Williams Sonoma Brussel Sprouts

 Julie Hillyard’s Thanksgiving recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. (500 g) bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch (6-mm) batons
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced into rings
• 1 1/2 lb. (750 g) brussels sprouts, shredded
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, if needed
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs. pine nuts, toasted
• Fresh nutmeg

Directions

In a large nonstick fry pan over medium heat, fry the bacon until most of the fat has rendered out, about 5 minutes. Add the shallot and continue cooking until the shallot is translucent and the bacon is crispy, about 5 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon and shallot to a small bowl and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.

Increase the heat to high, add the brussels sprouts to the pan and season with a pinch each of salt and pepper and nutmeg. Sear until the brussels sprouts are lightly browned, about 3 minutes, adding the olive oil to the pan if the pan seems dry. Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the lemon juice and cook until the brussels sprouts are tender but not mushy when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir in the bacon and shallot. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Lemon Custard

 My mom’s recipe

My mom’s pumpkin bread

 Pumpkin Bread

 

2  1/2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

1  1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

3  1/2 cups unbleached flour

2 slightly rounded tsp. baking soda

2 cups or 1 can pumpkin

2/3 cups water

walnuts, chopped fine (shake in bag w a little flour first, then discard flour)

 

Place all ingredients except walnuts in large mixing bowl; mix w/ electric beater. Fold in walnuts gently. Place in 2  9-inch or 3 8-inch  large greased and floured loaf pans (not the small ones). Bake 1 hour to 70 minutes in a 350 oven. Test w/ a toothpick or knife, which, when inserted, should come out clean and dry. Cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap, then in foil and freeze. Tastes and slices best after being frozen. Serve w/ homemade, slightly sweetened whipped cream.

Creamy Italian Chicken

 Diana Teasdale’s recipe

Easy Italian Chicken

1 lb. chicken breast
1 brick cream cheese
½ cup milk
1 family size cream of chicken soup
1 pkg dry Italian salad dressing mix.

Cut up chicken. Put in slow cooker. Season with package of Italian dressing
mix. Cook about 5-6 hour. Add cream cheese, soup, and milk. Cook another hour. Serve over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes 

Sweet Potato Casserole

 Jenn Walton’s recipe

SWEET POTATOES

3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes or yams (I have always used canned)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

Combine mashed sweet potatoes with sugar, eggs, vanilla, and butter; pour into buttered casserole.

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/6 cup flour

1/6 cup softened butter

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine brown sugar, flour, butter and nuts; sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Giant Ginger Cookies

 Amanda Hanberg’s recipe

Giant Ginger Cookies

Chewy and delicious, these cookies are giants in

both size and snappy ginger flavor.

Prep: 20 minutes Bake: 11 minutes per batch

Oven: 350°F Makes: about 24 cookies

4½ cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons baking soda

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ cups shortening

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

½ cup molasses

¾ cup sugar

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour, ginger,

baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set

aside. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening

with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 sec-

onds. Add the 2 cups sugar. Beat until combined,

scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs

and molasses until combined. Beat in as much of

the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir

in any remaining flour mixture.

2. Shape dough into 2-inch balls using

a

¼-cup measure or scoop. Roll balls in the ¾ cup

sugar. Place 2½ inches apart on an ungreased

cookie sheet.

3. Bake in a 350° oven for 11 to 13 minutes or

until bottoms are lightly browned and tops are

puffed (do not overbake). Cool on cookie sheet

2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Nutrition Facts per cookie: 306 cal., 13 g total fat (3 g sat. fat),

18 mg chol., 138 mg sodium, 45 g carbo., 1 g fiber, 3 g pro.

Daily Values: 1% vit. A, 1% vit. C, 3% calcium, 10% iron

Exchanges: 3 Other Carbo., 2½ Fat

Ginger Cookies: Prepare as above, except shape

dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place

1½ inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in a 350° oven for 8 to 9 minutes or until

bottoms are lightly browned and tops are puffed

(do not overbake). Cool on cookie sheet for

1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Makes about 120 cookies.

Best Easy Caramel Popcorn

 Ingredients

•

13 to 16 cups popcorn, lightly salted (I just used

skinny pop to make it easier)

1 cup butter

16 ounce mini marshmallows

•

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

Optional: 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

(1) Pour popcorn into a large bowl.

2 Melt butter and marshmallows in a large pan over

medium-low heat.

3

Once the butter is melted, stir in brown sugar until

it is dissolved (only about 1 minute). Then remove

from heat and add vanilla if desired. Pour over the

bowl of popcorn. Stir until the popcorn is

completely coated. Add more popcorn until

desired texture is reached.

1 bag popped popcorn any flavor works

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp light corn syrup

20 large marshmallows

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pop popcorn and place in a bowl making sure

there are no un-popped kernels there.

2. Melt butter in a medium pot on the oven. Add

brown sugar and corn syrup until well

blended. Add marshmallows and stir continuously

on low heat until all melted.

3. Pour mixture over popcorn and mix well. Spread

popcorn on parchment paper or put in greased

baking sheet and let set up.

Best Zuppa Toscana

 1 chopped onion, sautéed 

I package sautéed Johnson’s Mild Italian Sausage 

Half package kale or spinach 

5 cups chicken broth

1 cup cream

Chopped Potatoes (optional)

Best Broccoli Cheese Soup

 

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter , sliced
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 5 cups small diced broccoli florets*
• 1/8 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 12 oz sharp cheddar cheese , freshly shredded (or more to taste)
• 2 oz parmesan cheese , freshly & finely shredded

Instructions

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until they begin to soften, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add garlic, flour and season lightly with salt and pepper then cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. While whisking, slowly pour in evaporated milk (whisk well to smooth).
• Cook mixture, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken then pour into a slow cooker along with chicken broth, diced broccoli and thyme. Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 5 - 6 hours.
• Turn heat to warm (or off) and stir in heavy cream, then add in shredded cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese and stir to blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.
• *From about 20 oz broccoli crowns, large stems cut off and discarded (or reserved for another use), florets diced into small pieces.

Michelle Conover’s Pumpkin Cookies

 Pumpkin Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup canned pumpkin

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened

• 8 oz cream cheese softened

• 3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set

aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 1 minute. Add

sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice and beat until well

combined.

3. Add one egg and the vanilla then beat well, until yellow streaks are gone. Add the pumpkin

pure and beat again until it's incorporated. Finally, add the flour and beat on medium speed

until completely incorporated. Watch the video to see instructions on how to properly

measure flour. The dough will be wet, this is what you want!

Christmas Eve Hot Chocolate

 Our tradition is to make this every Christmas Eve and drink it in our matching Santa mugs while watching The Grinch. Putting this here because I lose everything including every recipe but I still check this blog for my old recipes. 

6 cups milk

1.5 cups cream

1 can sweetened condensed milk (14oz)

1 package (2 C) chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

Sumi Salad

Sumi Salad

1 head of shredded cabbage
8 sliced green onions
2 packages Chicken Top Ramen noodles (smash before opening)
1/4 C sesame seeds
1/4 C sliced almonds

Toast seeds and almonds in frying pan, stirring constantly

DRESSING
1/4 C sugar
3/4 C oil
6 T rice vinegar
1 t salt
1 t pepper
2 t sesame oil
2 seasoning packets Top Ramen


Mix salad, add chicken (optional), cover with dressing.
Cover and chill for several hours, stirring frequently.

New Beginning

Tomorrow is my first unemployed Monday. It is also my daughter's eighth birthday. Seems appropriate. My kids are tracked out (year-round school) so they get to actually sleep late for once. This makes me very happy. I plan to get with Chris so he doesn't have to endure me sleeping in while he goes off to work. I know... I feel guilt big-time. Besides, I have a ton to do. I'd like to get one room cleaned out tomorrow before noon. Grandma is taking the kids for the afternoon while I run errands. And so far, the errands are numerous. I have to drive across twin to turn in my work badge, then come back this way to get groceries, retrieve a ring Athena left at a restaurant tonight, run to the bank, and register Josie for her tags.

If all of this seems to focus more on the SAHM side of things and less on the entrepreneur side, you would be correct. I won't get into full swing on the business side of things for a couple of weeks. I need a break and the house needs work. Even then, I am not positive I can do all I want in two weeks. I also have a freelance assignment to do, just to keep a little money coming in. That will take a little time, as will the kids being home for these two weeks. 

Still, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

New Beginning

Tomorrow is my first unemployed Monday. It is also my daughter's eighth birthday. Seems appropriate. My kids are tracked out (year-round school) so they get to actually sleep late for once. This makes me very happy. I plan to get with Chris so he doesn't have to endure me sleeping in while he goes off to work. I know... I feel guilt big-time. Besides, I have a ton to do. I'd like to get one room cleaned out tomorrow before noon. Grandma is taking the kids for the afternoon while I run errands. And so far, the errands are numerous. I have to drive across twin to turn in my work badge, then come back this way to get groceries, retrieve a ring Athena left at a restaurant tonight, run to the bank, and register Josie for her tags.

If all of this seems to focus more on the SAHM side of things and less on the entrepreneur side, you would be correct. I won't get into full swing on the business side of things for a couple of weeks. I need a break and the house needs work. Even then, I am not positive I can do all I want in two weeks. I also have a freelance assignment to do, just to keep a little money coming in. That will take a little time, as will the kids being home for these two weeks. 

Still, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Honeyed Ginger Chicken

2 lbs chicken breasts
½ c flour
½ t salt
1/8 t pepper
2 eggs, beaten
Oil for frying
1/3 c soy sauce
1/3 c honey
1 T sherry
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T sesame seeds
1 t ginger

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Cut the chicken into 2” strips. Combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dip the chicken into the eggs and then coat with flour. Fry the chicken in a frying pan in ½ “ oil until golden brown. 6-8 minutes. While the chicken is frying heat the soy, honey, sherry, garlic & ginger in a small saucepan. Drain the chicken briefly. Dip it in the honey mixture and place on a rack in a baking pan. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cook for a total of 20 minutes. Re-dip in the glaze after 10 minutes.

Strawberry Salad

I'm making this salad for a party tonight- it's my go-to party salad. Someone asks for the recipe every time I make it. The dressing is what makes it spectacular. The salad itself is super-easy: Romaine, shredded Monterey Jack or Mozzarella, sliced strawberries.

The dressing:
3-5 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
Handful of strawberries

Throw it all in a blender and ZAP it. I bring it in a bottle and dress the salad right before serving. You'll want to drink it out of the bottle though. Delicious. Simple. Easy. You will be impressed with yourself.

Puerto Rican Mojo Pork

1 boneless pork shoulder roast
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons crushed dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Blend the mojo together and let sit with the pork overnight or up to 24 hours. Roast the Pork with the Mojo, adding water during roasting as needed. Score any fat on the outside of the roast in an X pattern, but do not remove.
Roast at 350 degrees for 6 or 7 hours. Cover with foil for the first 3 hours and uncovered for the last 3. Cook until the roast is falling apart tender.
Serve with black beans, rice and mojo sauce.

Mojo Sauce:
8 cloves garlic
1 Serrano chile
3 T. cilantro
Salt
½ c. orange juice
¼ c. lime juice
¼ c. olive oil
Combine together in the blender and serve alongside the pork.

Quick & Easy Yeast Rolls

1/2 c. butter
2 T. sugar
1 t. salt
2 pkg. yeast
2 c. flour
- Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl & cut with pastry cutter.
2 eggs - beat in 2 c. measuring cup, fill cup to 2 cup mark
with hot water. Pour over dry mixture.
Slowly add:
3 c. flour
Cover. Let Rise 20 min. in warm oven. Pour onto floured surface.
Knead. Flatten with hands into large pizza shape. Cut with pizza cutter into16 slices. Roll up from wide end to point. Place in greased pans leaving space for rolls to double in size. (can shape like crescent or lay on side where swirl shows.) Cover. Let rise in oven at least 20 min. Remove from oven. Preheat oven to 375. Bake 20-30 min. depending on how dark you prefer. Immediately brush with 1 stick (1/2 c.) melted butter.
Yields 16 Rolls in 2-9”x13”

Squash Browns

A bumper crop of Summer Squash necessitated some creative cooking. I can only eat grilled squash so many times a month....So I whipped up this recipe on the fly.

Ingredients:
4 medium sized Summer squash
1 yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp fresh parsley
2-3 tsp fresh basil
1 tsp fresh oregano
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
3 eggs
2 tsp sour cream
2 tsp sea salt


Shred squash and onions in food processor. Let sit on a paper towel in a colander for 15 minutes. Squeeze out squash to remove as much moisture as possible.
Chop garlic and fresh herbs in food processor combine with squash onion mixture in a large bowl.
Add cheese, eggs sour cream and salt.
Mix well.

Heat skillet with olive oil.
Form the squash mixture into small patties. When oil is hot, carefully drop the patties into the oil. Flatten with spatula. Brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

**I made these in advance then arranged them in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet and warmed them up in the oven at 200 degrees for about 15 minutes**

Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Basil Chicken Packets

Basil Chicken Packets

• 4 chicken breasts - I use boneless skinless
• Heavy duty aluminum foil - 4 sheets approx. 12x18"
  
• 2 T. chopped parsley
• 2 t. grated lemon peel - I use fresh lemon zest
• 2 t. dry basil leaves - I use fresh chopped basil
• 1/2 t. each salt and pepper
• 2 medium yellow squash, sliced
• 1 medium red pepper, cut in rings

Center 1 chicken breast on each foil sheet. Mix parsley, lemon peel, basil, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle over chicken. Top with squash and red peppers.
Bring up sides of foil to make a packet.  Leave room for heat to circulate inside.
Place packets on grill over medium hot coals. Grill for 11-13 minutes or until chicken is cooked and vegetables are tender.