. 
2. Add water until total amount of liquid measures 1.3 C. This measurement is accurate for a standard North Carolina day. The actual correct amount of liquid will need to be adjusted up or down depending upon humidity (subtract 1T for a humid day, 2T or 3T if it is raining, etc). 
3. Add flour to stand mixer and attach the mixing / batter attachment (not a dough hook). 
4. Set the mixer to low speed, and slowly add the egg mixture in a steady stream. 
5. Allow the ingredients to fully combine (a minute or two). 
6. Stop the mixer, replace the batter attachment with a dough hook, and allow the dough hook to knead for at least 15 minutes. Observe the consistency of the dough and add additional water or flour in (at maximum) 1T increments. Allow each increment to fully incorporate before reevaluating. 
7. When dough has reached correct consistency, remove from mixer, divide evenly into two pieces, shape each piece into a ball and wrap dough balls tightly in plastic wrap. 
8. Place dough in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days, or in freezer for up to 3 weeks.

Palak Paneer

Ingredients:

• 2T Butter
• 2C Onion Paste (about two or three blended)
• 2T Ginger Paste (about 1.5in blended)
• 4 Garlic cloves
• 2t Whole Cumin seeds
• 2t Whole Coriander seeds
• 2 Whole red chilies
• 2in Whole cinnamon (1t ground)
• 2t Turmeric (ground)
• 1/4t Cayenne Pepper (ground)
• 2t Garam Masala (ground)
• 1t Salt
• 15oz Diced Tomatoes (canned)
• 1lb Spinach 
• 4-6T Yogurt or Sour Cream
• 1t Lemon Juice
• 16oz Panner (cut into 1/2in cubes)

Directions:

1. In parallel:
   • Blend onions, ginger, garlic into a paste. 
   • Very finely blend spinach into not-quite-paste. 
   • Grind whole spices and set aside.
   • Cut panner into chunks.
2. Heat butter and cook paste mixture until soft (about 10 minutes)
3. Add add all spices. 
4. Add tomatoes and panner. Simmer 10 minutes. 
5. Add spinach, sour cream, and lemon juice. Cook for additional 5 to 10 minutes. 
6. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or bread. Add salt and lemon juice to taste.