Pasta with Sausage, Peas and Butternut Squash Cream Sauce

Taken from Martha Envy

2 cups (1/2 squash) butternut squash, peeled and cut in to large dice
half package of kielbasa-like sausage
half of a yellow onion
1 clove garlic
1 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup heavy cream
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 cups thawed frozen peas
1 lbs pasta
handful of Parmesan

1. Steam squash and puree in blender until smooth.
2. Brown sausage in large skillet over medium heat. When finished, remove.
3. Add a bit of olive oil to skillet. Saute onions until translucent and then add garlic, cooking for a few more minutes.
4. Deglaze skillet with chicken stock, stirring to get all the browned bits.
5. Add pureed squash to the pan and whisk until smooth.
6. Once sauce starts to bubble, whisk in cream. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
7. Cook pasta. Drain and reserve some cooking water.
8. Add pasta to sauce, along with sausage and peas. If mixture seems dry or pasty, add reserved pasta water.
9. Turn off heat. Stir in Parmesan and serve.

Steaks with Red Wine and Rosemary Sauce

Taken from Martha Envy

3 Tbs olive oil
2 steaks (ribeye, Delmonico or New York strip)
Salt and pepper
2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus two springs
3/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup beef stock
1 Tbs butter, cold
1 Tbs Dijon mustard

Heat the oil over medium high in skillet. Heat oven to 250.

Rub steaks all over with salt, pepper and chopped rosemary.

When screaming hot, sear steaks for about 4 minutes per side (and if they're very thick, sear the short sides as well), until thermometer reads 130 degrees.

Place steaks on cookie sheet or oven proof platter in oven while you cook the sauce.

Reduce heat to medium, and deglaze with wine. Add rosemary sprigs. Cook until almost mostly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add stock, and cook a few minutes more until reduced further. Turn off heat and whisk in butter and mustard. Add any accumulated juices on cookie sheet/platter. Season sauce with salt and pepper and spoon over steaks.

Herbed Risotto with Chicken and Caramelized Onions

Taken from Annie's Eats

1½ tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
Pinch of sugar
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
¾ tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 cups Arborio (medium grain) rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
2 tbsp. minced fresh chives
Ground black pepper

Directions:
Add 1½ teaspoons of the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sugar, stirring to coat. Allow the onion to cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown and caramelized. Remove the onions to a plate and set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the chicken broth and water and bring to a simmer. In the meantime, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet used to cook the onions set over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to the heated skillet and cook, turning once, until each side is a light golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the chicken pieces to the saucepan with the simmering broth mixture. Let cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165˚ F or until cooked through (no longer pink). Remove the chicken from the broth and transfer to the plate with the onions.

Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the rice to the pan, stirring to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the grains are translucent around the edges, about 3 minutes.

Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, about 2-3 minutes. Stir 5 cups of hot broth mixture into the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and the rice is just al dente, 16-19 minutes, stirring twice during cooking.

Add ¾ cup of the hot broth mixture to the risotto and stir gently and constantly until the risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan. Remove the pot from the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Stir the shredded chicken and caramelized onions into the risotto with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, lemon juice, parsley and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add up to ½ cup of the remaining broth mixture to add moisture and loosen the texture. Serve immediately.

Short Ribs

Taken from Bon Appetit

5 pounds beef short ribs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/4 cups dry red wine
1/2 cup low-salt beef broth
1/3 cup medium-dry Sherry
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 bay leaves
1 large fresh thyme sprig

Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Melt butter in large wide pot over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook beef until browned, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to large rimmed baking sheet. Add celery, carrots, and onion to pot and sauté until beginning to soften and brown, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add wine, broth, Sherry, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme sprig; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Season with salt and pepper. Return ribs to pot, propping up on sides and arranging in single layer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour.

Using tongs, turn ribs over in pot. Cover and simmer until ribs are tender and sauce is very thick, occasionally rearranging ribs in pot to prevent sticking, about 1 1/2 hours longer. Uncover and cool 30 minutes.

Transfer ribs to work surface. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprig. Spoon off fat from sauce in pot. Remove meat from bones; discard bones. Cut meat into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces, trimming any fat. Return meat to pot. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill until cold; cover and keep chilled. Rewarm just until lukewarm before using.

Beef Barley Soup

Taken from Throwing Spoons

2 pounds cubed beef chuck roast
1 - 2 tablespoons oil
2 - 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
5 1/2 cups water (or 5 cups stock, 1 cup water)
4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules (or 4 cubes, crumbled) - only if using water, not stock
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or 4 cloves, pressed
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
3/4 cup uncooked pearl barley, rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown cubed beef in oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Do this in a couple of batches, so beef will brown properly. If the pan is overcrowded, beef will stew in its juices and turn gray instead of browning. Add browned beef to slow cooker.

Add carrots and 1 cup water to skillet; cook carrots just until tender. Add carrots (and water, if using water instead of stock) to slow cooker.

Add remaining water and bouillon (or stock), onion, garlic, tomato sauce, barley, salt and pepper to slow cooker. Stir to combine.

Cover, and cook on low for 5 hours.

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Taken from Confections of a Foodie Bride

1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne
1lb smoked sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 tsp Tony Cachere’s
1 1/2lb chicken, cut into 1-in cubes
3 bay leaves
3 cups rice
3 cups water
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup chopped green onions

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, salt and cayenne. Stirring often, brown the vegetables for about 20 minutes, or until they are caramelized and dark brown in color. Scrape the bottom and sides to loosen any browned particles. Add the sausage and cook, stirring often for 10 to 15 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides to loosen any browned particles.

Season the chicken with Tony Cachere’s. Add the chicken and the bay leaves to the pot. Brown the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes, scrapping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned particles. Add the rice and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to coat it evenly. Add the water and stock, stir to combine, and cover. Cook over medium heat for 30 to 35 minutes, without stirring, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the green onions and serve.

Macaroni Grill's Carmella's Chicken Rigatoni

Taken from Lauren's Kitchen

Butter
8oz baby bella mushrooms
1/2 sweet onion caramelized
8 oz grilled chicken breasts (chunked)
salt and pepper
2t dried basil
4oz of Marsala wine
10 oz heavy cream
12oz rigatoni (cooked)
2oz shredded Parmesan

Melt butter in pan. Saute mushrooms, chicken, basil, caramelized onions salt and pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes.

Add Marsala wine and cook for 1 minute.

Add heavy cream and bring to a boil for 2 minutes.

Dump cooked rigatoni in pan (if you have room in your pan. If not dump mixture over bowl of cooked rigatoni and mix.

Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Bubbe's Brisket

Taken from Not Your Bubbe's Kitchen

The ingredients:

2 cups yellow onion (about 2 medium large onions), sliced

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large carrots, chopped

2 large celery stalks, chopped

1 bay leaf

2.5 lbs of beef brisket

1 tbsp kosher salt

cracked black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup of water

4 cups of pale dry ginger ale - it's about 1 liter.

1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar1/2 cup Ketchup

1/2 cup- brown sugar & hickory BBQ sauce

a touch of honey (maybe 1 tbsp-- yes, eye ball it)

4 Yukon gold potatoes, quartered

Slice the onions, mince the garlic. In the meanwhile, set your crockpot to high).

In your dutch oven or crock pot insert (make sure it's one that can be used on the stove top!), heat 1 tbsp of the oil.

Add the sliced onions and minced garlic until onions are translucent in color; and softer to touch.

Remove onions and garlic for the time being to a small bowl.

Add other tbsp of oil to crock pot. Season brisket with half the salt and some pepper. Place this

side down in the crock pot. Season the other side with remaining salt and more pepper. Let each side of the brisket cook on high for about 3 minutes- until the brisket is more brown and has a bit of a crust on it.

Next, add the onions/garlic back to the crock pot.

Place the crock pot insert into the crock pot. Add 1/4 cup water, 4 cups or so of ginger ale, the carrots, the celery, the ketchup, the brown sugar, the bbq sauce, the honey, and the bay leaf.

Cook this on high for 6- 8 hours. When it is done, place it in the fridge over night.

Wake up the next morning, and place it in your crock pot again. Add the quartered potatoes. Cook on high for 4 more hours.

In a small bowl, take 1 -2 tbsp of cornstarch and add some water- enough to dissolve the cornstarch. Add this mixture to the crock pot.

Now, set the crock pot to low for another 4 hours.

Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Taken from Joelen's Culinary Adventures

1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground beef (85/15)
1 slice day old bread, processed into crumbs
4 strips bacon, cooked, cooled and crumbled
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced bell pepper (any color of your choice)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 green onions, thinly sliced (green part only)
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, add all the ingredients except the ketchup and mix to combine.

Place mixture in a standard loaf pan or divide the mixture equally between 4 mini loaf pans. Top the meatloaf with the ketchup.

Place filled loaf pan(s) on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes to 1 hour if in a standard loaf pan, or 30-35 minutes if in mini loaf pans.

Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.original Joelen recipe

Honey & Thyme Brined Turkey

Taken from MyRecipes.com

7 cups water, divided
3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
6 thyme sprigs
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups ice cubes
1 (6-pound) whole bone-in turkey breast, skinned
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Cooking spray
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Combine 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons pepper, and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and remove from heat. Pour into a large bowl; cool to room temperature. Add remaining 6 cups water, salt, honey, and sugar, stirring until salt and sugar dissolve. Pour salt mixture into a 2-gallon zip-top plastic bag. Add ice and turkey; seal. Refrigerate 24 hours, turning the bag occasionally. Remove turkey from bag, and discard brine. Pat turkey dry with paper towels.

Rub turkey with oil. Combine 1 tablespoon pepper and chopped thyme; rub over turkey.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Place the turkey on a roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 1 hour or until thermometer inserted into thickest portion of the breast registers 180°. Place turkey on a platter. Cover with foil; let stand 15 minutes. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Market's A Very Adult Mac & Cheese

1 lb elbow macaroni
2 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
1 cup sour cream
3 Tbls Dijon mustard
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup Fiscalini cheddar (or other artisinal sharp cheddar); grated
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano; grated
1/2 cup Hobb's bacon; cooked and crumbled
3 Tbls parsley; chopped
3 Tbls chives; chopped

Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain noodles and toss with 2 Tbls extra virgin olive oil. Allow to cool to room temperature. Once noodles are cool, toss with sour cream and Dijon.

Toast Panko crumbs on baking sheet at 275 for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Heat heavy cream until hot but not boiling. Add grated cheddar and parmesan. Stir until cheese is melted. Add the pre-cooked noodles and bacon and stir to combine. Once the noodles are heated through, add the parsley and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour into a serving dish and top with toasted Panko crumbs.

Country Chicken Kiev

Chicken
10-12 chicken cutlets; trimmed and pounded flat
1 stick butter; melted
bread crumbs (mixed with Parmesan, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper)
1 lb imported ham; sliced
3/4 lb Swiss cheese

Sauce
1 stick butter; melted
3/4 cup scallions; diced
1/2 cup white wine

Lay cutlets flat and place ham and cheese on top. Holding together with your fingers, roll overlapping ends together underneath. Dip rolled piece into melted butter and roll in bread crumb mixture. Place rolls on baking pan. Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. Baste chicken with sauce while cooking.

Mom's Meatloaf

2 lbs ground beef
2 cups bread crumbs (3 slices)
3/4 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp mustard
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients. Bake at 400 for 50 minutes.

Skillet Chicken, Broccoli, Ziti, and Asiago Cheese

Taken from America's Test Kitchen

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) cut into 1-inch squares
salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 ounces ziti
2 3/4 cups water
1 2/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 ounces broccoli florets (4 cups)
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped coarse (I left these out)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese, plus extra for serving
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (1/2 a lemon)

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 1 minute without stirring. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until most, but not all, of the pink color has disappeared and the chicken is lightly browned around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl and set aside.

2. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Add the ziti, 2 cups of the water, and the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is very thick and syrupy and almost completely absorbed, 12to 15 minutes.

4. Add the broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, and the remaining 3/4 cup water. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the broccoli turns bright green and is almost tender, 5 minutes.

5. Uncover and return the heat to high. Stir in the cream, Asiago, and reserved chicken with any accumulated juices and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked and heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing more grated Asiago at the table, if desired.

Crock Pot Coconut Peanut Curry Chicken

Taken from Cara's Cravings: My Life in the Kitchen

Ingredients
10oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
salt & pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 cup light coconut milk
1/2 tsp coconut extract
4 tbsp peanut butter
juice from 1/2 lime
1 large scallion, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
additional lime wedges

Directions
Stir together the garlic, ginger, curry powder, coriander, jalapeno, coconut milk, peanut butter, and lime juice. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place in the crock pot. Pour the sauce mixture over, turn to coat, and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice with chopped cilantro, scallions, and lime wedges.

Note: if you have a large crock pot that tends to overcook small portions of food, place your dinner-for-two inside an ovenproof casserole dish with a lid. This will reduce the amount of food surface area exposed to the heat and keep your food nice and moist.

Incredulada Enchiladas

Taken from bakin' and eggs

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (about 3 chicken breasts)
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
1/4 cup diced jalapeno peppers (optional)
8 ounce block cream cheese, softened
Salt and pepper, to taste
12 (6 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese
Cooking spray
Salsa
Sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and saute onions until they begin to soften and become translucent. Add garlic, chilies and peppers and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese and chicken. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon mixture into tortillas, roll and place seam side down in baking dish. Pour cream over enchiladas and cover with cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until cream thickens and cheese is bubbly.

Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Basil Chicken Bake

1 ½ lbs. boneless chicken
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup plain bread crumbs
½ cup parmesan cheese
2 Tbls. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1. Place chicken in casserole dish
2. Chop basil and add to mayonnaise, mix, then spread onto the chicken.
3. Combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic, oil, and salt & pepper
4. Spread on top of the mayonaissed chicken and press lightly
5. Bake at 425 degrees for 18 to 22 minutes.

Dijon-Thyme Chicken

Taken from Lauren's Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted (substituted Smart Balance 50/50 spread)
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme (used 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
• bread crumbs, enough to cover all pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, combine the butter, mustard, onion, garlic, thyme and pepper flakes.

Dip chicken in butter mixture, then coat with bread crumbs.

Place in a greased baking dish.

Bake, uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

Taken from Telly's Tasty Tidbits

4 b/s chicken breasts, cubed
1 can cream of celery soup
8 oz sour cream
1 package Stove-Top Chicken and Herb stuffing, cooked per instructions on the box
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup frozen green beans

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 and spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray
• Place chicken in bottom of prepared dish
• In a bowl mix soup and sour cream and top on chicken
  
• Add cheese
• Top with prepared Stuffing mixture
• Bake in 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is done and casserole is bubbling and golden!

Shish Kabobs

Taken from Elly Says Opa

1 lb lamb or pork tenderloin, cut into chunks
peppers, onions, or any other vegetables you would like, cut into chunks
Juice of 1-2 lemons
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Mix lemon juice, oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Put meat and vegetables in a large ziplock bag and pour marinade mixture into bag. Seal and shake bag. Refrigerate for several hours.

Place meat and veggies on skewers (if you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about half an hour beforehand, so they don’t char). Grill!