Alton Brown's Tart Cranberry Dipping Sauce

 

I made this for Thanksgiving and I thought it was AWESOME! I think I'm one of the few in the family who loves cranberries in all their variations, but others enjoyed it too. I will definitely make it again!

Click the link below for the recipe!

Tart Cranberry Dipping Sauce

Mardi Gras Toffee Crackers

1 sleeve saltine crackers (about 40)

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla 

12 oz white melts, I like Ghirardelli 

Purple, green, and gold sprinkles 

 1. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Place crackers in a single layer. DO THIS FIRST!

 2. Over medium heat, melt the butter, brown sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, let boil for exactly 3 minutes.

 3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Immediately pour this over the crackers. Spread evenly, then bake at 400°F for 4-5 minutes until bubbly.

 4. Microwave the vanilla melts for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until smooth. Pour over the toffee layer and spread evenly.

 5. Sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sprinkles. Make swirl designs if you like!

 6. Let it cool completely, then break into pieces. Once cool, can be placed in the refrigerator to help it set faster.

Lambert's Cafe Macaroni and Tomatoes

I love the macaroni and tomatoes at Lambert's Cafe! It's one of the pass-arounds and it's one of my favorites. Once, after a visit, I wrote to them asking for the recipe. They responded right away!

Thanks for writing to us!! We're so glad to hear you enjoy eating with us. Now, we make our macaroni and tomatoes in a very large quantity, but I have tried to break it down for you, and it should be similar tasting to ours, hope it works for ya!! Come back soon!!

Macaroni and Tomatoes 

1 16oz bag macaroni 
1 8 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 8oz can tomato juice
2 tsp butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar(depending on your preference)
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup diced yellow onion

Boil noodles till tender, drain and set aside. Melt the butter in pan and saute the peppers and onions till tender. Mix everything together in larger pot and bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer for 10-15 minutes and enjoy!!

Lentil and Quinoa Salad

I made this on a Sunday and loved having it for lunch all week. Very refreshing! Add protein by adding chicken, cheese or boiled eggs. Mix it up by adding a different ingredient each day!

2 cups uncooked lentils

1/2 cup quinoa

Chop vegetables:

1 bell pepper, or equivalent multicolor small ones (really pretty!)

1/2 red onion

1 large cucumber, seeded

2 medium tomatoes, seeded

2 cups fresh kale or spinach

For the Dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced fine or pressed

1/4 cup tahini

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

 

Cook lentils as directed on the package, until tender. Drain and cool completely.

Rinse quinoa and cook as directed on the package. Cool.

In a large bowl, add the cooked lentils and quinoa, chopped veggies, and parsley. Mix to combine.

Add dressing ingredients to a jar; Shake to mix thoroughly. Pour over salad, toss to combine.

Serve immediately.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Really Good Instant Pot Pot Roast

I highly prefer oven pot roast, but sometimes I just don't have time to think that far ahead. Enter the Instant Pot.

I don't care for just any pot roast from the instant pot. I like a rich gravy, and that doesn't come naturally if it's not low and slow. I've tried many recipes, and finally found one I really like. This is one I found online, heavily tweaked of course!

Seasonings I used, to taste, mixed with 1/2 cup flour:

Garlic Powder

Onion powder

Rosemary-garlic seasoning

Oregano

Salt and pepper

2 pound beef chuck pot roast, cut into large chunks

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, sliced

6 garlic cloves, rough chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup dry red wine

1 cup beef broth

3 Tbsp, balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

8 new potatoes, whole

1/2 pound baby carrots, or regular carrots sliced in 1 inch lengths

2 Tbsp beef broth

2 Tbsp corn starch

In a bowl, combine seasonings with flour. Dredge meat chunks until thoroughly coated.

Turn Instant Pot to saute. When hot, add the oil and sear roast on all sides. Remove the meat and set aside

Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring, until softened (adding more oil if necessary). Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.

Deglaze pot with wine, scraping up the bits that are stuck to the pot.

Combine broth, vinegar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and onion soup mix. Add to pot and stir to combine.

Add the meat back into the pot, along with remaining vegetables. Put the lid on and turn the valve to sealing. Set the cook time for 60 minutes on high .

Release naturally for 15 minutes, then vent the remaining pressure before opening the lid.

Whisk together corn starch and 2 Tbsp. broth and stir into gravy.

Turn Instant Pot to saute and cook, stirring often, until gravy has thickened.

Serve and enjoy!

Korean Beef Bowl

I discovered this while looking for an easy ground beef recipe that wasn't the same old thing. We both loved it! I left out the spicy stuff until serving because not everyone likes it, and I used low carb brown sugar substitute to make it low carb. Honestly I thought it needed salt, so I'd use regular soy sauce next time.

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds

In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and ginger.

Heat vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat.

Stir in soy sauce mixture and green onions until well combined, allowing to simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Serve immediately, garnished with green onion and sesame seeds, if desired.

From Damn Delicious

French Recipes Used for the Olympics Opening Ceremony

Fromage Fort

From Bon Appetit:

It requires about 8 oz. cheese, room temperature (you can always do more, but depending on the size of your food processor, you may have a hard time doing less). Part of the fun is figuring out which cheeses to play against each other. In general bluer, funkier, or saltier cheeses will have a more dominating flavor than milder cheeses, so use less of them if you want the flavors of any other cheeses to come through. Try balancing 1 or 2 oz. of your blue or funky cheese with 3 or 4 oz. of something mild and buttery, like Muenster or Gouda, and round out the rest with familiar fridge standbys like goat cheese, Parmesan, or cheddar. Grate any harder cheeses and cube or crumble softer cheeses. If you want to add garlic—and you do—give a clove a rough chop.

Toss the cheese in the food processor with a pat of room-temperature butter. Add a splash of dry white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, and blend for a few minutes, scraping down the sides of the food processor bowl after a minute or two. You’re looking for a texture that mimics whipped cream cheese—it should be smooth enough to spread on a cracker but a chip dipped in it probably won’t stand up. The mixture doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth, but it shouldn’t appear to be seeping liquid. If it looks too grainy or isn’t blending into a homogeneous texture, add a touch more wine or butter or both. If it feels too loose, add more cheese. If you’re using more soft cheese, you likely won’t need to use as much butter or wine. Salt or season to taste, although with the amount of cheese, salt probably won’t be necessary. Best enjoyed at room temperature, it keeps in the fridge about a week.

Poulet A'lestragon

From House and Garden:

1 tbsp olive oil
4 chicken leg portions
10 x 15cm sprigs of French tarragon (or, at a pinch 1tbsp freeze-dried tarragon)
250ml white wine
3tbsp crème fraîche

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken until browned on both sides.

Transfer the pieces to an ovenproof dish (one that will accommodate them in a single layer). Tip the fat out of the frying pan and pour in the wine. Bring to the boil, stirring well to release all the brown bits from the base of the pan. Pour over the chicken, and tuck in four of the tarragon sprigs.

Transfer the dish to the oven and cook uncovered for 30 mins. Remove the chicken from the dish and keep warm. Tip the juices into a small pan, and spoon off the fat from the top if there seems to be a lot. Bring the juices to simmering point. Stir in the crème fraîche and the rest of the tarragon. Taste and adjust the seasoning and pour over the chicken.

Haricots Verts

From Tastes Better From Scratch:

2 cup water
1 pound French green beans 
3 tablespoons butter
1 shallot , peeled and chopped
¼ teaspoon salt 
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Place beans in a large skillet. Add 2 cups water to the skillet.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until barely tender, but still crisp. About 5 minutes, tossing occasionally. Drain beans and water and set aside.

Add butter to the skillet over medium heat. Once melted add the shallots and saute for 1 minute.

Add the beans and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Garlic Confit

From Saveur:

(I made about half this amount and used olive oil)

 2 cups canola oil, lard, or rendered chicken or duck fat 
 1 cup garlic cloves, peeled

Simmer oil, lard, or fat with garlic cloves in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium-low; cook until garlic is tender, 35–40 minutes. Let cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Provencal Vegetable Gratin

From Saveur:

6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more
 2 large white or yellow onions, thinly sliced
 Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
 2 tsp. chopped thyme
 1⁄4 tsp. crushed chile flakes
 6 cloves garlic, minced
 1 lb. medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
 1 1⁄2 lb. small, firm eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
 1 1⁄2 lb. ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
 Torn basil leaves, for garnish

Put oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme, chile flakes, and garlic. Cook 2 minutes more.

Heat oven to 400°F. Spread the cooked onion mixture in the bottom of a large earthenware baking dish, about 9 by 13 inches I used a round cast iron pan). Arrange the zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes in alternating rows: Start by making a row of overlapping zucchini slices, standing them vertically on edge. Follow with a row of eggplant, then a row of tomatoes in the same manner, packing the rows tightly together. Continue until the baking dish is filled. Sprinkle the surface of the vegetables generously with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and continue baking for about 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature garnished with the basil leaves.

Leeks in Vinaigrette

From Bon Appetit:

4 large leeks, white and pale-green parts only, tough outer layer removed

Kosher salt
1 small shallot, finely chopped
½ garlic clove, finely grated
1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ cup olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Trim root end of leeks (leave as intact as possible so they don’t break apart while cooking) and cook in a large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, 15–20 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain; let cool. (I would cut in 1-inch pieces next time)

Whisk shallot, garlic, vinegar, Dijon and whole grain mustards, thyme, and sugar in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil and 1 Tbsp. water; season with salt and pepper.

Arrange leeks on a platter, cut side up; drizzle with vinaigrette and let sit at least 10 minutes before serving.

Cherry Clafoutis

From Tastes Better From Scratch:

1 1/2 cups Fresh sweet cherries, pitted or not (or use canned cherries, drained--about 1 can)
3 large eggs , room temperature
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar , plus 2 Tablespoons for topping
1 cup whole milk , or half and half
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
powdered sugar , for dusting on top

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter the bottom of a 9 or 10 inch baking dish or pie plate.

Arrange cherries evenly around on bottom of dish.

In a blender (I used a mixer), add eggs, 1 cup sugar, milk, flour, extracts and salt. Blend until smooth. Pour batter over cherries and sprinkle with reserved 2 Tablespoons sugar.

Bake for about 35-45 minutes, just until custard is set.Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Clafoutis is delicious served warm, room temp or cold.

Store leftover cherry clafoutis in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes

Cherries: Use fresh, sweet cherries or canned cherries (drained) Frozen cherries can also be used, just make sure you thaw and drain the excess liquid first. Cherry Clafoutis is traditionally made with unpitted black cherries but I prefer to use pitted cherries so it's easier to eat. If you decide to use unpitted cherries, make sure your guests are aware.

Variations: Clafoutis can also be made with plums, prunes, apples, pears, cranberries, or blackberries.

Reheating Instructions: Clafoutis lasts about 3 to 4 days, but is best served within 24 hours. It can be eaten cold or warmed up. If you choose to reheat it, microwave it in 15-second intervals until warm, or cover it with foil and bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 5 to 10 minutes.