Import 2

Baguettes

One of my favorite books is Will Clower's The Fat Fallacy. It is smart, and makes sense, and has some really incredible (and incredible easy) recipes. One of my favorites is this super simple recipe for baguettes, which I make a few times a week. Kiddo cannot get enough of them! He likes them plain in his school lunches. I like them hot out of the oven with butter. The Yankee likes them with whatever we're having for supper. Peanut likes to throw them like lawn darts. Three out of four ain't bad. One of my favorite bread tips also came from this book: if the bread is stale or not as soft as you like (Kiddo likes it SUPER soft), just run your hands under water and then over the bread, or spritz the bread with a water-filled spray bottle, then reheat in the oven or toaster oven. Magically you have soft, warm bread, even if it's days old. If it's really past it's prime? Cut into squares and bake into croûtons, or use for French toast. But really, the chances of it hanging around to get past its prime are slim. It's really, really good. I make these often enough that I bought this perforated pan but you certainly don't have to; a regular cookie sheet is fine. [amd-zlrecipe-recipe:132]

Chicken Lazone

This is one of those fabulous recipes that is so simple and easy to make, but tastes like you spent a long time on it. BONUS. It originally comes, I'm told, from Brennan's in New Orleans; I found it here on Food.com. The sauce is rich and creamy without being complicated, and because I used chicken tenders rather than chicken breasts, this cooks up really quickly -- perfect for a weeknight meal.  I used more cream than the original recipe called for because I wanted enough sauce for the pasta too; I also added some olive oil, and some cayenne pepper for a little kick.

Chicken Lazone

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3/4 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 pounds chicken tenders
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup butter, divided
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Angel hair pasta

Instructions

1. Get a large pot of water boiling for the pasta
2. Combine spices and sprinkle over both sides of chicken tenders
3. Heat olive oil and 2 Tbsp. butter in heavy pan until sizzling, then cook tenders till the pink is gone, about 4 minutes a side
4. Add remaining butter and cream and simmer till sauce starts to thicken, about 5 minutes or so
5. Cook pasta while sauce thickens, then serve chicken and sauce over pasta

Now here is my question: who is good at reheating cream sauce? Know any tricks? This is amazing the right out of the pan, but I have not yet learned how to reheat cream sauces without them separating and being weird. Who can school me?

Oven roasted cheesy sausage and potatoes

When I came across this recipe from Boy Meets Bowl it seemed simple and looked delicious, and I had kielbasa and potatoes on hand already. I prepped it all and put it in the fridge to make for my friend for supper. I'll spare you the details, but then there was a potato tragedy. Fortunately, said friend had some red potatoes, and I had some bratwurst in the fridge. Supper was saved! V and I have now each made this an embarrassing number of times with varying combinations of kinds of potatoes and sausages and it is SO GOOD. I won't name any names, but one of us might have eaten it cold in the car on the way home one day. Still good. You must try it.

Oven roasted cheesy sausage and potatoes

Ingredients

• 6 medium/large red potatoes, chopped into 1" pieces (or more -- can't have too many potatoes)
• 1 package kielbasa sliced into rounds
• 2 slices yellow onion, diced
• Olive oil or bacon grease
• Salt
• Pepper
• Paprika
• Cheddar cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Stir together potatoes and sausage in a 9x13 baking dish and drizzle with olive oil or melted bacon grease (or both -- live a little)
3. Sprinkle on salt, pepper, and paprika -- just use your judgment here, no specific measurements
4. Bake at 400 for about an hour, stirring around every 15 minutes or so, until everything is crispy and sizzling
5. Serve covered in grated cheese