Braised Kale

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 teaspoon salt
12 turns freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons minced garlic
8 cups (firmly packed) torn and stemmed kale pieces
2 cups Basic Chicken Stock
Splash cider vinegar

Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, kale, and stock and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes; add a splash of cider vinegar in the last minute of cooking. Remove from the heat. Serve immediately.

From Emeril Lagasse

Blueberry Buttermilk Pie

1 cup blueberries, frozen and thawed
Pie shell
4 tbsp. butter, softened (Steele uses Plugra)
½ cup buttermilk
¾ tsp. vanilla
3 large eggs
½ cup flour
⅛ tsp. salt
2 cups sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pour blueberries into the prepared pie shell. Then, combine butter, buttermilk, vanilla, and eggs in a stand mixer or by hand until the butter is broken into nickel-sized chunks. Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a separate bowl, and then add to the wet ingredients. Stir the mixture and pour it over the blueberries. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

From Garden and Gun

Recipe is a little testy. Never seems to bake up the same. Hard to tell when it's done.

Parmesan Roased Broccoli

 

• 4 to 5 pounds broccoli
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted (I did this in the toaster on tin foil while watching closely)
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

Remove the broccoli rom the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

No-Knead Bread

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450°F. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Turkey Brine

• 3 cups Apple Juice Or Apple Cider
• 2 gallons Cold Water
• 4 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves
• 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1-1/2 cup Kosher Salt
• 2 cups Brown Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Peppercorns
• 5 whole Bay Leaves
• Peel Of Three Large Oranges

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover.

Allow to cool completely, then pour into a large brining bag or pot. Place uncooked turkey in brine solution, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours.

When ready to roast turkey, remove turkey from brine. Submerge turkey in a pot or sink of fresh, cold water. Allow to sit in clean water for 15 minutes to remove excess salt from the outside.

Discard brine. Remove turkey from clean water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.

Sticky Chicken

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1” pieces)
• 1 cup cornstarch, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
• ½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice
• ⅓ cup vinegar (white distilled or apple cider)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried ginger
• Green onions, chopped, to top
• Rice and broccoli, to serve

1. Combine ¾ cups cornstarch, the salt, and the pepper in a shallow dish. Dip the chicken pieces in the cornstarch mixture to coat, shake off excess, and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces. It should take less than 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside.
3. In the slow cooker, combine the sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and cayenne. Stir to mix well.
4. Add the chicken to the crock pot and cook on low for 4 hours. Check 20 minutes before serving and make sure your sauce is thick enough. If not, take the remaining ¼ cup of cornstarch and mix it with ¼ cup cold water until a slurry forms. Then, gently mix it into the chicken and sauce, being careful not to scrape the cornstarch coating off of the chicken. Cook for another 20 minutes, and then serve over broccoli and rice. Top with chopped green onion.

Pecan Tassies

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus 1 tablespoon butter, melted
One 3-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
1 large egg
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of fine salt
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

With an electric mixer, beat the 1/2 cup butter and the cream cheese until smooth. Add the flour and beat until fully combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 24-cup mini-muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth. Set aside.

Shape the chilled dough into 24 balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Press each ball into a cup of the muffin pan, spreading evenly and up the sides, then spoon 1 teaspoon of the pecans into each muffin cup. Fill each cup with the egg mixture until evenly distributed, about 1 teaspoon in each. Bake until the filling is set, about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, and then remove from the muffin pan.

Gooey Butter Cake

Cake:
1 18 1/4-ounce package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 16-ounce box powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer.  Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together. 
Next, add the powdered sugar and mix well.  Spread over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.  Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.

Cinnamon Rolls

 From The Pioneer Woman

• 1 quart Whole Milk
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 packages Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
• 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Reserved) All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
• Plenty Of Melted Butter
• 2 cups Sugar
• Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon

• MAPLE FROSTING:
• 1 bag Powdered Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
• ½ cups Milk
• ¼ cups Melted Butter
• ¼ cups Brewed Coffee
• ⅛ teaspoons Salt

 For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.

Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.

To make the filling, pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly. Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of the sugar over the butter. Don’t be afraid to drizzle on more butter or more sugar! Gooey is the goal.

Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, gooey log.

Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices. One “log “will produce 20 to 25 rolls. Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil cake pans and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.)

Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for at least 20 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown.

While the rolls are baking, make the maple icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, and salt. Splash in the maple flavoring. Whisk until very smooth. Taste and add in more maple, sugar, butter, or other ingredients as needed until the icing reaches the desired consistency. The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable.

Remove pans from the oven. Immediately drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor. They only get better with time… not that they last for more than a few seconds. Make them for a friend today! It’ll seal the relationship for life. I promise.

Turnip Green Dip

 

• 5 bacon slices, chopped
• 1/2 medium-size sweet onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 (16-oz.) package frozen chopped turnip greens, thawed
• 12 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces

• 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Garnish: dried crushed red pepper
• Assorted crackers, flatbread, and gourmet wafers 

1. Preheat oven to broil. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings in Dutch oven.

2. Sauté onion and garlic in hot drippings 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine, and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of Dutch oven. Stir in turnip greens, next 4 ingredients, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring often, 6 to 8 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is thoroughly heated. Transfer to a lightly greased 1 1/2-qt. baking dish. (Make certain that you use a broiler-safe baking dish.) Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

3. Broil 6 inches from heat 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned. Sprinkle with bacon. Garnish, if desired. Serve with assorted crackers, flatbread, and wafers.

Note: To make ahead, prepare recipe as directed through Step 2. Cover and chill 8 hours. Bake, covered with aluminum foil, at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon. Serve with assorted crackers and chips.

Warm Spinach-Artichoke Dip: Substitute 2 (10-oz.) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained, and 1 (14-oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped, for turnip greens. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

 

• 1 (2.25-oz.) package sliced almonds
• 2 (6.2-oz.) boxes fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix
• 1/4 cup butter
• 4 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 5 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 2 (10 3/4-oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup

• 2 (8-oz.) cans chopped water chestnuts, drained
• 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 4 cups (16 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• 2 cups soft, fresh breadcrumbs 

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan 4 to 6 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

2. Prepare rice mixes according to package directions.

3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add celery and onions. Sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in chicken, next 6 ingredients, rice, and 3 cups cheese. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 15- x 10-inch baking dish or 2 (11- x 7-inch) baking dishes. Top with breadcrumbs.

4. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese, and top with toasted almonds. Bake 5 minutes.

To Make Ahead: Prepare as directed in Steps 2 and 3. Cover with aluminum foil, and freeze up to 1 month. Remove from freezer, and let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Toast almonds as directed in Step 1. Bake casserole, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 55 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese and toasted almonds. Bake 5 more minutes.

Shrimp-and-Wild Rice Casserole: Substitute 2 lb. peeled and deveined, medium-size raw shrimp (4 1/50 count) for chicken; 2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese and 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese for Cheddar cheese; and 1 cup dry white wine for milk.

Cajun Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole: Omit salt and pepper. Reduce chicken to 2 1/2 cups. Prepare as directed, sautéing 1 lb. andouille sausage, chopped, and 1 green bell pepper, diced, with celery in Step 3. Stir 1 (15-oz.) can black-eyed peas, drained, and 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning into rice mixture. Proceed as directed.

From Southern Living

Pretzel Cookies

 

70 square pretzels (do NOT use butter snaps)

70 Hershey's Hugs chocolates (from nearly 1 full 12 oz package), unwrapped

70 Milk Chocolate M&M's, preferably red and green

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Align pretzels on cookie sheet in a single layer then top each pretzel with one Hershey's Hug chocolate. Bake in preheated oven for 4 - 5 minutes, until the chocolate is shiny and soft (but NOT melting, the chocolates should still hold their shape). 

• Remove from oven and carefully place one M&M in the center of each soft Hug and press down on M&M to spread the chocolate. Place in refrigerator and allow to rest until chocolate has set, about 5 minutes. Store in an airtight container. 
•  

 *Can also use Rolos and halved pecans to make turtles

Fire Crackers

canola oil or butter (you decide how much you want to use)

1 packet Ranch dressing mix

2-3 Tbs. red pepper flakes

mini Saltine crackers or white cheddar Cheeze Its

 

1) Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl (5-10 minutes)

2) Put on a cookie sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for 15-20 minutes, stirring them around about halfway through.

3) Store in a baggie when cool

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup flour (or rice flour for gluten-free)
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth or chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons dried dill
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 splash lemon juice
• 1 handful fresh dill, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat, add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquids and it has evaporated, about 10-15 minutes.
2. Mix in the flour and paprika and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the broth, dill, soy sauce, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes
4. Season with salt, pepper mix in the sour cream, lemon juice and dill and remove from heat.

For Slow Cooker: Implement step 1 & 2, place everything except the sour cream, lemon and dill in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-10 hours or high for 2-4 hours before adding the sour cream, lemon and dill.

Caramel Cake

 
For the Cake
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup oil
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups sifted cake flour
6 large eggs, room temperature
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For Caramel Icing
1 1/2 sticks butter
2 12 ounce can evaporated milk
2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 
Directions
For the Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift cake flour, baking powder and salt into a medium sized bowl.  In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, oil and sugar on high until fully incorporated and light and fluffy, about 5-6 minutes.Turn mixer to medium speed and mix in eggs and egg yolks one at a time until well incorporated.  Add in vanilla extract and mix.  With mixer on slow speed, alternate adding in flour mixture and sour cream ending with flour mixture until mixed through.  Do not over mix. 

*Icing is very tricky

Bertha's Cheese

1 block of cheddar cheese - grated
1/2 a jar of Durkee's dressing
fresh jalepenos - finely chopped
crackers

Do:

Mix shredded cheese with dressing. Add jalepenos. Eat with crackers

Ham Biscuits

Ham Biscuits

Need:

1/2 stick butter
3 tablespoons brown mustard
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon grated onion powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Swiss cheese slices
ham slices
dinner rolls

Do:

Melt butter, add mustard, poppy seeds, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside. Take dinner rolls out of the pan and slice in half. Spread butter mixture over the bottom half of the rolls. Add layer of cheese and a layer of ham. Place the top back on the rolls and bake for 10 minutes at 350 F.

Orange Balls

 Orange Balls

1 box of vanilla wafers - crushed
1 box of powdered sugar
1-6 oz. can of frozen orange juice
1 & 1/2 sticks of butter melted
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup of chopped pecans
coconut flakes

Mix everything but coconut together and roll into balls. Roll balls in coconut flakes. Refrigerate overnight.

Baked Meatballs

Baked Meatballs

(2 Tbsp) 1/4 cup instant minced onion
(1/8 tsp) 1/4 tsp minced garlic

Mix above items in (4 oz) 1/3 cup of water.

Beat in:

(8 oz.) 1 can tomato sauce
(2 tbsp) 1/4 cup parsley flakes
(1 tsp) 2 tsp salt
1/4 tbsp pepper
(1 & 1/2) 3 eggs

Add (1 & 1/2) 3 lbs ground chuck and (3/4) 1 & 1/2 cups fine dry breadcrumbs

Form into balls and cover with sauce:

(1/4) 1/2 cup vinegar
(1/2) 1 cup catsup
(1 & 1/2) 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
(3) 6 tablespoons sugar

Bake at 350 F for 1 hour

Brown Butter Fruit Tart

1 box of Pillsbury pie crust dough
about 2 cups of fresh raspberries
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter


Mix sugar and egg together. Add in flour and vanilla. Brown butter on the stovetop on medium heat. The butter will start to bubble, then foam up and finally turn a light golden brown. As soon as it turns it needs to come off the stove and go into a cup. Once the butter cools, gradually mix it into the egg mixture.

Put the pie crust on a baking sheet. Add the desired amount of raspberries and fold up the ends of the dough to make a pouch, leaving it open in the middle. Then pull it back a little and slowly pour the egg mixture over the raspberries, using about half of it. Fold the pie crust around the filling and bake until brown.

Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup

1 (12.5 oz) can Tyson's premium white chunk chicken or any cooked chicken
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
6-8 cups chicken broth
1 fresh lime, juiced
1/2 tsp crushed dried oregano
1/4 tsp sugar
3 cups tortilla chips
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
salt and pepepr

In 2 quart pot over medium high heat, saute onions and garlic in oil until tender but not brown. Add chicken, tomatoes, chicken broth, lime juice, oregano and sugar. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Place about 1/2 cup tortilla chips in soup bowls and fill with hot soup. Sprinkle Monterey Jack cheese on top and serve.

Broccoli Casserole

1 head of broccoli
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup grated cheddar
cream of mushroom soup
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped onion
panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter melted
few butter cubes

Steam broccoli (5 to 7 minutes). Mix all ingredients except panko. Pour into cassrole dish. Mix panko, butter cubes and some cheese together. Sprinkle on top. Bakes at 350 F for 45 min or until brown.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Adapted from Baxter Employees cookbook


6 sweet potatoes
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup canned milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
dash of cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 stick melted butter
1/2 cup orange juice

Boil potatoes until tender; remove skins and cream with eggs, sugar, milk, orange juice, butter, cinnamon and vanilla. Put in oblong dish; top with the following mixture:

1 cup crushed corn flakes
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 stick melted butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup brown sugar

Bake at 350 degree oven until bubbly.