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upsidedownwithsteve · 9 months

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Simmer #6

CH6. Spilled Milk | The Menu [4.3K] Eddie Munson x shy fem!reader: a line cook au.

The diner was busy.

Too busy. In fact, it was chaotic. An unusual brunch time rush on the hottest Saturday in August. The first in the month and the official marking of your two month birthday at Jim’s Grill. Not that it mattered, no one was able to celebrate it, not even yourself.

A greyhound and a private coach had pulled into the parking lot within ten minutes of each other, tourists pouring out of them in big families, clusters of hikers, campers and back water town enthusiasts ready to order everything from the menu. Jim had lit up at the sight, the bell above the diner door jingling over and over and over again, before the man looked at Eddie through the hatch and his face fell into a panicked expression.

“Shit.”

Steve was already smiling until his cheeks ached, his customer service voice ringing out through the din of the crowd as he tried his best to get everyone seated, him and Jonathan pushing tables together to cater for the family that arrived with seven kids in tow.

Jim was on the phone in his office, barking out orders before they turned into pleas, the garish orange receiver clutched between two hands before he closed his eyes, mouthed a prayer and then pumped his fist in the air. Twenty minutes later, Dustin Henderson was storming through the diner with two other teens trailing behind him, looking far more begrudging about whatever they’d obviously been roped into.

Hopper handed them aprons and promised, “cash in hand at the end of the night and an extra twenty if you get through this without breaking anything.”

A deal was made and soon, a red headed girl called Max Mayfield was flying between tables on bright green roller skates, bussing tables with a bored expression on her freckled face. Behind her, Jonathan’s little brother Will was delivering trays of drinks, narrowly avoiding Dustin as he brought Eddie’s famous stacked burgers out by the dozen.

It was chaos. It was too warm, and god, it was so loud. But fuck, the tips were great. Your apron was stuffed with bills and order tickets, your fingertips red from the amount of times you’d caught them between the metal clips you hung them from above Eddie’s station. It was too busy to talk, to chat and flirt quietly in this new way you’d both grown brave enough to do. The boy was frazzled, side by side with Argyle by the grill as the flipped patties and fried eggs and bacon, a new batch of rolls dangerously close to burning in the oven. The timer was screaming, something else was buzzing, the workstations were the messiest you’d ever seen them and there was a puddle of spilled milk by the door.

“Door! Behind!” You yelled out amongst the noise, eyes wide at the orders sitting by the hatch still to be delivered. Nancy and Robin were taking plates six at a time, hands and arms full, their balance nothing short of impressive. “Eddie, sorry, but table six wanted extra hash browns with their brunch combo not an egg—”

You didn’t get to finish your sentence before Eddie was taking the plate from you and sliding the perfectly fried egg into the trash. He barely looked at you, something you tried not to frown at because his mouth was set in a strained line and there were beads of sweat gathering at curls on his forehead. “Argyle, time on those hash browns?” Eddie barked, eyes still on the burgers he was placing cheddar slices on top of.

Argyle was scraping crispy potato pieces around the griddle, salt and pepper and some other spices poured on top as he worked at breakneck speed. “Three minutes, chef,” Argyle called back and Eddie grunted in return.

You felt stupid, standing there aimlessly with a customer's plate in your hand and before you could get out of the way, Eddie was moving you himself. Big, wide hands on the tops of your arms, guiding you out of the path of the door just before Steve burst through it. He narrowly missed the spilled milk.

“Door!” He yelled a fraction later than he should’ve. Eddie glared at him. “Corner! Fuck, where’s the fucking syrups? Eddie? Ed! Where’s the syrup!”

You watched Eddie squeeze his eyes shut before he groaned, killing the heat on the grill just as Argyle appeared at your side to slide the freshly cooked hash browns onto the plate. You smiled, grateful. “Thank you.”

“Open your fuckin’ eyes, man! They’re on the shelf!” Eddie was furiously wiping his hands on his stained chef whites, a dish towel tucked into the ties of his apron as he started assembling burger after burger.

Bun. Sauce. Patty. Cheese. Bacon. More sauce. Lettuce. Pickles. Tomato. Fried egg. Perfect yolk. Crispy onions. More sauce. Bun.

“What shelf?!” Steve yelled back, the pantry contents rattling as he pushed his way past huge bags of sugar and jars of homemade jam. “Eddie, it’s not fucking there!”

Robin barged in the door, not announcing her arrival to anyone and the edge of it slammed Argyle as he walked past carrying piles of grease filled frying pans. “Oh shit, I’m so sorry dude!” Eddie glared at her. “Door?” She said weakly.

“Why is everyone in my fuckin’ kitchen!” Eddie yelled and diners closest to the hatch peered in at him, disapproving expressions on their faces as their kids with ketchup smeared chins laughed. “Buckley! What is it?”

“There’s like, seven tables asking for maple syrup. Where is it?”

Everyone groaned, eyes rolling and Eddie threw his hands to the ceiling. “It’s on the fuckin’ shelf, but Harrington is too blind to see them. Christ, Argyle, start getting these burgers out, Harrington fuckin’ move man—”

It all happened a bit too fast, that’s all. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, not really. Just a classic case of spilled milk. No need to cry over it, right? That’s what they said.

Argyle dumped the pans into the sink with a crash, slipping between you and Eddie’s workstation as he tried to get to the burgers before they went cold. Eddie was pushing past Robin to get to Steve who was still arguing and well, Robin might’ve stepped forward at the same time you stepped back to avoid Argyle. Plateful of hash browns held high, you tried to stop them from falling. You tried not to elbow Argyle in the face and god, you tried really hard not to completely crash into Robin despite the way her shoulder caught yours.

You stepped back again, someone yelled ‘door!’ and the sound of Max’s roller blades ripped through onto the kitchen tiles, sending everyone into a loud panic. Your foot found the puddle of milk, sneakers slipping through the liquid and the inevitable happened.

There was an awful crack when your head hit the worktop on the way down. Ass hitting the tiles, a horrible spine numbing pain licking up your back. The bones in your hips tingled with it before tears sprung to your eyes as a searing pain set in everywhere at once. You heard the kitchen go quiet for just a second, a blissful peace before the plate you’d been holding finally joined you on the floor and smashed into a hundred different pieces. Argyle’s perfectly crispy hash browns skittered under the workstation and you heard someone swear.

Then everyone was clamouring at once, hands hesitated to touch you as you brought your own to the back of your head and held it there. There was a strange kind of heat to it that made you hope it wasn’t blood, but you were too scared to look. Milk seeped into your wrinkled sock, your legs splayed out in front of you like a forgotten doll, but you didn’t feel half as pretty as one. You gazed mournfully at the smashed plate and couldn’t help the way your bottom lip twisted and trembled. God, your head hurt.

“Oh my god, are you okay?”

“I’m sorry, shit— I’m sorry, I should’ve said I was coming in, right?”

“It’s fine Max, it’s not your fault—”

“How many fingers am I holding up? Can you stand? Hey, who’s the president—?”

“Lil’ Chicago slice got laid out.”

“Everyone move.”

Eddie’s voice rang out the loudest, clear and gruff with an authoritative tone that bordered on scary. Everyone listened, the kitchen and its team quietening down again when they all saw how you winced at the noise. Eddie pushed past Steve, and Robin, dropping down to hunker next to you. His brows were stitched together with concern and he tutted softly at the tear slipping down your cheek. You hadn’t even noticed, but his thumb brushed it away before anyone else could see.

He murmured your name and it sounded like a question you were supposed to answer, so you hummed, face scrunched up as more sharp needles of pain prickled at the back of your skull. Your hand was still pressed to it, scared to let go as if your whole head would simply roll off of your neck.

But Eddie’s hand curled around your wrist and he tugged gently, murmuring words of nonsense that were nothing more than soft placations. With a bit of coaxing, you let him take your hand away and you slammed your eyes shut before you could look. No one hissed or gasped, so it seemed safe enough.

But still, you asked, “there’s no blood, right?”

The boy gave you a soft smile as everyone circled closer to peer at your hand. “Nah,” Eddie told you reassuringly. “No blood, you’ll live.” Then he was cupping your chin in his hand, thumb pressed to the corner of your mouth and his brow wrinkled with more concern. “Can I take a look though?”

You wanted to say no. All this fuss and attention was making you feel too hot, embarrassment from falling starting to roll in with the pain and it mixed in your stomach to create an awfully uncomfortable concoction. Steve and Robin were still gazing down at you, eyes wide with shock and Max looked stricken with guilt, as if she thought her coming into the kitchen unannounced caused this. Argyle was already moving between everyone, sweeping broken pieces of plate and squished food out of the way.

But you nodded and let Eddie peer at the back of your head. His hands gentle as he turned you this way and that, parting your hair so he could look for any cuts. He whistled at the sight of a bump and ran his thumb over it softly. You winced and he murmured a sorry before squeezed your knee, a comforting thing that Robin raised her brows at.

“Think you can stand?” Eddie asked.

You didn’t get a chance to answer, because Hopper was bursting through the doors with a red face and seven ticket orders clutched in his hand. “Why is half my staff on the kitchen fucking floor?” He yelled. “It’s crazy out there! What’s going on?”

You brought your knees to your chest as Steve explained what had happened, gesturing to the puddle of milk, the broken pieces of plate in the trash. Eddie didn’t move, didn’t take his eyes off you, even when you winced in embarrassment and tried to hide your face in your hands.

You heard Jim sigh and then he was clapping his hands and demanding that Steve and Robin went back to the dining floor. “There’s four tables waitin’ for coffee, never mind food, c’mon! And Max— Jesus, Maxine, take those skates off before someone else ends up with a concussion.”

Argyle was sent back to the grill before Hop patted Eddie on the shoulder and told him to do the same. Eddie screwed up his face, confusion wrinkling his brow. “What? No, Hop, someone’s gotta take her home.”

“Ed—” you started to interrupt, mortified at the idea of causing an upset.

Hop laughed, not meanly, just amused. “And what? You think you should be the one to take her, Casanova? You’re the only guy I got here that knows how to cook an omelette, you’re not going anywhere Munson.”

Eddie’s ears burned with the quip, cheeks flushed pink and he scowled at his boss, uncaring about the repercussions. But his attention was quickly stolen by you as you made an attempt to move, standing shakily as you protested that you were fine. The boy scoffed, holding your forearms so you could grip his, knuckles white as the shock of it all set in.

You did feel a little dizzy.

“She’s not going back out there to take orders,” Eddie told the older man as they both looked at your peaky expression, your glassy eyes.

“Well, I ain’t got the bodies to get someone to take her home, kid,” Hop shrugged regretfully. “Wayne at the garage?”

“Fishing trip,” Eddie answered sourly. “Here, c’mon, sit down, yeah?” He guided you to the stool by his station and helped you onto it, eyes filled with concern as you clutched the edge of the worktop and closed your eyes. “Should we be callin’ a doctor?” Eddie asked Hop.

“Don’t you dare,” you managed to bark at him, even though your voice sounded shaky. “I’m fine. I’ll just, I’ll just sit for a bit.”

You couldn’t hear what the two men were whispering about, but embarrassment told you it was most definitely about you. You only looked up when someone set a glass of water in front of you and you smiled in thanks at Argyle before he squeezed your shoulder and went back to flipping pancakes.

“Drink that, please,” Eddie mumbled softly as he appeared by your side. Hopper had left, standing awkwardly in the middle of the diner instead of his office as he wrote down orders listed off by a frantic Nancy. “Okay, we’ve come to an agreement.”

You snorted into your glass. “We have?” You asked as you wiped at your lips.

“Hop’s gonna take over and I’ll drive you home when this place finally calms down. Or we run out of eggs, whatever comes first.”

You rolled your eyes but the action was fond, just like the smile on your lips. You could barely bring yourself to look up at the boy for fear of giving too much away in your gaze, but when you did, you saw the same softness in Eddie’s own expression. “You don’t have to do that,” you told him. “I’ll just sit for a bit and then walk home.”

Eddie snorted and began chopping slices of tomatoes at a speed your eyes could barely keep up with. “No you fuckin’ won’t,” he told you. “Part of this agreement was that you park your cute ass where I can see you. No passing out in the walk-in, alright?”

You tried not to dwell on the compliment too much. Weeks had passed since the night you’d gotten high with the boy, too close on his bed, too close to doing something that was interrupted. You’d been back to the Munson trailer since, but you spent evenings on the sofa with both Eddie and Wayne, yelling at Alex Trebek and trying out new dishes that Eddie created for late nice dinners. No other attempt at a kiss - if that’s what had been about to happen. No other attempt at asking for a date - if that’s what the boy had been about to say.

“Are there any other conditions to this agreement?” You asked, wincing when Argyle dropped a pot into the sink. “Or did you just sell my soul to Jim without me knowing?”

Eddie laughed as he threw some mushroom halves onto the grill, dropping in some butter until they sizzled. “Sweetheart, c’mon now, you did that yourself when you agreed to work in his hellhole.” Eddie moved away just for a few seconds, long enough to return with a new glass of ice water that he replaced your empty one with. “But he did say you’re not allowed to sue him.”

You smiled, laughing weakly because your head still throbbed and the diner was too loud but Eddie Munson was grinning at you with his dimples on show and a stray curl falling into his big, brown eyes.

“Damn,” you tried to joke. “There goes my plan.”

—————

You’d been slumped on the stool for the best part of two hours before someone roused you from your semi sleeping state. Heels of your hands pressed to your closed eyes, the sounds of the diner sounding further and further away as you let yourself be lulled into haze by the sounds of Eddie and Argyle talking over the sizzle of the grill, the popping of bacon, the whir of a whisk.

Then, a palm on your back, wide and warm. You startled only slightly, sitting up and reappearing from behind your hands to see a bowl of soup being slid in front of you. A deep red, flecked with cracked black pepper and smelling like tomato and basil. There was a swirl of some cream in the centre, artfully placed, and a spoon was dipped into the middle of it.

“Eat up,” Eddie instructed softly. “Then I can try ‘n’ find you some Advil or somethin’, Nancy probably got some stashed somewhere.”

You eyed the soup with a sudden greed, mouth watering at the aroma, your fingers finding the spoon. “You didn’t even ask if I was hungry,” you gently scolded the boy.

Eddie knew what it meant. ‘Thank you. You shouldn’t have.’

“Don’t start,” he grumbled back, already going back to cracking more eggs into a bowl. Only six this time, which meant service must’ve been slowing. “You’ve had a coffee and half a slice of toast all day, eat your fuckin’ soup.”

You knew what that meant too. ‘You’re welcome. Please eat, so I stop worrying.’

So you ate and Eddie made omelettes, folding each so meticulously that you couldn’t help but watch. Butter on top, chives diced, fresh tomato and Italian ham in the middle. He knew you were staring, he always did. But now he smiled instead of scowled, let his gaze flicker to you every time he put his knife down and he nodded appreciatively when your spoon scraped the last of the soup from the bowl.

“Good?” He asked like always, sliding the omelette dishes out of the hatch for Steve to deliver to the waiting tables.

Jim was back in the office and the younger kids were long gone, sent home with leftover doughnuts from the pastry cabinet and an extra twenty in each of their back pockets. Regular slowness has resumed. Only Mr Creel sat at the bar, under the television as always, nursing a lukewarm cup of coffee he wouldn’t let Jonathan refill. There was a family at one table, an older couple at another, and three teens sharing a plate of fries in a booth at the back.

You nodded, humming. “So good, Eddie. Best soup I’ve had.”

Eddie grinned and tried to hide it, bashful and pink in the face at your praise. There was a lull in the kitchen as Argyle disappeared into the walk-in and for the first time that day, there was nothing on the grills in danger of burning. So the boy cleared his station and leant his elbows on it, so close to you that you could let your hand touch his, if you’d felt brave enough.

“How’s the head?”

You made a face at the reminder, reaching back to gingerly feel at the small lump there, tender and embarrassing. “It’s fine,” you told him. “Just another injury for the collection.”

Eddie snorted, knowing about your bumps and bruises you’d gathered working in the diner. You were insistent someone was moving table eight a few inches to the right each day, just to fuck with you and your hip. “Gonna have to keep you in a bubble.”

You smiled, “can’t feed me in a bubble, Munson.”

Another grin from Eddie, shy and pretty and so incredibly genuine. The boy that had scowled at you from the minute you’d appeared now couldn’t hide how happy you seemed to make him. Pink cheeks and dimples, a shine to his eyes that made your knees a little weak and you wanted to tell him then, right there, kiss me please.

Kiss me without smoke between us, kiss me without having an excuse to be close. Kiss me ‘cause you want to.

“Yeah, yeah you’re right, that seems— that would be, uh, less than ideal,” Eddie coughed, suddenly nervous. He straightened up and took his hands away from the counter, away from any ideas you had about holding them in your own. “I could, uh, I could - y’know - ask you if you wanted to grab dinner later, instead.”

You sucked in a breath, eyes wide. You didn’t say anything, you just blinked and your silence urged Eddie to fill it, so he rambled on further, voice coming out rushed and a little rough. “Like, I mean, so I can make sure, you know… you eat. God. And you don’t hit your head again, ‘cause you could totally have a concussion and that would su—”

“Eddie?” You interrupted, heart beating too fast, your chest too tight. It felt like it was ready to crack in two, ready to bloom. Excitement was caught in your throat, maybe hope. “Are you asking me on a date?”

The boy faltered and then smiled, a dopey, lopsided thing that you were sure was the most endearing sight you’d ever come across. Those cheeks went pink again and suddenly he was the furthest thing from the grumpy line cook that grunted his greetings to everyone. But maybe, you guessed, he just didn’t do that to you.

“I’m definitely trying to, yeah.” Eddie grinned then, only once he saw your smile too.

Giddy, feeling like a schoolgirl with her first crush, you squinted at him, eyes crinkling in the corners with a new type of joy. You wanted to laugh at his attempt, his shyness for a change instead of your own but you couldn’t keep it together. You were bursting at the seams, chest splintering as the butterflies roared. You felt breathless, you felt warm, you felt like you could look at yourself in the mirrored edge of a frying pan and watch yourself glitter.

“I’d love to,” you told him, soft, quiet, happy.

The boy lazed back against the worktop, the stainless steel between you littered with spilled sugar and the lonely top of a carrot. He played with the edge of his dish towel that was tucked into the front of his apron, narrowed his eyes at you comically and tried to contain his own grin. He was beaming.

“You’re not just saying that ‘cause you’re concussed, right?”

You laughed, a bright, sharp sound and you shook your head. “I’m not concussed.” You hummed, happy. “And even if I was, I’d still wanna go on a date with you.”

Eddie looked brighter than the sun.

—————

That evening, Eddie picked you up outside your apartment with freshly washed curls and a shirt that didn’t have any rips in it.

His boots were clean and his jeans weren’t creased and you’d have said something about it all if you weren’t as nervous as he looked. With what appeared to be a permanent flush on his cheeks, he hopped out the van as he saw you lock up, jogging round the front so he could open the door for you.

“You look nice,” he murmured as he helped you in, his hand holding yours, his gaze unable to stop from wandering over all the bare thigh your dress showed off.

A summery thing, cherry red with a hem that erred on the side of almost too short, with short sleeves and a pretty frilled neckline. It was lower than your uniform, showing off more skin and cleavage than he’d ever seen before. You’d changed seven times between getting out of the shower and watching the window for Eddie’s van, throwing your rejected outfits on your bedroom floor as you stood in your pyjama shirt, wondering if it was far too presumptuous to change into your best lace underwear.

The butterflies inside your ribcage were rattling.

“Thank you,” you answered politely and you let yourself look at him too, like you were allowed to now. He still had the rings he wore outside of the kitchen, a plain black T-shirt that smelled like he always did, like lemongrass and freshly spritzed cologne. “You look nice too.”

He went pink at your words and duked his chin to hide his smile. And when he got back into the driver's seat, you looked at him expectantly, nervously.

“So, uh, there’s only really one place to go for food in this town,” Eddie cleared his throat awkwardly and he smiled, nose scrunched. “And rumour has it, the chef is out on a hot date…”

You laughed, tension broken for a second or two and you hummed, nodding. “Hot date, huh?”

Eddie nodded furiously, letting his eyes dip to look over your bare legs, the short hem of your dress, scarlet against your skin. He looked bravely, not trying to hide it the way he used to. “The hottest,” he confirmed.

“Where are you taking me then?” you asked softly, leaning your cheek against the seat. It was dangerous looking at him like this, like you wanted him, like you were over trying to hide it. Your workplace crush had bloomed into something else, something more and it made your chest ache.

“Wayne’s not home,” Eddie replied just as soft, just as quiet. His gaze kept falling to your mouth, the way it turned up in the corners. “I have it on good authority that the food at Casa Munson is top tier.”

It made your stomach flip, the idea of being alone with the boy. It barely happened, a rarity, really. The butterflies in your stomach were pushing at your bones, gnawing to get out. You were dizzy with it.

“Yeah?” you smiled at him, putting Eddie’s own nerves at ease. “Think you could get us a table?”

#eddie munson #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fics #eddie munson fic #eddie munson fanfiction #eddie munson smut #eddie munson oneshot #eddie munson imagine #linecook!eddie

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ros3ybabe · 9 months

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Daily Check-in - August 12th, 2023 🎀

My updates have been a little spread out, but I am happy to announce that I will be (hopefully) posting updates more regularly with my university classes starting for the fall semester and now that I'm also back at my original job! It definitely gave me a reason to stick to my routine so I have a good feeling about all of this!

With the new semester starting comes new goals, which I will be making a separate post about! It's going to somewhat detail my personal, academic, and social goals for the fall semester. So stay tuned for that!

I also began intermittent fasting recently as I have read that it helps with PCOS (which I do have, along with hypothyroidism). My goal is to become healthier physically and mentally, and I believe that doing this will only improve my quality of life! I currently am doing 16:8, and I love it because it works with my schedule and eating habits I usually already have!

🩷 What I Ate Today:

Brunch - One piece of brioche style white bread with two slices of cheddar cheese and a spoonful of scrambled eggs and a side of diced potatoes with ketchup.

Dinner - Taco Bell <3 A nacho bell grande and a crunchwrap Supreme with lots of Diablo sauce

Snacks - 2 cups of coffee with one sweet n low each and French vanilla creamer, and one mocha cold brew shake from the coffee shop on my university campus.

I decided to treat myself to Taco Bell tonight since I was craving it and had the money to do so. I actually ordered more than I ended up eating, so I gave the rest to my roommate.

🩷 Workout - Upper Body Pilates-ish

I loved this so much the first time I did it that I wanted to include it again! ait gives such a nice burn and feel after completing it and I honestly wish it was longer, it's that good!

I wanted to try this one because I think fixing posture is helpful, and honestly, those 90 shoulders are really aesthetic. I don't think this is going to give me *drastic* results until I lose some weight and lean out a bit, but I think helping to fix my posture is such a good idea to help with back pain and avoiding text neck! I liked this one, but there were a couple of stretches that were a bit hard to complete, given my current weight. But I'll keep doing this til I get it!

🩷 Habits I Accomplished Today -

Made my bed

Morning and Night Skincare

Morning Guided Journal

Daily Journal

Reas 1 Chapter of a book

Morning Workout

Stretching

Today was definitely a good day, especially since I completed most of those before going to work at 715am! I'm super proud of myself, and I hope to keep my progress going and continue bettering myself!

🩷 Song of the Day: Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift

This song is soo good. I've never been a Swiftie but I've started getting into a couple of her songs, I like how soft they sound.

🩷 Current Read - Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel S. F. Heller

This book has been in my shelf for a few months and since I've recently gone long distance with my boyfriend, I figured it would be a good idea to educate myself on attachment styles and ways to healthily navigate relationships. I'm two chapters in and I already love it!

That's all for the day! I'll update you guys again tomorrow! Thank you for all the love <3

Til tomorrow, my lovelies 🩷

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smalltowngnoll · 8 months

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Apple and Cheese Sandwich

Made with only the finest organic ingredients, this sandwich is quite remarkable.

Mom always said “an apple pie without some cheese is like a hug without a squeeze,” which niche pairing aside, she eats neither thing. This is based on a grilled cheese I had the pleasure of having during one of our apple festivals.

On two slices of bread, spread some mayo. Drizzle a little honey on top. Put some white cheddar on both slices of bread. Add some apple slices on one, then put the sandwich together. Pan fry using a smear of mayo or butter on each side.

Pan was a little hot, so some of the cheese didn’t fully melt where the slices overlap from trying to cover the whole bread. Oh, well. The honey really brings this together. I’m still chasing that high from the first time I had this sandwich!

#neopets #neopia #nostalgia #regular ass food #neotag #neopetsfood

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sweethoneyrose83 · 4 months

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DogDay's Egg Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

2 rye slices of bread

2 eggs

Butter or cooking spray

Cheese slices (cheddar, Swiss, American, etc.)

Salt and pepper (optional)

Instructions

Heat a non-stick skillet or frying pan over medium heat.

Lightly butter one side of each bread slice.

Place one slice of bread, buttered side down, on the skillet.

Crack an egg onto the center of the bread slice in the pan. Let it cook for a minute or so.

Carefully place a cheese slice on top of the egg.

Season the egg with salt and pepper if desired.

Place the second slice of bread on top, buttered side facing up.

Once the bottom is golden brown, carefully flip the sandwich to cook the other side until it's crispy and the cheese is melted.

Remove from the skillet and let it cool for a minute before slicing and serving.

Enjoy! And have a sunny day!

#video game #spooky vibes #poppy playtime #poppy playtime chapter 3 #dogday #smiling critters

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askwhatsforlunch · 3 months

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Quince Paste Cheese Toastie

On a busy day, or one you lack inspiration, a cheese toastie always makes a simple, comforting meal. And this Quince Paste Cheese Toastie, where the aged cheese and preserve combine harmoniously, is sheer comfort indeed! Happy Tuesday!

Ingredients (serves 1):

2 large slices Sourdough Bread

1 ½ tablespoon butter, softened

45 grams/1½ ounce Mature (7 to 10 months) Comté or Mature English Cheddar

1 1/2 tablespoon Quince Paste

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat.

Spread butter on one side of one, and both side of the second of Sourdough bread slices.

On the slice buttered on both sides, arrange Comté, cut into thin slices. Set aside.

Spread the remaining Sourdough slice (non-buttered side) generously with Quince Paste!

Sandwich both laden Sourdough slices together, and place sandwich onto the hot pan. Cook, 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until well-grilled and cheese is melted.

Cut Quince Paste Cheese Toastie in halves and enjoy immediately, with a side of lettuce and a glass of chilled Chardonnay (or other dry white wine, like Entre-Deux-Mers)!

#Recipe #Quince Paste Cheese Toastie #Quince Paste Cheese Toastie recipe #Cheese Toastie #Cheese Toastie recipe #Bread #Sourdough #Sourdough Bread #Butter #Comté #Comté Cheese #Mature Comté #Quince Paste #Homemade Quince Paste #Quick recipe #Easy recipe #5 Ingredients or Less #Lunch Today #Weekday Lunch

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abramsbooks · 1 year

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RECIPE: The Flame-Grilled Burger (from The Great American Burger Book (Updated and Expanded Edition))

Cooking over direct flame is one of the most difficult ways to make a hamburger. One of the reasons so many of the hamburgers made a hundred years ago were cooked on flat tops was simply because the results were predictably good. Squash a ball of beef on a skillet and reap the rewards of the path of least resistance. I also would imagine that way back then, lighting a big charcoal grill and flame cooking at small burger stands and joints throughout America would have been pretty dangerous. But we all know that a burger cooked on a flame grill is a very different burger.

It’s easy to master the skillet-cooked burger. Grilling a burger on open flame requires more dedication to the craft, more time, more equipment, and a willingness to fail. That’s because cooking on an outdoor grill can be very unpredictable. The grill master is at the mercy of uneven temperatures, depending on the type of coals used and where those coals are in relation to the grilling grate. Even the weather can be a factor. The outdoor propane grill solves a few of these issues, but if you really want to experience a flame-cooked burger, super-hot charcoal is the only way to go.

There’s something fundamental and primal in our desire to harness fire and grill. “The greatest advantage to cooking over flame is the grilled flavor,” Michael Ollier, corporate chef at Certified Angus Beef®, told me once, adding with a smile, “I crave that.” It’s a flavor that you cannot ever achieve cooking on a flat top or by any other method. Chef Ollier explained the science behind this perfectly: “The fat that drips onto the coals becomes airborne, flavoring your burgers.”

The keys to grilling success are high heat and confidence. Get your coals super hot and your tools, patties, and condiments ready to go, and you’ll be all set up to grill like a pro. When family and friends are hovering around you at the grill, waiting for magic, it may feel like there’s a lot at stake. Just follow the recipe below for the classic grilled cheeseburger—and remember, practice makes perfect.

Makes 8 burgers

Equipment

A 3½-inch (9-cm) food ring or round cutter

Parchment paper

A charcoal chimney

Charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal

A charcoal kettle grill, hibachi, or similar

A stiff spatula (with a long handle)

The Burger

2½ pounds (about 1 kg) fresh-ground 80/20 chuck

Salt and coarse black pepper, for seasoning

8 soft white buns

The Toppings

8 thick slices American, cheddar, or any other good melting cheese

Green-leaf lettuce

1 or 2 red beefsteak tomatoes, sliced

1 medium Vidalia or Walla Walla onion, sliced

Divide the beef into 8 equal portions (5 ounces/140 g each).

Place the food ring on a cutting board or clean surface lined with parchment paper and add a portion of beef. Gently press the beef into the ring to create a perfectly round patty. (I use the ring for consistent thickness, but you can eyeball the size if you prefer. Both methods work fine. Just be sure not to over-press the meat—you want it to maintain a somewhat loose grind.)

Return the patties to the fridge to chill until you’re ready to grill (hey, that rhymes).

Using the chimney starter, light the charcoal. When coals are ready, transfer them to the grill, making sure that the bottom vent is open. Spread the coals out, leaving a small space on one side (as a rest spot in case things get too hot in there).

Place the grate over the coals and, using a grill brush, scrape off any residual buildup from your last grilling adventure. Cover the grill and make sure that the top vent is wide open. Give your grill grate a chance to heat up—you don’t want to plop raw burger patties onto a lukewarm grill. That grate should be ridiculously hot!

At this point, and not before, season both sides of your patties with a liberal amount of salt and pepper. Salting too early will bind the muscle fibers together and make your burgers tough (yuck).

Place the patties on the hot grill grate, cover the grill, and leave them alone. Allow the patties to cook for about 5 minutes. The cooking time can vary depending on environmental and equipment factors, so you’ll have to use your best judgment here. Chef Michael Ollier from Certified Angus Beef put it best when he told me, “Let the burger speak to you.” If you understand this statement, you’re probably drinking too much at the grill. But seriously, with experience comes wisdom—the burger will actually tell you when it’s time to flip. One good visual cue is when you see red liquid start to form on the uncooked surface of the burger. Go ahead and take a peek just shy of 5 minutes.

This would be a good time to toast your buns. Toast them indoors using a skillet on your stovetop, or toast them with butter in a small cast-iron skillet, directly on the colder side of the grill.

Cook the second side (again, untouched and covered) for an additional 4 minutes. With about 1 minute to go, top each patty with a slice of cheese and cover the grill. As the burgers finish cooking, slide them to the cooler rest spot section of the grill, away from the hot coals. Once all your burgers are done, remove them from the heat and allow them to rest for 1½ minutes. The internal temperature of the burgers should be about 143°F (62°C) for medium-rare.

Top the toasted buns with the lettuce, tomato, and onion slices, or your condiments of choice. (I love a good, crisp slice of onion on my grilled burgers, as well as mustard, pickle, and sometimes mayonnaise.) Transfer the patties to the toasted buns and serve.

The definitive guide to creating the most mouthwatering hamburgers by America’s leading burger expert—expanded and updated with new and improved recipes

The Great American Burger Book was the first book to showcase a wide range of regional burger styles and cooking methods. In this new, expanded edition, author and burger expert George Motz covers traditional grilling techniques as well as how to smoke, steam, poach, smash, and deep-fry burgers based on signature recipes from around the country.

Each chapter is dedicated to a specific regional burger, and includes the history of the method and details on how to create your own piece of American food history right at home. Written by Motz, the author of Hamburger America and hailed by the New York Times as a “leading authority” on hamburgers, The Great American Burger Book is a regional tour of America’s best burgers.

Recipes feature regional burgers from California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin. International locations include: Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Malaysia, and Turkey.

These mouthwatering recipes include Connecticut’s Steamed Cheeseburger, The Tortilla Burger of New Mexico, Iowa’s Loosemeat Sandwich, Houston’s Smoked Burger, Pennsylvania’s The Fluff Screamer, and Sheboygan's Brat Burger.

This is a book for anyone who loves a great burger, unique or classic. And who doesn’t love a great burger?

For more information, click here.

#abramsbooks #abrams books #the great american burger book #great american burger book #american burger book #george motz #motz burger #burger #burgers #burger recipe #grilling season #summer grilling #flame grilled burger

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zapsoda · 8 months

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delicious grilled cheese recipe: no picture cause i suck at food photography

ingredients you will need:

whatever bread you want to use, sliced

shredded and optionally, sliced cheese (i used cheddar)

mayonnaise (i used nandos spicy perinaise)

onion or onion powder (preferably the real deal)

salt and pepper

smoked paprika (or regular but smoked is better)

garlic or garlic powder (i used garlic powder)

butter or margarine

and optionally: hot sauce

you could also add like kimchi/olives/pimentos whatever, i just used what i had in the fridge/pantry

steps:

chop/dice your onions very finely

get a bowl and mix the shredded cheese with some mayo (not too much) and the onions, paprika, garlic powder, and the salt n pepper. measure this shit with your heart

take your slices of bread and spread butter/margarine on all sides. then add a slice of cheese on each and spread your shredded cheese mixture on one of them. pack that shit on.

then smash the slices together, cheese side to cheese side, and grill those suckers up its pretty self explanatory

add hot sauce whenever you feel like it i just poured it on top of the post-grilled sandwich

pro tip: try not to burn them 🙏 TwT

#cooking tag #whatever #i wanna keep track of these for my own purposes

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pradame · 8 months

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Omg for your latest cooking post can you please give the names of the dishes? Esp the 2nd and the second last and last one? I know recipes would be too long to write but if you can give the name i can search how to make it :) they look so delicious and nice!!!

Hello! Thank you ♡ the second one is called eggs en cocotte (recipe by lindseyeatsla.com)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon softened butter

3-6 eggs 1-2 in each ramekin, depending on size

1/4th cup heavy cream

1/4th cup cheese Boursin garlic & herbs, herbed goat cheese, Comté, Emmental, Gruyere all can work

bundle of chives thinly sliced to serve

Salt and pepper to taste

toasted baguette to serve

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and bring a kettle to a boil.

Take your softened butter, and spread around your ramekins to help with any sticking/and to add more flavor. Crack 1-2 eggs in each ramekin (depending on the size of your vessel).

Finish off with crumbled or shredded cheese of your choice (you can use Boursin garlic & herbs, herbed goat cheese, Comté, Emmental, Gruyere all can work)

Finish with your cream; 1/4th cup total divided into 3 ramekins.

Place your ramekins in a baking dish/oven safe proof dish that has a little bit of height. Next, you’re going to make your water bath by pouring your boiling water into the baking dish until it reaches halfway up the sides. Cover with your ramekin tops or foil. This helps cook the eggs really gently, and it stays really creamy!

The second to last one are chicken taquitos!

I shredded a rotisserie chicken and added el pato hot sauce, chopped onions, & cilantro. mix that all together and roll into softened tortillas (I used flour), lightly fry with olive oil in a pan and serve with sour cream, lettuce & shredded cheddar cheese 💕

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kcrossvine-art · 1 year

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Well howwwwdyyyyyy! Sometimes dino nugs can be vegable, okay? Today from the Redwall Cookbook- we will be making a dish that lives up to its name (no, not the squirrel part) -Savory Squirrel Bakes.

(search for the original recipe at the bottom if you’d like to skitter along with this)-

MY NAMES CROSS NOW LETS COOK LIKE ANIMALS

SO, “what goes in to a Savory Squirrel Bake?” YOU MIGHT ASK

1 pound potatoes

grated hard cheese

unsalted butter

chopped chives or scallions

Salt and pepper

all-purpose flour

1 egg, beaten

breadcrumbs

AND, “what does Savory Squirrel Bake taste like?” YOU MIGHT ASK

Kinda like a veggie chicken nugget!

Its essentially mashed potatoes with a crust container

Fried scrambled potato hahaha

You could customize it by adding further ingredients or just doing the potatoes and the breadcrumbs/egg, honestly

Pairs well with a tangy dipping sauce!!!

Would pair well with baked apples and a fruity club soda

A very filling reprieve from a cold winters night

. where scallions or chives called for, used both scallions and chives . doubled the scallions and chives . cook time suggested 20 minutes, went closer to 35 for a good crust to develop

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From time decided on the dish, to having it in my belly, id estimate it took a good hour and a half-ish? Granted we were also sidetracked talking with eachother, so it could go quicker with practice and such.

In the future i'd experiment with adding panko flakes in place of the bread crumbs, and smoked paprika, garlic powder, and pepper during the mashing process. Perhaps a sprinkling of cheese right before it goes in the oven too? It couldve stood to have more butter, just to make it smoother, but thats more personal preference.

I give this recipe a solid 8/10 (with 1 being food that makes one physically sick and 10 being food that gives one a lust for life again.)

🐁 ORIGINAL RESIPPY TEXT BELOW 🐁

Ingredients:

1 pound potatoes, boiled and mashed

2 cups (4 ounces) grated hard cheese, such as Cheddar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon chopped chives or scallions

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 to 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, as needed

1 egg, beaten

1 cup breadcrumbs

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375° F. In a bowl, beat the potatoes with the cheese, butter, chives, salt and pepper until smooth. If the dough is too loose to handle, stir in enough flour, up to 2 tablespoons, to make a firm dough.

Turn the dough onto a floured board and form it into a 2-inch-thick log. Cut the dough into 1-inch slices and shape the slices into balls.

Set up a bowl with the egg in it and a bowl with the breadcrumbs. Coat each ball of dough in egg, then breadcrumbs, then place it on a baking sheet. Bake until browned, about 20 minutes (alternately, fry the cakes over medium heat in about 14 inch of vegetable oil until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes).

#cross cooks redwall #recipe review #digital art

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neotrances · 1 year

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hiy that pasta looks delicious can you please post a recipe..

sorry um i just kinda do stuff so i’ll just list the stuff i got and go from there um ur gonna need

thin sliced chicken ( boneless)

cream cheese and shredded mozerella and shredded spiced cheddar

various spices…

pickle juice

one egg

1 lemon

like a cup of milk or two

pasta (any shape of ur choosing..)

minced garlic

half cup of alfredo oh and some mayo

first u gotta marinate ur chicken ur gonna put milk an egg half a lemons juice pickle juice and salt and pepper and paprika into a bowl with like three scoops of mayo and mix it and then add ur thin sliced chicken….u can let it sit for um however long u want it reallydoesnt matter i did it for a hour soit could soak in the flavor, ok so ur gonna put ur pasta into a pot (after the chicken is done marinating) with butter salt and some lemon juice from one half of the lemon u sliced then ur gonna get a pan and put a lil bit of olive oil on it for thirty seconds or until it’s sizzling a little and try to do two pieces of chicken at a time, leave it on the pan for about four MINUTES each (and oh when u pull chicken from ur marinated slop shake it a little bit to get the excess liquid off) once one side is golden brown ur gonna flip it again and cook for another four minutes and do all the chicken the same way

ur pasta should like be halfway done at this point so u can work on the sauce, ur gonna get cream cheese shredded mozerella spiced cheddar and a little bit of alfredo (i prefer my sauce more cheese than pre processed alfredo) and mix, u don’t have to get rid of the clumps it’ll turn into a eben sauce when u put it on the pasta, after that jr gonna shred ur chicken with a fork and knife, then u can strain ur noodles and put them back in the pot they were boiling in and add ur sauce, (i like to take the oil and grease that came off of the chicken in the other pan and add it to the sauce for the alfredo bc it just taste good) ur gonna gradually mix the sauce in on low heat and add more shredded cheese as needed, i like adding minced garlic while slowly mixing it and letting it cook, if u have any lemon juice left u cant squeeze it over the pasta as u stir, now u can add ur chicken and like mix it in slowly or whatever until it’s evenly dispersed, then put a lid on the pasta….let it cook on low for five minutes or so open the lid and give it a taste test …..if it taste alright i can take it out but if not u can use salt and paprika to add more flavor … lastly i get a parmesan shaker and shake it all over the food and um u can cook a garlic bread stick if u want but u don’t have to itsnot required um yep

#✉️

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nbula-rising · 9 months

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Cheesy Pesto Avocado Bacon Breakfast Burrito Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Total Time 40 minutes Servings: 4 burritos

Ingredients

US- 8 eggs 2 teaspoons everything bagel spice kosher salt and black pepper 3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese 3/4 cup shredded fontina cheese 3 tablespoons salted butter 2 cups baby spinach 4 large tortillas 1 avocado, diced 1/2 cup basil pesto 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled 1 cup leftover French fries or roasted potatoes

Metric – 8 eggs 2 teaspoons everything bagel spice kosher salt and black pepper 84.75 g shredded cheddar cheese 99 g shredded fontina cheese 3 tablespoons salted butter 60 g baby spinach 4 large tortillas 1 avocado, diced 124 g basil pesto 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled 236.59 g leftover French fries or roasted potatoes

Instructions1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. 2. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, everything spice, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. 3. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Pour in the eggs and cook, undisturbed, until beginning to set on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle on the cheddar. Using a spatula, lift up the edges of the eggs and let the uncooked eggs run underneath. Scatter the spinach over top, and cook another minute. Remove from the heat. 4. Place one tortilla at a time in the microwave for 20 seconds. Spread on a layer of pesto, then add the eggs, potatoes, cheese, avocado, and bacon. Fold the tortilla over the ingredients. Fold sides and ends of tortillas over filling and roll forward. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Wrap the burritos in foil. 5. Wrap the burritos in foil and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese melts. Unwrap the foil, eat, and enjoy!

Notes To Make Ahead and Freeze: Omit the avocado. Wrap each burrito tightly in foil and store in freezer bags. To thaw, remove the foil and thaw them in the microwave on power level high for 60-90 seconds. Each microwave differs though. Serve with avocado.

#recipes #breakfast #burrito

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ros3ybabe · 7 months

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Daily Check-in: October 11th, 2023 🎀

So I was wat more productive then I had thought i would be given the exhaustion I felt from jet lag. I am proud of what I got done! However, I only slept about 2 hours, and it was broken sleep at that so I am not exactly feeling top of my game at the moment. We'll see what my energy allows me to complete today.

🩷 What I Ate, Oct 11th -

Brunch/Lunch - Spaghetti with meat sauce and ground turkey, topped with grated parmesean

Dinner - Turkey & Roast Beef bagel sandwich with avocado, 1 slice muenster cheese, 1 slice cheddar cheese, and a small side of potato chips.

Snack - a half bowl of spaghetti with ground turkey and meat sauce

Extra - 4 cups of coffee, each with one sweet n low and a splash of French vanilla creamer

I actually cooked which is odd for me as I typically don't have energy. My goal for today is to cook a batch of ground beef for taco bowls!

🩷 Personal Achivements, Oct 11th -

Washed bed sheets + pillowcases

Did the dishes

Maintained Duolingo streak (1 lesson)

Maintained Busuu streak (3 lessons)

Video called with my boyfriend twice

Made a shopping list for langaueh tracker/bullet journal (purchased at 1am because Amazon prime big deals were ending and I wanted to save some money)

Made a schedule/routine for working out next week

Cooked myself a real meal

Swept kitchen and disinfected/wiped down counters in kitchen

showered + morning skincare

🩷 Academic Achievements, Oct 11th -

Completed and submitted lifecycle nutrition chart

submitted and passed lab 7 anatomy pre lab

submitted discussion post + replies for nutr discussion 3

I feel quite proud of yesterday! Let's hope today I can tackle some more stuff on my todo list!

🩷 Personal ToDo, Oct 12th -

cook ground beef for taco bowls (leftovers!!)

wash dirty laundry

put away all clean laundry

therapy appointment

video call boyfriend

morning + night skincare

morning + night journal (?)

do 2 duolingo lessons

do 2 busuu lessons

complete/continue genki I lesson one

type up draft for upcoming blog post(s?)

🩷 Academic ToDo, Oct 12th -

Chapter 9 Notes Psyc

Quiz Chapter 9 Psyc

Culinary chapter 10 Quiz

Consumer Debt Inventiry assignment

Using Credit personal finance assignment

I've put a lot on my to-do list for today, but if I can even get a third of each list done, I will still be very proud of myself. Productivity should not come at the cost of my own well-being. Maybe I'll take a nap today? My boyfriend thinks it's a good idea, but I'm not a big fan of naps regardless of the situation. We shall see.

I took complete advantage of the prime big deals on Amazon and ordered some new workout clothes, some hair accessories, a set of silk pillowcases, and supplies for my bullet journal language tracker/planner. I even bought this cute little journal that's made specifically for fitness and health tracking, as a little side thing of mine to help keep me going! It comes with stickers and already set up pages, so hopefully, it proves to be useful!

I may or may not have made an Ulta order for some makeup using my afterpay account as well, because as it gets colder outside I'm starting to want to wear makeup for fun again. I'm not typically drawn to full beat looks but in the winter I love going all out with my makeup looks, whether I'm doing a more grunge goth emo look or a soft coquette girly look and everything in between. I love makeup as a form of self expression!

May or may not buy some more skincare as well, I'm just trying to decrease the amount of stuff in my skincare cart on the shopping app but it's so hard choosing what to get now and what to wait on!! I'm super indecisive too so that intensified the struggle.

Thats all for today! I'll make sure to update you lovelies tonight/tomorrow!

til next time, lovelies 🩷

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thewolfparadox-things · 9 months

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Hircine's bacon grilled cheese recipe:

Ingredients:

4 slices bread

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 tablespoon butter, softened

1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions:

Spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread.

On one slice of bread, layer half of the cheddar cheese, then half of the bacon.

Top with the remaining slice of bread, butter-side down.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil.

Add the sandwich to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted and gooey.

Repeat with the remaining sandwich.

Cut the sandwiches in half and serve immediately.

Here are some tips for making the best bacon grilled cheese sandwich:

Use good quality bread. A sturdy bread like sourdough or rye will hold up well to the weight of the cheese and bacon.

Use lots of cheese. The more cheese, the better!

Cook over medium heat. This will help to prevent the bread from burning.

Don't overcrowd the pan. If you try to cook too many sandwiches at once, they won't cook evenly.

Be patient. It takes a few minutes for the bread to get golden brown and the cheese to melt and gooey.

Enjoy!

#hircine worship #daedra worship #skyrim paganism #pop culture paganism #hircine #werewolves #skyrim pagan

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spooniechef · 11 months

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Lasagne (1-2 spoons)

Another one that serves well for both your “batch cooking” needs and your “stick it in the oven for awhile without doing much else to it” needs is lasagne. I like lasagne but had never made it myself; gluten-free ready-meal lasagne exists but is too expensive, so I gave it up for awhile after discovering the gluten intolerance issue. Still, I was interested enough in trying to make my own that I asked for a baking dish for Christmas a couple of years ago, and is part of why I started getting into the concept of batch cooking to help save spoons in the first place. Lasagne’s hearty, has all the food groups you need, and keeps well in the freezer, so it seemed like a good way to start.

I’m going to start with some notes, because there’s a couple of different ways to approach lasagne sauces. You can just buy the stuff in jars, but while I recommend that for the white sauce (bechamel sauce is a pain in the ass), the red sauce in jars is never quite as good. So here’s a rough approximation of my recipe for bolognaise sauce, since it’s going to be a key component here.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 packet ground beef (not too fatty, but not too lean either)

1 large onion, chopped

Spices to taste (I generally use paprika, chilli powder, celery salt, garlic pepper, and seasoned salt)

1/2 zucchini (or courgette if you live on my side of the Atlantic), quartered

1 packet button mushrooms, sliced

1 can / packet passatta (if you can’t find passatta, just get a can of chopped tomatoes and use a blender / hand mixer to get the right consistency)

2 tablespoons tomato puree

3-6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon steak sauce (A1 works best, but any barbecue sauce will do)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon tabasco sauce

1 beef stock cube

Pepper, basil, oregano, sage, thyme to taste

Quick note on the herbs - I'm generally talking about fresh herbs in those situations. Another thing I did when I got my diagnosis was start an herb garden on my balcony and windowsills. I highly recommend it for the dedicated foodie - even those of us with limited spoons. I’ll go into why in another entry, and show just what can be accomplished with limited spoons and a north-facing apartment in a country famous for being overcast a lot. But for those who don’t have an herb garden, use about a half-teaspoon each of dried or a tablespoon or so of the mixed Italian herb blends you can buy and that should be fine.

Here’s what you do:

Spice the meat to taste; in a large, deep frying pan, cook the meat and onion until the beef is mostly browned and the onions are transparent

Add garlic, mushrooms and zucchini; heat for 1-2 minutes

Add everything else; stir thoroughly so everything is fully mixed

If you have one, put a lid on the pan; let simmer on medium-low heat for at least 20 minutes

The stock cube gives the sauce a nice bit of earthy richness, and the various sauces give it a bit of depth and kick - all of it acting as a complement to the beef. If you’re a vegetarian, just leave out the beef and the beef stock cube and use the entire courgette and another packet of button mushrooms.

This is good as a batch-cooking staple because it keeps well, freezes well, and can be used either just as a standalone pasta sauce, as the sauce for a pasta bake, or as the red sauce for a lasagne. Because it keeps so well, you don’t even have to decide on which right away. But for the sake of the rest of this post, lasagne.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 can white sauce (otherwise known as bechamel; if you want to make it yourself, you’re a braver person than I am)

Red sauce (see above, or use your own variation, or just a jar of the store-bought stuff in a pinch)

Little bit of oil or butter

1 packet lasagne sheets

1 packet cheese (cheddar or mozarella) to top

This becomes a one-spoon recipe if your red and white sauces are pre-made, one way or the other. It’s a two-spoon recipe if you’re making bolognaise for it fresh on the day. I figure trying to make your own white sauce would bring it up to three spoons, which is why I don’t advise it.

Here’s what you do:

Preheat oven to about 355F (180C, 160C fan assist, gas mark 4)

Grease your baking dish on all sides and along the bottom (this will stop things sticking to the baking dish and make serving and cleaning easier)

Coat the bottom of the baking dish with a layer of the red sauce; cover with a layer of lasagne sheets; spread a layer of white sauce over that

Keep alternating red / noodle / white for about three layers (that should see you to the end of the jar of white sauce); make sure that the top layer is completely covered by the white sauce

Top the entire thing with a layer of cheese

Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is bubbling and lightly browned

Just one note this time, and it’s about the same as the one I gave about the chicken broccoli pasta bake - if you’re using dairy-free cheese, you probably won’t get the same bubbling and browning as you would with regular cheese. You should still take it out of the oven at about the 45 minute mark.

So there you go - two recipes for the (nonexistent) price of one - pasta sauce and lasagne. Depending on your preferred portion size, the lasagne should make 4-6 servings, and again, it keeps well and freezes well, so it’s good even if you only have yourself to cook for.

#The Spoonie Chef #recipes #meals #pasta

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