Baked Artichoke and Onion Dip

Baked Artichoke and Onion Dip

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 Large Cast Iron Skillet.
1 - 8" X 8" Baking Pan sprayed with a Vegetable Cooking Spray.

4 TBS Butter
3 C Diced Vidalia Onions
3 Cloves of Garlic, minced.
1/3 C Flour
1/2 C Dry White Wine
8 oz. Fontina Cheese, shredded.
8 oz. Package of Cream Cheese, room temperature.
2/3 C Sour Cream
1/2 C Whole Milk
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
2 - 9 oz. Packages of Frozen Artichoke Hearts, thawed and finely chopped.

Chopped Fresh Parsley for Garnish.
Crackers or Toasted Slices of a French Baguette.

In a Large Cast Iron Skillet on Medium Heat:
Butter, until melted.
Onion
Garlic
Sauté for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle evenly with Flour.
Stir constantly for 3 minutes.

Add:
Wine
Continue cooking while stirring for 5 minutes.

Add:
Fontina Cheese
Cream Cheese
Sour Cream
Stir well until melted and well combined.

Add:
Milk
Salt
Red Pepper Flakes
Stir until well combined.

Add:
Artichokes.
Mix well.
Spoon into the Baking Dish.
Bake 30 minutes.

Sprinkle evenly with Parsley.
Serve Hot with Crackers or Toasted slices of a French Baguette.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Cut out Shortbread Cookie Recipes (2 Versions)

I bought a Wooden Rolling Pin from Valek in Poland. They're die cut with a design. Mine has Deer Heads on it. Here's the recipe for the cut out cookies.

Valek Rolling Pins

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2 Sheet Pans lined with Parchment Paper.
1 - 2" or 3" Round Fluted Cookie Cutter

2 C All Purpose Flour
3/4 tsp Salt
16 TBS = (2 Sticks) = (1 C) Unsalted Butter, room temperature.
1/2 C Confectioner's Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla or your favorite flavor of extract.


In a Small Bowl.
Flour
Salt
Whisk well.

In a Stand Mixer with a Paddle Attachment:
Butter
Beat 3 - 5 minutes.

Add:
Sugar
Beat 2 minutes, until creamy.

Add:
Extract
Mix just until combined.

Add, on Low Speed:
Flour Mixture
Beat just until incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

Create 2 equal Discs.
Wrap tightly in Plastic Wrap.
Refrigerate 1 Hour.

Transfer dough to a flat, lightly floured surface.
Roll 1/4" thick with a regular Rolling Pin.
Roll the top with the patterned Valek Rolling Pin. Press lightly just to transfer the design.
Cut out Cookies with the Cookie Cutter.
Transfer Cookies to the Sheet Pans.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm the dough.

Bake 13 - 15 minutes, until Golden Brown.
Remove Pan to a Rack to Cool Completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



Christmas Shortbread Cookies

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
A Stand Mixer with a Paddle Attachment
A Sheet Pan
2 pieces of Parchment Paper cut to fit the Pan.

16 TBS Butter, cold and cut into TBS slices.
1 C packed Brown Sugar
3 1/2 C Flour
A variety of Christmas Sprinkles

In the Stand Mixer:
Butter,
Sugar
Beat 3 minutes, until creamy smooth.

Add:
Flour, gradually.
Mix just until combined.
Form Dough into a Disc.
Wrap in Plastic Wrap.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove from Refrigerator.
Flatten the Dough with your hands.
Place it between the 2 Sheets of Parchment Paper.
Roll Dough 1/2" thick.
Remove the top layer of Paper.
Press your favorite shape with the Cookie Cutters, 2" apart.
Remove the excess Dough, refrigerate it for additional cookies.

Scatter the tops of Cookies with Sprinkles.
Remove the top piece of Paper.
Slide the Cookies onto the Sheet Pan.
Refrigerate an additional 15 minutes.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the Pan to a Rack for 10 minutes.
Transfer the Cookies to the Rack to Cool Completely .


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Slow Bone's Cauliflower and Brussels Sprout Gratin

I got this recipe in 2013 from The Dallas Morning News. I made it for Thanksgiving that year and it instantly became a favorite!
Slow Bone Texas Barbecue  is a local Restaurant.



Slow Bone's Cauliflower and Brussels Sprout Gratin:

2 1/2 C Heavy Cream
1/3 C chopped Shallots
1 TBS  chopped fresh Rosemary
Kosher Salt to taste
2 TBS Olive Oil
1 C Bread Crumbs
1 1/2 TBS chopped fresh Parsley
1 1/2 pounds small-medium Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and quartered if medium sized), halved if they are small. (I bought a 2 pound bag and used it all)
1 medium head of Cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 1" florets.
2 C grated Parmesan Cheese, divided

Butter a 9"X13" Baking Dish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine Cream, Shallots and Sage Leaves in a Large Saucepan.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce the Heat and simmer until the mixture is reduced to about 2 1/2 C, this should take about 10 minutes.
Season to taste with Salt and Pepper.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Heat Oil in a large Skillet on Medium Heat.
Add Breadcrumbs and stir until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.
Transfer to a Bowl and set aside to cool.
Stir in Parsley.
Sprinkle lightly with Salt and Pepper.

Arrange half of the Vegetables in the buttered Dish.
Sprinkle with half of the Parmesan Cheese.
Arrange remaining Vegetables over the first Layer.
Sprinkle with remaining Cheese.

Pour Cream Mixture evenly over the Casserole.
Cover with Foil.
Bake for 50 - 60 minutes.
Remove Foil.
Sprinkle Casserole evenly with Bread Crumb Mixture and return to Bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes, or until Bread Crumbs are browned.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Basic ingredients.

The Cream Sauce cooking.

This is after its baked for 1 hour.

The final dish after the Bread Crumbs have browned.

Baked Vegetable Casserole

As a vegetarian, I love all vegetables and any way to prepare them. As a Casserole lover, I like this combination of Vegetables baked into a casserole. It's a great Fall recipe.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1- 9"X 9" Glass Baking Dish sprayed with a Vegetable Non Stick Cooking Spray.

3 C Corn
6 C Fresh Baby Spinach
3 Large Carrots, Shredded.
1 - Vidalia Onion, Roughly Chopped.
1 - Can of Cream of Celery Soup
2 C Sour Cream
1 Large Egg, beaten.

3 C Herb Seasoned Stuffing Mix
8 TBS Butter, melted.

In a Large Mixing Bowl:
Corn
Spinach
Carrot
Onion
Soup
Sour Cream
Egg
Stir well to combine.

In a Small Mixing Bowl:
Stuffing Mix
Butter
Mix well.
Add half of this mixture to the Corn Mixture.
Stir to combine well.
Spoon it into the Pan.
Top evenly with remaining Stuffing Mixture.
Bake 60 minutes, until Golden Brown.

Remove Pan to a Rack to cool for 5 10 minutes.
Serve Warm.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Hippy Granola #2

I have other favorite Granola recipes and here's another one.

Pepita (from Mexican Spanish: pepita de calabaza, "little seed of squash") is a Spanish culinary term for the pumpkin seed, the edible seed of a pumpkin or other cultivar of Squash. The seeds are typically rather flat, oval, and light green in color and may have a white outer hull. Some cultivars are unhulled, and grown only for their seed. The seeds are nutrient- rich, with especially high content of protein and dietary fiber. The word can refer either to the hulled kernel or unhulled whole seed, and most commonly refers to the roasted end product.

Toasted Coconut:
Here's what you'll need:
350 degree oven.
1 Small Sheet Pan unlined.
Spread Coconut evenly in a single layer.
Bake for 5 minutes or until Golden Brown.
Stir once while toasting.


Hippy Granola #2

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 Sheet Pan lined with Parchment Paper.

2 C Old Fashioned Oats
1 C Roughly Chopped Pecans
1 C Pepitas
1/4 C Pure Maple Syrup
1/4 C Melted Coconut Oil
1/4 C Pure Pumpkin
1 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 C Toasted Flaked Coconut
1/2 C Milk Chocolate Chips

In a Large Mixing Bowl:
Oats
Pepitas
Pecans
Mix well.

In a Mixing Bowl:
Maple Syrup
Coconut Oil
Pure Pumpkin
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Vanilla
Salt
Whisk well.

Add Wet Ingredients to the Dry Ingredients.
Stir to combine well.
Transfer the the Sheet Pan in a single layer.
Bake 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with Coconut and continue baking for an addition 10 minutes.
Remove Pan to a Rack to cool completely.
Transfer to a serving bowl.
Add Chocolate Chips.
Stir well to combine.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Pillsbury's Easy Apple Strudel

We attended 3 Oktoberfest's this year and we had Apple Strudel at every one of them. Here's an easy recipe from Pillsbury that let's you make it at home. I've adapted it a bit by changing the dough to Pillsbury's Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheets.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
1 Sheet Pan lined with Parchment Paper.

1 - Tube of Pillsbury's Dough
1 - Can of Caramel Apple Pie Filling or Apple Pie Filling.
1 tsp Heavy Cream
Cinnamon Sugar Mixture for Garnish.

Glaze Drizzle:
1/2 C Confectioner's Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 TBS Apple Juice

Cut Parchment Paper to fit the Sheet Pan and place it on a flat surface.
Unroll the Dough onto the Parchment Paper.
Use a Rolling Pin and Roll it out 1" larger in length and width.

Directions:
Use a sharp knife and cut 1" strips down both sides of the dough leaving about a 4" uncut area in the center.
Spoon Filling down the center of the uncut area. (use as much as you can) it may not take the entire can.
Begin folding the strips, on each side, into the center, over the filling.
Pinch the seams together in the center.
Brush the Dough with Heavy Cream and Sprinkle with Cinnamon Sugar.
Slide the Paper onto the Sheet Pan.
Bake 15 minutes.
Remove the Pan to a Rack to cool completely.

Make the Glaze

In a Mixing Bowl:
Sugar
Vanilla
Apple Juice
Whisk well.
Drizzle the Strudel with the Glaze.

Transfer to a serving platter.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

• 
  

Kraft's Maple Pumpkin Pie

Since Fall is finally here, I recently saw this recipe from Kraft. I've adapted the recipe without changing the integrity of the original one.

Maple Pumpkin Pie

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 - 9" Pie Pan

1 1/2 C Crushed Vanilla Wafers
4 TBS Butter, melted
1 - 8 oz.  package of Cream Cheese, room temperature.
3/4 C Granulated Sugar, divided.
3 Large Eggs, divided.
1 1/4 C Pure Pumpkin
1 C Evaporated Milk
1 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Chopped Pecans for Garnish.
1- Container of Cool Whip, Thawed or Homemade Whipped Cream for Garnish.
Pure Maple Syrup for Garnish.

In a Small Mixing Bowl:
Vanilla Wafer Crumbs
Butter
Mix well.
Press evenly in the Pie Pan.

In a Medium Mixing Bowl with a Hand Mixer:
Cream Cheese
1/4 C Sugar
1 Egg
Beat until well combined.
Spread evenly over the Pie Crust.

In a Medium Mixing Bowl with a Hand Mixer:
Remaining Sugar
Remaining Eggs
Pumpkin
Milk
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Beat until well combined.
Spread even;y over the Cream Cheese Layer.
Bake 60 - 65 minutes.

Remove the Pan to a Rack to cool completely.

Top individual servings with the following:
Sprinkle with some Pecans.
A Dollop of Whipped Cream.
Drizzle with some Maple Syrup.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!