Amy's back to the future night

 

Appetizer:  Strawberry Yogurt clusters

Main Course- Naan Pizza and Mediterranean Tacos

Peach Pizza: 

Ingredients: Peach (frozen or fresh.  If frozen, just slice into thin pieces), Prosciutto, goat cheese, Monterey Jack, 4 large naan flatbreads, olive oil, garlic, fresh basil, balsamic reduction

Preheat oven to 450 and place baking sheet on top rack to heat up.  Prepare your Naan on tinfoil by Brushing Naan with olive oil and minced garlic.  Season with salt and pepper, then lay prosciutto onto naan.  Dollop ricotta or goat cheese onto pizza, then add the mozzarella, Asiago or Monterey Jack, and sliced peaches.  Place tinfoil with Naan on baking sheet in the oven and Bake for 6min.  Before serving, sprinkle pizza with fresh basil and balsamic reduction.  

To make Balsamic reduction: Pour 1c balsamic vinegar and 1/4c honey into a large, deep skillet..  Allow the mixture to simmer for around 15 minutes, or until the vinegar has reduced. Once cooled, it will thicken quite a bit.

BBQ Pineapple Pizza

Ingredients: Red onion, pineapple, balsamic vinegar, poblano pepper, fresh mozzarella, Monterey Jack cheese, 4 large naan flatbreads, bbq sauce, Portuguese sausage (I buy the Silva Linguica brand at smiths)

Preheat oven to 450 and place baking sheet on top rack to heat up.  Prepare your Naan on tinfoil by spreading it evenly with BBQ sauce.  Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium heat and add 1/2 a red onion sliced thin. Cook until softened (about 6-8min).  

While the onion cooks, very thinly slice a poblano pepper into strips, toss in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Dice mozzarella, pineapple (about 1/2c), and Portuguse Sausage into 1/2-inch pieces (I use 1 long link).

Once cooked onion is softened, increase heat to medium high and add the pineapple tidbits and chopped Portuguese sausage.  Cook, stirring until pineapple is lightly browned (2-3min).  Stir in 5 tsp of Balsamic or Red wine vinegar, stir for 1-2 min more on the heat until it all thickens a bit.  Turn off heat and season with salt and pepper.

Top bbq covered naan with the onion & pineapple mix, then diced mozzarella and some Monterey Jack cheese, then poblano strips.  Place tinfoil with Naan on baking sheet in the oven and bake for 6min.

Med Tacos

https://sunbasket.com/recipe/chicken-and-hummus-flatbread-tacos-with-greek-kale-salad

• 1 ounce sun-dried tomato strips (not in oil)
• 2 to 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 10 ounces total)
• 3 ounces organic shredded kale or other leafy greens
• Mediterranean vinaigrette (below)
• 3 tablespoons crumbled feta
• Naan flatbreads
• Kroger Mediterranean herb Hummus

• (almost 3 TBSP) olive oil
• 1 tbsp) red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• little grind of salt and pepper
• little dried basil
• little dried oregano
• bit of lemon, juiced
•  Bit of dijon mustard

Dessert

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients needed (oreos, hazelnuts, bananas, 1qt. heavy whipping cream, cream cheese, 8oz of melting chocolate).  The rest of the ingredients you probably have on hand!

• For the crust:
• 20 oreo cookies, finely crushed
• 1 cup raw hazelnuts
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a pie pan (or 14 ramekins) with nonstick cooking spray or melted butter.  Place cookies and hazelnuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse for 1-2 minutes or until cookies are finely crushed. Add in melted butter and salt and process again until well combined.  Press in Pie tin (or one spoonful into each ramekin), bake for 10 min.  Then let cool.

For the Ganache

• 8 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate 
• 3/4 cup Heavy Cream

Place the chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream, until it just begins to boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate completely melts. Pour the warm ganache into the pie crust.

Custard Filling (make 1.5x the recipe for 14 ramekins)

Combine 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, 1/2 C. sugar, 1/4 tsp. salt, 2 large eggs, 1 C. milk, and 1 Tbsp. butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook 30 sec. or until thick.  Remove from heat.  Add 2 tsp. of vanilla extract.  In a separate bowl beat 2 oz. of softened cream cheese until light (about 30 sec.). Add 1/4 C. of the hot custard to cream cheese, and beat just until blended.  Stir in remaining custard.

This custard seems to take a little over 5 hrs. to cool and set so to be on the safe side I just make the pie a day in advance.

For a pie:Arrange banana slices on the ganache. Pour about half of the custard filling on top of the ganache and banana slices. Arrange another even layer of banana slices on top of the filling.  Cover the banana slices with the remaining custard filling. Refrigerate until thoroughly cooled.

**For Ramekins: pour one large spoonful of custard into each ramekin (on top of ganache and banana slices).  Refrigerate until cooled then top with more banana slices then whip cream.

Beat the heavy cream with the sugar and vanilla until thick.

Top the pie with the whipped cream. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Brittany's microgreens meal prep

Balsamic Strawberry and Goat Cheese Crostini

Steak Marinade and Chicken Marinade

Crack Broccoli

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Roasted Sweet Potatoes  (Brittany used the seasoned version)

Cilantro Tahini Dressing

 French Chocolate Cake

Flourless chocolate Cake (Brittany felt this was the better of the 2 chocolate cakes)

Michelle Beattie's French Onion night

 Bacon Wrapped Brussel Sprouts

Harvest Salad

French Onion Smothered Chicken

Italian Cheesecake

Couples Football Game night

Cinnamon Sugar coated almonds

White Cheese Dip

Rachel buys the meat (pictured below) at Costco in the freezer section.  One box has 3 packages and should feed 10 adults.  Spread meat out on a cookie sheet with seasonings to come to room temperature before you sear it.  Chop your veggies very tiny.  Can transfer to a crockpot to keep warm.  A large crockpot will fit 2x this recipe.

Kymberly's halloween party

Appetizer:  brand "32 crisps" crackers with goat cheese and sour cherry jam for the bloody fangs

Eyeball appetizer

Fall Salad with cornbread croutons

Lab Rat soup

Alfredo with Gnocchis 

Black Velvet halloween cake

Brown Butter Blondies 

Leah's favorites from the places she's been!

Nashville hot fried chicken dip 

*Tennessee

 INGREDIENTS 

• 1 8 oz block of cream cheese,softened
• 1/4 cup butter milk
• 2 cups shredded chicken, cooked
• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 - 3 tsp ground cayenne pepper(use only 1 tsp if you prefer a milder version)
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup bread and butter pickles,diced

INSTRUCTIONS

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  
• Mix together cream cheese and buttermilk until creamy. Add in half of the spice mixture and mix until well combined. Fold in shredded chicken.
• Place bread crumbs, melted butter, and remaining spice mixture in a bowl and combine. Spread bread crumbs evenly over top of the dip.
  
• Bake for 20 minutes or until the dip is heated through.
• Top with diced pickles and serve while warm.

Served with my homemade sourdough toasted. 

Mexican Brussel salad 

*New Zealand 

Ingredients: 

• Brussels Sprouts: 1 lb. of Brussels sprouts, shredded. 
• Cotija Cheese: 1 bag. 
• Avocado: Look for an avocado that’s ripe enough to peel and slice, but not too soft. You want the chunks of avocado to stay whole in the salad, and mush into oblivion.
• Almonds: I sprinkled half a bag. 
• Corn: Feel free to use fresh, canned, or frozen corn. My go-to is Trader Joe’s frozen fire-roastedcorn, which adds a hint of smoky flavor to the salad.
• Pickled Red Onion: Quick-pickled red onion only requires four ingredients: thinly sliced red onion, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt. (Ok, and water, but that doesn’t count!) 
• Tomatillo Dressing: This creamy dressing is like the love child of green goddess dressing and ranch.
  3 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
  1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems
  1/4 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt, sour cream, or mayonnaise
  3 Tbsp. neutral oil (such as avocado, canola, or grapeseed oil)
  1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed
  1/2 tsp. onion powder
  1/2 tsp. each salt and black pepper
  1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  1/4 tsp. ground cumin

Pistachio Shortbread

Ingredients:

• 16 tablespoons (227g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 box (3.4 ounces) instant pistachio pudding mix, Jell-O preferred for best color
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon pistachio flavor, optional*
• 2 cups (240g) all purpose flour. 
• 2/3 cup (85g) shelled, finely chopped pistachio nuts

*Use this flavor sparingly; it's strong, and a little goes a long way.

Instructions: 

• Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two round 8" or 9" cake pans. If you worry about the shortbread possibly sticking in your particular pans, line them with parchment, and grease the parchment.
• In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the butter, pistachio pudding mix, sugar, salt, and pistachio flavor, then beat in the flour. The mixture may seem a little dry at first; keep beating till it comes together. If it absolutely won't come together, dribble in up to 1 tablespoon of water, until it does. This is a stiff dough.
• Divide the dough in half. Press each half into one of the prepared pans, smoothing the surface with your fingers, or with a mini rolling pin.
• Use a fork to prick the dough all over; this allows any steam to escape, and prevents the shortbread from bubbling as it bakes. Divide the chopped pistachios between the two pans, spreading them evenly and gently pressing them down onto the surface of the dough.
  
• Bake the shortbread until it's a deep golden brown around the edges, about 35 to 40 minutes.
• Remove the pans from the oven, and immediately turn each shortbread round out onto a clean work surface.
• Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still warm; if you wait until it's cool, it won't cut easily.) Transfer the shortbread wedges to a rack to cool.
• Store shortbread, well wrapped, for up to a week; freeze for longer storage. The flavor improves as the shortbread ages.

Jalapeño peach chicken 

*Georgia 

2 peaches, 1 jalapeño 

Peach Glaze
½ cup (160 g) peach preserves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon garlic, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Chicken
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced

Instructions

Peach Glaze

To a medium bowl, add the glaze ingredients. Mix until incorporated. Set aside.

Chicken

Pat chicken dry.

In a small bowl, combine salt, black pepper, and chili powder.
Apply the seasoning mixture to the chicken.
To a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add oil. Once hot, add chicken thighs. Cook chicken for 5 minutes. Then, flip over the chicken, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from heat. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Tent to keep warm.

To the same skillet and raising the heat back up to medium, add jalapeno peppers. Cook for 3 minutes. Then, add the peaches in with the jalapenos. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, or until the peaches have softened.
Pour peach glaze into the skillet with the peaches and jalapenos. Stir to make sure every jalapeno and peach is evenly coated in the peach glaze.

Add chicken back to the skillet. Spoon glaze over the top of the chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the chicken is hot again.

Mint ice cream with salted watermelon  Granita. 

*Texas 

Ingredients:

fresh mint ice cream

• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 cups mint leaves
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 5 egg yolks
• a pinch salt

salted watermelon granita

• 3 cups watermelon 
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 teaspoon flaked sea salt

salted watermelon granita: 

Add watermelon, sugar and lemon juice to the bowl of a food processor/blender and puree until smooth. 

Add the mixture to a shallow freezer proof dish such as a glass or metal 9 by 13 baking dish and place in the freezer. 

After 30 minutes, scrape the mixture with a fork moving any ice crystals from the edges to the middle and breaking up any large pieces. Continue to scrape every 30 minutes until the mixture is fully frozen (about 3-4 hours). 

Sprinkle the granita with sea salt before serving. 

Fresh Mint Ice Cream:

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk, sugar and 1 cup of heavy cream until it just begins to bubble on the edges. Remove from heat, then add mint leaves. Cover and let steep for 1 - 2 hours. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks until smooth.

Reheat the mint mixture. Then, Drizzle 1/3 of the warm mixture into the bowl with egg yolks in a thin stream while continuously mixing. Pour the tempered egg yolks to the saucepan, and slowly heat until thicken and the mixture coats the back of the spoon. 

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and mix in the remaining cup of heavy cream. 

Chill completely, then follow the instructions on your ice maker to churn. 

I have a ninja creami so I just did an overnight freeze.

Assembly:

Layer scoops of granita and ice cream in a small dish. 

Pizza Oven couples night at Lindsay's

 

Dough Recipe

Arugula Salad

Grapes

Goat Cheese

shaved Almonds

Dressing: about 1.5C olive oil, 3/4 C lemon Juice, Salt & Pepper, 4 TBSP honey

Blackberry Pizza

Marinara, then add cheese, blackberries, prosciutto, basil and olive oil