Creamy Mashed Potatoes

I love mashed potatoes, but the ones I made in the past were never that amazing.  I finally decided to search for some mashed potato making tips and I finally found the key to creamy mashed potatoes! Cream cheese.  Truly - so delish!  I saw this tip on Pioneer Woman's blog and she used a lot more butter and cream cheese than I did (she's a little fearless on the fat front...), but I still added both and it was so yummy.  I added whole milk, cream cheese, butter, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  I think other toppings like chives and bacon bits would be delicious additions, but this was great on its own too.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/delicious_creamy_mashed_potatoes/

This was, by far, the most popular pie I made for Thanksgiving this year.  Jeremy loves it and has reminded me several times to print the recipe.  The original recipe used a regular pie crust, but I did it on a graham cracker crust and I think that was a good move.

Banana Cream Pie

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 10 min. Cook: 15 min. + chillingYIELD:8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pre-made graham cracker pie crust
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups 2% milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked
• 2 large firm bananas
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

Directions

• 1. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into eggs; return all to pan. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
• 2. Remove from heat. Gently stir in butter and vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard; refrigerate, covered, 30 minutes.
• 3. Spread half of the custard into pie crust. Slice bananas; arrange over filling. Pour remaining custard over bananas. Spread with whipped cream. Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. Yield: 8 servings.

From Taste of Home

White Chocolate Fondue

We had "black & white" fondue for dessert tonight - semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate -  and it was a hit.  The white chocolate fondue was the most popular, by far.  The chocolate was good but not amazing, so we'll try another recipe for the chocolate next time we do this.


White Chocolate Fondue

12 oz. white chocolate chips
1/8 C. milk
1/8 C. heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Put all ingredients in the top of a double boiler over simmering water.  Heat and stir frequently until melted and smooth.  Serve warm.  (Or, you can put all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each one, until smooth.)
Serve with orange slices, bananas, pretzels, graham crackers, marshmallows, strawberries and whatever else sounds good to you.  :)

Rosemary Parmesan Pumpkin Seeds

I found this collection of pumpkin seed recipes and just had to try something new this year.  These Rosemary Parmesan seeds are really good!  I didn't read the recipe right at first...it says to roast the seeds first for an hour and then add the seasoning and roast for 10-15 more minutes.  I had already added the seasoning so I just roasted them for an hour and tented them with foil for the first 45 minutes, took the foil off for 5 minutes, and then roasted them at 350° for 10 minutes and they were totally fine.  Yay!  But I've written the recipe up the way that you're "supposed" to do it, so feel free to actually follow the directions if you want. :)


Rosemary Parmesan Pumpkin Seeds

2 cups pumpkin seeds (about 2 medium sized pumpkins

Scoop the seeds out of the pumpkin, place in a colander and rinse with cold water, working to separate the seeds from the pumpkin guts.  Pat dry.  Preheat the oven to 300°, spread seeds on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake them until dry throughout, about 50-60 minutes.
Remove baking sheet from oven, then raise the oven temp to 350°.

Transfer the seeds to a bowl, add the flavorings, then return them to a baking sheet and roast 10-15 minutes, or until golden.

Rosemary-Parmesan seasoning

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (I used a heaping 1/2 Tbsp of dry, crushed rosemary)
1/4 C. finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.  Pour over seeds, toss to coat.  Season with salt & pepper, to taste.
Spread the pumpkin seeds out on the baking sheet and roast at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until golden.


As a side note, we also tried the recipe for the gingerbread pumpkin seeds and unfortunately we were pretty disappointed in those.  They smelled fantastic, but they didn't taste as good as I was hoping they would.  :(

Recipe from http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/pumpkin-seed-recipes?crlt.pid=camp.IRNT60Rj4TIV

Cinnamon Chip Scones

3 1/4 c. flour
1/3 c. plus 2 T. sugar, divided
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. cold butter
1 c. buttermilk
1 pkg (10 oz) cinnamon baking chips
2 T. butter, optional

In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients (with the 1/3 c. sugar). Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in buttermilk just until moistened. Fold in chips.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 10-12 times or until dough is no longer sticky. Divide in half. Gently pat or roll each portion into a 7-in circle. If desired, brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with remaining 2 T. sugar.

Cut each circle into 6-8 wedges and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 10-13 minutes or until lightly browned.

Homemade Caramel Apple Dip

We made this dip tonight and it was very tasty.  The original recipe had the heat settings higher than what I'm posting and my sauce started to burn after just a minute or two, so make sure to watch it.  I just stopped cooking right there and it was a bit grainy from the undissolved sugar, but it tasted delicious.  I think cooking it slower over lower heat will solve that problem next time.

Homemade Caramel Apple Dip

• 6 Tbsp butter
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/3 c. honey (heaping)
• 1 can (14-oz) sweetened condensed milk

1. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring constantly (will take 5-10 minutes).  Make sure it doesn’t start to burn – if you smell it burning, just stop here (it will be a tiny bit grainy, but still yummy).
3. Lower heat to low and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly (it will burn if not stirred constantly).
4. Remove from heat, let cool a bit and then pour into a serving bowl and serve warm.
5. Refrigerate any leftovers. Microwave a few seconds to soften before using again.

Makes about 2 cups

Slightly modified from:

http://anoregoncottage.com/homemade-carmel-apple-dip/

French Onion and Mushroom Rice Casserole

This casserole is so yummy!  I think I would have died if Mom made it when I was younger - all those onions!  But they're cooked until they're soft in this recipe and the flavor is awesome.
Plus, it doesn't use French Onion Soup mix.  I think the mix tastes okay, but it always leaves a funky aftertaste that lasts for a full day.  Yuck.
I very slightly altered this from http://iowagirleats.com/2015/09/08/creamy-french-onion-mushroom-rice-casserole/

French Onion and Mushroom Rice Casserole

Ingredients

• 5 ½ cups rice, cooked (mix of brown and white)
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 jumbo sweet onion or 2 small sweet onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 Tablespoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper
• 8oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 teaspoons flour
• 2 cups milk, divided
• 6oz shredded fontina (or Monterey jack) cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/3 cup regular or light sour cream

Directions

1. Spray a 9x9" baking dish (or equivalent-sized baking dish) with nonstick spray then set aside. Place a large skillet over high heat then add butter, onions, beef broth, worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, sugar, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring liquid to a boil then turn heat down to just a touch above medium and simmer until onions begin to soften and broth is nearly absorbed, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add mushrooms to skillet with onions then turn heat up to medium-high and saute until mushrooms are tender, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic, season with salt and pepper, then saute for 1 more minute. Remove bay leaf then scoop mixture onto a plate and set aside.
3. Whisk together flour and 1/2 cup milk in a small dish then pour into skillet. Add remaining 1-1/2 cups milk, season with lots of salt and pepper, then let the mixture come to a bubble, stirring constantly. Turn heat down to medium then simmer until liquid is thickened and bubbly, 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove skillet from heat then stir in 4oz fontina cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, and sour cream. Taste then add salt and pepper if necessary.
4. Add the cooked rice and mushroom/onion mixture to the cheese sauce then stir to combine and scoop into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining shredded fontina and parmesan cheese, then broil until golden brown.

S'moreos

We tried this great new twist on s'mores while camping this weekend.  You toast a marshmallow to your desired toastiness.  Pull apart your Oreo cookie (we used regular Oreos, not doube stuff, but you can use whatever you want.) and add a piece of Hershey's chocolate bar and the toasted marshmallow.  Put the top of the cookie back on and enjoy.  Deeelish!  So, next time you're out camping you might want to try these.  :)

This recipe is very simple, very easy, very cheap, and pretty quick to throw together.  Jeremy isn't a fan of lentils, so it's not his favorite.  Ava agrees.  Talmage and Adelyn ate three bowls of it.  I liked it a lot, but I did have to add some salt at the end (plus, some extra water - it was a bit too thick).  The salt really brought out the flavor.  And I'm all for cheap and quick (and healthy!).

Greek Lentil Soup (Fakes)

"Fakes (pronounced 'Fah-kehs') is a staple in the Greek kitchen, and an especially filling meal. It is traditionally served with a drizzle of olive oil and lots of vinegar.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces brown lentils
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 quart water
• 1 pinch dried oregano

• 1 pinch crushed dried rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon olive oil, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Directions

1. Place lentils in a large saucepan; add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring water to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes; drain.
2. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, and carrot; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in lentils, 1 quart water, oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until the lentils have softened, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add additional water if the soup becomes too thick. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and red wine vinegar to taste.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2015 Allrecipes.com
Printed From Allrecipes.com 9/16/2015

Peanut Butter Apple Dip

I made this for a Young Women's activity tonight.  We had different kinds of apples with different kinds of dips and this was pretty tasty.  I tweaked it, just a bit, from allrecipes.com

Peanut Butter Apple Dip

Ingredients

• 1 cup peanut butter (heaping)
• ½ - ¾ cup brown sugar

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup milk (plus extra)

Directions

1. Mix peanut butter, brown sugar (start with less and add more to taste), cream cheese, and milk together in a bowl until smooth.  You may need to add more milk, a little at a time, if the consistency is too thick/dry.  Refrigerate until chilled.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2015 Allrecipes.com
Printed From Allrecipes.com 9/16/2015

Chopping Onions

I decided that I wasn't very adept at chopping onions, so I browsed Youtube.  I think this method is great:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwRttSfnfcc

Fiesta Chicken

I made this for dinner last week and we really enjoyed it. It smelled so good cooking all day in the crockpot! It's super easy to make and you could keep most of what you need in your food storage, chicken in the freezer and cream cheese in the fridge (that's the one ingredient that might not be readily available...) You can find the Fiesta Ranch mix in with the dry salad dressings. Left overs work really well for lunch the next day too and that always makes me happy!

Fiesta Chicken 

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 packet Fiesta Ranch dip 

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained 

1 can Rotel tomatoes, not drained 

1 can corn, not drained 

8 oz reduced fat cream cheese 

Cooked rice

If desired:

Tortilla or Frito chips 

Avocado, chopped

Sour cream 

Place chicken in a crockpot, top with Fiesta Ranch dip, beans, Rotel and corn.  Cook on low 6-8 hours.  Soften cream cheese.  Pull chicken out and shred.  Add cream cheese to crock pot while you shred the chicken then return chicken to crockpot and mix well. Turn to high and allow cheese to melt - about 10-15.   Stir well. 

Serve over hot rice and top with broken chips, avocado and sour cream - or whatever toppings you like.  

Serves 6-8

Thai Beef Stir-Fry

This recipe is in the Betty Crocker "New Cookbook" but since there are several versions of that book, I figured I'd post the recipe here just in case we don't all have it.  Anyway, this is really good.  It got 4.5 stars from Jeff, 5 stars from Tiernan and 1 trillion stars from Mia!  That's a lot of stars!
The original recipe called for carrots and water chestnuts.  I had originally planned to make beef & broccoli (Chinese) but forgot to buy an ingredient for the sauce so I used the broccoli, along with a small zucchini from the garden, some fresh mushrooms and about 1/2 of a green onion.  I also doubled the sauce since I was using a lot more veggies.  So that's how I've written it up here but feel free to sub any veggies you want and maybe cut the sauce in half if you don't use many veggies.  You could probably substitute chicken or maybe shrimp for the beef.  :)

Thai Beef Stir-Fry

1 pound boneless beef sirloin steak
1 C. beef broth.
4 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
4 tsp packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
4 tsp finely chopped or grated ginger or 1 tsp ground giner (I recommend the fresh ginger)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 small heads broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 small zucchini, halved and sliced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp grated lemon peel
4 C. hot cooked rice

Trim excess fat from beef.  Cut beef against the grain into thin strips.  (Beef is easier to cut if partially frozen, about 30 minutes.)
Mix broth, fish sauce, cornstarch, vinegar & brown sugar.
Heat wok or large skillet over high heat.  Add 1 Tbsp oil; rotate wok to coat side.  Add beef, ginger and garlic; stir-fry about 3 minutes or until beef is brown.  Remove beef from wok with slotted spoon.
Add 1 Tbsp oil to wok; rotate wok to coat side.  Add broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms and green onions.  Stir-fry about 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.  Stir in beef and broth mixture.  Heat to boiling and stir in lemon peel.  Cook for about 1 minute.
Serve over hot rice.

Adapted from the Betty Crocker New Cookbook

Italian Heroes

These sandwiches are tangy and yummy.  Nice to mix things up.  I did not scoop out most of the soft bread inside the rolls - that's one of my favorite parts!  Also, I didn't refrigerate them - we just at them at room temperature.  I actually toasted some of the bread and we liked it both ways.  I didn't add the onion and I forgot the olives, although I wouldn't be opposed to trying the olives next time.

Italian Heroes

Rated: Submitted By: JCAFELD Photo By: JCAFELD Prep Time: 10 Minutes Ready In: 2 Hours 10 Minutes Servings: 4

"These flavorful sandwiches can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for later. They are full of flavor and you can vary the ingredients to your taste."

Ingredients:

1 (14 ounce) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained 2 cloves garlic, peeled 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 4 (6 inch) French sandwich rolls 3/4 cup sliced roasted red peppers 2 cups arugula leaves or spring mix

8 ounces thinly sliced hard salami 8 ounces thinly sliced provolone cheese 4 pepperoncini peppers, drained and chopped (optional) 1/2 cup sliced black olives (optional) 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

Directions:

1.	In a food processor or blender, combine the artichoke hearts, garlic and olive oil. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2.	Slice the sandwich rolls in half lengthwise, and pull out most of the soft bread from the top and bottom. Spread the artichoke paste onto each side of each roll. Place layers of red peppers, arugula, salami, provolone cheese, pepperoncini, olives and onion into the rolls. Press sandwiches together, and wrap tightly in aluminum foil.
3.	Place sandwiches in the refrigerator, and place something heavy on top. It helps to place a plate on top, then place cans or any weighted containers on top. I used cottage cheese. Chill for up to 3 hours. Unwrap, cut in half and enjoy.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2015 Allrecipes.com

Printed from Allrecipes.com 8/25/2015

Bang Bang Chicken

I could have sworn that I posted this, but I couldn't find it here.  Sorry if it turns out to be a repeat.  It's worth it anyway...

Bang Bang Chicken

Amazingly crisp chicken bites drizzled with sweet chili mayo - so good, you'll want to double or triple the recipe!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, or more, as needed
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (do not use regular breadcrumbs)

For the sauce

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons Frank's Hot Sauce

Instructions

• To make the sauce, whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, honey and Frank's Hot Sauce in a small bowl; set aside.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
• In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, flour, cornstarch, egg, hot sauce, salt and pepper, to taste.
• Working one at a time, dip chicken into buttermilk mixture, then dredge in Panko, pressing to coat.
• Working in batches, add chicken to the skillet and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Serve immediately, drizzled with sweet chili sauce.