Free Cooking for Two by Bruce Weinstein, Mark Scarbrough

the oven to 350°F.
    2. Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid. (The liquid may be sandy. If so, strain it through a colander lined with cheesecloth or paper towels.) Rinse the mushrooms, removing any sand from their gills by running your fingers across them under running water. Cut off their stems and discard; thinly slice the caps.
    3. Melt ½ tablespoon of the butter in a medium skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the turkey strips and sauté for about 2 minutes, or just until no longer pink. Transfer the strips to a plate and return the skillet to medium heat.
    4. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the melted butter, let the flour stand in the sizzling butter for 10 seconds, then whisk to combine. Once it’s pastelike, begin whisking in the reserved, strained mushroom soaking liquid in a slow, steady stream. Continue whisking and cooking for about 20 seconds, or just until the mixture returns to a boil and begins to thicken.
    5. Whisk in the sour cream, sherry, mustard, salt, pepper, and scallions. Cook for only 10 seconds, just until heated through; then stir in the sliced mushrooms, the turkey strips, any juice accumulated on the plate, and 2 tablespoons of the grated cheese. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cooked spaghetti. Pour this mixture into a 1-quart round soufflé dish and top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese.
    6. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.
    NOTE: Use only nonfat sour cream, which won’t break or curdle during the baking.
Going International
    Two teaspoons of sweet paprika gives the casserole a Hungarian flare. One teaspoon of caraway seeds gives it a taste reminiscent of German casseroles. And increasing the mustard to 2 teaspoons and adding 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon makes it decidedly French. Add any of these additional spices to the pan with the sour cream.
C HICKEN P OT P IE
makes
a 1-quart casserole or two 2-cup servings
    R emember frozen chicken pot pies? Some of us probably ate them on the nights our parents went out, or maybe for Sunday supper: that flaky crust, the rich chicken stew inside. Okay, it’s better in memory, no doubt. But one thing’s for sure: chicken pot pies are great when they’re made from scratch, with a buttery biscuit topping and the chicken simmered in a creamy sauce. You can make this dish in either a shallow 1-quart casserole dish or in two 2-cup ramekins for individual servings.
    4 chicken thighs (about ¾ pound total)
    1 cup water
    5 tablespoons unsalted butter (see Note)
    1 small onion, chopped
    2 medium carrots, chopped
    2 medium celery ribs, minced
    1 small garlic clove, minced
    cup plus 1 tablespoon allpurpose flour
    ½ cup milk (regular, low-fat, or nonfat), or ½ cup heavy cream
¾ teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon minced fresh sage, or ½ teaspoon rubbed sage
    ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme, or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
    ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    ¼ cup fresh peas, or ¼ cup frozen peas, thawed
    2 tablespoons (or more) ice water
    1. Place the chicken thighs in a small saucepan, cover with the water, then bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
    2. Remove the chicken thighs from the saucepan. Skim the cooking liquid of any visible fat and impurities. Bring to a boil again over high heat, then continue boiling undisturbed for about 3 minutes, or untilthe liquid is reduced to ½ cup. If there are any impurities again on the surface, carefully skim them off, then set the reduced cooking liquid aside. Skin the chicken thighs, debone them, and roughly chop the meat. Set aside.
    3. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, or until