Eggnog Truffles Recipe

Ingredients:

16 oz white chocolate 

4 oz cream cheese, softened

¼ c powdered sugar

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp imitation rum extract

Instructions:

In a small bowl, cream together cream cheese, powdered sugar, nutmeg, and rum extract.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt half of the white chocolate for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave, stir, and repeat in 30 second intervals until the chocolate is completely smooth.

Add the chocolate mixture to the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth.

Refrigerate for about 2 hours or until chilled and slightly more firm.

Melt the remaining chocolate.

Remove the cream cheese and chocolate mixture from the fridge, and roll into one-inch balls. Roll each ball in the white chocolate, and place on a wax-paper lined cookie sheet.

You can sprinkle the top with nutmeg as a garnish

Maple Vinaigrette

• 1/2 c olive oil
• 1/4 c maple syrup
• 1/4 c apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

TO MAKE:

Mix all INGREDIENTS together in a jar. You can keep out on the counter for a month.

This recipe adapted from Naptime Kitchen.  If you don't follow Kate you should.  She has great tips and recipes.

Maple Glazed Salmon and Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

kosher salt and black pepper

1/2 pound brussels sprouts halved

2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a 9x13 inch baking dish, whisk together the maple, soy sauce, orange juice, cayenne, and pepper. Place the salmon flesh side down in the maple sauce. Let sit 15 minutes.

On a baking sheet, combine the brussels sprouts,olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss well to evenly coat. Place in the oven and roast for 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes, remove the salmon from the maple sauce and add to the baking sheet with the brussels sprouts. Transfer to the oven and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the salmon has reached your desired doneness.

Meanwhile, pour the remaining maple sauce into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce has reduced into a glaze.

Drizzle the glaze over the salmon and serve with the roasted brussels sprouts.  I also served with mashed potatoes and doubled the sauce.

Adapted from Half Baked Harvest.

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour 

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp  cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground ginger

3/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 c granulated sugar

3/4 c packed light brown sugar

11/2 c  pumpkin puree 

1/2 c  oil

1/4 c milk

2/3 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a metal 9×5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray. 

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt together until combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin, oil, and milk. Pour these wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix together using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon. There will be a few lumps. Do not over-mix. Gently fold in the chocolate chips, if including.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60–65 minutes, making sure to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent the top from getting too brown. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with only a few small moist crumbs. This may be before or after 60–65 minutes depending on your oven, so begin checking every 5 minutes around the 55-minute mark.

Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing and slicing.

Cover and store leftover pumpkin bread at room temperature for up to 3–4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Salisbury Steak

My husband has declared this his new favorite.   Recipe modified from PW

Ingredients

FOR THE STEAKS:

1 lb. ground beef 

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp. ketchup

1 tsp. light brown sugar

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 c. breadcrumbs

1 tsp. mustard powder

3/4 tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

FOR THE GRAVY:

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt 

1 1/2 c. beef stock

3 tbsp. half and half

1 tbsp. ketchup

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. mustard

Directions:

For the steaks: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, egg, breadcrumbs, mustard, seasoning salt, and pepper. Stir together until thoroughly combined. Divide the mixture into 4 even portions, about 4 ounces each. Firmly press into 1-inch thick, steaks.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Place the steaks in the skillet and cook until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, 6 to 8 minutes more. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

For the gravy: In the same skillet over medium heat, add the mushrooms and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and the mushrooms are lightly browned, about 6 minutes. 

Add the butter and stir to melt. Add the flour and seasoned salt and stir together until no streaks of flour remain, about 1 minute. 

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the beef stock. Scrape the bottom of the skillet to remove any browned bits and stir until smooth. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly.

Stir in the half and half, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Allow the gravy to return to a light simmer, stirring occasionally. Add the steaks back into the skillet, spooning the gravy on top to coat. Let cook for 2 to 3 minutes to rewarm.

Strawberry pie filling

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh strawberries, tops removed

¾ c granulated sugar

1 c boiling water

3 Tbsp cornstarch

2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Place 1 ½ cups of the berries into the bowl of a food processor or blender and puree. Add the sugar, boiling water, and cornstarch and blend until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once the mixture starts to boil, continue to boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. The mixture will be very thick and should become less cloudy and more jam-like as it cooks.

After 3 minutes, remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and allow the glaze to cool while you prepare the rest of the strawberries.

Halve or quarter the remaining berries. Fold into the glaze to thoroughly coat.

Pour into a pie crust or chill the filling in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Stir well before using as a topping.

Notes:

Store this pie filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, although it is at its best within the first day.

Store any pies made with the filling in the fridge as well until ready to serve.

Do not freeze this pie filling.

I do not recommend using frozen strawberries for this recipe. 

Instant Pot Potatoes

So EASY.  Just add 1 cup water to the instant pot then add potatoes..

Smaller Russet Potatoes (5 oz each) – 12 minutes on high pressure with a natural pressure release.

Medium Russets (6-7 oz) – 14 min + natural release

Large Russets (8 oz) – 16 min + natural release

Extra Large Russets (10-14 oz) – 18-20 min + natural release

Leprechaun Loaf

INGREDIENTS

Quick Bread:

1 yellow cake mix

2 boxes pistachio instant pudding mix (3.4 oz)

4 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/8 cup water

1 cup sour cream

Green food coloring as desired 

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar 

2 TBSP melted butter

1 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix ingredients together until well combined. Set aside.

Grease 2 regular size loaf pans and sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon (I use 2 TB sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon) on the inside.

Pour half the batter into each pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Let cool.

Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 TB melted butter, 1 tsp. almond extract, and 1 tsp. vanilla to make a glaze. Add a few tablespoons of milk, until it's the consistency that you like.

Drizzle glaze over bread and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Serve and enjoy!

Puff Pastry

Ingredients:

10 ounces (2 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter

1/2 cup cold tap water

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

Directions:

Cut 2 sticks butter into 1/2 pieces, place on a plate and refrigerate while preparing remaining ingredients.

Measure water and add salt; stir to dissolve and set aside.

Coarsely dice remaining 1/2 stick butter.

Place flour in work bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade; add 4 tablespoons butter and pulse until butter is absorbed -- about ten to twelve 1-second pulses.

Add remaining butter and pulse once or twice to distribute. 

Add water and pulse 3 or 4 times, just until dough forms a rough ball. Do not over-process.

Flour work surface and scrape dough from work bowl. Shape dough into a rough rectangle and place between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. 

Press dough with rolling pin to flatten, then roll back and forth several times with rolling pin to make a 12 by 18 inch rectangle of dough.

Peel away plastic wrap and invert dough to floured work surface. Peel away second piece of wrap. Fold dough in thirds in the width, folding the top third down and the bottom third up, to make a 6 by 18-inch rectangle, then roll up the dough from one of the 6-inch ends, making sure to roll end under dough.

Press the dough into a square, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour, or until firm.

Sourdough pancakes

Ingredients:

Overnight sponge

2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 cup sourdough starter, unfed/discard

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 cups buttermilk

Batter

all of the overnight sponge

2 eggs

4 Tbsp butter, melted

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Instructions:

To make the overnight sponge: 

In a large bowl, stir together the 1 starter, flour, sugar, and buttermilk.

Cover and let rest for about 12 hours, or overnight.

To make the batter: In a small bowl or mixing cup, beat together the eggs, and oil or butter. Add to the overnight sponge, stirring just to combine.

Add the salt and baking soda, stirring to combine. The batter will expand and may bubble a bit.

To make pancakes: Pour the batter by the 1/4-cupful onto a preheated, lightly greased griddle. Cook until bubbles form and pop on the top side of the pancakes, then turn over and cook until browned underneath.

This can also be used for waffles.