Thanksgiving...done!

Thanksgiving was a HUGE success! Jenny, Mike and I all worked hard to make a delicious meal and I have to say we didn't disappoint. The turkey was brined all night and baked in an oven bag...so good. The potatoes (check previous post for recipe) were amazing. I tweaked the recipe a bit- boiled the potatoes with bouillon, cut the butter in 1/2, omitted the nutmeg and used rice mile instead of half and half. I also only put the puffed pastry on top. That stuff is so good- you can't go wrong. Jenny made some awesome cornbread stuffing, rolls, and FIVE pies (apple, pumpkin and chocolate). We also made some sauteed Brussel sprouts (with bacon, pine nuts and balsamic vinegar) and busted into a can of cranberry jelly. Oh yeah, and some chocolate-covered strawberries to add a little "quick sweetness" to the end of the meal. See why this is my favorite holiday??!!

Thanksgiving...

Okay, so it's not Thursday yet, but I've been dreaming about this little beauty ALL YEAR LONG! Feel free- copy the recipe if you dare to find true bliss.

Sugar Cookies

This is the best sugar cookie recipe I have ever made- and I'm not even a fan of sugar cookies, but I can't get enough of these. The kids and I made a simple jack-o-lanterns, but I think these cobweb cookies look so yummy!

Lactose-Free Funeral Potatoes

I had to schedule my own funeral right after eating (more like chowing) these! If you're not from Utah or Idaho, I guess you would call these "Cheesy Potato Casserole" but out here this is a staple at all funerals. It's ultimate comfort food, and now that I can make it sans milk I'm in heaven!

*note: you can totally make this with real cheese and sour cream instead of the yogurt version.

1 bag frozen potato hash browns (thawed)
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup flour
1-2 cups chicken broth (heated)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup shredded yogurt cheese

* grease a 9x13 casserole dish and preheat the oven to 350 degree
* in a large dutch oven, saute onion in butter until tender (5 minutes); add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
* sprinkle in flour and stir to coat onions; cook 1 minute. SLOWLY add broth a little at a time and stir constantly (you're making a white sauce here); cook 5 more minutes until bubbly.
* season with salt and pepper (to taste); add yogurt.
* stir in hash browns and half of cheese. Pour into the casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.
* cook, covered, for 30 minutes; remove the foil and cook 10 more minutes until browned and bubbly. SO YUM!!!!!!!!!

Sweet and Salties

For our engagement party, the hostess made these as a little post-dinner treat and I have never forgotten them. They are amazing! When I found this recipe in Southern Living last Fall, I saved it as one of my faves. I've been craving these regularly, but have to really force myself not to eat the whole container. So good!!!! Does anyone have a better name for these?

Serves 20. (or just me cause they're so addictive!)

40 saltine crackers
1 stick butter
1 cup light brown sugar
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large jellyroll pan with parchment paper and the saltine crackers.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and pour over the crackers, covering them evenly. Put the jellyroll pan into the oven and watch closely. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes, or until just bubbly.
Remove from the oven and pour the chocolate chips over the crackers. When the chips melt a bit, spread them over the crackers with a knife.
Transfer the pan to the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until completely cold. They will form one big sheet. Break up into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Note: Substitute graham crackers for the saltines for a sweeter snack. Or pretzels.

Chicken Pot Pie

I was really craving the comfort of a chicken pot pie, so I made this delicious dinner Monday night. I have been using puffed pastry sheets for the top of the pie and that takes it to a whole new level. Yum!
* This makes enough for 2 medium pot pies or one large (as shown above and 1 loaf pan size)
2 Tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic gloves, minced
salt/pepper
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white cooking wine (optional)
4 cups hot chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cute into 1 inch cubes
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 pkg frozen puffed pastry sheets, thawed (you can find these by the pie shells in the freezer section)
1 egg white beaten

Heat butter over medium heat in a large dutch oven. Add onion and garlic, cook until tender.
Add salt, pepper, thyme and flour. Stir to coat and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and stir until blended. Slowly add broth, a little bit at a time, stirring to incorporate. It should smell AWESOME at this point! Bring to a slow boil and add potatoes and carrots, with bay leaf. Cook 20 minutes on a simmer. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Once veggies are tender, add peas and chicken, remove bay leaf. Divide pot pies into the various sized pans you want to bake them in (or leave in dutch oven). Cut pastry to fit on top of pies. Cut slits in the top of pastry and brush with egg white. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown. Crazy good!

Most Delicious Frosting

2 sticks butter, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp milk (or rice milk)
lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1 tsp (more or less) fresh lemon juice

Cream the butter on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Add the powdered sugar one bit at a time until thick.
Add the vanilla, milk, leomn zest and juice.

Oven Fries

I make these oven fries more often than I care to admit. They're awesome!

French Onion Rice

I might have already posted this one- it is such a staple and a reliable side dish. And EASY!
1 cup white rice
1 can French onion soup
4 Tbsp butter, cut into squares
salt and pepper

In a 2.5 qt casserole or dutch oven (will need an oven-proof lid), mix all ingredients and 1 can of water (yes, use the soup can). Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes.

"Left over" Lettuce Wraps

We grilled some turkey burgers this weekend and I decided to use the leftover burgers to make lettuce wraps (an idea I stole from Dad and Jane). They were DELICIOUS!

1 medium onion
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
5 medium mushrooms
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
4-5 medium grilled turkey burger patties
1/4 cup Teriyaki sauce
optional: minced water chestnuts, shredded carrots
Lettuce leaves

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium. In a food processor, chop onion until really fine. Pour into hot dutch oven and cook until onion is tender, 3-5 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Meanwhile, add mushrooms to the food processor and chop until fine. Add to the dutch oven and cook 5 minutes. Chop patties in the food processor until fine. Add vinegar and soy sauce to dutch oven and stir, then add the patties (and optional ingredients). Pour in the teriyaki sauce and cook 5 minutes. Serve in lettuce leaves.

Salmon Patties

These are seriously sublime! 1 can salmon, 15 oz. 1 egg 1 cup mashed potatoes 1 clove garlic, minced 3 scallions, whites chopped 1 tsp. salt 1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs 1-2 Tbsp olive oil In a large bowl, mix the egg, potatoes, garlic, scallions and salt until well blended. Add the salmon and incorporate. Meanwhile, pour breadcrumbs into a medium plate and also heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium. Shape 1/4 cup salmon mixture into patties and press each side into the breadcrumbs. Cook in hot oil until browned, about 3 minutes on each side. Set on paper towel-lined plate. Serve with tartar sauce, cocktail sauce and/or lemon wedges.

Greek Chicken Pitas

1 lb chicken breasts
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
3 minced garlic cloves
2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground all spice
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp lemon pepper

Line onions on the bottom of a slow cooker. Place chicken on top. Sprinkle remaining ingredients on top of chicken. Stir a bit. Cook on low for 6 hours and shred the chicken before serving. I was thinking just now that it might be tasty to drizzle the chicken with olive oil before cooking. I might try that next time!

Grilled Flat bread

1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
pinch of sugar
1 1/3 cup flour (plus more for dusting)
1 Tbsp olive oil (plus more for brushing)
1 tsp Kosher salt

*I use a stand mixer for this, but you could stir by hand.
Stir yeast and sugar into water. Let sit about 5 minutes (until foamy).
Add olive oil, salt, and a little bit of flour to yeast mixture and mix with a paddle attachment on mixer. Keep adding little bits of flour and then switch to the dough hook attachment. Add remaining flour until a sticky ball forms.
Remove from mixer bowl and knead by hand until smooth and elastic.
Place in an oiled bowl and let rest, covered, for 30 minutes. Get your grill heated up to medium-high.
Divide the dough into 4-6 equal portions. Roll out into small circles. Brush with olive oil and place on heated grill. Flip after 2 minutes.
* I make the circles all different sizes for my kids and you really can't mess these up. This week, my grill broke so I quickly moved these flat breads under the broiler in my over. They cooked even faster and tasted great, though I love the flavor of the grill.
I use these as pita breads.

March- a month of meals

So this may be completely obnoxious, but I've planned out a month of meals and am now going to post them. I'll try to add links to the recipes.

s 3/6: Red Beans and Rice
m 3/7: Mini Meatloaf, mashers and peas
t 3/8: Fat Tuesday!!! Waffles w/ whipped cream and berries; turkey sausage
w 3/9: leftovers
r 3/10: Chicken Tikka Masala and Naan
f 3/11: pizza!
sa 3/12: Spaghetti
s 3/13: Greek Chicken Pitas and oven fries
m 3/14: Sloppy Joe's, roasted cauliflower, and fruit
t 3/15: leftovers
w 3/16: Breakfast Dinner (usually pancakes)
r 3/17: Irish meat pies
f 3/18: pizza!
sa 3/19: Homemade "Cafe Rio" salads
s 3/20: sushi, edemame, and Asian meatballs
m 3/21: Roast chicken, mashers, something green
t 3/22: Chicken enchiladas, chips and salsa
w 3/23: leftovers
r 3/24: breakfast tacos
f 3/25: pizza! (seeing a pattern here?)
sa 3/26: Turkey chili and corn cakes
s 3/27: Frogmore Stew
m 3/28: leftovers/freezer dinner
t 3/29: Veggie burgers and oven fries
w 3/30: Chicken and Dumplins
r 3/31: Burger Beef Cups, applesauce, and roasted green beans

Barley and Lentil Soup

This recipe was so delicious! Loretta made it this weekend while she was here. It was a snowy Saturday and we warmed up quickly with this delicious soup. Enjoy!

Veggie Patties

I love this veggie burger recipe so much! I do tweak it a bit, omitting the cheese and adding shredded zucchini. These are great to freeze as well.

Ingredients:
2 portobello mushrooms (8 ounces), stems removed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small zucchini
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1/4 cup minced shallot (1 large shallot)
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions (2 cups cooked)
2 teaspoons coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs
6 whole-wheat buns, split

Directions
Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped, and transfer to a bowl. Shred zucchini, place on paper towels, and squeeze to remove excess moisture. Add to mushrooms.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add shallot and red-pepper flakes, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and zucchini, and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and add Parmesan, quinoa, and salt. Season with pepper. Let cool completely, then stir in egg and breadcrumbs. Cover, and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 1 hour.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Shape mixture into six 1/2-inch-thick patties, pressing firmly. Cook in batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
Wipe pan clean, and return to medium heat. Brush cut sides of buns with oil, and heat buns, cut sides down, until toasted, about 1 minute. Spread yogurt-garlic sauce on cut sides of bun halves. Divide burgers, sprouts, and cucumber among bottom halves. Sandwich with top halves. Read more at Marthastewart.com: Veggie Burgers - Martha Stewart Recipes

Happy Waffles

We really love waffles around here, as you can tell by the photos I posted. This waffle recipe is amazing if you want light and fluffy Belgian waffles with a slightly crunchy exterior. Enjoy!

Vanilla Begian Waffles

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 Tbsp sugar

pinch of salt

3 large eggs

8 Tbsp melted butter

1.5 cups milk (or rice milk)

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

* Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

* In a large bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer until thick (2 minutes).

* Add butter, milk and vanilla.

* Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Do not overmix!

* Pour into waffle maker and enjoy!

No joke-these are the BEST cookies!

My friend Kara made up a recipe for whole-wheat chocolate chip cookies that is AWESOME. So, I have tweaked it a bit and am pleased to introduce the most amazing cookie I have ever had. I was thinking it kind of reminded me of Mike- designed just for me and has everything I want in a cookie. Is that sick? They are somewhat nutritious, which makes it easy to justify eating half a dozen in one day. Watch out!

* Note: the cookie jar is almost empty!

Whole-Wheat and Flax seed Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 c. whole wheat flour (sifted)

2 c. quick-cooking oats

2 Tbsp. milled flax seed

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. Kosher salt

(in a medium bowl, mix these dry ingredients)

1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c. butter

1.5 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

*chocolate chips and for extra fun: Williams Sonoma Hot Chocolate Mix (it's really a bunch of amazing shaved semi-sweet chocolate pieces)

* In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar by hand, with a FORK (this is Mark Searcy's secret technique- and it works!).

* Add eggs and vanilla until mixed in well.

* Add previously-combined dry ingredients and mix until blended STILL with the fork.

* Incorporate the chocolate. Don't over-mix!

Scoop by tablespoons onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (the parchment is crucial) and bake in a preheated oven 350 degrees for 5 minutes, rotate and bake 5-6 more minutes. Cool on a cooling rack. As soon as they are cool, and you've already sampled a few, store them immediately in a container so as not to dry out.

Gone Fishin'

Mike went ice fishing yesterday and brought home the bacon- I mean fish!
He showed the kids how to clean and filet the trout, then I dredged them in some seasoned cornmeal and friend in a shallow pan of oil. They were delicious!!!