Monday, January 2, 2017

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.