Abbey's Kitchen

Kitchens come in all shapes and sizes. Similarly to fisherpeople, some of us might exaggerate our kitchen features. So, in-lieu of hand gestures, here are some visuals. Let’s just say the entire van could probably fit in my old kitchen (sans peninsula).

However, this reduction in space has increased my kitchen creativity, even though I do miss the vast counter spaces. Below is a list of recipes that I have been using and trying out on my two burners.  I have about two cubic feet of ingredient space and a stock of recipes on my phone.  I spent some time going through all of my beloved recipe books (currently packed in Box 50) and found ones that were simple and didn’t require an oven. 

DISCLAIMERS: I am no food-photographer and don’t pretend to be. Also, I do not go into too much detail for measuring because I don’t often measure.  If you are someone who needs exact measurements, like my partner, then tread cautiously.  I’ve attempted to list amounts suggested for less on-hand ingredients, like tomato paste; otherwise, amounts listed feed two people for one to three meals. Get ready to rely on your taste buds…

Mains

BLTs
Butternut Squash Chili
Candied Ham
Chinese Spaghetti
Egg Salad Sandwiches
Falafel Melts
Fiesta Nam Sod
Gobble-N-Veggies
Himmel und Erde
Honey Lemon Schnitzel
Links and Smashed Spuds
Mary Jane-Inspired Green Chicken Chili
Nam Sod
Pain Perdu
Pork Sliced Rice
Potato Soup
Radish and Jalapeno Relish
Shredded Chicken Wraps
Sloppy Tortillas
Squashed Tuna
Stir Fry Taco Stew

Thanksgiving Menu

Turkey Meatballs
Spaghetti and Red Sauce
Brussel Sprouts

Desserts

Butterscotch Treats
Chocolate
Fried Plantains
Pumpkin and Cream

BLTs

  • bacon of choice : 1 packet, thick cut is best, personally
  • romaine heart lettuce : 1, either chopped or sandwich style “slices”
  • tomato : 1-2, sliced
  • tortillas
  • mayo
  1. Cook bacon to desired doneness (crispy vs chewy)
  2. Assemble ingredients in desired amounts

Butternut Squash Chili

  • ground sausage : half a roll, good ratio for schmedium-sized squash
  • onion : ½, chopped or match-sticked
  • butternut squash : 1, peeled and cubed
  • salt
  • black beans : one can, not drained
  • chile peppers : 1 small can, not drained (optional)
  • garlic powder, chili powder, oregano
  1. Cook sausage in a skillet over medium heat
  2. Sauté onion in sausage drippings
  3. Remove onions, add squash to pan with little water, some olive oil (if needed), salt
  4. Cover and let cook until soft
  5. Add sausage, onions, beans, chile peppers, and pinches of remaining spices
  6. Simmer until desired warmth/doneness

Candied Ham

  • thinly sliced deli ham : cut/shred with scissors
  • brown sugar
  • cayenne pepper
  • butter

Note: this recipe works best when you might have gone overboard on the amount of ham you thought you would enjoy, or if the ham is getting close to going, or if you are tired of deli ham in sandwich form.

  1. Warm skillet to medium-low
  2. Add ham, brown sugar, and pinch of cayenne pepper
    • Note: ratio to taste, but for those that need precise measurements: 2 cups ham : 1 ½ tablespoon brown sugar : 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  3. Might need to add butter to prevent from sticking
  4. Stir until ham is fried and delicious looking

Chinese Spaghetti

  • chicken breasts or tenders
  • onion
  • peas
  • carrots
  • spaghetti
  • soy sauce
  • flour
  • oil
  • brown sugar
  • vinegar
  • ginger (optional)
  • red pepper flakes (optional)
  1. Cut chicken into desired-sized pieces
  2. Marinate chicken mix of 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1 tablespoon oil
  3. Dice half an onion and sauté lightly
  4. Add peas and sliced carrot
  5. Cook spaghetti
  6. Cook chicken
  7. Add vegetables to chicken
  8. Add 1 tablespoon of following: brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, oil
  9. Add healthy pinch of ginger and red pepper flakes to taste
  10. Drain pasta
  11. Service chicken mixture over pasta or in pasta, whichever your preference

Egg Salad Sandwiches

  • eggs : 7-12 eggs
  • mayo
  • lime juice
  • paprika
  • salt and pepper
  • thyme, rosemary, cayenne pepper (optional)
  • bread of choice (croissants are delicious…)
  1. Hard boil eggs
    • Note: I discovered that cooking these in the oven is a gift from the egg-god, but since I don’t have an oven at the current time, I’m back to actually boiling them again and it’s an adjustment.
  2. Peel and mash eggs
  3. Add mayo to liking
    • Note: I add mayo until I’m satisfied (like a thickened egg paste and less like a gloopy egg mess).
  4. Add 2 teaspoons lime juice
    • Note: we have lime on hand, it goes better in more drinks than lemon. But really it doesn’t matter
  5. Add dash of paprika
  6. Add salt and pepper to taste
  7. Add other spices and seasoning as desired
  8. Combine and serve on choice bread

Falafel Melts

  • chickpeas : 1 can, drained
  • shredded carrots : handful
  • frozen peas : handful
    • Note: Can use fresh carrots and frozen peas OR the bag of frozen peas and diced carrots, both turn out delicious. I wouldn’t recommend canned of either.
  • salt and pepper
  • flour
  • oil : your choice, it’s for frying
  • havarti cheese slices
  • bread of choice : pita bread is go-to, but any will work
  1. Put chickpeas in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork
  2. If shredding carrots yourself, do so carefully
  3. Add shredded carrots and frozen peas to mashed chickpeas
  4. Add salt and pepper to taste
  5. Add 2 tablespoons of flour
  6. Mix all ingredients until combined
  7. Form patties of desired size
  8. Add oil to skillet and heat to medium
    • Note: add as much oil as you wish, I usually add a little to prevent them from sticking (and lots of oil in a pan has always made me nervous)
  9. Add patties and cook until crispy brown on both sides
    • Note: if patties aren’t maintaining their form, add a little more flour to remaining mixture
  10. Top with slice of cheese prior to removing from pan to allow time to melt
  11. Serve between slices of desired bread with whatever toppings (tomato, lettuce, etc…)

Fiesta Nam Sod

  • rotisserie chicken : 1 chicken
  • rice of choice
  • romaine lettuce : chopped coarsely
  • salsa of choice
  • Note: Amount of ingredients will depend on how you like it: rice-bowl style or like a salad.
  1. Cook rice if not using precooked
  2. Debone and shred rotisserie chicken
  3. Combine ingredients in desired amounts
  4. Top with salsa

Gobble-N-Veggies

  • spaghetti squash : 1, cut lengthwise and remove seeds
  • olive oil
  • thyme
  • salt and pepper
  • rosemary
  • oregano
  • ground turkey : 1 pound
  • purple onion : ½, chopped
  • oil or butter (sauté onion)
  • tomato paste : healthy tablespoon
  • pumpkin puree : 2 oz.
  • Note: I know what you are thinking, but trust me
  1. Drizzle squash halves with olive oil and a sprinkling of the thyme, salt and pepper, rosemary, and oregano
  2. Place halves in a covered stew pot over medium/low heat until soft
  3. Using a fork, shred squash from rind
    • Note: squash will be hot, handle with caution
  4. Cook turkey, draining and removing from skillet when done
  5. Sauté onion in fat of choice
  6. Add squash, turkey tomato paste, and pumpkin puree to onions and warm
  7. Barely sprinkle with cayenne pepper

Himmel und Erde

“Heaven and Earth”

apples from the sky and potatoes from the earth

  • sausage in some form : 1 package (ground, links, kielbasa)
  • potatoes of choice : 3-5, chunked or use a bag of baby/fingerling potatoes
  • red onion : ½-1, chopped or sliced
  • apples : 2-5, chunked
  • parsley
  • garlic powder
  • salt
  • pepper
  • thyme
  1. Cook sausage
  2. Add onion and sauté briefly
  3. Add potatoes and allow to soften a bit
  4. Add apple
    • Note: if using a harder apple, may want to add in with potatoes
  5. Cover and let everything meld and soften
  6. Add spices to taste. A pinch of each will do.

Honey Lemon Schnitzel

  • pork cutlets of choice : 4, sans bone
  • flour
  • salt and pepper
  • fat of choice for frying
  • honey
  • lemon
  1. Trim pork cutlets if needed and tenderize a bit
  2. Combine ¼ cup flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a bowl, bag, or Tupperware
  3. Add tenderized pork and shake to coat generously
  4. Add fat of choice to skillet and heat to medium
  5. Add pork and cook 3-4 minutes per side, until juices run clear
  6. Remove pork from skillet and return skillet to heat
  7. Add ¼ cup lemon juice and ¼ cup honey to skillet
  8. Stir until mixture thickens
  9. Return pork to skillet and cook until warmed thoroughly

Links and Smashed Spuds

  • sausage links or ground sausage of choice : one package
  • baby or finger potatoes of choice : one bag
  • onion : ½-1, chopped into desired size (thin slices works well)
  • oil/butter
  • seasonings of choice
  1. Boil small potatoes until soft, but not totally falling apart
  2. Drain potatoes and place somewhere they won’t roll away, or burn someone, or be eaten prematurely by your partner
  3. Sauté onion in oil or fat of choice
  4. Remove caramelized onions from pan and store somewhere safe (refer to step 3)
  5. Cook smoky links or ground sausage in same pot/pan
  6. While links are cooking, find your cooked potato stash
  7. Using a jar or a cup, lightly smash potatoes
  8. Remove links and store safely
  9. Add potatoes to pan (with sausage drippings) to brown
    • Note: goal is to maintain the smashed potato and not have potato crumble.  Probably easier to brown using the oven, but really, the browning process is all the same in the end.  If you end up with potato crumble, it’s less chewing.
  10. Add everything to warm together
  11. Season as desired

Mary Jane-Inspired Green Chicken Chili

  • yellow onion : ½, diced
  • oil/butter (sauté onion)
  • chicken meat of choice : boneless, chunked, shredded, or thinly sliced
  • green chiles : 1 can, keep juices
  • great northern beans : 1 can, keep bean liquid
  • bouillon cube : 1, chicken or vegetable
  • salt and pepper
  • paprika and garlic powder
  • water (optional)
  1. Sauté onion in oil/fat of choice in a pan over medium heat
  2. Add chicken and chiles (with juice)
  3. Cover, lower stove to medium-low, and cook until almost done
  4. Add beans (with juice), bouillon cube, and spices to taste
  5. Add additional water until chili has reached desired thickness
  6. Simmer 15-20 minutes

Nam Sod

  • ground turkey : ½-1 pound
  • rice of choice
  • romaine lettuce or baby arugula 
  • vinegar, lime juice, ginger, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper
  • radishes, thinly sliced
  • carrots, cut in matchsticks or shredded
  • onion : ¼ – ½ ,  chopped thinly
  • peanuts (optional)
  • Note: Amount of ingredients will depend on how you like it: rice-bowl style or like a salad.
  1. Cook turkey and rice separately
  2. Rinse and chop romaine lettuce
  3. Mix vinegar and lime juice in 2:1 ratio
  4. Add healthy pinch of ginger, chili powder, salt, and pepper
  5. Go easy of pinch of cayenne pepper
  6. Add radishes, carrots, and onion to marinade and let soak (betters with age)
  7. Combine turkey, rice, and lettuce in desired proportions
  8. Top with marinated vegetables and peanuts

Pain Perdu

“lost bread”

French Toast

  • french bread : 1 loaf, give it a gentle appreciative squeeze in the store
  • eggs : see “Note” below step 2
  • milk
  • cardamom (more), ginger (more), cinnamon (less) – my preferences
  • dark honey and butter (optional)
  • strawberries or fruit of choice
  1. Slice bread in thick slices
  2. Crack eggs into a bowl
    • Note: I’m bad at judging the batter to bread ratio, so probably one egg to one slice for thicker slices would probably be acceptable. Or just add more milk and eggs at the end.
  3. Add enough milk to eggs to make it a medium thick liquid
    • Note: should stick nicely to the bread and not make bread immediately soggy (too much milk) or have large globs of egg (not enough milk)
  4. Add spices to milk and eggs
  5. Use a whisk or a fork to combine batter
  6. Soak bread slices to a nice absorption (use your judgement)
  7. Heat skillet to medium/medium low heat (depending on your stove)
  8. Cook slices to brown
  9. Cover in dark honey and butter near end and cook to thickened for added treat
  10. Plate up and service with sliced strawberries

Pork Sliced Rice

  • pork loin : 1 per two people, thinly sliced
    • Note: I’m using a half-thawed pork loin and was able to cut thin slices easier. Whatever your method, watch your fingertips when slicing
  • onion : ½, thinly sliced
  • frozen peas : handful
  • rice of choice, but not seasoned
  • ginger
  • cinnamon
  • paprika
  • lemon juice or vinegar
  • spaghetti sauce
  1. Heat skillet to medium with a little oil in it
  2. Add pork to skillet and cook half-way
  3. Add onion and peas to skillet and sauté with pork
  4. Season rice with pinch of each of ginger, cinnamon, and paprika
    • If not using precooked rice, add rice and needed amount of water to skillet and allow to cook with pork, onions, and peas.
    • If using pre-cooked rice, add to skillet and allow to warm making sure pork finishes cooking
  5.  Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and/or vinegar and a splash of spaghetti sauce
  6. Warm and serve

Potato Soup

classic comfort

  • potatoes : 1 bag fingerlings or baby, chunked
  • carrots : as many as desired, sliced
  • onion : ½ , diced
  • chicken bouillon : 2 cubes
  • water
  • thyme
  • salt and pepper
  • oregano
  • paprika
  • milk and/or heavy cream
  • soy sauce (optional)
  • rice vinegar (optional)
  1. Add potatoes, carrots, onion, and bouillon cubes to a stew pot
  2. Add water to cover an inch above ingredients
  3. Sprinkle healthy pinch of thyme
  4. Cover and let cook until potatoes are tender
  5. Add salt and pepper to taste
  6. Add dash of oregano and paprika
  7. Add and splash of milk and a dash of heavy cream
  8. Let simmer for 5 ish minutes of low heat
  9. For extra flavor add a splash of soy sauce and rice vinegar

Radish and Jalapeño Relish

  • radishes
  • jalapeños
  • salt
  • vinegar

Note: for medium-spicy jalapeños, I use a 2:1 of radishes to jalapeños. Your innards, your choice.

  1. Remove tops and bottoms of radishes
  2. Rinse radishes
  3. Carefully dice radishes
  4. Remove tops and deseed jalapeños
    • Note: depending on the heat of your selected peppers, you might want gloves for steps 4 and 5
  5. Dice jalapeños
  6. Combine diced vegetables
  7. Sprinkle with a little salt and cover 2/3rds with vinegar

Note: Best to let it sit in fridge overnight and to use within a week, otherwise the radishes tend to send odors into the fridge. Let marinate a minimum of an hour.

Shredded Chicken Wraps

  • rotisserie chicken, deboned and shredded
  • mayo
  • lettuce
  • bacon
  • cheese
  • other toppings of choice
  • tortillas or wraps
  1. Assemble wrap as desired using choice ingredients

Sloppy Tortillas

  • ground beef : ½ pound
  • onion : ½, chopped
  • tomato : 1-2, chopped
  • frozen peas : handful
  • lime juice : good squirt
  • ginger
  • chili powder
  • garlic powder
  • water (conditional)
  • flour (conditional)
  1. Cook ground beef and onions until beef is done and onions are soft
  2. Drain and return to skillet
  3. Add tomato(es), peas, and lime juice to skillet
  4. Add a pinch of ginger and chili powder and a lesser pinch of garlic powder
  5. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes over
    1. Note: Depending on desired thickness, you might need to add water and/or flour to thicken.  It doesn’t take a lot of flour, so if you are not confident, add in ½ teaspoon increments, stirring in between.  Optionally, you could add tomato paste in earlier, but I didn’t have tomato paste at the moment and was miles from any town of substance.
  6. Serve with tortillas and toppings of choice

Squashed Tuna

  • spaghetti squash : 1, cut in half long-wise and remove seeds
  • lime juice
  • olive oil
  • tuna : 1 can
  • lemon pepper
  • salt
  • Babybel original cheese : 1 mini wheel
  1. Drizzle squash halves with lime juice and olive oil (lime for flavor and oil to cook)
  2. Place halves in a covered stew pot over medium/low heat until soft
  3. Using a fork, shred squash from rind
  4. Combine shredded squash with tuna (with juices) in pot
  5. Add lemon pepper and little salt
  6. Simmer until warm
  7. Add Babybel cheese to cut citrus flavor

Stir Fry Taco Stew

  • boneless chicken meat of choice : 1 pound, cut in strips
  • butternut squash : 1, cubed
  • bell pepper : 1-2, diced
  • onion : 1/2, diced
  • jalapeño pepper : 1, diced
  • salt, pepper, spices to taste
  • ramen noodle packet, chicken flavored (Day 1, stir fry)
  • tortillas or desired taco-style bread/shell (Day 2, tacos)
  • water (Day 3, stew)
  1. Sauté onions in skillet over medium heat
  2. Either remove onions from skillet or keep in
  3. Cook squash in skillet over until nearly soft
  4. Add chicken and cover skillet, stirring occasionally
  5. Add peppers and stir occasionally
  6. Serve:
    • Day 1: With bed of cooked ramen
    • Day 2: On tortillas or taco shells with a radish and jalapeño relish (see recipe)
    • Day 3: Add some water and transform into a stew (by now, everything has marinated deliciously)

Turkey Meatballs

  • ground turkey : 1 pound
  • egg : 1
  • oregano
  • shredded New England Cheddar, uh ½ cup or desired amount
  • crushed red pepper flakes : healthy pinch
  • Crushed crackers, ½ cup ish
  1. Mix all ingredients together with hands
  2. Form into meatball size of choice
  3. Cook in skillet over medium heat, browning on outside
  4. Lower heat and cover to finish cooking OR finishing cooking in red sauce

Spaghetti and Red Sauce

  • spaghetti noodles
  • tomato paste, 2-3 Tbls
  • chicken bouillon cubes : 2
  • onion : ½, diced and sautéed
  • oregano, healthy pinch
  • parsley, healthy pinch
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  1. Cook noodles until desired doneness and set aside
  2. Mix remaining ingredients with water to desired thickness or amount needed
  3. Could choose to allow meatballs to finish cooking in red sauce

Brussels Sprouts

  • brussels sprouts : 1 bag, washed and halved
  • bacon of choice : 4 slices, chopped
  • butter
  • ginger
  • oregano
  • plum : 1-2 ripe, diced
  1. Heat skillet medium-low
  2. Add bacon, butter, and brussels sprouts
    • Note: amount of butter depends on the amount of fat your bacon choice creates.
  3. Cook brussels sprouts until nice and goldened/blackened
  4. Add healthy pinch of ginger and oregano
  5. Add plum(s) near end to add a kick of sweet/tart to brussels sprout taste

Butterscotch Treats

  • butterscotch chips : 1 12oz bag
  • creamy peanut butter : ½ cup
  • corn flakes : at least 5 cups
  1. Melt butterscotch chips and peanut butter in a double broiler
    1. Note: My double broiler is a mixing bowl on top of a tea kettle with its lid off
  2. Once melted, remove bowl and begin adding cornflakes
  3. Mix ingredients, adding additional cornflakes until desired ratio is achieved
    1. Note: cornflakes should be coated, but how coated is up to you
  4. Cover a cookie sheet or something solid (unless you have counter space to spare) with wax paper or aluminum foil
  5. Using a spoon, form small piles of the mixture
  6. Allow to solidify and enjoy or place in container to store
  7. Depending on the temperature of your home, might be better off storing in fridge

Chocolate

  • chocolate chips : 1 bag
  • butter : 1 tablespoonish
  • cream : ¼ cup
  1. Melt chocolate chips and butter over make-shift double-boiler (plastic mixing bowl over simmering water)
  2. When melt, slowly mix in cream
  3. Pour into spread container and allow to harden

Fried Plantains

  • plantains : apparently the blacker the skin, the better
  • butter   
  • sugar : brown or white
  • honey
  1. Slice plantains
  2. Add butter (or oil) to skillet and heat to medium/medium-low
  3. Add sliced plantains
  4. Add sugar and honey to taste
  5. Fry until softer and caramelized in color

Note: We had these in Belize as well as at a Cuban place in Key West and I’m still working on this recipe. You want to wait until the plantains are softer to the touch before peeling and slicing, otherwise they come out with the texture and taste of a potato. I read several recipes claiming you don’t need to add anything to the skillet other than the plantains, but I found that to be hogwash. I also kept greener plantains around, waiting for them to ripen, but they never did. Instead, the broke out in weird brown blotches extending into the fruit and I didn’t trust them.

Pumpkin and Cream

  • heavy cream : ½-1 cup
  • butter
  • brown sugar
  • ginger
  • cinnamon
  • pumpkin puree : approximately 2 oz.
  • granola (optional)
  1. Thicken heavy cream and keep cold in fridge
  2. Melt 2 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in saucepan over medium-low heat
  3. Stir until getting thicker and bubbly
  4. Add healthy pinch of ginger and a lesser pinch of cinnamon to mixture
  5. Add pumpkin puree and let bubble, stirring occasionally to avoid smoldering
  6. Carefully ladle into bowls of thickened cream
  7. Sprinkle with granola

Notes: I only have a bowl and a fork, so a whisk (or mixer) would surely be more effective, but I find the thickened cream versus fully whipped cream is more enjoyable with the pumpkin puree.