KitchenCritical

I try to avoid labeling things one thing when they are not. The resemblance to mac n cheese wasn't intentional. Though it's fairly low-carb as is, ketoers can use an alternate thickener to flour and use almond milk. Whatever your preference, you'll love this. Ingredients   -2 Tbsp all purpose flour  -2 tbsp unsalted butter (or about 1/4 stick)  -1/2 tbsp minced garlic, or less if you're squeamish  -4 oz block of sharp cheddar cheese, cubed or grated.  -A pinch each of black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, and turmeric  -1/4 tsp whole mustard seeds, or a pinch of mustard powder  -Half a cup oat milk or regular milk, warmed.  -1/2 tbsp Kosher salt  -1 tsp sherry vinegar  -Whole head of cauliflower, leaves and core removed, coarsely chopped.    Procedure for the cheese roux      On a medium flame, melt the butter and add the flour, stirring continuously for a few minutes until it starts to darken ...

Ingredients   -One 12 oz. bag of whole fresh cranberries.  -4 oz. unsweetened applesauce (the same as in the little plastic to-go ones we use for lunch).  -¾ cup filtered water  -½ tbsp Raspberry vinegar, or substitute apple cider vinegar.  -1 tsp salt -3 ½ Tbsp white sugar.  -A shot of decent orange liqueur or triple sec (Gran Gala, Blue Curacao, Grand Marnier, Cointreau).    Ditch the atrocious canned version. Procedure    -Add all the ingredients in a pot, place on low heat on your smallest burner, and cover. If you have a gas range, a heat diffuser helps.  -Stir it once in a while. Once it thickens and the berries break up, correct for salt and sweetness to taste. Done.

An ice cream maker is ideal, but not required.      This ice cream will not be overly sweet nor overly spiced. The flavor of the pumpkin is allowed to come to the forefront. This formula yields a modest serving for about six people, though you can scale everything up in equal proportions for more. Lactose intolerant people might find this reasonably digestible. Ingredients -12 oz by weight fresh skinned pumpkin or orange squash, such as calabaza or butternut squash (about half a medium butternut). Remove the seeds and scrape the dangly internal fibers off with the side of a spoon and cut into chunks.  -3/4 cup Heavy cream  -3/4 cup oat milk or whole milk. Why oat milk? It has no lactose. By the way, Heavy Cream has very little lactose if at all. This is why lactose intolerant people can usually get away with cheese and butter.   -1/4 tsp vanilla extract  -ONE, just one, whole clove  -ONE, just one, green cardamom pod, lightly pressed so the s...

You can make your own hummus with no special skill, better and healthier than store bought and at a fraction of the cost. You can also apply this same technique with almost any other type of bean. Technique is superior to recipe; see  Reading a Recipe  for clarity.  Ingredients: Dry Chickpeas One clove of fresh garlic, pureed with the side of your knife or a mortar and pestle. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cumin Powder Fresh lemon Paprika.*  Any good salt**  Optional Ingredients: Chili flakes Tahini Cook the amount of chickpeas you think you'll want for hummus, but be aware that chickpeas will double or even triple in size from their dry state. To cook:       -In an instant pot: Add unsoaked dry peas to pot and cover with enough water to submerge the peas by about an inch. Add more water than you think you need, since you'll be draining it, and add salt (about 1/2 teaspoon per cup of dry peas should be fine). Cook for about 40 minutes on high pressure in...

This makes about four thighs, which is enough to fit in a decent sized pot without crowding. For more or less, adjust all elements accordingly. Place an enameled cast-iron or heavy gauge steel pot on medium to medium-high heat. Add enough oil to fully coat the bottom of the pot; extra virgin olive oil will give good results, so long as you don't burn it. Adding the oil before the pot begins to preheat allows you to keep an eye on it and thus prevent burning.  Into the shimmering oil, place bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs which you have dusted with kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and perhaps a bit of all purpose flour.  Brown the thighs on both sides, adding oil to the pot if it looks too dry. As with all proteins to be adequately browned, the thighs must be in a single layer and have about an inch of space between them, hence four thighs. For more than that, work in batches. Remove the chicken, lower the heat by a quarter turn. At this point, many recipes will adv...