Here's a lightened-up Pasta Carbonara, that doesn't use cream. Using water from the pasta pot is a classic cookÂs trick. Starchy and salted, it makes a rich sauce when combined with the bacon, onion, and egg yolks in this recipe. It can also make a light flavorful sauce when mixed with grated Parmesan and herbs. Pasta Carbonara (Real Simple) 1 pound dry linguine 8 ounces bacon, diced 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped 3 large egg yolks 1 cup (4 ounces) grated Parmesan, plus more for garnishing 3/4 teaspoon black pepper Cook the linguine according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 ½ cups of the cooking water, and return the pasta to the pot. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Spoon off and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings. Return skillet to medium heat, add the onion, and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Working quickly, add the onion, bacon, and reserved pasta water to the pasta pot. Place over low heat and cook, tossing frequently, until heated through. Remove pot from heat and quickly add the yolks one at a time, stirring after each addition. Add the Parmesan and ½ teaspoon pepper and stir until the sauce thickens slightly. Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with additional Parmesan and the remaining pepper.

I haven't made this yet, but I sure plan on it! Slow-Cooked Pot Roast with Horseradish and Mustard Sauce (Fine Cooking) 2 carrots, peeled and cut in half 1 medium yellow onion, peeled, root trimmed but left intact, and sliced into 4 wedges 3 cloves garlic, smashed 3 sprigs fresh thyme 1 large bay leaf 3 whole cloves or allspice berries 1 cup homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth 1 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc) 2 Tbs. tomato paste 1 boneless beef chuck roast (2-1/2 to 3 lb.) 2 Tbs. olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 Tbs. brandy 1/2 tsp. prepared horseradish 1/2 tsp. grainy prepared mustard 2 Tbs. sour cream 1 tsp. all-purpose flour 2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley Put the carrots, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and cloves or allspice in the bottom of a slow cooker crock. In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the broth, wine, and tomato paste to blend. Set a large heavy-based skillet over medium high heat. Pat the roast dry with paper towels, rub both sides with the olive oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Sear the roast in the skillet until a dark crust forms on one side, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and sear the other side, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and put the roast on top of the vegetables in the crock. Add the broth mixture to the skillet, bring to a simmer, and scrape the pan bottom to loosen any browned bits. Pour the liquid over the roast and cover the crock; don't stir. Turn the slow cooker to low heat; cook gently without lifting the lid until the roast is fall-apart tender, 8 to 10 hours. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Strain the contents of the crock through a sieve set over a medium saucepan. Discard the solids. Skim the fat from the top of the strained liquid (or use a fat separator). Bring to a boil and then simmer rapidly until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the brandy, horseradish, and mustard. In a small bowl, mix the flour into the sour cream, stir in a few tablespoons of the sauce, and then pour the sour cream mixture into the sauce, whisking vigorously to blend. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Meanwhile, slice the roast thinly. Serve with the gravy and a sprinkling of parsley. Pot roast without a slow cooker: If you don't have a slow cooker, you can still make this pot roast, just make the following modifications to the recipe. Heat the oven to 250 F. Sear the meat in a heavy Dutch oven or similar pot. Transfer the meat to a plate. Add the broth mixture to the pot and bring to a simmer. Return the meat to the pot and turn once to coat the meat in the broth. Scatter the vegetables and herbs around the meat, return to a simmer, cover tightly, and roast in the oven until the meat is very tender, about 4 hours. Check occasionally to be sure the broth isn't bubbling too rapidly, and flip the meat if the top surface looks dry.

Bacon, Leek and Cheddar Mini-Quiches (Fine Cooking) 5-stars with all the reviews on this. You'll need four mini muffin tins for this recipe (or two if your tins have 24 cups). If you don't have enough muffin tins, you can assemble the quiches in batches, storing the remaining egg mixture and dough in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it. Yields about 4 dozen mini quiches. 3/4 lb. bacon, cut into medium dice 3 cups medium-diced leeks, washed and drained (about 3 leeks, white and light green parts only) 1-1/4 cups half-and-half 1 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar 2 large eggs 2 large egg yolks 2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme leaves 1 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg Cooking spray 2 1.1-lb. packages frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed according to package directions (preferably Pepperidge Farm brand) Flour as needed for rolling out the dough Preheat oven to 400F and position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until browned and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel. Pour off all but 1 to 2 Tbs. of fat in the skillet. Set the skillet over medium heat and cook the leeks, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly. While the leeks cool, combine the half-and-half, Cheddar, eggs, egg yolks, thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add the cooled leeks and the bacon and stir to combine. Lightly spray four mini muffin tins (or two if your tins have two dozen cups) with cooking spray. Working with one sheet of puff pastry dough at a time, use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface into a 10- by 18-inch rectangle. Stamp out 3-inch circles of dough with a cookie cutter and gently press the rounds into the mini muffin tins. Fill each with about 1 Tbs. of filling; you can fill right to the top of the dough. You may not need all the dough; save leftovers for another use. You can bake the quiches immediately or freeze and bake them later. Bake the quiches, switching the position of the tins halfway through baking, until the filling is puffed and the crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Unbaked quiches can be frozen for up to a month. Freeze the quiches in the muffin tins for about 2 hours, or until set. Remove them from the tins and transfer them to an airtight container, setting parchment or plastic wrap between layers, or seal them in a plastic bag. To bake, transfer the quiches back to the tins and bake immediately, without thawing. Baking time for frozen quiches will be about 30 to 35 minutes.

Chewy Spice Cookies (Real Simple) I don't like spice cookies, but you guys might! 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 2 teaspoon ground ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 3/4 cup vegetable shortening (preferably trans-fat-free) 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar 1 large egg 1/2 cup molasses 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/4 cup granulated sugar Heat oven to 350ð F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, pepper, and cloves. Using an electric mixer, beat the shortening and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined (do not overmix). Place the granulated sugar on a plate. Roll heaping tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls; roll in the sugar to coat. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Using a glass, press the balls to a âÂÂ-inch thickness and sprinkle with more granulated sugar. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the edges are firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.