Sugar Roasted Butternut Squash

Sugar Roasted Winter Squash
1 large butternut or acorn squash
2-3 Tbsp. butter
1/3 c. brown sugar

Cut butternut squash in half and remove seeds and string pulp.
Place 1 - 1/2 Tbsp. butter in each half and sprinkle brown sugar all over sides and top.
Place on a baking sheet and cook for 40 minutes at 400 degrees.

O'Henry Bars

O' Henry Bars

1/2 c. karo syrup

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. peanut butter

2 c. rice krispies

1/3 - 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine karo, sugar and peanut butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Add cereal and stir to incorporate.

Press into an 8x8" sprayed casserole dish.

Sprinkle chocolate chips on top.

After chips melt, spread evenly over top.

Let set in freezer for 10-15 minutes.

Cut and serve.

Heavenly Carrots

Looking for a last minute Thanksgiving side dish?

This is not your average carrot or stuffing recipe.

The top gets all crispy after baking... mixed with the butter and the cheese... YUM!

Give it a try, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Heavenly Carrots

Recipe from Lyn Denna

4 c. cooked carrots

1 c. croutons or stuffing mix

1 1/2 c. grated cheese

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 c. butter, melted

1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. salt

Place carrots in butter in a 1 1/2 qt. casserole dish.

Stir in croutons and cheese.

Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over carrots.

Bake uncovered in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Pork Chops in Creamy Sauce

This looks exactly like a chicken breast, but is really a pork chop, I promise!

Pork Chops in Creamy Sauce
Recipe from Robin Miller

1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 pork loin chops
¼ c. chopped shallots
1 c. milk
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried tarragon
¾ c. white wine or champagne (or substitute 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar with remaining amount broth)
1 Tbsp. flour

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Season pork with salt and black pepper and add to hot pan.
Cook 2 minutes per side, until golden brown.
Remove pork from pan and set aside.
To the same pan, add shallots and cook 2 minutes, until soft.
Add thyme and tarragon and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add sparkling wine and cook 1 minute.
Whisk flour into milk and add to pan.
Return pork to pan and simmer 3 to 5 minutes, until pork is cooked through and sauce thickens.
Serve with mashed potatoes.

Coffee Cake (Cinnamon Swirl)

I have no idea why this is called coffee cake.

It doesn't contain coffee.

It isn't even served with coffee.

I guess it could be... just never at our house.

Or anyone elses that I know of for that matter.

Truthfully, we make this for breakfast.

I like it topped with warm applesauce.

Coffee Cake

Recipe from Lyn Denna

Mix and spread in 9x13” pan:

3 c. flour
5 tsp. baking powder
1 ½ c. sugar
1 ½ tsp. salt
2 eggs
½ c. shortening
1 ½ c. milk

Mix, sprinkle on batter and gently swirl into batter:
¾ c. brown sugar
¾ c. nuts
3 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbsp. melted butter

Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes.

Swiss Chicken and Bacon Bread Braid

I really like the idea of making bread braids.

I pretty much love everything about fresh bread, actually.

This idea can easily accommodate whatever filling you want - but be mindful of consistency.

You want the filling to be just right - if it is too wet your bread will get soggy, and that is never a good thing.

This recipe captures the perfect consistency.

And... since everyone in my family also loves bacon it was a real hit.

Mmmmm.... ooey-gooey, cheesey, deliciousness!

Swiss Chicken and Bacon Bread Braid

1 loaf bread dough

1 large chicken breast, cooked and cubed

1/2 lb. bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

3/4 c. shredded Swiss cheese

3/4 c. Mozzarella or Cheddar Cheese

1/2 c. finely chopped sweet red pepper

1/4 c. finely chopped onion

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. Italian salad dressing

1 Tbsp. mayo

Combine all ingredients (except dough) in a large bowl.

Roll out bread dough in a large rectangle (11x17"ish) - the size of a large cookie sheet.

Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray and transfer bread dough to it.

Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut slits on the outsides of the dough, about 1" apart, leaving the middle intact, like this:

Now take all of your filling and pour it down the middle.

Now, start 'braiding' the bread from the top to the bottom, alternating sides as you go.

Wrap the bottom pieces underneath the loaf to secure it and close it off.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Poppy Seed Chicken

 

Poppy Seed Chicken

Recipe from Sweet Basil

3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced

2 cans Cream of Chicken soup

1 16oz. carton Sour Cream

1 Tbsp. Poppy Seeds

1 Package Ritz Crackers

1 Cube Butter, melted

Heat oven to 350.

Mix soup, sour cream and chicken together.

Pour into a 9x13" dish.

Break up the crackers (not ground up) and mix with the melted butter and poppy seeds.

Sprinkle over the chicken mixture and place in oven.

Bake for 30 minutes and serve over rice.

Gyros

I haven't tried a ton of Greek food, but my friend made these for me once and I loved them!

I view it as the Greek version of the American BLT.

Only better.

Gyros

Recipe from Marta Webster

Greek Pita Bread

1 pkg. Gyro meat (looks like bacon)

sliced red onion

lettuce

roasted red bell peppers

sliced tomato

olives (optional)

1/2 pint sour cream

1/2 cucumber

1 large garlic clove

salt and pepper

Fry gyro meat (as you would bacon).

Meanwhile, slice up veggies.

Combine sour cream, cucumber and garlic clove in a food processor and pulse until smooth.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove gryo meat and set on paper towels.

For each pita:

Spread small amount of sour cream sauce over half of pita.

Layer meat, lettuce, onion, pepper, tomato and olives.

Fold pita in half.

Dip in remaining sauce, if desired.

Chimichangas

I used the flour tortillas I posted about last time to make these.

Chimichangas
8 large flour tortillas
1 lb. meat (I like to use leftover steak or chicken, but you can use hamburger as well).
2 Tbsp. olive oil (omit if you are using hamburger)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can chili (or beans of choice)
1 bell pepper, chopped
Cooking oil for frying (I just use vegetable oil)

In an electric frying pan, heat oil to 350 degrees - you'll want it around 1" deep.
Meanwhile, saute onion and pepper in oil.
Add remaining ingredients and stir.
Place alarge spoonful of mixture into the middle of a tortilla.
Fold over two sides, and roll the tortilla up (you can secure with toothpicks if necessary).
Fry in oil until golden and crispy (about 45 seconds per side).
Serve with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, etc.

** For Freezing:
Let chimi's cool on wire racks to drip off excess oil.  Once at room temperature move to the fridge.  When cold, freeze individually on a cookie sheet and then move them to a freezer bag.
To reheat, bake at 400 for 45 minutes (frozen), or 15 minutes thawed.

Flour Tortillas

Flour tortillas aren't something I make regularly, but it is a good recipe to have on hand for emergencies or for when you are in the mood to make everything from scratch.

They aren't as good as the dough tortillas you can buy and cook at home, but they do taste much better than the store bought flour tortillas in my opinion.

 

Flour Tortillas

 4 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. shortening

1 c. warm water

Cut shortening into flour until coarse.

Dissolve salt in water and gradually add to flour mixture.

Knead dough well.

Cover and set aside (not in the fridge) for at least 2 hours to enhance the elasticity of the dough (I like to make itin the morning and let it sit out all day).

When ready to make, knead dough again divide into 10 balls.

Work each ball of dough with your fingers to try and stretch it out before using the rolling pin.

Each ball should make around a 10" tortilla.

Cook on a moderate griddle for 30 seconds per side, until brown spots appear.

Chicken Mozzarella

This was surprisingly delicious for how easy it was!

I got this recipe from a ward cookbook - a very quick "throw together" meal with great flavor.

Chicken Mozzarella

Recipe by Joy Fair

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 can condensed tomato soup

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 - 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 tsp. dried basil

salt and pepper

Salt and pepper chicken, and place in a 2-quart baking dish.

Mix tomato soup, oregano and garlic powder.

Spoon over chicken.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.

Sprinkle cheese over chicken.

Sprinkle dried basil over cheese and cook until cheese is melted.

Serve over noodles (we used elbow).