Twice-Baked Cheesy Ranch Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 medium baking potato per person

Sour cream

Ranch seasoning

Cheddar cheese, shredded + additional shredded cheese for topping

1 Tblsp. butter per potato, softened but not melted

Milk

Crumbled bacon (optional)

Sliced green onions (optional)

Preparation:

1. Bake potatoes, either in microwave (easiest) or in the oven.

2. Allow potatoes to cool, but do not disturb the skins.

3. Once potatoes are cool, cut each potato in half lengthwise.

4. Using a spoon, gently scoop out the inside of each potato half, being careful to leave enough potato "in" the skin to keep the potato half somewhat rigid.

5. Put all of the potato flesh into a mixing bowl.

6. Add sour cream, seasoning, cheese and butter to the potatoes, to taste. Mix together with a hand or stand mixer. If the mixture is too thick to mix smoothly, add a little milk until potato mixture is still thick, but smooths out.

7. Add additional seasonings, sour cream and cheese, to taste.

8. Gently spoon potato mixture into potato halves, heaping them slightly.

9. Place potato halves into casserole dish.

10. Top potato halves with remaining cheese. Sprinkle on bacon and/or green onions, if desired.

11. Cover casserole dish with foil, being careful to not let the foil touch the tops of the potatoes.

12. Bake in 325-degree oven for approximately 20 minutes, then check to make sure potatoes are heated through.

13. Once potatoes are heated through, remove foil and let the tops brown, about 3-4 minutes.

Chinese Chicken and Vegetables with Rice

 Ingredients:
1 cup cranberry juice or sweet tea
½ cup soy sauce
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized slices (not cubes)
½ white onion, sliced thin
10-15 mini carrots, sliced into thin strips about 1.5” long
1 medium zucchini or yellow squash, sliced into thin strips about 1.5” long
½ bell pepper (or yellow, orange or red), sliced into thin strips about 1.5” long
1 ½ cups broccoli crowns, separated into small florets
3 green onions, sliced thin
2 Tblsp dried scallions
1 Tblsp sesame seeds
3 Tbsp olive oil
3+ Tbslp Kinder’s Japanese BBQ seasoning
1+ Tblsp Kinder’s Red Garlic seasoning
1 cup Korean BBQ sauce
 
Preparation:
1. Two or more hours before cooking, marinate chicken in cranberry juice/sweet tea and soy sauce.
 
2. After marinating is finished, discard marinade, then heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
 
3. Add chicken to skillet, working in batches as necessary to make sure all chicken in skillet is flat on the bottom of the skillet at all times.
 
4. Sear chicken on both sides, adding Japanese BBQ seasoning and Red Garlic seasoning while it cooks. If chicken breasts were large, adjust seasoning amounts accordingly.
 
5. Once chicken is cooked through, remove from skillet using a slotted spoon and keep warm. Leave juice and oil in skillet.
 
6. Add onion, carrots and broccoli to skillet, and begin to saute.
 
7. Once onion has just begun to turn clear (2-3 minutes), add bell pepper and zucchini to skillet.
 
8. Season vegetables with Kinder’s seasonings, to taste, then cover skillet.
 
9. Reduce heat to medium-low, and allow vegetables to steam for 3-4 minutes. Do not let vegetables get limp.
 
10. Add chicken back to skillet and mix gently into vegetables.
 
11. Add green onions and Korean BBQ sauce.
 
12. Simmer for 3-4 minutes on medium-low heat until fully heated through. Don’t let vegetables overcook.
 
13. Gently mix in scallions and sesame seeds.
 
14. Serve immediately over/with rice.

Tata's Kidney Bean Salad (Grumpy's mom)

Ingredients:
1 egg

1 Tblsp. flour

3 Tblsp. water

3 Tblsp. vinegar

White onion, chopped

1 Tblsp. butter

1 Tblsp. milk

2 Tblsp. sugar

2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Sweet pickles, chopped

Preparation:

1. Slightly beat egg.

2. Cook egg and flour over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.

3. Add water and vinegar and stir vigorously until creamy.

4. Add milk and sugar.

5. Pour mixture over kidney beans.

6. Add sweet pickles and white onion, to taste.

7. Let stand several hours before serving.

NOTE: Sauce can also be used as cole slaw dressing.

Aunt Jo's Green Beans

Ingredients:
Canned green beans

Canned tomatoes, diced

Lean, thinly sliced steak

Onion, finely sliced

Nutmeg

Cinnamon

Lemon juice

Butter

Preparation:

1. Brown onion and steak in butter.

2. Place all ingredients except lemon in a stewpot and simmer.

3. Coat chicken legs with oil or sauce, and season as desired.

4. Add lemon to taste, slowly while simmering.

5. Serve over rice.

Grilled Stuffed Tomatoes

 Ingredients:

6 large tomatoes

2 Tblsp. chopped green onions

2 Tblsp. chopped basil leaves

6 oz. goat cheese

Salt and pepper

2 Tblsp. olive oil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Core the tomatoes and remove all the seeds and juice. Preserve the flesh inside as much as possible.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the onions, basil and goat cheese, then season with salt and pepper.

3. Stuff the tomatoes with the cheese mixture.

4. Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes, then top with the Parmesan cheese.

5. Place the tomatoes directly on a grill heated to medium heat with the cover closed, and cook for about ten minutes, or until filling gets bubbly and cheese on top is melted. 

Tabouleh

Ingredients:

2/3 cup bulgur wheat

½ cup boiling water

1 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

½ cup olive oil

½ tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 bunches of fresh parsley (4 cups)

1 bunch green onions (2/3 cup)

4 Roma tomatoes (1 ½ cup)

2 Tblsp minced garlic

Preparation:

1.    Put wheat in a bowl. Pour boiling water over it. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir and set aside for 1 hour.

2.    Thoroughly rinse parsley and dry (use a salad spinner for ease).

3.    Line up parsley leaves and chop finely. Only chop the very tender and small parsley stems. Discard lower portions of stems with no leaves. DO NOT USE A FOOD PROCESSOR.

4.    De-seed the tomatoes and finely dice.

5.    Finely chop the onion, white bottoms and 2/3 of the green part. Discard the upper portion of the green part.

6.    After an hour, check to make sure wheat is tender. Once tender, mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and stir gently.

7.    Add salt and pepper to taste.

NOTE: Can add finely chopped mint and cucumber, if desired.

Tomato Tart

Ingredients:
4 Tblsp butter
2 whole (large) onions, Thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 whole store-bought pie crust (or 1 large homemade crust)
1 1/2 cup Fontina or Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Gruyere or Swiss cheese, grated
3 cups cherry tomatoes (red or yellow, or combo)
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
16 whole basil leaves

Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 F.

2. Saute onions, salt and pepper in the butter. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the onions are soft and deep golden brown. Set aside.

3. Knead pie crusts together into a ball, then roll out into a thin (single) crust.

3. Place crust into a large jelly roll pan, or cut in half and use two standard pie plates.

4. Sprinkle on all cheese in a single layer, then top with caramelized onions. Add tomatoes and basil last.

5. Mix together the egg and milk in a small bowl and brush it all over the crust around the edge of the tart.

6. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, watching crust carefully. Crust should be deep golden brown, and tomatoes should start to pop apart. Reduce heat to 425 if tomatoes are done too far in advance of the crust.

7. Allow to sit five minutes before serving.

Steph's Tomato Pie

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sour cream

For the pie:
4 medium tomatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" thick slices (about 1 1/2 lb)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mayonnaise (not reduced fat)
1 can crab meat (not imitation) (approx. 1/2 cup)
3 green onions, chopped
2 Tblsp fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup mozarella cheese

Preparation:
For the crust:
1. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Cut shortening into flour mixture with a pastry blender or knife until mixture resembles small peas.
3. Add sour cream; stir with a fork or mix with hands until combined into a dough.
4. Shape dough into a flat disk.
5. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill one to twenty-four hours.

For the pie:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Place tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and let stand for 20 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.
3. Stir together mayonnaise, crab meat, green onions, basil and cheese, reserving 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese for later.
4. Roll sour cream dough into a large circle on a lightly floured surface. Put into a 9" pie plate, crimping edges.
5. Bake dough for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly brown. Remove from oven.
6. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese on top of the crust.
7. Arrange tomato slices over the cheese on the crust.
8. Spread mayonnaise mixture over tomatoes.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 34 to 37 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
10. Let cool five minutes before serving.

Grilled Cabbage

Ingredients:
1 head cabbage
6 slices of bacon, uncooked
1 stick salted butter (approx), sliced
Salt
Pepper

Preparation:
1. Tear off six pieces of aluminum foil, about three times as wide as each wedge of cabbage.

2. Slice cabbage into wedges. Do not separate leaves from each wedge.

3. Place each wedge on its own piece of aluminum foil.

4. Place several slices of butter on top of each wedge, then liberally salt and pepper each wedge.

5. Wrap a piece of bacon around each wedge, around the butter.

6. Completely seal each wedge in foil. Wrap/fold it so that it will not leak.

7. Place wedges on hot grill. Allow them to cook while other food is cooking. Turn them over and move them around the heat of the grill frequently. Cabbage is done when it feels moderately soft to the touch when pressing on the pouch of foil.

Chopped Thai Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
Salad
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 small head green or white cabbage (2 cups shredded)
1 large carrot (1½ cups shredded)
1 green papaya (1½ cups shredded)
½ cup fresh cilantro
½ cup green onions
½ cup chopped peanuts

Dressing
2 cloves garlic
3 bird’s eye chili peppers (sub ½ teaspoon minced hot pepper)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon oil
½ teaspoon fish sauce
¼ cup peanut butter
¼ cup water

Preparation:
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the chicken breasts, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes.
2. When the chicken is done, remove from heat, drain water, let cool, and shred with two forks.
3. Chop the cabbage into very thin pieces, like it would be for coleslaw.
4. Peel and grate the carrots.
5. Cut off the skin, remove the seeds, and grate the papaya.
6. Roughly chop the cilantro and green onions.
7. Toss the chicken and vegetables in a large bowl and keep chilled.
8. Mince the garlic and chili peppers.
9. Place garlic and peppers in a small mixing bowl with the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, lime juice, oil, and fish sauce. Whisk until smooth.
10. Add the peanut butter and water and whisk again until smooth and creamy.
11. Toss the salad with the dressing.
12. Add the crushed peanuts.

Serve chilled. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to one day. For best results, keep the leftover salad and dressing separate until ready to serve.

Source: http://pinchofyum.com/

Crack Broccoli

Ingredients:
1 large head broccoli
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or half as much table salt)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preparation:
1. Peel the broccoli with a sharp knife.

2. Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.

3. Put the oven rack in the lowest position, then put the baking sheet on the rack. Heat the oven to 500 degrees.

4. Cut the stem off of the broccoli, and cut it into long, ½-inch thick pieces. Cut the rest of the broccoli into long, fairly narrow florets, then put it in a bowl.

5.Drizzle the broccoli with the oil and toss well until evenly coated. Sprinkle with the salt and sugar, and toss to combine. DO NOT OMIT THE SUGAR.

6. Working quickly, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Carefully transfer the broccoli to the baking sheet and spread it in an even layer, placing it flat sides down wherever possible.

7. Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast until the stalks are well browned and tender and the florets are lightly browned, 9 to 11 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Steph's Sweet Potato Souffle

Ingredients:

1 large can sweet potatoes, or equivalent of home prepared

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup sugar (less, if preferred)

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 stick butter

Preparation:

Heat potatoes in syrup; drain and whip until fluffy. Add butter and other ingredients. Beat well (use a mixer). Pour into buttered casserole. Bake about 20 minutes at 350. While baking, prepare the topping.

Topping Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup melted margarine

1 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup flour

Topping Preparation:

Melt margarine. Mix sugar, flour and pecans; add to margarine. Mix well and spread on top of casserole. Return to over for about 10 minutes or until firm.

Cold Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

1 c mayonnaise

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c golden raisins

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 bunches fresh broccoli, chopped fine

1 1/2 c shredded Cheddar cheese

1 apple, peeled and diced

1 Tblsp sunflower seeds

1/4 c pecans, chopped

Preparation:

1. Mix mayo, sugar, raisins, and vinegar together. Put in fridge overnight.

2. The next day, mix remaining ingredients. Pour the mix from the fridge over the broccoli mixture and stir. Chill before serving. Best if left overnight another night in fridge.

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 Chinese eggplants, halved lengthwise and cut into 1 inch half moons
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons garlic powder
• 5 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce

Directions

1. Heat the canola oil in a skillet over high heat. Cook and stir the eggplant until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the water, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Cover and simmer until all the water is absorbed. Meanwhile, mix sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, and oyster sauce in a bowl until sugar and cornstarch have dissolved. Stir sauce into the eggplant, making sure to evenly coat the eggplant. Cook until the sauce has thickened.

Buffalo Stuffed Potato Skins

• 4 large Idaho potatoes
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
• 1 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2-2 pounds all-white-meat ground chicken breast
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (you can substitute with chipotle peppers or chipotle chili powder)
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/4-1/2 cup hot sauce, depending on how hot you like it
• 1 can tomato sauce (15 ounces)
• 3/4 pound blue cheese, such as Maytag Blue, crumbled
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup regular or low fat sour cream
• 6 scallions sliced on bias, whites and green parts kept separate

Preparation

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.

Place the potatoes onto a baking tray and rub them with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of EVOO. Pop them into the pre-heated oven and bake for about 1 hour, until tender.

While the potatoes are cooking, make the buffalo chicken chili: place a large pot over medium-high heat. Add one turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon, and the butter. Once the butter has melted and the pot is hot, add the ground chicken. Brown it, using the back of a wooden spoon to break it up in to small pieces, about 5-6 minutes.

Add the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, paprika or chipotles, bay leaf and some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3-4 minutes.

Add the chicken stock and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the hot sauce (start with just a little bit and add more according to your taste) and tomato sauce and bring up to a bubble. Simmer for 8-10 minutes to let the flavors come together.

While the chili is simmering, take the potatoes out of the oven and slice the top thirds off so that the potatoes resemble little boats. Gently scoop out the potato pulp out of the skins, reserving it in a bowl.

To the bowl with the potato pulp, add the blue cheese, egg, sour cream, salt, pepper and the whites of the scallions. Gently mix to combine.

Fill the hollowed-out potato skins with the potato mixture. Place them into the oven for 10 minutes, until nice and hot.

To serve, place a stuffed potato onto a plate and top it with some buffalo chicken chili. Garnish with the sliced green scallions.

Sweet Potato Skins

• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup low fat buttermilk or nonfat yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
• 4-5 slices bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 3 scallions, sliced on the bias

Preparation

Pre-heat the oven to 450˚F.

Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and rub them with EVOO, salt and pepper. Bake until tender, about 35-40 minutes.

Halve the potatoes and scoop out about a third of the flesh of each into a medium size mixing bowl. Add the buttermilk or yogurt to the sweet potato flesh. Season with salt and paprika, then mash.

Fill the potato skins with the mashed potatoes and arrange the skins on a baking sheet. Place back into the oven for about 15 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden brown.

Meanwhile, cook up the bacon in a skillet until golden brown. Reserve on a paper towel-lined plate.

Remove the potato skins from the oven and sprinkle with the bacon, cheese and scallions. Serve two halves per person with a salad alongside.

Potato Latkes

Ingredients
2 cups peeled and shredded potatoes
1 tablespoon grated onion
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup peanut oil

Directions
1. Place the potatoes in a cheesecloth and wring, extracting as much moisture as possible.

2. In a medium bowl stir the potatoes, onion, eggs, flour and salt together.

3. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until hot. Place large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil, pressing down on them to form 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick patties. Brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. Let drain on paper towels. Serve hot with either applesauce or sour cream.

Aloha Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

2 pkg frozen sweet potato patties

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup shredded coconut

Preparation

Defrost potato patties.

In large skillet, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar and water. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat. Add potato patties. Cook gently, tossing lightly until glazed. Remove from skillet and place in baking dish. Sprinkle with coconut and top with remaining sauce before serving.

Stuffed Bell Peppers or Squash or Zucchini

Initial Preparation

Hollow whichever vegetable you are stuffing, saving all usable vegetable removed (i.e. save inside of squash and tops of peppers). Finely chop removed vegetable pieces. Use approximately 6 bell peppers, 5 zucchini, or 7 medium sized yellow squash. Remove top of peppers to stuff. Cut off neck of squash and hollow bulb to stuff. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and hollow into "boats" to stuff.

Stuffing Ingredients

1 large onion, diced fine

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

2 tblsp minced garlic

1 cup rice

Salt and pepper

1 small can tomato sauce (optional - recommended if making stuffed zucchini)

Chopped vegetables (from above preparation)

Preparation

Lightly brown ground beef with garlic. Parboil rice til not fully cooked, but mostly. DO NOT DRAIN RICE. Add onion and chopped vegetable to hot rice (and liquid). Salt and pepper, to taste. Add ground beef and stir. If tomato sauce is desired, add and stir, reserving a small amount for topping.

Place hollowed vegetables in baking dish (zucchini) or stock pot (peppers or yellow squash). Fill with rice and beef stuffing. Top with tomato sauce, if desired. Add water to baking dish around stuffed vegetables so that there is at least 1/2" of water below zucchini or 1 1/2" water surrounding peppers or squash. Bake zucchini, covered, in 350" oven until zucchini is tender, about 45 minutes. Cover pepper/squash and cook on stovetop at medium heat until vegetables are tender, but still firm, about 1 hour.

Bell Pepper Dressing

Ingredients

5 lbs of ground meat

1 container of seasoning mix (Guidry's)

3 yellow onions

8 bell peppers

Garlic

2 cans of beef gravy

5 cups of uncooked rice

Seasoning (salt, pepper etc)

Preparation

Cook rice.

Cook the ground meat with the seasoning mix. When ground meat is no longer pink, add everything else except the cooked rice. Season the meat mixture as it is cooking - remember your rice is bland so you want the meat to be very seasoned, because once you add the rice it will balance out.

Once all the liquid from everything is almost gone, add the rice. Mix together to make sure all the rice is coated with the remaining liquid.