(Cook’s Illustrated)

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup milk (plus an extra tablespoon or so if batter is too thick)
1 large egg , separated
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil (for brushing griddle)

Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl. Pour buttermilk and milk into 2-cup liquid measure. Whisk in egg white; mix yolk with melted butter, then stir into milk mixture. Dump wet ingredients into dry ingredients all at once; whisk until just mixed.

Meanwhile, heat griddle or large skillet over strong medium-high heat. Brush griddle generously with oil. When water splashed on surface confidently sizzles, pour batter, about 1/4 cup at a time, onto griddle, making sure not to overcrowd. When pancake bottoms are brown and top surface starts to bubble, 2 to 3 minutes, flip cakes and cook until remaining side has browned, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Re-oil the skillet and repeat for the next batch of pancakes.

(Cook’s Illustrated)

4 bone-in pork rib chops or center-cut chops, about 7 ounces each and 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick, patted dry with paper towels
1 tsp vegetable oil
Table salt and ground black pepper
1/2 tsp granulated sugar

If using electric stove, turn burner to medium heat. Rub both sides of each chop with 1/8 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle one side of each chop evenly with 1/8 teaspoon sugar, avoiding the bone.

Place chops, sugared-side down, in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Using hands, press meat of each chop into pan. Set skillet with chops over medium heat; cook until lightly browned, 4 to 9 minutes. (Chops should be sizziling after 2 minutes, if not, turn the heat up a bit.) Using tongs, flip chops, positioning them in same manner. Cover skillet, reduce heat to low, and cook until center of each chop registers 140 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 3 to 6 minutes (begin checking temperature after 2 minutes); chops will barely brown on second side. Transfer chops to platter, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes; do not discard liquid in skillet. Turn the burner off.

Add any juices accumulated on platter to skillet. Set skillet over high heat and simmer vigorously until reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 30 seconds to 90 seconds; adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste. Off heat, return pork chops to skillet, turning chops to coat with reduced juices. Serve chops immediately, browned-side up, pouring any remaining juices over.

(The Best Recipe)

1 large egg
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for frying
3/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp table salt
4 – 5 slices day-old challah bread (3/4-inch-thick) or 6 to 8 slices day-old sandwich bread

Heat 10- to 12-inch skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat egg lightly in shallow pan or pie plate; whisk in butter, then milk and vanilla, and finally sugar, flour, and salt, continuing to whisk until smooth. Soak bread without oversaturating, about 40 seconds per side for challah or 30 seconds per side for sandwich bread. Pick up bread and allow excess batter to drip off; repeat with remaining slices.

Swirl 1 tablespoon butter in hot skillet. Transfer prepared bread to skillet; cook until golden brown, about 1 minute 45 seconds on first side and 1 minute on the second. Serve immediately. Continue, adding 1 tablespoon butter to skillet for each new batch.

(Molto Italiano by Mario Batali)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sugar pumpkin or acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon red hot pepper flakes
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh mint

In a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the pumpkin and garlic and cook until the pumpkin is light golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, vinegar, and honey and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced to a syrupy glaze and the pumpkin is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from the heat, add the mint, and serve.

(because you’ll probably end up with extra filling)

Extra filling
Whatever’s left of the egg glaze, or 1 egg if there’s none left
1/4-1/2 cup bread crumbs
Some kind of vegetable oil, for pan frying

Mix the leftover filling with the egg and bread crumbs. Form into small balls and place on a plate. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Heat some oil in a large skillet. Add the meatballs in one layer. Brown on one side for 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until nicely browned.

(Finger Food by Elsa Petersen-Schepelern)

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 oz. pine nuts
8 oz. ground lamb
1 onion, grated
1 garlic cloved, minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 lb. ready-made shortcrust pastry dough (or make your own)
1 egg, beaten with water, to glaze
Salt and pepper, to taste
Extra chopped parsley and sea salt, to serve (optional)

Heat oven to 350

Heat the oil in a skillet, add the pine nuts, and stir-fry them quickly until golden, about 30 seconds.

Put the meat, onion, garlic, parsley, and pine nuts in a bowl and mix well. Add some salt and pepper. Set aside.

Roll out the dough to about 1/8-inch thick. Using a long ruler and a sharp knife, trim the edges straight, then cut the dough into long strips about 1 1/2-inch wide, then across to make squares.

Brush egg glaze down two opposite sides of the square, then put about 1/2 teaspoon of filling in the middle of the square. Fold in half, with the glazed edges upwards, and place on a work surface with the open side upward. Widen the opening to show the filling and make a boat shape, then tap the boat on the work surface to flatten the bottom. Pinch up the prow and stern to force up the filling.

Put the boats close together in a single layer on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and still moist.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with extra parsley and sea salt, if using.

(adapted from The Best Recipe)

2 1/2 cups AP flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp table salt
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
6 Tbsp vegetable shortening, chilled
6-8 Tbsp ice water

Pulse flour and salt together in food processor. Add the butter and pulse to combine, about five 1-second pulses. Add the shortening and pulse about five more times or until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with butter bits no larger than small peas. Empty mixture into a medium bowl.

Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water over the mixture. With a spatula, fold to combine. Press down on dough with the spatula to make it stick together. Add up to 2 tablespoons more water if this isn’t happening. Divide the dough in half, flatten each into about a 4-inch wide disk, and wrap them separately in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days before rolling them out.

1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts (not marinated!), drained & mashed
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Ritz crackers, to serve

Heat oven to 350. Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream and cream cheese. Add the artichoke hearts, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Top with the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until browned on top and bubbly. Serve with Ritz crackers.

(A little bit of Tabasco might be nice in this, just a thought.)

slight variations on a recipe from Finger Food by Elsa Petersen-Schepelern

2 potatoes, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
Vegetable or canola oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup corn kernals (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup shelled peas (fresh or frozen)
4 oz. paneer or mozzarella cheese
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 red chiles, seeded and chopped
Pinch of chile powder
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
15-20 sheets ready-made phyllo pastry, thawed
melted butter (amount needed will vary depending on how much you brush on the phyllo)

To make the filling, cook the potatoes and carrots in boiling salted water until just cooked, about 3-5 minutes. Drain.

Heat 3 Tbsp oil in a wok or pan (or just use the pot you were using to boil the other ingredients) and cook the onion until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, carrot, corn, and peas and cook for another minute.

Off heat, stir in the cheese, cilantro, chile peppers, chile powder, lime juice, and salt. Let cool.

Heat the oven to 350.

Unwrap the phyllo dough and put 1 sheet on a work surface. Keep the rest covered with a damp cloth while you work. Cut the sheet of pastry in half and brush the sheets with melted butter. Fold each half into 3, lengthwise, buttering between, making each into a long thin strip.

Put 1 Tbsp filling at one corner of a strip. Fold the corner over to form a triangle. Continue folding up until the filling is encolsed and the whole strip of pastry has been used. Repeat until all the phyllo and filling has been used up. (I ended up with filling leftover because I ripped 2 sheets of phyllo unforgiveably and couldn’t use them. It tasted pretty good on its own.)

(Optionally, you can not brush them everywhere with butter and just use a little butter to seal them up after filling and folding. I went through 2 sticks, and it just seemed a little excessive to me. They tasted fine [and were less greasy and fatty] with using only a little bit.)

Space the samosas apart on a parchment-lined or greased rimmed baking sheet (the butter will run everywhere, it’s good to have the lip). Brush each with more butter (totally optional). Bake for 15 minutes. (Alternatively, you could pan-fry them. Whatever.)

Quick From Scratch One-Dish Meals

1/4 lb. sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
1 onion, chopped
1 3/4 cups canned crushed tomatoes (one 15-ounce can)
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh-ground black pepper
1 lb. frozen cavatelli
1 1/4 cups arugula, stems removed, leaves torn in half (one 2-ounce bunch)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan

In a large stainless-steel frying pan, cook the bacon over moderate heat until almost crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan.

Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the salt, and the pepper and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the cavatelli until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain and toss with the sauce, bacon, arugula, and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Stir until the arugula just wilts. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top.

Note: Be sure to add the arugula at the last minute; if it actually cooks, it may turn bitter. Also, if you can’t find cavatelli, other kinds of pasta work well. (I used penne.)