Jess's Recipes

from Cook's Illustrated Filling Butter for greasing pie plate 1 T vegetable oil 1/2 lb. 90% lean ground beef 1/2 lb. ground pork 1 large onion, chopped fine 1 medium jalapeno chili, seeded and minced 2 medium garlic cloves, minced and pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons) 1 t ground cumin 1/4 t Cayenne pepper 1 T chili pepper 1 t table salt 1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes in juice 1 ( 15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 C fresh or frozen corn kernels 1 T minced fresh oregano ground black pepper 2 oz. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (about 1/2 C) Crust 4 C water 3/4 t table salt 1 1/2 C coarse cornmeal 1. FOR THE FILLING: Butter 10-inch deep dish pie plate (or similar casserole dish with 3-quart capacity) and set aside. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 375 degrees. 2. Heat oil in large skillet over high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and pork and cook, breaking up large clumps of meat wit...

Chicken Fried Steak - From Cook's Illustrated Serve with mashed potatoes and cream gravy (see recipe below) 3 1/2 C unbleached all-purpose flour 1/2 C cornstarch 1 T garlic powder 1 T onion powder 2 t baking powder Table salt and ground black pepper 1/2 t cayenne pepper 4 large eggs 1/4 C whole milk 1 lb beef flap meat (or steak tips or sirloin tips), but into four 4-oz. pieces 1 1/2 C peanut or vegetable oil 1. Whisk flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons pepper, and cayenne in a large bowl. Transfer 1 cup seasoned flour mixture to shallow dish. Beat eggs in second shallow dish. Add milk to bowl with remaining flour mixture and rub with fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal. 2. Pat steaks dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Score meat lightly, dredge meat in seasoned flour, then use meat pounder to pound steaks to between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick. One by one, coat steaks lightly in seasoned flour again...

Great dinner! Grilling: Chimichurri-Stuffed Flank Steak (originally found on Seriouseats.com) Chimichurri sauce from Cooks Illustrated Ingredients For the chimichurri sauce: 1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves 5 medium cloves of garlic, peeled 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons water 1/4 cup red onion, finely minced 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes For the steak: 2 pounds flank steak Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Procedures 1. Process parsley and garlic in a food processor until chopped fine, about 20 one-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl and whisk in remaining sauce ingredients until thoroughly blended. 2. Butterfly flank steak by slicing it horizontally with the grain, half of the thickness of the steak, stopping about one inch from the edge of the meat. (We didn't do this, we just pounded it thin) 3. Open the steak and completely cover with chimichurri sauce. Roll the steak into a...

From Grandma Kak DJ's Banana Bread 3/4 cup butter. }. Cream together 1 1/2 cups sugar. } Add 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas 2 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. soda, 1/4-1/2 tsp salt Add alternately with 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup nuts Bake at 350 in a loaf pan for 1 1/2 hours

Fork-Crushed Purple Majesty Potatoes Adapted from New York Magazine Serves 4 1 pound Purple Majesty or other purple potatoes, washed 4 small shallots, minced 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice 6 tablespoons good extra-virgin olive oil (we used half, and it was plenty for us) Fleur de sel to taste White pepper to taste 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped In a large pot, cook potatoes with skins on in heavily salted boiling water until tender, approximately 15 minutes. Remove potatoes from pot, and peel them while still warm. Place potatoes in a large bowl and, using a fork, gently smash them, maintaining a fairly chunky consistency. Fold in minced shallots, lemon juice, olive oil, fleur de sel, and white pepper. Finish with parsley.

Ingredients 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves 2 cloves garlic 1/4 cup pine nuts  I personally prefer a bit more nuts for a heartier pesto up it to 1/2 cup  2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese   I personally use pargianno reggiano (parmesan) Directions Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese. Make the pesto then put it in a small baking dish with a bar of cream cheese spread on the bottom then the pesto with a little more Parmesan on top and a few of the raw pine nuts.  Toast slices of a baguette with a drizzle of olive oil on them under the broiler in the oven.  Then heat up the pesto dip in the oven at 375 t...