Creamed Corn Casserole

 "I have made this a few times over the past few years, but I don't remember where I got the recipe.  The original recipe calls for Jiffy corn muffin mix, but today I made it with corn meal and other extra ingredients which I assumed were the equivalent of Jiffy."

INGREDIENTS:
1 c. corn meal (I use Hodgson Mill)
1/4 c. white sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs beaten
1 c. sour cream
1 can corn, drained
1 can creamed corn

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Mix all ingredients in large bowl.  Pour into greased 9x9 inch baking dish.  Bake for 45-50 minutes or until middle of casserole is set (not jiggly).  Serve with honey drizzled over if desired.
Serves 6-8

Olive Garden's Alfredo Sauce

"I have been trying to duplicate Olive Garden's Alfredo sauce for a long time, but I could never figure out how to do it.  I have been on their website before, but this recipe didn't used to be there.  I found someone had pinned it on Pinterest and I couldn't wait to try it.  I do have to say the consistency is exact, but the sauce did not taste as cheesy as it does in the restaurant.  Sprinkling extra Romano and Parmesan on top makes it taste more like the restaurant, so I wonder if you can add more cheese when cooking it without messing up the consistency.  I also did not add enough salt the first time, so we used a little at the table."

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup imported Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup imported Romano cheese, grated
6 egg yolks from fresh jumbo eggs
Salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. HEAT milk and cream in a heavy bottom saucepan until it begins to simmer. Turn off heat. Slowly whip in cheese, then remove from heat.
2. PLACE egg yolks in a separate bowl and slowly whip in a portion of the hot milk and cream mixture. Slowly add egg yolk mixture back into remaining cream mixture. Place back on very low heat and continually stir until simmering. Take sauce off heat so it thickens. (This will increase temperature of egg yolks, known as tempering).
3. SEASON to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve over your favorite pasta.

 

Potato Gratin with Tomatoes, Gruyère, and Thyme

"I found this recipe on Pinterest.  The recipe came from HERE and she adapted it from The Foster's Market Cookbook, by Sara Foster.  This was so delish and smelled wonderful while cooking.  I regret not letting it "rest 10-15 minutes before serving" because it was very soupy and did not come out in pretty slices like in her photo.  I also had some curdling going on, which I wonder could be avoided by warming the half and half first.   I don't think I used enough salt and I would add garlic, onion powder (or thinly sliced onions) and maybe even crumbled bacon.  I definitely want to try other variations."

INGREDIENTS:
8 Tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and divided
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped (I used dried because it was what I had on hand)
2 cups (8 ounces) grated Gruyère cheese (I used Swiss as a cheaper substitute)
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese
1 large tomato (10 ounces) cored and thinly sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup panko crumbs

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350º F.  Brush the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with 2 Tablespoons of the melted butter.

Slice two of the potatoes as thinly as possible, about 1/8-inch thick.  Arrange a single layer of the potatoes on the bottom of the baking dish.  Top with a second layer of potatoes.  (It is best to slice the potatoes as needed per layer because the starch in the potatoes helps hold the layers together).  Brush the potatoes lightly with a portion of the melted butter.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, about 2 teaspoons of the thyme, 2 tablespoons of the Gruyère, and 1/3 cup of the Parmesan.

Slice and add 2 more layers of potatoes, brush lightly with melted butter.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, about 2 teaspoons of the thyme, about 2 tablespoons of the Gruyère, and 1/3 cup Parmesan.  Add a single layer of tomatoes and top with 2 tablespoons of the Gruyère, 1/3 cup of the Parmesan, 2 teaspoons of the thyme, and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Continue this process with two more layers of potatoes.  Press firmly with the palm of your hand to pack all of the ingredients together.  Brush lightly with the melted butter, sprinkle with the remaining thyme, season lightly with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère.

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and panko; set aside.  Pour the half-and-half and the chicken broth over the potatoes and top with the bread crumb mixture.  Drizzle the remaining butter over the bread crumb mixture and bake, covered with foil, for 45-50 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes longer or until the gratin is bubbling and golden on top and the potatoes are soft when pierced with the tip of a sharp paring knife.  Let rest 10-15 minutes before serving.  Serve warm.  Enjoy!

Cranberry Almond Butternut Squash

"I don't know where I originally found this recipe, but it's been in my box for a while, and this is the second time I made it. The kids loved it, and they hate squash."

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups hot mashed butternut squash (I baked a large squash cut in half lengthwise cut side down on a greased baking sheet for 45 minutes on 400 degrees F.)
4 T. butter, softened
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. alspice
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 c. sliced almonds
1/4 c. packed brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In large bowl combine squash, 2 T. of the butter, salt and spices together.  Spoon in 9x13 in. baking dish.  Place cranberry sauce in small bowl and stir until soft...spread over squash in dish.  In another small bowl mix last 2 T. butter, almonds and brown sugar together and spoon over cranberry squash mixture. Bake uncovered for 50 minutes.

*can substitute pecans for almonds

Restaurant-Style Cole Slaw

"After making my last recipe and not using a whole head of cabbage, I decided to cut it up and try making cole slaw for the first time. When I tasted the recipe I tried from allrecipes.com it was very bland, so I decided to use triple the onions and vinegar and I also used olive oil instead of vegetable oil since it's healthier. The changes I made to the recipe are included below."
INGREDIENTS:

3 c. shredded cabbage
2 c. shredded carrots
1/2 cup diced onion
2/3 cup creamy salad dressing (I used Kraft Mayo with olive oil)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 c. white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

Mix dressing ingredients in small bowl and then add to shredded cabbage and carrots. Refrigerate for an hour or two to allow sugar to dissolve.

Ceasar Roasted Cabbage

"I recently found this recipe blog called "Budget Bytes" which is full of great ideas, plus lists the cost per recipe and serving (which I know can vary depending on where you live), but it is where this recipe came from. This is a genius recipe...two ingredients, easy and cheap."
INGREDIENTS:

1 head of cabbage
8 oz. light Caesar dressing (not creamy)....I used Ken's

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice head in wedges about 1/2 inch thick. Brush Caesar dressing on top and bottom of slices and place on large, foil lined cookie sheet. Bake 40 minutes turning once half way through.

What I did differently:

-I had something else in the oven so I baked them at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
-I brushed the dressing on the top only until I flipped half way and then brushed the dressing on the flipped up bottoms.
-I only used 1/3 of the head, which was enough for 4 people

Sweet Parsnips

"I purchased some parsnips at the market yesterday to try something I'd never had before. I figured I'd just look up a simple recipe, including ingredients I already had, when I got home. I found this simple recipe on About.com. Next time I will try using olive oil to cut down on the bad fats, but they were delicious!"



INGREDIENTS:

1 pound parsnips, peeled and cubed
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

In a large skillet, melt the butter; then add the parsnips, shaking to coat. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Cover tightly and saute on medium heat for about 5 to 10 minutes. The parsnips should be tender and gooey, and slightly caramelized. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: 4 servings

Zucchini Chips

"I had bookmarked this a while ago and just happened to find it today, and had zucchini in the fridge. Wow...these are awesome! You can find the original recipe HERE....my changes are included in this recipe."


INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp black pepper
heaping 1/2 cup flour
1 cup cold milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups sliced zucchini (about 2 small zucchinis)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a medium bowl combine breadcrumbs, cheese and black pepper.
In separate bowl add flour, milk and vinegar. Gently stir until combined but do not over stir.
Dip zucchini slices in flour mixture and then dredge in breadcrumb mixture.
Place coated zucchini slices on a baking sheet (I line mine with non stick foil for easy clean up!) and bake for 30 minutes, or until browned and crisp.

Curried Red Quinoa

"After hearing about how Quinoa (keen-wa) is such a good grain to eat when dieting I bought some. The texture is different than anything I've had. I found this recipe on the website for the brand I bought. The original recipe called for peas instead of peppers and onions."


INGREDIENTS:

1 cup red quinoa
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/3 c. chopped onions
1/3 c. chopped red pepper
1/3 c. chopped green pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Add red quinoa, curry powder, turmeric and peppers and onions to 2 cups of stock. Cover and simmer about 10-15 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Serves 4

Jen's Mashed Sweet Potatoes

"I was looking for a healthier alternative to my sweet potato casserole, so I made these today....I pureed them in the food processor so my infant son could eat them too, but you could use a mixer for a chunkier texture."


INGREDIENTS:

3-4 averaged sized sweet potatoes, diced
2 T. butter cut into small pieces
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ginger
1/4 t. cloves
1/2 c. skim milk

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place diced potatoes into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish/pan. Dot with butter pieces. Sprinkle sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves over top. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hr. and 15 minutes or until potatoes are very soft when poked with fork. Mix or puree with milk, return to dish/pan and bake additional 15 minutes uncovered.

Jen's Spinach and Sun-dried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms

"I threw this together for a quick low-carb lunch and they were awesome."



INGREDIENTS:

Small package of white mushrooms, wiped clean and stems removed
1 t. olive oil
3 c. fresh baby spinach
6 sun-dried tomatoes diced
1/2 t. minced garlic
1/4 c. feta cheese smooshed with fork to make fine
1/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Saute spinach with olive oil, garlic and sundried tomatoes in medium fry pan until spinach is wilted. In small bowl mix spinach mixture with cheeses. Spoon into mushroom caps and bake for 15 minutes.

Mac 'n' Cheese

"Definitely the best one I've tried yet...especially with my tweaking"

INGREDIENTS:

1 16 oz. package elbow mac (cooked according to directions)

Sauce:

9 T. butter
2 c. half and half
2 T. Franks Red Hot sauce
1/4 c. ranch dressing
4 c. asst cheeses (I used sharp cheddar, Munster and Monterrey Jack)
8 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. paprika
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. onion powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter over med-low heat in medium pot then add ingredients in order listed. Stir frequently until all cheeses are melted. Put noodles and sauce into 9x13 baking dish and stir together. Bake covered for 40 minutes.

Tomato-Herb Strata

"I saw this on an episode of Rachael Ray back in the summertime but I haven't tried it until now. It was fabulous!"


INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons butter, softened
8 large eggs
4 cups whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
An assortment of sliced breads such as whole wheat , sourdough, round loafs, bagels, etc., cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (enough to fill a 13x9x2” baking dish)
1 pint multi-colored cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups Gruyere or Swiss cheese, shredded
2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 bunch chives, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped



Butter a 13x9x2” glass baking dish.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Step

Arrange the bread cubes in the bottom of the prepared baking dish, then scatter the tomatoes, cheese and chopped herbs on top.
Step

Pour the milk and egg mixture over top of the breads, pressing down to submerge everything completely. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least a few hours -- preferably overnight -- to allow the breads to soak up all the milk.

To bake, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350º F.

Bake the strata uncovered until puffed and golden, and a knife inserted into its center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let stand for 10 minutes. Cut the strata into squares and serve.

Yields: 8 servings

Gratinéed Baked Squash Halves

"I found this recipe in a Reader's Digest and it turns out that it's a Martha Stewart recipe. Now that I've read the directions again I realized that I didn't put the cream mixture in before baking like I was suppose to. My version is here, but the original can be found HERE . I put in 4 oz. total cheese instead of the original 2 oz., but it still didn't seem like enough, especially to get a photo like the one found in the link, so here I put a total of 8 oz.. Gruyere is an expensive cheese, so you can try swiss if you prefer."


INGREDIENTS:

2 acorn squash, halved crosswise, seeds removed

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 t. ground sage

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (about 8 oz.)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place squash halves, cut sides up, in a 13 x 9-in. baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Pour about 1/2 cup water into baking dish around squash.

2. Combine cream with sage and garlic in small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then pour into squash halves, dividing evenly.

3. Bake until squash are tender when pierced with tip of sharp knife, about one hour. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese, dividing evenly. Continue baking until cheese is melted and golden, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

"I originally found this recipe on allrecipes.com, but I've modified it to make it healthier."


INGREDIENTS:

2 cups fresh fruit diced (my favorite combo is strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and peaches...1/2 cup each)

6 standard sized tortillas cut into 8 wedges each (I used wheat tortillas...and you can also use pita)

3 Tablespoons sugar / 1 Tablespoon cinnamon mixed

cooking spray (I like Pam baking spray because it's sweet)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lay out tortilla wedges on large rectangular cookie sheet (you can only bake 1/2 at a time). Spray tops only with cooking spray and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve with mixed fruit.

Yellow Squash Casserole

"I found this on allrecipes.com when I was looking for something different to do with yellow squash."


INGREDIENTS:

4 cups sliced yellow squash
1/2 cup chopped onion
35 buttery round crackers, crushed
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place squash and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in a small amount of water. Cover, and cook until squash is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well, and place in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, mix together cracker crumbs and cheese. Stir half of the cracker mixture into the cooked squash and onions. In a small bowl, mix together eggs and milk, then add to squash mixture. Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cracker mixture, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Chile Relleno with Red Chile Sauce

"This is my favorite Mexican dish, but I was so nervous to try it since I don't have a lot of experience cooking Mexican food. I found this recipe by searching for a recipe for the sauce, and I'm so glad I tried this particular recipe because it's the best version I've ever tasted. HERE is the link to the original recipe. You might want to watch the first video because it was really helpful to me. I am including my chances and choices."


3/4 lb cold sharp Cheddar cheese cut into long matchstick pieces
8 Poblano Peppers, roasted and peeled *directions follow
1 batch beer batter *recipe follows
3 cups vegetable oil for frying
1 batch red chile sauce *recipe follows

Prepare batter first:


BEER BATTER

3/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, toasted
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1 cup beer, any brand as long as it's not dark

Combine flour, cornstarch, salt, cumin and cayenne in medium bowl.

Measure beer into tilted measuring cup to be sure you have 1 cup liquid under the foam. Stir beer and foam into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk batter until smooth.

Allow batter to rest 20 minutes before using.

To Roast Peppers:

*TURN OFF SMOKE ALARM IN HOME* :) Put peppers directly onto Electric Stove Burner on high or gas burner on low. Turn peppers with tongs to blacken entire outside. Put into a bowl covered with plastic to allow to steam about 10 minutes. I don't think there is any easy way to peel peppers, but do the best you can. Cut small vertical slit at the top of each pepper just large enough to slide the cheese into...stuff until full of cheese. *Handle with care so the slit stays small.*

Heat oil to 350 degrees over medium high heat in deepish frying pan (I used a wok)(I don't have a thermometer so I just waited until I could hear it bubbling.) Dip peppers, one at a time, into batter and carefully slide them into the hot oil, be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Once they are golden brown, turn the chiles over and fry the other side. The second side will brown more quickly. Keep warm in oven until all chiles are fried. Drain fried chiles on paper towels. (Mine never got as dark as the video showed).

Red Chile Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup mild ground red chile powder
1 tablespoon ground ancho chile powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2-3/4 cups vegetable, beef or chicken stock* (I used chicken)
1 teaspoon salt

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until roux turns golden yellow, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat in stir in all three ground chiles. Return pan to heat and whisk in garlic, oregano, cumin and stock. Reduce heat to low.

Allow sauce to simmer for 10 minutes and season with salt.

(Red chile sauce freezes well.)

*Note: Use vegetable stock to make the chile rellenos vegetarian. Choose chicken stock for general use, or if you will be serving the sauce with a chicken dish. Beef stock is a good match for beef dishes, such as enchiladas.

Zucchini Gratin

"I saw this made on The Barefoot Contessa". I cut the salt in half as suggested in a review and the crust sounded so delicious that I doubled the cheese and bread. The original version is listed here."


INGREDIETNS:


6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for topping
1 pound yellow onions, cut in 1/2 and sliced (3 large)
2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick (4 zucchini)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup hot milk
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Gruyere

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a very large (12-inch) saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 20 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Add the zucchini and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the hot milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 10-inch baking dish.

Combine the bread crumbs and Gruyere and sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter cut into small bits and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

Serves 6

Potatoes with Caper Sauce

"Found this on allrecipes.com. My changes are included."


INGREDIENTS:

8 medium potatoes, washed and diced
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons capers, chopped
1 tablespoon minced green onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the melted butter, capers, garlic, green onion, parsley and vinegars in a bowl. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
Add the caper sauce to the pot of drained potatoes and toss gently to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place potatoes in 9x13 dish and add parmesan cheese to the top. Bake in oven preheated oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serves 6-8

Asparagus with Parmesan Crust

"I found this on allrecipes.com when I was looking for something different to do with asparagus. I've made this twice and I love it!"


INGREDIENTS:

1 pound thin asparagus spears
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 ounce shaved Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, or to taste


DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. Place asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat. Arrange asparagus spears in a single layer. Spread Parmesan cheese over asparagus, and season with freshly ground black pepper.
3. Bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is melted and asparagus is tender but crisp. Serve immediately on warm plates, sprinkling with balsamic vinegar to taste.