Portobello Mushroom cap appies
* 1/2 cup Basil, fresh, chopped plus extra for garnish after baking
* 1/2 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved, or regular tomato diced
* 4 Portobello mushroom caps, large
* Salt and pepper
* 3 tbsp Olive oil, extra virgin
* 2 cups Mozzarella
* Optional balsamic vinegar
Wash mushroom caps. Make 4 rings out of aluminum foil, place on baking sheet. Place mushroom caps on foil rings, it lifts them off the baking sheet so they roast evenly and don’t become soggy. Drizzle Portobello caps with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top each with mozzarella, then tomato and a sprinkling of basil. Add more mozzarella if desired.
Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, until mushrooms have softened and cheese has melted. Garnish with more basil and serve immediately. Can drizzle with balsamic vinegar ;)
Puff Pastry & Brie appy
* 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
* 7-8 ounces Brie
* 2 tablespoons raspberry jam
* 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1. Lightly grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
2. Dust the counter with a light coating of flour and gently press the sheet of puff pastry out with your hands until it is about 12X12 and an even thickness.
3. Using a pizza cutter wheel, cut the puff pastry into 25 equal pieces (five strips one way, five strips the other way). Press one square lightly into each muffin cup.
4. Bake the puff pastry for about 8-9 minutes until lightly golden and puffed up.
5. Remove from the oven and using the bottom of a spoon or spatula (or your finger), press the pastry down in the middle so it is no longer puffed up.
6. Cut the Brie into 24 1/2-inch or so cubes.
7. Divide the raspberry jam evenly among the pastry cups
8. Place a piece of Brie on top of the jam.
9. Mix together the brown sugar and Dijon and sprinkle evenly over the cheese. Return to the oven for about 4-6 minutes to let the cheese melt (watch carefully so the puff pastry doesn't burn).
These are delightful warm or room temp. I have used raspberry/peach jam and they are delicious.
Strawberry Spinach Salad
Dressing:
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/4 cup canola oil
* 2/3 cup diced fresh strawberries
* 2 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
* 2 Tbsp honey
* 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
* 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 2 tsp poppy seeds
Blend all ingredients dressing ingredients except poppy seeds. Pour into a jar and stir in poppy seeds, cover and store in refrigerator.
Salad:
* 10 oz baby spinach
* 12 oz fresh strawberries, sliced (about 2 cups)
* 1 pint fresh raspberries (about 1 1/2 cups)
* 2/3 cup dried cranberries (optional if you don't want to add all three)
* 2 medium avocados, peeled, cored and diced (semi-firm but ripe)
Toss all together, top with dressing, then the best part….
* cinnamon toasted almond slivers and
* 5 oz feta cheese
I have also swapped out the raspberries for diced fresh mango and left the craisins off. The variations are delicious.
Cherry Tomato Asparagus Salad
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and halved
6 cups halved cherry, grape, and pear tomatoes in varied colors
1 ripe avocado, cut into cubes
1 cup sliced basil leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
1. Wash and snap off woody end of asparagus. It will naturally snap at the border of the woody and the tender part of the asparagus. Boil asparagus in a large pot of salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to shock it to keep its bright green color.
2. Mix dressing ingredients
3. Mix asparagus with remaining ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well to coat evenly with dressing.
4. Top with cheese and extra basil slices
I used this recipe for my dinner rolls. It's the only roll recipe I make now. http://howdoesshe.com/delicious-dinner-rolls/
Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
* 5 lbs sierra gold , Yukon gold red potatoes, diced with peel
* 1 cup water
* ¼ to ½ cup butter, cut into chunks
* 1 ½ tsp salt
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 cup milk
This is the easiest way to make mashed potatoes; it is a one pot mess. Brown potatoes do not work as well as they are too starchy, you will end up with glue. The lighter skinned potatoes are perfect. Wash and dice potatoes, add everything in crock pot. Set to high and leave for 4 hours. Mix with hand mixer and season to taste with additional salt and pepper, can add additional milk or heavy cream to make them creamier.
There are so many variations to this; I have used chicken broth, cream cheese, minced garlic to flavor the potatoes as well. Sour cream, more salt and pepper and garlic salt are also fun to add to taste.
Steak – cast iron cooking
Thick cut steaks are the best for this method, about 1 ½ in thick. Rib Eye is awesome for this. (We have cooked various steak cuts and thicknesses this way, but do not do a thin steak this way.)
Make sure to bring your steaks to room temp first. Rub some Kosher Salt on each side of the steak. Pepper it if desired.
Preheat oven on broil 500deg. Heat your cast iron pan on your stove top until it's smoking hot. (It will smoke or set off fire alarms😀) Add a tablespoon or two of butter, slap your steak in, sear about 1 min per side then put pan in oven for 6 mins for medium rare, 8 mins for medium.
Take steak out of the pan and let rest for 5 mins.
Dessert
CHEESECAKE
Crust: 2 c graham crackers, crushed
6 TBSP sugar
6 TBSP butter
Filling: 4 8oz bricks cream cheese
1 c sugar
3 TBSP flour
1 TBSP vanilla
1 c sour cream
4 eggs
Layer combined graham mixture in bottom of 9" springform pan. (You can go bigger or smaller, you just need to adjust the baking time.) Pressing the crumbs firmly with your hand or a fork produces a solid, hard layer. Letting the crumbs lay loose produces a more crumbly layer.
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, flour, vanilla, and sour cream and mix until combined. Add eggs one at a time to fully incorporate.
Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Check on it at the 1 hour mark, if it is turning golden, the sides are set and the middle is slightly soft, you can take it out. Cheesecakes continue to bake while cooling. Overbaking will crack the cheesecake. Tastes the same though, it's just a looks thing! Completely cool before refrigerating, and do not cover it. Covering it during the cooling process will make it soggy.
Serve, or if you want to make the cheesecake stuffed strawberries - lighly mash the cheesecake up with your hands to distribute the crust in the filling. Wash and core large strawberries, stuff 'em, then dip in your favorite chocolate.
