…or hoagies, or grinders, or whatever it is you call stuff between thick, oblong bread.

I do fairly well with meal planning every week, but around day 5 it often starts to unravel. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t bother planning a meal for Friday because, inevitably, something didn’t get made and will get pushed to that day, or I’ll just cook something from the pantry/fridge/freezer to use up extras.

This particular week was a bit of a mess because in addition to not cooking on a day I was supposed to, I also ended up having to use the only chicken I had in the freezer for Monday’s meal, after realizing the chicken I had just bought for that meal the day prior smelled…off.

The only thing of substance I really had on my fridge the night we had these subs was chicken sausage. Oh, and mushrooms because I completely forgot to add them to a dish they were supposed to be in the night before. Oops. (Yeah, this week was not so great, huh?) I started looking around for other ingredients, and we had 2 leftover rolls from Italian beef earlier in the week and half a block of mozzarella in the fridge. Definitely the makings of sausage subs. Trader Joe’s frozen tricolored peppers and a trusty can of fire-roasted tomatoes also came in quite handy.

Now, obviously you can just stick the whole sausage link on a bun and eat it that way, but where’s the fun (or mess) in that? :) Tom and I  both really loved these, which is not particularly surprising considering they contain both bread and cheese. I used chicken sausage, part-skim mozzarella, and a minimal amount of oil, so these were actually fairly healthy, too (especially when paired with a salad).

We made two (overstuffed) subs with these, but I’m typing the recipe for four, since some of the ingredient amounts are easier that way.

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My dad makes the world’s best chicken and dumpling soup. He used to make it at his restaurant every Saturday and I loved when a trip home would overlap with a Saturday, because I’d get to eat a big bowlful. I’ve never asked for his recipe, partly because I know it would make like 5 gallons of soup and partly because I know it’s not the best for me.

This recipe is very different from my dad’s, in that it’s not as creamy and it’s not as soup-like (and it’s also not as fatty :). I did not expect this to be the same, and it isn’t, of course. However, this chicken and dumplings is a seriously wonderful meal, especially considering it’s not all that bad for you. It’s comfort food at its finest. I consider a meal pretty great when I’m ready to eat my lunch leftovers by 10:00 the next morning (and even greater when I actually do…oops).

The broth in the stew is absolutely fantastic. Simmering the dark thigh meat and wings together gives it a great depth of flavor (I mean, just look at that color!).  You’d honestly think the broth had been simmering away for hours. The dumplings are light and fluffy and—thanks to a great trick of wrapping the Dutch oven lid in a kitchen towel while they simmered—weren’t soggy or sticky-topped.

The only change I’d make to this the next time around is to increase the stew amount by just a  bit, which I’ve indicated below. I think there are plenty of dumplings for the intended servings, but the stew to dumpling ratio was just a little off for me.

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Many, many years ago, Tom cooked for me for the first time. He made a creamy potato soup and it was incredibly delicious. I admit, I was impressed, considering the only thing I’d seen him “cook” before was mixing together a packet of taco seasoning and ranch dressing (“Southwest sauce,” obviously).

A few months later, he cooked for me for the second time—and made the soup again. This time? Not so good. He burned the bottom and if you know anything about burning soups, you know that once you stir that burnt bottom into the soup, there’s no turning back. The whole pot is going to taste like it came out of a smoke stack (or like my specialty of broiler-burnt bread).

That was the end of that soup.

I’ve made a couple versions of potato soup over the years but not many. Potato soups tend to be creamy and heavy and, while delicious, aren’t always the best choice for me.

This soup, on the other hand, is quite healthy. There is no cream or bacon (it’s okay, I promise) and while there is some butter, each serving ends up having only about a teaspoon of it. The soup has a great texture and it tastes very simple and pure, if you will. The leeks lend a bit of sweetness, the chili powder just a hint of spice, but otherwise this tastes like…potatoes. Which is a good thing.

Zachary loved this soup, which was weird because he never seems to want to eat soup and he doesn’t like mashed potatoes (weirdo). I suspect all the soup-making he’s been doing in his new kitchen is helping, though. (His dog’s favorite is garlic, apparently.)

There are many different ways to wash your leeks; just remember to wash them well, unless you like dirt in your food or something. I usually just slice them and the put them in a bowl of water, letting all the dirt sink to the bottom. Or, I slice and then use a salad spinner to rinse them under water and have the added benefit of spinning them dry (which won’t necessarily keep them looking pretty but considering they’re being pureed, anyway, it’s fine). David also has instructions for preparing them.

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I’m on a serious roll making things from the “recipes-I-saved-a-million-years-ago” binder that has previously been collecting dust on top of my fridge. Although, I must say, I think I had originally torn out this page from Real Simple magazine because of a different recipe on the page. It’s funny how your tastes change, because this recipe sounded way more appealing to me than the other one.

Brussels sprouts may seem like an odd choice in an Asian dish but they really make a lot of sense. I mean, they are part of the cabbage family and cabbage is obviously quite common in Asian cooking. And I’m a firm believer that brussels sprouts just don’t get enough love. (Roast them at a high heat with some olive oil and salt and pepper, and then tell me you don’t like them).

This dish cooks up in no time, is easy to make, and healthy, too. And did I mention I really liked it? Because I really did. Though, I’ve determined that, despite living by and frequenting several types of markets,  I can never find small red chilies except at Whole Foods. I was too lazy to go to Whole Foods, so I just used my trusty jar of Sambal Oelek. The nice thing about that is you can make this as spicy as you want, based on your preferences and how much you add.

Between the ease of prep and the flavor (which I, personally, enjoy with a bit of heat), this will definitely be a repeat in our house.

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It goes against nearly everything in my gut to like dumplings. I really, really do not like soggy bread and, texturally speaking, I should loathe dumplings. But I don’t. Not.at.all. In fact, I have another dumpling recipe waiting in the wings to post soon after this one. Because I freaking love them.

I feel like a broken record here, but I’ll say it again… “I’ve had this recipe saved for a really long time, but finally got around to making it.” Nearly 3 years ago, I took to organizing my saved magazine and online recipes, and this comes from the binder that stemmed from that organization. I’m always so annoyed when it takes me so long to make a recipe that’s so great.

This recipe will not  be winning any awards in the frugality department. It had been ages since I’d purchased lamb shoulder, so I had forgotten how crazy expensive it can be – and a whole shoulder of 3-4 lbs. is clearly going to cost a pretty penny. But, you know how much I adore lamb (not to mention going to the butcher) so it had to be done. That said, I have no doubts that this recipe would be delicious with pork shoulder or beef chuck. Plus, we ended up freezing a couple portions for another dinner, later.

I thought this would be spicier than it was (I was almost worried, in fact). It had a nice little kick, but definitely nothing major. I think the chipotles mellow out while cooking and New Mexico chilies (at least, the ones I had around) are not terribly spicy themselves. I actually really, really loved the spicy-without-being-too-spicy flavor, and the depth of this dish, not only from using dried chilies in the broth, but from the lamb stewing for hours.

One tip I picked up from the other dumpling recipe I made is to wrap the lid in a clean kitchen towel while simmering the dumplings. This seems to make them a bit less soggy/more firm to the touch, so I’ll do that next time and have added that step below. You’ll want to make this stew a day ahead of time, not only because it tastes better that way but also because it’s much easier to remove the fat from the top after it’s chilled.

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If you spend a few minutes around these parts, it’s not difficult to figure out that I love soups and stews. In fact, I can say with a pretty high level of certainty that I could eat soup every day of the week, and never get sick of it.

This recipe instantly stood out to me (and not just because Shawnda takes exponentially better pictures of soup than I do, though she does). I loved that this soup was healthy and colorful, and I always enjoy Asian ingredients like these (except when I was pregnant. You know how they tell you ginger helps with nausea? Yeah, ginger was the only thing that made me nauseous). The other great part about this soup is that snow peas are added in at the last minute, and they provide a great crunch and freshness to the soup. Soup is often mushy by nature, and this way you can get some texture without the addition of crackers.

This soup is light and fresh, but also manages to be filling. I absolutely loved it, and I can’t wait to make it again soon.

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Like most people who cook on a daily, or near daily, basis, I love the “one pot meal.” Being able to  have your protein, starch, and vegetables all cook away in the same vessel with minimum effort (and only one pot to clean at the end) is a pretty good deal.

The problem I run into is that  I often have a hard time making them with complex carbs. White rice is easy enough to add to a one-meal concoction, but try throwing brown rice or barley in there and you are often left with rice that hasn’t cooked thoroughly or a piece of meat that is so overcooked it ruins the happy vibe of the one-pot meal.

But other grains that take less time to cook, like bulgur, which is one of my absolute favorite starchy sides, are perfect. You may recognize it as the main ingredient in tabouli,  but it does so much more. We easily eat it once a week. The most common way I prepare it is to make it into a pilaf, sauteing just a little onion & garlic in the beginning, cooking it in chicken broth, and topping it with toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds. I’ve also made this recipe as a side before, sans the chicken. Bulgur takes less time to cook than even white rice, and easily outweighs rice’s nutrition benefits, too (a serving has 50 less calories but 6 more grams of dietary fiber).

This meal is sort of a play on arroz con pollo, or chicken with rice. The ingredients and flavor profile are similar, but the arroz is obviously replaced with bulgur (which I have no idea how to say in Spanish, sorry. I mean, lo siento!).

Boneless/skinless chicken thighs would be a great replacement for the breast in this recipe. You can use bone-in, too, but I would simmer them in the liquid for about 5 minutes before adding the bulgur, to assure they get fully cooked.

Chicken with Bulgur and Peppers

Serves 4

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4 small chicken breasts or chicken breast halves, about 5 oz. each
cumin
paprika
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 cup medium grain bulgur
2 cups beef broth
1 bay leaf
2 green onions, sliced

Season the chicken to taste with salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika.

Heat a large saute pan with lid over medium heat and add the oil. Once hot, add the chicken and sear for 1-2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan.

To the pan, add the onion and peppers and cook until tender, with just a little bit of bite. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the bulgur and stir around to toast, before adding the beef broth and bay leaf.

Bring a mixture to a low boil, and nestle the chicken back in. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook about 12-13  minutes, then turn off the heat, and let sit for 5 minutes.

Top with green onions before serving.

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I tried keeping things fairly low key this year, in terms of Christmas baking. After spending too much time decorating sugar cookies and standing at my stove dipping melomakarona, I opted for two really easy treats – peppermint bark, and these cranberry bars.

I hadn’t really planned on making anything new this year, but I happened to run across this recipe while I was on the Joy of Baking site looking at an old favorite, raspberry bars. I’ve made the raspberry bars in the past, for both holiday and any time treats, but I wanted to give these a try since cranberries are a bit more festive, and anything encased in shortbread is a surefire hit.

These bars come together very quickly. You just dump all the ingredients for the filling in a saucepan, and then mix a few ingredients together to make the bottom crust/topping.

I loved the buttery shortbread in these bars (I had to taste test one before giving them away, of course), and the slight tartness of the cranberries.

I am posting the original recipe/amount below, but I actually ended up tripling the filling (since I had two 12 oz. bags of cranberries) and making one 9×13 pan (with 1.5x the crust amount of the original recipe) and one 8×8 pan (with the original amount in the recipe, but it was too much crust/topping, since the recipe calls for a 9″ pan). Besides that, the only change I made was to add orange zest to the filling, which I think is a perfect complement to cranberries.

These are a great low-maintenance but well-liked dessert recipe, and I will definitely make them again.

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Stifado (stee-FAH-though) is a Greek stew that is typically made with a fair amount of onions, wine, tomatoes, and cinnamon. The word stifado itself is really more about the stewing and other ingredients (not necessarily the beef) but beef is probably the most common form of stifado, at least in the U.S.

What this dish lacks in appearance, it makes up for in flavor. Big time. Beef is braised until it’s pull-apart tender. The wine and tomato paste create a great depth of flavor, while the cinnamon and cloves give this is a slightly sweet/spicy flavor. Cumin might seem like an odd ingredient in Greek food, but I like the slight smokiness it provides, and also use it in Greek meatballs called soutzoukakia. You can certainly omit it, if it’s  not your thing.

Unlike a typical stew, this one doesn’t have potatoes (it doesn’t have much besides the meat, really!), so feel free to serve it with  your carb of choice. I love having it with some crusty bread to sop off the sauce, and have also had it over rice. One of my favorite ways to eat the leftovers is with pasta (and loads of a salty cheese, like myzithra), which is what we did this time, too.

Just a note, I’ve been loving these little muslin bags when cooking with things like whole cloves. They are food safe, reusable, and make fishing out the cloves at the end much easier.

Beef (Kreas) Stifado

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2 lbs. beef chuck, cut into 1″ pieces (or packaged stew meat)
3/4 cup flour
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 lb. cipolini onions, peeled (I use frozen, which are already peeled)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2/3 cup red wine
2 cups beef broth or water
1 cinnamon stick
4-5 whole cloves, or allspice berries
2 bay leaves
3/4 tsp. cumin

Combine the flour with a big pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper in a resealable bag. Add the beef, in batches if necessary, and shake to coat.

In a Dutch oven, heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat. Once hot, shake the excess flour off the beef and place some in a single layer in the hot oil, without overcrowding. Brown on one side and then flip and brown on the other. Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon. Add another Tbsp. of oil to the pan and continue with the remaining 1-2 batches of beef.

Once the beef has been browned and removed, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook another minute. Add the wine and scrape up any browned bits. Cook until slightly reduced, 2 minutes. Add the broth or water, cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then add the beef back in. Reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook until beef is very tender, 2-3 hours. Season to taste, if necessary.

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Happy (almost) new year! I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays, and hopefully some time off work, too. We had a great break, but it was definitely tiring since we did a lot of traveling. We also spent a lot of time in front of family paparazzi in an effort to get a family picture (we never get any!), and this is what we came up with. (My son hasn’t stopped drooling in like 14 months, I swear.)

Today I’ll be making a traditional Greek vasilopita, and then swearing off desserts for the next year. Or for a couple days, anyway.

I’m not usually one for many round-up posts in my blog, but I really love doing one at the end of each year. It gives me a chance to revisit all of the new things I’ve made and remind myself of the ones I loved the most, so I can be sure to make them again (if I  haven’t already). Plus, it gives any new readers (hi!) a Cliff’s Notes version of the last year, to make sure they see the best of the best. Feel free to check out roundups from the past four years, too!

Below are a list of your favorite posts (based on statistics) and mine. Some of them overlap, which means you should make those first, obviously. :) Happy new year and happy cooking!

Your Favorite Recipes

1. Slowcooker Shredded Beef for Tacos/Burritos
2. French Onion Soup
3. Greek Salsa
4. Yellow Butter Cake with Chocolate Frosting
5. Bagels
6. Gigantes Plaki (Greek baked bean casserole)
7. Pasta with Portobello Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, and Goat Cheese
8. Almond Joy Ice Cream
9. Goat Cheese and Pancetta Stuffed Mushrooms
10. Panko-Crusted Fish Sticks

My Favorite Recipes (in order of posting date)

Osso Buco Braised veal shanks that are fall-off-the-bone-tender and flavorful, topped with a fresh gremolata

Cassata Cake This is one of my two favorite types of cake (the other, yellow with chocolate frosting, was one of your favorites, too), and is definitely one of the best cakes I’ve made. Rum-soaked sponge cakes are layered with cannoli filling and topped with whipped cream. What’s not to love?

Slowcooker Beef for Tacos/Burritos This is one of the easiest dishes to make, since the crockpot does most of the work for you. But, it’s also one of the most flavorful meals, too. We love this and it’s become a staple. It even made an appearance at my son’s first birthday party!

Chipotle and Tomatillo-Sauced Black Bean Enchiladas with Spinach and Pepper Whew, that title is quite a mouthful, but so are these enchiladas. It was a given that I’d love enchiladas topped with one of my favorite homemade salsas and filled with my favorite way to make black beans. This is, by far, one of my favorite vegetarian dishes to date.

Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo If you’ve ever wondered if the time to make a roux and simmer gumbo (not to mention the calories) is worth it, then the answer is a resounding yes. This is the stuff dreams are made of: a hearty, amazing stew with an incredible depth of flavor.

Amygdalota One of my two favorite Greek cookies! So glad I finally got around to making them, and even more glad the results were fabulous.

Almond Joy Ice Cream The title pretty much says it all, no?

Sticky Toffee Pudding This is really not a pudding at all, but an exceptionally moist cake studded with dates and drenched in toffee sauce. It’s one of my favorite desserts, and I promise it will be one of yours, too.

Bagels I was so impressed with how these turned out for my first attempt. Not nearly as difficult as I’d imagined, and the perfect texture.

Guacamole Salad This is a light, refreshing salad that is the perfect accompaniment to a Mexican dish, or really any summer grilling.

Greek Nachos A Greek twist on standard nachos, these start out with baked pita triangles and are topped with Greek salsa, a spiced lamb mixture, and tzatziki.

Drunken Noodles Although the search for some of the ingredients in this dish left me beat, it was all worth it in the end. This spicy Thai pasta dish will definitely trump your favorite delivery spot.

Barbecued Chicken Kabobs I credit these things with making my son interested in meat again. Bacon paste (yuuuuup) assures these kabobs stay perfectly moist, and an easily adaptable and ridiculously quick to whip up barbecue sauce makes these a great meal for the whole family.

Short Ribs in Chipotle and Green Chili Sauce With the first bite I took of this meal, I knew instantly they would make it onto this year-end list. That’s a ringing endorsement.

French Onion Soup Most likely my favorite soup on the planet.

Butternut Squash and Poblano Gratin With roasted poblanos, slightly sweet butternut squash, and loads of cheese, there is really nothing not to love about this. It’s my new favorite side dish.

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