Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's post includes Beef Noodle Skillet and Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas. Enjoy!

TURKEY LASAGNA

This is from Ina Garten on the Food Network. Prep Time: 50 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Makes 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

One 6-ounce can tomato paste

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound lasagna noodles

15 ounces ricotta cheese

3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled

1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

CHICKEN AND BLACK BEAN ENCHILADAS

This comes from MyRecipes, and begins, "Chipotles can be a touch spicy, but you can use only half of what's called for to decrease heat and still get great smoky flavor."

Hands-on Time: 23 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 8 servings (serving size: 2 enchiladas, 2 tablespoons salsa, and 1 tablespoon sour cream)

To view this online, go to .

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon canola oil

1-1/2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped poblano chile

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup unsalted chicken stock

1 tablespoon pureed canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

2 (8-ounce) cans unsalted tomato sauce

3 cups shredded cooked skinless chicken breast

1 (15.5-ounce) can unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained

4 ounces shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)

4 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)

16 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1 cup prepared salsa

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, poblano, and garlic; sauté 4 minutes or until onion and poblano are tender. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Add stock, chipotles, and tomato sauce, and bring to a gentle simmer; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Combine chicken and black beans in a medium bowl; add half of sauce mixture. Combine cheeses in a bowl; add 1/2 cup cheese mixture to chicken mixture. Toss to combine.

Place 8 tortillas on a microwave-safe plate; cover with a slightly damp paper towel. Microwave at HIGH for 45 seconds or until warm. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, place tortilla on a flat work surface; spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture onto 1 end of tortilla. Roll up, jelly-roll style. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, heating up second batch of tortillas when first batch is used up. Arrange enchiladas, seam side down, in prepared dish. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas; sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted and golden brown. Serve enchiladas with salsa, sour cream, and cilantro, if desired.

SAM SIFTON’S CUCUMBER KIMCHI

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Sam wrote, “This recipe came to The Times in 2011 as an accompaniment to bulgogi sloppy Joes, as envisioned by the chef Hooni Kim of Danji, but they add a tangy flavor to whatever they’re paired with. Making it is as simple as it gets — the cucumbers are quick pickled in rice vinegar and flavored deeply with gochugaru, or Korean red-pepper flakes. Serve it with the sloppy Joes, or alone, as a bar snack, with an ice cold beer.”

Yield: 6 servings; Time: About 25 minutes, plus overnight refrigeration (optional).

This was featured in “Cucumber Kimchi”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013830-sam-siftons-cucumber-kimchi.

Ingredients

3 small cucumbers, cut into 1/8-inch slices

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red-pepper flakes)

1/4 cup mirin

6 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon grated garlic

1 teaspoon fermented krill or baby shrimp (optional)

Preparation

Place the cucumbers in a medium-size bowl, then sprinkle with the salt. Let stand 20 minutes.

Rinse cucumbers in cold water to remove salt, drain and pat dry.

Return cucumbers to bowl, add other ingredients, toss to combine, cover tightly and place in refrigerator overnight or until ready to use.

BEEF NOODLE SKILLET

This is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.

Active Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/beef-noodle-skillet-8053162.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons salted butter

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground chuck

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

12 ounces egg noodles

2-1/2 cups beef broth

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

A few dashes Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Directions

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground chuck and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the meat, crumbling as you go, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add the noodles, broth, 1 cup hot water, the mustard, paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Give a big stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and allow everything to simmer, stirring occasionally and adding up to 1/2 cup more water if necessary, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened, about 12 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and heavy cream and cook for 1 additional minute or until the pasta is tender.

Remove from the heat. Sprinkle over the chives and serve directly from the pan.

FRIED EGGS AND POTATOES

This is from Naz Deravian in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Naz wrote, "This quick one-pan meal of fried eggs and potatoes hits the spot any time of day, and especially if you like breakfast for dinner. Golden onion, turmeric and tomato paste make a savory and rich bed for the potatoes and eggs to nestle in. Make sure to chop the potatoes evenly into small, 1/2-inch cubes and add a little water to speed up their cooking time. You can cook the yolks to your liking – just cover and check on them every minute. Serve with bread or a green salad, or both, for a complete meal."

Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 2 to 4 servings

To view this yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023911-fried-eggs-and-potatoes. While you're there, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. If you're like me when it comes to food, you won't regret it.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 large Yukon Gold potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes

4 large eggs

Fresh herb of your choice, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

In a large (12-inch) nonstick pan with a lid, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Season with salt, add the turmeric and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook just to take off the raw taste and deepen its color, stirring and taking care not to burn the paste, about 1 minute.

Add the potatoes, season with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often, just until the potatoes are no longer raw. Add 1/4 cup water, stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and adding a tablespoon or two of water if the potatoes are browning too much, until the potatoes are just tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Taste the potatoes and add more salt and pepper to taste, being mindful that the eggs will also be seasoned.

Make four wells in the potatoes and crack an egg in each well; season the eggs with salt and pepper. With a wooden spoon, gently poke the egg whites (without disturbing the yolk) to make them spread and cook faster. Cover and check every 30 seconds to a minute, until the whites are cooked and the yolk is to your liking, 3 to 5 minutes for a softer yolk. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with herbs, if using, and serve.

MEATLESS TEX-MEX SLOPPY JOES

This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, "Meatless Mondays just got a new star recipe. Impossible™ Burger is made from plants and makes this vegetarian sloppy joe recipe a delicious new addition to your meatless repertoire. These Meatless Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes use Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce and Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix. Meatless sloppy joes are as fast and easy as the original, taking just 20 minutes from start to finish."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/meatless-tex-mex-sloppy-joes.

Ingredients

1 package (12 oz) Impossible™ Burger

2/3 cup water

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix

1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce (from 9-oz bottle)

4 burger buns, toasted

1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend (from 8-oz package)

1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

Preparation

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook Impossible™ Burger over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until crumbles are browned and cooked through.

Stir water, taco seasoning mix and taco sauce into Impossible™ Burger mixture; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Place about 1/2 cup mixture over bottom of each bun; top with cheese, lettuce, avocado and tomatoes, then top of bun.

Expert Tips

Cooking Vegetarian? Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is vegetarian. Products and ingredient sources can change.

Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce plays the role that tomato sauce would play in a traditional sloppy joe recipe, with the added benefit of loads of taco flavor for these vegetarian sloppy joes.

We call for Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce in this recipe, but if you’d prefer a bit more heat in your meatless sloppy joes, feel free to substitute Old El Paso™ Medium Taco Sauce.

Buying a whole head of lettuce and slicing it thinly yourself, as opposed to buying it preshredded in a bag, will help to guarantee a fresh, extra-crisp topping for your sloppy joes.

Nutrition: 1 Sandwich: Calories: 500 (Calories from Fat: 230); Total Fat: 26g (Saturated Fat 12g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 30mg; Sodium 1240mg; Total Carbohydrate 41g (Dietary Fiber 6g, Sugars 7g); Protein 25g

% Daily Value: Vitamin A 8%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 40%; Iron 35%

Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch, 1 Other Carbohydrate, 2 1/2 Very Lean Meat, 1/2 High-Fat Meat, 4 Fat

Carbohydrate Choices: 3

Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's post includes Beef Noodle Skillet and Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas. Enjoy!

TURKEY LASAGNA

This is from Ina Garten on the Food Network. Prep Time: 50 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Makes 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

One 6-ounce can tomato paste

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound lasagna noodles

15 ounces ricotta cheese

3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled

1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

CHICKEN AND BLACK BEAN ENCHILADAS

This comes from MyRecipes, and begins, "Chipotles can be a touch spicy, but you can use only half of what's called for to decrease heat and still get great smoky flavor."

Hands-on Time: 23 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 8 servings (serving size: 2 enchiladas, 2 tablespoons salsa, and 1 tablespoon sour cream)

To view this online, go to .

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon canola oil

1-1/2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped poblano chile

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup unsalted chicken stock

1 tablespoon pureed canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

2 (8-ounce) cans unsalted tomato sauce

3 cups shredded cooked skinless chicken breast

1 (15.5-ounce) can unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained

4 ounces shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)

4 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)

16 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1 cup prepared salsa

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, poblano, and garlic; sauté 4 minutes or until onion and poblano are tender. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Add stock, chipotles, and tomato sauce, and bring to a gentle simmer; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Combine chicken and black beans in a medium bowl; add half of sauce mixture. Combine cheeses in a bowl; add 1/2 cup cheese mixture to chicken mixture. Toss to combine.

Place 8 tortillas on a microwave-safe plate; cover with a slightly damp paper towel. Microwave at HIGH for 45 seconds or until warm. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, place tortilla on a flat work surface; spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture onto 1 end of tortilla. Roll up, jelly-roll style. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, heating up second batch of tortillas when first batch is used up. Arrange enchiladas, seam side down, in prepared dish. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas; sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted and golden brown. Serve enchiladas with salsa, sour cream, and cilantro, if desired.

SAM SIFTON’S CUCUMBER KIMCHI

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Sam wrote, “This recipe came to The Times in 2011 as an accompaniment to bulgogi sloppy Joes, as envisioned by the chef Hooni Kim of Danji, but they add a tangy flavor to whatever they’re paired with. Making it is as simple as it gets — the cucumbers are quick pickled in rice vinegar and flavored deeply with gochugaru, or Korean red-pepper flakes. Serve it with the sloppy Joes, or alone, as a bar snack, with an ice cold beer.”

Yield: 6 servings; Time: About 25 minutes, plus overnight refrigeration (optional).

This was featured in “Cucumber Kimchi”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013830-sam-siftons-cucumber-kimchi.

Ingredients

3 small cucumbers, cut into 1/8-inch slices

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red-pepper flakes)

1/4 cup mirin

6 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon grated garlic

1 teaspoon fermented krill or baby shrimp (optional)

Preparation

Place the cucumbers in a medium-size bowl, then sprinkle with the salt. Let stand 20 minutes.

Rinse cucumbers in cold water to remove salt, drain and pat dry.

Return cucumbers to bowl, add other ingredients, toss to combine, cover tightly and place in refrigerator overnight or until ready to use.

BEEF NOODLE SKILLET

This is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.

Active Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/beef-noodle-skillet-8053162.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons salted butter

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground chuck

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

12 ounces egg noodles

2-1/2 cups beef broth

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

A few dashes Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Directions

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground chuck and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the meat, crumbling as you go, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add the noodles, broth, 1 cup hot water, the mustard, paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Give a big stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and allow everything to simmer, stirring occasionally and adding up to 1/2 cup more water if necessary, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened, about 12 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and heavy cream and cook for 1 additional minute or until the pasta is tender.

Remove from the heat. Sprinkle over the chives and serve directly from the pan.

FRIED EGGS AND POTATOES

This is from Naz Deravian in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Naz wrote, "This quick one-pan meal of fried eggs and potatoes hits the spot any time of day, and especially if you like breakfast for dinner. Golden onion, turmeric and tomato paste make a savory and rich bed for the potatoes and eggs to nestle in. Make sure to chop the potatoes evenly into small, 1/2-inch cubes and add a little water to speed up their cooking time. You can cook the yolks to your liking – just cover and check on them every minute. Serve with bread or a green salad, or both, for a complete meal."

Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 2 to 4 servings

To view this yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023911-fried-eggs-and-potatoes. While you're there, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. If you're like me when it comes to food, you won't regret it.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 large Yukon Gold potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes

4 large eggs

Fresh herb of your choice, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

In a large (12-inch) nonstick pan with a lid, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Season with salt, add the turmeric and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook just to take off the raw taste and deepen its color, stirring and taking care not to burn the paste, about 1 minute.

Add the potatoes, season with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often, just until the potatoes are no longer raw. Add 1/4 cup water, stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and adding a tablespoon or two of water if the potatoes are browning too much, until the potatoes are just tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Taste the potatoes and add more salt and pepper to taste, being mindful that the eggs will also be seasoned.

Make four wells in the potatoes and crack an egg in each well; season the eggs with salt and pepper. With a wooden spoon, gently poke the egg whites (without disturbing the yolk) to make them spread and cook faster. Cover and check every 30 seconds to a minute, until the whites are cooked and the yolk is to your liking, 3 to 5 minutes for a softer yolk. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with herbs, if using, and serve.

MEATLESS TEX-MEX SLOPPY JOES

This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, "Meatless Mondays just got a new star recipe. Impossible™ Burger is made from plants and makes this vegetarian sloppy joe recipe a delicious new addition to your meatless repertoire. These Meatless Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes use Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce and Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix. Meatless sloppy joes are as fast and easy as the original, taking just 20 minutes from start to finish."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/meatless-tex-mex-sloppy-joes.

Ingredients

1 package (12 oz) Impossible™ Burger

2/3 cup water

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix

1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce (from 9-oz bottle)

4 burger buns, toasted

1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend (from 8-oz package)

1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

Preparation

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook Impossible™ Burger over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until crumbles are browned and cooked through.

Stir water, taco seasoning mix and taco sauce into Impossible™ Burger mixture; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Place about 1/2 cup mixture over bottom of each bun; top with cheese, lettuce, avocado and tomatoes, then top of bun.

Expert Tips

Cooking Vegetarian? Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is vegetarian. Products and ingredient sources can change.

Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce plays the role that tomato sauce would play in a traditional sloppy joe recipe, with the added benefit of loads of taco flavor for these vegetarian sloppy joes.

We call for Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce in this recipe, but if you’d prefer a bit more heat in your meatless sloppy joes, feel free to substitute Old El Paso™ Medium Taco Sauce.

Buying a whole head of lettuce and slicing it thinly yourself, as opposed to buying it preshredded in a bag, will help to guarantee a fresh, extra-crisp topping for your sloppy joes.

Nutrition: 1 Sandwich: Calories: 500 (Calories from Fat: 230); Total Fat: 26g (Saturated Fat 12g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 30mg; Sodium 1240mg; Total Carbohydrate 41g (Dietary Fiber 6g, Sugars 7g); Protein 25g

% Daily Value: Vitamin A 8%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 40%; Iron 35%

Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch, 1 Other Carbohydrate, 2 1/2 Very Lean Meat, 1/2 High-Fat Meat, 4 Fat

Carbohydrate Choices: 3

Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's post includes Beef Noodle Skillet and Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas. Enjoy!

TURKEY LASAGNA

This is from Ina Garten on the Food Network. Prep Time: 50 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Makes 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

One 6-ounce can tomato paste

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound lasagna noodles

15 ounces ricotta cheese

3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled

1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

CHICKEN AND BLACK BEAN ENCHILADAS

This comes from MyRecipes, and begins, "Chipotles can be a touch spicy, but you can use only half of what's called for to decrease heat and still get great smoky flavor."

Hands-on Time: 23 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 8 servings (serving size: 2 enchiladas, 2 tablespoons salsa, and 1 tablespoon sour cream)

To view this online, go to .

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon canola oil

1-1/2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped poblano chile

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup unsalted chicken stock

1 tablespoon pureed canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

2 (8-ounce) cans unsalted tomato sauce

3 cups shredded cooked skinless chicken breast

1 (15.5-ounce) can unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained

4 ounces shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)

4 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)

16 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1 cup prepared salsa

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, poblano, and garlic; sauté 4 minutes or until onion and poblano are tender. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Add stock, chipotles, and tomato sauce, and bring to a gentle simmer; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Combine chicken and black beans in a medium bowl; add half of sauce mixture. Combine cheeses in a bowl; add 1/2 cup cheese mixture to chicken mixture. Toss to combine.

Place 8 tortillas on a microwave-safe plate; cover with a slightly damp paper towel. Microwave at HIGH for 45 seconds or until warm. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, place tortilla on a flat work surface; spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture onto 1 end of tortilla. Roll up, jelly-roll style. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, heating up second batch of tortillas when first batch is used up. Arrange enchiladas, seam side down, in prepared dish. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas; sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted and golden brown. Serve enchiladas with salsa, sour cream, and cilantro, if desired.

SAM SIFTON’S CUCUMBER KIMCHI

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Sam wrote, “This recipe came to The Times in 2011 as an accompaniment to bulgogi sloppy Joes, as envisioned by the chef Hooni Kim of Danji, but they add a tangy flavor to whatever they’re paired with. Making it is as simple as it gets — the cucumbers are quick pickled in rice vinegar and flavored deeply with gochugaru, or Korean red-pepper flakes. Serve it with the sloppy Joes, or alone, as a bar snack, with an ice cold beer.”

Yield: 6 servings; Time: About 25 minutes, plus overnight refrigeration (optional).

This was featured in “Cucumber Kimchi”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013830-sam-siftons-cucumber-kimchi.

Ingredients

3 small cucumbers, cut into 1/8-inch slices

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red-pepper flakes)

1/4 cup mirin

6 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon grated garlic

1 teaspoon fermented krill or baby shrimp (optional)

Preparation

Place the cucumbers in a medium-size bowl, then sprinkle with the salt. Let stand 20 minutes.

Rinse cucumbers in cold water to remove salt, drain and pat dry.

Return cucumbers to bowl, add other ingredients, toss to combine, cover tightly and place in refrigerator overnight or until ready to use.

BEEF NOODLE SKILLET

This is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.

Active Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/beef-noodle-skillet-8053162.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons salted butter

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground chuck

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

12 ounces egg noodles

2-1/2 cups beef broth

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

A few dashes Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Directions

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground chuck and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the meat, crumbling as you go, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add the noodles, broth, 1 cup hot water, the mustard, paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Give a big stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and allow everything to simmer, stirring occasionally and adding up to 1/2 cup more water if necessary, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened, about 12 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and heavy cream and cook for 1 additional minute or until the pasta is tender.

Remove from the heat. Sprinkle over the chives and serve directly from the pan.

FRIED EGGS AND POTATOES

This is from Naz Deravian in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Naz wrote, "This quick one-pan meal of fried eggs and potatoes hits the spot any time of day, and especially if you like breakfast for dinner. Golden onion, turmeric and tomato paste make a savory and rich bed for the potatoes and eggs to nestle in. Make sure to chop the potatoes evenly into small, 1/2-inch cubes and add a little water to speed up their cooking time. You can cook the yolks to your liking – just cover and check on them every minute. Serve with bread or a green salad, or both, for a complete meal."

Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 2 to 4 servings

To view this yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023911-fried-eggs-and-potatoes. While you're there, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. If you're like me when it comes to food, you won't regret it.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 large Yukon Gold potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes

4 large eggs

Fresh herb of your choice, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

In a large (12-inch) nonstick pan with a lid, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Season with salt, add the turmeric and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook just to take off the raw taste and deepen its color, stirring and taking care not to burn the paste, about 1 minute.

Add the potatoes, season with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often, just until the potatoes are no longer raw. Add 1/4 cup water, stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and adding a tablespoon or two of water if the potatoes are browning too much, until the potatoes are just tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Taste the potatoes and add more salt and pepper to taste, being mindful that the eggs will also be seasoned.

Make four wells in the potatoes and crack an egg in each well; season the eggs with salt and pepper. With a wooden spoon, gently poke the egg whites (without disturbing the yolk) to make them spread and cook faster. Cover and check every 30 seconds to a minute, until the whites are cooked and the yolk is to your liking, 3 to 5 minutes for a softer yolk. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with herbs, if using, and serve.

MEATLESS TEX-MEX SLOPPY JOES

This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, "Meatless Mondays just got a new star recipe. Impossible™ Burger is made from plants and makes this vegetarian sloppy joe recipe a delicious new addition to your meatless repertoire. These Meatless Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes use Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce and Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix. Meatless sloppy joes are as fast and easy as the original, taking just 20 minutes from start to finish."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/meatless-tex-mex-sloppy-joes.

Ingredients

1 package (12 oz) Impossible™ Burger

2/3 cup water

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix

1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce (from 9-oz bottle)

4 burger buns, toasted

1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend (from 8-oz package)

1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

Preparation

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook Impossible™ Burger over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until crumbles are browned and cooked through.

Stir water, taco seasoning mix and taco sauce into Impossible™ Burger mixture; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Place about 1/2 cup mixture over bottom of each bun; top with cheese, lettuce, avocado and tomatoes, then top of bun.

Expert Tips

Cooking Vegetarian? Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is vegetarian. Products and ingredient sources can change.

Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce plays the role that tomato sauce would play in a traditional sloppy joe recipe, with the added benefit of loads of taco flavor for these vegetarian sloppy joes.

We call for Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce in this recipe, but if you’d prefer a bit more heat in your meatless sloppy joes, feel free to substitute Old El Paso™ Medium Taco Sauce.

Buying a whole head of lettuce and slicing it thinly yourself, as opposed to buying it preshredded in a bag, will help to guarantee a fresh, extra-crisp topping for your sloppy joes.

Nutrition: 1 Sandwich: Calories: 500 (Calories from Fat: 230); Total Fat: 26g (Saturated Fat 12g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 30mg; Sodium 1240mg; Total Carbohydrate 41g (Dietary Fiber 6g, Sugars 7g); Protein 25g

% Daily Value: Vitamin A 8%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 40%; Iron 35%

Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch, 1 Other Carbohydrate, 2 1/2 Very Lean Meat, 1/2 High-Fat Meat, 4 Fat

Carbohydrate Choices: 3

Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday, the next-to-last Friday in September. This year seems to be flying by...

Here are today's offerings to help you through the weekend, including Old-Fashioned Meatloaf and Slow-Cooker Bolognese. Enjoy!

SAM SIFTON’S CUCUMBER KIMCHI

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Sam wrote, “This recipe came to The Times in 2011 as an accompaniment to bulgogi sloppy Joes, as envisioned by the chef Hooni Kim of Danji, but they add a tangy flavor to whatever they’re paired with. Making it is as simple as it gets — the cucumbers are quick pickled in rice vinegar and flavored deeply with gochugaru, or Korean red-pepper flakes. Serve it with the sloppy Joes, or alone, as a bar snack, with an ice cold beer.”

Yield: 6 servings; Time: About 25 minutes, plus overnight refrigeration (optional).

This was featured in “Cucumber Kimchi”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013830-sam-siftons-cucumber-kimchi.

Ingredients

3 small cucumbers, cut into 1/8-inch slices

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red-pepper flakes)

1/4 cup mirin

6 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon grated garlic

1 teaspoon fermented krill or baby shrimp (optional)

Preparation

Place the cucumbers in a medium-size bowl, then sprinkle with the salt. Let stand 20 minutes.

Rinse cucumbers in cold water to remove salt, drain and pat dry.

Return cucumbers to bowl, add other ingredients, toss to combine, cover tightly and place in refrigerator overnight or until ready to use.

VEGAN LASAGNA

This was in the October 1997 issue of Vegetarian Times, and posted online on May 10, 2017. It begins, “The tomato sauce recipe makes enough to serve on the side or to freeze and enjoy later with pasta.” Makes 12 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 6-oz. can tomato paste

3 28-oz. cans peeled plum tomatoes, chopped with juices reserved

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Lasagna

1 Tbs. salt

1 lb. dry uncooked eggless lasagna noodles

2 16-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

To make Sauce: In large, heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice, basil, parsley, oregano and red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer over low heat about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to boil. When water boils, add salt and noodles. Cook until al dente, about 12 minutes. Drain, rinse with water and drain again.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Crumble tofu into medium bowl. Add garlic, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir until well blended.

Spoon about 1 cup sauce over bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Add layer of noodles and top with one-third tofu mixture. Spoon over about 1 1/2 cups sauce and top with another layer of noodles. Cover with one-third tofu mixture and top with 1 1/2 cups of sauce and another layer of noodles. Top with remaining tofu mixture and 1 cup sauce.

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand about 15 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve with remaining sauce.

TRADITIONAL STUFFED PEPPERS

This comes from VeryWellFit, and begins, “Stuffed peppers are usually made with bell peppers, which makes sense—they are readily available, and they stand up in a baking dish. However, you can make them with poblano peppers just by splitting them lengthwise and making two filled peppers out of each one. These will be spicier than the usual stuffed peppers you may be used to, but it's a welcomed change from the norm if you're looking for a recipe twist. You can use any color of bell peppers to make this recipe—it's fun to have a mixture of two or three colors. You can also use whatever spice mixture strikes your fancy, from Middle Eastern to Asian. It can be fun to experiment a little once you get the basic recipe down.”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Servings: 6

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 bell peppers, any color, medium or large*

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce or 4 tablespoons tomato paste

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder (or any spices you like)

1/3 cup fat-free mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Slice off the top of the peppers and remove the ribs and seeds. Either microwave them on a plate or baking dish (whatever fits in the microwave oven) covered with plastic wrap for 4 minutes or blanch them in boiling water for 3 minutes.

Heat a large skillet, and cook the beef, onions, garlic, and spices. If you are using tomato paste, include that as well. If you are using the tomato sauce, pour about 2/3 of the can in, and save the rest for a topping. Cook until the beef is cooked through and the onions are soft. If it gets too dry you can add a little water.

Loosely fill the peppers with the beef mixture, and sit upright in a baking dish. If you are using tomato sauce, spoon some of the leftover sauce on top of each pepper. Add about a tablespoon of cheese on each one. Bake for half an hour in the oven, or 12 minutes in the microwave, turning half-way through the cooking.

*Nutrition information calculated using large peppers.

OLD-FASHIONED MEATLOAF

This is from VeryWellFit, and begins, “This lighter meatloaf recipe is similar to the one most of us enjoyed during our childhoods, but without all of the extra fat. Choose a lean ground beef or, better yet, ground turkey to cut down on the fat. And since you can't make meatloaf without breadcrumbs, why not replace the white, unrefined with whole wheat for added fiber? Also, using two egg whites in place of one whole egg will reduce the calories and fat while still helping to bind the mixture together.”

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 70 minutes; Servings: 8

This can be viewed online by clicking here.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground meat (85% to 90% lean, or ground turkey)

1 cup breadcrumbs (whole wheat)

1/4 cup onion (finely chopped or 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes)

2 cloves garlic (minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup water (or low-fat milk)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Mix well, using your hands, but don't overmix because you will toughen the meat.

Turn mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for about 1 hour.

To be sure the meatloaf is done, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the center of the loaf. The temperature should register 155F when it is done.

About 10 to 15 minutes before you think the meatloaf will be done, you can cover it with barbecue sauce if you like.

International Meatloaf

If you are looking for a different kind of meatloaf, try kofta kebabs, a Middle Eastern grilled ground meat recipe. The spices in this meat mixture (traditionally lamb) are a delicious change of pace from the usual. If you don't have the time or inclination to place them on skewers, you can make them into oblong-oval shapes that look like sausages without the casings.

ROAST CHICKENS WITH PLUMS

This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “This recipe, which roasts two chickens at the same time, has been engineered to feed a crowd. It's no harder than roasting one chicken. The birds get rubbed down with a garlicky sumac spice rub brightened with lemon zest. Then, as they cook, their fragrant drippings season sliced plums roasting in the pan underneath them, which caramelize into a fruity, chutney-like sauce. Feel free to halve the recipe if you’d rather, but be sure to reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees. For two chickens you need the higher heat so they both crisp properly, but for only one chicken, slightly lower heat keeps the plums from burning.”

Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Times: 1 1/2 hours, plus marinating

This was featured in “Roast Chicken With Plums Gets a Touch of Spice for Rosh Hashana”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017684-roast-chickens-with-plums.

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

2 large lemons

2 tablespoons ground sumac

4 teaspoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, grated or minced

2 chickens, 4 to 4-1/2 pounds each

1 bunch thyme, more for garnish

For the Plums:

2 1/4 pounds plums, halved or quartered if large

4 shallots, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 bay leaf, torn in half

Preparation:

Grate the zest from the lemons and place in a small bowl. Set aside the zested lemons.

Stir sumac, salt, pepper, cinnamon and allspice into the lemon zest. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the garlic. The mixture should feel like wet sand. Rub it all over the chickens, including inside the cavity.

Divide thyme bunch in half and place in the chicken cavities. Place chickens on a roasting rack set over a rimmed baking sheet, and let marinate, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

When ready to roast, let chickens come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large roasting pan, toss together plums, shallots, honey, oil, salt, cinnamon, allspice, bay leaf and 2 tablespoons water. Spread out plum mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Place chickens on the rack over the plums in the pan. Roast for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, squeeze 1 tablespoon juice from reserved lemon and mix it with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Drizzle this over the chicken, then continue to roast until the birds are golden-skinned and cooked through, about 30 to 45 minutes longer.

Let chickens rest, covered lightly with foil, for 10 minutes. Carve and serve with the plums and more thyme for garnish.

SLOW-COOKER BOLOGNESE

This comes from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.

Level: Easy; Total: 6 hr 45 min; Active: 45 min; Yield: 16 servings

This can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 celery stalks, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 onions, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 cloves garlic, chopped

One 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 cup dry red wine

4 pounds ground beef

2 cups whole milk

Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried basil

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 Parmesan rind, optional, plus grated Parmesan, for serving

Cooked spaghetti, for serving

Chopped fresh basil, for serving

Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery, carrots and onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute. Pour in the red wine and cook until it is mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Pour this mixture into a slow cooker.

Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons oil into the skillet, add the beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up any lumps, until it is nicely browned, about 15 minutes. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in the milk and cook until it is mostly absorbed by the meat, about 5 minutes. Add this to the slow cooker along with the tomatoes, oregano, basil, thyme, red pepper flakes, nutmeg and Parmesan rind if using. Add some salt. Give it a good stir, cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Skim off any fat on top and check the consistency. If it is too thick, add a bit of water. If it is too thin, cook for another 30 minutes with the cover off.

Remove the rind and serve over spaghetti with lots of grated Parmesan and topped with fresh basil and parsley. Extra sauce can be frozen for later use.

Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's post includes Beef Noodle Skillet and Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas. Enjoy!

TURKEY LASAGNA

This is from Ina Garten on the Food Network. Prep Time: 50 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Makes 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

One 6-ounce can tomato paste

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound lasagna noodles

15 ounces ricotta cheese

3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled

1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

CHICKEN AND BLACK BEAN ENCHILADAS

This comes from MyRecipes, and begins, "Chipotles can be a touch spicy, but you can use only half of what's called for to decrease heat and still get great smoky flavor."

Hands-on Time: 23 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 8 servings (serving size: 2 enchiladas, 2 tablespoons salsa, and 1 tablespoon sour cream)

To view this online, go to .

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon canola oil

1-1/2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped poblano chile

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup unsalted chicken stock

1 tablespoon pureed canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

2 (8-ounce) cans unsalted tomato sauce

3 cups shredded cooked skinless chicken breast

1 (15.5-ounce) can unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained

4 ounces shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)

4 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)

16 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1 cup prepared salsa

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, poblano, and garlic; sauté 4 minutes or until onion and poblano are tender. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Add stock, chipotles, and tomato sauce, and bring to a gentle simmer; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Combine chicken and black beans in a medium bowl; add half of sauce mixture. Combine cheeses in a bowl; add 1/2 cup cheese mixture to chicken mixture. Toss to combine.

Place 8 tortillas on a microwave-safe plate; cover with a slightly damp paper towel. Microwave at HIGH for 45 seconds or until warm. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, place tortilla on a flat work surface; spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture onto 1 end of tortilla. Roll up, jelly-roll style. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, heating up second batch of tortillas when first batch is used up. Arrange enchiladas, seam side down, in prepared dish. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas; sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted and golden brown. Serve enchiladas with salsa, sour cream, and cilantro, if desired.

SAM SIFTON’S CUCUMBER KIMCHI

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Sam wrote, “This recipe came to The Times in 2011 as an accompaniment to bulgogi sloppy Joes, as envisioned by the chef Hooni Kim of Danji, but they add a tangy flavor to whatever they’re paired with. Making it is as simple as it gets — the cucumbers are quick pickled in rice vinegar and flavored deeply with gochugaru, or Korean red-pepper flakes. Serve it with the sloppy Joes, or alone, as a bar snack, with an ice cold beer.”

Yield: 6 servings; Time: About 25 minutes, plus overnight refrigeration (optional).

This was featured in “Cucumber Kimchi”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013830-sam-siftons-cucumber-kimchi.

Ingredients

3 small cucumbers, cut into 1/8-inch slices

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red-pepper flakes)

1/4 cup mirin

6 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon grated garlic

1 teaspoon fermented krill or baby shrimp (optional)

Preparation

Place the cucumbers in a medium-size bowl, then sprinkle with the salt. Let stand 20 minutes.

Rinse cucumbers in cold water to remove salt, drain and pat dry.

Return cucumbers to bowl, add other ingredients, toss to combine, cover tightly and place in refrigerator overnight or until ready to use.

BEEF NOODLE SKILLET

This is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.

Active Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/beef-noodle-skillet-8053162.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons salted butter

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground chuck

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

12 ounces egg noodles

2-1/2 cups beef broth

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

A few dashes Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Directions

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground chuck and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the meat, crumbling as you go, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add the noodles, broth, 1 cup hot water, the mustard, paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Give a big stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and allow everything to simmer, stirring occasionally and adding up to 1/2 cup more water if necessary, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened, about 12 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and heavy cream and cook for 1 additional minute or until the pasta is tender.

Remove from the heat. Sprinkle over the chives and serve directly from the pan.

FRIED EGGS AND POTATOES

This is from Naz Deravian in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Naz wrote, "This quick one-pan meal of fried eggs and potatoes hits the spot any time of day, and especially if you like breakfast for dinner. Golden onion, turmeric and tomato paste make a savory and rich bed for the potatoes and eggs to nestle in. Make sure to chop the potatoes evenly into small, 1/2-inch cubes and add a little water to speed up their cooking time. You can cook the yolks to your liking – just cover and check on them every minute. Serve with bread or a green salad, or both, for a complete meal."

Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 2 to 4 servings

To view this yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023911-fried-eggs-and-potatoes. While you're there, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. If you're like me when it comes to food, you won't regret it.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 large Yukon Gold potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes

Ingredients

4 large eggs

Ingredients

Fresh herb of your choice, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

In a large (12-inch) nonstick pan with a lid, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Season with salt, add the turmeric and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook just to take off the raw taste and deepen its color, stirring and taking care not to burn the paste, about 1 minute.

Ingredients

Add the potatoes, season with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often, just until the potatoes are no longer raw. Add 1/4 cup water, stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and adding a tablespoon or two of water if the potatoes are browning too much, until the potatoes are just tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Taste the potatoes and add more salt and pepper to taste, being mindful that the eggs will also be seasoned.

Ingredients

Make four wells in the potatoes and crack an egg in each well; season the eggs with salt and pepper. With a wooden spoon, gently poke the egg whites (without disturbing the yolk) to make them spread and cook faster. Cover and check every 30 seconds to a minute, until the whites are cooked and the yolk is to your liking, 3 to 5 minutes for a softer yolk. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with herbs, if using, and serve.

MEATLESS TEX-MEX SLOPPY JOES

This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, "Meatless Mondays just got a new star recipe. Impossible™ Burger is made from plants and makes this vegetarian sloppy joe recipe a delicious new addition to your meatless repertoire. These Meatless Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes use Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce and Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix. Meatless sloppy joes are as fast and easy as the original, taking just 20 minutes from start to finish."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/meatless-tex-mex-sloppy-joes.

Ingredients

1 package (12 oz) Impossible™ Burger

2/3 cup water

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix

1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce (from 9-oz bottle)

4 burger buns, toasted

1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend (from 8-oz package)

1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

Preparation

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook Impossible™ Burger over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until crumbles are browned and cooked through.

Stir water, taco seasoning mix and taco sauce into Impossible™ Burger mixture; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Place about 1/2 cup mixture over bottom of each bun; top with cheese, lettuce, avocado and tomatoes, then top of bun.

Expert Tips

Cooking Vegetarian? Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is vegetarian. Products and ingredient sources can change.

Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce plays the role that tomato sauce would play in a traditional sloppy joe recipe, with the added benefit of loads of taco flavor for these vegetarian sloppy joes.

We call for Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce in this recipe, but if you’d prefer a bit more heat in your meatless sloppy joes, feel free to substitute Old El Paso™ Medium Taco Sauce.

Buying a whole head of lettuce and slicing it thinly yourself, as opposed to buying it preshredded in a bag, will help to guarantee a fresh, extra-crisp topping for your sloppy joes.

Nutrition: 1 Sandwich: Calories: 500 (Calories from Fat: 230); Total Fat: 26g (Saturated Fat 12g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 30mg; Sodium 1240mg; Total Carbohydrate 41g (Dietary Fiber 6g, Sugars 7g); Protein 25g

% Daily Value: Vitamin A 8%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 40%; Iron 35%

Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch, 1 Other Carbohydrate, 2 1/2 Very Lean Meat, 1/2 High-Fat Meat, 4 Fat

Carbohydrate Choices: 3

Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday, the last Friday in July. This year seems to be flying by...

Here are today's offerings to help you through the weekend, including Old-Fashioned Meatloaf and Slow-Cooker Bolognese. Enjoy!

SAM SIFTON’S CUCUMBER KIMCHI

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Sam wrote, “This recipe came to The Times in 2011 as an accompaniment to bulgogi sloppy Joes, as envisioned by the chef Hooni Kim of Danji, but they add a tangy flavor to whatever they’re paired with. Making it is as simple as it gets — the cucumbers are quick pickled in rice vinegar and flavored deeply with gochugaru, or Korean red-pepper flakes. Serve it with the sloppy Joes, or alone, as a bar snack, with an ice cold beer.”

Yield: 6 servings; Time: About 25 minutes, plus overnight refrigeration (optional).

This was featured in “Cucumber Kimchi”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013830-sam-siftons-cucumber-kimchi.

Ingredients

3 small cucumbers, cut into 1/8-inch slices

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red-pepper flakes)

1/4 cup mirin

6 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon grated garlic

1 teaspoon fermented krill or baby shrimp (optional)

Preparation

Place the cucumbers in a medium-size bowl, then sprinkle with the salt. Let stand 20 minutes.

Rinse cucumbers in cold water to remove salt, drain and pat dry.

Return cucumbers to bowl, add other ingredients, toss to combine, cover tightly and place in refrigerator overnight or until ready to use.

VEGAN LASAGNA

This was in the October 1997 issue of Vegetarian Times, and posted online on May 10, 2017. It begins, “The tomato sauce recipe makes enough to serve on the side or to freeze and enjoy later with pasta.” Makes 12 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 6-oz. can tomato paste

3 28-oz. cans peeled plum tomatoes, chopped with juices reserved

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Lasagna

1 Tbs. salt

1 lb. dry uncooked eggless lasagna noodles

2 16-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

To make Sauce: In large, heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice, basil, parsley, oregano and red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer over low heat about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to boil. When water boils, add salt and noodles. Cook until al dente, about 12 minutes. Drain, rinse with water and drain again.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Crumble tofu into medium bowl. Add garlic, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir until well blended.

Spoon about 1 cup sauce over bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Add layer of noodles and top with one-third tofu mixture. Spoon over about 1 1/2 cups sauce and top with another layer of noodles. Cover with one-third tofu mixture and top with 1 1/2 cups of sauce and another layer of noodles. Top with remaining tofu mixture and 1 cup sauce.

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand about 15 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve with remaining sauce.

TRADITIONAL STUFFED PEPPERS

This comes from VeryWellFit, and begins, “Stuffed peppers are usually made with bell peppers, which makes sense—they are readily available, and they stand up in a baking dish. However, you can make them with poblano peppers just by splitting them lengthwise and making two filled peppers out of each one. These will be spicier than the usual stuffed peppers you may be used to, but it's a welcomed change from the norm if you're looking for a recipe twist. You can use any color of bell peppers to make this recipe—it's fun to have a mixture of two or three colors. You can also use whatever spice mixture strikes your fancy, from Middle Eastern to Asian. It can be fun to experiment a little once you get the basic recipe down.”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Servings: 6

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 bell peppers, any color, medium or large*

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce or 4 tablespoons tomato paste

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder (or any spices you like)

1/3 cup fat-free mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Slice off the top of the peppers and remove the ribs and seeds. Either microwave them on a plate or baking dish (whatever fits in the microwave oven) covered with plastic wrap for 4 minutes or blanch them in boiling water for 3 minutes.

Heat a large skillet, and cook the beef, onions, garlic, and spices. If you are using tomato paste, include that as well. If you are using the tomato sauce, pour about 2/3 of the can in, and save the rest for a topping. Cook until the beef is cooked through and the onions are soft. If it gets too dry you can add a little water.

Loosely fill the peppers with the beef mixture, and sit upright in a baking dish. If you are using tomato sauce, spoon some of the leftover sauce on top of each pepper. Add about a tablespoon of cheese on each one. Bake for half an hour in the oven, or 12 minutes in the microwave, turning half-way through the cooking.

*Nutrition information calculated using large peppers.

OLD-FASHIONED MEATLOAF

This is from VeryWellFit, and begins, “This lighter meatloaf recipe is similar to the one most of us enjoyed during our childhoods, but without all of the extra fat. Choose a lean ground beef or, better yet, ground turkey to cut down on the fat. And since you can't make meatloaf without breadcrumbs, why not replace the white, unrefined with whole wheat for added fiber? Also, using two egg whites in place of one whole egg will reduce the calories and fat while still helping to bind the mixture together.”

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 70 minutes; Servings: 8

This can be viewed online by clicking here.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground meat (85% to 90% lean, or ground turkey)

1 cup breadcrumbs (whole wheat)

1/4 cup onion (finely chopped or 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes)

2 cloves garlic (minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup water (or low-fat milk)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Mix well, using your hands, but don't overmix because you will toughen the meat.

Turn mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for about 1 hour.

To be sure the meatloaf is done, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the center of the loaf. The temperature should register 155F when it is done.

About 10 to 15 minutes before you think the meatloaf will be done, you can cover it with barbecue sauce if you like.

International Meatloaf

If you are looking for a different kind of meatloaf, try kofta kebabs, a Middle Eastern grilled ground meat recipe. The spices in this meat mixture (traditionally lamb) are a delicious change of pace from the usual. If you don't have the time or inclination to place them on skewers, you can make them into oblong-oval shapes that look like sausages without the casings.

ROAST CHICKENS WITH PLUMS

This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “This recipe, which roasts two chickens at the same time, has been engineered to feed a crowd. It's no harder than roasting one chicken. The birds get rubbed down with a garlicky sumac spice rub brightened with lemon zest. Then, as they cook, their fragrant drippings season sliced plums roasting in the pan underneath them, which caramelize into a fruity, chutney-like sauce. Feel free to halve the recipe if you’d rather, but be sure to reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees. For two chickens you need the higher heat so they both crisp properly, but for only one chicken, slightly lower heat keeps the plums from burning.”

Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Times: 1 1/2 hours, plus marinating

This was featured in “Roast Chicken With Plums Gets a Touch of Spice for Rosh Hashana”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017684-roast-chickens-with-plums.

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

2 large lemons

2 tablespoons ground sumac

4 teaspoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, grated or minced

2 chickens, 4 to 4 1/2 pounds each

1 bunch thyme, more for garnish

For the Plums:

2 1/4 pounds plums, halved or quartered if large

4 shallots, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 bay leaf, torn in half

Preparation:

Grate the zest from the lemons and place in a small bowl. Set aside the zested lemons.

Stir sumac, salt, pepper, cinnamon and allspice into the lemon zest. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the garlic. The mixture should feel like wet sand. Rub it all over the chickens, including inside the cavity.

Divide thyme bunch in half and place in the chicken cavities. Place chickens on a roasting rack set over a rimmed baking sheet, and let marinate, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

When ready to roast, let chickens come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large roasting pan, toss together plums, shallots, honey, oil, salt, cinnamon, allspice, bay leaf and 2 tablespoons water. Spread out plum mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Place chickens on the rack over the plums in the pan. Roast for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, squeeze 1 tablespoon juice from reserved lemon and mix it with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Drizzle this over the chicken, then continue to roast until the birds are golden-skinned and cooked through, about 30 to 45 minutes longer.

Let chickens rest, covered lightly with foil, for 10 minutes. Carve and serve with the plums and more thyme for garnish.

SLOW-COOKER BOLOGNESE

This comes from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.

Level: Easy; Total: 6 hr 45 min; Active: 45 min; Yield: 16 servings

This can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 celery stalks, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 onions, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 cloves garlic, chopped

One 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 cup dry red wine

4 pounds ground beef

2 cups whole milk

Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried basil

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 Parmesan rind, optional, plus grated Parmesan, for serving

Cooked spaghetti, for serving

Chopped fresh basil, for serving

Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery, carrots and onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute. Pour in the red wine and cook until it is mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Pour this mixture into a slow cooker.

Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons oil into the skillet, add the beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up any lumps, until it is nicely browned, about 15 minutes. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in the milk and cook until it is mostly absorbed by the meat, about 5 minutes. Add this to the slow cooker along with the tomatoes, oregano, basil, thyme, red pepper flakes, nutmeg and Parmesan rind if using. Add some salt. Give it a good stir, cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Skim off any fat on top and check the consistency. If it is too thick, add a bit of water. If it is too thin, cook for another 30 minutes with the cover off.

Remove the rind and serve over spaghetti with lots of grated Parmesan and topped with fresh basil and parsley. Extra sauce can be frozen for later use.

Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday, the first Friday of November. Hope you had a fun, safe Halloween last night.

And now, on to today's offerings to help you through the weekend. They include Old-Fashioned Meatloaf and Slow-Cooker Bolognese. Enjoy!

SAM SIFTON’S CUCUMBER KIMCHI

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Sam wrote, “This recipe came to The Times in 2011 as an accompaniment to bulgogi sloppy Joes, as envisioned by the chef Hooni Kim of Danji, but they add a tangy flavor to whatever they’re paired with. Making it is as simple as it gets — the cucumbers are quick pickled in rice vinegar and flavored deeply with gochugaru, or Korean red-pepper flakes. Serve it with the sloppy Joes, or alone, as a bar snack, with an ice cold beer.”

Yield: 6 servings; Time: About 25 minutes, plus overnight refrigeration (optional).

This was featured in “Cucumber Kimchi”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013830-sam-siftons-cucumber-kimchi.

Ingredients

3 small cucumbers, cut into 1/8-inch slices

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red-pepper flakes)

1/4 cup mirin

6 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon grated garlic

1 teaspoon fermented krill or baby shrimp (optional)

Preparation

Place the cucumbers in a medium-size bowl, then sprinkle with the salt. Let stand 20 minutes.

Rinse cucumbers in cold water to remove salt, drain and pat dry.

Return cucumbers to bowl, add other ingredients, toss to combine, cover tightly and place in refrigerator overnight or until ready to use.

VEGAN LASAGNA

This was in the October 1997 issue of Vegetarian Times, and posted online on May 10, 2017. It begins, “The tomato sauce recipe makes enough to serve on the side or to freeze and enjoy later with pasta.” Makes 12 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 6-oz. can tomato paste

3 28-oz. cans peeled plum tomatoes, chopped with juices reserved

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Lasagna

1 Tbs. salt

1 lb. dry uncooked eggless lasagna noodles

2 16-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

To make Sauce: In large, heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice, basil, parsley, oregano and red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer over low heat about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to boil. When water boils, add salt and noodles. Cook until al dente, about 12 minutes. Drain, rinse with water and drain again.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Crumble tofu into medium bowl. Add garlic, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir until well blended.

Spoon about 1 cup sauce over bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Add layer of noodles and top with one-third tofu mixture. Spoon over about 1 1/2 cups sauce and top with another layer of noodles. Cover with one-third tofu mixture and top with 1 1/2 cups of sauce and another layer of noodles. Top with remaining tofu mixture and 1 cup sauce.

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand about 15 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve with remaining sauce.

TRADITIONAL STUFFED PEPPERS

This comes from VeryWellFit, and begins, “Stuffed peppers are usually made with bell peppers, which makes sense—they are readily available, and they stand up in a baking dish. However, you can make them with poblano peppers just by splitting them lengthwise and making two filled peppers out of each one. These will be spicier than the usual stuffed peppers you may be used to, but it's a welcomed change from the norm if you're looking for a recipe twist. You can use any color of bell peppers to make this recipe—it's fun to have a mixture of two or three colors. You can also use whatever spice mixture strikes your fancy, from Middle Eastern to Asian. It can be fun to experiment a little once you get the basic recipe down.”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Servings: 6

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 bell peppers, any color, medium or large*

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce or 4 tablespoons tomato paste

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder (or any spices you like)

1/3 cup fat-free mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Slice off the top of the peppers and remove the ribs and seeds. Either microwave them on a plate or baking dish (whatever fits in the microwave oven) covered with plastic wrap for 4 minutes or blanch them in boiling water for 3 minutes.

Heat a large skillet, and cook the beef, onions, garlic, and spices. If you are using tomato paste, include that as well. If you are using the tomato sauce, pour about 2/3 of the can in, and save the rest for a topping. Cook until the beef is cooked through and the onions are soft. If it gets too dry you can add a little water.

Loosely fill the peppers with the beef mixture, and sit upright in a baking dish. If you are using tomato sauce, spoon some of the leftover sauce on top of each pepper. Add about a tablespoon of cheese on each one. Bake for half an hour in the oven, or 12 minutes in the microwave, turning half-way through the cooking.

*Nutrition information calculated using large peppers.

OLD-FASHIONED MEATLOAF

This is from VeryWellFit, and begins, “This lighter meatloaf recipe is similar to the one most of us enjoyed during our childhoods, but without all of the extra fat. Choose a lean ground beef or, better yet, ground turkey to cut down on the fat. And since you can't make meatloaf without breadcrumbs, why not replace the white, unrefined with whole wheat for added fiber? Also, using two egg whites in place of one whole egg will reduce the calories and fat while still helping to bind the mixture together.”

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 70 minutes; Servings: 8

This can be viewed online by clicking here.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground meat (85% to 90% lean, or ground turkey)

1 cup breadcrumbs (whole wheat)

1/4 cup onion (finely chopped or 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes)

2 cloves garlic (minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup water (or low-fat milk)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Mix well, using your hands, but don't overmix because you will toughen the meat.

Turn mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for about 1 hour.

To be sure the meatloaf is done, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the center of the loaf. The temperature should register 155F when it is done.

About 10 to 15 minutes before you think the meatloaf will be done, you can cover it with barbecue sauce if you like.

International Meatloaf

If you are looking for a different kind of meatloaf, try kofta kebabs, a Middle Eastern grilled ground meat recipe. The spices in this meat mixture (traditionally lamb) are a delicious change of pace from the usual. If you don't have the time or inclination to place them on skewers, you can make them into oblong-oval shapes that look like sausages without the casings.

ROAST CHICKENS WITH PLUMS

This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “This recipe, which roasts two chickens at the same time, has been engineered to feed a crowd. It's no harder than roasting one chicken. The birds get rubbed down with a garlicky sumac spice rub brightened with lemon zest. Then, as they cook, their fragrant drippings season sliced plums roasting in the pan underneath them, which caramelize into a fruity, chutney-like sauce. Feel free to halve the recipe if you’d rather, but be sure to reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees. For two chickens you need the higher heat so they both crisp properly, but for only one chicken, slightly lower heat keeps the plums from burning.”

Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Times: 1 1/2 hours, plus marinating

This was featured in “Roast Chicken With Plums Gets a Touch of Spice for Rosh Hashana”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017684-roast-chickens-with-plums.

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

2 large lemons

2 tablespoons ground sumac

4 teaspoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, grated or minced

2 chickens, 4 to 4 1/2 pounds each

1 bunch thyme, more for garnish

For the Plums:

2 1/4 pounds plums, halved or quartered if large

4 shallots, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 bay leaf, torn in half

Preparation:

Grate the zest from the lemons and place in a small bowl. Set aside the zested lemons.

Stir sumac, salt, pepper, cinnamon and allspice into the lemon zest. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the garlic. The mixture should feel like wet sand. Rub it all over the chickens, including inside the cavity.

Divide thyme bunch in half and place in the chicken cavities. Place chickens on a roasting rack set over a rimmed baking sheet, and let marinate, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

When ready to roast, let chickens come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large roasting pan, toss together plums, shallots, honey, oil, salt, cinnamon, allspice, bay leaf and 2 tablespoons water. Spread out plum mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Place chickens on the rack over the plums in the pan. Roast for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, squeeze 1 tablespoon juice from reserved lemon and mix it with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Drizzle this over the chicken, then continue to roast until the birds are golden-skinned and cooked through, about 30 to 45 minutes longer.

Let chickens rest, covered lightly with foil, for 10 minutes. Carve and serve with the plums and more thyme for garnish.

SLOW-COOKER BOLOGNESE

This comes from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.

Level: Easy; Total: 6 hr 45 min; Active: 45 min; Yield: 16 servings

This can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 celery stalks, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 onions, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 cloves garlic, chopped

One 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 cup dry red wine

4 pounds ground beef

2 cups whole milk

Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried basil

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 Parmesan rind, optional, plus grated Parmesan, for serving

Cooked spaghetti, for serving

Chopped fresh basil, for serving

Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery, carrots and onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute. Pour in the red wine and cook until it is mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Pour this mixture into a slow cooker.

Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons oil into the skillet, add the beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up any lumps, until it is nicely browned, about 15 minutes. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in the milk and cook until it is mostly absorbed by the meat, about 5 minutes. Add this to the slow cooker along with the tomatoes, oregano, basil, thyme, red pepper flakes, nutmeg and Parmesan rind if using. Add some salt. Give it a good stir, cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Skim off any fat on top and check the consistency. If it is too thick, add a bit of water. If it is too thin, cook for another 30 minutes with the cover off.

Remove the rind and serve over spaghetti with lots of grated Parmesan and topped with fresh basil and parsley. Extra sauce can be frozen for later use.