Snowed In with a Cheesy Artichoke Bake
Donuts, soup, homemade bread, puff pastry, chocolate mousse — and a cheesy artichoke bake that disappeared fast.
We finally got a significant amount of snow here in the West, and after months of glorious spring-like weather, it made up for lost time.
When storms like this roll in, the best thing to do is take cover and stay inside — and there’s no better place to be than a warm kitchen.
Here’s what filled my oven while the snow kept falling.
This was the view from my kitchen window — and the blizzard was just getting started.
One of the poor backyard shrubs, bowed under the weight of the snow, already halfway to being buried.
Somewhere in the middle of all this I kept up a February birthday tradition — first thing one morning, I headed to the local donut shop for a glazed old-fashioned.
It’s my favorite in the case — craggy and golden, with crisp edges, a tender center, and glaze that seeps into every crack. It shatters when you bite in, giving way to a buttery crumb with that buttermilk tang I love.
Just look at it.
I baked a batch of sweet potatoes to slice into cheese omelets, cube into salads, or eat simply with butter, flaky sea salt, and a little cinnamon.
It’s one of the easiest kitchen tricks I know and takes about 30 minutes.
To make them, cut a sweet potato in half lengthwise, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle both sides with a little salt, and bake cut-side down at 375°F until soft when pressed, about 30 minutes. So good.
I also made a big pot of vegetable soup and two loaves of incredible peasant bread from Alexandra’s Kitchen. It’s easy, requires no kneading, and comes together quickly. The house smells wonderful while it bakes.
It’s especially good torn open with salted butter and makes excellent toast the next morning with jam.
Then I tested a recipe for cinnamon pull-aparts made with puff pastry in a muffin tin, inspired by a fabulous one I had years ago that’s haunted me ever since.
They need a little more tweaking — and probably a drizzle of vanilla bean glaze.
Stay tuned.
And finally, there was this divine — and surprisingly virtuous — chocolate mousse, rich and impossibly smooth, made with an unexpected base: silken tofu.
It wasn’t overly sweet — just creamy and deeply chocolatey.
I topped it with non-dairy whipped cream and a scattering of mini chocolate chips.
It’s worth a try — here’s the recipe I used.
Now, about this Cheesy Artichoke Bake.
I scribbled the recipe onto a hotel notepad at a sales convention years ago while sitting next to a woman who loved to cook. I don’t remember how it came up, but she swore by it, rattling off the ingredients from memory.
I’ve made it ever since — for breakfast or brunch, or cut into small squares as an appetizer. It’s simple and especially good with salsa.
Thanks for spending the week in the kitchen with me. See you next time.
Cheesy Artichoke Bake
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Lightly grease a 9-inch square or round glass baking dish with nonstick spray.
Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained, with 1/4 cup marinade reserved
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups freshly grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Cut the artichoke hearts into bite-size pieces (about 1/2 inch).
In a medium nonstick skillet, sauté the onion in the reserved 1/4 cup artichoke marinade over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir occasionally so the onions don’t brown. Let cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the salt, pepper, and flour until smooth. Stir in the cheddar (or Jack) and Parmesan cheeses.
Add the chopped artichokes to the skillet with the cooled onions and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the top. Bake until set and golden brown on top, 25 to 30 minutes.
Let cool for a few minutes before slicing. Serve with salsa.