Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onion, and Bacon Burgers

The road to this recipe started with a craving for roasted potatoes with malt vinegar, of all things. Once I'd decided that hearty potatoes were on the menu for dinner, I took a glance in the fridge and freezer for some hearty meat to accompany it and was lucky enough to find all the ingredients for these indulgent burgers. My husband is very tolerant of all the healthy food I make, but he's really a meat and potatoes guy at heart, so I try to make meals like this on a regular basis as well to satisfy both of our carnivore cravings. And what carnivore wouldn't love this burger? A juicy burger (I never cook mine beyond medium-rare), topped with creamy and tangy goat cheese, rich and crispy bacon, and savory, tender onions is sure to put a smile on almost everyone's face, made even better paired with some roasted potatoes and an ice cold beer.

Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onion, and Bacon Burgers
serves 2

4 slices thick-cut bacon
1 medium onion, sliced
8 ounces ground sirloin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces goat cheese, slightly softened
2 whole wheat hamburger buns
Melted butter

1. Preheat a pan over medium heat. Cook bacon until desired level of crispness, drain on paper towels and set aside. Add sliced onions to pan with rendered bacon fat and cook, stirring occasionally until onions are tender and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.

2. Form ground sirloin into two patties and add to the pan. Cook the burgers, flipping once until they reach desired level of doneness (125 to 130 degrees for medium-rare). Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Spread the goat cheese evenly on the top halves of the buns, top with the caramelized onions and bacon, and brush the bottom halves bun with a bit of melted butter. Place buns under the broiler until goat cheese is slightly melted, onions and bacon are warm, and the bottom half is slightly toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Add cooked burger to bottom half, put the two halves together, and dig in!

Asparagus Soup

I'm pretty confident that we really have left winter behind in southern Wisconsin, but there's still a place for warm, hearty fare like soup, although of a lighter spring variety. Asparagus and peas are some of the ingredients that most embody spring to me, and this soup is a wonderful sweet, silky marriage of these two ingredients. Teetering on the edge of winter and spring, this soup strikes a wonderful balance between the comforting and warming qualities and the fresh and bright flavors of spring. As with any good soup, it clings happily to a piece of crusty bread and rewarms beautifully for lunch the following day. In fact, the aroma proved so enticing that every single coworker who walked past my desk while I was eating lunch commented on the tantalizing smell. Keep this recipe in mind as your local outdoor farmer's market opens for the season and you want to unite the brilliant flavors of spring in a simple, satisfying meal.

Asparagus Soup
from Carla Hall via Food and Wine
serves 6

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup tarragon leaves, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley leaves
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Finely grated lemon zest, for garnish

1. In a large pot, melt the butter. Add the onion, cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer until the asparagus is tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the 1/4 cup of tarragon and the parsley. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender. Return the soup to the pot, add the cream and peas; rewarm. Season with salt and white pepper and garnish with tarragon and zest.

Lentil Soup

For the past few months, nearly every time I opened my cabinet a lonely bag of lentils with no culinary destiny was staring back at me. I love lentils and they cook much more quickly than many dried beans, but I'd just never gotten around to finding a recipe to use them until I stumbled upon this one on Mark Bittman's website, one of the food blogs/websites I check on a regular basis. By no means is this a pretty soup, but it is packed full of both nutrition and flavor, easy to prepare, and can feed everyone from vegans to carnivores (by cooking up some chopped bacon or sausage at the start and cooking your vegetables in the rendered fat). The lentils are hearty and filling, and make for a satisfying and healthy lunch or dinner with a side salad and crusty piece of bread.

Lentil Soup
from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
serves 4

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 celery stalk, cut into 1/2 -inch dice
1 cup lentils, washed and picked over
1 bay leaf
6 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock or water
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt

1. Put the oil in a large, deep pot over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, just a minute or two. Add the carrot and celery and keep cooking and stirring until brightly colored and hot, about 2 minutes.

2. Add the lentils, bay leaf, and stock; sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. (At this point, you may cool and refrigerate the soup, covered, for up to 2 days; reheat gently.) Add more stock if the soup is too thick. Just before serving, taste, sprinkle with salt and more pepper if needed, and serve.

Shiitake, Spinach, and Sun-Dried Tomato Quesadillas

You can tell spring is truly here when the variety of produce available at the farmer's market starts to expand from root vegetables and winter spinach and I giddily anticipate being able to prepare most of my meals from farmer's market and CSA produce. This past week I bought some fantastic shiitake mushrooms and Snug Haven spinach from the farmer's market in anticipation of combining them, but with no specific plan. A quick survey of my fridge revealed some tortillas and sun-dried tomatoes that I wanted to use up and an ever-present large selection of Wisconsin cheeses and my thoughts immediately turned to quesadillas (and I use that term loosely). Quesadillas, like pizza and paninis, are a great way to get creative and use up the odds and ends of ingredients leftover from other recipes and range from very healthy to completely indulgent. Earthy mushrooms, fresh spinach, and intensely flavored sun-dried tomatoes all come together under a not-too-heavy blanket of cheese for a delicious appetizer or entree alongside a cup of soup or side salad. Although not quite as delicious as fresh off the grill, these quesadillas hold up pretty well for lunch the following day and are a satisfying change from peanut butter and jelly or cold cuts and cheese.

Shiitake, Spinach, and Sun-Dried Tomato Quesadillas
serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil from olive oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, or regular (extra-virgin) olive oil
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
8 ounces spinach, rinsed and chopped
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed in olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 six- to eight-inch whole-grain tortillas
1 cup shredded provolone cheese

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil from olive oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes over medium-high heat. (If you do not have enough oil supplement some or all with extra-virgin olive oil). Add the sliced mushrooms and saute, stirring frequently, until browned and tender, but not mushy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add spinach, stir to combine and cook until spinach is wilted and tender, but not slimy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in sun-dried tomatoes, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, heat a panini or sandwich press according to manufacturer's instructions until hot. (Alternatively, heat a well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderate heat.)

3. Divide the mushroom mixture between the four tortillas, spreading the mushroom mixture evenly on one half of each tortilla. Top each with 1/4 cup shredded provolone and fold each tortilla in half.

4. Once preheated, spray panini press with olive or canola oil cooking spray. Put quesadillas on press, then pull down top and cook until quesadillas are browned and crisp, cheese is melted, and filling is hot, 3 to 6 minutes. (If using grill pan, put a heavy pan on top of quesadillas and cook, flipping once.) Remove from heat, slice into 2 or 4 wedges and serve warm.

Greek Chicken Salad

Particularly as the weather gets warm, main-course salads become a staple in my diet. Aside from the fresh, crunchy, healthiness of salads, I love the blank palette they provide for my culinary creativity, as well as the opportunity to use up small amounts of odds and ends of ingredients. This recipe started with nothing more than the goal of using up some of the black olives leftover from Mediterranean Tuna Pizza and the notion of making a salad without having to go shopping for any more ingredients. This palette of Mediterranean flavors is an excellent choice for dinner or lunch, weekday or weekend, whether the sun is shining or the skies are gray and the rain is pouring down.

Not only do these ingredients make a great salad, but they also make for a fantastic wrap. I cooked an extra chicken breast, chopped up extra olives, tomatoes, and cheese and put all these ingredients into a couple of tortillas for some delicious wraps for my husband and I for lunch the next day with minimal extra effort. I'm always a fan of a recipe that makes leftovers or can do double-duty and be made into something new for lunch the next day.

Greek Chicken Salad
serves 2

8 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast
4 oz. baby salad greens
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup chopped olive-oil packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Salad dressing, for serving (olive oil vinaigrette works well)

1. Cook chicken breast until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F. Let rest for at least 5 minutes and cut into bite-size pieces.

2. Meanwhile, assemble the rest of the salad. Divide the greens evenly between two plates and top each with half of the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta cheese. Distribute the chicken between the two plates, drizzle with your favorite dressing, and serve.

Mediterranean Tuna Pizza

I try to make a point of eating fish at least once a week, and even if I have no salmon or tuna steaks or tilapia in the fridge or freezer, I always have canned tuna in the cupboard. I'll admit, it's not fine dining, but I still love a good, old-fashioned tuna melt...but as much as I love them, it's nice to branch out and find more creative ways to use canned tuna, like this pasta or this pizza. The comforting, melty qualities of a tuna melt come together perfectly with a host of vegetables for a fun and healthy dinner made from ingredients in a well-stocked pantry. This nontraditional pizza is absolutely packed with flavor, but if these ingredients are a little too eclectic collection of pizza toppings for your taste, throw all these ingredients together between a couple pieces of crusty bread or roll up in a tortilla for a sophisticated tuna melt or wrap.

Mediterranean Tuna Pizza
serves 3 to 4

One 12-ounce prepared pizza crust (I like whole wheat Boboli or Rustic Crust)
4 oz. homemade or store-bought pizza sauce (I like Rustic Crust)
2 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press or finely minced
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup chopped artichoke hearts
1 5-ounce can water-packed tuna, drained and flaked
1 cup shredded provolone or mozzarella, or other good melting cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spread sauce over pizza crust and top with garlic. Distribute peppers, olives, and artichokes evenly, then top with tuna, finishing with an even layer of shredded cheese.

2. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and just starting to brown. Remove from oven and let stand for a couple of minutes, then slice into 8 slices and serve warm.

Individual Fallen Chocolate Cakes for Two

My husband and I just celebrated our three-year wedding anniversary, and while our big celebration was a positively decadent and unforgettable meal at L'Etoile, the finest restaurant in Madison, I would be remiss if I had let the occasion pass without preparing a special meal myself as well. I served Berkshire pork chops from Willow Creek Farm with a salad of local greens and Snug Haven spinach topped with Hook's gorgonzola cheese, dried cranberries and toasted walnuts, finished the meal with these decadent chocolate cakes. I love both cooking and eating desserts, but can't make the variety I'd like because there's no way my husband and I could go through such an ample supply of sweets. I was absolutely thrilled to find this recipe because I could make a special dessert for two for just one night, and I'll be able to repeat it any night I choose because everything I need for these delectable cakes is always in my cabinets. My baseline baking chocolate is Ghiradelli, which is high-quality and not prohibitively expensive, but you may want to splurge for Scharffen Berger or another premium chocolate.

Keep this recipe in mind for the next time you're celebrating a special occasion or had a hard day at work and just to treat yourself a bit. The gooey, decadent center floods your mouth with deep chocolate flavor that continues into the dense, moist chocolate cake, turning any meal into an indulgent experience.

Individual Fallen Chocolate Cakes for Two
from The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2011
serves 2

Cocoa powder, for the ramekins
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
Confectioner' sugar, for dusting (optional)

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter two 6-ounce ramekins and dust with cocoa powder.

2. Combine the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high until melted, 1 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the vanilla.

3. In a large bowl, whip the egg with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip the egg to soft, billowy mounds, about 1 minute. Gradually whip in the granulate sugar and salt' continue to whip the egg until very thick and pale yellow, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

4. Scrape the whipped egg mixture on top of the chocolate mixture, then sift flour over the top. Gently fold the mixtures together with a large rubber spatula until just incorporated and no streaks remain.

5. Divide the batter between the prepared ramekins, smooth the tops, and wipe any drops of batter off the sides. Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and bake the cakes until they have puffed about 1/2 inch above the rims of the ramekins and jiggle slightly in the center when shaken very gently, 10 to 13 minutes.

6. Run a small knife around the edges of the cakes. Gently invert each ramekin onto an individual serving plate and let sit until the cake release themselves from the ramekins, about 1 minute. Remove the ramekins, dust the cakes with confectioners' sugar (if using), and serve immediately.