Looking to simplify? Forget the shopping cart and grab the hand basket because these recipes have only six ingredients (plus salt and pepper)!
1. Easy Miso Cod Recipe
Made famous by celebrity chefs Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa and Wolfgang Puck, the pairing of miso and cod is, well, like peanut butter and jelly…they belong together. Though super-simple to make, remember to plan ahead because the longer the fish marinates, the better.
Ingredients
Miso Marinade
3/4 cup sake
3/4 cup mirin
1 cup white miso paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 (6oz) cod fillets (can also use halibut or sea bass)
Directions
1) For the marinade, combine sake and mirin in a medium sauce- pan over high heat. Boil for 30 seconds. Turn heat to low and add miso paste and soy sauce, stirring until the paste is completely dissolved. Add brown sugar and turn the heat back to high, stirring continuously until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
2) Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Refrigerate 12-24 hours, turning fish occasionally.
3) Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.
4) Remove fish from marinade, lightly wiping off any excess marinade clinging to the fillets. Place cod on prepared baking sheet and bake 6-7 minutes. Finish fish under the broiler, 2-3 minutes, to get a glaze on top.
Serves 6
2. Twice-Baked Stuffed Potatoes
Looking for one hot potato? These Twice—Baked Stuffed Baked Potatoes bring major pizazz to the oft-times boring spud. Baked to perfection, the creamy insides are scooped out, mashed with butter and mixed with cheese and sour cream. The potatoes are then re-stuffed and baked until golden brown beauties emerge!
Ingredients
6 large baking potatoes
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 400°F.
2) Scrub each potato and pat dry. Use a fork to pierce each potato in several places. Bake the potatoes directly on the oven rack for 50-60 minutes or until tender and easily pierced with the tip of a knife.
3) Remove from oven and cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon carefully (don’t go too deep or you’ll rip the skins) scoop out the flesh from inside the potatoes and place in a medium bowl.
4) Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange potato shells on baking sheet and return to oven until they are slightly crisp, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, using a potato masher or fork, mash potato flesh and stir in sour cream, cheddar cheese, butter, salt and pepper.
5) Spoon potato mixture back into the potato shells mounding them high and sprinkling each potato with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.
Serves 8-10
3. Steakhouse Creamed Spinach
Among the mahogany walls and dirty martinis, something great is happening in swanky steak-houses across the nation…carnivores are eating spinach. A simple side dish that seems healthy next to fried hash browns and marbled rib-eyes, the overly creamy restaurant version is still too flaccid and watery for our taste. Using whipped cream cheese, our easy, silky smooth spinach brings home all the taste of the upscale steakhouse without the $15 side-dish robbery and the velvet banquettes.
Ingredients
4 (10oz/283g) packages frozen chopped spinach
2 (6oz/170g) containers Kraft Philadelphia Whipped Cream Cheese
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 11×7-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2) Defrost spinach according to package directions. Drain very well, squeezing spinach to ensure all excess liquid is removed.
3) In a food processor, place cream cheese, melted butter, salt, pepper and spinach together. Process for 10 seconds. Using a rubber spatula scrape down the sides of the bowl and do 3-4 quick pulses to combine.
4) Transfer to prepared baking dish, sprinkle top with Parmesan and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Serves 8
4. Easy Baked Zucchini Chips
Did you ever think zucchini could lift you out of your potato rut? It can, and never more so than with these totally delicious oven-baked zucchini chips. Coated in a breadcrumb and parmesan crust, these easy zucchini chips trump boring spuds, every time.
Ingredients
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 large zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.
2) For the chips, pour milk in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, combine Parmesan, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Working one at a time, dip zucchini rounds in milk and then coat in the Parmesan mixture.
3) Lay crusted slices on prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip zucchini rounds and continue to bake another 10 minutes. Sprinkle with kosher salt and serve.
Serves 4-6
5. Caprese Orzo Salad
What do you do when tomatoes aren’t in season but you’re craving the classic Italian Caprese Salad? Think inside the box, as in the box of year-round juicy and flavorful cherry tomatoes and the box of orzo pasta, tossed up with melt- in-your-mouth bocconcini and slivers of chopped sweet basil.
Ingredients
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups pearl (bite-sized balls) bocconcini cheese
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
1 small garlic clove, minced
1½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups orzo
2 tbsp olive oil
Directions
1) In a medium bowl, gently stir together tomatoes, bocconcini, olive oil, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, allowing flavors to blend.
2) For the orzo, in a medium pot, bring water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender. Drain well and place in a large bowl, allowing to cool for 20 minutes.
3) Add remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and tomato mixture to orzo, tossing to coat.
Serves 6
6. Sweet & Sour Baked Salami
Watch your backs, fussy, flaky puff pastries. Slash your prices, conceited caviar. Salami, once considered déclassé in the haute hors d’oeuvres world, is taking pompous parties by storm. A snap to put together, this salty and spicy beef is baked into a sticky, syrupy scene-stealer. Take that, smug smoked salmon.
Ingredients
7 cups kosher beef salami, cut into 1-inch cubes
3½ cups Heinz chili sauce
1 cup apricot jam
2 lemons, juiced
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350°F.
2) Place cubed salami in a 13×9-inch baking dish.
3) In a medium bowl, whisk chili sauce, jam, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over salami.
4) Bake uncovered, stirring every 20 minutes, for 1½ to 2 hours, until the sauce is reduced by half and thickened. Serve with toothpicks.
Serves 8-10
7. Coffee-Crusted Beef Tenderloin
Our highly caffeinated Chef Lisa always has a cup of Joe at her side, so it should come as no surprise that she’s taken her favorite grinds and brought them to this most special cut of beef, the tenderloin. This Coffee-Crusted Tenderloin is a pull-out-all-the-stops star, a juicy, super-flavorful and tender (hence the name, tender-loin) main course guaranteed to have everyone buzzing with praise.
Ingredients
Coffee Rub
2 tbsp medium grind coffee
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
3 lb beef tenderloin, center cut
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2) In a small bowl, combine coffee, brown sugar, rosemary, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pat evenly over the beef and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until desired doneness. For medium rare, you want to reach an internal temperature of 135-140ºF. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
Serves 8
8. Potato, Spinach & Gruyere Frittata
When it comes to breakfast and eggs, some countries like to play the heavyweights. The French with their finicky Hollandaise and fussy soufflés. The Brits with their deep-fried Scotch eggs. So, what’s the Italians’ secret for La Dolce Uovo? The easy- going frittata: a thick, hearty, open-faced omelet that can be served at any temperature, eaten at any meal, and, best of all, filled with whatever you like. We love this combo, but also adore peas, feta and mint… red peppers, onions and goat cheese…
Ingredients
2 tbsp butter
10 (10oz/285g) small red potatoes, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 cups fresh baby spinach, stems removed
8 large eggs
3 tbsp melted butter
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lb (approx. 3 cups) shredded Gruyère cheese
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350°F.
2) In a deep 10-inch ovenproof skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, salt and pepper, sautéing until cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
3) Using the same skillet, add spinach leaves over medium heat, cooking until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan. When cool, squeeze spinach to drain excess liquid. Chop spinach and set aside.
4) In a large bowl, whisk eggs very well. Whisk in melted butter, salt and pepper. Spread cooked potatoes and spinach evenly on the bottom of your 10-inch skillet. Sprinkle Gruyère evenly over potatoes and spinach. Pour egg mixture in skillet and place in oven. Bake until golden brown around edges and just firm to the touch, 23-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Run a spatula around the skillet edge to loosen frittata and invert it onto a serving plate.
Serves 4-6
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