10,000 flesh recipes

Polenta pie with a cornmeal crust, pizza sauce, porcini mushrooms, and homemade yogurt cheese topped with capers and parmesan. A low-fat vegetarian take on deep-dish pizza.

Provencal chicken breasts braised in white wine with tomatoes, leeks, kalamata olives, and orange zest, served over herb-tossed rosemary orzo. A French-inspired one-skillet dinner.

Mediterranean lamb burgers: grilled rosemary-garlic lamb patties stuffed into pita with goat cheese, olive-tomato salad, and minted yogurt sauce. A greek-style upgrade on burger night.

Overnight blueberry coffee cake: mix the batter the night before, chill in the pan, and bake straight from the fridge in the morning. Tender crumb, juicy berries, sugary crackled top.

So to start off with the first post, I decided to make a meal that screams of comfort food. Whilst it does take a bit of a while to get the meal done, once you take that first bite, heaven couldn’t seem closer if you were Adam trying to touch God’s finger in the “Creation of Adam” fresco created by Michaelangelo. The meal I speak of is Cottage Pie. There is much debate as to what exactly a cottage pie is and how it is different to a Shepherd’s pie...I don’t know. The dominant theory is that Sheperds pie uses lamb mince, whilst a cottage pie uses beef mince. I don’t know about you, but the term “Sheperds Pie” does not get my tastebuds going quite as well, so I prefer the term cottage pie. Besides, comparing the price of ground (mince) beef to ground lamb, a student would pick up the beef mince in a heartbeat without even so much as glancing at the lamb in the meat section. This cottage pie that I made is full of flavour, and just makes you want to cuddle up next to a fire and watch TCM movies all day either by yourself, or with a significant other. Here is the recipe:

Rice bake casserole binds cooked rice, sauteed spinach, and sharp cheddar in a simple custard of milk and eggs with fresh herbs. Great use for leftover rice.

Walnut cake with a whisper of fresh rosemary, served with berries and a lighter vanilla cream made from drained yogurt and whipped cream. A tender Bundt cake that's unexpectedly savory-sweet.

Mussels with saffron and tomatoes over pasta steam fresh mussels in a fish stock infused with saffron, then simmer in a brick-red tomato sauce. Spooned over linguine for a Mediterranean coastal classic.

Never think about fried lemon with some refreshing asparagus salad, this recipe will totally change your mind and let you fall in love with these delicious pair!

Light summer salad with shredded apples, carrots, crushed pineapple, and lemon zest in a vanilla yogurt dressing over crisp lettuce. Fresh, fruity, and no cooking required.

Pickled peppers and chilies preserved in a vinegar brine with an optional olive oil layer. Water bath canned for shelf-stable storage year round.

Mustard peach relish made with fresh peaches, dry mustard, and vinegar, set with fruit pectin for canning. A sweet-tangy condiment for grilled meats, ham, or cheese boards.

Meat spagetti sauce that uses whisky. The best pasta sauce I have ever had. With a bushel of fresh in-season plum tomatoes I made enough for the winter. It was worth it! This is a reguler large size version.

Roquefort meat loaf rolls a three-meat blend of beef, pork and veal around a creamy Roquefort and bread filling, jelly-roll style. Sliced like a pinwheel for a dinner-party meatloaf with serious blue cheese punch.

Country ham fried in a cast iron skillet with redeye gravy made from boiling water and coffee. The classic Southern Appalachian breakfast that turns dry-cured ham into a salty, savory plate.

Light pasta with sauteed baby artichoke hearts, garlic, lemon, and fresh Italian parsley in a brothy sauce. A low-calorie Italian dish ready in just 15 minutes.