Boston Market's Creamed Spinach

I'm fixing this tonight - so I don't know how good it is, but it sounds delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons margarine or butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 to 2 tablespoons butter

2 packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Combine flour and butter in saucepan; heat and stir to make roux.

Add milk (more if necessary) and cheese.

In another pot, saute onion and garlic in butter; add spinach.

Cook 10 minutes, or until spinach is hot and onion is translucent.

Add white sauce and mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper.

Note: You can make this ahead and reheat in a casserole (sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs).

New York Strip Roast

This can be expensive, but for special occasions it's worth it!

Difficulty: Easy
Preparation: 3.25 hours (including marinating for 3 hours)
Cook Time: 2 hours
Rating: 5 stars!!!

Source: Epicurious

INGREDIENTS:

4 garlic cloves
8 fresh sage leaves
4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 4- to 5-pound boneless beef loin New York strip roast, fat trimmed to 1/4 inch

DIRECTIONS:


With machine running, drop garlic into processor; blend until finely chopped. Add sage, thyme, oil, salt and pepper; process until paste forms.

Pat meat dry with paper towels. Rub meat all over with herb paste. Cover; chill at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place meat, fat side up, on rack in roasting pan. Roast meat 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Roast meat until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 130°F for medium-rare, about 35 minutes (or 140°F for medium, about 40 minutes). Remove from oven; let stand 20 minutes. Cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices on platter.

Posted by Debi

Sweet Potato Pie

Source: Baking Illustrated Cookbook
Rating: 5 stars
Difficulty: Moderate
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 pie crust, partially baked
2 lbs. sweet potatoes (about 5 small to medium)
2 T. unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs, plus 2 yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 t. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 t. salt
2 - 3 T. bourbon
1 T. molasses (optional)
1 t. vanilla extract
2/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Follow the directions for partially baking the crust until light golden brown. Remove the baked crust from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, prick the sweet potatoes several times with a fork and place them on a double layer of paper towels in a microwave. Cook at full power for 5 minutes; turn each potato over and continue to cook at full power until tender, but not mushy, about 5 minutes longer. Cool 10 minutes. Halve a potato crosswise, insert a small spoon between the skin and flesh and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl; discard the skin. Repeat with the remaining sweet potatoes; you should have about 2 cups. While the potatoes are still hot, add the butter and mash with a fork or wooden spoon; small lumps of potato should remain.

Whisk together the eggs, yolks, sugar, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl; stir in the bourbon, molasses (if using), and vanilla, then whisk in the milk. Gradually add the egg mixture to the sweet potatoes, whisking gently to combine.

Sprinkle the bottom of the warm pie shell evenly with the brown sugar. Pour the sweet potato mixture into the pie shell over the brown sugar layer. Bake on the lower-middle rack until the filling is set around the edges but the center juggles slightly when shaken, about 45 minutes. Transfer the pie to a wire rack; cool to room temperature, about 2 hours then chill before serving.

Posted by Debi

Caramel Macchiato Punch

I found a recipe for Cappuccino Punch, and I made some changes that turned out to be quite a hit!

Brew one pot of coffee.
Add 1 cup of sugar while coffee is still hot. Let cool.
Pour coffee into punch bowl.
Add 12 cups of milk.
Add 1 quart of vanilla ice cream softened.
Add 1 quart of Starbucks Caramel Macchiato ice cream softened.

Stir to blend well. Ladle into cups and top with whipped cream and cinnamon sugar sprinkles. Enjoy!

Posted by Debi

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Energy Bars

Recipe courtesy Dana Angelo White

Prep Time:

10 min

Inactive Prep Time:

1 hr 0 min

Cook Time:

5 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

14 bars

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or molasses
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups crisp brown rice cereal
• 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ (I didn't have this so I used ground flax seed, worked great!)
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup chopped dried figs
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine honey, peanut butter, maple syrup, canola oil, brown sugar, cinnamon. Stir and cook until mixture just begins to bubble, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

In a large bowl, combine oats, rice cereal, wheat germ, peanuts, apricots, figs and salt.

Pour peanut butter mixture over oatmeal mixture and stir gently with a spatula until well combined. Transfer to baking dish, cover with parchment paper and press firmly into dish. Allow to cool completely (will cool faster in the refrigerator). Cut into squares or bars.

Nutrition analysis per serving:

Calories: 240

Total fat: 10g

Saturated fat: 1.5g

Carbohydrate: 30g

Protein: 6g

Sodium: 70mg

posted by: Tracy Lytle

Lytle Thanksgiving Dinner

We are celebrating Thanksgiving a bit early this year.  I LOVE Thanksgiving - it is my favorite Holiday.  Maybe because I love food so much :)  I could go crazy with cooking so many yummy dishes, but I have to limit myself.  Here is our menu this year: 

click each dish and it will take you to the recipe :)

Pumpkin baked ziti 

Roasted turkey

Apple and onion stuffin' muffins

Roasted asparagus wrapped in bacon

Honey glazed carrots

Smashed sweet potatoes

Apple pie with vanilla ice cream (coming soon....)

Apple Pie (reg. & sugar-free)

6-8 good size Jonathon or a good baking apples
1/2 c. water
2 T. butter
1 c. sugar (if sugar-free use 1 c. Splenda)
2 T. flour (heaping!)
2 t. cinnamon (or more or less to your tasting)

Slice apples into a large sauce pan. Add the water to the pan and cook over medium heat until the apples are tender but not too soft. (they will bake the rest of the way in the oven)
Add butter.
In a bowl mix sugar, flour and cinnamon together then add it to the apples and stir.

Pour your filling into an unbaked pie shell then top with a second pie dough crust on top. I then use an egg/milk wash over the entire pie.

Bake at 350 until your pie dough is golden brown.

Pumpkin Baked Ziti

Okay, I know this sounds gross.  But my husband said this is possibly the best thing I've ever made.  Which says a lot if you know my husband :)  I did use fresh homemade pasta, but I am sure it would taste wonderful with whatever pasta you used.  I also used the full fat version!  :)  Enjoy this fabulous fall dish.

Pumpkin Baked Ziti

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen, 2008

Prep Time:

20 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

1 hr 0 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

8 servings

Ingredients

• Butter, for greasing
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (1 pound turkey sausage, for Richard Simons' version)
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 (15-ounces) can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup heavy cream (omit ingredient for Richard Simons' version)
• 1 pound ziti pasta, cooked (1 pound whole wheat ziti, for Richard Simmons' version)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan (1/4 cup Parmesan, for Richard Simmons' version)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter (8) 8-ounce ramekins.

Cook sausage in a large, deep skillet over medium heat until fat is rendered about 8 minutes. Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and set aside. Discard any fat from the skillet in excess of 2 tablespoons.

Add onion, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and oil to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until soft; about 3 minutes. Stir in pumpkin puree, chicken stock and sage. Mix together and add salt. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in cream and sausage. Simmer until the sauce comes together and is thickened slightly.

Add cooked pasta and parsley to the skillet and gently toss all the ingredients together to coat. Divide the rigatoni mixture between the 8 prepared ramekins. Sprinkle the tops of each ramekin with Parmesan cheese and bake for 35 minutes until the topping is golden brown.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Prep Time:

30 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

15 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

6 dozen Iced Pumpkin Cookies

**These were insanely delicious and moist.  I made a few modifications shown in italics.  Enjoy these fall treats!**

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup cooked, pureed pumpkin (fresh or canned)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups unbleached allpurpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (heaping)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch all spice
• Pinch cloves
• 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (omit)
• 1 cup raisins (omit)

Icing:

• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (omit)
• 1 teaspoon triple sec 
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons whipping cream, fresh orange juice or rum

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla and mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir into butter mixture until well blended. Add nuts and raisins. Drop by teaspoonful onto parchment covered baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake about 15 minutes, or until golden. Cool.  **Mine took 17 minutes and turned out perfect!**

Icing: Cream confectioners' sugar and butter. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. (If icing is too thin, add more confectioners' sugar; if too thick, add more cream, orange juice or rum.) Drizzle over cookies.

Recipe courtesy of Beth Setrakian (FoodNetwork)

Modifications by Tracy Lytle

Chicken with Apple, Onion and Cider Sauce

• 
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Cook Time:

  18 min

• Level:

  Easy

• Yield:

  4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large red onion, cut into large pieces
• 1 sweet cooking apple, cored and cut into large pieces
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 1 handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Place the chicken in the skillet smooth-side down and cook until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking dish and bake until cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the onion and apple to the skillet, along with 1 tablespoon oil, if the pan is dry, and increase the heat to high. Cook, tossing, until the onion has wilted slightly and the apple is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the pan. Let the mixture boil until the vinegar becomes syrupy, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and return to a boil. Cook until the broth reduces by half. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and whisk in the butter.

Remove the chicken from the oven; add any collected juices to the sauce. Divide the chicken among four plates and spoon the apple, onion and pan sauce over each piece. Sprinkle with the parsley.

Recipe by: Food Network