Turkey Stuffing Bake

 Turkey Stuffing Bake

2 T. butter

1/2 c. chopped onion

1/4 c. finely chopped celery 

1 c. cooked long grain rice

1 (8 oz.) package herb-seasoned stuffing mix

2 c. water

4 c. diced turkey or chicken

3 eggs

1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

1/2 c. sour cream

1/4 c. milk

1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9” x 9” baking dish.

 

Melt the butter in a small saute pan.  Add the onion and celery; cook over medium heat until soft.

In a large bowl, combine the stuffing mix and the 2 cups water.  Stir in the turkey, eggs and half of the condensed soup.  Stir in the cooked rice and the cooked onion and celery.  Spread into the prepared baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through.  While this is cooking, combine the remaining 1/2 can of soup, the sour cream and the milk.  Cook over low heat until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Serve the turkey bake cut into squares with the sauce spooned over the squares.

Horseradish Pub Cheese

 

Horseradish Pub Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 Ounces Cream cheese
• 1/4 Cup Sour cream
• 1/4 Cup Horseradish Drained
• 1 T. Water
• 2 Teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 Teaspoons White wine vinegar
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/8 Teaspoon Ground pepper

Instructions

• Set the cream cheese out to soften.
• Place all the ingredients in a food processor.  Pulse until thoroughly combined.
• If desired, you can top with some chopped chives or green onions for color.

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

 

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients

• 2 lb. chicken breast

• 1 jar your favorite salsa

• 1 red bell pepper julienned

• 1 green bell pepper julienned

• 1 orange bell pepper julienned

• 1 large yellow onion sliced

• 3 cloves garlic minced

• 2 tsp. chili powder

• 2 tsp. cumin

• 1 tsp. paprika

• 1 T. brown sugar

• salt

• pepper

To serve:

• Tortillas

• Cheese

• Sour Cream

• Salsa

Instructions

1. Slice peppers and onion and mix together. Layer 1/2 cup of salsa in crockpot. Put half of pepper mixture and minced garlic in the crockpot. Combine spices in a bowl. Sprinkle spices on both sides of chicken. Lay chicken on top of peppers in the crockpot. Put remaining peppers on top of chicken. Sprinkle remaining seasoning in crockpot. Add another 1/2 cup of salsa. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Remove chicken from crock pot and shred.

2. Serve with tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream (if desired) and salsa.

Marinated Tilapia

 Marinated Tilapia  

2 shallots, minced

2 T. chopped garlic

2 T. olive oil

2 T. lime juice

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

4 tilapia fillets

Combine the shallots, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper in a sealable plastic bag; shake to combine. Add the tilapia and store in the refrigerator for 2 hours, turning every 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Arrange the fish on the prepared baking sheet. Discard the remaining marinade. Bake in the preheated oven until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 10 minutes.

Corn & Smoked Salmon Fritters

Corn & Smoked Salmon Fritters

1 sweet red pepper, chopped
1 1/2 c. frozen corn
6 oz. smoked salmon, chopped
5 T. flour
Freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs, lightly beaten
4 egg whites, stiffly beaten
3 T. olive oil

Heat 1 T. oil in a saute pan.  Add the red pepper and frozen corn to the saute pan and cook until lightly charred.  Turn off heat and cool slightly.  In a bowl, combine the peppers, corn, flour, smoked salmon and pepper.  Stir in the whole eggs then fold in the beaten egg whites.
Heat the remaining 2 T. oil in the saute pan over medium-high heat.  Drop batter by heaping tablespoons into the pan.  Cook until lightly browned on each side.

Queso Dip

 Queso Dip

2 poblano peppers

2 T. butter

1 small yellow onion

4 cloves garlic

8 oz. cream cheese

1 c. whole milk

1 c. salsa verde

8 oz. Monterey jack cheese

8 oz. Pepper jack cheese

Set out the cream cheese to come to room temperature.

Preheat the broiler in the oven.  Place the poblano peppers directly under the broiler burners on a large piece of aluminum foil.  Broil for 5 minutes on each side until the skin is blackened and blistered.  Remove the peppers from the oven, wrap them in the foil and allow them to steam for about 5 minutes.  Then carefully peel off and discard the skin from the poblanos.  Scoop out the stem and seeds.  Dice the peppers and set aside.

Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic.  Melt the butter in a sate pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft then stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Cut the cream cheese and put it into a slow cooker.  Add the milk, salsa verde, poblano peppers, onion and garlic.  Cube the cheese and add it to the slow cooker.  Cook on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Serve with tortilla chips.

 

Basil Walnut Pesto

 

Basil Walnut Pesto

Ingredients

• 3 c. fresh basil packed
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 c. walnuts
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 1/4 tsp.salt
• 1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

• Put the basil, cheese, walnuts, garlic cloves, lemon juice and salt in a blender. Turn the blender on and slowly stream the olive oil into the mixture. Blend until smooth.

Notes

Ways to use pesto: Stir into cooked pasta, mix with mayonnaise for a sandwich spread, spoon onto tacos, spread on grilled salmon, stir into hummus, stir into scrambled eggs.

Peanut Noodle Salad

 

Peanut Noodle Salad

Ingredients

• 8 oz. rice stick noodles
• 6 T. fresh lime juice
• 3 T. soy sauce
• 3 T. creamy peanut butter
• 3 T. brown sugar
• 3 T. vegetable oil
• 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
• 1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 c. chopped roasted peanuts

Instructions

• Put the noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let the noodles soak until tender, about 10 minutes, drain and rinse under cold water. Drain thoroughly.
• Whisk the lime juice, soy sauce, peanut butter, brown sugar and vegetable oil in a medium bowl until smooth. Pour the dressing over the noodles. Add the bell pepper, green onions, basil and cilantro and toss to combine. Season with salt if desired. Sprinkle the peanuts on the top and serve.

BBQ Brisket Sliders

 

BBQ Brisket Sliders

Ingredients

• 4 lb. beef brisket trimmed

• 2 tsp. chile powder

• 2 T. olive oil

• 1 1/2 c. cola

• 1 14 oz. can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes

Instructions

1. Trim the brisket and pat it dry. Rub the brisket with chile powder, salt and pepper. Then rub olive oil all over the brisket. Cut into 6 equal pieces. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meat to the hot skillet and brown on both sides. As pieces are cooked, place them in a large slow cooker.

2. Pour the cola into the skillet to deglaze the pan. Pour the cola mixture and the tomatoes into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until the meat is tender, about 6 hours.

3. Transfer the meat to a plate. Let it cool slightly then shred the meat with 2 forks. Skim the fat from the top of the juices in the crockpot. Add the shredded beef back to the crock pot and keep warm.

4. Serve on small potato rolls with sliced dill pickles.

Corn Fritters

Corn fritters

3 c. vegetable oil for frying
1 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c. milk
1 T. butter, melted
1 can (12 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained

Heat oil in a heavy pot to 365 degrees.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
Beat together egg, milk and melted butter.  Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture.  Stir in the corn kernels.
Drop batter by spoonfuls into the hot oil and fry until golden.  Drain on paper towels.

Oven baked onion rings

Oven baked onion rings

2 T. canola oil
1/4 c. flour
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. beer
1 c. fine yellow cornmeal
1 large sweet onion, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rings
Canola or olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Adjust the oven rack to the middle of the oven.  Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with the canola oil.
Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and salt.  Add the beer and whisk until combined.  Let rest for 20 minutes.
Place the cornmeal in a shallow bowl.  Separate the onion slices into rings and dip in the batter, letting excess drip off then dredge in cornmeal.  Place on the prepared baking sheet.  Coat the onion rings with cooking spray.
Bake until browned on the bottom, 10 - 12 minutes.  Turn, coat the other side with cooking spray, and baking until browned and crispy, about 10 - 12 minutes.

No-Boil Macaroni and Cheese

 

No-Boil Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. butter

• 1/4 c. flour

• 3 c. whole milk

• 2 tsp. salt

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1 lb. elbow macaroni

• 2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• 1 c. panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Warm the milk in the microwave to room temperature.

2. Melt 1/4 c. butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour, cook, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and 3 c. lukewarm water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook, whisking often, for about 10 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper. Remove the sauce from the heat.

3. Toss the dry pasta with 1 1/2 c. of the shredded cheese in a 9" x 13" baking dish. Pour the sauce over the pasta and cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

4. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1/4 c. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the panko crumbs to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Remove the foil from the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 c. cheese over the pasta then sprinkle the panko crumb mixture over the top. Bake until the pasta is tender and the top is golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Cranachan

 Cranachan

1 1/2 c old fashioned oatmeal

1 1/2 c turbinado sugar

4 T butter

9 oz mascarpone

1 c whipping cream

3 oz scotch whisky

1 lb fresh raspberries

Put the butter, sugar and oatmeal in a saucepan and stir over medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until toasted and crunchy.  Set aside to cool

Put the mascarpone and cream into a bowl and beat until soft peaks form.  Add the whisky, raspberrries and two-thirds of the cooled oats.  Mix until combine, but try to keep the raspberries whole.

Spoon into glasses and top with the crunchy oats remaining.

Carrot Cake Cheesecake

 

Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pecan halves

• 1 cup flour

• 1 tsp. baking powder

• 3/4 tsp. baking soda

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 1/2 c. vegetable oil

• 1/2 c. sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 1/2 c. shredded carrot 2 to 3 medium carrots

• 3 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened

• 2/3 c. sour cream

• 2/3 c. sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 3 T. flour

• 1 tsp. lemon zest

• 2 T. lemon juice

• 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

1. For the carrot cake: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spread 1/2 cup of the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden and toasted, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool, and then finely chop. Combine the pecans, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs in a separate bowl. Stir the carrots into the egg mixture. Fold the carrot-egg mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Pour into an ungreased 9-inch springform cake pan and tap it on the counter to even out the batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. The cake can be made a day ahead and stored in the pan.

2. For the cheesecake: Set out the cream cheese to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the cream cheese, sour cream and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the flour, lemon zest and juice and vanilla, about 1 minute. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the carrot cake. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with a large piece of foil. Put in a roasting pan or a large baking dish and fill halfway up the sides of the cake pan with hot water. Bake until the cheesecake just barely jiggles in the center, about 1 hour. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake rest in the hot oven for 30 minutes. Remove, run a sharp knife around the edge and let cool completely on a rack. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Cinnamon-Pecan Coffee Cake

Cinnamon-Pecan Coffee Cake

2 c. toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
2/3 c. packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla extract
12 T. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 3/4 c. flour
3 T. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 c. buttermilk
Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9" x 13" baking pan with foil, letting it overhang on the sides: coat with cooking spray.
Spread the pecans in the prepared pan.  Sprinkle the brown sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt over the pecans.  Drizzle the vanilla over the top.  Evenly distribute 5 T. of  butter pieces over the nut mixture.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 tsp. salt together in a large bowl.  Work the remaining 7 T. of butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender until it is pea-sized.  Make a well in the center of the mixture.  Pour in the buttermilk and stir just until combined.  Cover the nut mixture with dollops of the dough.
Bake the coffee cake until barely starting to brown on the top, about 35 minutes.  Invert a serving platter or cutting board on top of the hot cake; holding both, carefully turn them over and remove the baking pan.  Let cool for 20 minutes.  Serve warm.

Ham Balls

Ham Balls

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. ground ham
• 1 lb. ground pork
• 2 c. bread or cracker crumbs
• 1 c. milk

Sauce:

• 2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. vinegar
• 1 c. water
• 1 tsp. dry mustard

Instructions

• Combine the ground ham, ground pork, bread crumbs and milk. Shape into balls the size of a walnut. Place in a casserole.
• Combine the sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the meat balls and bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours, covered. Serve.