Garlic Herb Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients

• 1 Head Cauliflower Medium, or 16 ounces store-bought cauliflower rice
• 1/2 Cup Almonds sliced
• 2 Tablespoons Butter or extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Cloves Garlic minced
• 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt fine
• Black Pepper freshly ground, to taste
• 1/4 Cup Parsley fresh, chopped
• 1/4 Cup Dill fresh, chopped
• 1/4 Cup Basil fresh, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or more, to taste

Instructions

1. Using a food processor, cut the head of cauliflower into medium chunks and remove the core. Working in batches, add the cauliflower to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower is broken down into very small bits that resemble rice. Do not do all at once or it will be mush and whole in other parts.
2. Add the almonds to a large skillet over medium heat. Stir the almonds around the pan until they are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. 
3. Return the skillet to the burner and add the butter. When the butter is melted and bubbling, stir in the garlic. Cook the garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add the cauliflower rice, salt, and a few pinches of black pepper. Cook, stirring until the cauliflower rice is crisp-tender and starts to turn light brown in places, 7 to 10 minutes.
5. Take the skillet off of the heat, and then stir in the fresh herbs, lemon juice, and toasted almonds.

Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Total Cooking Time:
20 minutes + 1 hour for pumpkin cream cheese
Servings: 4


Ingredients

2 packages refrigerated cheesen or Butternut squash ravioli (8–9 oz)
Fresh sliced butternut squash, about 1/2 lb, optional
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
****2 tablespoons pumpkin spice cream cheese (See recipe below)*****

****Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese****
1 package (8 oz) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In large bowl, beat ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Pour spread into serving dish. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavors



Directions 

1. Cook pasta following package instructions (reserve 1/2 cup pasta water when draining). 

2. Trim pumpkin from skin and remove seeds, if needed, then cut pumpkin into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 cup). 

3. Chop parsley and sage; set aside. Meanwhile, prepare sauce while pasta cooks.
4. Place butter and pumpkin in large sauté pan on medium; cook and stir 3–4 minutes or until butter is golden brown. 

5. Stir in half-and-half and sage; simmer 4 minutes.
6. Whisk in Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, salt, pepper, and parsley; simmer 1 minute. 

7. Stir in ravioli; cook 1 more minute. Stir in reserved pasta water until desired consistency. 

8. Sprinkle with walnuts. Serve.

Peach Tarte Tatin (Modified)

It's peach-picking season here in St.Louis and the kids and I picked 20 lbs in early August. This is one recipe where we put them to good use!

INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons butter
4 peaches, pit removed, sliced
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Pie Crust (or Pastry dough)

DIRECTIONS
1) Preheat oven to 375.

2) Heat a small saucepan or skillet, add butter unitl melted. then add sugar, vanilla, lemon, salt and stir until combined. sugar should dissolve nicely.

3) Layer the peach pieces in a circle in the pie crust, working from the outside in then pour sugar mixture over the peaches.

4) Place in oven, cook for 30 minutes until it's bubbling in the middle and the crust is golden brown. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

Adapted from www.sassyeats.com

Indian Butter Chicken

1 ½ cups full-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons ground turmeric
2 tablespoons garam masala
2 tablespoons ground cumin
3 pounds chicken thighs, on the bone
¼ pound unsalted butter
4 teaspoons neutral oil, like vegetable or canola oil
2 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely diced
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick
2 medium-size tomatoes, diced
2 red chiles, like Anaheim, or 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
 Kosher salt to taste
⅔ cup chicken stock, low-sodium or homemade
1 ½ cups cream
1 ½ teaspoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons ground almonds, or finely chopped almonds
½ bunch cilantro leaves, stems removed.

Directions:

Whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala and cumin in a large bowl. Put the chicken in, and coat with the marinade. Cover, and refrigerate (for up to a day).

In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter in the oil until it starts to foam. Add the onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds, and cook until the onions start to brown.

Add the cinnamon stick, tomatoes, chiles and salt, and cook until the chiles are soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the chicken and marinade to the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, then add the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 30 minutes.

Stir in the cream and tomato paste, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the almonds, cook for an additional 5 minutes and remove from the heat. 

Garnish with the cilantro leaves.

(from Foodgawker & the New York Times)

Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon Marscapone

INGREDIENTS
1 cup mascarpone cheese or cream cheese
2 tablespoons milk or cream
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons honey, warmed
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon peach brandy (optional)
6 ripe freestone peaches, halved and pitted
Mint sprigs, for serving



DIRECTIONS
1) Start the Traeger on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to High and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes.

2) Using an electric mixer, beat the mascarpone cheese, milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon until light and fluffy. Set aside. (Can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

3) Combine the honey, butter, and peach brandy, if using, in a small bowl. Brush the cut sides of the peaches with the mixture.

4) Grill the peaches, cut sides down, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are nicely marked.

5) Transfer to plates or bowls (two peach halves per serving) and top with a dollop of the mascarpone cheese mixture. Garnish with mint sprigs.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie (Pioneer Woman Recipe - Modified)

This is adapted from the Pioneer Woman's recipe. I used half the sugar and cream cheese she did to cut the fat and it was perfect. 

Ingredients

FOR CRUST

25 whole Oreos
4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted

PEANUT BUTTER FILLING:

1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
5 ounces Softened Cream Cheese
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 package (8 Ounce) Cool Whip, Thawed

Directions

CRUST:
Crush the Oreos until they’re fine crumbs (I used a processor). Pour melted butter over the top and stir with a fork to combine. Press into pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes, or until set.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

FILLING:Beat the peanut butter with the cream cheese until smooth. Add brown sugar and beat until smooth. Add in the thawed Cool Whip and beat mixture until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.

Pour filling into crust, evening out the top with a knife or spatula. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Southern Pralines

Southern Pralines

Ingredients

1 c Sugar

1c Brown Sugar

1/2 c Cream

4 Tbsp Butter, cubed

1-1/2 c Pecans, chopped

Directions

1) Line cookie sheet with aluminum. Spray with Cooking spray. 

2) Melt sugars and cream in pot on medium heat. Once all of the sugar is dissolved, use a candy thermometer and heat until mixture reaches 240°.

3) Once heated, remove from heat and drop in cubed butter. Let sit for one minute then stir. Add pecans.  If mixture hardens too fast, add hot water at a rate of 1 tablespoon at a time. 

4) Drop spoonfuls onto foil-lines cookie sheet for 20-30 minutes or until cool

Buffalo Pull Apart Bread

• By far, the least healthiest recipe we've made. It was pretty good though for our party and the amount of people. I used half the butter and no blue cheese. Since I don't like it and I made it, I made it how I wanted it :) 
  
  
  
  
  
  1 loaf artisan bread 
• 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 stick of butter
• 1/2 cup of Buffalo Sauce
• 1 bunch of scallions sliced about an inch into the green
• 1/4 cup of blue cheese, plus more to sprinkle on top.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut the loaf of bread length-wise and width-wise.  Don’t cut all the way to the bottom.
3. Stuff the bread with the cheese, doing your best to get some in all of the cracks.  You don’t want to stuff it down too far, because you are going to use it to hold the bread open and get the sauce in.
4. Melt the butter over medium heat.  When it is completely melted, gently whisk in the buffalo sauce until it is full combined.  Add the scallions (and the blue cheese crumbles if you want) and remove from the heat.
5. Using a spoon, add the sauce to the bread, getting some of the sauce into each of the cracks.  Make sure you use all of the sauce.  Top with a little extra blue cheese.
6. Tent with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Serves: 3-4

First and foremost, here is a link to the original recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen. I did not want to use a can of "Cream of Whatever" soup. I chose to make my own because homemade is always better. I also left out the butter to reduce fat and used corn flake crumbs rather than Ritz crackers, only because I didn't have any. You can find my version below. I reduced the original amounts in half. The original recipe is for 4 people but I found that even by cutting it in half, I still ad enough for 3-4 meals.

Ingredients

2 cups chopped cooked chicken (2 chicken breasts)
4 oz Light Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon of Poppy Seed
1/4 teaspoon of Celery Salt
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2-3/4 cup Corn Flake Crumbs, divided
5 oz Cream of Chicken soup****

****I made a Cream of Chicken Soup Substitute
1 Tablespoon Flour
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 cup milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions for "Cream of Chicken Soup"
1) Melt butter in pan. Whisk in flour until bubbly
2) Remove from heat, whisk in broth and milk.
3) Return to heat and bring to a low boil.
4) Add salt and pepper to taste


Assembling the casserole:

1) Preheat oven to 350° and lightly coat a baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
2) In a large bowl, mix chicken, cream of chicken mixture, sour cream, poppy seed, celery sale, 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese and 1/3-1/2 cup Corn Flake Crumbs.
3) Spoon mixture into dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese, corn flake crumbs and paprika.
4) Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Jiffy Corn Casserole

Corn Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 can Whole Kernal Corn, drained
• 1 can Cream Style Corn, undrained
• 8 oz. Light Sour Cream
• 1 Box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
• 2 C. Cheddar Cheese*
• 1/2 C. Melted Butter

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Once combined, pour into oven-safe dish. Bake one hour at 350º. Do NOT cover while baking. Stir 1-2 times throughout baking process. 


* I suggest a high quality cheese. Using a the Kirkland brand caused a greasy consistency and look to the casserole.