Hi everyone! I’m back with the November round-up of recipes from my Tuesday Instagram Stories!

I’ve so enjoyed being able to share some of my favorite recipes with all of you through our Instagram Stories over the last two months. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed watching my step by step process and maybe have been motivated to cook a new meal or two.

Two of the cookbooks that I used this month is the same as last month, which shows how awesome I think they are and how useful they can be. The new cookbook that I featured this month, 100 Recipes, is quite possibly my all-time favorite cookbook. The recipes in it range from simple to super complex, but all are exceptionally delicious and easy to cook.

Just as with last month, the full recipes are written out below – including the personal adjustments I make to each. The apple pie is funny because the crust and filling come from two different books, but together make the best pie! I’ve also listed which book or website that each recipe comes from, with the link if you want to make the leap to buy the whole book!

Hearty Beef Stew from The Starving Artist Cookbook

Hearty Beef Stew: Serves 2 – 3

Ingredients:

• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 3 large potatoes
• 1 ½ – 2lbs beef chuck
• Salt and pepper
• ½ tsp olive oil
• 8 cups beef stock (I mix 4 cups beef stock with 4 cups veggie stock)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 peppercorns
• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas (I absolutely HATE peas, so I omit these)
• ⅛ cup cornstarch

Directions:

• Dice the onion, carrots, and potatoes into 1-inch cubes.
• Wash the beef and pat the meat dry using paper towels (this is very important). Cut the meat into cubes and season all sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Once the oil is very hot, add the beef and sear all of the sides (you will need to do this in batches so the meat doesn’t touch and stick together), then remove it to a plate to cool.
• In the same pan, saute the onion and carrots until lightly browned, then remove and place in a bowl.
• Deglaze the pan using some of the beef stock and pour the fond into a soup pot. Add the rest of the beef stock, tomato paste, crushed garlic cloves, thyme, oregano, salt, bay leaf, peppercorns, and the cooked beef, then bring to a boil.
• Reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 hours.
• Add the vegetables and taste. Season very lightly with salt. (Note: Use less salt than needed because the liquids will reduce.) Cook for 30-45 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
• Add the frozen or fresh peas.
• In a cup, mix the cornstarch with some of the soup until there are no lumps. Add to the soup and cook for 10 minutes.

Tortilla Soup from 100 Recipes: The Absolute Best Ways to Make the True Essentials

Tortilla Soup: Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients:

• Tortilla Strips
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into ½ inch-wide strips
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Salt

Soup:

• 2 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts or 4 (5-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed and trimmed
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 large white onion, trimmed of root end, quartered and peeled
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 8-10 sprigs fresh cilantro plus 1 sprig fresh oregano or 2 sprigs fresh epazote
• Salt
• 2 tomatoes, cored and quartered
• ½ jalapeno chile
• 1 tbsp minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Garnishes:

• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, and diced fine
• 8 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled
• Lime wedges
• Fresh cilantro
• Minced jalapeno chile
• Mexican crema

Directions:
For the tortilla strips:

• Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Spread tortilla strips on a rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with oil and toss until evenly coated.
• Bake until strips is deep golden brown and crisp, about 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet and shaking strips (to redistribute) halfway through baking.
• Season strips lightly with salt and transfers to a paper towel-lined plate.

For the soup:

• Bring chicken, broth, 2 onion quarters, 2 garlic cloves, cilantro and oregano, and ½ tsp salt to boil over medium-high heat in large saucepan.
• Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently until chicken registers 160 degrees, about 20 minutes.
• Using tongs, transfer chicken to large plate.
• Pour broth through a fine-mesh strainer and discard solids.
• When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones.
• Puree tomatoes, remaining 2 onion quarters, remaining 2 garlic cloves, jalapeno, and chipotle in a food processor until smooth.
• Heat oil in Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering.
• Add tomato-onion puree and ⅛ tsp salt and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture has darkened in color, about 10 minutes.
• Stir strained broth into tomato mixture, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer to blend flavors, about 15 minutes.
• Add shredded chicken and simmer until heated through about 5 minutes.
• Place portions of tortilla strips in bowls and ladle soup over.
• Serve with garnishes.

Apple Pie with the pie dough from The Starving Artist Cookbook and apple filling from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

Pie dough: Makes 2 9-inch pie crusts

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 ½ cups flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tbsp sugar
• ¼ cup ice water

Directions:

• Chop the butter into small cubes, then lightly wrap and place back in the refrigerator.
• Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl and mix.
• Get your water all icy and measured.
• When you’re ready to start mixing, remove butter from the fridge and add it to the flour mixture.
• Using two butter knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour. (If using knives, just move the knives in opposite directions until well-combined and crumbly. This may take a while.)
• Once the mixture looks like even-size crumbles, add the ice water and mix using your hands or a large spatula.
• Form the dough into a ball.
• Cut the dough in half, form into two balls, and flatten into two separate disc shapes. Wrap each disc individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before rolling out and baking.

Apple Pie: Makes 10 – 12 slices

Ingredients:

• 1 stick plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 ½ lbs green apples, peeled, cored, and cut into medium slices
• 1 cup sugar, plus extra to sprinkle
• 1 egg, mixed with a little milk

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 325 F.
• Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour.
• Divide the dough in half.
• Roll out one half with a rolling pin, use to line the prepared pie dish, and trim the edges with a sharp knife.
• Put the butter and cinnamon in a large saucepan and heat until the butter has melted.
• Add the apples and stir until they are well coated in butter.
• Finally, add the sugar and stir again.
• Cook the apples until softened but not cooked through, then spread them out in a shallow dish to cool completely.
• Fill the pie crust with the cold apples.
• Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour again.
• Roll out the remaining half of the dough with a rolling pin, drape over the pie dish, and press down the edges, pinching to make a textured edge. (I use a fork to seal the edges)
• Trim any excess with a sharp knife.
• Make 3 slits in the lid of the pie to let the steam out while the pie is cooking.
• Make leaf shapes out of the pastry trimmings and use to decorate the pie. (I make hearts. Make whatever shape your heart desires. Or none.)
• Brush the egg-and-milk was over the top of the pie with a pastry brush and sprinkle with a little extra sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 – 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.
• Let cool completely before serving.

 

Simple Homemade Chicken Ramen from the food blog Fork, Knife, Swoon

Chicken Ramen: Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts (boneless, skin-on) (I don’t use chicken with skin-on) kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to season
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tsp sesame or vegetable oil
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced (I use powdered ginger)
• 3 tsp fresh garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 4 cups rich chicken stock
• 1 oz dried shitake mushrooms (or 1/2 cup fresh) (I use fresh mushrooms that can be added individually at the end because I don’t like them, but others do)
• 1-2 tsp sea salt, to taste
• 2 large eggs (I omit the eggs)
• 1/2 cup scallions, sliced
• 2 (3 oz) packs dried ramen noodles optional: fresh jalapeño slices, for serving (I use serrano peppers, and I add them when I add the ramen noodles to cook down a bit)

Directions:
Chicken:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper.
• Melt the butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
• Add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook until the skin is golden brown and releases easily from the pan about 5-7 minutes.
• Flip the chicken over and cook for another 4-5 minutes, until golden.
• Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
• Remove from the oven, transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil until ready to serve.

Ramen:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, until shimmering.
• Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for a few minutes until softened.
• Add the soy sauce and mirin, and stir to combine.
• Cook for another minute.
• Add the stock, cover, and bring to boil.
• Remove the lid, and let simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, then add the dried mushrooms.
• Simmer gently for another 10 minutes, and season with salt, to taste.

 Soft-boiled eggs:

• Fill a pot with enough water to cover the eggs, and bring to a boil.
• Gently lower the eggs (still cold from the fridge) into the boiling water, and let simmer for 7 minutes (for a slightly-runny yoke) or 8 minutes (for a soft, but set-up yoke).
• Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water.
• When the timer finishes, transfer the eggs to the ice bath to stop the cooking process.
• Wait at least 5 minutes, or until cool enough to handle, then carefully peel away the shell and slice in half, lengthwise.

Set aside until ready to serve.
Assemble the ramen bowls:

• Meanwhile, chop the scallions and jalapeño (if using).
• Slice the chicken into thin pieces. Set aside.
• When the eggs finish cooking, add the ramen noodles to the boiling water.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft, then divide the noodles into two large bowls.
• Add the sliced chicken and the ramen broth.
• Top with the fresh scallions, jalapeño, and the soft boiled egg. Serve immediately.