Half Assed Kitchen

Bacony avocados with lemon vinaigrette

It sounds fancy, doesn't it? The word vinaigrette makes this salad seem loftier than it is, we promise. Since vinaigrette is essentially three parts oil to one part vinegar or lemon juice (plus whatever else you want to throw in), there's really nothing to it.

You can peel and slice and avocado, right? You can heat pre-cooked bacon in the microwave, yes? And we know you can whisk together a few simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.

This salad is easy. And it's colorful, rich and sharp.

Inspired by Sunset Magazine, but tinkered around with by Half Assed Kitchen...

Rating: 1/4 assed (SO easy)

Here's what you need and how you do it

5-6 slices bacon (get pre-cooked if you can)

2 firm-ripe avocados

2 Tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup olive oil

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 Tablespoon minced shallot (optional)

Cook or heat bacon and mince. Cut avocados in half and stab pits with a sharp knife. Twist gently to remove pit. Score avocado skin and gently peel (it should come off easily if it's ripe). Slice avocados into wedges.

Mix vinaigrette ingredients.

Serve avocado wedges on a plate, top with warm bacon, sprinkle with parsley and spoon vinaigrette over the top.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Chocolate chip graham cookies

We like to randomly make up chocolate chip cookie recipes. It's how we prefer to spend rainy afternoons. Sometimes our concoctions work. Sometimes not so much. But yesterday, we think we hit upon a winner.

These little guys are made with graham flour and oatmeal.

They're good, sweet and chewy.

Rating: Truly 1/2 assed (Simple, but not ridiculously so)

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 cup butter or margarine

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup flour

1 cup oats

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup milk

Dash vanilla (optional)

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together sugar and butter. Add milk and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, flour, oats, salt and baking powder. Mix with butter/sugar/vanilla mixture. Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop in dollops onto greased cookie sheets and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Homemade tortillas

We were in Arizona this past weekend, home of red dust, flowering cactus and really rockin' tortillas. When we found out that homemade tortillas contain only 4 ingredients, we had to try making them ourselves. Best of all, the mouthwatering payoff of fresh tortillas completely outweighs the small amount of labor they require to whip up.

Rating: Truly 1/2 assed (Simple, but not ridiculously so)

Here's what you need and how you do it

2 cups white flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons shortening (or lard, but holy heck, lard??)

1/2 cup warm (but not hot) water

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in the shortening with a knife or hand pastry blender. Add water gradually, mixing with a wooden spoon or by hand until dough is workable.

Knead for 3 minutes.

Form into golfball shaped blobs, place on a cookie sheet, cover with a towel and set aside for 30 minutes.

Preheat iron skillet or griddle on medium high. Spray or brush pan with oil.

Roll out balls on lightly floured surface.

Fry about 1 minute per side (much longer and they will get crispy). Serve immediately with desired toppings. (Our favorite is butter.)

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Chicken with tarragon and leeks

Would you believe this was our first time cooking with fresh tarragon? It's true. Not that we've been avoiding it, but we're more accustomed to dishes that call for fresh parsley or cilantro.

It was a pleasure to discover what fresh tarragon can do.

This is a recipe adapted from a Real Simple slow cooker meal. We do not heart our slow cooker. We want to heart it, but we haven't been able to make it work for us.

But this chicken, with the cream and the wine and the leeks...this works for us.

Rating: Truly 1/2 assed (Simple, but not ridiculously so)

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 pound baby new potatoes (red skins work too)

8 small skinless chicken thighs or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 leeks (white and light green parts), sliced

1 cup dry white wine

Salt

1/8 cup flour whisked into a few Tablespoons of water

1 cup frozen peas or frozen edamame (soy beans)

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 Tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped

Place the potatoes on the bottom of a dutch oven or large saucepan. Add the chicken, leeks, wine and 1 teaspoon salt.

Cook on medium-low heat until the chicken and potatoes are tender (about 45 minutes).

Transfer the chicken and most of the potatoes to a plate. Using a fork, smash the remaining potatoes into the cooking liquid. Then add flour/water mixture to thicken.

Add the peas or edamame and cream. Add chicken back to pan and cook until heated through.

Sprinkle with tarragon and serve.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Homemade granola

We've been wanting to write about the wonders of homemade granola for a while now. There is a place in Seattle called Tall Grass Bakery, where they make the most amazing bread...and granola. Granola with whole almonds and big flakes of chewy coconut and seeds and lots of other stuff thrown in.

Sadly, it's not often that we feel like we can dish out $8 for a bag of cereal. So we've learned to make our own.

It is far cheaper than what you can buy at Tall Grass, or any store, and it will ruin you for boxed cereals. The dimensions of flavor when you make your own granola is explosive. And the effort involved? About 10 minutes of hands-on time and 20 minutes in the oven.

(Also, a shout out to The Kitchen Sink Recipes, who reminded us what it takes to make a good granola.)

Here's what you need and how you do it

3-1/2 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup whole almonds, unsalted

1 cup coconut, unsweetened (optional)

3 Tablespoons flax seeds, sesame seeds or sunflower seeds

1 cup dried fruit (optional)

1 teaspoons sea salt

1/4 cup brown sugar or honey

1/4 cup canola oil

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Spread onto cookie sheet with edges or large baking dish.

Bake for 10 minutes. Stir. Bake for 10 more minutes. Serve with yogurt or cold milk. Also great by the handful.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Bromley Hot Dish

Apparently Bromley is a last name. And Hot Dish is some sort of Midwestern casseroley concoction. Though the person who introduced us to this recipe is a west coaster through and through. (And is a friend of the Bromleys, whoever they are.)

Also, we have no photo of this recipe for you. But we can assure you that this casserole hot dish is perfectly savory and delicious. In a cream of mushroom soup sort of way.

(Seriously, we love this hot mess).

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 large onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon butter or margarine

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 pound ground beef, turkey or pork

8 to 10 fresh mushrooms, sliced

8 ounces pasta

1/2 teaspoons salt

Ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup green olives, sliced

1 cup grated cheddar

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 soup can of milk

3/4 cup cashews, chopped (or, if nut allergy is a concern, use chow mein noodles)

Sauté onion, butter, mushrooms and bell pepper. Set aside.

Sauté the ground meat. Add all to a large bowl.

Cook the pasta. Drain and add to bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Then, add salt, pepper, olives and cheese.

Mix well and spread in a buttered 9 x13-inch baking dish.

Mix the soup and 1/2 can of milk and pour over the noodle mixture.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until heated through. During the last fifteen minutes, top with cheese and cashews.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.