Swedish Meatballs

This recipe is loosely adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook® circa 1981. That recipe is fabulous, but I wanted to change some things up for my own version.

Ingredients (makes 30 to 35 meatballs):

3 slices of soft white bread, torn into pieces

¾ cup half and half

½ pound ground beef

½ pound ground pork

½ pound ground veal (you can use 1 ½ pounds of ground meat for meatloaf instead of these meats,     or even just 1 ½ pounds of ground beef)

½ cup white onion, minced fine

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

¼ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

Pinch of allspice

1 Tablespoon canola oil

2 Tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon powdered beef bouillon

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 ½ cups water

Directions: In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread with the half and half. Let soak together for about 5 minutes. Add the meats, onion, egg, and spices. Mush it all up well with very clean hands. You want a homogeneous mixture here—almost like a pate. Form into small meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter. Heat a skillet with the canola oil over medium heat and brown the meatballs in batches, which should take about 7-10 minutes per batch. I like to use two spoons to turn the meatballs over when browning so I get all sides browned. Remove each batch of meatballs with a slotted spoon to a plate, leaving the drippings in the skillet.

Whisk the flour, beef bouillon and espresso powder to the skillet drippings and continue whisking over medium heat. Add in the water and bring to a boil. Whisk until the sauce becomes thick and then add the meatballs back in. Cover (I just use a piece of foil) and let cook about 20 minutes more.

Black Eyed Peas and Collard Greens (my take on Hoppin’ John)

I love Hoppin’ John and I love collard greens.  A few years ago, I started just putting my greens and rice right into the pot with the black eyed peas and ham hock. I also started doing it the easy way-using canned, seasoned black eyed peas. A bowl of this with a thick slice of butter-slathered cornbread and I am in heaven.

Ingredients (serves 6-8 and makes wonderful leftovers):

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 rib of celery, diced (about ½ cup)

3 (15 ounce) cans of seasoned black eyed peas (I like Glory® brand), with liquid

4 cups of water

1 ham hock (or 1 ½ cups of chopped ham, or a smoked turkey leg)

1 bunch of collard greens, chopped (about 5 tightly packed cups after chopping) See note * below

2 cups cooked rice

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

A few dashes of hot sauce, if you want

Directions: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven and add the onion and celery. Cook a few minutes until just tender and fragrant. Add in the black eyed peas, water and ham hock. Stir well and cook for about 15 minutes on medium low. Add the collard greens and bring to a boil, while stirring the greens deep into the pot (they wilt down a lot!). Reduce the heat to simmer and cover the pot. Simmer on low for about 2 hours and remove the ham hock to a plate. Let cool until you can handle it and then separate the meat from the hock and add the meat back to the pot, discarding the rest of the hock. Add the rice. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Cook, uncovered for 10 more minutes and spoon into great big bowls.

*Note on collard greens: if you've never used fresh collard greens before, they are really easy to prep. Just take each leaf and bend it in half with the darker sides facing each other. That will make the tough rib stand up. Then, holding the leaves in one hand, pull the rib away and discard it. Then, all you have to do is tear or chop the greens and wash and dry them thoroughly. For an even easier route, most grocery stores sell bags of frozen collards and you can just a bag or two of them. You could also use spinach or Swiss chard. 

Mom's One Egg Omelet (Recipe for an upset tummy)

You know the feeling-you or a loved one is feeling under the weather and you want (or want them to have) something to eat that will add some protein but won't weigh anyone down. My mom used to do this very simple one egg omelet for me--it's very thin and lacy, so it doesn't feel like too much food, but it gives sustenance. This is also great even if you are feeling terrific. You can add cheese, veggies, bacon, etc and bulk it up, but sometimes simple is best.

Ingredients: 
Cooking spray
One egg, beaten
Salt, to taste

Directions: Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and add the beaten egg, swirling it around to coat the whole bottom of the skillet. Cook, without stirring for about 2 minutes (the edges should look dry) and use a spatula to turn the whole thing over. Cook for another two minutes and sprinkle on a little salt.

Spinach-Swiss Bake

What a great brunch dish-it can even be done ahead and reheated. Want to make it a main dish for dinner? Just add some crisp bacon or chopped ham. This little bake even makes a great breakfast.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil

½ cup chopped onion

1 ½ cups chopped mushrooms

2 (12 ounce) bags of frozen cut leaf spinach, thawed

1 teaspoon salt (or more, depending on your taste)

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic salt

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup yolk-free egg product (egg substitute)

1 cup fat free half and half

½ cup grated parmesan, divided

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese, divided

2 cups bread cubes (from any kind of loaf)

½ cup tomato sauce

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a large, shallow baking dish (13 by 9) with cooking spray.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add in the spinach, salt, pepper, garlic salt and nutmeg. Cook until the spinach is wilted (about 5 minutes) and remove from heat.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg substitute and fat free half and half. Stir in ¼ cup of the parmesan and ½ cup of the shredded cheese. Add in the bread cubes and then stir in the cooled spinach mixture. Pour this into the prepared baking dish. Pour the tomato sauce over the center (only) of the casserole and then sprinkle on the remaining parmesan and Swiss cheeses. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until puffy and golden on top.

Spanish Style Bacon Wrapped Dates

I love these little babies. You get the salty goodness of bacon and then the sweet from the dates, a creamy bit from the melted, gooey cheese and then the crunch of the almonds. Note: you won’t need the whole half pound of cheese, but it is so good for snacking on that you will want it.

Ingredients:

22-24 Medjool dates, pitted

12 slices of bacon, cooked halfway through

½ pound Manchego cheese, cut into little pieces (about as long as the dates)

25 or so smoked almonds

Toothpicks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray liberally with cooking spray.

Cut the partially cooked bacon slices in half. Stuff each date with a piece of cheese, 1 or 2 smoked almonds (depends on how big the dates are) and push gently to close. Wrap each date in ½ slice of bacon and skewer with a toothpick. Lay the stuffed dates on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, turning them over after 10 minutes. Pour yourself a lovely glass of sherry (I like Oloroso, and Amontillado is also very nice—“For the love of God, Montressor!”) and feel swanky.

A tip or two: put the almonds near the top of the date and then place the bacon over the top like you are placing a blanket over it—center of the bacon strip over the top middle of the date. This makes it easy to skewer the toothpick near the bottom and catch both sides of the bacon, while not being stopped by the hard almond.

Vegetable Goulash

Love red sauce but need a change of pace from marinara? Give this a try. This dish is so hearty and full of flavor that your family may not even notice it doesn't have any meat in it. Of course, if you wanted to, you could always brown off some beef in the oil before you add the onions-totally up to you!

Ingredients (serves 6):

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 cup chopped sweet bell peppers, any color or mix of colors

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 Tablespoon capers

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

Two vegetable bouillon cubes dissolved in 2 cups warm water
1 cup red wine

1 Tablespoon Greek seasoning (like Cavenders®)

½ teaspoon celery salt

A few grinds of freshly cracked black pepper

1 Tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika

2 bay leaves

Serve over:
1 pound of pasta, cooked and kept hot (I like good old egg noodles)

Directions: In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add in the onions, celery and carrots and cook until soft, but not brown. Add in the garlic, peppers and mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the garlic is just fragrant. Add in the capers, tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste. Stir, and then add in the bouillon/water mixture, red wine and all the seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and then cover and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaves and ladle over bowls of warm pasta. I call dibs on any leftovers-especially at 2am. Yum.

Cheese and Tomato Soup

I ran across one of my mom’s old recipes (yeah, I’m doing that a lot lately) for Cheese Soup and thought I would put a twist on it by adding tomatoes. Because the flavoring is so simple and straightforward here, you can taste the carrots, the cheese, the tomatoes, everything!

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter

1 large carrot, diced

1 stalk of celery, diced

½ cup chopped onion

¼ cup flour

2 cups milk

2 cups vegetable broth

¾ pound sharp American cheese, diced

1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onions and cook until they just get tender, but not brown. Stir in the flour for 2 minutes and then add the milk and broth. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring often. Stir in the cheese in portions, stirring each portion until it melts completely before adding the next. Crush the tomatoes in the can with a wooden spoon and add them to the pot. Cook for about 10 minutes and serve hot.

Asian Style Cole Slaw

Everybody needs a great vegetable side that doesn't need to be reheated and can be pretty much assembled in advance.

Ingredients:

Slaw:

2 packages of prepared Cole slaw

3 green onions, thinly sliced

“Crunchies”:

1 package of ramen noodles (I like oriental flavor), crumbled

½ cup sliced almonds

½ cup sunflower seeds

Dressing:

The seasoning packet from the ramen noodles

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar (more or less to taste)

½ cup rice wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar in a pinch)

½ cup canola oil

½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Pinch of salt (optional)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the crumbled noodles, almonds and sunflower seeds on the baking sheet and bake until just golden (about 12 minutes). Remove, cool and set aside until ready to serve.

Mix the slaw and the green onions together and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Combine all the dressing ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

When meal time comes, combine the slaw, crunchies and dressing together.

Very Vanilla Fudge

This fudge has a great creamy texture. The flecks of vanilla bean really kick up the flavor. I also like the crunch the raw sugar gives.

Ingredients:

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 ½ cups of good white chocolate chips (one 12-ounce bag plus ½ cup more)

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste

1 Tablespoon washed, raw sugar

Directions:

Line an 8 by 8 inch square baking pan with foil, allowing several inches to overhang each side. Spray the foil with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, melt the sweetened condensed milk and white chocolate together, stirring often to prevent burning. Add the pinch of salt and whisk until completely smooth and creamy. Remove from heat and add in the vanilla bean paste. Pour immediately into your prepared pan and sprinkle the top with the raw sugar. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until firm and then lift the fudge out in one piece using the foil around the edges. Cut into squares. 

Danish Butter Cookies

I really wanted a butter cookie today, but I wanted to come up with something that wasn’t a shortbread or a Russian tea cake. This is the result. The caramel syrup gives the cookie so much depth! In fact, these taste very much like the Danish cookies that come in a blue tin—same flavor, same texture.

Ingredients (makes about 65 cookies):

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of cream of tartar
Pinch of salt

1 cup (2 sticks) good quality (unsalted or salted-you decide) butter at room temperature

¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1/8 cup caramel syrup (from the recipe for “Pumpkin Filled Cream Puffs with Caramel Syrup.” See, I told you the leftover syrup would come in handy!

1 egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup raw sugar or any large-crystalled sugar

Directions: Sift the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar together onto a piece of wax paper and set aside. Cream the butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is very light and fluffy and the sugar is dissolved. Add in the vanilla and caramel syrup and mix again. Add in the flour mixture in three additions (folding the wax paper into a cone makes this easy), mixing well after each addition. Move the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, roll into two 12 inch long logs, wrap the plastic wrap tightly around each log and refrigerate dough for at least one hour.

When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the cookie log into ¼ inch slices and place on the sheets about 2 inches apart. Lightly brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake 10-12 minutes (until golden brown around the edges) and let cool. These cookies will crisp as they cool.  

Ultimate After Thanksgiving Hot Sandwich

It is just great to transform what you have on hand into something new and satisfying. Personally, I really like how this dish has a crusty dressing patty on the bottom and then the cheese sauce, turkey; bacon and tomato meld together into a very savory bite. Using the recipe for cheese sauce (below), you will have more than you need for 2 sandwiches—but hey, I’ve never had a problem using extra cheese!

Ingredients (Makes 2 open face sandwiches):

 Sandwich construction:

4 slices bacon
4 slices tomato
Salt and Pepper
3 cups leftover stuffing/dressing
4 thick slices leftover turkey

Cheese Sauce:

2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Cook bacon in a skillet until slightly crispy. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Salt and pepper the tomato slices and cook them in the bacon-scented skillet about 1 minute per side. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Form stuffing/dressing into two patties, each about the size of your hand (if your leftover dressing is not moist enough to form into patties, just add a little warm water). Cook the patties in the skillet until brown on both sides. Remove from heat, but leave them in the skillet, because that is where you will build your sandwiches.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add in the flour and cook for two minutes, stirring often. Slowly whisk in the milk, parmesan, cheddar, salt, pepper and Worcestershire. Cook for about 6 minutes on medium until the sauce becomes thick. Remove from heat.

Assembly: Top the stuffing patties with turkey slices, cheese sauce, tomato slices and bacon. Broil for 4-6 minutes or until bubbly all over.

Brined Turkey Breast

Ingredients:

6 cups apple cider
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup kosher salt
3 Tablespoons poultry seasoning
4 cups of ice
1 (6 to 7 pound) turkey breast, either fresh or thawed from frozen
1 slow cooker liner bag
1 twist tie
2 Tablespoons canola oil

Directions: In a large saucepan, heat the cider, sugar, salt and seasoning to a boil. Turn off the heat and remove the pan to a trivet or cold burner. Let sit until the pot is cool to the touch, about 1 hour. Add in the ice to cool the brine. Rinse the turkey breast with cold water and place it securely, cavity side up, into the bottom of the slow cooker liner. Slowly and carefully pour the cooled brine mixture over the turkey breast, holding up the ends of the bag with your non-dominant hand. Pull the edges of the liner bag together and tie very tightly with the twist tie. Place this into a grocery store plastic bag and put it in an appropriately fitted dish to make sure that it doesn’t leak all over it the bag tips or the tie comes undone. Brine for at least 24 hours, but up to 72 hours.

When you are ready to cook the turkey, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Drain the brine off, pat the skin dry and rub on the oil. Discard the slow cooker liner, and place the turkey breast in a roasting pan. Cook until a meat thermometer reads 165 to 170, about 2 hours. . Cover the breast with foil and let rest for about 30 minutes before carving. And those drippings? If you like gravy, the drippings here make awesome gravy that is full of flavor!

Cranberry/Clementine Sauce

Cranberries and citrus-what could be nicer? Plus, this goes together in a snap, can be done a day ahead and it is easy to double.

Ingredients (serves 6):

1 (12 ounce bag) fresh cranberries
2 cups water
½ cup granulated sugar
2 clementines (or tangerines), washed and cut into quarters (check for seeds and remove if there are any)
1 (3 ounce) package cranberry or raspberry gelatin

Directions: Place the cranberries, water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to low boil and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the cranberries burst. Remove from heat. Grind up the clementines, peel and all in the food processor until just slightly chunky. Mix the clementines and the gelatin into the cranberries. Stir well and let it cool. Pour into a dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least four hours or overnight.

Smoked Pork and Salsa Verde Soup

Here’s a four ingredient, quick and easy soup that is a nice break from traditional chili. If you have leftover smoked pork tenderloin, roast or pork chops this is a terrific way to create a new dish using up any extras. Non-smoked pork is good, too but I love the flavor of smoke here. You can buy smoked pork chops right in the store and cook extra one night to have some leftover for this soup.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings):

Soup:
1 (16 ounces) Salsa Verde
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3 cups cooked, smoked pork, chopped  
1 cup frozen corn-no need to thaw

Garnish (any or all-completely optional):

Sour cream
Crumbled Cotija cheese
Crumbled tortilla chips
Diced red and yellow peppers

Directions: Pour the Salsa Verde, stock, pork and corn into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes. Serve in bowls with choices for garnish. Done!

Sweet and Spicy Orange Shrimp

I was craving shrimp, so I thought I would try this. These little gems have just a touch of crunchy coating, just a small tingly heat and a hint of orange. I like this dish as is because I can really taste the shrimp. If you want to ramp up the orange, throw a little orange zest into the sauce mix. If you want to add heat, throw in a sliced Thai chile or a few teaspoons of sriracha. I like to serve this as is for people who aren’t crazy about super spicy food and then pass the sriracha at the table.

Ingredients (serves 6 as an appetizer or 4 as a main course):

Shrimp:

1 ½ pound raw, shell-on, (16-20 count) butterflied shrimp (if you get easy-peel shrimp, you can easily butterfly them by just deepening the cut on the back and spreading them out)
1 cup finely crushed crisp rice cereal
2 Tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black or white pepper
½ cup canola, safflower or peanut oil

Sauce:

2 teaspoons canola, safflower or peanut oil
3 green onions, sliced thin, reserving a bit of the green for garnish
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons sweet Thai chile sauce
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 Tablespoons orange juice

Directions: Wash shrimp and pat dry. Combine cereal, corn starch, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Dredge shrimp in the cereal mixture to lightly coat, shaking off excess. Heat the ½ cup of oil in a wok or pan on medium high heat until shimmering, but not smoking (a good way to test if the oil is hot enough is to put the end of a wooden chopstick or skewer in the oil—if bubbles form around it, it is hot enough). Fry the shrimp, in batches, until golden (about 3 minutes). Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Clean out the oil from the wok (into a jar, please-not down your drain). Wipe the wok quickly with a paper towel to make sure there are no crunchy bits in the sauce. Add the 2 teaspoons of oil. Add in the green onions, garlic, chile sauce and orange juice. Cook, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Add the shrimp back into the pan and cook just a minute or so more, until the shrimp are coated with sauce. Pile the shrimp on a serving plate and garnish with reserved green onions.

White Bean Cassoulet

This is not a traditional cassoulet with duck confit and the like. It’s truly a glorified version of franks and beans and it is terrific on a chilly, rainy night. This is a rich, hearty, comforting dish—I love cracking through the garlic bread crust into the thick, creamy casserole. Bonus: You could easily make this vegetarian by using veggie sausages.

Ingredients (serves 6-8):

4 sprigs fresh rosemary
8 sprigs fresh parsley
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 (12 ounce) package chicken and apple sausage, sliced
1 (9 ounce) package smoked sausage, sliced
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 rib of celery, chopped (about ½ cup)
1 large carrot, chopped (about ½ cup)
½ cup dry white wine
3 (15 ounce) cans white beans (great northern, white kidney, cannellini, whatever) drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole tomatoes with juice
3 cups water
2 or 3 teaspoons of salt (to taste)
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper (to taste)
1 ½ cups fresh bread crumbs
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 Tablespoon butter, melted

Directions: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Tie the rosemary, parsley and thyme together in a bundle with kitchen twine and set aside. If you don’t have fresh herbs, just use dried herbs to suit your taste. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Add in the chicken sausage and cook until brown. Remove to a plate and add the smoked sausage into the pot. Brown the smoked sausage and remove to the plate with the chicken sausage. Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot to the pot and cook for about 4 minutes until the veggies are just soft, but not brown. Add the wine to the pot and stir to bring the goodness up from the bottom of the pan. Add the sausages back in and then the beans, tomatoes, water, salt, pepper, and the herb bundle. Stir and break up the tomatoes. Bring the cassoulet up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Lightly cover the pot with a piece of foil and bake for 2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding a bit of water if it gets too thick. Meanwhile, toss the bread crumbs, garlic salt and butter together in a small bowl. After the cassoulet has cooked for the 2 hours, remove the cover and sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top. Bake for another 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove the herb bundle before serving.

Hot Hazelnut Malt Milkshake

Submitted for your approval: a hot milkshake. With malt. And liqueur. Sweet dreams.

Ingredients (makes 2 drinks):

2 cups milk
½ cup vanilla ice cream
2 Tablespoons malted milk powder
2 shots Bailey’s ® Hazelnut Flavored liqueur

Directions: Whisk together the milk, ice cream and malted milk powder in a saucepan Cook over medium heat until the ice cream is melted, the malted milk has dissolved and the mixture is thoroughly heated through (you should see small bubbles forming around the sides of the pan). If your malted powder clumps, just push the clump against the side of the pan and it will fall apart. Remove from the heat, pour into mugs and stir in one shot of liqueur per mug.

Tomato Casserole

I got the idea for this dish on my recent trip to Italy…HA! I’m joking. I simply had some tomatoes I wanted to use and then thought about how cannelloni comes with a cream sauce and a tomato sauce-so, here I am. This is major comfort food, my friends.

Ingredients:

2 cups (tightly packed) cubed Italian bread
1 cup fat free half and half
1 egg
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup grated parmesan

5 strips bacon

½ cup chopped onion
8 small tomatoes (I’m using the ‘vine ripe’ kind), cored and cut into quarters
2 cups (lightly packed) chopped Swiss chard
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

½ cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the half and half, egg, salt and grated parmesan. Pour into the bottom of a 1.5 quart baking dish.

Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

Add the onion, tomatoes, Swiss chard, garlic salt and Italian seasoning into the bacon drippings. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft and fragrant. Add in the bread cubes and bacon. Cook and stir for 3 minutes more. Spoon this mixture evenly into the cream mixture in the baking dish. Top with the shredded parmesan and bake for 35 minutes.

Banoffee Pie

I've posted several healthy recipes lately. Let's take a deep slide into sheer decadence! My friend Mark first introduced me to this dessert years ago and his is (and always will be) much better than mine. Still, I have to try. Trust me, this is one dessert every can agree on. Serve this and your guests will swoon. There are many ways to make the caramel toffee for this dish, including boiling unopened cans of sweetened condensed milk for hours. I’m too afraid of exploding toffee to do that, so I cook it in the oven (bonus: this cuts the time in half).

Ingredients:

Pie:
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 bananas

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
6 Tablespoons butter, melted

Topping:

2 cups sweetened whipped cream
Chocolate shavings
Toasted almonds (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a shallow glass baking dish. Cover it with foil and place it in a larger metal pan (like a 13x9 cake pan). Pour water in the larger pan until it comes about halfway up the sides of the condensed milk pan. Cook for 1 ½ hours, making sure there is always enough water in the larger pan. Remove from oven and let cool.

Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Mix the graham crumbs, sugar and melted butter together. Press into a 9 inch pie plate and bake for 12 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

Pour the condensed milk caramel into the cooled crust. Slice the bananas on top of the caramel. Place in the fridge until just before serving. Then, top with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and toasted almonds (if using).  

Nut, Fruit and Grain Clusters

This so doesn’t taste like a healthy snack, but it is. It has a deep, rich flavor.  I love granola type things, so I thought I’d play around with the concept. Note: The toasted barley is very crunchy, so if you plan to serve this to people with dental issues, you might want to skip the barley and add another cup of oat cereal.

Ingredients:

½ cup barley
4 cups O shaped oat cereal
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
½ cup sliced (or slivered) almonds
2 Tablespoons ground flax seed
2 Tablespoons wheat germ
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried cranberries

6 Tablespoons light stick butter

2 Tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup honey
¼ cup maple syrup (or agave)
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt

Directions: First, toast the barley by placing it in a dry skillet and cooking it on medium low for about 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until pale golden. You’ll know it is starting to toast when it smells nutty.  Remove from the stove and let cool. In a large bowl, mix the cereal, oats, toasted barley, nuts, flax seed, wheat germ and dried fruit.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats if you have them or spray the dickens out of the pans with cooking spray. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar on low heat until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Add in the honey, maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Cook for three minutes and then pour over the cereal mixture. Stir to coat all of the cereal mixture. Spread the mixture between your baking sheets and pat down into an even layer. Bake for 16 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and break into clusters. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Shaved Fennel, Celery and Artichoke Heart Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette



I know, sounds pretentious, right? It’s actually a very simple, light little salad that brings a bit of brightness to a rich meal. This makes enough for 4 side salads and you will most likely have dressing leftover for other uses.

Ingredients:

Vinaigrette:
Juice of 2 lemons
Juice of 1 orange
½ teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup olive oil

Salad:

1 small fennel bulb
3 stalks celery
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
4 Tablespoons shredded parmesan

Directions:

Vinaigrette: Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl and taste/adjust for seasoning. Set aside.

Salad: Shave the fennel and celery into wafer thin slices using a mandoline or a sharp knife and some patience. Slice the artichoke hearts thinly and add them to the fennel/celery mix. Toss with enough of the vinaigrette to coat and chill until needed. Place salad onto four plates and top with 1 tablespoon parmesan each.

Banana Pecan Snackin’ Cake

When I was a kid, snackin’ cakes were all the rage-so much so that you could even buy snackin’ cake mixes. This kind of cake is really moist, doesn’t need frosting, is inexpensive to make and goes together faster than you can preheat your oven!

Ingredients:

2 large, really ripe bananas
2 eggs
½ cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring (optional, but it adds a great depth of flavor-like a butter-pecan kind of thing)
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 inch cake pan with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, combine the bananas, eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla and butter flavoring. Beat with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined.

In a mixing bowl stir the flour, baking soda and salt together. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients a bit at a time. Once those ingredients are thoroughly combined, stir in the pecans.

Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 35 minutes until the top and sides are golden and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Let cool and then cut into 9 big squares or 12 small ones.

Painted and Grilled Flank Steak

So, I found flank steak on sale and wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I decided I just wanted to enhance the beefy flavor and not really change what the steak was, so I came up with this. I love the flavor bomb you get when you first bite into a piece-it's deep and rich. Also, the neighbors are saying it smells great as it grills!

Ingredients:

For the paint:
2 teaspoons ground espresso powder
1 teaspoon beef bouillon powder
½ teaspoon ground chipotle powder
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 Tablespoon molasses (blackstrap if you have it)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil

For the steak:

1 (1 ½ to 2 pound) flank steak

Directions: Combine all ingredients for the paint in a small bowl. Paint both sides of the steak and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Preheat grill to medium high heat and grill the steak for 5-6 minutes on each side (until medium rare-longer if you want medium). Let the steak rest for a few minutes and then slice it against the grain. I’m serving mine with simple tomatoes and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Really Crunchy Fried Mushrooms

Sometimes you just need a fried mushroom. Here’s why I love this recipe: 1) the coating doesn’t fall off the mushrooms when you try to eat them, 2) they stay crispy when held in a warm oven, which means you don’t have to be frying at the last minute, and 3) the crunch—oh, my! I think my neighbors heard me eating one of these. Keep this fry batter recipe handy-it great to fry all sorts of things- onions, asparagus, shrimp, peppers, etc.

Ingredients:

To fry:
About 3/4 cup vegetable oil

Fry Batter:
½ cup cornstarch
1 cup flour
2 teaspoon powdered egg white (if you don’t have it, just skip it)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon herb seasoning (your choice: maybe Italian seasoning,  Greek seasoning, garlic salt, whatever. I like to use Fox Point from Penzeys®)
1 to 1 1/2 cups light beer

The rest:

8 ounces white button mushrooms, cleaned
2 cups panko bread crumbs
Kosher salt to finish

Directions:
For the fry batter: Mix all the fry batter ingredients (cornstarch though beer) with electric beaters, adding the beer slowly until you have the consistency of a thick pancake batter.  

Heat the oil in a large, shallow skillet over medium heat.

Pour the panko into a shallow dish.

Dip the mushrooms into the fry batter and let the excess drip off. Some people like to use toothpicks or chopsticks stuck in the end of each mushroom, but I find it cumbersome—I just use my hands. Roll each mushroom in panko and place in the heated oil. Cook in batches for about 3 minutes or until the bottom is light golden brown. Turn them over using two forks and cook another few minutes until the other side is golden brown. Remove (again using the two forks) to a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with a little kosher salt.

Looking for a dip to go with them? Try mixing mayonnaise with a little horseradish.

Shortcut Chicken Pot Pie

Some days you just don’t want a lot of fussing. Try this for a hearty, comforting dinner that goes together in no time.

Ingredients:

3 cups diced leftover (or grocery store rotisserie) chicken
2 (10 ¾ ounce) cans cream of chicken soup (I’m using the low fat kind)
½ cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 (4 ounce) cans sliced mushrooms, drained
2 cups frozen classic mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, corn), thawed
1 refrigerated pie crust

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the pie crust. Spoon the chicken mixture into a shallow casserole dish (about 1.5 quart capacity). Place the pie crust over the dish and press the edges of the crust onto the edges of the dish. Fold up any excess crust that hangs over the edges and lightly crimp. Cut a few vent holes in top. Place both dishes on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

If you aren’t one of the people who have a roasted pumpkin seed ritual going each October, please give the seeds a try. You can use any spices you want, but I’m old fashioned about this one-I just want them salted.

Ingredients:

Fresh, raw pumpkin seeds (actually, the seeds from any kind of squash work great, but pumpkins tend to have more seeds)
Canola oil
Kosher salt

Directions: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with foil. Place the pumpkin seeds on the sheets and drizzle on just enough oil to coat. Toss the seeds and oil and spread in a single layer on the sheets. Sprinkle on salt to your taste level and bake for 35-45 minutes or until light golden brown, stirring and rotating the pans every 15 minutes. When they are just about ready, you can also hear them start to pop a little, like popcorn.

Crab, Swiss and Almond Spaghetti Squash

Like a cream sauce on your pasta, but don’t want the carbs or too much fat? Want to turn an inexpensive spaghetti squash into something luxurious? Try this one out. Bonus: Using both the microwave and skillet pulls this meal together in a flash. If you like things a little spicier, some seafood seasoning like Old Bay® or even a little hot sauce would be great in here.

Ingredients:

1 (approximately 2 ½ pound) spaghetti squash
Cooking spray
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced green onions
5 triangles Laughing Cow® Swiss cheese
½ cup milk or fat free half and half
1 (8 ounce) package imitation crab meat
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup grated parmesan
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions: Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and loose pulp (save those seeds-they are terrific baked with a little olive oil and salt). Place the squash halves rind side up on a microwaveable plate and microwave for 6 to 8 minutes on high. It’s done when you can stick a fork through the rind and remove it with little resistance. Remove from the microwave (use hot pads, please), turn right side up and let cool for a few minutes. Then, just take a fork and scrape it against the insides of the squash to create strands. Discard the rind.

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and cook on medium heat until the mushrooms are soft but not browned (about 5 minutes). Add in the chopped green onions and cook a few minutes more. Unwrap the cheese triangles and toss them in the skillet along with the milk and cook until the cheese melts. Add in the imitation crab and the reserved spaghetti squash. Cook for a few minutes until heated through. Season to taste. Sprinkle grated parmesan and toasted almonds on top.

Kale, Sausage and White Bean Soup

Don't stop me now, I'm in full-on soup mode and it feels good. Autumn is here and this soup make everyone feel comforted and warm.  

Ingredients:

1½ pounds bulk Italian sausage (sweet, mild, hot-whatever kind you like. I’m using Salsiccia)
½ cup diced onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
5 cups chicken broth (feel free to sub in vegetable broth or even water)
2 (15.5 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with liquid
5 cups torn kale, packed (feel free to use swiss chard, turnip greens or spinach instead)
Salt and pepper to taste

Grated parmesan to garnish

Directions: Add the sausage to a Dutch oven or large pot and heat on medium until brown, stirring and breaking the meat into crumbles. Drain off excess fat. Add in the onion and garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the onions and garlic are translucent, but not brown. Add in the broth, beans, tomatoes and kale. Bring the soup to a boil and reduce it to a simmer. Cover and let cook, stirring occasionally for about 40 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with grated parmesan.

Hot St. Louis Cardinals Dip (AKA: Baked Mozzarella and Marinara Dip)

I’ve been wanting to make this for a few days now. Just a simple, quick and great tasting hot dip for a party or for game day. I love that the colors of this dip are red and white, just like our Redbirds!! If you really want to get your St. Louis on, you might want to try provel cheese in place of some or all of the mozzarella. Just saying. Also, you can skip toasting the bread and just use bread chunks, pita chips, bread sticks, whatever.

Ingredients:

1 (1/2 to 1 pound) loaf unsliced Italian bread, cubed into 2 inch chunks
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ cups prepared marinara
8 ounces fresh (or aged-you choose) mozzarella, cut into ¼ inch thick slices
¼ cup grated parmesan
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the bread cubes on it. Toss with the olive oil and bake 5 minutes. Toss the bread cubes and toast another 5 or so minutes. You want them just lightly toasted, but still soft in the middle.

Next, turn the oven up to 350 degrees F. Spray a small casserole dish (mine is a shallow, 1.3 quart dish) with cooking spray. Place the dish on a baking sheet to prevent spillovers. Ladle in the marinara and then top with mozzarella, letting some of the marinara show through. Toss together the parmesan and garlic salt and sprinkle over the top. Bake on the top rack of your oven for 35-40 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and browning on top.

Serve hot with bread cubes.

Pumpkin Filled Cream Puffs with Caramel Syrup

(Makes between 20 and 25 cream puffs)

If you have never made your own cream puffs, please try them. They really are easy and almost foolproof. This recipe is so great--it's like little clouds stuffed with airy pumpkin pie.  PS-if you don’t feel like doing the caramel syrup, just used jarred salted caramel sauce…yum!

Ingredients:

Pumpkin Cream:
½ cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1¼ cup milk
4 egg yolks
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ teaspoon powdered ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream Puffs:

½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup water
Pinch of salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs

Caramel Syrup:

1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Directions

Pumpkin Cream:
In a large saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Whisk in the milk and then the egg yolks. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring to a boil and drop to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat and add in the vanilla. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, placing the wrap directly on the surface of the cream. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Cream Puffs:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large saucepan, bring the butter and water to a full boil. Stir in the flour and salt. Remove from heat and add in the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition until each egg is fully incorporated before adding another. You should see the mixture forming a ball. Drop by tablespoons full onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Once the puffs are slightly cool, cut off the top third of each puff with a sharp knife (save those tops, you will want them later).

Caramel Syrup:

In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar and water together on medium. Cook, stirring often until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Keep a cup of water and a brush nearby and brush down the sides of the pan often with the wet brush. After the mixture comes to a boil, continue to cook, without stirring, until the syrup is well... caramel colored. Be patient, this took me about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Let the caramel syrup cool completely before you use it.

Assembly: Fill each cream puff with some of the pumpkin pastry cream. Put the tops back on and drizzle with caramel syrup. Try not to eat them all in one sitting. Hey, I just said ‘try’.

What fun to actually be in a live cooking contest!

Our local papers recently held an apple recipe contest and I submitted my 'Honey and Spice Applesauce Cake' recipe. Turns out, I was a finalist (and won 3rd place in the apple dessert category). I had great friends with me cheering me on and had a blast watching the judges try and eat 10 different samples. Here's a link to the article and a not-so-great photo. If you click on the 'more photos' option on the left, they actually show the judges and then my cake on display. And, I got quoted! Gotta love that! http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/relationships-and-special-occasions/parenting/apple-recipes-hit-sweet-grand-slam/article_a4c157fe-ba2c-5603-a15f-124ea209b114.html