Feta Bruschetta Spread

This is a recipe that I adapted from a small restaurant called Cafe on Market in Camp Hill, PA (later renamed New Market Bistro and since closed). Bill and I went there for my birthday back in 2004. We ordered this appetizer and had to ask the waitress for the recipe, it was so good! And it's so incredibly simple. Here is my adaptation.



Ingredients:

• 6 oz crumbled tomato-basil flavored feta cheese
  
• 3 oz organic cream cheese
• 3 oz organic butter, unsalted
  
• Optional: 1 diced tomato for garnish

Directions:

1. Cream together the feta, butter, and cream cheese.
   
   
2. Scoop into small serving dish and garnish with diced tomatoes (I left the tomatoes out this time).
   
   
3. Serve with garlic bagel chips, mini garlic toast, or crackers.

Cinnamon-Sugar Pecans

I made these the night before Thanksgiving and they're super easy!  They're a great blend of salty + sweet.  They also keep well, so they can be made ahead of time or given as gifts. Recipe from AllRecipes.com.



Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 pound pecan halves
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. 
2. In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy.
   
   
3. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
4. Add pecans to egg whites, stir to coat evenly.
   
5. Remove pecans and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated.
   
   
6. Spread the nuts out on the greased baking sheet.
   
   
7. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
   
   

Pioneer Woman's Creamy Mashed Potatoes

These are too delicious not to share!  The ingredients are very simple and not unlike other mashed potatoes recipes I've followed. But the difference is the method of preparation. I made these the night before Thanksgiving and heated them up in the oven 30 minutes before the big turkey dinner.  But they're just as delicious when eaten straight out of the pot!
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks (by Ree Drummond).

(photo from blog NinjaBread)

Ingredients

• 5 pounds russet or Yukon gold potatoes
• 1-½ stick butter (plus a few extra pats)
  
• 1 package (8 oz.) organic cream cheese, softened
• ½ cups (to 3/4 cups) light whipping cream
  
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon  black pepper

Directions

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes (more or less depending on size of pieces). When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.
   
   
2. Drain the potatoes in a large colander.
   
   
3. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. 
4. Mash the potatoes (with a hand masher, NOT an electric mixer) over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape.
5. Turn off the stove and add 1-½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about ½ cup of whipping cream. Mash away!
   
   
6. Next, add seasoning salt and black pepper. Stir well. Taste and season more as needed.
   
7. Serve now OR place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.
   
   Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.

Tasty Roasted Turkey! Thanksgiving Style

I hosted Thanksgiving this year for the first time, and got to make my first real turkey! I'd practiced on little 3- or 4-pound turkey breasts in the past, but this is the first time I made the whole bird.

The night before, I brined the turkey using a simple method I found on AllRecipes.com.  It involved soaking the guy in a salt-water solution (ratio: 1 cup salt to 2 quarts water).  I used a large crockpot for this.

I covered it with a clean, brine-soaked dish towel and some plastic wrap and put it in the fridge over night.

I neglected to get a decent picture of the finished product this time! Things were a little busy on Thanksgiving Day :-)  As soon as that bird came out of the oven, he was carved and eaten!  But trust me, it was gorgeous - and delicious! Here are some action shots of the carving process (it just fell right off the bone!):




Ingredients

• 1 (12-pound) whole turkey
• 6 tablespoons butter, divided
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
• 2 tablespoons seasoning salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse and wash turkey. Discard the giblets, or add to pan if they are anyone's favorites.**I washed the turkey and removed the gross stuff the night before, prior to brining.  Then when I was ready to roast the turkey, I removed it from the brine solution and rinsed it all off again**
   
   
2. Separate the skin over the breast to make little pockets. Put 3 tablespoons of the butter on both sides between the skin and breast meat. This makes for very juicy breast meat!
   
   
3. Brush top of turkey with olive oil and season with a little pepper, paprika and herbs of choice (no need to use salt, thanks to the brine!). 
4. Stuff bird now, if desired.
   
   
   
5. Carefully place turkey in prepared (i.e., flour-shaken) roasting bag and set in roasting pan. Don't seal bag yet.
   
6. In a medium bowl, combine the broth with the parsley and minced onion. Pour over the top of the turkey. 
7. Add some veggies (I used baby carrots and a few chopped potatoes) for flavor. 
8. Seal bag according to instructions on package (and don't forget to cut the slits across the top!).
   
   
9. Bake in the preheated oven according to instructions on roasting bag package (mine took about 2-1/2 hours), until internal temperature of the turkey reaches 180 degrees F. **Do not overcook! Turkey begins to get tough/dry after it gets past 180 degrees. I learned this on the Discovery Channel the night before Thanksgiving!**
   
   

Allow turkey to cool at least 30 minutes before carving. Be sure to get all the leftover meat off the bones and refrigerated in an airtight container no later than 2 hours after cooking.

Also, as we discovered the "hard way" - if you plan to make fresh gravy from the pan drippings (or, bag drippings), it's a good idea to taste as you go and you will probably need to cut in some water.  The drippings became very salty due to the brine preparation, making for potentially sodium-packed gravy.  

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Slow-Cooker Meatloaf

I attempted meatloaf a couple years ago and it, well, wasn't great.  I got up the nerve to try it again today and I give this version an A+!  It is adapted from this allrecipes.com recipe (I added a lot more seasoning, as reflected below).

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs (I used Italian Panko)
  
• 2 tsp minced onion
• 1 tsp salt or seasoning salt
  
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  
• 1 1/2 lb ground sirloin or turkey
  
• 1/2 cup ketchup (I used organic)
  
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground mustard powder
  
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well (mixture will be moist.) 
2. Shape into a round loaf and place in a 5-qt. slow cooker.
   
   
3. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours (I cooked on high for 3 hours) or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard powder and Worcestershire sauce until well blended.
5. Spoon over the meat loaf. Cook 15 minutes longer or until heated through. 
   
   
   
   

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Kind of like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Slightly crunchier (due to the graham cracker crumbs). Very easy!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1-1/2 cups peanut butter
• 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 tbsp peanut butter

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners sugar, and 1-1/2 cups peanut butter until well blended. 
2. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13" pan.
   
   
3. In the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the remaining 4 tbsp peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth (I did this in 45-second intervals, stirring between).
   
   
4. Spread over the prepared crust.
   
   
   
5. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

Chicken Paprikash

Our little Hungarian meal...


This is one of those dishes that I never use a recipe for and that I really don't know how to explain. My grandma gave me her best attempt at a recipe for this a couple years ago - and now, like her, I just kind of eyeball it, taste as I go, and basically just wing it.

It's really best when you just don't think too hard about it and make it your own. So please allow me to be a little vague this time...

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Paprika. Lots and lots of paprika.  Hungarian paprika is best.
  
• Minced onion
• Minced garlic
• Low-sodium chicken broth
• Chicken bouillon cubes (if needed)
  
• Black pepper
• Salt, if needed (or seasoning salt)
• **Optional: 1 cup sour cream** (my family has always made it without)
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup water (more or less as needed)
• 1 large egg
  

Directions

1. Start a large pot of water boiling for nokedli (Hungarian dumplings, aka spaetzel, aka halushka noodles).
2. Meanwhile, cut chicken into bite-size pieces and brown in a large/deep skillet (or a medium sauce pan).  Season with some paprika, black pepper, and the onion and garlic.  Cook until browned.
   
   
3. Add about 3-4 cups of chicken broth (or water + bouillon) - be sure to scrape browned chicken bits off bottom of the pan. mmm!
4. Stir in about 4-5 tsp paprika, and more seasonings according to taste.
   
   
5. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes or so - tasting as you go.
6. While chicken-paprika mixture is simmering, prepare nokedli: Combine flour, egg, and water until you have a pancake-batter-like mixture (add flour and/or water until you get the right consistency).
   
   
7. With an oversized spoon, scoop up some dough, hold it over the large pot of boiling water, and use a butter knife to "cut" off pieces of dough - letting them drop into the boiling water.  Make them as large or small as you like.
   
   
   Note: I have a handy little spaetzel grater that will do this more quickly, but I always end up burning my wrist from holding it over the steam for so long!
8. Once all of the nokedli are in the pot, wait for them to rise to the top and float - cook another 2-3 minutes and then drain them into a collander.
   
   
9. Return the nokedli to the (now-empty) pot, away from heat.  Add a little butter, salt, and pepper if you like.
   
   
10. Carefully pour the chicken-paprika mixture (which will be quite soupy) into the pot over the nokedli. **If you are using sour cream, mix it in with the chicken sauce before pouring over nokedli.**
    
    Stir well. Let this sit for a few minutes so that the nokedli absorb the liquid.
11. Serve in bowls with spoons...and bread for dipping!
    
    
    

So good!

Mongolian Beef

 A yummy P.F. Chang's copy-cat recipe (adapted from recipezaar.com)



Ingredients:

• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp ginger, minced
• 1 tbsp garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup low-sodium organic soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup toasted sesame oil
  
• 1 lb flank steak
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 large green onions

Directions:

1. Make the sauce by heating 2 tsp oil in a medium saucepan over med/low heat (don't let oil get too hot).
2. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches.
3. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to about medium and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove it from the heat.
   
   
4. Slice the flank steak against the grain. Tilt the blade of your knife at about a forty five degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts.
5. Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef (or combine all in Ziplock bag and do it "Shake-n-Bake" style). Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks.
   
   
6. As the beef sits, heat up 1/2 cup oil in a wok (you may also use a deep skillet for this step as long as the beef will be mostly covered with oil). Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking.
7. Add the beef to the oil and sauté for just two minutes, or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges. You don't need a thorough cooking here since the beef is going to go back on the heat later.
   
   
8. Use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour the oil out of the wok or skillet.
9. Put the pan back over the heat, add the meat back into it and simmer for one minute.
10. Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring.
11. Add green onions and cook one more minute.
    
12. Serve over cooked white or brown rice (I like using Basmati rice).
    

Chicken & Cheese Shells in a Tomato-Cream Sauce

Hybrid shells! I combined your basic Italian cheese-stuffed shells (with marinara) with our family's favorite chicken-stuffed shells recipe (leaving out the stuffing and gravy, of course) and came up with this interesting - and tasty - hybrid.  Please bare with me - it's definitely a work in progress!

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
• 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, boiled
  
• 1 1/4 cups organic mozzarella cheese, shredded (Reserve 1/4 cup)
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 15 oz organic ricotta cheese
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 2 tsp dried oregano
  
• 8 ounces spaghetti sauce (jarred or homemade - I used Prego organic tomato-basil)
• 8 ounces light whipping cream
• 1/4 cup fresh shredded Parmesan
  
• fresh basil, chopped, for garnish 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375-degrees F.
   
2. In an 8 quart pot, bring water to a boil and cook shells for 8 minutes or until al dente.
3. Drain and cool immediately with cold water. Place open-side-down on paper towels.
4. In food processor, chop cooked chicken finely
   
   
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped chicken, ricotta, mozzarella (all but 1/4 cup), Parmesan, eggs, black pepper, garlic, parsley, and oregano. Mix well.
   
   
6. In a small bowl, blend together spaghetti sauce and cream.
   
7. Place a thin layer of spaghetti-cream sauce into the bottom of a 9x13" glass baking dish.
8. Spoon the cheese-chicken mixture into each pasta shell and place open side up, in a single layer, in prepared pan.
   
   
9. Pour the rest of sauce over the stuffed shells.
10. Loosely cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
11. Remove foil and sprinkle remaining Mozzarella and fresh shredded Parmesan cheese on top. Return to oven and bake 5-10 more minutes, until cheese is melted.
    

Note: I also drizzled some extra spaghetti sauce on top before baking