Green Peas with Garlic Butter Sauce

1/4 cup unsalted butter
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup unsalted vegetable broth
salt and black pepper to taste

1. Melt the butter in a pan over medium-low heat and saute the garlic until highly fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Add peas and vegetable broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the mixture until the peas are tender but not shriveled, about 4 minutes total.

3. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Serves 4.

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Classic Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Filling:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1.5 tsp ground cinnamon

Cake:
3 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1.5 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1.5 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1.5 cups sour cream

1. Heat oven to 350. Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan.

2. In small bowl, mix filling ingredients; set aside.

3. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

4. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in flour mixture alternately with sour cream on low speed.

5. Spread 1/3 of the batter (about 2 cups) in pan; sprinkle with 1/3 of the Filling (about 6 tablespoons). Repeat twice.

6. Bake about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool 10 minutes.

Note: Cake can be sprinkled with some powdered sugar, if desired.

Serves 12-16.

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Chicken Breast Marinade

3/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp white sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.

2. Pour into a zip-top bag and add chicken breasts.

3. Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Makes enough marinade for 4-6 chicken breasts.

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Drumsticks in Creamy White Wine Sauce

6 slices bacon
8 chicken drumsticks
1/2 cup yellow onion
2 tsp garlic
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
2 cups white wine
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until desired crispiness, usually about 10 minutes. Move bacon to a paper-towel lined plate.

2. If desired, remove skin from drumsticks, then place in the pan with hot bacon grease. Brown chicken for 20 minutes, turning every 3 minutes to prevent chicken from sticking. Remove chicken from pan to a plate.

3. Add onion to skillet and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until onion is tender and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic to skillet and cook for another minute.

4. Return drumsticks and bacon to pan, being sure to arrange bacon evenly around (but not on top of) the chicken.

5. Pour in white wine. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat. Let simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes.

6. Add heavy cream to pan. Gently stir cream in with wine and flip drumsticks over. Allow to cook for another 10 minutes. Serve immediately, sprinkling freshly chopped parsley on top.

Serves 4-6.

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Bacon Scallops with Garlic Butter Sauce

6 slices bacon, diced
2 lb scallops
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup unsalted butter
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 crushed red pepper flakes, optional
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves

1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat; reserving 1 tablespoon in the skillet. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

2. Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry. Season scallops with salt and pepper, to taste. Working in batches, add scallops to the skillet in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until golden brown and translucent in the center, about 1-2 minutes per side. Set aside and keep warm.

3. Melt butter in the skillet. Add garlic, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in bacon and scallops.

4. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Serves 4-6.

Note: We served this with angel hair pasta to capture every bit of that delicious sauce.

(adapted from Damn Delicious)

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Hot Chocolate

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk or any combination of milk, half-and-half, or cream
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1. Whisk together the cocoa, sugar, salt, and about 2 tablespoons milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until cocoa and sugar are dissolved.

2. Whisk in the rest of the milk and heat it over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until it is hot. Stir in the vanilla and serve.

Note: This recipe multiplies easily. When you get up to a quart of milk, use 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Serves 1.

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Spaghetti Squash Alfredo with Pancetta and Peas

1 medium spaghetti squash (about 3lb)
4 oz pancetta, diced
1 medium shallot, diced
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (1/2tsp if dried)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1.5 cups heavy cream
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400. Trim both ends of squash, then stand upright and halve lengthwise. Scoop out seeds with a spoon and discard. Place squash halves cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast until tender, 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. Scrape squash into strands with a fork. Discard skin.

2. While squash is roasting, cook pancetta in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate using slotted spoon; set aside. Add the shallot and thyme to the skillet and cook until softened. about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until mostly evaporated, about 1 minute. Add heavy cream, nutmeg, salt, and a few grinds of pepper.

3. Increase heat to medium high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the peas and Parmesan. Continue cooking until sauce is thick and creamy, about 1 more minute. Remove from heat.

4. Add squash and pancetta to sauce. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring until combined and squash is heated through. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 4.

from Food Network Magazine (October 2015)

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Three Cheese Broccoli Soup

1/4 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (12oz) evaporated milk
4 cups chicken broth
1 bag (14oz) frozen baby broccoli florets, thawed
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 package (8 oz) Velveeta, cut into cubes
1.5 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1. In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook onion in butter 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in flour. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in milk until smooth. Stir in broth, broccoli, pepper and salt.

2. Cover; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let cook slowly for about 45 minutes.

3. Add Velveeta; stir until melted. Add Cheddar cheese and the Parmesan cheese; stir until melted.

Serves 6-8.

Note: Unknown freeze-ability at this time.

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Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

2 lb beef stew meat
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (10.75oz) condensed golden mushroom soup
1 can (10.75 ounces) condensed cream of onion soup
1 jar or can (6oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, cubed
1 container (8oz) sour cream
6 cups hot cooked eggs noodles

1. In 3 1/2- to 4 1/2-quart slow cooker, mix beef, onion, soups, mushrooms and pepper.

2.  Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours or until beef is very tender.

3. Stir cream cheese into beef mixture until melted. Stir sour cream into beef mixture. Serve over noodles.

Serves 6-8.

Note: Freezes well, with or without noodles.

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Broccoli Blue Cheese Bake

4 cups fresh or frozen small broccoli florets (thawed, if frozen)
2 tbsp butter
1-2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup milk or light cream
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1.5 sleeves Ritz butter crackers, made into crumbs
6 tbsp butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a medium baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Put my broccoli in a microwave safe bowl with 2 inches of water and microwave 2-3 minutes. Drain well.

3. In a large saucepan melt, the 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat, until it begins to bubble; add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute.

4. Add the cream cheese, blue cheese, and milk or cream; stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Stir in the broccoli.

5. In a bowl, combine the cracker crumbs with the melted butter until well combined. Remove 1 cup of the cracker mixture and stir it into the broccoli mixture. Season with black pepper.

6. Transfer mixture into prepared dish. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and sprinkle the top with the remaining cracker crumbs. Return to oven and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes.

Serves 4-5.

Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

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Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 can (about 14oz) artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 box (9oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to drain
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 block (4oz) cream cheese, cubed
1 clove garlic, minced
tortilla chips, pita chips, or assorted crackers

1. Heat oven to 350. Mix mayonnaise and Parmesan. Stir in artichokes, spinach, garlic, and bell pepper.

2. Spoon half of the mixture into 1-quart casserole. Add in cubed cream cheese, making sure it is separated and not clumped together in one spot. Sprinkle with mozzarella.

3. Cover and bake about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Stir to combine and serve warm, with crackers or chips.

Makes 24 "two tablespoon size" servings.

Note: Dip can be kept warm for a longer period of time by moving it into a small slow cooker set to low.

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