Candied Yams

 

These were a popular Thanksgiving favorite growing up and continue to be in my home. My kids LOVE them, even my guy with texture issues. They're practically a dessert! You can adjust the brown sugar and butter to make them a little healthier. Serves 8.

Candied Yams

4-5 large yams
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 c butter
3/4-1 c packed brown sugar
bag of marshmallows, large or small

1. Place yams in large steamer (or boil them if you must). Steam about 30 minutes, or until knife enters the largest yam easily. OR steam them in pressure cooker for 10 minutes. Let cool and peel. 

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop yams into bite-sized pieces and place in 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle yams generously with salt and pepper. 

2. Cut butter into small pieces (1/2 Tbsp. or so) and place evenly over yams. Crumble brown sugar evenly over top of yams. Top with marshmallows. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until marshmallows are melted and start to turn golden brown. 

Fall Off the Bone Instant Pot Ribs

I love a good barbecued rib, but the Instant Pot makes fall-off-the-bone ribs in so much less time! My kids ask for these all of the time. Each rack of ribs serves 3-4 (depending how big each person is, 2 racks feeds my family of 6 with a few leftover).

Fall Off the Bone Instant Pot Ribs

*1-2 racks baby back ribs
1 c water
1 Tbsp liquid smoke
1/2 c apple juice, or 1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1-2 c barbecue sauce**
rib rub of your choice, OR

Rib Rub:
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp light brown sugar

1. Rub ribs with rub of your choice, or with rub included. Leave whole, or cut ever 4th rib.
2. Add water, liquid smoke, and apple juice or vinegar to bottom of Instant Pot. Place cooking rack on bottom.
3. Place ribs in pot, circling them around pot for one whole rack of ribs, or stacking them meat-side-up on the rack.
4. Secure lid. Press "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" and cook in high pressure for 25 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally.
5. Meanwhile, line jelly roll sheet with foil. Carefully remove ribs and place meat-side-up on foil. Turn oven on to BROIL. Brush barbecue sauce on top of ribs. Place under broiler 3-4 minutes to caramelize sauce on top.
ENJOY!

* 2 racks fits perfectly in my 8 qt Instant Pot, but I don't know about smaller versions.
** Our favorite is Sweet Baby Ray's

Country Style Chicken and Biscuits

So I have an easy crock pot chicken and biscuits but this is for those times you want to make it fancy-like. It takes time, but if you have a whole chicken lying around and want to make a super hearty comfort meal, this is a winner! My kids love it, especially the biscuits. Bake an extra sheet of them, if necessary for dipping! Serves 8.

Country Style Chicken and Biscuits

1 4-lb whole chicken
8 c water
1 large bay leaf
1 whole clove
4 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 c butter
3 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8-12 mushrooms, quartered
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 c flour
1/2 c milk
3  Tbsp fresh tarragon, or 2 tsp dried
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, or 1 1/2 tsp dried
1 10-oz can refrigerated biscuits

1. Place chicken in large 9-qt stock pot. Pour in water and add bay leaf and clove. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat. As foam rises,skim and discard with ladle. Ad peeled garlic cloves and simmer on low for 1 hour.
2. Remove chicken from pot and let cool a few minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove all meat from bones; set chicken meat aside. Pour stock into a bowl and set aside.
3. In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onions and mushrooms until start to become tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt, white pepper, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper and paprika. Mix in flour, stirring to coat vegetables, about 5 minutes. Stir in half the reserved stock to form a thick sauce. Stir in the remaining stock until sauce is smooth. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered 45 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5. Stir milk into sauce. Gently mix in reserved chicken, tarragon and rosemary. Bring stew back to a simmer for 10 minutes. Open can of biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters; place pieces on top of stew. Cover Dutch oven and cook until biscuits are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Divine Turkey Brine

I tried brine from a packet with my Butterball turkey a couple years ago and I was anything but impressed. This year I bought a random brand turkey from a discount food store and worried about the outcome. Yum! The meat was moist and tasted sooooooo good! I didn't even need to eat with stuffing to give it flavor. So good!
Make sure you use a food grade container to brine the turkey so you don't add any harmful additives to your bird. Makes 1 large turkey.

Divine Turkey Brine

1 gallon chicken, vegetable or turkey broth (4-32 oz cartons, or 16 cups)
1 c  sea salt
1 Tbsp crushed thyme, or 3 Tbsp fresh leaves (or 3 fresh sprigs)
1 Tbsp dried sage, or 3 Tbsp fresh
1 Tbsp dried rosemary, or 3 Tbsp fresh leaves
1 Tbsp dried savory or marjoram
1 gallon ice water
1 turkey up to about 20 lbs

1. Add broth, salt and herbs to large stock pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until salt is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature; pour into a 5 gallon bucket.
2. Remove innards from turkey. Rinse turkey and place in bucket, breast down, making sure liquid fills cavities. Cover and place in fridge (I kept mine in the cold garage) overnight, up to 24 hours.
3. Remove turkey from brine and cook as desired, tossing out brine. Brined turkeys tend to cook about 30 min faster so keep an eye on it. Enjoy!

Delicious Roasted Chicken Rub

This rub is divine! I want to eat the whole bird with this recipe. Good thing I didn't because the leftovers made delicious enchiladas the next day! It was a success with EVERYONE. Makes one whole chicken or about three large breasts . Enjoy!

Delicious Roasted Chicken Rub

1 whole chicken*
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp celery salt
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
2 Tbsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp dried sage, or 1 tsp ground sage
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or a dash of red chili sauce

1. Stir oil and seasonings in small bowl. Let sit 5 minutes for seasonings to re-hydrate a bit. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 475 degrees.
2. Remove giblets from bird, cut off excess skin and rinse in cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel. Place chicken in roasting pan. Rub the...well...RUB all over the chicken, getting under the skin where you can and coating the skin. Add any large chunks of veggies around the bird (quartered potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, etc), if desired.
3. Place chicken in preheated oven.
*2 1/2 to 3 lb chicken cook an hour to an hour 15 minutes
 3 lb to 3 1/2 lb chicken cook an hour 15 minutes to an hour and a half
 3 1/2 lb to 4 lb chicken cook an hour and a half to an hour 45 minutes
 4 1/2 lb to 5 lb chicken cook an hour 45 minutes to 2 hours
If you have a larger chicken, you just might've bought a turkey. :)
4. It's done once internal temperature reaches 180 degrees, juices run clear, drumstick meat falls easily off the bone and there is no pink meat. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

Easy Jäegerschnitzel

I got this yummy recipe from my German friend. Easy and delicious and my kids always go gaga over it. Serve over any noodle or mashed potatoes. Even rice would go well! I'm sure there's better gravy but this is GOOD and EASY so I'm rolling with it. Makes about 8 schnitzels and 2 cups of gravy .

Easy Jäegerschnitzel

1 1/5 lbs boneless pork chops, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 eggs
2 Tbsp water
4 c Italian style bread crumbs
Oil for frying

Mushroom Gravy
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 c diced onion
1-8 oz package mushrooms, sliced
1-15 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c milk

1. Place piece of plastic wrap over a piece of meat. Pound with mallet until about 1/4" thickness (before I owned a mallet I used a hammer, just sayin). Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper; set aside. Repeat for each piece.
2. Heat 1 inch of oil in large skillet over medium heat. Beat eggs and water in a wide, shallow bowl with a fork just until smooth and blended. Pour bread crumbs in another wide, shallow bowl.
3. Dip each piece of flattened meat into egg, then bread crumbs, then egg and bread crumbs again. Once oil sizzles from a drop of water sprinkled onto it, it's ready.
4. Cook two pieces of meat at a time, a few minuets each side until golden brown. Place on a plate covered with a paper towel to drain.

GRAVY

1.  Melt butter in medium sauce pan over medium heat. Saute onion and mushrooms four minutes, or until soft. Stir in soup and milk. Continue to site frequently as it heats up. Remove from heat once it starts to bubble or once it heats to your liking.
2. Pour immediately over schnitzel and noodles or potatoes.

Funeral Potatoes aka Cheesy Potato Casserole

This has always been one of my favorite dishes growing up. We usually had it with steak or ham, steamed veggies and salad. mmmm....Funny it's taken me this long to figure out how to replicate Mom's recipe. It's a comfort meal side dish, often served at funerals (hence its name) but you don't have to wait for someone to die before you make it. You can put the casserole together early, cover and refrigerate, and add 10 to 15 min to bake time. You could add diced ham or chopped chicken to make it a full, heartier meal. Makes 10 servings.

Funeral Potatoes aka Cheesy Potato Casserole

1 2-lb bag frozen shredded potatoes
3 Tbsp butter, melted
2 c sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
2 c shredded cheese
2 c Corn Flakes cereal, crushed
2 Tbsp butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 9x13" baking dish; set aside.
2. In medium bowl, mix melted butter, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, salt, onion powder and shredded cheese until well combined. Stir in frozen potatoes until well mixed. Spread mixture on bottom of prepared 9x13 pan.
3. Mix crushed Corn Flakes and melted butter. Spread evenly over top of casserole. Bake, uncovered, 40 to 50 minutes, or until potatoes in center of casserole are cooked through.

SLOW COOKER

Follow recipe, except replace 9x13" dish with slow cooker pot. Place large paper towel under the lid of the slow cooker, cover and cook on HIGH heat for 4 hours.

Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Tuna

Gnocchi is super fast and easy to make and acts as a great noodle substitute. This creamy dish makes my mouth water just thinking about it! The tuna isn't overpowering and all flavors blend perfectly. From my BHandG Feb 2013 edition. YUM. Serves 4.

Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Tuna

1 16-oz package shelf-stable potato gnocchi
4 c assorted mushrooms, small or chopped, such as shitake or cremini
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 c half and half
2 5-oz cans solid light tuna packed, drained an broken into chunks
1/4 c shaved or grated Parmesan cheese
fresh basil leaves, optional
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease 1 1/2 qt au gratin dish; set aside.
2. In a large pot cook gnocchi in lightly salted water according to package directions; drain.
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat and cook mushrooms and garlic until tender. Stir in half-and-half. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 7 min, or until liquid begins to thicken. fold in gnocchi and tuna. Transfer to prepared dish.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil leaves, if desired, and crushed red pepper.

Early Eats: Prepare the casserole through step 3. Cover and chill up to 48 hours. Bake, covered, for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 to 12 minutes more or until lightly brown and heated through.

Corn Cob and Zucchini Soup

I love to find new, healthy and delicious ways to use the zucchini in my garden. This recipe was in one of my BHandG magazines and boy am I glad I found it. It is served with biscuits that I found disgusting, but would be perfect with Bisquick garlic cheese biscuits (or any bread of your choice). Serves 6.

Corn Cob and Zucchini Soup

8 c chicken broth
4 ears sweet corn, husks and silks removed
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced
2 c chopped cooked chicken
garlic salt and red pepper sauce, optional

1. Pour broth into large saucepan. Cut kernels from corn cobs. Add kernels and cobs to broth. Add onions, zucchini and chicken. Bring to a boil; reduce heat.
2. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Discard corn cobs. Season with garlic salt, if desired, and a few dashes of red pepper sauce.

New England Clam Chowder

I love clam chowder and this was fun and easy to make. I like it from the can, also, but it can get pricy to feed the whole family from a can. Most of these ingredients I have around the house...except clams, of course. But they are at most grocery stores. My kids loved it and were excited to eat clams, which didn't "even taste weird". Serve with warm, crusty bread and a green salad. Serves 6.


New England Clam Chowder

4 slices bacon or 1 c ham, chopped
3 Tbsp butter
1 c chopped onion
3 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 c water
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 c half and half
2 10-oz cans minced clams, undrained
2 10-oz cans chopped clams, undrained

1. Placed chopped bacon or ham in large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook until bacon is crispy or ham is smoking. Melt butter then add onion; cook 5 minutes. Stir in flour for 1 minute.
2. Open clam cans and add just the juice (it's about 2 c) to stock pot. Stir in water, potatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.
3. Pour in half-and-half, add butter. Stir in clams. Continue to stir over medium heat just until it starts to simmer.  Serve immediately.

Swedish Meatballs and Gravy

I love the meatballs from Ikea and I think these rival them! My boys LOVED them with the gravy over mashed potatoes and steamed green beans. There were five left in the pan, which I was looking forward to eating for lunch the next day. I got up to clean my plate and returned to find my 2 year old had gobbled them up. Needless to say they were delicious. Serves 6.

Swedish Meatballs and Gravy

1/2 c Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 c heavy cream
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 c onion, minced
1 lb ground beef
1/3 lb ground pork
1 egg
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 c chicken broth

3 Tbsp flour
2 c beef broth
4 oz sour cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix the breadcrumbs and cream in a small bowl; let sit until crumbs absorb cream, about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, melt 1 Tbsp butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Place onion in large mixing bowl; add ground beef, ground pork, egg, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, allspice and ginger and mix well (I used my hands). Carefully add breadcrumbs and cream.
4. Melt 1 Tbsp butter in large skillet over medium heat. Pinch off 1 1/2 Tbsp of meat mixture per meatball and add to skillet. Cook until just the outsides are brown, about 5 minutes, turning meatballs often (and carefully because mixture is soft). Place browned meatballs in 9x13 baking dish; pour chicken broth and cover with foil. Bake in preheated oven until meatballs and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Prepare gravy.

GRAVY:

1. Pour pan drippings into a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in beef broth. Bring gravy to a simmer, whisking constnatly until tick, about 5 minutes. Just before serving, stir in sour cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve gravy with meatballs.

Slow Cooked Chicken and Dumplings

So yummy, so easy. I CRAVE and make this all the time! Especially on cold days. It fills in all the cracks and crevices. My boys love the dumplings. Serves 4-6.

Slow Cooked Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts*
2 10.75-oz cans cream of chicken soup, plus 2 cans water
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, diced
1/2 c mushrooms, diced
2 Tbsp butter
2 10-oz refrigerator biscuits

1. Add ingredients to slow cooker except refrigerator biscuits. Cover and cook on Low 6 to 8 hours or on High 4 to 6 hours.
2. Last hour of cooking, shred chicken breasts. Remove biscuits from canister and cut each one into quarters. Drop on top of soup. Cover and cook last hour. Serve warm.

* You could cut the chicken into bite size pieces before adding to slow cooker to avoid shredding later.

Bacon Wrapped Poultry and Pan Gravy

I used a whole chicken, adjusting the ingredients a bit. It was very tasty! The whole chicken tasted like smoked bacon. Yum! Such a fun variety on normal chicken or turkey. I love that you rub such deliciousness under the bird's skin; it really makes a flavor difference. I found this in my Better Homes and Gardens magazine, though I tweaked it a bit. Serves 8 plus leftovers.

Bacon Wrapped Poultry

10 slices bacon flavor of your choice
1/2 c onion, finely chopped'
2 tsp dried sage, finely crushed or 2 Tbsp fresh snipped sage
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 tsp pepper, plus more for sprinkling
1 12- to 14- lb turkey, thawed
2 to 3 fresh sprigs sage
1 medium sweet onion, cut in wedges

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Finely chop 2 slices of the bacon; add to medium bowl and mix in chopped onion, crushed or snipped sage, parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Remove neck and giblets from turkey; discard. Rinse turkey; pat dry with paper towels. Starting at neck end of turkey, loosen skin by sliding fingers underneath, separating skin from meat. Rub onion mixture under skin, over breast and toward thighs.
3. Sprinkle salt and pepper inside body cavity. Insert sage sprigs and sweet onion wedges. Pull neck skin to back; fasten with a small skewer (I broke one to make it smaller). Tuck wings under breast. Loop kitchen string (I used dental floss) around drumsticks; tie securely to tail. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Wrap remaining 8 strips of bacon in a lattice pattern over breast. Tuck additional fresh sage leaves into lattice. Cover loosely with foil.
4. Roast 2 hours 45 minutes. Remove foil. Roast 15 to 45 minutes more, or until meat thermometer reaches 175 degrees F. Remove turkey from oven.
5. Cover turkey with foil; let stand 15 minutes. Remove and discard vegetables from body cavity.

Pan Gravy

2 1/2 c pan drippings
1/4 c flour
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Let pan drippings sit a few minutes, until it separates. Use a ladle to skim fat off the top (the oil-colored liquid on top); discard (not down drain unless you want your pipes to clog!).
2. Place remaining liquid in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and bring to a boil; let boil one minute. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper according to taste.

Boneless Pork Chops in Mushroom Sauce

I love pork chops and I love mushrooms; I found a way to combine them that is supremely delicious and easy to boot. Pour the yummy mushroom sauce over your rice or mashed potatoes as well as the pork. mmmmmm....My kids LOVED it. Serves 4.

Boneless Pork Chops in Mushroom Sauce

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 c onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 boneless pork chops
1/2 tsp salt
ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 c chicken broth
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1. Heat olive oil in large skillet* over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, stirring frequently for 4 minutes.  Add pork chops. Sear on each side for 2 minutes, sprinkling salt and pepper on each side. Add chicken broth and sprinkle mushrooms and parsley over top and around chops.
2. Once liquid is boiling reduce heat between low and medium-low and cover skillet. Turn chops after 15 minutes. Re-cover and cook another 15 minutes or until juices run clear and the center is no longer pink (I always cut the thickest one almost in half to make sure it's done).
3. Test liquid before serving, careful not to burn your tongue. Add more salt and/or pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

* Preferably a skillet with a lid, though for years I used aluminum foil and we survived.

Beef Stew

I love beef stew, and while I always liked my mom's growing up, I wanted a version that didn't include mushroom soup. This one is fabulous. PERFECT for dipping breadsticks or rolls or even Italian or white or wheat bread inside. mmmmm...Hits the spot, especially on these cold fall evenings. My boys and husband loved it! I slightly tweaked this recipe off of about.com. Serves 4.

Beef Stew

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb boneless chuck roast, cut into 1-2" pieces
1/2 tsp salt*
1 tsp black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 c red wine*
1 1/3 c beef broth**
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 small potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths

1. Heat oil in heavy pot (w/tight fitting lid). When begins to smoke, add beef and brown.
2. Once browned, move meat to one side and add onion. Stir occasionally 5 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add flour and cook 1 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and cook another minute.
4. Add wine and deglaze the pan, scraping any brown bits stuck to bottom of pan. Simmer wine 5 minutes then add broth, thyme, rosemary and the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook on very low about 1 hour.
5. Add carrots, celery and potatoes; simmer, covered, another 30 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning.
6. Turn off heat and let sit 15 minutes before serving.

* You can substitute beef broth, so adding a total of 1 2/3 total cups.
** I used chicken broth b/c that's all I had and it was awesome. Soups and stews are pretty flexible like that. :)

Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms

I love light, healthy dishes! Especially meat served over rice with a yummy sauce. THIS recipe is very good and has a light, savory flavor. And it's super fast and easy! You can adjust the amount of mushrooms (1/2 lb to 3/4 lb if you don't love them). Serve on top of rice, noodles, or alongside roasted or mashed potatoes (or however you'd like). Serves 4. Enjoy!

Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil
7 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/3 c balsamic vinegar
1 c chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter

1. Heat oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and add to oil; cook until lightly brown on one side, about 3 minutes.
2. Turn chicken breasts and stir in garlic and mushrooms. Cook for another 3 minutes, then add vinegar, broth, bay leaf, and thyme. Once sauce is boiling, cover and simmer over med-low heat for 10 minutes.
3. Remove chicken breasts and set aside, keeping them warm. Turn heat back up to med-high heat and stir in flour and butter; let simmer for 5-7 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Pour this mushroom sauce over chicken breast.

Irish Shepherd's Pie

It is often really convenient to open a can of soup and have a fast, easy meal. But nothing is better than making your own sauce. Mmmmmmmm...this recipe is tasty and filling. I was short on mashed potatoes and didn't have the peas. You can adjust as necessary, but it is best to use all ingredients. My husband raved over it and my 5-year old loved it. Careful with the salt when seasoning the sauce, especially if you use salt in your mashed potatoes. Serves 6 to 8.

Irish Shepherd's Pie


1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp black pepper
1 lb ground beef or lamb
3-4 large carrots, diced
1 large onion, diced
3 sprigs fresh thyme, diced, or 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme, diced
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 c frozen peas
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp butter
1 c red wine or beef broth
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 c chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste

about 6 c mashed potatoes, fresh or leftovers
 
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 9x13 baking dish; set aside.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots and saute until start to get tender. Add onions and cook for one minute then add meat. Season with black pepper and thyme and cook until meat is browned and no longer pink. Drain fat.
3. Add butter and peas. Sprinkle with flour and stir until flour is dissolved. Add tomato paste, wine or beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook three minutes and add chicken stock. Stir until a thick gravy forms. Season to taste, keeping salt content to a minimum, especially if your mashed potatoes have salt in them. Add to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle cheddar cheese evenly over top of meat mixture.
4. Spoon mashes potatoes in baking dish, smoothing evenly over cheese and meat mixture. Brush beaten egg evenly over top of potatoes and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if using.
5. Bake for abut 20 minutes, uncovered, or until the potato is nice and browned on top.

Sausage Gravy

I was craving biscuits and gravy the other day (thanks to odd pregnancy cravings) and this recipe hit the spot. It is super tasty, filling, and easy to make. I love that you can make the gravy in the pan with the sausage. I didn't have ground sausage so I chopped up sausage links. It was okay, but ground sausage is so much better. :) Serves 4.

Sausage Gravy

1/2 to 1 lb ground pork sausage
1/2 c flour
3 Tbsp butter, if necessary
2 c milk
salt and pepper to taste

8 biscuits prepared

1. Cook sausage in large skillet over medium heat until browned and no longer pink.
2. Stir in flour until dissolved. If sausage is low fat and doesn't make enough juice to dissolve flour, add 3 Tbsp butter, melt, and stir until flour is dissolved.
3. Gradually stir in milk. Cook until sauce is thick and bubbly. Season with salt and pepper according to individual preference. Serve hot over prepared biscuits.

Whole Roasted Chicken

You just need a chicken that's around 4 lbs, and a bunch of seasonings you should have in your kitchen already. This chicken was tasty! Serve with a veggie, bread, or whatever tickles your fancy. It's got somewhat sweeter taste to it. My kids couldn't get enough of it! Serves 6-8.

Whole Roasted Chicken

1 4-lb chicken
3 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
6 minced garlic cloves, separated
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1. Grease roasting pan; set aside. Mix salt, sugar, 2 garlic cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
2. Clean chicken by removing innards and rinsing thoroughly with water; place in greased roasting pan. Poke tiny holes all over chicken. Rub seasonings all over chicken, underneath the skin as much as possible. Optional: let marinade in refrigerator up to 24 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Stuff 4 cloves of garlic in chicken's cavity. Place chicken so it is breast-side down in pan (flat side up). Roast 15 minutes at 500 degrees. Turn heat down to 450 and roast 15 minutes more. Reduce heat to 425 and flip chicken over; roast 30 minutes, or until internal temperature is 180 degrees. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Cheesy Chicken

This chicken is SCRUMPTIOUS! Soooo good. Four breast halves are supposed to feed four people, but you'll want more than just a half! I was stealing off the children's plates. What? They weren't appreciating it. ;) My 4 year old loved it (called it "yummy chicken", but could only eat half of a half). So tender and savory! You'd better believe I scraped the yummy cheesiness that baked to the bottom of the pan and ate it with my chicken. YUM-MY. Make it, you won't regret it. Serves...ahem...4. ;)

Cheesy Chicken

1/4 c butter*
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c breadcrumbs
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
3/4 c shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp dried parsley or 1 tsp fresh
1/4 dried oregano or 1 tsp fresh
1/4 ground black pepper
1/4 tsp tsp salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
2. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook about 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. In a shallow bowl, mix the breadcrumbs (Panko are my favorite), Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano, pepper, and salt.
4. Dip each breast in the garlic butter to coat, then coat with breadcrumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken in greased baking dish. Drizzle any remaining garlic butter and crumb mixture over top of breasts. Bake 30 minutes, or until center of breasts are no longer pink.

*You could probably almost half that amount if you wanted to make it less fattening, and skip the step where you drizzle the excess on top before baking.