A Duck's Oven

A food and travel blog with comforting, simple recipes.

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on the table

Let’s face it: getting dinner on the table after a long, busy day is no simple task. A Duck’s Oven is here to help you make meal time the easiest and most exciting part of your day.

Recipes

Best Ever Oven Fries

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After many years, I have finally perfected the french fry.

I’ve suffered through burnt french fries, soggy french fries, and bland french fries. I’ve said goodbye to those fries and perfected the new method.

The bad news? This method is a little more labor intensive. The good news? These fries will rock your world.

So here’s what makes these fries special: you boil them first! Not only do you boil them, you boil them in salty-like-the-sea water. I want you to salt your water and then taste it. Salt it until it tastes like the ocean. I mean it. This helps you avoid the “bland”.

I like to cut my fries a little on the thick (“thicc” if you’re Husband) side – somewhere between a McDonald’s french fry and a jojo.

Once they’re cut, boil for about 10 minutes, drain, and rinse with cold water. Lay out some paper towels and pat them thoroughly dry. Then toss them in olive oil and a little more salt (trust) and bake for 25-30 minutes at 425 degrees F.

Your fries will be golden and crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and perfectly salty. You. Are. Welcome.

Need a burger recipe now? I gotchu.

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Best Ever Oven Fries

  • Author: Chelsea Cole
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Description

Get ready for my best ever oven fries! This method for baked fries is so easy and results in crispy, tender french fries that are perfectly seasoned every time.

Scale

Ingredients

2 lbs russet potatoes, scrubbed clean (peeling optional)

Kosher salt

1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil.

While you’re waiting for the water to boil, slice the potatoes into your desired french fry shape. I like a thickness of about 1/2 inch.

Once the water is boiling, add kosher salt 1 tbsp at a time. Taste between tbsp. Salt until the water is salty like the ocean (noticeably salty on your tongue).

Add the potatoes to the boiling, salted water and boil for about 8 minutes, until fries are just fork tender but not falling apart.

Strain and rinse with cold water. Lay out paper towels. Set the potatoes on top of the paper towels and pat dry with additional paper towels.

Once dry, add the potatoes to a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and about 1 tsp kosher salt.

Bake for 15 minutes, flip the fries, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

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Smash Burgers

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Lately, I’ve been obsessed with smash burgers. I initially discovered them at a bar up the street from our house (shout-out to you, Haymaker!) and then dreamed about them constantly. Now it’s the only burger I want.

Unfamiliar with the smash burger? Let’s get into it. When you picture an amazing cheeseburger, you probably think if a thick, medium-rare patty. That is not this burger. This is a thinner, crispy on the outside patty that tiptoes towards well-done. I know: this is surprising for the girl who consistently makes fun of her father in law for liking his steak well-done.

But this is a different experience. The charred outside and thin patty stacked with American cheese (JUST DO IT OKAY I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT) and then another patty with more American cheese is one of the best things you’ll ever put in your face. Especially if you add pickles.

I feel your skepticism. I do. But once you smash, you’ll never go back.

Oh, and you get bonus points if you order dry aged ground beef from Porter Road. Seriously, it’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten. Use promo code ADUCKSOVEN for $15 off your first order!

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Smash Burgers

  • Author: Chelsea
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 Burgers 1x
  • Method: Grill or Stovetop
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Description

How to make a smash burger: it’s not as tricky as you think! Get my restaurant copycat recipe for smash burgers and you’ll never go back to a thick patty.

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Ingredients

2 pound ground beef

Kosher salt

16 slices American cheese

Butter

4 brioche buns

Desired toppings and condiments (I recommend pickles!)

Instructions

Set a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium high heat. Butter the brioche buns and press onto the skillet to brown them. Set aside.

Separate the ground beef into 8 equally sized portions and form into balls with your hand. Working in batches, place the ground beef balls onto the preheated skillet.

Press down hard with a spatula to flatten each ball. Once very flat (no thicker than 1/2 inch), season each patty with kosher salt. Scraggly edges are good – they’ll get crispy!

Once charred on the bottom, flip and top each patty with 2 slices of American cheese. Cover if possible until cheese is melted. Remove to a plate and repeat with all ground beef balls.

Top each bun with two patties and your desired condiments.

Keywords: Smash Burger

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Easy Swiss and Gruyere Fondue

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I have a secret.

It’s my fondue recipe. Guys, it’s kind of……………………. gross. But totally delicious.

And what I mean by that is, there’s a secret ingredient that is frowned upon. Now is the time to put your judgy face away.

Ready?

Processed cheese.

LET ME EXPLAIN MYSELF.

Have you tried to make fondue before? It can be really hard to get right. It’ll take forever to melt and get smooth, then suddenly you’ll have gone too far and the texture is gritty and totally off.

Not so if you use processed cheese! Let’s be clear: I’m not buying a pack of individual American cheese slices or Velveeta. My preference is to go to the deli counter at my grocery store and get processed Swiss cheese in a block. No mass plastic waste from individually wrapped slices (not to mention you don’t have to open all of those individually wrapped slices).

I do like to use some real deal Gruyere to fancy things up and add flavor.

My pro tips for the perfect fondue:

  • Be patient! It might take a bit to melt down.
  • Use medium heat. A lot of people will say to keep it loooow, but with processed cheese, you have more wiggle room.
  • Don’t use all the wine to start. Start with about half, then set the rest aside and add to thin out the fondue. You can easily thin it out, but you can’t thicken it unless you have more cheese!

My go-to dippers are apples, sausage, and obviously a mountain of bread. Really feeling DIY? Try making some homemade focaccia!

Go forth and fondue!

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Easy Swiss and Gruyere Fondue

  • Author: Chelsea
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Description

My easy swiss and gruyere cheese fondue recipe will give you the confidence to make creamy, smooth fondue! Make it for a party or just for dinner.

Scale

Ingredients

1 cup white wine

1 tsp garlic

8 oz shredded gruyere cheese

12 oz processed swiss cheese, cubed

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Instructions

Place a medium-sized pot on your stove over medium heat. Add the wine and garlic and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Siphon off about half of the wine and set aside.

Add the gruyere, about a quarter of the cheese at a time, letting it melt between additions. Stir regularly. Repeat with the swiss cheese.

Add the wine that was set aside a bit at a time until your desired consistency is reached.

Stir in the nutmeg and serve.

Notes

Serve with bread, soft pretzels, sausage, steamed veggies, and apples.

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Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

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These Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies are perfectly chewy, and the milk crumb and blueberries add a twist to make them just different enough to be fun!

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I’ve been a little obsessed with Christina Tosi’s cookbook Milk Bar. I’m not really a baker, but I’m hoping to get better at it. I do scones here and there, but those are dang easy. Every time I tell people I’m kicking off this effort with Christina’s book they look at me like I’m crazy. Let’s just say: it isn’t traditional.

There are elements to her recipes that take a lot of time: making a crumb first, whipping the butter for a full 10 minutes total, refrigerating the dough for at least two hours. But all of these details are what make her cookies perfect.

I was craving an oatmeal cookie, so I turned her Blueberry and Cream Cookies into Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies. Wooowwwwwza. Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies are a huge upgrade from your standard oatmeal cookie, and the creamy milk crumb makes them all the better.

I know some work goes into these Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies. But take the time. Do it right. When I’m thinking ahead, I make the dough before bed and bake them in the morning so the dough can really set up overnight. Really though, 2 hours will do the trick. Don’t short this time! I did the first time I made one of Christina’s cookie recipes… and it was a mistake.

JUST BE A GOOD GIRL, OKAY?

And enjoy these cookies!

Recipe:

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Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

  • Author: Chelsea
  • Prep Time: 2 hours 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 38 mins
  • Total Time: 3 hours 8 minutes
  • Yield: 24-26 cookies 1x
  • Category: Desserts
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Scale

Ingredients

Milk Crumb

1/2 cup (40 g) milk powder

1/4 cup (40 g) flour

2 tablespoons (12 g) cornstarch

2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar

1/2 teaspoon (2 g) kosher salt

4 tbsp (1/2 stick, 55 g) butter, melted

1/4 cup (20 g) milk powder

3 oz (90 grams) white chocolate, melted

The Cookies

16 tbsp (2 sticks, 225 g) butter, at room temperature

3/4 cups (150 g) sugar

2/3 cups (150 g) light brown sugar, tightly packed

2 tbsp (35 g) corn syrup

2  eggs

2 cups (320 g) flour

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 tsp (2 g) baking powder

1/4 tsp (1 1/2 g) baking soda

1 1/2 tsp (6 g) kosher salt

1/2 recipe Milk Crumb

3/4 cup (130 g) dried blueberries

Instructions

For the Milk Crumb: Heat the oven to 250°F.

Combine the 40 grams (1/2 cup) milk powder, the flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Toss with your hands to mix. Add the melted butter and toss, using a spatula, until the mixture starts to come together and form small clusters.

Spread the clusters on a parchment- or Silpat-lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes. The crumbs should be sandy at that point, and your kitchen should smell like buttery heaven. Cool the crumbs completely.

Crumble any milk crumb clusters that are larger than 1/2 inch in diameter, and put the crumbs in a medium bowl. Add the 20 g (1/4 cup) milk powder and toss together until it is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Pour the white chocolate over the crumbs and toss until your clusters are enrobed. Then continue tossing them every 5 minutes until the white chocolate hardens and the clusters are no longer sticky. The crumbs will keep in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for up to 1 month.

For the Cookies: Combine the butter, sugars, and corn syrup in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs, and beat for 7 to 8 minutes.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together, no longer than 1 minute. (Do not walk away from the machine during this step, or you will risk overmixing the dough.) Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

Still on low speed, add the milk crumbs and mix until they’re incorporated, no more than 30 seconds. Chase the milk crumbs with the dried blueberries, mixing them in for 30 seconds.

Using a 2 3/4-ounce ice cream scoop (or a 1/3-cup measure), portion out the dough onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Pat the tops of the cookie dough domes flat. Wrap the sheet pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 1 week. Do not bake your cookies from room temperature—they will not bake properly.

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Arrange the chilled dough a minimum of 4 inches apart on parchment- or Silpat-lined sheet pans. Bake for 18 minutes. The cookies will puff, crackle, and spread. After 18 minutes, they should be very faintly browned on the edges yet still bright yellow in the center; give them an extra minute or so if that’s not the case.

Notes

Be patient! Refrigerate the dough, fully whip the butter. Don’t take short cuts!

Keywords: Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

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Sous Vide Cherry Cheesecake

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Sous vide desserts get a bad rap. Lots of “but why tho?” Which I totally get! But when it comes to treats like cheesecake, creme brulee, and custards, sous vide is amazing. Your desserts come out perfectly consistent, with no jiggly center. It takes out all the guesswork!

National Cherry Cheesecake Day is in April (is there a holiday for every food now?!) so I decided to go for it and make some sous vide cherry cheesecake of my own!

Predictable: it was delicious.

I know you’re going to read “canned cherry pie filling” and be horrified. GET OVER IT. There are lots of cans of cherry pie filling with good, clean ingredients – like the one I used! The ooey-gooey texture of this filling is exactly what you need to get a classic cherry cheesecake feel.

To mimic a “crust”, I just sprinkled some crushed graham crackers on top. ‘Cause who’s here for the crust, anyways?

Did you know I wrote a whole cookbook about sous vide cooking? It also includes my base recipe for sous vide cheesecake, and a bunch of other amazing, everyday sous vide recipes. Which is probably why I called it Everyday Sous Vide: It’s All French to Me. If you buy it, leave me a review and tell me what you think!

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Sous Vide Cherry Cheesecake

  • Author: Chelsea
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 90 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Sous Vide
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Description

Cheesecake:

2 eight-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened to room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ tsp salt

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup heavy whipping cream

Toppings:

1 can of cherry pie filling

1/2 cup chunky graham cracker crumbs

Scale

Ingredients

Get immersion circulator setup and start preheating water bath to 175 degrees F. This is a hot temperature for sous vide cooking: don’t forget to place a trivet under your container!

Add all ingredients for cheesecake to a blender. Blend until smooth – there should be no cream cheese chunks and eggs should be completely incorporated. You may need to pause the blender and use a spatula to scrape down the sides a few times.

Prepare 6 quart-sized, wide mouth mason jars by removing the lids and spraying inside of jars with nonstick spray.

Pour the cream cheese mixture evenly between the jars.

Place the undamaged lids on your jars. Close to “finger tight” (you should be able to easily unscrew with just your fingertips). Drop jars carefully into water. Jars should be completely submerged and you should see small air bubbles escaping the jars. If the jars are floating, your lid is on too tight.

Let cook for 1 1/2 hours. Remove mason jars to a towel on the counter to cool. Once cool to the touch, place in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

When ready to serve, spoon cherry pie filling on top of cheesecakes and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. Serve!

Keywords: sous vide cheesecake

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Easy Sous Vide Hollandaise

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This sous vide hollandaise sauce is so easy to whip up. Dump all your ingredients into a jar, cook for a half hour, then blend! Sous vide + an immersion blender make this the most simple hollandaise recipe yet.

Here in the Cole house, we don’t really do brunch out. I know, weird, especially since we live in Portland, the land of brunch.

But we like slow mornings, where we don’t have to get dressed or leave the house and can spend hours sipping coffee without standing in an epic line outside a restaurant.

So I make brunch at home. I make peanut butter chocolate chip scones. I make cheesecake stuffed waffles.  I make cinnamon apple french toast bake. But until now, I always felt like I was missing out because eggs benedict at home was not a possibility. Hollandaise is a pain in the ass to make.

But as with all things difficult, sous vide makes it doable! Thanks to sous vide, I can have it all! Easy sous vide hollandaise is a game changer.

Part of what makes hollandaise so challenging is the balancing act of getting the eggs to just the right temperature without cooking them. With sous vide hollandaise, the temperature is held exactly where it needs to be for the perfect length of time.

With this easy recipe, you just dump all of the hollandaise ingredients into a jar, put it in the waterbath, and let it cook. After 30 minutes, you remove it from the waterbath, stick an immersion blender in the jar, blend until thick, and serve. You literally can’t mess it up.

Use this recipe to make eggs benedict with sous vide hollandaise, or try it as a sauce for salmon, asparagus, and other springtime favorites. It’s the best.

Want to learn more about sous vide cooking? Click here to get my Sous Vide 101 Guide!

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Easy Sous Vide Hollandaise

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Chelsea
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Description

These sous vide hollandaise sauce is so easy to whip up. Dump all your ingredients into a jar, cook for a half hour, then blend! Sous vide + an immersion blender make this the most simple hollandaise recipe yet.

Scale

Ingredients

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp minced shallot

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp butter

4 egg yolks

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp water

Instructions

Using your immersion circulator for sous vide cooking, preheat water bath to 167 degrees F.

Add all ingredients to a pint sized jar. Screw on the lid to just “finger-tight”, meaning only as far as you can screw it on with just your fingertips.

When the water is ready, add the jar. Make sure all ingredients are completely submerged by water. Cook for 30 minutes.

Remove jar from water bath. Remove lid. Insert immersion blender into jar, and blend until smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add water if you need to thin it out.

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