Haluski

• -2 ounces pancetta, diced small
• -6 tablespoons butter, divided
• -2 cups onion, diced
• -1 ½ pounds green cabbage, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces
• -1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• -½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• -6 ounces dry No Yolks® egg noodles, any size noodle

1. In a medium to large skillet, over medium high heat, cook pancetta in 2 tablespoons of butter until crisp. Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes. Add 2 more tablespoons butter, cabbage, salt and pepper, cover and once mixture is hot, reduce to medium and cook for ten minutes.
2. While cabbage mixture is cooking, cook No Yolks® noodles according to package direction and drain.
3. Once cabbage is tender, remove cover and add drained noodles.
4. Add remaining butter and cook to bring to serving temperature.
5. Season with additional salt and pepper as desired. (Lots of black pepper is traditional!)

III Forks Off the Cob Cream Corn

-10 ears of fresh corn, shucked, cooked and off cob (or large bag -2.5 pound bag - of frozen corn)
-1 cup heavy cream
-1 cup milk
-2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon white pepper
-1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-1/2 teaspoon Accent seasoning
-1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
-1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
-4 ounces unsalted butter
-2 tablespoons flour

In a large saucepan, combine the first 10 ingredients.  Slowly bring it to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer.  Allow to simmer for three minutes.

In a separate pan, melt the butter until  it begins to pop, then stir the flour into the butter.  Add  the butter and flour mixture to the simmering corn.  Stirring occassionally, allow to simmer for three more minutes.  Keep warm until served.

From the kitchen of Deatra Smith...courtesty of Chef Vogeli, Executive Chef at III Forks in Dallas, Texas.

Roasted Asparagus

This is the only way I make asparagus anymore.  All three Segal boys fight over these at the dinner table....no joke.  So, so good (and easy)!

-1 bunch thin asparagus spears, trimmed (woody stalks removed)

-a few tablespoons olive oil

-Parmesan cheese

-sea salt

-ground black pepper

Lay asparagus on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle generously with a salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese.  Toss the asparagus with your hands and make sure spears are evenly coated in oil/seasoning.  Arrange the asparagus onto the baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake at 425 degrees until tender, 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness. The spears will just be starting to brown.  I promise you'll never make your asparagus any other way!

Roasted Broccoli

This is my favorite way to eat broccoli!  I think it tastes so much better this way instead of steamed.  Plus, it's super simple. 

-Head of broccoli, cut into bite-site florets

-Olive oil

-Garlic powder

-Salt

-Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.  Layer broccoli florets on a baking sheet.  Spray with olive oil (I have one of those Pampered Chef sprayers).  If you don't have this or something comparable, you can just drizzle with a little olive oil (1-2 T maximum).  Mix broccoli around to make sure it's well coated.  Sprinkle generously with garlic powder, salt and freshly ground pepper.  Bake for about 10 minutes (give or a take a few minutes) until the florets start to brown.  Keep an eye on it.  It changes quick.  You are usually safe for at least 8 minutes.  I love that the broccoli stays bright green and is still a little crunchy.  My kids love it too.  Enjoy!

Ina's Sweet Potato Fries

Does anyone else love Ina Garten?  I saw her make these on Barefoot Contessa a few weeks ago and had to try them for myself.  They were a hit with all 3 boys.  A & Z especially loved that I was giving them permission to eat as many "fries" as they wanted.

-2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled

-2 tablespoons good olive oil
-1 tablespoon light brown sugar
-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise and cut each half into 3 long spears. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil. Spread the potatoes in one layer.   Combine the brown sugar, salt, and pepper and sprinkle on the potatoes.  Bake for 15 minutes and then turn with a spatula. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Drain on a paper towel.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve hot.

Creole Potato Salad

I am not generally a fan of potato salad, mainly because mayonnaise grosses me out a little bit.  However, I was introduced to this zippy mustard based potato salad by my friend Katie this past weekend.  Yum with a capital Y.  I'm in love!!!  I also love my friend Dori's Pesto Potato Salad which uses pesto sauce instead of mayo as a dressing for the salad.

-3 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed well and cubed
-3/4 cup mayo
-1/2 cup Creole mustard (recommended: Zatarains)
-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
-1 teaspoon sugar
-Salt and freshly ground black pepper
-1 small Vidalia onion, chopped
-2 stalks celery, chopped
-2 cloves garlic, chopped

Place the cubed potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil. Cook potatoes until they are fork tender. Drain in a colander and let cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.
Once cool, add potatoes to a large bowl. Add chopped onions, celery, and garlic. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Link for video on how to make it....
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/down-home-with-the-neelys/creole-potato-salad-recipe/index.html

From the kitchen of Katie Talbert (courtesy of the Neely's).

Orzo Salad with Kalamata Olives, Peppers and Feta

This one is very similar to the Greek Couscous Salad I often throw together.  However, I don't think I'll go back to the couscous.  The orzo works so much better in something like this.  I could live on it...so yummy!

-1 tsp salt
-2 cups orzo (I used an entire 1 pound box of orzo)
-1 red bell pepper, diced (I only had red, green & orange peppers so I used those)
-1 yellow bell pepper, diced
-6 oounces feta cheese, crumbled (I've stated this before but I LOVE FETA.  Therefore, I used a 10 ounce container!)
-1 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
-4 green onions, thinly sliced
**I also added in a cup of halved grape tomatoes
Dressing:
-6 tablespoons olive oil
-2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (it's the juice of half a large lemon)
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1/4 cup flat leaf parlsey, chopped
-3/4 tsp salt
-1 tsp pepper

Cook orzo in salted water until al dente ( 8-10 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with olive oil. Add bell peppers, cheese, olives, and green onions.

To make dressing: in a small bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, garlic parsley, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
Add dressing to salad and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Remove from refrigerator for 30 min prior to serving.

From the kitchen of Megan Guttman

Fried Cauliflower

I haven't had this for YEARS and have been completely craving it lately. I remember eating this all the time growing up. Made it tonight with dinner tonight...so yummy!!!

-1 head of cauliflower
-Bisquick or pancake batter mix
-Salt and pepper
-Oil (I always use olive oil even though I know you aren't suppose to fry with it)

Core cauliflower. Steam head of cauliflower for 5-10 minutes or until tender (not too soft though since you will still fry it later). Refrigerate cauliflower for 2 hours or even overnight. When you are ready to fry, cut cauliflower into bite size (1-2 inches) pieces. Pour 1/4 cup or so of oil in a fry pan and pre-heat over medium heat. Meanwhile, prepare some pancake batter. You don't need the egg...just the pancake mix and water. Add more water than it calls for...you will want a runny consistency. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper to the batter to your liking. Dip cauliflower pieces into batter, generously coating them. Shake off excess batter and then carefully place in hot oil in fry pan. Continue with the rest of the cauliflower (you will have to do a couple fry pans full as all the pieces won't fit in one round), turning after each sided is lightly browned and crisp (tongs work well for this). Place on a paper towel lined plate to drain and then serve warm.

Growing up, we would eat this as a side dish or sometimes as an appetizer at a party.

From the kitchen of Cheri Midagliotti.

...didn't realize that my Stella made it into the picture. I will say that these do taste great with a beer!

Sausage and Vegetable Stew

Super easy and yummy! It's one of my new favorite crockpot recipes. I went back for a second helping and leftovers warmed up nicely the next day.

-2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
-2 cans tomatoes diced tomatoes
-2 cans cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
-2 pounds smoked turkey sausage cut into 1/2 inch slices
-4 cups diced potato (I use about 4 small/medium potatoes...I leave the skins on)
-1 1/2 cups chopped onion
-2 cup chopped red bell pepper (or green, or yellow, or orange...whatever you have)
-1 cup water
-4 teaspoons extra-hot prepared horseradish (don't worry, this didn't make it spicy but added AMAZING flavor)
-4 teaspoons honey
-2 teaspoon dried basil (or mixed Italian herbs)

Combine all ingredients (except sausage) in your slow cooker and mix gently until combined. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or until potatoes are tender. Just before you will serve the stew, place sliced sausage into a non-stick skillet and cook until browned, about 10-15 minutes. Stir sausage into stew and serve.  Serve with buttered bread for dipping.

This recipe is enough for two dinners.  I always make one for dinner that night and freeze the other half for another meal later in the month. 

From the kitchen of Jaime Crosby.

Chicken Noodle Abraham

Here's a yummy chicken soup my SIL came up with while trying to recreate Bob Evans chicken noodle crock. It was named by my 5 year old niece after her favorite president, Abe Lincoln. Enjoy!

-1 pound chicken tenderloins, thawed (or rotisserie chicken shredded if you are in a hurry)
-1/2 yellow onion, chopped
-1 1/2 cup frozen peas
-1 1/2 cup carrots, chopped (I used fresh, but frozen will work too)
-1/2 bag of egg noodles, approximately 4 cups
-2 boxes chicken broth (or about 5 cans of chicken broth) *I used 2, 48 ounce boxes
-2 packets of chicken gravy mix
-flour
-butter
-olive oil
-parsley flakes
-salt
-pepper
-garlic powder

Season UNCOOKED, thawed chicken with salt and pepper (generously). If using rotisserie chicken, skip this part. Brown chicken in olive oil on medium heat in a stew pot until cooked through. Remove from pan - shred into big chunks and set aside. **I cut up my chicken breasts into 1" pieces while it was still slightly frozen. After thawed, I browned it and left it in chunks.

Put about 3 tablespoons of butter into pot and add carrots and onions. Saute until just about tender and onions are translucent (but not browned). Return chicken to pan; add peas and noodles and chicken broth. **I used 3 cups of frozen mixed veggies instead of peas/carrots. Therefore, I added them here.

Add a dash or two of garlic powder and 1/2 palmful of parsley flakes. Bring to a low rolling boil until noodles are cooked (about 15-20 minutes). Turn heat down to low/med. Ladle out some broth only (about 4 ladles) into a separate saucepan. Add some flour and chicken gravy packets and whisk until a creamy roux forms. If it's too chunky, add some more broth and whisk. Add roux back into pot, stir it all together to thicken your soup.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

I LOVE Chicken Pot Pie! My favorite CPP recipe is my SIL Kelly's, which you can find here. However if I'm in a hurry and don't have all the ingredients for that one on hand, I'll throw this together. Still super yummy and all 3 boys enjoy it.

-1 (10 ounce) pkg. frozen peas and carrots (I just buy mixed veggies with peas, carrots, corn, lima beans - or just through in a variety of what you have canned or in your freezer)
-1/2 cup chopped onion
-1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
-1/2 cup butter
-1/3 cup flour
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon dried sage or thyme
-1/8 teaspoon pepper
-2 cups chicken broth
-3/4 cup milk
-3 cups cubed chicken, cooked (I cube it and then saute for a few minutes until browned)
-parsley
-1 refrigerated Pillsbury pie crust**

Cook peas and carrots by microwave directions. Cook onions and mushrooms in butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt, sage or thyme, and pepper. Add chicken broth and milk. Cook until thick and bubbly. Stir in peas and carrots, chicken, and parsley. Pour into a pie plate. Cover with pie crust. Bake 1 hour for 350 degree.

**You can also use 2 pie crusts if you prefer. Layer one in your pie plate and pour the chicken mixture in. Then, lay the additional pie crust on top, pinching the lower and top crust edges together to seal.

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Onions

I hadn't eaten brussels sprouts in about 15 years and HATED them as a kid. However, seeing them in the store over the last month or so, I've been tempted to try making them. This recipe was loved by everyone except Adam...how can you go wrong with anything that has pancetta/bacon in it? I even made this for a skeptical crowd for Christmas dinner and it got glowing reviews (unless they were lying!).

-1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
-4 ounces of pancetta, diced (I use about 6 ounces of bacon instead because I ALWAYS have bacon on hand)
-1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced crosswise
-1/2 t kosher salt
-1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
-2 T red wine vinegar (optional...I don't add this)

Bring 1 inch of lightly salted water to a boil in a large, deep skillet. Add sprouts and simmer, covered, until crisp-tender - about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain in a colander and run under cold water to cool.

Wipe out the skillet. Add pancetta (or bacon) and cook over medium heat, stirring occassionally, until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Add onion to drippings in skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add sprouts, salt and pepper, and cook, tossing, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Add pancetta/bacon (and vinegar if you choose) and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

**Surprisingly, these warm up great the next day in the microwave and don't get mushy. I'm so excited that I tried this recipe...SURPRISE, I actually love brussels sprouts!

PREP AHEAD - If you want, you can prep ahead of time to make the cook time a little quicker. I've always done this and it tastes just as good. Cook the brussels sprouts and drain/cool. Then refrigerate for up to 1 day. When ready to make, bring them to room temperature, then continue on with recipe.

Per serving: 99 calories, 9 grams protein, 3 grams fiber, 6 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 7 mg cholesterol, 198 mg sodium

Broccoli and Spinach Mac & Cheese

This is the new mac and cheese staple in our house. Everyone loves it and I don't feel guilty giving it to the kids.


-12 ounces bowtie pasta
-1 bag (12 ounces) frozen broccoli
-1 T unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
-2 shallots, chopped (I never have shallots so I always use regular white onions)
-1 package (8 ounces) sliced mushrooms
-4 cups whole milk (I always use 2% or skim...whatever we have on hand)
-1/4 cup flour
-1 t kosher salt
-1/2 t freshly ground pepper
-1 bag (5 ounces) baby spinach
-5 ounces fontina cheese, grated (1 1/4 cups)
-1/3 cup, plus 2 T grated Parmesan

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Butter a shallow baking dish (approximately 3 quart dish). Cook the pasta according to package directions, adding the broccoli during the remaining 3 minutes of cooking. Drain and return the broccoli and pasta to the pot.


Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, flour, salt and pepper. Pour into skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in spinach. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the fontina and 1/3 cup of the Parmesan cheese.


Pour sauce into pot with pasta and broccoli and toss to coat. Transfer to the prepared dish and sprinkle with remaining fontina and Parmesan. Bake until the cheese melts and is beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.


Per serving: 394 calories, 18 grams protein, 18 grams carbs, 4 grams fiber, 13 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 40 mg cholesterol, 606 mg sodium

Sweet Potato Autumn Stew

I had this for the first time during my Grand Canyon trip and it is YUMMY! Perfect on a crisp fall day which we are finally getting here in Texas in November. I had it will chicken, but you can make it with beef too.

-1 teaspoon vegetable oil
-1 pound lean beef stew pieces, cubed chicken breasts, cubed
-1/2 cup chopped onion
-1 clove garlic, minced
-3 1/2 cups water
-3 teaspoons beef or chicken bouillon granules (or you can substitute 3 1/2 cups beef or chicken broth for the water and bouillon)
-1 (14.5 ounces) sliced stewed tomatoes (not drained)
-2 cups peeled, diced sweet potato
-1 1/2 cups diced red potato
-1 cup sliced mushroom (optional)
-1/4 teaspoon allspice
-1/4 teaspoon cloves
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 cup frozen petite green peas

NOTE: you can substitute any veggie you want. I usually do a bit less potatoes and add 1 or 2 cups of chunked butternut squash--awesome taste and healthier too.)

Heat vegetable oil in large stock pot over med-high heat. When hot, add meat, onion, and garlic. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until done. Add water, bouillon, tomatoes, both potatoes, mushrooms, spices, and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat; simmer for 25 minutes or until veggies are tender. Add peas and cook 5 more minutes. Excellent garnished with sour cream and served with hot crusty bread.

I'm sure this can be made in a crock pot, but I've never tried.

Calories: 250, Protein 29g, Carb 43 g, Fat 7 g (saturated 2 g), cholesterol 69 mg, sodium 560 mg.

From the kitchen of Bethany Keller.

Chicken Saute

-4 tbsp. butter
-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
-2 tbsp. flour
-Salt & pepper
-½ cup onion, chopped
-1 ½ cups red potatoes, diced
-1 cup chicken broth
-2 sprigs fresh thyme (you can also use dried thyme)
-1 ½ cup fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1” pieces

In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp. butter over medium heat. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook chicken until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet. Add 1 tbsp. butter to pan. Add potatoes, broth and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cover; cook until sauce is slightly thickened and chicken is almost cooked through, about 6 minutes. Add green beans; cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 2 more minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and vegetables to plates. Raise heat to high; whisk in 1 tbsp. butter and about 1 tsp. flour to thicken sauce. Pour sauce over chicken and vegetables and serve. Serves 4.

Holiday Potatoes

These are the tastiest mashed potatoes I've even eaten! They are so much easier than regular mash because you make them the night before. My mom tried making them for the first time on Thanksgiving and I made them again for Christmas dinner. I don't think I'll ever go back to "plain old mashed potatoes."

-5 pounds of potatoes, cooked and mashed

Add the following ingredients one at a time and mix with an electric mixer:
-8 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
-1 stick butter or margarine
-1/2 cup sour cream
-1/2 cup milk
-2 eggs, slightly beaten
-salt and pepper to taste
-onion powder to taste

Pour into a 9" X 13" greased casserole dish (the mixture will be runnier than regular mashed potatoes). Bake at 350 degrees - covered with foil for 30 minutes and then uncovered for 15 minutes. Before putting it back in the oven for the last 15 minutes, I sprinkled with paprika - made it look and taste good too!

FYI - When I made these for Christmas, it was just the 4 of us so I cut this recipe in half and it turned out just fine. I just used a 9" X 9" square pan instead.

P.S. No one said these were healthy! Everything in moderation, right?

Breaded Artichoke Hearts

A yummy Italian fav. Makes a great appetizer or side dish.

-1 can whole artichokes
-A couple eggs slightly beaten with a little water
-Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
-Olive oil
-Salt and pepper

Drain off liquid in artichokes and cut into halves or quarters. Dip each artichoke into the egg/water mixture. Coat with breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper to taste, and then fry in oil until golden.

Corn Pudding

-3 or 4 green onions with tops, chopped
-4 tbsp. margarine, melted
-1 can whole kernel corn, drained
-1 can cream style corn
-1 cup sour cream
-1 pkg. corn muffin mix (7 oz.)
-2 large eggs

Combine onions, margarine, corn, sour cream, and corn muffin mix and mix well. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl and then add them to corn mixture and mix until moistened. Spoon batter into a greased 1 ½ quart baking dish and bake at 325 degrees for 45-60 minutes until set. Serve immediately.

From the kitchen of Tava Musial.

Veggie Pizza

I'm sure most of you have a similar recipe in your files, but here's my version...

-2 pkgs. crescent rolls
-2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese
-¾ cup Miracle Whip
-1 envelop Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
-Various chopped vegetables of your choosing (broccoli, carrots, peppers, olives, mushrooms, celery, etc.)
-Shredded cheddar cheese

Unroll crescent rolls onto an un-greased cookie sheet and pinch all seams together to form a pizza crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes until golden. Let cool! Meanwhile, cream together the cream cheese, Miracle Whip, and dressing mix. Spread mixture onto cooled crescent crust and then top with various chopped vegetables. Refrigerate for 2 hours and then cut into squares.

Artery Clogging Potato Casserole

This recipe is by no means waistline friendly. However, it is still one of our favorites (especially Scott's). Scott will eat this stuff for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next couple days until it's gone! I had to make it for his birthday dinner today. This casserole is the perfect mate to the grilled flank steak that I posted a recipe for way back on 9 July 06. It seems we never make one without the other.

-2 lbs. frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, thawed
-1 stick margarine, melted (for casserole)
-1 can cream of mushroom soup
-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
-1 pint sour cream
-1 small onion, chopped
-Salt and pepper to taste
-2 cups crushed cornflakes
-1 stick margarine, melted (for topping)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients (except cornflakes and last stick of margarine) and mix well. Pour into a greased 9"X13" pan. Mix crushed cornflakes with melted margarine and then spread on top of the potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes (30 minutes covered with foil and then 30 minutes uncovered) or until hot. Enjoy!