Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

I had these cookies at a party and they were mouth watering, to be sure.

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup unsalted butter
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 Cup dark brown sugar0, packed
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1tbsp molasses
2 large eggs
2 tsp; vanilla extract
1 1/2 Cups dark chocolate (chips or chopped) + more for topping
1 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped = more for topping
Flakey Sea Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. First, brown the butter. Add 1 cup of butter to a saucepan over medium heat.  Melt and continue to stir until it turns a rich amber color and gives off a nutty scent.

2. Pour into a large mixing bow, (make sure to scrape in the browned bits at the bottom of the pot.) and set aside to cool.

3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Set aside.

4. Once the brown butter is no longer hot add the brown sugar, sugar, and molasses to the bowl.  Whisk to combine.  You can either do so by hand or with an electric mixer.  it should resemble the texture of a slushy.

5. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until fully combined.

6. Pour in all of the dry ingredients and mix to incorporate.  Switch to a rubber spatula to fold in the ingredients once the dough starts to thicken.

7. Fold in the dark chocolate and pecans.  At this point, the dough should be sticky and be able to hold its shape when scooped.  If it's too thin, place it in the refrigerator uncovered for about 30 minutes to cool.

8. But if its already at the right consistency, scoop out the cookie dough using a 2 oz. scoop or a 1/4 measuring cup.  Place the scoops side by side on a plate or small baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper.

9. Place extra chocolate chips and pecans on top of each cookie and chill for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.

10. When ready, place 5-6 large cookies on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees for 13 - 15 minutes.  If your cookies are smaller than 2 oz., bake for 10 - 12 minutes.  The cookies are ready when the edges are golden and the middle looks puffed, pale, and a bit underdone.

11. When they are hot from the oven, sprinkle the tops with a bit of sea salt and transfer to a cooling rack.  If the cookies are too soft to move, let them sit on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes and then try again.

12. Bake the remaining cookie dough and dig in!

This recipe comes from butternut bakery blog 

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup

  Roasted cauliflower makes it taste amazing, and a little butter (instead of cream) makes it luxuriously creamy. Recipe yields 4 bowls of soup.

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Fine sea salt
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more if needed
Scant ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For garnish: 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, chives and/or green onions

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If desired, line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
   
   
2. On the baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until lightly and evenly coated in oil. Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake until the cauliflower is tender and caramelized on the edges, 25 to 35 minutes, tossing halfway.
   
   
3. Once the cauliflower is almost done, in a Dutch oven or soup pot, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and turning translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
   
   
4. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the broth.
   
   
5. Reserve 4 of the prettiest roasted cauliflower florets for garnish. Then transfer the remaining cauliflower to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, to give the flavors time to meld.
   
   
6. Once the soup is done cooking, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender, working in batches if necessary. (Do not fill past the maximum fill line or the soup could overflow!)
   
   
7. Add the butter and blend until smooth. Add the lemon juice and nutmeg and blend again. Add additional salt, to taste (I usually add another ¼ to ¾ teaspoon, depending on the broth). This soup tastes amazing once it’s properly salted! You can also use a little more lemon juice, if it needs more zing. Blend again.
   
   
8. Top individual bowls of soup with 1 roasted cauliflower floret and a sprinkle of chopped parsley, green onion and/or chives. This soup keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about four days, or for several months in the freezer

This recipe from CookieandKate.com

Baked Ham and Cheese Sliders

Baked juicy ham and Swiss cheese nestled in soft, sweet Hawaiian rolls with a buttery Dijon, onion, and poppy seed topping.

"These small, delicious sandwiches are perfect for any party.  They can also be made up the day before, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.  When ready, bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes with the foil on, then uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes."  ~Shelly 

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup melted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 24 King;s Hawaiian Original Sweet Dinner Rolls
• 1 pound thinly sliced cooked deli ham
• 1 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
   
   
2. In a bowl, mix together butter, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, and dried onion. Separate the tops from bottoms of the rolls, and place the bottom pieces into the prepared baking dish. Layer about half the ham onto the rolls. Arrange the Swiss cheese over the ham, and top with remaining ham slices in a layer. Place the tops of the rolls onto the sandwiches. Pour the mustard mixture evenly over the rolls.
   
   
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the rolls are lightly browned and the cheese has melted, about 20 minutes. Slice into individual rolls through the ham and cheese layers to serve.

Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti

Creamy alfredo sauce, savory chicken, hearty pasta,
two delicious kinds of melty cheese — what’s not to love?!
There’s a reason why this one will always be a classic.

Ingredients

Chicken Baked Ziti Ingredients:

• 12 ounces uncooked ziti (or any pasta shape)
• 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken (about 2 small chicken breasts)
• 1 batch alfredo sauce (see below)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• toppings: lots of freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, finely-chopped fresh basil or parsley

Alfredo Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 3/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

To Make The Chicken Baked Ziti:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Mist a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Cook the pasta al dente in a large stockpot of well-salted boiling according to package instructions. Drain. Return pasta to the stockpot and add chicken and alfredo sauce. Gently toss to combine until the pasta is evenly coated.
3. Pour half of the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of cheese. Layer the remaining half of the pasta evenly on top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and just barely starts to turn golden. Remove and serve immediately, sprinkled with additional toppings if desired.

To Make The Alfredo Sauce:

1. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute one minute, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Sprinkle with flour, and stir to combine. Saute for an additional minute to cook the flour, stirring occasionally.
2. Slowly add chicken broth, whisking to combine until smooth. Whisk in milk, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let cook for an additional minute until thickened, then stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until the cheese melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

Possible Variations:

There are so many ways to customize this chicken alfredo bake!  For example, feel free to…

• Add in veggies. Broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, cauliflower, and any number of other veggies would be delicious added to this chicken alfredo recipe.  Just note that they won’t get cooked much during the 20 minutes of baking time.  So if whatever veggies you add require a longer cooking time, feel free to toss them into the boiling water with the pasta for a few minutes or sauté (or roast) them for a few minutes before adding them to the casserole.
• Add in extra Italian herbs. If you would like an herbier chicken alfredo pasta, feel free to add some dried Italian Seasoning or chopped fresh Italian herbs into the alfredo sauce.  (Or, you can also sprinkle some chopped fresh basil on top of the pasta after baking.)
• Nix the protein.  Not into chicken?  Feel free to use shrimp in this recipe instead.  (Or make it vegetarian and add in some extra veggies instead.)
• Make it spicy. I really love sprinkling lots of crushed red pepper into (and on top of) this casserole to give it a bit of a kick.
• Make it cajun. To give this recipe a Cajun twist, feel free to stir 1-2 tablespoons Cajun seasiing (to taste) into the alfredo sauce.
• Make it gluten-free.  Just use your favorite certified gluten-free pasta, and my gluten-free alfredo sauce recipe.

This recipe comes from GimmeSomeOven.com

https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/chicken-alfredo-baked-ziti-recipe/

Shelly's Spinach Salad

 This recipe is always requested at family gatherings.

I got this recipe from my Aunt Sally, but then I made it so often that it became known as Shelly's Spinach Salad.  Aunt Sally didn't appreciate the name change.

INGREDIENTS

Large head of lettuce, chopped  (or 2 small)
1 Large bag of spinach, chopped and stems cut off
1 package 16 oz. Frozen Peas, thawed
1 bunch green onions, chopped
8  hard boiled eggs
3/4 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbles

2 cups real mayonnaise - (Hellman'a is great)
1 cup sour cream
1 Pkg. Hidden Valley Dry Dressing Mix, 4 oz.

DIRECTIONS

Mix together lettuce and spinach in a large bowl.
Add layers in the order listed.

Mix together mayo, sour cream and Hidden Valley Ranch mix.  Spread on top of salad.
Cover and refrigerate.

Mix just before serving

NOTES 
Best made the night before.
Sometimes I add another small bag of spinach.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce with Garlic

I googled homemade Alfredo sauce this past week and this was the recipe that I used.

I put it over spaghetti noodles, because I didn't have fettuccine noodles on hand.

Then I sautéed scallops and shrimp for a wonderful meal!

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons salted butter

2 large garlic cloves

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving

1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Melt your butter in a 2-quart sauce pan over medium-high heat. Press your garlic and add it to the melted butter, stirring a bit. Let it cook for 30 seconds, being careful not to let the garlic burn.
2. Lower the heat to medium and stir the cream into your garlic mixture. Add your salt and pepper and stir to combine.
3. Let the cream come to a low boil, while stirring frequently.
4. Then lower the heat and let the pot simmer, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes, or until the cream thickens. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Turn off the heat and move your Alfredo pot to a cool burner. Gradually stir in your fresh Parmesan and Romano.
6. Place the pot over low heat and stir until the sauce is thickened further. It is done when you push your spoon along the bottom of the pan and can see the bottom of the pan. It will take a few minutes.
7. The sauce will thicken even more as it sits.
8. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Scallops

Best to use a cast iron skillet.  Heat 2 TBS oil and 1 TBL Butter in the skillet till very hot.  Add Scallops and cook 2 minutes, allowing scallops to brown nicely.  Turn scallops over and cook other side another 2 minutes.  Serve immediately.   

NOTES

It's important to use freshly grated Parmesan and Romano, so the cheese will melt smoothly. (Don't use the cheese sold in a can, or the sauce will be grainy.) 

This sauce makes enough for one pound of pasta. You can easily cut the sauce recipe in half for 8 ounces of pasta. Note that your sauce will take less time to come to a boil and thicken.

To reheat leftover Alfredo pasta, drizzle on a little olive oil before microwaving it, so the pasta isn't dry.

Cherry Pie Bars

 “The recipe makes a lovely, buttery pound cake intertwined with cherry pie filling.”

Makes one - 9 x 13 -inch pan (about 18 servings)

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
One 21-ounce can cherry pie filling
Confectioners’ sugar, for glazing (optional; see note)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just combined. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix to combine. Spread a little over half the cake batter into the pan. Evenly spread the cherries over top, then spoon the rest of the cake batter over the cherries. (It’s fine if the cherries show through.)

3. Bake until the top has turned slightly golden, 30 to 35 minutes. (Do not over-bake.) Cool before slicing into squares.

Note: Optionally, you can finish the cherry pie bars with a glaze made from confectioners’ sugar. Combine about ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar with enough water to make a drizzly consistency, then drizzle over the bars before cutting and serving.

Slow Roasted Bone-In or Boneless Boston Butt

Make this Boston Butt recipe when you have the time to slow roast it in the oven. The lemon and herbs flavor the meat while the low temperature makes for a succulent and tender pork dish.

 
Ingredients

1 (5-lb.) bone-in pork shoulder roast (Boston butt)
2 lemons, halved and divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 garlic bulb, unpeeled
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Garnishes: roasted garlic cloves, baby carrots, radishes, lettuce leaves

How to Make It

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°. Rub 1 lemon half on all sides of pork roast, squeezing juice from lemon. Stir together oregano, salt, and pepper; rub on roast.

Step 2

Place roast on a lightly greased rack in a roasting pan. Separate garlic cloves (do not peel), and place around roast. Drizzle olive oil over roast and garlic cloves.

Step 3

Squeeze juice from remaining 1 1/2 lemons into a bowl. Stir together juice and chicken broth; pour into roasting pan.

Step 4

Bake at 350° for 3 1/2 - 5 hours, until fork tender, or desired tenderness.  (I like to do 5 hours)
. 

Shred pork into large pieces using two forks, if desired. Garnish, if desired.

Pork Tacos

Pulled Pork Sweet and Tangy

Michele's Baked Lasagna

Many years ago, I purchased R&F Brand Lasagna noodles.  I decided to save the recipe knowing someday I would not be able to find it. Sure enough, the parent company sold and today this brand no longer exists.   But I still have the recipe.  This recipe is my base. It is great as is, but I will enhance it, making it a little different each time.  I ALWAYS double the meat that is called for.

These are my ingredients.  I start with opening my wine, because I love to enjoy a glass as I cook.

Ingredients

1 lb. Lasagna noodles

3/4 lb. Ricotta (or full container)

2 eggs

4 Cups Meat Sauce - See below

1 lb. Mozzarella Cheese

4 Tbls or more, Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 1/2 Tsp Salt

1/2 Tsp Pepper

Meat Sauce

1 lb. or More Ground meat ( 1/2 beef - 1/2 Pork)  

    (Boston Burger works great and I like to add Italian Sausage.)

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1 Large Onion

1/4 Cup Chopped Parsley

1 Clove Garlic, chopped or pressed

1 Carrot, grated

1 Can Tomatoes, chopped or mixed in blender for a few seconds

1 (6 oz) can Tomato Paste

1/2 Cup Dry Red Wine

12 oz. water

1 Tsp Salt

1/4 Tsp Pepper

1 Tsp Basil

Sauté onion, parsley, garlic and carrot in oil. Add meat and brown.

Add tomato paste, wine and water, salt, pepper and basil.  Simmer 1 hour.

Boil Lasagna 10 minutes in 6 Qts. salted water.  Add cold water until noodles can be handles.  Do NOT drain.

In a separate bowl mix eggs and ricotta.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 Grease Baking dish and arrange the bottom with parallel layers of lasagna.  Add 1/3 of Meat Sauce, 1/3 Ricotta mixture, 1/3 thin slices Mozzarella.  Sprinkle with grated Parmesan.  Cover with another layer of each, and a third layer of each.  Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) for 30 minutes. 

Serves 8

I chopped my onion, added grated carrots, and pressed garlic.

Saute in 1/4 cup Olive Oil

I added 1 lb. each of

  Harter House Ground Round (95%  lean)

and Harter House homemade Italian Sausage.

At Harter House, all of our ground meats are ground fresh daily from our own trimmings, to ensure the freshest product for your family.

Brown the meat and drain the fat and oil from the pot.

I like to use Bounty paper towels to soak up the liquid.

I added basil rather than parsley.  I love the flavor of basil and I find that fresh spices add an extra kick that always wins the prize.

Next I added chopped Roasted Red Peppers, tomatoes, and tomato paste.

I added 1 cup Cabernet Wine and 1 cup water.

(a little different from the original recipe)

              

                                                       

Now, we let it simmer for an hour.

Next, I've set up my work station to layer each ingredient.

A little oil on the Pampered Chef Stone Bakeware. 

Layer noodles, meat sauce, Ricotta and egg mixture, Mozzarella slices, and Parmesan cheese. Repeat for three layers.  Then bake in a 350 degree oven 30-45 minutes. (since I made a larger amount, I cooked it a little longer)  Then I broiled the lasagna just long enough to make the cheese bubbly on top.

Finally, I made a Cheesy Garlic Bread with English Muffins.  Melted butter and garlic powder sprinkled on muffins and topped with shredded mozzarella.  Broil for about 8 minutes, till the cheese is browned a bit.

Sex in a Pan (?) CAKE

I have not yet tried this cake, but I thought it looked really good, so I'm going to share it.
It comes from a blog called JoCooks.com.

Sex in a pan is a layered dessert. The bottom layer is the crust made with pecans, flour and butter. The next layer is a layer of cream cheese sweetened with powdered sugar and made fluffier with whipped cream. Then you have a layer of chocolate pudding, then another layer of vanilla pudding and top it off with whipping cream and then lastly you sprinkle it with chocolate. Does that not sound good?

Ingredients

Crust
1 cup pecans chopped
3 tbsp granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter melted
1 cup all-purpose flour

Cream cheese layer
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar also known as confectioner's sugar, use 1/2 cup for less sweetness
1 cup cool whip or whipped cream

Vanilla pudding
5.1 oz instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk

Chocolate Pudding
5.1 oz instant chocolate pudding
2 cups milk

Toppings
2 cups cool whip or whipped cream
shaved chocolate optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
  
• Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  
• In a mixer, mix all the crust ingredients together and press the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
  
• Bake it for about 20 minutes.
• Prepare the vanilla pudding as per the instructions on the package. As noted I used 2 cups of milk instead of the 3 cups on the package instructions to get a firmer pudding. 
• Prepare the chocolate pudding as per the instructions on the package. As noted I used 2 cups of milk instead of the 3 cups on the package instructions to get a firmer pudding.
• In a mixer add the cream cheese, powdered sugar and the cup of whipped cream. Mix until light and fluffy.
• Let the crust cool. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the crust evenly. Spread the vanilla pudding over the cream cheese layer, then the chocolate pudding. Spread the whipped cream as the last layer then top with shaved chocolate if preferred.
• Refrigerate for a couple hours until it sets before serving.
  
  

Recipe Notes

1. I used 2 cups of milk for my pudding, because I wanted a firmer pudding for the layers here, but feel free to use 3 cups of milk just as the instructions say.
   
   
2. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
   
   
3. This recipe can be frozen also.   Just thaw in the fridge overnight.

Chef John's Stuffed Peppers

When was the last time you had a great stuffed bell pepper?

"This recipe's roots can be traced back to the Great Depression, when farmers first began selling the unripe peppers out of necessity. Of course, we did what Americans always do when faced with a new variety of food, we stuffed meat in it."

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
2 cups water
Sauce:
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups marinara sauce or pasta sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Peppers:

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 pound hot Italian pork sausage, casing removed
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
4 large green bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for topping

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Bring rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the cooked rice aside.
3. Cook onion and olive oil over medium heat until onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Transfer half of cooked onion to a large bowl and set aside.
4. Stir marinara sauce, beef broth, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes into the skillet; cook and stir for 1 minute.
5. Pour sauce mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
6. Combine ground beef, Italian sausage, diced tomatoes, Italian parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper into bowl with reserved onions; mix well. Stir in cooked rice and Parmigiano Reggiano. Stuff green bell peppers with beef and sausage mixture.
7. Place stuffed green bell pepper halves in the baking dish over tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano, cover baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
8. Remove aluminum foil and bake until the meat is no longer pink, the green peppers are tender and the cheese is browned on top, an addition 20 to 25 minutes.

Printed From Allrecipes.com

Italian Sausage Rigatoni Bake

This casserole combines all of our favorite Italian flavors, 

but the fresh mozzarella really sets it apart!

Serve this with a warm Ciabatta Bread

Ingredients

1 package (16 ounces) rigatoni
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
5 cups marinara sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons half-and-half cream
1 pound sliced part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cook rigatoni according to package directions; drain.
• In a large skillet, cook sausage, mushrooms and pepper over medium-high heat until sausage is no longer pink and vegetables are tender, breaking up sausage into crumbles, 8-10 minutes; drain. Stir in marinara sauce, Parmesan cheese and cream. Add rigatoni and toss to coat.
• In each of two greased 8-in. square baking dishes, layer one-fourth of the rigatoni mixture and one-fourth of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, until heated through and cheese is melted, 25-35 minutes. (Cover loosely with foil if tops brown too quickly.)
  
  
  Freeze option: Cool unbaked casseroles; cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake casseroles as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°.

From: tasteofhome.com

MARINATED CUCUMBERS ONIONS AND TOMATOES

 

INGREDIENTS
3 Medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 Medium Onion, sliced and separated into rings
3 Medium Tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh coarse black pepper
1/4 cup oil

DIRECTIONS
Peel and slice the cucumber 1/4 inch thick, slice onion and separate into rings, then cut tomatoes into wedges and toss into a large mixing bowl.

Add in 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 cup of water, 2 teaspoons salt, ground pepper, and oil.

Stir to combine and let chill for 1-2 hours.  Serve and enjoy.

Garlic Aioli Sauce

 

Classic Homemade Aioli

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, optional
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup light-tasting olive oil or vegetable oil
• parsley, to garnish, optional           

Instructions

How to make Classic Homemade Aioli:

1. Use a chef's knife to smash 4 cloves of garlic. Remove the peels and mince the garlic finely.
2. Top the garlic with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Use the side of the chef's knife to smash the salt into the garlic, over and over, making a paste. See photos.
3. Add the salt and garlic to a blender, or if you plan to use an immersion blender, add it to a mason jar or whatever to want to blend in.* (See note if you are not using a blender!) Add about 1 teaspoon lemon zest to the garlic and salt. 
4. Add 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons lemon juice to the garlic. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Stir it together with a spoon and let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes, to let all the flavors get nice and friendly.
5. At this point if you are garlic shy, you can use a spoon to strain out some of the garlic. The garlic has already worked a lot of magic on the lemon juice just from the 15 minute marinade. I left it all in because I am a garlic freak. But if you plan on kissing anyone soon, you might want to remove some (up to half or more) of the minced garlic, being careful to strain it well so you don't lose any lemon juice.
6. Add 1 large egg and 1 egg yolk. If you are using a regular blender or making this in a bowl, slowly drizzle 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup light tasting olive oil or vegetable oil into the bowl while whisking constantly*, or drizzle the oil into the blender while it is running. Blend or whisk until smooth.
7. If you are using an immersion blender, add all the oil at once and place your immersion blender all the way at the bottom of your container. Blend on low, slowly moving the blender up higher and high, until it is all emulsified.
   
8. Taste it and add salt and pepper as needed, or a bit more lemon or Dijon if you want.
9. Garnish with chopped parsley.
   
   Eat with french fries. It's also great with a fresh relish tray: carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, etc. Try dipping roasted brussels sprouts in aioli. Slap it on a sandwich. It's also really great on a burger The options are endless!
   
   

   Recipe Notes

   Variation: Aioli reaches a whole different level when you roast the garlic first. Spread 4-5 cloves of unpeeled garlic on some foil, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap up. Roast at 400 for about 30-40 minutes until a fork slides in easily. Let cool. Prepare aioli with the garlic as usual. 

   *If you do not have a blender or immersion blender, you can do all this in a bowl. Whisk all the ingredients together up until the eggs, then SLOWLY whisk in the oil in a gradual stream. Whisk constantly while slowly adding oil to make sure it emulsifies. 

   The flavor of olive oil is kind of strong, which is why we are toning that flavor down with a lighter flavored oil. (But if you only have one kind or the other, it's still going to taste great!)

FROM: The Food Harlatan

See step by step directions and other dipping sauce ideas here.

CARBONARA WITH PAN SEARED SCALLOPS

Ingredients for Carbonara

8 slices of Harter House thick cut bacon diced

1 shallot finely sliced

1 clove garlic (leave whole)

4 green onions

2 egg yolks

½ cup cream

1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

fresh ground pepper

pasta of your choice (I used Linguine, but most recipes use Spaghetti)

Instructions

Pasta Carbonara

Start cooking pasta in large stainless steel pot.

In small bowl mix together cream, egg yolks and ¾ of cheese.

In large skillet cook bacon until crisp, add shallots and ½ green Onions.

Smash down garlic clove a bit, add to bacon. (remove prior to adding pasta)

When pasta is finished cooking, drain well, then add to skillet of bacon.

Toss well, then transfer to large bowl.

Add cream mixture to pasta and combined well. Make sure pasta is still hot in order to cook the eggs and melt the cheese.

Arrange pasta on plate, top with seared scallops, add some fresh ground pepper, grated parmesan, and green onions.

Perfect Pan Seared Scallops - I use 4-5 Scallops per person.

Blot scallops with paper towel to remove any water. Salt and pepper.

Heat large cast iron frying pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Make sure frying pan is hot before adding scallops but not smoking.

Add scallops leaving plenty of space between. Overcrowding the pan will drop the pan temperature and cause scallops to steam rather than sear. (may have to do in batches)

Sear for about 2-4 minutes or when bottom is a nice golden brown. Don't move them around in the pan or you will prevent them from forming that nice brown crust. After a couple of minutes have peek under to see if golden brown.

Turn to sear other side. (about 1-3 more minutes)

Add 2 tablespoons of butter to pan now.

Spoon the melted butter over the scallops as the other side finishes cooking.

Transfer to paper towel covered plate.

Keep warm in oven, if making in batches.