Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
I had a ton of vegetables in my fridge that were close to expiring so I decided to make Shepherd's Pie vegetarian style! To make this a vegan dish swap out the butter for a non-dairy butter.
INGREDIENTS
3 Diced Parsnips
1 Chopped Onion
2 Cups Mixed Vegetables (Chopped Carrots, Corn & Peas)
2 Pounds Potatoes
1 Stick Salted Butter
1/2 Cup Vegetable Broth
1 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Peel and quarter potatoes. Boil in water until tender. While the potatoes are cooking, melt 1/2 stick of butter in a large frying pan. Sauté the onions in butter until tender over medium heat for about 10 minutes. If you are adding vegetables, add them according to cooking time. Put the parsnips and carrots in with the onions. Add corn or peas at the end of the cooking of the onions. Add salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Add half a cup of the vegetable broth and cook, uncovered, over low heat for about 10 minutes. Add more vegetable broth as necessary to keep moist. Mash potatoes in a bowl with remainder of the butter. Season with the salt and pepper. Place the vegetables and onions in baking dish. Distribute mashed potatoes on top. Rough up with a fork so that there are peaks that will brown nicely. Cook in a preheated 400° F oven about 30 minutes or until bubbling and brown. Broil for last new minutes if necessary to brown. Serves 4
White Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe is a good change of pace from chocolate chip cookies. Sometimes I just get a real craving for white chocolate.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Softened Butter
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
3 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 Cups White Chocolate Chips
Preheat your oven to 350° F. In a large size bowl mix together the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Add the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Add the white chocolate chips and mix for another minute. Cover your baking sheets with parchment paper. With a teaspoon scoop the cookie dough and drop onto the parchment paper. Place 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 minutes or until done. Remember that each oven is different from the next so you may want to check the cookies at 9 minutes. I like to take the cookies out a bit early so they are nice and soft because the cookies will continue to cook after removal from the oven. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Repeat until you are finished cooking all of the dough. Makes 60 cookies.
Carrot Oat Muffins
I love to eat muffins in the morning. Here is a healthy muffin that the whole family is sure to enjoy.
INGREDIENTS
12 Ounces Carrot Juice
2 Egg Whites
1 3/4 Cups Olive Oil
1 Cup Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 Cup Raisins
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
Preheat your oven to 400° F. Line 18 muffin cups with liners. In a small size bowl whisk together the carrot juice, eggs and olive oil. In a separate medium size bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, raisins, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the carrot juice to the flour mixture. Stir until well combined. Spoon the batter 3/4 up to the top of the muffin liner. Bake for 18 minutes until done. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 18 muffins.
Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
I love dark chocolate much more than milk chocolate. Here is a great easy recipe for dark chocolate chip cookies.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Softened Butter
3/4 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
2 1/4 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips
Preheat your oven to 350° F. In a large size bowl mix together the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Add the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Add the dark chocolate chips and mix for another minute. Cover your baking sheets with parchment paper. With a teaspoon scoop the cookie dough and drop onto the parchment paper. Place 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 minutes or until done. Remember that each oven is different from the next so you may want to check the cookies at 9 minutes. I like to take the cookies out a bit early so they are nice and soft because the cookies will continue to cook after removal from the oven. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Repeat until you are finished cooking all of the dough. Makes 54 cookies
Roasted Split Chicken With Pan Sauce
This is one dish that EVERYONE will love unless they are vegetarian. It’s a bit messy to make but worth the work.
INGREDIENTS
1 Whole Organic Chicken
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
For The Pan Sauce
3 Cloves Minced Garlic
2 Large Sliced Shallots
1 Cup Chicken Broth
Juice of 1 Lemon
6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Thyme
2 Tablespoons Minced Oregano
Preheat your oven to 450° F. Move your oven rack to the middle of the oven. Split the chicken in half by using kitchen shears. Open the chicken halves like a book. Wash and dry the chicken halves with paper towels. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. In a large sauté pan sear the chicken halves, skin side down, in 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, over a medium high heat for 5 minutes. Turn over and sear the other side for 2 minutes. You will want the chicken halves to be golden but not cooked through. Transfer the chicken halves to a baking pan skin side up. Roast the chicken, uncovered and skin side up, for 25 minutes. While the chicken is roasting you should make the pan sauce. For the sauce, sauté the garlic and shallots, in the same pan that you seared the chicken in, for 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice. Add the butter into the sauce and cook for two minutes over a medium low heat. Add the parsley, thyme, oregano, kosher salt and pepper. Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a serving platter. Let sit for 5 minutes and spoon the pan sauce over the chicken. Serve immediately. Serves 2
Ridiculously Easy Turkey Gravy
Here is the trick to making this gravy so easy just make it ahead of time and then add the drippings later.
INGREDIENTS
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1/3 Cup Unbleached Flour
4 Cups Chicken Broth
Turkey Pan Drippings
1/4 Cup White Wine
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
In a large saucepan heat the butter over a medium high heat for 2 minutes. Add the flour while whisking and cook for 1 minute. Whisk constantly. Heat the chicken stock and pour in the hot stock while continuing to whisk. Turn the heat down to medium low and simmer for 2 minutes. Whisk occasionally. Remove from the heat and refrigerate if you are not using immediately. This gravy can be made for up to two days ahead of time. When you are ready to finish the gravy reheat the mixture over a medium heat. When the turkey is done remove it from the roasting pan and let it rest before carving. Pour out the fat from the pan, but leave the drippings. Put the roasting pan on the burner over a medium heat. Pour the white wine into the pan with the reserved drippings. Stir and scrap with a spoon to loosen the browned bits. Pour into the warmed gravy mixture that you prepared ahead of time and cook for 10 minutes on low. Add the salt and pepper and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and serve hot. Makes 4 cups.
Cranberry Sauce
I am thankful for cranberry sauce that doesn’t come out of a can.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
12 Ounces Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
2 Tablespoons Grated Orange Zest
In a medium size sauce pan combine the sugar, water and orange juice. Bring to a boil and add the cranberries. Bring back to a boil and then reduce the heat and gently boil for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in the orange zest. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Place in the fridge until time to serve. Makes 2 1/4 cups.
Butterscotch Pumpkin Cake
Most of us love pumpkin pie, but why not adding this delicious Butterscotch Pumpkin Cake to the Thanksgiving dessert table.
INGREDIENTS
1 2/3 Cups Butterscotch Chips (Divided)
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 3/4 Cups Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
3 Large Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Butterscotch Sauce
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Grease a Bundt pan. Melt 1 cup of the butterscotch chips and then cool to room temperature. In a medium size bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. In a medium size bowl combine the melted butterscotch chips, pumpkin, olive oil, eggs and vanilla. Slowly stir in the flour mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until done. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 1/2 hour. Remove the cake from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack. Serve with butterscotch sauce. Serves 12
Butterscotch Sauce
1/3 Cup Evaporated Milk
2/3 Cup Butterscotch Chips
In a medium size saucepan heat the evaporated milk over a medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat. Add the butterscotch chips and stir until the chips are smooth. Return to the heat and stir constantly. Bring to a gentle boil and then remove from the heat. Cool to room temperature and serve over the cake.
Pumpkin Muffins
Most of us try and eat light on Thanksgiving morning as we wait for our big feast. My Pumpkin Muffins are perfect for Thanksgiving morning or any morning for that matter. They are light, hit the spot and go great with a cup of coffee. They will keep “the wolf away” until that Thanksgiving dinner bell is rung.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
4 Tablespoons Molasses
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Preheat your oven to 375° F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large size bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, yogurt, brown sugar, molasses and olive oil. Stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture just until combined. Spoon the batter into muffin cups. Fill each until almost full. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes and serve warm with butter and honey. Makes 12 muffins.
Sausage & Kale Stuffing
This delicious stuffing is rich and rustic. You may use either whole wheat bread or white bread for this stuffing recipe. Either bread works quite well.
INGREDIENTS
1 Loaf Whole Wheat or White Bread
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Pound Sausage
1 Bunch Kale
1 Diced Red Onion
6 Chopped Garlic Cloves
3 Sliced Celery Stalks
6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
3 Diced Apples
2 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Preheat your oven to 300° F. Cut the bread into 1/2 inch cubes which should make about 11 cups. Place the bread cubes onto a large baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes. Stir once during the baking process. You will want the bread cubes to be dried but not browned. Remove from the oven and transfer to a large size bowl. Set aside. Remove the sausage from the casings. In a large size skillet heat the olive oil over a medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 7 minutes. Transfer the cooked sausage to a large size bowl. Remove the stems from the kale and slice the kale leaves into thin slices. Return the skillet back to the heat and the kale and ¼ cup of water. Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the onion, garlic, celery and butter and cook for 8 minutes. Stir in the apples and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the vegetable mixture to the bowl with the bread. Add the cooked sausage to the bread and toss all of the ingredients into the bread. Add the chicken broth, thyme, salt & pepper and toss again. If you are using this stuffing to stuff a turkey then make sure you let cool completely before stuffing. If you are baking this stuffing separately then turn the heat to 350° F and bake in a buttered casserole dish for 60 minutes. You will want the stuffing to be lightly browned and crisp on the top. Makes about 12 cups.
