Revisited Recipe: Peach Tart with Olive Oil Crust

I have over 700 recipes (and growing) in the Kitchen Sink Diaries archive. Some of them have been tweaked and improved since their original post or were just really special to begin with. These revisited recipes are some of my all-time favorites that deserve a second look.

It seems like peach season came early this year and endless varieties of the sweet ripe fruit are showing up at local farmers' markets and grocery stores. Peaches are great in both sweet and savory preparations, but this peach tart is one of my favorite ways to use them.  I first featured this recipe a few years ago and it's become a go-to ever since. I've even switched it up and used different types of fruit or a more traditional pie dough (or both, seen here), but the original peach tart is always a winner. As far as tarts go, this recipe is incredibly quick and easy to make. Just stir the wet and dry ingredients together and the pat the crust into your pan, mound sliced peaches on top, and sprinkle a sugary crumb topping over. The prep work literally takes about 10 minutes of time, which is perfect for last-minute dinner parties or impromptu celebrations.


Peach Tart with Olive Oil Crust:
Ingredients
For Crust

• 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1/4 c. canola oil
• 2 tbsp. heavy cream
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt

For Tart

• 2-3 large peaches, slightly underripe is okay
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp. cold butter, diced
• Pinch of salt

Click here to see the entire original recipe.

Revisited Recipe: Pork Chops with Blueberry Balsamic Sauce

I have over 700 recipes (and growing) in the Kitchen Sink Diaries archive. Some of them have been tweaked and improved since their original post or were just really special to begin with. These revisited recipes are some of my all-time favorites that deserve a second look.

These grilled pork chops with blueberry balsamic sauce just scream summer to me. The sweet and tangy sauce is an interesting and savory way to use in-season berries when you're sick of turning them into sweet pies and preserves. The sauce is good enough that it would pair well with all types of meat and fish, but I especially like to spoon it on top of grilled bone-in pork chops. The meaty chops are simply grilled with salt and pepper until nicely charred on the outside and moist and juicy inside and are a great compliment to the sweet blueberry sauce. It's a restaurant-quality meal that can be put on the table in under thirty minutes and is equally impressive at home on a weeknight, on a camping trip, or at your next dinner party. I've been making this recipe for years and it continues to be one of my favorites.


Grilled Pork Chops with Blueberry Balsamic Sauce:
Ingredients

• 6 bone-in pork chops, each about 1" thick
• 2 c. fresh blueberries
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 c. water
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• Salt
• Pepper

Serves six

Click here to see the full original recipe.

Revisited Recipe: Turkey Burgers with Green Apple & Brie

I have over 600 recipes (and growing) in the Kitchen Sink Diaries archive. Some of them have been tweaked and improved since their original post or were just really special to begin with. These revisited recipes are some of my all-time favorites that deserve a second look.

It seems like summer came early this year and my husband and I have been spending most of our nights eating dinner outside in our backyard. Our grill has been getting a lot of use, which led to the revival of a favorite recipe for these turkey burgers with green apple and brie. In my opinion, a lot of turkey burgers turn out to be wannabe cheeseburgers, but the crunchy sweetness of the green apple and melty funky brie work much better with poultry than beef. As a result, this recipe is uniquely its own and will make a turkey burger lover out of even the most macho meat eater. It makes for a pretty inexpensive meal, and as a healthier burger alternative, it's a dish you can feel good about eating all summer long.


Turkey Burgers with Green Apple & Brie:
Ingredients

• 3/4 lb. ground dark meat turkey
• 2 burger buns
• 1 Granny Smith apple
• 3 oz. brie cheese
• A few handfuls of baby arugula
• Salt
• Pepper

Serves two

Click here to see the entire original recipe.

Revisited Recipe: Maple Roasted Bacon

I have over 600 recipes (and growing) in the Kitchen Sink Diaries archive. Some of them have been tweaked and improved since their original post or were just really special to begin with. These revisited recipes are some of my all-time favorites that deserve a second look.

This maple roasted bacon is probably my most-used recipe on KSD. My husband and I love to cook breakfast at home on the weekends and this bacon is served with the meal the majority of the time. If you're still cooking bacon on the stove, you absolutely need to try this recipe. It's a game changer - and it's just as easy to make for two people as it is for ten. I like to lay the bacon on a baking rack over a sheet pan (which I cover with aluminum foil for easy cleanup), but if you don't have a baking rack you can cook it directly on the sheet pan and drain any excess fat off before you brush on the maple syrup. The bacon cooks evenly in the oven and stays flat, so you're not left with curled-up pieces that are burnt in some areas and limp in others. The maple syrup adds a sticky-sweetness that cuts through the saltiness of the pork and is utterly addicting. While you're waiting for the bacon to cook, try whipping up another KSD revisited recipe, like these waffles or green eggs and ham.


Maple-Roasted Bacon:
Ingredients

• 8 slices of thick-cut bacon
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup

Serves two-four

Click here to see the entire original recipe.

Revisited Recipe: Green Eggs & Ham

I have over 600 recipes (and growing) in the Kitchen Sink Diaries archive. Some of them have been tweaked and improved since their original post or were just really special to begin with. These revisited recipes are some of my all-time favorites that deserve a second look.

This "Green Eggs & Ham" recipe is one of my favorite brunch dishes of all time. I've ordered the original version of this dish from a local cafe, Huckleberry, countless times and it never fails, but it's just as easy to make at home. English muffins are split and toasted, then topped with thin slices of prosciutto, fried eggs, pesto, and arugula. The butteriness of the prosciutto and runny egg yolks add a richness that works really well with the fresh pesto and peppery greens. It's essential to use homemade pesto or a fresh store-bought pesto (usually found in the refrigerated section by the cheese) - I've tried to cheat with a bottled version and it completely threw off the whole recipe. To speed up breakfast assembly, I make the pesto a day or two before and keep it in the fridge. The rest of the recipe can be made in under five minutes, as the only cooking required is frying the eggs and toasting the muffins. It's the perfect thing to whip up on a lazy weekend morning or even for a late brunch, since the savoriness of the pesto and greens lends itself nicely to an afternoon meal.


English Muffins with Eggs, Prosciutto, & Pesto:
Ingredients

• 2 English muffins
• 4 eggs
• 6 thin slices of prosciutto
• 1/4 c. of pesto
• 2-3 handfuls of arugula
• A pat of butter
• Salt
• Pepper

Serves two, but can easily be multiplied

Click here to see the full original recipe.

Revisited Recipe: Roasted Carrot Soup

I have over 600 recipes (and growing) in the Kitchen Sink Diaries archive. Some of them have been tweaked and improved since their original post or were just really special to begin with. These revisited recipes are some of my all-time favorites that deserve a second look.

I have a lot of soup recipes on KSD, but this simple carrot soup is one of my favorites. It's become a go-to for weekday menu planning, and I just prepared another batch of it on Sunday that lasted me four lunches this past week (supplemented by a big piece of this homemade bread, for dipping). I've even served it as a starting course for Christmas dinner. The recipe is so easy that it might not seem like anything special to those that come across it, but it is. Roasting the carrots first turns them from regular carrots to flavor-packed, sweet, caramelized, super carrots. They simmer with a stock that's been quickly infused with ginger and herbs and then finished with a squeeze of lemon and a splash of cream. The lemon adds a nice edge to the soup and is my favorite part about this dish. This carrot soup will surprise you, and I guarantee it will become a beloved lifelong recipe.


Roasted Carrot Soup:
Serves six (first course)
Serves two-three (main course)

Ingredients:

• 2-3 bunches of carrots, green tops removed
• 7 c. low-sodium stock (chicken or vegetable)
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 knob of fresh ginger, peeled
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Splash of heavy cream (optional)

See the entire original recipe here.

Revisited Recipe: Butternut Squash, Lentil, & Goat Cheese Salad

I have over 600 recipes (and growing) in the Kitchen Sink Diaries archive. Some of them have been tweaked and improved since their original post or were just really special to begin with. These revisited recipes are some of my all-time favorites that deserve a second look.

This is the ideal winter lunch for me: tender black lentils, spicy caramelized butternut squash, and tangy goat cheese, served with just a handful of greens. It's best served warm (I find cold winter squash kind of weird), but most of the components can be prepared in advance and then heated before final assembly. I originally posted the recipe using arugula, but after making it again, I think a heartier green is better. I've been using baby kale lately, as it has a firmer texture and holds up to the warm butternut squash and lentils without wilting. It's the kind of meal that you can feel good about eating - it is a salad, after all - but it contains enough variety and substance to keep you full for hours. Of course, it doesn't have to be served at lunch only and makes a wonderful and unique potluck salad or dinner party side dish during the cold months.


Butternut Squash, Lentil, & Goat Cheese Salad:
Serves two - three (lunch)
Serves four - five (side dish)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. peeled & diced butternut squash
• 1/2 c. dried black lentils
• 2 c. loosely-packed hearty baby greens, such as baby kale
• 1/4 c. sunflower seeds
• 2-3 oz. fresh goat cheese
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• salt
• pepper
• smoked paprika
• ground cumin

See the entire original recipe here.

Revisited Recipe: Creamy Chicken, Artichoke, & Mushroom Casserole

I have over 600 recipes (and growing) in the Kitchen Sink Diaries archive. Some of them have been tweaked and improved since their original post or were just really special to begin with. These revisited recipes are some of my all-time favorites that deserve a second look.

There's something about casseroles that can feel a little outdated, but this creamy lemon chicken casserole is anything but the retro dish of older generations. I first made this recipe a couple years ago and it's become a go-to meal for a simple but elegant dinner ever since. Browned chicken cutlets are layered with artichoke hearts and thickly sliced mushrooms, smothered in a lemony cream sauce, and then topped with crispy parmesan breadcrumbs. The lemon flavor and crunchy topping keep the dish feeling light and multi-dimensional. Everything can be prepared hours in advance and then baked or reheated once you're ready to serve. It's easy enough for a hearty weeknight meal for your family but is still impressive enough for company. I like to serve it with a simple green salad and potatoes.


Note: I decided to double the ingredients and update the recipe that I originally posted because it's such a perfect dish to entertain with. I imagine it could easily be doubled again for a larger group, and it can definitely be halved to serve a couple or small family.


Creamy Lemon Chicken, Artichoke, & Mushroom Casserole:
Serves four-six

Ingredients

• 2 - 2 1/4 lbs. chicken cutlets (pounded 1/2"-1/4" thick)
• 3/4 lb. cremini mushrooms
• 8 oz. frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted
• 1 c. creme fraiche
• 1/3 c. panko breadcrumbs
• 1/3 c. finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c. dry Sherry
• 1 large lemon
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. butter
• salt
• pepper

Click here to see the entire recipe.

Revisited Recipe: Brussels Sprout & Bacon Hash

I have over 600 recipes (and growing) in the Kitchen Sink Diaries archive. Some of them have been tweaked and improved since their original post or were just really special to begin with. These revisited recipes are some of my all-time favorites that deserve a second look.

There's something to be said about the pairing of bacon and eggs, but I also really like the pairing of bacon and brussels sprouts. Put all three together, toss in some Yukon Gold potatoes for good measure, and you have the ultimate marriage of flavors in this easy skillet hash. It's the perfect thing to make when you're trying to use up the few remaining strips of bacon from the package in your fridge. The hash is typically a breakfast item but there's nothing wrong with digging into a plate of this for dinner or breakfast. Leftover hash (without the egg on top) keeps in the fridge for future breakfasts later in the week.

Bacon & Brussels Sprout Hash with Fried Eggs:
Serves two-three people

Ingredients

• 2-3 Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 bunch of brussels sprouts
• 1 onion
• 3 thick-cut strips of bacon
• 2-3 eggs
• Splash of chicken stock or water
• Salt
• Pepper

See the entire original recipe here.