Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

 Ingredients:

1 cup raspberry puree (2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries pureed)
1 cup olive oil
1 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup fresh honey
salt, pepper

Process all ingredients in a Vitamix, or blender.  Store in a glass jar or bottle.  Shake before using.  This recipe makes about 22 oz.  I store mine in a Mason Jar.

Fresh, local honey

Candied Pecans

Ingredients:

2 cups pecans

1 cup white sugar

4 TBL butter

2 tsp vanilla

dash cinnamon

dash sea salt

Directions:

Melt sugar and butter.  Add vanilla, cinnamon and salt.   Add pecans.  Stir well to coat.  Continue stirring and cooking for 3 minutes or so until the nuts are well coated and "crispy" looking.  Cool on parchment paper.  I tried wax paper, but the nuts stuck to the paper, so parchment is a better choice!!

Store in a jar, or airtight container.  Great on salads!!

  

Black bean & corn salsa

 Ingredients:

1 ear corn, cut off the cob
1 can black beans, drained
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 -3 TBL chopped cilantro
1 TBL olive oil (optional)
1 TBL white balsamic vinegar (optional)
juice of 2 limes
1 TBL honey
salt, pepper


Combine ingredients.  Refrigerate for awhile so flavors can marry.

Fresh honey is my secret ingredient when using tomatoes!

Peach/pineapple cobbler

White peaches!!!

Ingredients:

4 large peaches (about 1 QT) (I used white)

2 cups fresh, chopped pineapple

1/8 cup cornstarch

1/8 cup brown sugar

1/2  tsp cinnamon

1 cup flour

1/8 cup + 1 TBL white sugar

1/2 TBL baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

3 TBL cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg

1/3 cup cold, heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Blanch peaches so they are easier to peel.  Just dip them in boiling water for a couple of minutes and cool to touch.  Peel away the skin and slice.  Combine sliced peaches, cornstarch, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl.  Toss until well combined.  Pour into a 2 QT baking dish, or a 10 inch cast iron skillet.

In another medium bowl, combine flour, 1/8 cup sugar, baking powder and salt.  Cut in butter with 2 forks,  a pastry blender, or just use your fingers like I do!  Whisk egg, cream and vanilla in a small bowl, or a measuring cup.  Add cream mixture to flour and stir with a fork until just combined.  Drop by spoonfuls over the peaches.  Sprinkle with 1 TBL white sugar.  

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool slightly and serve with vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream.  (If you have heavy whipping cream left over, whip it with a handful of sugar to make fresh whipped cream!)  YUM!!

Makes 6-8 servings, depending on serving size!

Honey yeast rolls

Ingredients:

1 packet yeast

1 cup warm water (110*)

1/4 cup honey

3 TBL canola oil

1 tsp sea salt

1 egg, slightly beaten

3 2/3 cup flour

2 TBL butter, melted

2 TBL honey

2 TBL sugar in the raw (optional if you don't have honey)

Directions:
In the bowl of  a stand mixer, combine yeast and warm water.  Let sit 5 or so minutes till the yeast starts to foam.  Add honey, oil, sea salt and egg and mix on low.  Add flour, one cup at a time, and mix with a dough hook for 8 or so minutes, till the dough doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl and is elastic.
Smooth the dough into a large ball.  Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place 2 hours or until dough doubles.
Preheat oven to 400.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute.  Let rest about 10 minutes.  Divide dough into 10 equal little balls.  Make the balls of dough smooth by rolling in between your hands, then "pinching" the dough at the bottom so it doesn't show.  Place rolled balls in a 10 inch round baking dish that has been oiled or sprayed with cooking spray.  Space the dough evenly in the baking dish.  Cover with a towel and let rise 30 minutes.
Melt butter and honey (or sugar in the raw) in a sauce pan.  Brush butter mixture over the rolls before baking.  Bake at 400 for 15 min.  Cover with foil so they don't get too brown and continue to bake for another 5 minutes.  They should be a nice, rich, golden brown.

Cool lightly before eating.

Pappardelle with butternut squash, walnuts and kale

Ingredients:

8 oz pappardelle
1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1inch chunks
1-2 cups cauliflower
2 cups kale
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 TBL butter, minced
2 TBL olive oil
1 cup walnuts, rough chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1 TBL honey
sea salt
pepper


Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.  In a baking dish, toss cauliflower and squash in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for 30 minutes.  While veggies are roasting, bring a pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to directions.  Drain and rinse pasta.  In the same pot you cooked the pasta in, add butter and cook on med low till browned.  Browning the butter take butter to a whole new level!  Stir the butter constantly until it just starts to turn brown.  This is the point it could burn, so be careful not to let that happen.  When the butter has browned, quickly add the minced garlic and 1 TBL of olive oil and walnuts.  Saute for a minute, then add kale.  Add roasted veggies and rinsed pasta, lemon juice, and honey.  Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. When kale is wilted and the pasta is hot, the dish is done.
**NOTE**  I used lemon pepper pappardelle from Trader Joes.

Lemon blueberry bars

Talk about easy and G-O-O-D!!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar. total

2 1/4 cups flour, total

4 eggs

zest of 3 lemons

juice of 2 lemons 

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

nonstick spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325.  Using a food processor, (or a pastry cutter) blend together:

1 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup sugar

2 cup flour

Press evenly into the bottom of a baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.  Bake 20-25 minutes, till just golden brown.

Lemon topping:

Whisk together:

11/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

4 eggs

zest of 3 lemons

juice of 2 lemons

Allow topping to sit for about 10 minutes before whisking together.  Whisk together then pour over baked shortbread.  Sprinkle with 1 cup blueberries.

Bake at 350 for another 20-25 minutes or until slightly browned and the custard appears to be set.  Jiggle the pan a little to tell.  Cool completely.  Cut into squares.  These will not last long!

  

Sweet potato muffins with streusel topping

I think muffins are good any time of the year!  Especially with a good cup of tea or coffee!

Ingredients:
1 egg
1/3 cup softened unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar ( I used sugar in the raw)
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup whole wheat white flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup half-n-half, plus 1-2 TBL more
2 medium sweet potatoes, steamed, and jackets removed
zest from 1 orange

Streusel topping:
1/2 cup whole wheat white flour
4 TBL unsalted butter softened
1/2 tsp cinnamon

***OPTIONAL***
Orange glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Juice from 1 orange
1 tsp orange zest

Whisk together till sugar dissolves.


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.
Cream egg, butter, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Add vanilla and flour and mix.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix with the wire whip until thoroughly blended.  The half-n-half amount may need to be adjusted according to how you like the batter.  Spray muffin tins with non stick spray.  Fill tins halfway and top with streusel topping.  Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.
**NOTE**  I did 6 large muffins, 12 mini muffins, and a mini loaf (7X4).  The loaf took over half an hour to bake.  Just keep checking if you decide to make a loaf.  Stick with a toothpick to make sure it's done.

Chinese chicken salad

This was so  much better than I expected it to be!  I must say I out did myself tonight!  

Ingredients:

1 bag cole slaw mix

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 bunch green onions, sliced on the diagonal

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 red pepper, slivered (I added this for color)

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients and top with:

The dressing that ROCKS this salad:

2 TBL sesame oil

2 TBL soy

4 TBL rice wine vinegar

2 TBL vegetable oil

2 TBL ketchup

2 garlic cloves
(2) 1- inch pieces fresh ginger
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp chili pepper flakes
3 TBL sugar

Directions:
In a food processor, mince garlic and ginger.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until it thickens a little and is smooth.  Pour over chicken/slaw mixture and let marinate for about an hour.   YUM!

Broccoli stir fry

This was so easy and quick!  I already had the spaghetti noodles cooked and in the frig.  

Ingredients:

16 oz. spaghetti

2 TB olive oil, for saute

1 bag pre-cut broccoli

1 red pepper, diced

1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled, smashed, and rough chopped

6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and rough chopped

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

1 TB toasted sesame oil

6 scallion, sliced on the diagonal (for cuteness)

2-3 TB sliced almonds

2 TB sesame seeds

Directions:

Cook spaghetti according to directions on the box.  Steam broccoli for 3-5 minutes, or just until it changes color and is still crisp and set aside.  While spaghetti is cooking, bring chicken broth to a boil and add honey.  When the honey had dissolved, add the teriyaki sauce and sesame oil and reduce to simmer.  In a small skillet, heat olive oil and saute ginger, peppers, and garlic for a few minutes.  Add garlic mixture to chicken broth pan and give it a couple of good stirs.  If you like your sauce thick, you can add a little cornstarch to thicken it.  If not, plate up your noodles and top with broccoli and sauce.  Garnish with almonds and/or sesame seeds and scallions.  You could also toast the sesame seeds first in a dry skillet to bring out the flavor.  Delish!

Corn casserole

This is such a great side dish!   If you love corn, this is right up your alley!  It's easy and delicious.

Ingredients:

2 cans creamed corn

1/2 stick butter, melted

1 egg

1 box Jiffy corn bread mix

2/3 cup sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray a 2QT casserole dish with nonstick spray.  Mix all ingredients, pour into casserole dish, and bake for 45-55 min.   Y-U-M!

Creamy mashed potatoes

The secret?  Cream cheese!

Who doesn't love potatoes?  Especially if they house little craters of butter?!  Two of my favorite ingredients!  The secret is the cream cheese!  I have tried sour cream, which you could also add, but the cream cheese works great!

Ingredients:

5 lbs Idaho, or Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and quartered

2 (8oz each) packages cream cheese

sea salt, pepper

1/2 - 1 stick unsalted butter

1/2-3/4 cup milk

Wash, peel and quarter potatoes and place in a large pot of water.  They should fit in an 8 QT stock pot.  Boil till fork tender.  Drain and return to the pot with the heat OFF.  Add cream cheese, milk, butter, salt and pepper and mash with a hand masher.  Or you could just use a mixer and beat them till they are of a consistency you like.  I like them thick and creamy.  After mixing, I dot the top with butter so they form these cute little craters.  YUM!!  You can do these the day before and just heat in the oven when you have available oven space.

Artisan bread

This is so easy!  Recipe adapted from Natasha's Kitchen.  This version is a no knead recipe.  I think the next time I make it (which will be very soon!), I'll add some rosemary to the dough.

Ingredients:.
1 1/2 half cup warm water ( 100- 115 degrees)

1/2 TB salt
1/2 TB sugar (I used sugar in the raw)
3/4 TB yeast
3 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

2 TB cornmeal 
plus extra flour for dusting

Directions:

Add sugar and salt to a large bowl.  Add water and sprinkle in yeast.  Let sit a couple of minutes, then mix well.  Measure out and add flour.  Stir until well blended.  Let sit 2 hours  in a warm place till it is 2-3 times the size.  Turn dough onto a floured surface and fold dough over twice.  Sprinkle cornmeal onto counter (or surface you are working on)  and place dough on top of cornmeal.  Let sit uncovered 40 minutes.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Make 3 slits with a very sharp knife in the top of the dough ball.  Fill a pan (not glass!) with 1 cup hot water and place on the BOTTOM rack of the oven.  Place the dough ball on a pizza stone, or a lightly greased cookie sheet turned upside down.  Bake at 450 for 20- 25 minutes or until golden brown.  I use a pizza stone that has been very well seasoned.

The browner or blacker the stone, the better!  

Let cool before cutting!  Enjoy!! 

Chicken & dumplings

This recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman.  Its was full of flavor, easy to make, and hearty.  I added sage to mine because I love the taste of sage with any chicken dish.

Ingredients:

2 TB unsalted butter

2 TB olive oil

1 cup all purpose flour

1 whole chicken, cut up

1/2 tsp sea salt, pepper and paprika

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 cup onions, chopped

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp rubbed sage

6 cups chicken broth

1/2-1 cup apple cider

1/2 cup heavy cream

Dumplings:

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup cornmeal 

1 heaping TB baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 - 1 1/2 cup buttermilk (or half & half)

Directions:

Mix flour, sea salt, pepper and paprika in a large mixing bowl.  Dredge chicken in flour.  Heat olive oil and butter in a large stock pot.  Brown chicken in oil/butter.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Brown celery, carrots and onion in the same oil/butter you used for the chicken.  You should have some crispy goodness floating around in the pan by now.  I never peel my carrots, just wash them thoroughly.  Stir, and let cook for about 8 minutes.  Add the chicken back into the pan and add chicken broth, thyme, sage, apple cider and heavy cream.  Let simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes.  While the chicken is cooking, make the dough for the dumplings.  Mix together dry ingredients, then add buttermilk a little at a time.  Don't over mix.  The dough should be moist, but not wet.  Remove the chicken from the pan and pick the meat off with two forks, or just use your hands like I do.  You have to remember to let it cool a little first!  Ouch!  Put the shredded chicken back into the pan, and drop in the dumplings making them tablespoon size.  Or you can just use your hands (again) like I do and just pick out little balls of dough and drop it in the pan.  Let simmer for 15 minutes.  Complete goodness!

Chicken cacciatore stew

E-A-S-Y

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 chicken thighs
2 chicken legs
1 onion, sliced
2 red AND green peppers, sliced
2 stalks celery, chunked
2 whole carrots, unpeeled and chunked
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large cans chopped tomatoes, plus juice
8 oz chicken stock, plus a little extra
3 TB flour
2 TB oregano
sprinkle of sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Layer everything, except flour, in the crock pot starting with the vegetables.  If you have 2 crock pots, it's easier to cook the chicken in a separate pot so you don't have to sift through the bones.  Cook on low for 4 hours.  Take the skin and bone off of the thighs and legs, and pull apart the meat.  Add the meat to the vegetable crock pot.  Add the flour, mixed with a little chicken stock, and cook on high for another 3-4 hours.  It will thicken as it cooks.  Serve over barley or noodles.

    

Lemon Cannelli Bean pasta

This is somewhat of a "go to" meal for me.  It's quick, easy, and full of protein.

Ingredients:
1 lb pasta (whatever kind or shape you like)
1 can cannelli beans, drained and rinsed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, minced
1 container fresh mozzarella "pearls"
Juice of 3 lemons
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 TB cilantro, chopped
2 TB basil, chopped
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
1 TB agave nectar or sugar in the raw
1 TB Trader Joe's roasted red pepper spread OR diced roasted red peppers
olive oil, for saute


Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions on the box.  While the pasta is cooking,  saute onions and garlic in olive oil till translucent.  Mix beans, onions, garlic, tomatoes and mozzarella in a mixing bowl.  Once pasta is cooked, drain, rinse and add to bean mixture.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Top with Parmesan cheese for serving.

Creamy Onion Dip

This is a variation of my onion dip.

Ingredients:
4 med onions, sliced thin
(1) 8 oz. pkg cream cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded Asiago cheese
1/4 cup mayo

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Slice onions thin and put in a large mixing bowl.  In a food processor, mix cream cheese and mayo.  Add cheeses and mayo mixture to onions, mixing well.  I just use my hands so I can get every onion coated.  Bake in a 2 QT baking dish at 350 for 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with butter crackers.

Homemade Ricotta

Oh how I wish I had done this 20 years ago!  This was so easy and look at the creamy lemon-ish color to the ricotta!

Ingredients:

4 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp sea or kosher salt
3 TB white vinegar


Bring milk, cream and salt to a boil on med heat in a stainless or heavy pot, stirring occasionally.  When it comes to a full boil, turn off heat and add vinegar.  Let it sit for about 2 minutes, until it starts to curdle.  Wet some cheesecloth and line a strainer over a large bowl.  Pour milk mixture into strainer and let it sit for about 25-30 minutes.  The longer it sits, the thicker it gets!

Corn & potato chowder

It's a great time of the year for soup!  I updated Meam's (my grandma) version.

Ingredients:

3 ears of corn, cut off the cob

3 med potatoes, peeled and diced

32 oz chicken broth

1 med onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 TB butter

6 tsp flour

12 oz half-n-half

sprinkle of sea salt and fresh ground pepper

2 TB cilantro, sliced

Directions:

Wash, peel and dice potatoes and bring just to a boil in a saucepan.  When the water starts to boil, remove from the heat and drain.  Melt butter in a 5 QT stockpot.  Saute onions, garlic and 2/3 (approximately) of the corn for about 5-7 minutes.  Add the flour and mix well to make a rue.  Mash the rest of the corn (I used my small food processor), and add to the pot.  Add the chicken broth and whisk until the rue is dissolved.  Add the potatoes, and keep the heat on med until it starts to boil.  Add half-n-half, a couple of shakes of sea salt and the fresh ground pepper and stir well.  Once the soup starts to bubble, turn down the heat to med-low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.  It should thicken once it has bubbled.  Slice cilantro and add just before serving.

Blackberry turnovers

This is so easy!
Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pastry (I use Trader Joe's)
4 heaping tsp blackberry jam
egg wash
butter (to grease the pan)

Preheat oven to 400.  Butter a baking sheet.  Take one sheet of puff pastry out of the freezer and let it thaw for about ten minutes.  If you use TJ's puff pastry, I took one sheet and cut it into 6 pieces, making individual turnovers for my family members.  Eggwash the edges of pastry and spoon jam into the middle.  Fold over and "seal" the edges.  A little jam may squirt out, that's ok.  Eggwash the top and bake at 400 for 15 minutes.