Food & Wine Dinner Made Simple

By Meredith Corporation

Dinner Made Simple will focus on cookable weeknight fare and showcases cooking tips and hacks from Food & Wine's Mad Genius, Justin Chapple. This issue features 89 of F&W's easiest recipes, with most recipes having under 30 minutes of active time. Chapters include Breakfast for Dinner, Use Your Noodle, Bowl Me Over, Bring on the Heat, and A Spoonful of Sugar.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Meredith Corporation
• Release date: Feb 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781547851782

Book preview

CREDITS

INTRODUCTION

JUSTIN CHAPPLE, Food & Wine culinary director and the personality behind Mad Genius, shares his brilliant and unexpected ways to hack recipes and get dinner on the table in minutes. Justin is charming and funny, but also has some serious cooking chops and a huge imagination. That’s why his Mad Genius tips, recipes, and videos are such a hit with the Food & Wine audience.

Who knew that a Bundt pan could double as a rotisserie for chicken or that you could make a bacon rack using aluminum foil? Flip through the book for ways to use things you already have around the house: muffin pans, a box grater, zip-top plastic bags, and plastic take-out lids.

Justin totally gets that the struggle to balance meal prep with busy schedules is all too real, so along with his clever tips, he also offers 89 recipes that are perfect for weeknight dinners. Check out the Breakfast for Dinner recipes that start. Save time with easy pasta recipes like Baked Ziti with Meatballs where you don’t have to boil the noodles first or make-ahead Pork and Ricotta Stuffed Jumbo Shells. Shape taco shells for Chicken Tinga Tacos using a muffin pan, and use your box grater to make a super easy homemade crust for Spring Vegetable Galette.

With these tips and recipes in hand, your family and friends will soon be calling you the Weeknight Genius as you effortlessly serve up easy and delicious meals in minutes.

For even more ideas, check out our Mad Genius videos at foodandwine.com

CHAPTER ONE

BREAKFAST FOR DINNER

IF IT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY, WHY NOT HAVE IT TWICE?

Open-Face Egg and Griddled Ham Breakfast Sandwiches

ACTIVE 15 MIN

TOTAL 30 MIN

MAKES 12 SANDWICHES

Making these little ham and cheese breakfast sandwiches is a cinch when you use your muffin pan as an egg poacher.

1 dozen large eggs

Kosher salt and pepper

6 oz. thinly sliced baked ham

1 cup chopped mixed herbs, such as parsley, tarragon, and chives

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

6 slider buns, split and lightly toasted

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour 1 tablespoon water into each cup of a 12-cup muffin pan. Crack an egg into each cup; season with salt and pepper. Bake eggs for 13 to 15 minutes, until whites are just firm and yolks are still runny. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to a plate.

2. In a medium skillet, cook ham over medium, turning, until hot, about 2 minutes. In a small bowl, toss herbs with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

3. Arrange split buns cut side up on a platter. Top with ham, eggs and herbs. Serve open-face.

No 1 WEEKNIGHT GENIUS TIP

Pour a little water into the cups of a muffin pan. Crack an egg into each cup and bake until the whites are just firm and the yolks are still runny.

Candied Bacon with Aleppo

ACTIVE 10 MIN

TOTAL 40 MIN

SERVES 4 TO 6

Who needs a bacon rack to make this sweet and spicy breakfast treat? I can make a bacon rack with aluminum foil—and so can you!

12 oz. thick-cut bacon

½ cup packed light brown sugar

Aleppo pepper, for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lay a large double layer of foil on a work surface. Starting at a short end, fold edge of foil to make a ½-inch-wide pleat. Flip foil and fold edge again. Continue to flip and fold the foil accordion-style to form a baking rack. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet.

2. Arrange bacon in a single layer on foil rack. Bake until browned but not crisp, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle bacon with sugar, season with pepper, and bake until glazed, 15 to 20 minutes. Let bacon cool on rack until crisp.

No 2. WEEKNIGHT GENIUS TIP

Fold the edge of a double layer of Reynolds Aluminum Foil. Flip foil and fold edge again. Continue flipping and folding the foil accordion-style to form a disposable baking rack.

Eggs Benedict Salad

TOTAL 30 MIN

SERVES 4

Every now and then, I like to turn this traditional brunch dish into a healthy salad. To mimic hollandaise, I make a richly flavored yogurt dressing, and toss that with greens, torn ham and crunchy English muffin croutons.

2 English muffins, split and torn into bite-size pieces

8 large eggs

¼ cup yogurt

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1½ Tbsp. Dijon mustard

⅛ tsp. finely grated lemon zest, plus 1½ Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt and pepper

5 oz. mixed baby greens

½ head of radicchio, torn into bite-size pieces

4 oz. thinly sliced ham, torn into bite-size pieces

⅓ cup snipped chives

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread English muffins on a baking sheet and toast for about 7 minutes, until golden. Let cool.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large, deep skillet of water to a simmer. One at a time, crack eggs into a small bowl, then gently slide them into skillet. Poach over medium-low until whites are set and yolks are runny, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer poached eggs to a plate.

3. In a large bowl, whisk yogurt with olive oil, mustard, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Add mixed greens, radicchio, ham, chives, and croutons, and toss to coat. Transfer to plates and top with eggs. Sprinkle with pepper and serve right away.

Potatoes Benedict with Make-Ahead Poached Eggs

ACTIVE 40 MIN

TOTAL 1 HR 10 MIN

SERVES 8

In this take on eggs Benedict, crispy potato rounds are a fun, gluten-free substitute for English muffins.

2 tsp. white vinegar

8 large eggs

32 Crispy Potato Rounds (recipe at right)

¼ tsp. hot smoked paprika

½ tsp. flaky sea salt

Horseradish Hollandaise (recipe at right)

1. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Fill a large, deep skillet with water; add vinegar, and bring to a simmer over medium. Crack each egg into a separate small bowl or custard cup, and gently slip eggs into simmering water. Poach over medium, maintaining a simmer, until whites are set and yolks are still runny, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer poached eggs to ice water bath to cool. (The eggs can be refrigerated in the ice water bath for up to 24 hours.)

2. Bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a simmer over medium. Reduce heat to medium-low. Using a slotted spoon, return poached eggs to simmering water, and poach just until eggs are warmed through, exactly 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, remove each egg, and place on top of 4 Crispy Potato Rounds. Sprinkle with hot smoked paprika and flaky sea salt. Serve immediately with Horseradish Hollandaise.

No 3 WEEKNIGHT GENIUS TIP

Poach eggs in advance by shocking and then storing