Rosemary Garlic Biscuits

I saw this recipe posted on SkinnyTaste.com and thought they would be a perfect addition to a Holiday dinner menu. Everyone at the table was impressed with these biscuits. The rosemary and garlic was delicious and flavorful! Using the Bisquick made this recipe much easier to make than making the biscuits completely from scratch. Perfect for entertaining guests!

 

Recipe:

2 tablespoons salted butter, melted

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary

2 cups Heart Smart Bisquick

3 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese

2/3 cup fat free milk

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Melt butter in a small pan, add oil and half the garlic; saute on low heat about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add chopped rosemary.
3. In a large bowl, combine biscuit mix, Parmesan cheese, and remaining garlic. Stir in milk and mix (do not over mix). Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls (about 1.5 oz each) onto prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Brush or drizzle biscuits with melted butter. Bake for 5 more minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom.

A couple notes:

This recipe provides 14 servings. I didn't have that many guests so I made the biscuits a bit larger and made 10 biscuits. They were perfect!

I added an extra clove of garlic to the pan to saute in olive oil. I am a garlic lover!

Watch the biscuits carefully while they are in the oven so they don't get too brown on top.

Enjoy!

Homemade Peppermint Patties

One of my good friends was telling me about these amazing Homemade Peppermint Patties that she had made for her family during the holidays. I immediately asked her for the recipe knowing that peppermint patties are a favorite in my family. This recipe did the trick! So rich, refreshing and easy to make! This is a recipe that I will definitely be using again!

Recipe:

2 cups powdered sugar

1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons evaporated milk

¼ teaspoon vegetable oil

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

drop of peppermint extract

1-2 cups chocolate chips

1. In an electric mixer, beat the powdered sugar, butter, evaporated milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, and peppermint extract until smooth. Scoop into a bowl and place in the refrigerator to set.
2. Once firm, roll into one-inch balls. Push down to flatten. Set in freezer for another 60 minutes.
3. Melt chocolate chips in a double-boiler. Remove patties from freezer and dip in chocolate, setting on wax paper. Freeze again until ready to eat.

A couple notes:

The peppermint dough was pretty sticky and I had a little bit of trouble rolling into balls because it was sticking to my hands so much. To fix this, I sprinkled a small amount of powdered sugar on my hands to keep the dough from sticking.

The dough balls must be very cold before dipping them into the melted chocolate or the patties will start to melt and lose their form when dipped in the chocolate.

Instead of dipping the patties into the chocolate, try dropping a spoonful of chocolate over the patties. I found this method to be much easier.

Enjoy!

Rum Balls

This is a very fun and festive holiday treat! Thank you Martha Stewart. These balls are formed using a batch of brownies that has been broken into bits and flavored with dark rum. The flavors of this dessert are rich with chocolate and rum. This is definitely a treat for adults. The addition of rum is not ideal for the kiddies. This recipe is especially fun to make for special events because you can play with the sugar coating, using different colors or even different toppings. These will impress guests and look beautiful on the party table!

 

Recipe:

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

3 large eggs

½ cup packed light-brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon coarse salt

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dark rum

Coarse sanding sugar, for rolling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 12-by-17 inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside. Melt butter and chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
2. Whist together eggs, brown sugar,vanilla, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in chocolate mixture, then fold in flour. Pour batter into prepared baking sheet. Spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake until top is shiny and a cake tester inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
3. Bread up brownie into small pieces; transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With machine on low speed, pour in rum, and mix until crumbs start to come together to form a ball.
4. Shape into 1-inch balls, and roll in sanding sugar to coat. Transfer to a baking sheet; refrigerate, uncovered, until cold, about 2 hours. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

A couple notes:

I didn't have an electric mixer with a paddle attachment so I used my hand mixer and it worked just fine.

The recipe calls for ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dark rum. I found this to be quite a bit of rum. You can use less to flavor to your taste.

Coarse sugar seems to work the best with this recipe although you can use granulated sugar.

Eat Responsibly!

Coconut Cookies

I've been looking for fun new dessert recipes to make for the holidays. I loved this recipe because it is different than the traditional holiday cookie. This recipe came from SkinnyTaste.com. These Coconut Cookies are similar to a macaroon, but with the addition of cornflake crumbs. They are sweet and easily made gluten-free. Very delicious and easy to make. Great choice for a holiday treat!

Recipe:

3 egg whites

¾ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon cream of tarter

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

¾ cup cornflake crumbs (from 2 cups cornflakes crushed almost to powder)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. White the egg whites, cream of tarter and sugar into a meringue until you form to form to form thick soft peaks, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Fold in the coconut and cornflake crumbs.
4. Drop by spoonful onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for about 18 minutes or until golden.

A couple notes:

I used a hand mixer to whip the egg whites, cream of tarter and sugar. It took about 10 minutes to whip until thick soft peaks formed.

For the cornflake crumbs, you can buy crushed cornflakes in many supermarkets, but if you wish to make your own, just put them in the food processor and crush until very fine. This is the method that I used. If you would like to make this recipe gluten-free, you can purchase gluten-free crushed cornflakes.

I used a tablespoon to spoon the dough onto the parchment lined cookie sheets. I found this to be the best method.

Enjoy!

Brussels Sprout Gratin

I am always looking for new recipes for brussels sprouts. I wanted to try out this creamy brussels sprout casserole because it sounded like a healthy and tasty side dish for any holiday meal. I found this recipe on the Eating Well website. This healthy version doesn't include any heavy cream or butter. Huge plus! This recipe has quite a few steps but its actually quite simple to make. The gratin was very tasty and pleased everyone in the family!

Recipe:

2 ½ pounds Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved (quartered if large)

2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon white or black pepper

2 ½ cups low-fat milk

1 ½ cups fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs

1. Position racks in upper and lower third of oven; preheat to 425 degrees.
2. Toss brussels sprouts in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon oil until well coated. Divide between 2 baking sheets and spread in an even layer. Roast, stirring once and rotating the pans top to bottom about halfway through, until tender and beginning to brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until very soft and golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper; cook, stirring for 1 minute more. Add milk and continue to stir, scraping up any browned bits. Cook, stirring, until the sauce bubbles and thickens enough to coat the back of spoon, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. When the brussels sprouts are done, remove from the oven. Preheat the broiler.
5. Transfer half the brussels sprouts to a 2-quart, broiler-safe baking dish. Spread half the sauce over the brussels sprouts. Add the remaining brussels sprouts and top with the remaining sauce.
6. Combine breadcrumbs and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl.
7. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the gratin. Place under the broiler and broil, watching closely, until the gratin is bubbling and beginning to brown on top, 1 to 5, depending on your broiler. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

A couple notes:

I simplified this recipe by placing the brussels sprouts on a baking sheet after I halved/quartered them. Then, I drizzled olive oil, salt and pepper over the brussels sprouts.

Instead of using 2 baking sheets, I only used 1 baking sheet and baked in the oven for 20 minutes.

Make sure to keep an eye on your gratin while its in the broiler. It only took about 2 minutes for mine to brown on top.

I used Organic Breadcrumbs from Trader Joe's. To make your own, please follow these directions: Trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes about ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs.

Enjoy!

French Onion Soup

This is a soup that I absolutely love. I've cooked a couple different types of soups over the last couple months so I thought I was ready to make my first French Onion Soup. This is one of Tyler Florence's recipes that I found on the Food Network website. I decided to make this recipe vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of beef broth. I was worried that removing the beef broth flavor would dramatically alter the taste of the soup. The flavor turned out absolutely amazing! I used Petite Sirah from Trader Joe's in the soup and it added a nice rich flavor. This recipe will provide about 6 servings and is a perfect choice for a dinner party. Everyone will absolutely love it! 

Recipe:

½ cup unsalted butter

4 onions, sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 bay leaves

2 fresh thyme sprigs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup red wine, about ½ bottle

3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 quarts beef broth

1 baguette, sliced

½ pound grated Gruyere

1. Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes.
2. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
3. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
4. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
5. Alternative method: Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

A couple notes:

I substituted vegetable broth for beef broth to make this a vegetarian dish.

I used a whole wheat baguette for a hearty texture in the soup.

It takes a few minutes longer for the wine to evaporate than the recipe says but the flavor is worth the wait.

Next time I make this recipe (which will be very soon) I will make croutons to put on top of the soup instead of the slice of bread. Instructions for that method are here:

When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.

Enjoy!

Almond Butter Balls

This recipe was passed down from my grandmother and it is absolutely delicious. These cookies make a wonderful gift or party treat. They are very fun and easy to make! You can form the balls as big or as small as you would like. I prefer them to be a bit on the smaller size so that they make a perfect bite-sized treat!

 

Recipe:

1 cup butter

3 tablespoons confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups sifted flour

1 cup diced almonds

Powdered Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream butter and sugar together. Add flavorings.
3. Stir in flour and almonds. Blend well.
4. Form dough into tiny balls and place on ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
6. Roll balls in powdered sugar while still hot.

A couple notes:

I used ¼ teaspoon of almond extract to add extra almond flavor.

Enjoy!

Asparagus Soup with Herbed Goat Cheese

Giada made this soup on her show and I was intrigued to try the recipe at home. I cook asparagus often and I like the idea of using it in a soup. This recipe is easy to make and only requires a couple ingredients. The rich creaminess of the herbed goat cheese blended perfectly with the asparagus soup. Yum! Serve with a mixed green salad and you have a light balanced elegant dinner that everyone can enjoy!

 

Goat Cheese Recipe:

½ cup (4 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil cooking spray

1. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Using a fork, in a small bowl, combine the goat cheese and basil until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Using a 1/2-ounce cookie scoop or a round tablespoon measure sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray, scoop the goat cheese into balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Asparagus Soup Recipe:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large leek (white and light green part only), thinly sliced

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring constantly until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the broth, asparagus and basil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the soup warm over low heat.

4. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and garnish with the herbed goat cheese.

A couple notes:

The soup can also be pureed by ladling, in batches, into a food processor or blender and blended until smooth.

I substituted vegetable broth for chicken broth. The flavor is great!

Enjoy!

Peppermint Bark

Peppermint Bark is a favorite during the holiday season! This recipe is incredibly easy and fun to make! I made this recipe my own by adding a few petite mint chips to the white chocolate. The flavor of this holiday treat is delicious, rich, and refreshing!

 

Recipe:

Crushed candy canes, to yield 1 cup

2 pounds white chocolate

Peppermint flavorings, optional (about 2 teaspoons)

1. Place candy canes in a plastic bag and hammer into ¼ inch chunks or smaller.
2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.
3. Combine candy came chunks with chocolate (add peppermint flavoring at this point if desired). Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm.
4. Break into large pieces and serve!

A couple notes:

I didn't find it necessary to add any peppermint flavorings because I already added the petite mint chips.

Enjoy!

Holiday Biscotti

I watched Giada De Laurentis make this treat on her show and I had to try it! I love the flavors of dried cranberry and pistachio. Biscotti is such an elegant dessert cookie and makes a great gift during the holidays!

Recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¾ cup sugar

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

¼ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

¾ cup pistachios, coarsely chopped

2/3 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.
3. Form the dough into a 13-inch-long, 3-inch-wide log on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.
4. Place log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log onto a diagonal into ½ to ¾ inch thick slices. Arrange the biscotti cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.

A couple notes:

Make sure the butter you are using is room temperature so no lumps form in the dough.

I noticed that the biscotti turned golden brown in the oven after about 30 minutes so I took it out a couple minutes early to let it cool before cutting into slices.

After it was cut into slices I only put them in the oven for 15 minutes so they didn't get too dark.

Enjoy!

Winter Bark

This Winter Bark is a dazzling treat that's easy to make. The salted peanuts provide a simple counterbalance to the sweetness of white and dark chocolates. This dessert is perfect to make for a party, give as a gift, or even to enjoy at home!

 

Recipe:

8 ounces white chocolate, chopped

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

7 ounces salted cocktail peanuts (about 1 ½ cups)

1. Place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until chocolate melts. Remove from heat.
2. Melt bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Stir in peanuts. Spread on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, spreading peanuts in a single layer. Drop spoonfuls of white chocolate on top, and swirl chocolates with a skewer. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
3. Break bark into large pieces. Bark will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.

A couple notes:

To make this process even faster, you can melt the chocolate in a microwave. Make sure to heat slowly and stir every 20-30 seconds.

A toothpick is an easy tool to use for swirling chocolate.

Enjoy!

Spiced Chicken Stew with Carrots

This is the second time I have made this Spiced Chicken Stew with Carrots. I found the recipe months ago on the Martha Stewart website and it was such a hit in my family I decided to make it again! The Moroccan spices and golden raisins add delicious flavor to the carrots and chicken in this stew. Its warm and flavorful and makes a wonderful dinner on a cold night!

 

Recipe:

2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch lengths

8 skinless chicken thighs (about 2 ½ pounds total)

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 cinnamon stick

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Coarse salt and ground pepper

¼ cup golden raisins

½ cup cilantro leaves

¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted if desired

1. Place carrots in slow cooker. In a bowl, toss together chicken, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper; add to slow cooker. Cover and cook on high, 4 hours (or on low, 8 hours), adding raisins 15 minutes before cooking is done.
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and carrots to a dish (remove cinnamon stick); top with cilantro and almonds. Season cooking liquid with salt and pepper; spoon over chicken.

A couple notes:

This recipe doesn't include any liquid so I added just enough broth to the crock pot to cover the bottom.

I omitted sliced almonds because I didn't have any on-hand.

I slow cooked this stew for 6 hours but on high for 4 hours works just as well.

Enjoy!

Cabbage-Vegetable Soup

I found this recipe on the Martha Stewart website. This soup is loaded with vegetables and flavor. Your entire body warms as you eat it without giving you a heavy full feeling. This recipe is so flavorful and provides lots of leftovers to enjoy again and again! 

Recipe:

2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced small

2 medium carrots, diced small

2 celery stalks, diced small

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced small

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

½ head (1 ½) pounds green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1. Halve leeks lengthwise; rinse thoroughly, pat dry, and cut into 1/2-inch slices. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, carrots, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add leeks and garlic and cook, stirring, until leeks begin to soften, 2 minutes. Add potato, broth, and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Stir in cabbage and season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Return soup to a boil, then reduce to a rapid simmer. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.
   

A couple notes:

I added a few chopped white mushrooms to the recipe. Their texture and light flavor is great.

Instead of 1 Yukon Gold potato, I used 2 chopped Russet potatoes because I already had them in the kitchen.

I didn't have fresh thyme leaves so I used dried thyme. About ½ tablespoon.


Enjoy!

Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew

Everybody loves a good crock pot meal. Easy to prepare and the food always comes out tasting delicious! I really like to cook chicken in the crock pot because the meat always turns out juicy and tender. The shallots, garlic, rosemary, and mushrooms add an abundance of flavor to the chicken in sweet potatoes in this stew. This recipe provides 6 servings so you will have leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day!

I paired this dinner with a bottle of Carmel Ridge Syrah. I discovered this winery during a recent trip to Cannery Row in Monterey. They have a newly opened tasting room so I decided to give their wines a try. I loved all of them! The grapes are locally grown in Carmel Valley and Monterey County. Support local! I specifically loved the Syrah because of its deep color and fruity aromas. The finish isn't overwhelming and it paired beautifully with the Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew.

Recipe:

6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed, trimmed of fat

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into spears

½ pound white button mushrooms, thinly sliced

6 large shallots, peeled and halved

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1 cup dry white wine

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 ½ tablespoons white-wine vinegar

1. Place chicken, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, shallots, garlic, wine, rosemary, salt and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker; stir to combine. Put the lid on and cook on low until the potatoes are tender, about 5 hours. Before serving, remove bones from the chicken, if desired, and stir in vinegar.

A couple notes:

I cooked this stew on high for 4 hours.

Enjoy!

Greek Pasta Salad

This is a dinner idea that I came up with because I had leftover whole wheat pasta and I wanted to create a fresh healthy dish. I had each of these ingredients already in my kitchen so the pasta salad came together quite easily. The only ingredient that I didn't have on hand was cucumber but it would make a very nice addition to this salad and I will definitely include it next time. This pasta salad makes 4-6 servings and a delicious lunch the next day!

 

Recipe:

½ pound cooked whole wheat pasta

1 can artichoke hearts, quartered

1 can white beans

½ jar Kalamata olives, halved

15 cherry tomatoes, halved

½ red onion, diced

crumbled goat cheese

shaved Parmesan cheese

extra-virgin olive oil

balsamic dressing

salt and pepper

1. Combine pasta, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, tomatoes, red onion and goat cheese in a large bowl. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over everything and combine well. Sprinkle a fair amount of salt and pepper over pasta salad for seasoning.
2. Dress pasta salad with balsamic dressing. Drizzle only enough to coat the ingredients, too much will sit at the bottom of the bowl. Stir well and top with a small amount of shaved Parmesan cheese. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
3. Serve over a bed of arugula.

A couple notes:

As I mentioned above, cucumber would be a great addition to this salad if you have it on hand.

Feta cheese would be a great substitute for the goat cheese in this dish.

Store leftovers in an air-tight container and enjoy for lunch the next day!

Enjoy!

Turkey Tetrazzini and Garlic Carrots

This recipe is an excellent way to use leftover turkey or chicken. After making a couple turkey sandwiches I still had leftover thanksgiving turkey so this recipe was perfect and my turkey didn't have to go to waste. I found this recipe on the Cooking Light website and I made it my own by using Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Rotini pasta. This recipe will make enough for 2 casseroles and included directions for freezing them if you would like. The garlic carrots were a fantastic fresh side dish! Easy to make and adds beautiful color to your dinner plate!

Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe:

1 tablespoon butter

Cooking Spray

1 cup finely chopped onion

2/3 cup finely chopped celery

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¾ teaspoon salt

3 (8 ounce) packages presliced mushrooms

½ cup sherry

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 (14.5 ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

2 ¼ cups (9 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided

½ cup (4 ounces) 1/3 less fat cream cheese

7 cups hot cooked vermicelli (about 1 pound uncooked pasta)

4 cups chopped cooked turkey (about 1 ½ pounds)

1 (1 ounce) slice white bread

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt butter in large stockpot coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, pepper, salt and mushrooms; saute 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add sherry, cook 1 minute.
3. Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup; level with a knife. Gradually add flour to pan, cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly (mixture will be thick) with a whisk. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
4. Add 1 ¾ cups Parmesan cheese and cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until cream cheese melts. Add the pasta and turkey, and stir until blended. Divide the pasta mixture between 2 (8 inch square) baking dishes coated with cooking spray.
5. Place bread in food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form. Combine breadcrumbs and ½ cup Parmesan cheese; sprinkle evenly over pasta mixture.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove casserole from oven; let stand 15 minutes.

If you would like to freeze this casserole:

1. To freeze unbaked casserole: prepare through Step 5. Cool completely in refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing to remove as much air as possible. Wrap with heavy-duty foil. Store in freezer for up to 2 months.
2. To prepare frozen unbaked casserole: Thaw casserole complete in refrigerator (about 24 hours). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove foil; reserve foil. Remove plastic wrap; discard wrap. Cover casserole with reserved foil; bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake at additional 1 hour or until golden and bubble. Let stand 15 minutes.

A couple notes:

This recipe will provide 2 casseroles. I only used half of the pasta the recipe calls for because I didn't feel a whole pound of pasta was necessary.

I used a 10 ounce package of mushrooms instead of 3 (8 ounce) packages. I reduced the amount of mushrooms because I reduced the amount of pasta in the recipe.

I substituted vegetable broth for chicken broth.

I also added slightly less cream cheese and Parmesan cheese because of the reduction in other ingredients.

Garlic Carrot Recipe:

1 pound baby carrots

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

¼ cup hot water

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

dash pepper

1. In a skillet, saute carrots and garlic in oil for 5 minutes. Add water, salt, thyme and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 8-12 minutes or until carrots are tender.

A couple notes:

I prefer to use whole carrots opposed to baby carrots. I find their flavor to much sweeter and fresh!

If you prefer your carrots to be slightly crunchy, be sure to remove from heat after about 7-8 minutes.

Enjoy!

Macadamia Butter Cookies with Dried Cranberries

Yum! I was looking for a dessert recipe that included dried cranberries as one of the ingredients. I specifically chose this recipe because it included macadamia nuts. Combining the rich creamy flavor of the macadamia nuts with the tartness of the dried cranberries these cookies turned out to be fantastic!

 

Recipe:

2/3 cup macadamia nuts

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place nuts in a food processor; process until smooth (about 2 minutes), scraping sides of bowl once. Combine macadamia butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add vanilla and egg; beat well.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and ground nutmeg, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed just until combined (mixture will be very thick). Stir in chopped cranberries. Chill 10 minutes.
4. Divide chilled dough into 30 equal portions; roll each portion into a ball. Place 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a small bowl. Lightly press each ball into sugar; place each ball, sugar side up, on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
5. Gently press the top of each cookie with a fork. Dip the fork with water; gently press the top of each cookie again to form a crisscross pattern. Place 15 cookies on each of 2 baking sheets.
6. Bake cookies, 1 baking sheet at a time, at 375 degrees for 9 minutes or until golden. Remove cookies from pan; cool on a wire rack. Repeat procedure with remaining cookies.

A couple notes:

The dough was more crumbly than the recipe said it would be which made it harder to form into small balls. Next time I may tweak the recipe a bit to use less flour.

Instead of dividing the dough into 30 portions, I divided it into 20 portions. This made the cookies a bit bigger. They took about 11 minutes in the oven to turn golden brown.

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Dinner

This year was the first year I was really involved with cooking Thanksgiving dinner. I searched for delicious healthy recipes that the whole family could enjoy. We were lucky to have gorgeous weather this year. 72 degrees outside provided the perfect environment to grill our Thanksgiving turkey. My dad and I grilled a turkey a couple of weeks ago as a test run for the big day. You can read about our method in my post titled “Grilled Turkey”. We used the same process except we used fresh herbs instead of dried. Paired with my homemade cranberry sauce it was spectacular! Our side dishes included Green Bean Casserole, Sweet Potato Casserole, Sage Stuffing and homemade Cranberry Sauce. Recipes for each dish are posted here on my blog.

 

I paired this years Thanksgiving dinner with a bottle of Tablas Creek Vineyard 2006 Espirit De Beaucastel. The wine is based on the dark red fruit, earth, spice and mid-palate richness of Mourvedre, with additions of Grenache for forward fruit, approachability and lushness, Syrah for mineral, aromatics, and back-palate tannins, and Counoise for brambly spice and acidity. I purchased this wine from their winery in Paso Robles almost a year ago during a wine tasting trip. This is without a doubt one of the best wineries in the Paso Robles region!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Sage Stuffing

This Thanksgiving was my first time making homemade stuffing. I was surprised how easy it turned out to be. This recipe serves 8 to 10 people so I cut it in half to serve 4 to 5 guests. I didn't have fresh herbs on hand so I used dried and the taste was still aromatic and festive. 

Recipe:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 stalks celery cut into small dice

1 medium onion cut into small dice

2 teaspoons fresh chopped sage

2 tablespoons minced thyme

½ teaspoon caraway seed

4 cups chicken stock

Salt and Pepper to taste

10 – 12 dried bread cubes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt the butter in a 10 inch fry pan. Add the celery and onion and saute for 5 minutes.
3. Add sage, thyme and caraway seeds and saute for a minute.
4. Place the bread cubes in a large mixing bowl. Add the sauteed ingredients and the chicken stock to the bread cubes and combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Place all ingredients in a casserole dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden brown.

A couple notes:

I substituted vegetable broth for chicken broth.

I didn't have caraway seed on hand so I omitted it from the recipe.

I used sourdough bread for the bread cubes.

Combine the bread cubes and stock well so that the stock doesn't sit at the bottom of the dish and make the bottom half gooey.

I added 2 stalks of celery even though I cut the recipe in half. The taste, color and crunch was fantastic and fresh.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Sauce

I really wanted to make my own cranberry sauce this year instead of using the traditional canned sauce. This recipe was simple and tasted so sweet and delicious with turkey! I found this recipe on the Real Simple website.

Recipe:

4 cups fresh cranberries

2 cups apple juice

¾ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon orange zest

1. Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook until the liquid has slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, let cool, cover, and refrigerate in a serving dish.

A couple notes:

The sauce can be prepared and refrigerated up to 4 days in advance. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Casserole

I found this sweet potato casserole recipe on skinnytaste.com. I was looking for a recipe that was healthier than the traditional side dish recipe. The use of fresh sweet potatoes, golden raisins, pecans and crushed pineapple was a wonderful addition to this casserole. The recipe as written will provide 10 servings. I cut the ingredients in half to serve 4 to 5 people. Every one in the family can enjoy this dish!

 

Recipe:

2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 5 medium), peeled

½ cup golden raisins

1 teaspoon agave

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

pinch allspice

8 ounce can unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained

2 tbsp chopped pecans

1 cup mini marshmallows

1. Cut sweet potatoes into large chunks; boil potatoes in a large pot covered with water until potatoes are soft if pierced with a fork. Drain and return to the pot.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Mash the sweet potatoes and add in raisins, agave, spices, and pineapple.
4. Lightly spray a casserole dish with oil, spoon in sweet potatoes.
5. Sprinkle with pecans and marshmallows. Bake for 15 minutes.

A couple notes:

I used 1 tablespoon of brown sugar instead of the agave.

Instead of spraying the casserole dish with oil, I lightly buttered the dish.

I used a bit more than just once cup of mini marshmallows to cover the whole casserole.

Enjoy!