Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes(9)

Salt and black pepper

Garnishes

Ketchup

Yellow mustard

Red onion, sliced

Corn chips

1. Warm oil in a Dutch oven or a large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add

meat and cook 18 minutes, until browned and nearly dry. Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Add onions and garlic; cook 5 minutes, until softened, stirring. Pour in broth, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans in the last 5 minutes of cooking.

For cheese sauce:

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add flour; stir until incorporated and a paste forms. Slowly pour in milk, a little at a time, stirring with each addition. Let simmer 5 minutes, until thickened, stirring often. Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Spoon chili into bowls. Ladle cheese sauce over servings. Drizzle with ketchup, mustard and other garnishes,

as desired.

TIP: The chili can be made up to two days in advance. Wait to make the cheese sauce until just before serving.

SPRING

Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata

Frittatas work for breakfast, lunch, tea or dinner. Since they can be served warm or at room temperature, they are a great party food.

Serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

½ small onion, thinly sliced

9 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped

9 large eggs

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers

Salt and black pepper

1. Warm oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions; cook 3 minutes, stirring. Add chopped spinach; cook 4 minutes, until wilted, stirring.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk eggs until blended. Stir in both cheeses and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture into skillet, over medium-low heat. Stir to combine. Let sit 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, lift up mixture around the edges of the pan to let the egg mixture flow underneath; set pan back over heat. Keep doing this until the top is just set, about 5 minutes. Run spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the frittata; shake pan back and forth to ensure that the frittata is loose in the pan. Pick up the skillet; slide frittata onto a large plate. Place the skillet upside-down over the frittata. Holding the skillet in one hand and the underside of the plate in the other hand, flip the plate so the top of the frittata is now facedown in the skillet. Place the skillet back over medium-low heat. Cook 3 minutes, until eggs are set.

3. Run spatula around the edges of the frittata to loosen it from the pan; slide it onto the platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.

TIP: Be sure to use baby spinach, which wilts quickly and doesn’t need to be trimmed or chopped.

SPRING

Savory Ricotta and Leek Pie

This is a foolproof make-ahead side dish for Easter dinner. Since it calls for premade pie crust, it’s also super-easy.

Serves 6

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 medium leeks (about 1 pound), trimmed, cleaned and very thinly sliced

1 cup cooked bacon, chopped, optional

1½ teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped, plus additional for garnish

Salt

8 ounces (just under 1 cup) ricotta cheese, preferably fresh

1 large egg

½ cup heavy cream

⅓ cup whole milk

1 prepared 9-inch pie crust

1. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks; cook 12 minutes, until golden and tender, stirring often. Add bacon, if desired. Remove from heat; stir in thyme and salt.

2. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, whisk ricotta, egg, cream and milk. Fold in leek mixture. Scrape mixture into the pie crust and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until just set and golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.

TIP: For meat-lovers, stir into the leeks a cup of chopped, cooked bacon to add a punch of meaty, salty flavor. Want even more flavor? Sprinkle the pie with grated Parmesan before baking.

SPRING

Chipotle Chicken Taco Bake

Make taco night festive by serving the tacos nestled in a bed of yellow rice.

Serves 4

1 package (10 ounces) Spanish or Mexican rice blend

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ red onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

Salt and black pepper

1 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce, seeded and minced

1 cup canned tomatoes, diced

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

8 taco shells

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

¾ cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Garnishes

Sour cream

Avocado, diced

Fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare rice according to package directions. Retain in the covered cooking pot to keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, warm oil in a large ovenproof skillet. Add onions; cook 6 minutes, until softened, stirring often. Add garlic, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper; cook 30 seconds, stirring. Stir in chili, tomatoes and chicken; cook until warmed through. Transfer mixture to a bowl.

3. Spoon cooked rice mixture into the same skillet (no need to clean). Spoon the chicken mixture evenly into the taco shells; top with beans and cheese. Nestle tacos into the rice mixture. Place skillet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese melts and the dish is hot. Serve with garnishes.