Amazing Roasted Veggies

 

Roasted veggies are the best veggies, don't you think? Of course, fresh vegetables are awesome too, but what I mean is that why would you ever steam your vegetables when you could roast them? Roasted vegetables are way better than steamed vegetables!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Srinkle with more kosher salt, and serve immediately.

Source: Food Network, recipe by Ina Garten. You can find it here.

Pantry Dinner

 

This is an easy, flavorful dinner that comes straight from the pantry. It's perfect for a snowy day when you just don't want to make a trip to the store.

 

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients:

Kosher salt
8 ounces bow tie pasta
One 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika, plus more for sprinkling
Two 4.5-ounce jars sliced mushrooms, strained and rinsed
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Dried dill, dried chives, or dried parsley, for sprinkling

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook according to package directions. Strain and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring the evaporated milk, chicken broth, oil, flour, mustard, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, Worcestershire, and paprika to a boil in a large skillet. Reduce the heat and simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce is just thicker than heavy cream, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, vinegar, and several grinds of pepper, and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the pasta. Divide among 4 shallow bowls, and sprinkle each with a little paprika, dill, and pepper.

Source: Food Network. You can find it here.

Notes: This was really satisfying. It was so quick and easy to throw together. Comfort food straight from the pantry!

Better Than Mr. Potato Head

 

This is one of the most basic of all side dishes, but it's one that you just have to know how to do right.

The Baked Potato

Ingredients:

1 large russet potato (If it looks like Mr. Potato Head, you've got the right one.)
Canola oil, to coat
Kosher salt
Favorite toppings (butter, sour cream, salt and pepper, shredded cheese, bacon, chili, etc.)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F and position racks in top and bottom thirds. Wash potato (or potatoes) thoroughly with a stiff brush and cold running water. Dry, then using a standard fork, poke 8 to 12 deep holes all over the spud so that moisture can escape during cooking. Place in a bowl and coat lightly with oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and place potato directly on rack in middle of oven. Place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any drippings.

Bake 1 hour, or until skin feels crisp, but flesh beneath feels soft. Serve by creating a dotted line from end to end with your fork, then crack the spud open by squeezing the ends towards one another. It will pop right open. But watch out, there will be some steam.

Note: If you're cooking more than 4 potatoes, you'll need to extend the cooking time by up to 15 minutes.

Source: Food Network, recipe by Alton Brown. You can find it here.

Notes: Of course, top the potato with your favorite toppings.

Our Family Loves Pork

 

I am waaaay behind on blogging (though I am catching up). A new baby and moving to a new house will do that to you! I thought about doing separate posts for each of these recipes, but decides to just group them together instead. We have a lot of family dinners and pork is a great way to feed such a large group. Here are some great pork tenderloin and pork roast recipes we have found over the past year.

By the way, in case you are curious, the pork in the picture above is Grilled Pork Tenderloin (recipe below), served with some corn on the cob (in the foil), Minty Watermelon-Cucumber Salad,  Layered Buffalo Chicken Salad, and Warm Dijon Potato Salad.

 

Honey-Mustard Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coarse-grain or Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons mayonnaise, such as Hellmann's
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, rosemary, or tarragon, or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
1 1/2 teaspoons Traeger Pork and Poultry Rub
2 pork tenderloins, each 12 to 14 ounces, silver skin trimmed

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the mustard, honey, mayonnaise, parsley, and Traeger Pork and Poultry Rub; stir to mix. Lay the pork tenderloins in a flat baking dish. Pour the mustard-honey mixture over the tenderloins, turning to coat all sides. (If not cooking immediately, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 325 degrees F and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Lift the tenderloins out of the mustard-honey mixture and arrange on a diagonal on the grill grate. (Discard the remaining mustard-honey mixture.) Grill for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the pork reaches 160 degrees F on an instant-read meat thermometer. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 3 minutes. Slice into 3/4-inch slices and serve.

Source: Traeger recipe. You can find it here.

Notes: As I mentioned in another post, my brother now has a Traeger grill. I don't think there is any way to duplicate this amazing smoked meat without a Traeger grill, but I'm sharing this recipe for those of you out there who have one.

 

Above: You'll get a wonderful pinkish smoke ring on your meat when you cook with the Traeger grill. It is nothing to be afraid of. The meat is not underdone. Just use a meat thermometer to check the meat.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

1 whole pork tenderloin, approximately 1 pound
1 lime, zest finely grated
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:

Trim the pork tenderloin of any excess fat and silver skin.

Place the lime zest, lime juice, honey, salt, and garlic powder in a small, lidded jar, and shake to combine. Pour half of the marinade mixture into a 1-gallon resealable bag, add the chipotle pepper, and move around to combine. Add the pork tenderloin to the bag and seal, removing as much air as possible, and place in a container to catch any leaks. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 24 hours, rotating the bag halfway through the time. Place the remaining marinade in a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove the tenderloin from the bag and allow to sit at room temperature while preparing the grill. Remove the reserved marinade from the refrigerator.

Fill a large chimney starter with natural lump charcoal and light. Once the charcoal is ashy and white, approximately 30 minutes, dump the hot charcoal onto the lowest grate of the grill and spread into an even layer using extra-long tongs. Place the cooking grate back on the grill and cover with the lid; heat the grate to medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.

Brush the grill with vegetable oil. Remove the tenderloin from the bag and place in the center of grate. Discard bag with marinade. Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning ever 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until the tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F.

Remove the tenderloin from the grill and place on a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil folded at the edges to create a basket, and pour on the reserved marinade. Wrap tightly and rest for 10 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and slice. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Source: Food Network, recipe by Alton Brown. You can find it here.

Notes: This was good stuff! We let people top it with cilantro on their own according to their preference.

 

Slow Cooker Cranberry Orange Pork Roast

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. oil
1 flat boneless pork loin roast (4 lb.)
1 can (14 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 cup Kraft Classic Catalina Dressing
1 tbsp. less-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. zest and 1/4 cup juice from 1 orange

Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add meat; cook 4 to 5 minutes. on each side or until browned on both sides. Transfer meat to slow cooker.

Mix cranberry sauce, dressing, and soy sauce; pour over meat. Cover with lid.

Cook on low 4 to 5 hours. Remove meat from slow cooker, reserving liquid in slow cooker. Cover meat to keep warm. Whisk remaining ingredients in small bowl until blended; stir into liquid in slow cooker. Cook, covered, on high 10 minutes or until thickened.

Slice meat; place on platter. Drizzle lightly with sauce. Serve with remaining sauce.

 

Source: Kraft recipe. You can find it here.

Notes: Tasty and so easy! The sauce was really nice with the pork.

 

Balsamic Roasted Pork Loin

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons steak seasoning rub
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 pounds boneless pork loin roast

Directions:

Dissolve steak seasoning in balsamic vinegar, then stir in olive oil. Place pork into a resealable plastic bag and pour marinade on top. Squeeze out air and seal bag; marinate 2 hours to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place pork into a glass baking dish along with marinade. Bake in preheated oven, basting occasionally until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, about 1 hour. Let the roast rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Melissa S. You can find it here.

Notes: This is one of our family favorites. We have posted it before, and you can find the original post here. We like to save the drippings as a sauce to serve over our pork. Delicious!

Mexican Inspired Sweets

You can have these desserts separately or you can put them together for the ultimate Mexican dessert.

 

Aaron Sanchez's Mexican Brownies

Ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground Mexican cinnamon (canela)
1/4 teaspoon pequin chili powder or cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Press the paper into the corners of the pan and lightly grease the paper with butter.

Melt the 2 sticks of butter in a nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat; do not boil. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla to the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.

Add the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, chili powder, salt, and baking powder, and mix until smooth. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgy, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack, then use the parchment paper to lift out the brownies before slicing.

Source: Food Network, recipe by Aaron Sanchez. You can find it here.

Notes: These brownies had a surprising amount of heat. Serving ice cream on top of them was perfect because it tempered the heat of the brownies perfectly. Even without the ice cream though, these brownies are perfect.

 

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1pound dulce de leche (about 1 2/3 cups); preferably La Salamandra brand
1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans (2 1/2 to 3 oz), toasted, optional

Directions:

Bring milk and cream just to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then remove from heat and whisk in dulce de leche until dissolved. Whisk in vanilla and transfer toa  metal bowl. Quick-chill by putting bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and stirring occasionally until cold, 15 to 20 minutes.

Freeze mixture in ice cream maker until almost firm, then fold in pecans.

Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 1 hour.

Source: Epicurious. you can find it here.

Notes: This was so good. We made two batches. One bath was made without nuts and the second batch was made with toasted chopped almonds. This ice cream was sooo good. Smooth, sweet, and with a wonderful caramel flavor. I personally felt that while it was awesome on the Mexican brownies, the delicate flavor of the ice cream was a little overpowered by the heat of the cayenne in the brownies. So, top your brownies with this ice cream by all means, but be sure to have a few spoonfuls of the ice cream without the brownie to fully appreciate this wonderful ice cream.

Comfort Food: Meatballs

The best way to describe these meatballs is that they are like the meatball version of meatloaf. It is definitely comfort food. Serve these with some mashed potatoes and a side salad and dinner will be covered.

 

Comfort Meatballs

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
3/4 cup quick oats
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons very finely minced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
ground black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Sauce:

1 cup ketchup
4 to 6 tablespoons minced onion
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Dash of hot sauce, such as Tabasco

Directions:

For the meatballs: In bowl, combine the ground beef and oats. Pour in the milk, and then add the onions, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Roll the mixture into tablespoon-size balls and refrigerate them for 30 to 45 minutes to firm.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dredge the meatballs in the flour, and then brown the meatballs in batches until light brown. As they brown, place them into a rectangular baking dish.

For the sauce: Stir together the ketchup, onions, vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Drizzle the sauce evenly on the meatballs.

Bake until bubbly and hot, about 45 minutes.

Source: Food Network. Recipe by Ree Drummond. You can find the recipe here.

Notes: These were great, as mentioned above. These made a good-sized batch of meatballs. The leftovers were tasty too.

Get Right to the Heart of the Matter

 

I like the artichoke leaves just as much as the heart...they're just different. Besides, have both!

Slow-Cooker Braised Artichokes with Toasted Garlic Breadcrumbs

Ingredients:

8 cloves garlic, 4 peeled and smashed, 4 grated or minced
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups flavored breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Pecorino-Romano
5 large globe artichokes

Directions:

Add 1/2 cup water and the 4 peeled and smashed cloves garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns to the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker.

Heat the butter and grated garlic in a medium skillet over medium heat until the butter is melted and the garlic starts to sizzle and become aromatic, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the breadcrumbs and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook until golden and toasted, about 4 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool. Stir in the Pecorino-Romano and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the breadcrumb mixture for garnish.

Pull off the small, tough petals near the stems of the artichokes. Cut the stems close to the base so the artichokes will stand upright. Cut off the top inch of each artichoke. Snip off any thorny tips on the remaining petals with kitchen shears. Fan out the larger leaves with your fingers.

Working over the bowl with the breadcrumb mixture, spoon the crumbs into the gaps of each artichoke until they're filled all the way around. Stand the artichokes up in the slow cooker. Cover, and cook on low until the stems are tender and the leaves come loose easily when pulled, about 7 hours. Being careful of the steam, transfer the artichokes to a serving platter, and sprinkle with the reserved breadcrumbs.

Source: Food Network. You can find it here.

Notes: This was a fun and different way to prepare artichokes. These were very tender and flavorful.

Star Wars Party!

 

I really can't take the credit for this. This is an amazing party that my sister threw for all of her nieces and nephews, but her ideas were just so cute that I had to share them (and the recipes) as well. Be sure to check out her blog post regarding this party, because it is beyond awesome (besides the recipes, she had obstacle courses for the "younglings" to pass in order to become Jedi, and she also had a movie preview starring all of the cousins). Check out her blog here. Oh, and be sure to check out the movie preview she created for the kids. They loved it! You can find the move preview here.

 

Han-Burger Sliders

Ingredients:

1 medium onion
1 1/2 pounds 90/10 ground beef
1 large egg
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Freshly ground black pepper
6 slices American cheese, quartered
24 thin plum tomato slices from 2 to 3 tomatoes)
24 dill pickle slices
24 mini potato buns
4 large iceberg lettuce leaves, cut into 24 even pieces
Ketchup and yellow mustard, for serving

Directions:

Special equipment: a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the onion in half, and shred each half on the large holes of a box grater. Squeeze the shredded onion dry between 2 towels, and scatter around a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet.

Put the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, and mix gently, just enough to incorporate evenly. Drop mounds of the mixture all around the baking sheet, and press them into an even layer without disturbing the onions too much (but expect some of the onions to move around and peek through the meat). Brush the top of the meat with the vegetable oil, then season it evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of fresh pepper. Score the meat into 2 squares, cutting completely through with a spatula.

Bake until browned and no longer pink in the middle, 8 to 9 minutes. Put a small square of cheese on each patty, and return to the oven to melt, about 30 seconds. Let rest a few minutes, then recut along the scores to separate.

Top each patty with a slice of tomato and pickle. Slide a spatula into the pan and let guests serve themselves. Serve alongside a platter with the buns and lettuce. Don't forget the ketchup and mustard.

Yield: 8 servings (3 sliders per person). 

Source: Originally posted on our blog here. This is a Food Network recipe that you can find here.

Notes: These are great and so easy. I always skip the onion in this recipe though since my boys wouldn't eat it.

 

Pretzel Lightsabers

Ingredients:

1 bag pretzel sticks
1 bag blue candy melting wafers
 1bag yellow candy melting wafers
Wax paper
Cookie sheet

Directions:

Melt candy in a double boiler or microwave according to package instructions.

Dip pretzels about 2/3 of the way into melted candy.

Twirl around pot until covered. Shake to remove any excess.

Place on cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

Place in refrigerator until set.

Source: Pottery Barn Kids. However, it appears that it isn't online anymore (or at least I couldn't find it).

Notes: Basic, but really cute.

 

Jabba's Juice

Ingredients:

1 package (4 ounces) lime Kool-Aid mix, sugar-sweetened
1 cup warm water
20 assorted gummy creatures
3 cups crushed ice
3 liters sparkling water, chilled
1 can frozen limeade with pulp, defrosted
Green food coloring, optional

Directions:

In a large punch bowl, combine the Kool-Aid mix with 1 cup warm water and stir until dissolved.

Wet the undersides of the gummy creatures with warm tap water and set aside, wet side up, to become sticky.

Add the ice to the punch bowl and slowly pour each liter of sparkling water into the bowl, stirring to combine. Add the limeade and stir. If desired, add a few drops of green food coloring for a more dramatic color. Stick the gummy creatures to the outside and the inside lip of the bowl. If they do not adhere, rewet and set aside until "gummier."

Makes about 4 1/2 quarts.

Source: This came from a Star Wars cookbook that my sister has. I'm pretty sure it is this book.

Notes: This was a tasty drink and the kids thought it was a lot of fun.

Watto-Melon Cubes

Ingredients:

1/2 large seedless watermelon
Blue decorating sugar

Directions:

Cut the watermelon into 2-inch-wide round slices. Trim away the rind. Cut the melon into s-inch-square cubes.

Gently dab each side of each cube on a paper towel to dry them slightly.

Pour the blue decorating sugar onto a plate.

Dip two sides of each cube into the sugar and place on a small plate, four cubes per serving.

Serves about 4.

 

Source: This came from the same cookbook that the Jabba Juice came from.

Notes: You know, watermelon is great...but dip it in decorating sugar and it is a magical thing. This was really good.

 

Star Wars Sarlacc Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

Caramel Bundt Cake:

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

Biscoff Madeleines:

2 large room temperature eggs
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ground Biscoff Cookie crumbs
1/4 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of cinnamon (or more, to your taste)
8 tbsp butter, melted and cooled

Decoration:

1 package Biscoff Cookies (8 oz)
Your favorite salted caramel sauce
Your favorite vanilla frosting
Handful of raw slivered almonds

Directions:

Caramel Bundt Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and grease your bundt cake pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

With an electric mixer and paddle attachment, beat the softened butter with both sugars until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time until each is well-mixed. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla and mix some more.

On low, add the flour mixture alternating between the dry ingredients and the buttermilk. Start with the flour and end with the flour. Mix until just combined.

Pour into bundt cake pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool in pan for about 20 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Biscoff Madeleines:

Start by setting oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly grease and flour your madeleine pan.

In a food processor, blend package of Biscoff Cookies into crumbs. Set aside.

Beat eggs and sugar together until thick.

Beat in vanilla and salt.

Sift flour, Biscoff Cookie crumbs, cinnamon, and baking powder into bowl and fold together until mixed.

Stream in melted butter while mixing on low.

Spoon a tablespoon of batter into each cavity.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Be careful to not overbake.

Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing.

Make sure pan has cooled before baking the next batch.

Cookie Tentacles:

Pour some of the madeleine batter into a small ziplock bag and snip off the corner.

Pipe tentacles on parchment paper or a greased cookie sheet. Don't make them too thick because the batter spreads as it bakes. One thin line should do.

Bake at 375 degrees F. until golden brown.

Assembly:

Once the cake has cooled, drizzle the entire cake with caramel sauce.

Cover the cake with the Biscoff Cookie crumbs.

Using the raw almonds, create the spikes or teeth on the interior walls of the pit.

Fill the pit with frosting and cover with the Biscoff Cookie crumbs.

Using a small piping tip (or a bag with tip snipped off) create teeth along the outer edge of two madeleine cookies. Place cookies inside the pit.

Surround the beak with the cookie tentacles.
 
Source: We found the idea on Pinterest. It comes from a website called Yummy Crumble. You can find it here. She got the bundt cake recipe from Go Bold With Butter. You can find that original recipe here.

Notes: Our sarlacc pit wasn't as successful as Yummy Crumble's, but it was still a lot of fun! Our tentacles didn't work (they crumbled apart). So, be sure to check out Yummy Crumble's pictures. They are awesome. While our cake wasn't as awesome, it still got the point across and was still a lot of fun for the kids.

Honestly, this cake sounds like too much work to me (my sister made it though, not me). I would have used a yellow cake mix, topped it with caramel topping and Biscoff Cookie crumbs, done my best with the sarlacc monster using store-bought cookies and frosting and called it a day. :) This was delicious though!

  

Above: Oops...it looks like the sarlacc got some sand stuck on its teeth...oh well...

Summer Salads, Part 8

 

We made a panzanella earlier this summer that was super fantastic, but my mom somehow misplaced that recipe. It had green olives, mozzarella, grape tomatoes, basil, and a balsamic vinegar vinaigrette. Hopefully she comes across that one again (or I might have to try and recreate it). However, we also discovered this yummy panzanella recipe as well.

Panzanella

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained

For the vinaigrette:

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.

For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

Source: Food Network. You can find it here.

Notes: I really liked this. You will too!

Oh, My Darlin' Clementine

 

If you like citrus and you are a fan of fruit cake, you will love this cake. It isn't a traditional Christmas fruit cake, by any means, but it will remind you of one...a lighter summery version of one.

Clementine Cake

Ingredients:

4 to 5 clementines (about 1 pound total weight)
6 eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/3 cups ground almonds
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

Put the clementines in a pot with cold water to cover, bring to a boil, and cook for 2 hours. Drain, and when cool, cut each clementine in half and remove the seeds. Then finely chop the skins, pith, and fruit in the processor (or by hand, of course).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter and line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

Beat the eggs. Add the sugar, almonds, and baking powder. Mix well, adding the chopped clementines.

Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, when a skewer will come out clean; you'll probably have to cover the cake with foil after about 40 minutes to stop the top from burning. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan on a rack. When the cake is cold, you can take it out of the pan.

Recipe Notes: You can serve this immediately, or let the flavors blend and serve it the next day. You can also make this with an equal weight/amount of oranges and lemons, in which case, increase the sugar to 1 1/4 cups and add a glaze made of confectioners' sugar mix to a paste with lemon juice and a little water.

Source: Food Network. You can find it here.

Notes: You can determine the crumb of your cake by how finely you grind your almonds. My sister chose this as her birthday cake. It is not your traditional birthday cake, but it is a really great cake. Try it!

Sliding By

Well, this is the easiest method ever for making slider-style burgers ever. Just be sure to check out my notes below the recipe, because I changed quite a few things from the original recipe.



Beef Sliders for a Crowd

Ingredients:

1 medium onion
1 1/2 pounds 90/10 ground beef
1 large egg
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Freshly ground black pepper
6 slices American cheese, quartered
24 thin plum tomato slices (from 2 to 3 tomatoes)
24 dill pickle slices
24 mini potato buns
4 large iceberg lettuce leaves, cut into 24 even pieces
Ketchup and yellow mustard, for serving

Directions:

Special equipment: a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the onion in half, and shred each half on the large holes of a box grater. Squeeze the shredded onion dry between 2 towels, and scatter around a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet.

Put the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, and mix gently, just enough to incorporate evenly. Drop mounds of the mixture all around the baking sheet, and press them into an even layer without disturbing the onions too much (but expect some of the onions to move around and peek through the meat). Brush the top of the meat with the vegetable oil, then season it evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of fresh pepper. Score the meat into 24 squares, cutting completely through with a spatula.

Bake until browned and no longer pink in th emiddle, 8 to 9 minutes. Put a small square of cheese on each patty, and return to the oven to melt, about 30 seconds. Let rest a few minutes, then recut along the scores to separate.

Top each patty with a slice of tomato and pickle. Slide a spatula into the pan and let guests serve themselves. Serve alongside a platter with the buns and lettuce. Don't forget the ketchup and mustard.

Yield: 8 servings (3 sliders per person).

Source: Food Network. You can find it here.

Notes: Because my boys are picky, I completely skipped the onions. Therefore, these were even easier to make!

I also used two pounds of ground beef (instead of 1 1/2 pounds). Since I increased the beef, I used two eggs instead of one and 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs instead of 1/4 cup.

I really don't love American cheese, so I used Cheddar cheese slices. I also used green leaf lettuce instead of iceberg simply because that's what I already had.

Perhaps because I increased the amount of meat used, my beef took longer than 9 minutes to cook in the oven. It was probably closer to 15 minutes. So, just watch it and bake until the meat is no longer pink.

Finally, I skip the cheese melting step and just put the cheese on each individual burger. If you want your cheese melted, simply put the burger on the bun in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

These are so easy to make. Plus, it is more than my family can eat in one sitting...but it makes for awesome leftovers! Just let the beef cool completely and then put the individual squares of beef into a zip top bag and keep in the refrigerator. When you want a slider, simply cut the roll, put a square of beef on it, top it with cheese, and heat it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. The cheese will be melted and the beef will be reheated. Then you can put on your hamburger toppings and you are good to go!

Mmmm, Dessert

Here is a great comfort food dessert for you to enjoy.

Raspberry Tiramisu

Ingredients:

1 cup seedless raspberry jam
6 tablespoons orange juice
1 pound mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
28 soft ladyfingers or 2 (12-ounce) pound cakes, cut into 3 by 1 by 1 1/2-inch pieces
3 (1/2 dry pint) baskets fresh raspberries (about 3 3/4 cups total)
Confectioners' sugar, for serving

Directions:

Stir the jam and 4 tablespoons of the orange juice in a small bowl to blend.

Combine the mascarpone and remaining 2 tablespoons of orange juice in a large bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Using a large rubber spatula, stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture to lighten. Fold the remaining whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish, or other decorative serving dish with half of the ladyfingers. Spread half of the jam mixture over the ladyfingers. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the jam mixture, then cover with half of the fresh raspberries. Repeat layering with the remaining ladyfingers, jam mixture, mascarpone mixture and raspberries. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.

Dust with the confectioners' sugar and serve.

Source: Food Network. You can find it here.

Notes: Yum. Sorry for the bad pictures. There was bad winter lighting and I forgot my camera, so I had to use my cell phone.

Oktoberfest 2014!

 

From this post, you know how really far behind I am in my blog posts. :) Well, what can I say? Life has been busy, and I have been tired. So, while this post is four months late, you could also look at it as being eight months early...that gives you plenty of time to prepare yourself for this year's Oktoberfest, right?

Bavarian-Style Beef Roast and Sauerkraut

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3-pound beef boneless tip roast, trimmed of fat
2 teaspoons caraway seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bag (16 ounces) frozen small whole onions
1 can (16 ounces) Bavarian-style sauerkraut, undrained
1/2 cup dark beer or beef broth
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard

Directions:

Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook beef in oil about 5 minutes or until brown on all sides. Sprinkle with caraway seed and salt.

Place beef in 5- to 6- quart slow cooker. Place onions, sauerkraut, and 1/4 cup of the beer (or beef broth) around beef.

Cover and cook on low heat setting 6-8 hours.

Remove beef from cooker; cover to keep warm. Mix flour, remaining 1/4 cup beer (or beef broth) and the mustard in small bowl; gradually stir into juices in cooker. Increase heat setting to high. Cover and cook 15 to 30 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve beef with juices.

Makes 10 servings.

Source: Betty Crocker, you can find it here.

Notes: Oh, this was so good. Such a great mix of flavors. Not your regular pot roast, that is for sure.

Herb Spaetzle

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup mixed chopped herbs (parsley, chives, marjoram, oregano, or dill are great)
Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil over medium heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until they are a homogenous mixture.

In a large bowl, add flour and make a hole in the flour. Add a pinch of salt and using a fork, gradually combine the milk/egg mixture with the flour. Mix until they are just combined. Stir in 1/4 cup of the herbs.

Place the batter in a colander over the boiling water. Using a rubber spatula or a spaetzle maker, push the batter through a colander into the boiling water. Boil the spaetzle for 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Drain the spaetzle and place in a medium bowl. Add some olive oil and remaining 1/4 cup of herbs. Toss to coat evenly and serve immediately.

Source: Food Network, recipe by Anne Burrell, you can find it here.

Creamy German Potato Salad

Ingredients:

4 1/2 pounds red potatoes (about 18 medium)
1/2 pound bacon strips, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes; place in a stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until tender.

In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 5 tablespoons drippings. Set bacon aside.

In the same pan, saute onion in drippings until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes until thickened.

Remove from the heat; gradually whisk in cream. Set aside. Drain potatoes. Transfer to a large bow; add reserved onion mixture and bacon. Stir gently to coat. serve warm.

Yield: 13 servings (3/4 cup each)

Source: Taste of Home, you can find it here.

Notes: Holy cow, this is good stuff. I could go for this now...for lunch and dinner, all by itself.

Gurkensalat (German Cucumber Salad)

Ingredients:

2 large cucumbers, sliced thin
1/2 onion, sliced thin (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Spread cucumbers and onion on a platter; season with salt and let rest for 30 minutes. Squeeze excess moisture from cucumbers.

Stir sour cream, sugar, vinegar, dill, and parsley together in a large bowl.

Fold cucumber and onion slices into the sour cream mixture.

Refrigerate 8 hours to overnight; garnish with paprika to serve.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by hisunbeam. You can find it here.

Notes: This is so fresh, light tasting, and flavorful. It also made for some great leftovers. Good stuff!

Slow Cooker Brats

Ingredients:

2 packages fresh bratwurst links (10 brats)
1/4 cup butter
2 cans beef broth
2 onions, cut in half, and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2-3 cups sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
10 (6-inch) bratwurst buns

Directions:

In a slow cooker, combine the butter, beef broth, onions, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, minced garlic, brown sugar, and sauerkraut. Place bratwurst on top over all. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

The slow cooking imparts a wonderful flavor to the bratwurst. It makes them very tender. If, like me, you prefer to have brats that are browned and slightly crispy on the outside, remove them from the slow cooker and place them on a foil covered jelly roll pan and broil on high for 1-2 minutes or until browned to your taste.

Serve bratwurst alone on buns with your favorite mustard, or on buns topped with saurkraut/onion mixture.

Source: I modified this from a recipe that I found on Allrecipes.com, submitted by Dgoodcookr. You can find it here. We have actually posted this before on another Oktoberfest post, which you can find here.

Notes: This is so flavorful. The sauerkraut/onion mixture is so tasty either on top of the brats served on buns, or served on the side.

German Honey Mustard

Ingredients:

1 cup honey mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon celery seed

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the mustard, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and celery seed.

Top favorite brats with mustard and serve on buns.

Source: Taste of Home, you can find the full recipe here.

Notes: We didn't make the full recipe, which includes directions for marinating the brats in and then basting them with the honey mustard. Though I can only imagine it would be super tasty that way too. The honey mustard was quite good.

Red Cabbage

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
5 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 lb red cabbage, cored and shredded (8 cups shredded)
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple packed in juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp caraway seeds

Directions:

In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently until the bacon is crips, about 5 minutes. remove with a slotted spoon. Do not drain off the bacon fat.

Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring frequently until the onion is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the cabbage and stir to coat. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occassionally until the cabbage begins to wilt, about 20 minutes.

Return the bacon to the pan. Add the pineapple and its juice, vinegar, salt, and caraway seeds. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the cabbage is very soft, about 25 minutes. Serves 4.

Source: We got this out of an old Biography Magazine. Too bad those magazines are out of print now. They were great magazines and the recipe section was always outstanding! I have not been able to find them online as of yet.

Caramel Apple Strudel

Ingredients:

5 medium apples, peeled and chopped (5 cups)
3/4 cup apple cider or juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed
1/4 cup fat-free caramel ice cream topping
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon coarse sugar
Sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, and/or additional caramel ice cream topping, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large saucepan, combine the first six ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15-20 minutes, or until apples are tender, stirring occasionally. Cool completely.

Unfold puff pastry onto a large sheet of parchment paper; roll into a 16x12-inch rectangle. Transfer paper and pastry to a baking sheet, placing a short side of the rectangle facing you. Using a slotted spoon, arrange apples on bottom half of pastry to within 1 inch of edges. Drizzle apples with caramel topping. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with the bottom side. Pinch seams to seal and tuck ends under.

In a small bowl, whisk egg with water; brush over pastry. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Cut slits in top. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. If desired, serve with whipped cream, ice cream, and/or additional caramel topping.

Yield: 8 servings.

Source: Taste of Home, you can find it here.

Notes: Oh, I love apple strudel. This is good stuff. I have also made this recipe for apple strudel before too, which is also fantastic.

The Extras

Soft pretzels

Assortment of German mustard and pickles

German cookies

Buns for the brats

Oh, and don't forget to stock up on as many different kinds of root beer as your can find! :)