Potato Latkes

 

Crisp on the edges with a tender center. I served with Indian Curried Chili with Potatoes 1/25/2024 Label: chicken and added chopped, fresh cilantro, chopped scallions and yogurt spiked with Sriracha. Another winner dinner! Maybe frozen: arrange in a single layer once cooled on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen wrap tightly and freeze. Defrost in the refrigerator and reheat in a lightly buttered skillet. Makes about 10 latkes (3-inches each).

Ingredients:

• 2 large russet potatoes, peeled
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 medium onion, peeled
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 large egg

Directions:

Grate the potatoes and onion on the large holes of a box grater. Transfer the mixture to a cotton dish towel and squeeze as much liquid out as possible.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Then whisk in the egg.

Add the squeezed potatoes and onion and stir until evenly coated with batter.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1/4 cup oil.

Once the oil shimmers, add the batter to the pan 1 heaping tablespoon at a time. Press with spatula to form disks. 

Fry 4-5 minutes till golden brown, then flip and fry 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.

Transfer to paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt.

Indian Curried Chili with Potatoes

 I had 2 cups chicken stock to use up in frig and found this recipe from Rachel Ray. She does a good job with dishes with a lot of flavor. She served over oven fries; I think I will use any roasted potato on hand and perhaps try rice another time. Top off with scallions, spiked yogurt and chopped cilantro. 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 2 pounds ground chicken
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• jalapeno pepper, finely chopped, how much depends how hot
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 inch ginger root, grated or finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2-3 tablespoons Sriracha
• potatoes of choice
• fresh cilantro, chopped
• scallions, chopped

Directions:

Heat the EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken, then crumble and brown. 

Add the garlic, onion, chili, ginger, chili powder, coriander, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir a minute more. Add the stock and simmer for 20 minutes. 

Combine the yogurt and Sriracha.

Serve the chili with potatoes, yogurt, cilantro and scallions.

Chicken Curry with Potatoes

 

I typically have roasted potatoes, from the various roasted potatoe recipes on the blog, in the freezer. They are packaged in individual packets for 2. Pull them out, unthaw and reheat in the toaster oven. This recipe calls for the potatoes cooked in the sauce, and since I was going to freeze the extras; I decided to use the frozen roasted potatoes as needed. After reading the reviews, I also added cooked rice. I placed the curry in a heated bowl and then the roasted potatoes and rice along the top side, rather than mixing into the curry. 

Ingredients for Marinade:

• 1 cup heavy cream, I had only about 1/2 cup so made up with coconut milk, some reviews used 1 cup coconut milk, since the curry calls for just 1 cup and you will utilize the whole can
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon coriander, recipe called for cardamom, I did not have
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes, I am sure you could use breasts

Directions for Marinade:

Mix together the cream, coconut milk,lime juice, coriander, cumin turmeric, black pepper and salt. Add chicken and toss to coat. Refrigerate 2-4 hours.

Ingredients for Curry:

• 1 tablespoon ghee, recipe called for grapeseed oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, diced, I used 1/2 and did not take seeds out
• 2 garlic cloved, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, 1-inch dice, see beginning notes
• 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup coconut milk, see notes above, I used remaining after adding to marinade
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Perfect Oven Rice Label: rice 1/6/2024 (makes 4 portions)

Directions for Curry:

Heat the ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, jalapeno and garlic and cook until soft, 8-10 minutes.

Add cumin, ginger and salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the potatoes (see notes), tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken stock. Stir to combine.

Raise the heat to high and bring mixture to a boil, then lower to simmer for 5 minutes. 

Add the chicken and all the marinade. Cook covered for 20-25 minutes. If cooking with potatoes, check for them being easily pierced. 

Stir in the remaining coconut milk and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, another 10 minutes. 

Sprinkle with cilantro and adjust salt and pepper.

Portion in bowls. See notes for potatoes and rice.

Easy Tex-Mex Chicken and Rice

 

Courtesy of Ree Drummond Food Network. Yet another rotisserie chicken recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon EVO
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 10-ounce can tomatoes and green chili
• 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 cup long grain rice, cooked to package directions
• 1 1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese
• fresh cilantro, chopped, for serving

Directions:

In a deep dish skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and turmeric. Cook, stirring often, until onion is softened and spices are toasted. About 3 minutes.

Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and green chilies and the chicken. Stir and cook 5 minutes. Add the cooked rice and sprinkle cheese on top. Turn to low.  Cover lid and allow cheese to melt completely.

Garnish with cilantro. I served with tortilla chips.

Dump Spinach and Artichoke Dip

 

Everything goes into a baking dish and straight into the oven all at once-even the frozen spinach and artichokes. Finish the dish with panko and a quick run under the broiler. Serve with sturdy chips or baguette slices.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons EVO
• 2 heaping cups frozen artichoke quarters
• One 8-ounce cream cheese
• 2 heaping cups frozen chopped spinach
• 1 cup Havarti cheese, grated
• 1 cup mozzrella, grated
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• crushed red pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup panko

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400-degrees.

Drizzle a 2-quart baking dish bottom with EVO.

Scatter the articokes over the oil, set the cream cheese in the center and top with the spinach.

Sprinkle the havarti and mozzarella and top with heavy cream, mayonnaise, crushed red pepper and garlic.

Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Bake until browned and bubbling, 33-36 minutes.

Preheat the broiler.

Use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the artichokes and spinach into small pieces. Stir the dip with the scissors until creamy and smooth.

Sprinkle with panko and broil about 1 minute.

Lemon Blueberry Bread

 

Courtesy of Trisha Yearwood on Food Network. This is a winner!

Ingredients for Loaf Bread:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing loaf pan
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup pecans

Ingredients for Glaze

• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions for Loaf Bread:

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease a loaf pan with butter.

Toss the blueberries in 2 tablespoons of the flour in medium bowl and set aside.

Beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, lemon zest and lemon juice in bowl of an electric mixer.

Sift together the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt.

Add the flour mixture and milk to butter mixture in alternating batches, beginning and ending with the flour. 

Fold in the pecans and blueberries.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Cool for 10 minutes and turn out onto cooling rack.

Directions for the Glaze:

Stir together 2 tablespoons juice with confectioners' sugar in small bowl until smooth.

Drizzle glaze over top of loaf while still warm.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

 

Courtesy of Ina Garten. I used small portebella stuffing mushrooms. They are cooked in a low oven for 50 minutes, so plan accordingly.

Ingredients:

• 16 extra large white mushrooms
• 5 tablespoons EVO
• 2 1/2 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage
• 6 scallions, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2/3 cup panko
• 5 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 1/3 cup Parmesan, grated
• 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325-degrees.

Remove stems form the mushrooms and chop them finely. Set aside.

Place the mushroom caps in shallow bowl and toss with 3 tablespoon of EVO and the sherry vinegar. Set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skille over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking up as it cooks. Stir until completely browned.

Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook 3 minutes. Stir in scallions and garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add the panko and combine and finally the mascarpone and continue cooking until melted. 

Off the heat add the Parmesan, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Cool slightly.

Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture. Arrange in a single layer to in pan to hold all the mushrooms snuggly.

Bake for 50 minutes until browned and crusty.

Gingerbread

 This gingerbread recipe is different from my original; as it uses butter rather than shortening. They are softer with crisp edges. Another natashaskitchen.com

Ingredients:

• 2 1/3 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 1/2 sticks)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses (Grandma's)
• 1 large egg, room temperature

Directions:

Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, soda and salt into a medium bowl.

In mixer bowl. beat together butter, sugar and molasses until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed.

Add egg and beat one minute.

Add flour mixture and beat on medium/low speed to combine. The dough will be soft and moist.

Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface. May stick so dust tops with more flour. Divide into 3 disks and wrap individually in plastic wrap. Refrigerate till firm, 1 hour or up to 24 hours. May also freeze dough for 3 months and defrost in refrigerator over night.

Preheat oven to 375-degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a well-floured surface roll out one disk of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Turn dough while rolling to ensure it is not sticking to your surface. Using a cookie cutter, cut out as many gingerbread people as you can get. Gather scraps and chill to re-roll.

Set cookies at least 1-inch apart and bake until they barely turn brown at the edges, about 9-10 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks. Repeat with remaining chilled dough.

Maybe stored in air tight container for 5 days. Maybe frozen before decorating. Natasha's frosting is very soft and found hard to work with. Think I will stick to Royal Icing.

Pumpkin Pie

 

Natasha's Kitchen has this classic pumpkin pie with step by step instructions. Buttery, flaky crust and the best filling. Thank you for the beautiful pie photo!

Pie Crust Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups flour, plus more to dust
• 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks cold, unsalted butter, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 7 tablespoons ice water

Directions for Pie Crust:

Place flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.

Add cold diced butter and pulse the mixture until coarse crumbs form with some pea-sized pieces then stop mixing. Mixture should remain dry and powdery.

Add 7 tablespoons ice water and pulse jut until moist clumps or small balls form. Press a piece of dough between finger tips and the dough sticks together, you have added enough water. If not add 1 teaspoon at a time to achieve desired consistency.

Transfer dough to a clean work surface and gather into a ball. Do not knead the dough. Divide the dough in half and flatten to form 2 disks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour before using. 

Maybe made up to 3 days ahead. Soften slightly before rolling. About 10-20 minutes. You may freeze up to 3 months in an air-tight sealed wrapping.

Directions for forming crust and to Pre-bake Pie Crust (Blindbake):

Roll a single disk on a lightly floured work surface into a 12" circle. Wrap the dough around your rolling pin and transfer to your pie dish and unroll it into you pan. Gently press dough down, starting with the sides and working into the middle. Tuck excess dough underneath itself to make a thick double layered edge.

To form your edge; hold your thumb and indes finger an inch apart on the outside edge of the crust and press between them with the index finger of the other hand. 

Place the pie crust in the freezer for 30 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 425-degrees.

Line the center with a 10" ring of parchment paper and fill 2/3 full with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 17 minutes until golden at the edges. 

Remove the pie weights, prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork, brush with beaten egg white and place back in the oven without the weights for 5 minutes until golden and bottom is dried out.

Cool completely to room temperature before adding filling.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Filling:

• 15 ounce pumpkin puree (Libby's)
• 1 large egg, plus 3 egg yolks, room temperature
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 12 ounce evaporated milk, room temperature

Directions for Pumpkin Filling:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, egg and yolks, brown and granulated sugar, vanilla, salt, pumpkin spice and cinnamon until well combined.

Add evaporated milk and whisk until blended and all the bubbles are gone from the batter. Avoid whisking too vigorously.

Tap bowl against the counter a few times to knock out any extra bubbles. Pour into pre-baked pie shell.

Reduce oven to 350-degrees and bake 55-60 minutes. It should be completely set at the edges with just a slightly loose center. Barely wobble like cheesecake.

Cool completely on wire rack until room temperature (3 hours) then serve or refrigerate if not serving the same day. When slicing wipe the knife between cuts for clean slices.

Ingredients for Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 tablespoon golden rum

Directions for Whipped Cream:

In a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, beat on medium speed for 1 minutes until soft peaks form.

Add the sugar, vanilla and rum and beat on medium-high until medium peaks form.

Chicken Tinga Tacos

 

I have a similar recipe of Chicken Tinga, but uses raw chicken and the crock pot. This recipe comes courtesy of Valerie Bertinelli of Food Network. This recipe utilizes one rotisserie chicken and a recipe for pickled onions. Makes 6 very generous servings. 

Ingredients for Tacos:

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 chipotles in adobo, finely mince
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano ( I add cause accidently bought powdered and wanted to use up!)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 10-ounce can diced tomatoes and green chili (Muir Glen brand @ WF)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
• corn tortillas, for serving

Directions for Tacos:

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the chipotles, garlic, cumin, oregano and salt. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir in the tomatoes and stock and cook until the sauce begins to simmer, about 2 minutes. 

Turn off the heat and carefully ladle the sauce in a blender. Puree until smooth. Be careful when blending hot liquid and cover lid with a towel and secure with your hand. 

Return the sauce back into the pan over medium heat and add the chicken, stirring to incorporate. Cook about 5 minutes.

Ingredients for Toppings:

• Shredded cheese of choice, Cotija cheese, Jack or Cheddar
• fresh cilantro, chopped
• pickled onions
• salsa or green chili sauce

Ingredients for Pickled Onions:

• 1/2 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup waater
• 2 tablespoons sugar or 1 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small carrot, thinly sliced, I add this cause I like carrots

Directions for Pickled Onions

Combine the white vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan with 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. 

Place the onion and carrot in a glass container and pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables. Let cool completely. Refrigerate up to 1 week.

Bolognese on Toast with Caesar Salad

 

By Justin Chapple of Food Network. The secret to the slow-cooked flavor of this speedy Bolognese is store-bought marinara, concetrated tomato paste and a tiny splash of tamari. Crusty toast replace pasta as a fun new way to serve this meaty sauce. Serve with a tangy caesar salad rounds out the easy, but impressive meal. 4 servings

Ingredients for Meat Sauce:

• 2 tablespoon EVO
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup marinara sauce (Rao is good)
• 2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce

Directions for Meat Sauce:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onions, garlic and a pinch of salt and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until barely starting to soften, about 3 minutes.

Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned and nearly cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until sizzling, 1-2 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce and tamari and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook until the fat starts to separate from the sauce, 7-10 minutes.

Ingredients for Bread:

• 4 thick slices of rustic boule, such as sourdough ( WF had already slice)
• olive oil for brushing on bread surfaces

Directions:

Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the bread on both sides with olive oil and cook in batches if necessary, until toasted, 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

Ingredients for Caesar Salad:

• 2 romaine hearts, cored and torn in 3-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1-1 1/2 teaspoon Worcheshire sauce or 4 anchovies packed in oil, drained
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Directions for Caesar Salad:

In a food processor, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, Dijon mustard,Worcheshire sauce and garlic, then puree until smooth. Scrap the bowl and add the Parmesan and salt and pepper.

In large bowl, toss the romaine with the dressing until well coated. Top with more Parm is desired.

To serve:

Arrange the toast of four plates. Spoon about 1 cup of the Bolognese sauce on each slice of toast and pile the salad alongside. Top with Parmesan and chopped parsley if desired.

Spagetti Pie

 

Courtesy of Catherine McCord of Food Network. The noodles are bound with eggs and Parmesan to create a "crust" then layered with ricotta, mozzarella and meat sauce. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• 8 ounces spaghetti
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound ground turkey, beef or chicken
• 1/2 teaspoon each garlic and onion powder
• 2 cups Rao marinara
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1 cup mozarella, shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease a deep-dish pie pan with olive oil.

Cook spagetti according to package directions. Drain, transfer to a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.

Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl, then whisk in 1/4 cup Parmesan. Pour over spagetti and toss to coat. Transfer to prepared pie pan and spread to make a "pie crust".

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground meat of choice along with garlic and onion powder. Cook until meat is no longer pink; breaking up with a wooden spoon. Add the Rao and combine.

Combine the ricotta, Italian seasonings and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan in bowl and stir to combine. Spread over the pasta, then layer the meat sauce and finally the shredded mozzarella.

Place the pie pan on a baking sheet and bake till golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly, then cut in wedges.

Rice Noodles Bowl with Sweet Chili Chicken

 

This dish has layers of incredible flavor from sweet and tangy stir-fried chicken. This is from Justin Chapple for Food Network. His recipes are great!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces rice noodles, cooked according to package directions ( I use Pad Thai noodles)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced ( I used carrots, as what I had)
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 jalapeno, thinly slice
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 1/4 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
• fresh basil, for serving

Directions:

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil and toss to coat.

In a medium bowl mix the carrots, onion and jalapeno with 1/4 cup rice vinegar and a generous pinch of salt. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

In a small bowl, whisk the sweet chili sauce with the soy sauce, cornstarch and remaining 1 tablespoon rice vinegar. 

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes. 

Stir in the chili sauce mixture and cook until the chicken is glazed, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the noodles to bowls (I microwaved to get chill off) and top with chicken. Serve with pickled vegetables and basil.

Note for self: 3 Tablespoons preserves, 3 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoon rice vinegar and red pepper flakes.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats

 

Yum for me. I like just about anything that has a crunch! Been known to eat for breakfast, after all it has cereal in it! crayonsandcravings.com

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 
• 1 10 ounce package miniature marshmallows
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 cup rice cereal
• 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening or coconut oil

Directions:

Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside.

In a large pot, melt the butter and peanut butter over medium low heat.

When the butter and peanut butter are smooth, add the marshmellows. Stir until completely smooth. Turn off the heat and add the vanilla.

Stir in the rice cereal until well combined. 

Gently press into prepared pan.

Place the chocolate chips and shortening in a glass bowl. Heat on 50% power, 30 seconds at a time, until melted and smooth. Stir well after each increment.

Spread melted chocolat over rice krispies and allow to sit at room temperature before cutting into bars. I placed in refrigerator to set chocolate faster.

Freezes well.

Ina's Lasagna

 

Ok I guess I am a glutin for punishment, but I made my homemade mozzarella and ricotta yesterday. I made 1/2 recipe of each and worked out perfect for a 9x13. I used Boulder Sausage hot Italian, but recipe calls for turkey sausage, which is equally tasty, just not easy to find. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon EVO (using Italian sausage did not use, as meat had enough fat)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 pound sausage, turkey or pork, hot or sweet
• 1-28 ounce jar Rao marinara
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 4 ounces creamy goat cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling on top
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 15 ounce whole milk ricotta cheese
• 12 lasagna noodles, cooked to package directions (I use Jovial gluten-free)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375-degrees

Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking pan.

Combine the ricotta, goat cheese, Parmesan, parsley, egg and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Cook the sausage until no longer pink. Add the chopped onion and cook till softened. Add the Rao sauce and combine.

Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the baking pan. 

Layer 6 of the cooked lasagna noodles.

Next add half of the sliced mozarrella.

Add half of ricotta mixture.

Then 1/3rd of the meat sauce.

Repeat layers, remaining lasagna noodles, remaining mozarrella slices, ricotta mixture, and finally remaining sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Bake cover for about 50 minutes.

Soft Dinner Rolls

 

I made these for Thanksgiving. natashaskitchen.com I bought powder whole milk off of Amazon, that way I have whole milk at my finger tips. This recipe serves 15 folks.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup whole mild, warmed to 110-degrees
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup sugar (1 tablespoon set aside)
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 4 cups flour (minus 1-3 tablespoon) this is approximate, enough to make a barely sticky dough
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, to brush on the tops of baked rolls

Directions:

In the bowl of your mixer, whisk together warm milk and 1 tablespoon sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit 1 minute. Whisk together and let sit 5 minutes until foamy.

Add the butter, remaining sugar and salt.

Add flour 1/2 cup at a time. Once dough is holding together, place with dough hook on speed 2 for 2 minutes.  The dough should feel sticky and tacky but should not stick to dry finger tips.

Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour or so. To speed up rise. Place a damp kitchen towel in the microwave on high for 1 minute, then place dough to rise in the microwave.

Once the dough has doubled, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into 15 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball (place in the cup of your hand and roll on the countertop) and place in an oiled 9x13-inch baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and rise 30-60 minutes until puffed. Do not over-proof.

Bake at a 375-inch pan for 23-25 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Immediately brush with melted butter and set at room temperature to cool.

May heat up in the oven and is freezer friendly.

Focaccia

 Yum! Crisp chewy crust, airy soft center and amazing garlic rosemary topping. natashaskitchen.com Uses generous amounts of olive oil, dough rests 4 times; but well worth it! There is a video, so you cannot go wrong!  Keeps 2 days loosely covered at room temperature. May freeze for 2 months, thaw at room temperature and reheat at 350-degrees for 8 minutes uncovered. Serves 12.

Ingredients for Dough:

• 1 1/2 cup warm water, 105-115 degrees
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 packet rapid rise yeast
• 3 3/4 flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon EVO, for the dough
• 1/4 cup EVO, for the pan

Ingredients for the Topping:

• 2 tablespoon EVO
• 2 tablespoon water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped

Directions:

Proof the yeast:

Pour warm water (105-115 degrees) into a measuring cup and stir in 1 teaspoon honey. Stir in 1 packet of yeast and proof for 5-7 minutes on until surface is foamy. 

Make the Dough:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

Pour in the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains. Dough will be sticky. I did add a tad more flour, mine was super sticky. 

Add 1 tablespoon EVO and use your hands to work the oil into the dough until fully absorbed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes until visibly puffed.

Make the topping:

In small bowl combine all the ingredients for topping and whisk. Set aside so flavors meld.

Use the stretch and fold method to develop gluten strands. Dip your hands in water to prevent sticking.

Pull up on corner of the dough gently without tearing the dough then fold over onto itself. Rotate the bowl and continue this process 3 more times. Do four stretches and folds.

Cover with plastic wrap and rest 30 minutes at room temperature.

Perform this process 3 more times, letting it rest covered for 30 minutes each time.

Pour 1/4 cup EVO into a 9x13 baking pan. 

Transfer the dough to the oiled pan and turn to coat in oil. Gently stretch the dough to the edges. If having difficulty stretching, cover and let it rest 15 miutes before working the dough to the edges.

Cover and proof 45-60 minutes until well risen and puffy.

dip hands into cold water and use your fingertips to poke into the focaccia, going almost through the dough. Go over the dough a couple of times to get a generous amount of dimples. Release any big air bubbles trapped under the dough by gently lifting the dough at the edge.

Rewhisk the topping and drizzle evenly ove the top.

Bake at 450-degrees for 25 minutes. You want a crisp edge. Immediately transfer to a wire rack so base does not softened. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Sloppy Bombay Joes

 

This recipe is Courtesy of Aarti Sequeira on Food Network. The reviews were great and I had some burger buns in freezer. I omitted the sweet red pepper and used jalapeno instead of serrano chili. Aspen Moon jalapeno this year were large and spicy, so used just 1/2 in the sauce. I substituted the garam masala for Baharat blend from The Spice House, which has some of the same ingredients.

Ingredients for the Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Baharat blend
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• salt

Directions for Sauce:

Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, until it shimmers. 

Add the ginger, garlic and jalapeno pepper. Saute till the ginger and garlic just barely brown.

Add the Baharat and paprika and saute 30 seconds.

Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Salt to taste. Set aside.

Ingredients for the Meat:

• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• salt
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 cup half and half
• fresh cilantro 

Directions for the Meat:

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet. When oil starts to shimmer, add the pistachios and raisins. Cook until raisins swell up and pistachios toast slightly. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add remaining olive oil to pan and once shimmering, add the cumin seeds and cook till fragrant. 

Stir in the onion and cook till just starts to brown. Season with salt.

Stir in the ground turkey, breaking up the large lumps. Cook until opaque, about 5 minutes.

Add the sauce to the turkey mixture, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.

Add the honey, half and half, pistachios and raisins. Adjust salt. 

Toast buns, fill with the Sloppy Joe and garnish with cilantro.

Homemade Ricotta

 

Barbara and I took another cheese making class! This was a bit easier than the Burrata class we took earlier in the year. And man this is good! In the class we halved the recipe, using only 1/2 gallon whole milk and it made quite a bit. Thinking of doing the same when I attempt the recipe solo. The ingredients below are for the full recipe. Eat this ricotta warm on crackers ( you can allow to sit out once made ); as once placed in refrigerator it firms up some. Add fresh herbs, pesto, pinenuts or use in your favorite recipe. Ricotta maybe frozen, just unthaw in refrigerator. Freezing makes the ricotta drier. 1 gallon milk equals about 4 cups ricotta

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon whole milk ( unlike the burrata, quality of milk not an issue)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2-3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• salt, if using unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Rub the bottom of your pan with an ice cube. Makes clean up easier!

Pour milk into pan with, insert your thermometer and heat to 185-degrees. Stirring regularly.

At 185 degrees, stir in the apple cider vinegar. Stir for about 1 minute. Curds should start to separate from the whey. Continue stirring and heat to 190-195 degrees. If needed add another teaspoon of vinegar.

Once curds form, ladle them out into you cheesecloth (butter muslin) lined strainer. Keep ladling the curds as they form into the cheesecloth. Grab edges of cheesecloth and bounce gently to drain, You can pour the rest of the whey into the cheesecloth to get last bits of curds. The whey will start to look yellow and clear when process is done.

Once curds are well drained, place in bowl and add butter and baking soda. Salt to taste.

That is it!

Mini Crustless Quiches

 Courtesy of Jaymee Sire. These little gems maybe made ahead, refrigerated for up to 3 days of frozen. I switched out the chard for fresh baby spinach, 3 scallions for the medium yellow onion and omitted the 6 ounces of mushrooms. As you can tell, totally customizable. These made 24 mini quiches using a mini muffin tin plus some leftover; which I cooked up in a skillet for lunch. 

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray ( I just used a silicon brush & canola oil)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3-4 scallions, both white & green parts, thinly slice
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch fresh baby spinach, stems removed, chopped
• 6 ounces mushroom, cut into bite size pieces ( did not use this round)
• 12 eggs
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra to sprinkle on tops
• 2-3 dashes hot sauce
• salt, pepper & I used some Chili Rub spice mix

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375-degrees. Spray or use brush to grease muffin tin cavities with vegetable oil. 

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and once heated add the olive oil. Add the scallion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minutes. At this point I added 1/2 teaspoon chili rub. Add the spinach and mushrooms (if using) and cook until spinach wilts and mushrooms release their moisture. About 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

In a bowl with a spout, whisk the eggs with the 1/4 cup Parmesan and add few dashes of hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. 

Evenly divide the spinach mixture between muffin cups. Pour the egg mixture over the top, filling the muffin cavities. Sprinkle more Parm on tops.

Bake about 18 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Perfect Rice in the Oven

 

This rice recipe goes with Curry Chicken courtesy of Kwame Onwuachi from Food Network. I have yet to make the curry chicken, but in future plans. The rice, however, I have made and it is delicious. Made with Jasmine Rice, but would like to try other types of rice.

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup Jasmine rice
• 1 1/2 cup water
• pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the rice. Stir to coat and toast. About 2 minutes. 

Add the water and pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Cover with lid.

Put in oven for about 18 minutes.

Fluff with a fork.

Pork & Rice Noodle Soup

 

Think savory pork, crunchy vegetables, filling noodles and a tangy broth. Completely customizable; feel free to swap out the pork for chicken or beef. The rice noodles will expand as the soup sits or refrigerated so add more stock or water to thin it out to the consistency you desire. I added  a little Sweet Red Chili sauce to spice up.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 ounces mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
• 3 medium carrots, chopped (I added an extra carrot, did not use red bell pepper)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• sweet red chili sauce, to taste
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 pound ground pork
• 8 cups chicken broth (I did not use quite as much)
• 6 ounces flat rice noodles
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

Add the mushrooms, carrots, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir occasionally until vegetables are softened. About 4 minutes.

Add the garlic, ginger and scallions, stirring until softened. About 2 minutes.

Add the pork, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook breaking up the pork, stirring occasionally until pork is no longer pink.

Pour in the broth ( I used less than called for). Bring to a boil and add the soy sauce, vinegar and sweet chili sauce. Adjust salt and pepper.

I think the soup at this point is best to cool and sit in the refrigerator overnite so the flavors meld.

Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. 

Reheat the soup to simmer for 10 minutes until hot.

Place noodles in the bottom of soup bowls and ladle the soup on top.

Garnish with sesame seeds, more chopped scallions and sweet chili sauce to taste.

Christmas Salad

 

This makes a beautiful holiday centerpiece; as the citrus dressing goes in a bowl and the salad is arranged around the dressing to look like a wreath. I used 2 containers of butter lettuce and amount served 8 friends.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons honey
• greens of choice to feed 8
• 2 navel oranges, peeled, pith removed and in sections
• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil 
•  feta or chevre, crumbled, amount to taste

Directions:

Toss the pecans with the pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and few grinds black pepper. 

Add mixture to a nonstick skillet and heat over medium heat, tossing frequently, until spices begin to brown and become fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Drizzle 1 tablespoon honey, cook, stirring constantly, until honey begins to caramelize and the pecans are well coated. About 1-2 minutes.

Transfer to plate, making sure pecans are in an even layer and not stacked on top of each other. Let cool.

Place a small bowl that will hold 1 cup, in the center of a large platter. Arrange the greens of choice around the center bowl. 

Whisk the vinegar, Dijon, remaining honey (I used a little more, to taste), 1/4 teaspoon salt and few grinds pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Pour into the small, center bowl.

Cut the orange sections in half.  Whisk the vinegar, Dijon, remaining honey (I used a little more, to taste), 1/4 teaspoon salt and few grinds pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Pour into the small, center bowl.

Whisk the vinegar, Dijon, remaining honey (I used a little more, to taste), 1/4 teaspoon salt and few grinds pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Pour into the small, center bowl.

Scatter the pecans, orange pieces and feta evenly on top of the greens.