The Kitchen, Now, More Than Ever, is the Heart of the Home

Meals around the family dinner table might look different now as families balance working from home. While the dinner table may now include a myriad of electronics and paperwork, it has always been a place to slow down and reconnect with those we cherish most. At KSI, we believe that the kitchen and dinner table is a place where families share more than just a meal.  But, we have to eat, and here are some of KSI’s designers favorite recipes.

French onion burger and fries served with El Ligero, crisp Mexican lager brewed with lime from Griffin Claw Brewing Company. Pictured Right, KSI Designer and “Sous Chef”, Lindsey Griner.

Quick and Easy French Onion Burger 

KSI Livonia Design Center Designer, Lindsey Griner and her boyfriend cook every night.  She calls herself the Sous Chef and her boyfriend the Executive Chef. Lindsey does most of the prep work while her beau does most of the cooking and plating. Some meals are healthy and other meals like this savory burger are pure comfort. This quick and easy French Onion burger recipe is topped with sautéed onions, turkey broth and fontina cheese. Served with a side of homemade french fries, this tasty meal is one the whole family is sure to enjoy.

Growing up as an only child, with her mom working second shift, classic staples like burgers and fries were a constant at dinner. Today, because she and her boyfriend are both working from home, the dining room table pivots from home office to dining room at mealtime to make room for new and delicious recipes. Who said quantine can't be fun and tasty?

French Onion Burger with Oven Fries & Fontina

Recipe is from Dinnerly, and modified slightly.

Ingredients:

• 2 potato buns
• 10 oz. ground beef
• 1 tablespoon of turkey broth
• ¾ oz fontina (or gruyère)
• 1 russet potato
• 1 large clove of garlic
• Yellow onion
• Balsamic vinegar
• Sugar
• Butter
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil (or canola oil)

1. Put on some Bob Seger, because it just works.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees with rack on the lower third of the oven. Peel a sweet yellow onion then thinly slice. Mince 1 teaspoon of garlic. Scrub the potato then half crosswise if large. Cut lengthwise into ½-inch planks, then cut plank into ½-inch fries. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss potatoes with 1-1/2 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper (add steak seasoning if you are looking for steak fries) set fries aside. Slice cheese into thin slices.
3. Roast the potatoes on the lower rack of the oven until brown. 20-25 minutes.
4. Heat ½ tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium to high heat. Add onions, then season with salt and pepper. Cook until very soft, roughly 3-4 minutes. Season with a pinch of sugar, then stir in turkey brother and ¼ cup of water. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half and onions appear jam-like. Stir in 1/8 teaspoon of vinegar. Transfer onions to a small bowl.
5. Divide beef and shape into two (4-inch) burgers. Season all over with salt and pepper. (Pro-tip, create a shallow divot or thumbprint into the center of the burger to ensure the meat cooks evenly and holds it’s shape rather than swelling and shrinking during cooking.) Wipe out same skill, then heat two teaspoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add buns, cut side down, cooking until lightly toasted, 1-2 minutes.
6. Heat ½ tablespoon of butter in same skillet over medium high heat. Add burgers and cook until brown on one side, 2-3 minutes. Top burger with caramelized onions, and cheese. Cover and cook until burgers are medium-rare and the cheese is melted, 3-4 minutes. Transfer the burger with buns and serve with fries. Add a condiment and beer from your local brewery.

Croissant Strata

Recipe from ‘Half Baked Harvest: Super Simple’ by Tieghan Gerard

KSI Macomb Design Center Designer Brooke Schall likes to spend her weekends at the family cabin in northern Michigan. This weekend was her turn to prepare the family breakfast. She chose Croissant Strata because it’s easy, delicious and can be made ahead of time. Buttery croissants, whole milk, Gruyere & Swiss blend cheese, spinach and prosciutto tossed together and baked to golden perfection. Brooke recommends you prepare the strata in advance and bake it right before you’re ready to serve.

We asked Brooke what mealtime looked like in her home growing up? “We always had dinners around the kitchen table.” As she said, “We’re back to basics again.”

Croissant Strata

Ingredients:

3 tbs butter, sliced thin

6 croissants, torn into thirds

8 large eggs

3 cups whole milk

1 tbs Dijon mustard

½ tbs dried sage (or to taste)

¼ tsp nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

12 oz. frozen spinach; thawed and squeezed til dry

1 ½ cups shredded Gruyere & Swiss blend (I got mine at Meijer)

1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3 oz. package of prosciutto, torn

*Highly recommended to assemble the night before and bake in the morning.

Put torn croissants in bottom of baking dish and cover with thinly sliced butter. Bake 5-8 minutes until lightly toasted. Remove and let cool until no longer hot.

In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, Dijon, sage, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add in spinach and half the amount of both cheeses. *Make sure spinach is dry, otherwise it will make strata soggy.

Pour mixture evenly over croissants, top with remaining cheese. Add in prosciutto.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350. Bake strata until center is set, approximately 45 minutes. If the croissants begin to brown before strata is finished, cover with foil and continue baking.

Enjoy! Add hot sauce of your choice if that’s up your alley 😊

Recipe from ‘Half Baked Harvest: Super Simple’ by Tieghan Gerard

1. Preheat oven to 350; grease 9 x 13 backing dish with butter or cooking spray
2. Put torn croissants in bottom of baking dish and cover with thinly sliced butter. Bake 5-8 minutes until lightly toasted. Remove and let cool until no longer hot
3. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, Dijon, sage, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add in spinach and half the amount of both cheeses **Make sure spinach is dry, it will make strata soggy
4. Pour mixture evenly over croissants, top with remaining cheese. Add in prosciutto.
5. Cover and refrigerator over night
6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350. Bake strata until center is set, approximately 45 minutes. If the croissants begin to brown before strata is finished, cover with foil and continue baking
7. Remove strata from oven and let cool for 5 minutes
8. Enjoy!