Midwest Living January/February 2016 Recipes
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Macaroni and Cheese Chowder with Crispy Ham
A splash of hot sauce, a topper of pan-fried ham and a just-right secret ingredient for ultrasmooth creaminess. (Guilty pleasure, thy name is American cheese.)Macaroni and Cheese Chowder with Crispy Ham
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Pork Ramen
The raging ramen restaurant fad has taught us that this centuries-old Japanese dish has approximately nothing to do with dorm-room fare. Our version features succulent pork shoulder, poached egg, bok choy, enoki mushrooms, crisp nori (seaweed) and a splash of chili oil. (Try doing all that in a Styrofoam cup.)Pork Ramen
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Old-Fashioned Chicken and Noodles Lasagna
The chicken, vegetables and gravy are as rib-stickingly good as you remember, or maybe even better, tucked up cozily under a blanket of dill Havarti.Old-Fashioned Chicken and Noodles Lasagna
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Shortcut Dumpling Soup
You'll be amazed what a quick simmer with fresh ginger and scallions will do for boxed chicken broth. Throw in frozen pot stickers (Chinese dumplings), edamame and red cabbage for a nutritious dinner that's ready in 30 minutes.Shortcut Dumpling Soup
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Fried Egg Salad with Bacon and Roasted Vegetables
Breakfast-for-dinner gets a wake-up call, courtesy of a bright vinaigrette, fresh lettuce and a hearty oven hash of sweet potato, onion and green beans.Fried Egg Salad with Bacon and Roasted Vegetables
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Spicy Shrimp Tom-Yum
This classic Thai soup usually starts with simmering shrimp shells to make stock. We opted for a shortcut, adding tomato, mushroom and shrimp to boxed seafood stock that we flavored with lemongrass and galangal (a knobby cousin to ginger).Spicy Shrimp Tom-Yum
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PBJ Strudel
A super-simple braid of puff pastry holds a scrumptious filling of strawberries and sweetened peanut butter. Double-dare you not to pour a glass of cold milk.PBJ Strudel
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Pad Thai Soup
We reimagined the traditionally sticky noodle stir-fry as a speedy soup. Peanuts, cilantro, lime zest and tangy tamarind fruit lend spot-on takeout flavor to rice noodles, chicken and zucchini.Pad Thai Soup
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DIY Ricotta
Making your own ricotta is surprisingly easy and the results are astounding. The cheese is creamier with a deliciously subtle milk flavor-plus by making it yourself, you know it doesn't have any fillers or stabilizers. Our recipe comes from chef Dan Bonanno, of A Pig in a Fur Coat in Madison, Wisconsin.DIY Ricotta
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Szechuan Dan Dan
Originally sold as street food in China, this spicy dish features ground pork, lo mein noodles and a dark broth flavored with five-spice powder, black bean paste and black vinegar. We added snow peas and Chinese broccoli for color and nutrition.Szechuan Dan Dan
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Cheeseburger-Style Meat Loaf Sandwich
Start with a darn-good glazed meat loaf. Add toasted French bread, melted Muenster and peppery arugula (to make it fancy). Then douse it all in special sauce (because fancy needs to loosen up).Cheeseburger-Style Meat Loaf Sandwich
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Fusion Bowl with Tofu and Soft-Cooked Egg
Carrot matchsticks, shiitake mushrooms and tender Napa cabbage hide in a tangle of chewy udon noodles. The tofu acts like a sponge, soaking up a sweet-and-spicy honey-Sriracha marinade.Fusion Bowl with Tofu and Soft-Cooked Egg