The recipes here are favorites for at least one of the kids or myself, and tailored to three people with some leftovers. In most cases I have pulled the base if not the entire recipe from one or more sources, and have noted links where applicable. I have no formal training--just YouTube videos, Internet blogs and experimentation--so these are more for the kids in case they want to know how I made something that they remember liking. Of course, if you want a sample of what it is like to eat at the Stein household feel free to try some of the things found here.
This recipe uses Crème Fraîche, which, if you make at home, requires a few days advanced preparation (see the recipe). While this may be a pain it is in my opinion well worth it. From start to finish it may take a couple hours, but a good portion of that is simmering. Serve over buttered egg noodles. I like my sauce thicker than the original recipe, so use half the suggested liquid. The crème fraîche will also serve to thicken the sauce somewhat. This is a favorite to serve during the cold winter months.
This is a take on a recipe I found when the kids requested that the meat we use for tacos taste more like Taco Bell. After a bit of experimenting on when to add the liquid and spices I backtracked on my long-standing ideas of how to make a roux and that meat and seasonings should be given some time to cook together before adding liquid. Instead the water is the first thing added. The result is a flavor and consistency that the kids enjoy. When something like tacos or enchiladas or taco pie or anything asking for a soupy Mexican-type ground meat is requested this is what I use.
With tomatoes in the garden I need as many recipes as possible that use them, (a single tomato plant is very bountiful!) This is a nice, clean chicken recipe. Total cook time is around 45 minutes.
This can be replaced by sour cream, but it mixes better under heat and I think tastes better. It does take a couple days of preparation before use, though, so some forethought is needed.
Except in certain cases (like breads or making a roux), measurements are estimates. Spices I usually eye then adjust with tasting. Pepper should be freshly ground to get the best flavor.
The following abbreviations are used in the recipes:
C: cup
T: tablespoon
t: teaspoon
lb: pound
oz: ounce
g: gram
fl oz: fluid ounce
in: inch
ft: foot/feet
1T = 3t
1/4C = 8T
8fl oz = 1C