Holiday Appetizers/Spinach Balls & Almond Cheddar Appetizer

 The thing I love about both of these appetizers is that they are fairly easy to make, taste really good, and can be made ahead and frozen to use whenever you'd like. I also added a couple of Sam's Club garlic olives...yum, and one of my favorite cheeses.

Link for recipe below

http://recipefirst.blogspot.com/2012/10/spinach-balls.html

All Ready For The Freezer!

The Almond Cheddar Appetizer calls for 1 cup of mayonnaise, but I only use 3/4 cup to cut back on the richness. I'm surprised they don't include bacon in the title because that is a main ingredient, and really makes it extra good. Just click on the link below for the recipe.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Almond-Cheddar-Appetizers

Cream Of Mushroom Soup

This has to be one of my favorite soups! I found this recipe on allrecipes.com, but have made a couple of alterations.  
When you think of cream of mushroom soup, the first thing that pops into your head is the Campbell's version. I love using Campbell's cream of mushroom in recipes but never liked eating it just as a soup. I can't believe how much I love this soup for someone who used to hate mushrooms as a kid!  It's excellent with bread topped with baby Swiss cheese and warmed in the oven. I shred the cheese in my food processor along with a little shredded onion. 


Ingredients

    2- 16 oz. baby bella sliced fresh mushrooms

    3 cups chicken broth

    2 cloves minced garlic

    1 cup chopped onion

    2 tsp. fresh chopped thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (I definitely prefer fresh in this recipe)

    6 tablespoons butter
    6 tablespoons flour

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

    1 cup heavy whipping cream

    1 cup half-and-half

    1/4 cup sherry

Directions

In a large heavy saucepan, cook mushrooms in the broth with onion, garlic and thyme until tender, about  10 to 15 minutes. (If using fresh thyme, don't add until the last couple of minutes of boiling time.)

In blender, food processor, or using immersion blender, puree the mixture , leaving some chunks of mushrooms in it. ( I also like to puree until totally smooth and add an 8 oz. package of mushrooms that I have caramelized when soup is complete.) Set aside.

In a smaller saucepan, melt the butter, whisk in the flour salt and pepper and stir for about 2 minutes until smooth. Add the mixture to the mushroom puree and bring to a boil stirring constantly and simmer until thickened. Add the sherry and simmer for another 2 mins., then add half and half and whipping cream and heat until warmed through. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Soup can be frozen, but be sure to leave the whipping cream and half-and-half out, and add after you take out of freezer to heat.

Bacon, Mushroom, and Almond Wild Rice

 On trips to Minnesota to visit our son, daughter-in-law and grandson, I like to pick up some MN wild rice. I decided to make a side dish to go with some Cornish hens I'm making. I've included an easy and sure proof method for making your wild rice in the oven that my sister Gina shared with me. It's a perfect way to make rice while you're busy at work.

 Easy Oven Prepared Wild Rice

1 cup wild rice
3 cups boiling water
1 chicken Bouillon cube (I use a tsp. of Better Than Bouillon)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees
put everything in a covered Pyrex or glass dish, put in oven and turn the oven OFF. Either do it overnight or in the morning so it's ready for supper. Works great!




Bacon, Mushroom, and Almond Wild Rice


Ingredients


Prepared rice from above recipe
1/2 lb. bacon cut up and fried
8 oz. package of slice mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 shallot (chopped)
1 clove garlic (minced)
2 Tbs. sherry
1/4 cup slivered or slice almonds (pan toasted)


Cut up your bacon and fry it in a pan over medium heat until crisp (set aside). Drain most of the fat from the pan, leaving enough to saute' your onions, shallot, garlic, and mushrooms. Saute' the onion, shallot, and garlic over medium heat for about two to three mins. Add the mushrooms and saute' for an additional 3 mins. or so until done. While sauteing, sprinkle the 2 Tbs. of sherry evenly over the mushroom/onion mixture, and season lightly with salt. Set sauteed mixture aside, and place the almonds in the same pan on medium heat, stirring constantly so the almonds do not burn. (set aside)
Put about 1 Tbs. olive oil in the pan and add the cooked rice from the oven. Stir in all of the other ingredients, add salt and pepper to taste, and cook on medium until warm and ready to serve.

                                                           

Garlic Saffron Aioli

Garlic Saffron Aioli

 

 I tried to pin this recipe of the Barefoot Contessa's, but it said the picture wasn't large enough. Since I really enjoyed it, I wanted the opportunity to pin it.

 Some people said it was hard to get the right consistency, but I had no problem. I saw it made on TV and the Contessa said to squeeze the excess vinegar out of the bread before putting in with the rest of the ingredients. That isn't mentioned in this recipe, and may be the reason for the difference in consistency.

She served the aioli with fingerling potatoes. I'm also looking forward to trying this on a turkey sandwich and some baked fish.

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes, unpeeled
• Kosher salt

For the Aioli:

• 1(1/2-inch thick) slice white bread, crust removed
• 2 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar
• 6 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups good olive oil
• Chives, chopped

Directions

Rinse the potatoes and put them in a large saucepan. Cover them with cold water, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are just tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander and place a kitchen towel on top, allowing them to steam for 5 to 10 minutes.
For the aioli, tear the slice of bread into pieces and place in a bowl. Pour the vinegar over the bread, and set aside for 5 minutes.

Place the garlic cloves, egg yolks, zest, juice, saffron, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the bread, and puree into a paste. *The bread should look like a piece of dough after the vinegar is squeezed out. (see below)

 With the processor running, slowly pour the oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until it is the consistency of thick sour cream. Place in a serving bowl.
Slice the potatoes in half and place them on a serving plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and decorate with the chopped chives. Serve with the aioli.

* Raw Egg Warning

Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs due to the slight risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly refrigerated, clean grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell. For recipes that call for eggs that are raw or undercooked when the dish is served, use shell eggs that have been treated to destroy salmonella, by pasteurization or another approved method.

Country Casserole

Years ago we stayed at Phipps Inn in Hudson, WI & really loved it, especially love that they offer the option of breakfast delivered to your room! They have a number of recipes posted on their website, but no pictures, so they aren't Pinterest ready. I made this casserole while on vacation and was impressed with how easy and how good it was. I changed a few things from the original recipe. I liked it with or without the salsa. As usual, I add more cheese than they do...I can't say how much more cuz I just add what looks good to me. Most of the extra cheese I added to the top of the dish.

 

Phipps Inn Country Casserole

16 ounces bulk breakfast sausage
1/2 choppped onion
2 lbs. Southern style frozen hash browns        
8 ounces shredded Mexican blend cheese
(If you want it to taste more Mexican to go with the salsa, use taco cheese instead of Mexican blend.)
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups milk
1 tsp. seasoning salt such as Lawry’s
½ tsp. dry mustard
6 large eggs
Paprika
Salsa

Brown sausage and onion and drain. In a very large bowl, combine sausage, hash browns (do not have to be thawed), the Mexican cheese and half of the cheddar cheese. Beat eggs, milk and seasonings for about a minute with a hand mixer, then combine with the sausage and egg mixture. Pour into a greased 9x13 glass baking dish, top with remaining cheddar cheese, sprinkle with paprika, cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator about 2 hours before serving to come to room temperature. Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350 degrees. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve with salsa.

Caramel Apple Muffin and Pumpkin White Choc. Chip Muffin

Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip & Caramel Apple Muffins

I will be serving these 2 muffins at our Women's Retreat this weekend, and thought I'd include the links with both of the recipes. I of course had to taste test them before I serve them to the ladies...Mm-Mm!

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Caramel-Apple-Muffins#.UGMMQBtx-5g.pinterest
I went with the suggestion from others that have tried this recipe... Instead of chopping up the caramels and adding them to the batter, I put about half or less of the batter in the cup, and then added a whole caramel and the rest of the batter to fill the cup.    

http://www.culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody.com/2012/09/04/pumpkin-white-chocolate-chip-muffins/

The women loved both of the muffins!!! (Success!)

Asian Style Quinoa and Veggies

I've seen many recipes that used quinoa, but none with an Asian flare. I decided to come up with a recipe that can be eaten as a main dish, and adapted to be either vegetarian or vegan.


Ingredients
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth 
1/2 cup quinoa
3 Tbs. oil
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
1 small onion cut into eighth
3 cloves of garlic minced
2 (6 to 7 inch) zucchinis julienned
1 (8 oz.) package sliced mushrooms (I used Baby Bellas)
1 cup baby carrots sliced
1 cup edamame
1/3 cup sliced almonds
2 eggs
Soy sauce (light)

Start by making your quinoa. Put the 2 cups of broth in a pot and add the quinoa. Let the quinoa sit in the broth for 15 min. before cooking. Turn on high and bring the broth to a boil, lower heat to simmer, and allow to cook uncovered for about 25 min. on low.

quinoa should look like this when cooked

It's a good idea to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready when stir frying. Cut up your veggies as directed above, and remove the edamame from it's pods.

I buy my edamame (frozen) from Sam's Club. They sell a large bag with smaller individual pouches inside that are ready to microwave in 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sea salt that comes along with the pouches. I love this as a snack!

Heat your wok on medium high for about 1 or 2 min. and then add your oil. Put your carrots in first and stir fry for about 2 min., then add your onion and garlic, and stir fry for another 2 min.

 Next add your zucchini and mushrooms, and fry for an additional 2 min. Toss in the edamame,

 2 eggs, and continue to cook until egg is cooked through.

 









Add soy sauce to taste. Add your sliced almonds and stir for a minute. Add the cooked quinoa and stir for a minute until it is all heated through.

To make this a strictly vegan meal, you can just eliminate the eggs, and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Between the quinoa, edamame, and almonds, this dish is packed with protein, and there is no need to add the eggs.

Tuscan Tomato Soup

We are blessed with a wonderful crop of tomatoes...which spurs me on to make and preserve some of my favorite tomato recipes.

Though I love salsa, I'm not a canner, and refrigerator salsa only lasts so long... I decided to make a favorite tomato soup recipe and freeze it to use when the temps in Wisconsin are below freezing instead of our current balmy August temps. I can think of few lunches I love more in the winter than a toasted cheese sandwich with a warm bowl of cream of tomato soup! Aaaah, the cozy comfort! 
This recipe is an obvious vegetarian recipe, and can easily be made vegan and still taste awesome.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced (garlic lover that I am, I used 4)
3 lbs. ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded, then diced (I am often too lazy to seed all of the tomatoes. Though seeding the tomatoes reduces the acidity, it's up to you as to whether you think it's worth the work.)
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock or broth
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves (firmly packed)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream (optional)
Fresh grated Parmesan for garnish

Depending on the batch I sometimes add some tomato paste and a little honey, to taste. I also at times add more fresh basil to taste.

Directions

 To peel and seed the tomatoes, fill a large pot or saucepan 3/4 full of water and bring to a boil.

Using a sharp knife, score an X in the bottom of your tomatoes.

Immerse the tomatoes in the boiling water, in batches, without crowding, and leave for about 30 seconds to a minute (no biggy if it's a bit longer).

Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, let cool slightly, then peel away the skins. If you intend to seed the tomato, then cut the tomato in quarters and gently squeeze out the seeds.

In a large soup pot over medium heat, warm the oil, add onion and saute', stirring frequently until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until softened but not browned, about 30 seconds.

Add the tomatoes and stock, raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the tomatoes are softened, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a blender or food processor, puree' the soup in batches leaving a little bit of texture if desired and return the soup to the pot. You could also process the soup using a handheld blender in the pot until the desired consistency. Return the soup to medium heat and reheat gently. Add the chopped basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

This is the point where you either freeze for use in the winter and add the cream after thawing and heating, or continue to the next step.

Add the cream to soup and gently heat to desired temp., pour into bowls and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan, and serve with crusty bread or any version of cheesy bread you prefer.

Stuffed Cinnamon French Toast with Peach Sauce

In honor of my son who brought back peaches from Georgia, and who loves bacon and anything sweet, I decided to make this breakfast that made use of the fresh peaches. It was very simple and very good!!!

Peach Sauce (recipe from Taste of Home)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
3 Tbs. sugar
2Tbs. cornstarch
Dash of nutmeg
1 cup sliced and peeled fresh peaches
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. almond extract

Directions



 In medium saucepan, bring water, sugar, cornstarch and nutmeg to boil, stirring constantly; boil for one minute.(I had to add a little extra water because it became too thick.)

 Add peaches. Bring to a boil; boil for about another minute until thickened.













When fully cooked, the consistency will look like what you see at right. Set aside to use later              






If preparing bacon you can take a cookie sheet, crumple up some foil and line your pan. The crumpled foil will allow the bacon fat to fall away from the bacon as it is cooking.

About 20 minutes before you're ready to serve, put the pan of bacon in a cold oven. Turn oven to 400 degrees and pull the bacon out after 20 mins. It makes perfect bacon every time.

Stuffed Cinnamon French Toast
(I made 5 "sandwiches" of stuffed french toast)
Ingredients
Loaf of cinnamon bread
Spreadable cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
3 eggs beaten

Directions
1. Take 2 slices of bread and open up as if ready to make a sandwich

2 .Spread creamed cheese on one half of the bread
3. Mix sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle the cream cheese with  some of the sugar and and cinnamon mixture
4. Close your sandwich
5. While you are assembling your sandwiches, put your skillet on to heat on a medium setting, and spray    with cooking spray.

6. Once your sandwiches are assembled, coat them in the beaten eggs and place on the heated pan, making them just the way you make your typical french toast.

7. A little before you are ready to serve, heat up your peach sauce 
8. Cut your stuffed french toast on the diagonal, put a little warmed syrup on the french toast and dollop with the peach sauce.

(Substituting a apple topping for the peach sauce would also be excellent)
The stuffed french toast is a modified version of a recipe posted on the website of The Phipps Inn of Hudson, WI

Peach Crisp

Ingredients
7 to 8 peaches, peeled and sliced
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose whole wheat or regular flour (I used whole wheat)
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup butter

Directions
1. Put peaches in a shallow 2-quart baking dish

2. Sprinkle with lemon juice

3. Mix flour, oats, and brown sugar.

4. Cut in butter with pastry blender until it looks crumbly

5. Spread over the peaches and bake at 325 degrees for 30 mins. or until peaches are tender (check with a butter knife)

6. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping.

Deep Dish Fresh Peach Pie

My son spent the summer in Georgia and returned with some delicious fresh Georgia peaches. I decided to make a couple of desserts and a peach topping for stuffed french toast. Mmmm-mmmm!


 Ingredients
3 lbs. of peaches peeled and sliced
1 cup sugar
3 Tbs. cornstarch
3 Tbs. butter
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
(makes 2 pies)

Directions
1. Make your favorite pie crust. I purchased a double pack of frozen deep dish pie crusts.
2. Peel and slice the peaches
3. Combine sugar, spices and cornstarch

4. Combine peaches and half of the sugar mixture
5. Pour peaches into pie shells

 6. Dot each pie with the butter

7. Sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture over the pies.
8. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown.

Allow to cool and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.