Beef Stroganoff

Total Time: 45 min
Prep: 5 min
Cook: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Level: Easy

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds cubed round steak, cut into thin strips
• All-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 (10 ¾-ounce) can beef broth
• 1 (10 ¾-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• Cooked egg noodles
• House Seasoning:
• 1 cup salt
• ¼ cup black pepper
• ¼ cup garlic powder

Directions
Sprinkle the steak strips with House Seasoning to light cover them, and then dust with flour. In a large skillet, quickly brown them on both sides in the olive oil and butter. Remove the steak from the pan. Add the onion slices and mushrooms to the pan drippings. Saute for a few minutes, until the onion is tender. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flour. Put the steak back into the pan with the onion and mushrooms. Add the mushroom soup and beef broth. Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, covered. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding salt and pepper, as needed. Stir in the sour cream the last few minutes, right before you serve. Serve over cooked noodles.

Brussels Sprout Gratin

From: Cook's Country | October/November 2015
SERVES 6 TO 8

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved through stem
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 2 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• Pinch cayenne pepper

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
In developing a Brussels sprout gratin, we wanted to make a dish that highlighted the earthy flavor of Brussels sprouts. Pre-roasting the sprouts makes them rich and nutty, not cabbagey. We make a quick, creamy Mornay sauce, using a combination of Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses, to bind the gratin. To add crunch, we top the gratin with pre-toasted panko bread crumbs and more nutty Gruyere.

Look for smaller Brussels sprouts, no bigger than a golf ball, as they’re likely to be sweeter and more tender than large sprouts. If you can find only large sprouts, quarter them. A broiler-­safe dish is important because the sprouts cook at such a high temperature.


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease 13 by 9­ inch broiler-­safe baking dish. Toss Brussels sprouts, oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in prepared baking dish. Bake until sprouts are well browned and tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and set aside to cool for at least 5 minutes or up to 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add panko and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl and stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; set aside. Wipe saucepan clean with paper towels.
3. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in now ­empty saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook until just softened, about 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in cream and broth and bring to boil over medium-­high heat. Once boiling, remove from heat and whisk in 1/4 cup Gruyère, Parmesan, nutmeg, cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon salt until smooth.
4. Pour cream mixture over Brussels sprouts in baking dish and stir to combine. Sprinkle evenly with panko mixture and remaining 1/4 cup Gruyère. Bake until bubbling around edges and golden brown on top, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer dish to wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Serve.

Coleslaw

• 1 bag pre shredded coleslaw cabbage with carrots (6-7 cups)
• 1 cup mayo
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp celery seed
• ¼ cup sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Make dressing by combining all ingredients other than the cabbage mix. Toss with cabbage mix. Chill in fridge at least 2-3 hours prior to serving.

Clam Dip

From: Jeannine Pedroza

• 1 package/brick (room temperature) cream cheese
• 1 can chopped/mined clams
• 2 tbsp heaping mayo
• 1 big lemon
• dash of garlic salt
• ¼-½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

Beat/mix all ingredients until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with potato chips.

Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

From: Cooks Illustrated
Yield: 30 3-INCH COOKIES

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Because we wanted a thick and chewy gingerbread cookie recipe, we added more butter for moisture. A ratio of anything less than 4 tablespoons of fat to 1 cup of flour produced a very dry cookie—which may be desirable when building a gingerbread house but not when making a cookie meant for eating. More sugar and molasses came next, adding flavor and a pleasant sweetness. A little bit of milk gave the cookies just the right extra measure of softness and lift.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp table salt
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• 12 tbsp unsalted butter (1½ sticks), cut into 12 pieces and softened slightly
• ¾ cup unsulphured molasses
• 2 tbsp milk

INSTRUCTIONS

If you plan to decorate your gingerbread cookies and make ornaments out of them, follow the related recipe for Thin, Crisp Gingerbread Cookies. Because flour is not added during rolling, dough scraps can be rolled and cut as many times as necessary. Don't overbake the cookies or they will be dry. Store soft gingerbread in a wide, shallow airtight container or tin with a sheet of parchment or waxed paper between each cookie layer. These cookies are best eaten within one week. If you make gingerbread people, this recipe will make about twenty 3-inch people.

1. In food processor workbowl fitted with steel blade, process flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and baking soda until combined, about 10 seconds. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture and process until mixture is sandy and resembles very fine meal, about 15 seconds. With machine running, gradually add molasses and milk; process until dough is evenly moistened and forms soft mass, about 10 seconds. Alternatively, in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and baking soda at low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer and add butter pieces; mix at medium-low speed until mixture is sandy and resembles fine meal, about 1½ minutes. Reduce speed to low and, with mixer running, gradually add molasses and milk; mix until dough is evenly moistened, about 20 seconds. Increase speed to medium and mix until thoroughly combined, about 10 seconds.

2. Scrape dough onto work surface; divide in half. Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll 1/4-inch thick between two large sheets of parchment paper. Leaving dough sandwiched between parchment layers, stack on cookie sheet and freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes. (Alternatively, refrigerate dough 2 hours or overnight.)

3. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350° degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

4. Remove one dough sheet from freezer; place on work surface. Peel off top parchment sheet and gently lay it back in place. Flip dough over; peel off and discard second parchment layer. Cut dough into 5-inch gingerbread people or 3-inch gingerbread cookies, transferring shapes to parchment-lined cookie sheets with wide metal spatula, spacing them ¾ inch apart; set scraps aside. Repeat with remaining dough until cookie sheets are full. Bake cookies until set in centers and dough barely retains imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 11 minutes, rotating cookie sheets front to back and switching positions top to bottom halfway through baking time. Do not overbake. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes, then remove with wide metal spatula to wire rack; cool to room temperature.

5. Gather scraps; repeat rolling, cutting, and baking in steps 2 and 4. Repeat with remaining dough until all dough is used.

3-Ingredient Thanksgiving Stuffing

Yield: Serves 8–10
Active Time: 1/2 hour
Total Time" 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for pan
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
• 3 large celery stalks, sliced crosswise into 1/4" pieces (about 2 cups); plus whole leaves for serving (optional)
• 2 (1-pound) loaves cranberry-nut bread, cut into 1" cubes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil a 3-qt. baking dish. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over high. Cook sausage, breaking up into pieces with the back of a spoon, until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add sliced celery and continue to cook, stirring often, until sausage is cooked through, 5–7 minutes. Transfer sausage mixture with drippings to a large bowl. Add bread and toss to combine.
• Add 2 cups water to hot skillet; heat over medium-high, scraping up brown bits with a spoon; season with salt and pepper. Pour over bread mixture, then toss to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish and cover tightly with foil.
• Bake stuffing 40 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until top is lightly browned and crisp, 20–25 minutes more. Top with celery leaves, if desired.

Do Ahead
Stuffing can be made 4 hours ahead; store at room temperature and rewarm before serving.

Notes

• added chopped onion, carrots, cranberries (raw)

3-Ingredient Sweet Potato Casserole With Maple Pecans

Yield: Serves 8–10
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

• Olive oil (for pan)
• 5 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 1/2" pieces
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more
• 1 1/4 cups pure maple syrup, divided
• 2 cups pecan halves (about 7 ounces)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil a 3-qt. baking dish. Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 12 minutes. Drain; let sit in colander 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 1/2 cup syrup in a large skillet over medium-high. Add pecans, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until syrup has evaporated and pecans are glazed, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and let cool.
• Purée potatoes, 1 1/2 cups water, and remaining 3/4 cup syrup, 1 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a food processor until smooth. Transfer potato mixture to prepared baking dish.
• Coarsely chop pecans and sprinkle evenly over potato mixture.
• Bake casserole until top is lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Let sit 15 minutes before serving.

Do Ahead
Casserole can be assembled, without topping, 2 days ahead; cover and chill. Candied pecans can be made 2 days ahead; store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

• nuts were a sticky mess; hard to cut; find a separate recipe for nuts next time

Avocado Salsa

• 2 avocados
• 1 medium tomato
• 1 medium red onion
• 1 small bell pepper
• 1 hot house cucumber
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp cumin
• 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 2 cloves garlic, creamed
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• dash cayenne or chopped jalapeno
• sea salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Finely chop the onion.

Cut the avocado in half; remove the seed and slice in rind, then remove with spoon, place in small bowl with lime juice and set aside.

Cut tomatoes in half. Squeeze gently to remove seeds; chop finely. Place in separate bowl from avocados.

Remove seed from peppers and finely chop. Place in the bowl.

Cut cucumber length wise, scoop out seed, finely chop, place in the bowl.

Finely chop cilantro, place in bowl

Cream the garlic, place in bowl.

Finely chop the jalapeno, place in bowl, toss until combined.

Add coriander, cumin, olive, oil, salt, and pepper, toss.

Add avocado, gently combine.

Serve with fresh veggies or tortilla chips.

Zucchini Bread

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups grated zucchini - peeled
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp cloves
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup chopped nuts
• 1 cup raisins

Beat eggs, gradually beat in sugars, then oil. Combine dry ingredients. Add to first mixture alternately with zuchinni. Stir in raisins, nuts, and vanilla. Pour into 2 greased and lightly floured loaf pans. Bake 1 hour at 325°. Let stand about 10 min and turn onto wire rack to cool. Can be glazed with lemon icing.

Banana Nut Muffins

From: Karen Penn

• 3 or 4 bananas smashed
• ⅓ cup melted butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp espresso or strong coffee
• 1 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1½ cup flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Don't need to use mixed.

1. Preheat oven to 350°. With a wooden spoon, mix the butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.
2. Mix in the sugar, egg, espresso, and vanilla.
3. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in.
4. Add the flour, mix until it is just incorporated. Fold in chopped walnuts.
5. Pour mixture into a prepared muffin tin. Bake for 25-30 min. Check for done-ness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin. They're done when toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

Makes 12 standard or 6 large muffins.

Amish Friendship Bread

• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1½ cups milk
• ¾ - 1 cup oil (can use applesauce instead)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 large eggs
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 large box vanilla instant pudding
• 1 cup chopped pecans and/or ½ cup raisins (optional)

Combine wet ingredients. Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet and dry.

Pour into 2 large well greased and sugared (sugar, cinnamon, flour mixture) loaf pans.

Bake @ 325 for 1 hour.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

From: Sherrie Casto

• 1½ cup sugar
• 2 cup brown sugar
• 1 lb butter or ½ butter crisco and ½ button or margarine
• 6 cup flour
• 3 eggs
• 2 Tbsp vanilla
• 1½ tsp soda
• 1½ tsp salt
• 3 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars. Add Eggs and vanilla.

Mix dry ingredients together in separate bowl.

Add dry ingredients to wet, gradually, 1 cup at a time until mixed.

Stir in chocolate chips

Bast @ 350° for 8-10 min.