Mini Meat Loaves

Butterbeer

Butterscotch Sauce
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Whisk everything but the vanilla in a small pot set over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat and add the vanilla. Cool completely before using in your butter beer recipe.

BUTTERBEER:
vanilla ice cream
butterscotch sauce (above)
ginger ale

For each serving, put a scoop of vanilla ice cream into a tall glass and drizzle with a tablespoon or two of butterscotch sauce. Store with a spoon to soften ice cream and blend in the butterscotch sauce. Pour ginger ale over the top and stir.

Arugula, Dried Cherry, and Wild Rice Salad

Mexican Street Corn Salad with Avocado

Peach Crisp

4 cups sliced fresh peaches
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange peaches evenly in an 8x8 inch baking dish. Mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl using a pastry cutter until evenly crumbled. Fold oats into flour mixture; sprinkle and press topping into peaches. Bake about 30 minutes until lightly browned.

Tortilla Española!

1 large onion, chopped

6 or so large potatoes, slices and chopped (see picture for help)

A buttload of olive oil. Okay not that much, but a lot.

6 eggs

Get a pan the size you want your tortilla (probably like 10" pan) and load it with like .25-.5" of olive oil. Put all the chopped potatoes and onions in there. Cover and cook on med for 12-15 minutes until soft, stirring 2 or 3 times. The onions will get sweet and the potatoes soft.

In a large bowl crack about 6 eggs in a bowl and mix with fork. Add the cooked onions and potatoes to the eggs. (strain out the extra oil with a slotted spoon. Dump most of it, leave a tiny bit in the pan for the next step). ADD SALT and stir and let them hang out for 10-15 minutes in the bowl, it will slightly thicken. Don't for get to ADD SALT. 

Put your pan on med and pour the potato & egg mess into the pan once it's hot. Cook for a few minutes until it moves easily in the pan and is a "spanish tortilla" brown. Using something flat and larger than the pan, put it over the pan and then flip the tortilla mess onto the flat surface. then quickly slide it back in the pan to cook the other side to the same doneness. Voila!

I added more olive oil after this picture below. This is NOT ENOUGH if you want to to be like those old-school Spaniard ladies that I learned this from. Drown the potatoes! 

French Toast Casserole

Cut white bread and create a layer on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
Cut up and dot chunks of cream cheese on top of this layer. Then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Then do another player or cut bread chunks and cinnamon and sugar. Next cover entire thing with a mixture of 1.5 cups of milk and 9 eggs.
Bake at 350 until cooked.


This picture is after the first layer:

Cream Cheese Wontons

Blend sugar to taste to one block of cream cheese
Put into wonton wrappers
Heat oil on stove to 375 (use a thermometer)

See pictures for help.

BBQ pork sandwhiches

Pork Shoulder Rump (bone in if possible)
Salt and Pepper

Put in crock pot. After a few hours add about 1/2 a bottle of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce.

Cook for 8ish hours total. Shred.
Serve on toasted buns.

Rosemary Sweet Potato Stackers

1. 
   
2. 
   
3. Ingredients
4. 2 tablespoons organic butter, melted
5. 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
6. 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
7. 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped, plus extra for garnish
8. Sea salt and pepper
9. 5-6 large sweet potatoes or yams, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl whisk together butter, coconut oil, parmesan, chopped rosemary, salt, and pepper.
3. Add sweet potatoes and toss to coat evenly.
4. Layer potatoes slices into muffin pan and fill to the top. They will shrink down once they are cooking.
5. Bake for about 45-50 minutes and edges and tops are golden brown and center in tender.
6. Let cool for about 5 minutes and carefully remove with a spoon. Place on serving tray and top with extra parmesan cheese and fresh chopped fresh rosemary. Serve immediately.

Fresh Strawberry Sorbet

2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 quart (32 oz) strawberries, hulled
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

Stir water and sugar in saucepan over high heat until sugar dissolves. Boil 5 minutes.
Puree strawberries in food processor/blender until smooth. Add strawberry puree and orange and lemon juices to sugar syrup. Stir. refridgerate until cold.
Process mixture in ice cream maker. Freeze after in air tight container. You can just put in a shallow container and skip the ice cream maker.

*I used less sugar and a little more lime
*my ice cream maker only fits a half batch of this.

Taco Soup

(I know this is simple, but I didn't want to forget what I like)

1 lb ground beef, cooked with salt, pepper, and taco seasoning
1 cup corn
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans stewed tomatoes
about a cup or so of water to make it the consistency you like
more taco seasoning and salt and pepper to season how you like

Put everything in a pot and simmer for 30-60 minutes.

Toppings:
sour cream
cheese
cilantro limes

Green Bean Casserole - Pioneer Woman (from scratch)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Fresh Green Beans, Ends Cut Off (or frozen is okay--still blanch)
• 4-6 slices Bacon, Cut Into 1/4 Inch Pieces
• 1-3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 whole Large Onion, Chopped
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 4 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
• 2-1/2 cups Whole Milk
• 1/2 cup Half-and-half
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (I didn't add this)
• 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs (I do a thin layer of panko and a think layer of fried onions)
• Chicken Broth If Needed For Thinning

Preparation Instructions

Cut green beans in half if you like pieces to be a little smaller.

Blanch the green beans: drop them into lightly salted boiling water and allow green beans to cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove them from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain beans once they're cool and set aside.

Add bacon pieces to a skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon for two minutes, then add diced onion and garlic and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, or until bacon is done (but not crisp) and onions are golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a separate skillet or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle flour into the pan and whisk immediately to evenly mix it into the butter. Cook for a minute or two, then pour in milk and half and half. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, while sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne then add the grated cheddar. Stir while cheese melts. If sauce is too thick, splash in some chicken broth as needed. Turn off heat.

Add add bacon/onion mixture. Stir to combine. Pour over green beans and stir gently to combine. Pour into a baking dish and top with panko crumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and panko crumbs are golden.

cafe rio chicken

2 lbs chicken
1/2 a small bottle of zesty italian dressing
1/2 TBS minced garlic
1 pkt ranch dressing mix (mixed with 1/2 cup of water)
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
put all ingredients in a crock pot. High for 5-6 hrs or low for 8. Shred with fork and serve in salads, burritos, etc.

Broccoli Cheese Soup (from Rebecca Lewis)

Saute:
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 TB butter

Add:
2 cups water
3 TB better than bouillon (chicken)

Boil and add 2 cups of broccoli (or more to taste).
Let simmer and cook until tender.

Add 1 pint of cream or more to taste. Heat until simmering.
Add small cube of velveeta cheese in chunks and stir occasionally until it melts.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Granola Bars from The Barefoot Contessa

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dates, apricots, and cranberries and stir well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.

(I don't add the wheat germ or the dates (I don't have them on hand) and they still taste really good.)

Sweet and Sour Chicken

chicken
onions
green peppers (optional--obviously!)

Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 TB soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt
4 TB ketchup
cornstarch (to thicken)

Saute chicken the add onions and green peppers and cook till soft. Add the sauce and let it simmer until thickened.

Granola Bars (from Brooke S)

1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. honey
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 c. quick oats
1 c. rice crispies
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 TB mini choc chips

In a large bowl stir together oats and rice crispies. Set aside. In a small sauce pan melt together butter, honey, and brown sugar until it bubbles. Cook 2 min. Stir in vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients. Mix well. Pack in tight 8x8 pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Press down chocolate chips. Cool for two hours. Wrap in parchment.

Tips:
Double to fill a 9x13
Freeze choc chips first so they don't melt as you're pressing down
Maybe try putting them in snack size baggies
I took out the choc chips and added almonds and cranberries. The choc chips are good but a little messy sometimes.

Hawaiian Haystacks

Two chicken breasts in crock-pot with one tablespoon butter cut in pieces on top. Two cloves of garlic if you like garlic. Let cook on hight for two hours. Shred with forks. Add one pint of cream with two teaspoons "better than bouillon chicken paste." Stir and let cook in crockpot. Cook one cup white rice. Shred cheddar cheese, cup up green onion, olives, celery, sour cream, salt, pepper. Serve rice with chicken and toppings.

Beef Stroganoff

One pound of hamburger browned. Drain. Add one pressed garlic and simmer. Add one cup or so of cream. Stir. Add salt to taste. In separate pan, saute sliced mushrooms in butter and cook one half box rotini noodles (the spiral kind). Mix all together.