Autumn Salad (and Dressing)

 Autumn Salad - from Diane Morrisey

 

Quinoa.

Kale.

Brussel Sprouts. 

Roasted sweet potato. 

Toasted walnuts. 

Feta.

Apple.

Pomegranate seeds. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Favorite Holiday Salad Dressing:

1/2 cup orange juice 
Zest of one orange 
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 
2 tbls pure maple syrup 
1 clove minced garlic 
1 tbls dijon 
1/2 tsp kosher salt 
1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper 
3/4 cup olive oil 

Put all ingredients in a jar and shake until fully combined. 

Best Ever Bolognese Sauce

 Best Ever Bolognese Sauce - from Style Me Pretty

 

Prep Time

15 MINUTES

Cook Time

60 MINUTES

Total Time

75 MINUTES

 

INGREDIENTS

2 TBS olive oil	1/2 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced	1/2 cup carrots, diced
1 lb ground beef (or any combo of beef/pork/turkey)	1 cup red wine
1 cup vegetable broth	1 28 ounce can of san marzano crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup basil	2 TBS butter, divided into 1 TBS
2 Tbs Heavy Cream	1 tsp salt, plus more for adjustments
dash of pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1.

Saute the onion and carrots for about 5 minutes until the onion starts to look a bit translucent. 

2.

Add the garlic and stir for about 1 minute, careful not to burn it. Bitter garlic is no good. 

3.

Add in the ground beef and and brown completely. Once browned, toss in your red wine and your veggie broth and cook down by about 1/2, about 10 minutes on medium high. 

4.

Add your tomatoes and salt cook over medium heat for 30 minutes to 1 hour. 

5.

Add in basil, butter and cream. Stir to incorporate and simmer on loooow for 10 minutes. You're done. You can always add a bit more salt/pepper if needed!

 

Best Ever Pumpkin Muffins

1. Best Ever Pumpkin Muffins - Lovely Little Kitchen

•  Prep Time: 20 minutes
•  Cook Time: 22 minutes
•  Total Time: 42 minutes
•  Yield: 12 
• 
  

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1 15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place 12 paper liners into each well of your standard size muffin baking pan.
2. Measure out the flour, sugars, baking soda, salt and spices in a medium bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, coconut oil and vanilla extract.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together. Do not over mix, just stir until everything is incorporated into the batter.
5. It is helpful to use a large scoop (like an ice cream scoop) to evenly distribute the batter into each well. They will be nearly full. This will help give your muffins a nice puffy dome.
6. Bake your muffins for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Stovetop Basmati Rice

How to cook Basmati Rice 

RecipeTinEats 

 

The correct rice to water ratio is 1 : 1.5 (1 cup of rice to 1.5 cups of water).

Most people use 1 3/4 cups of water or even 2 cups of water, AND they rinse the rice which makes it waterlogged and makes the mushy rice problem even worse.

This method I’m sharing today is simple, fuss free and yields fluffy basmati rice every time. NO RINSING RICE. No fussing with draining rice from giant pots of boiling water.

Here’s how.

 

 

HOW TO MAKE BASMATI RICE

1.     Place water and rice in saucepan;

2.    Bring to simmer on medium high without the lid;

3.    When entire surface is bubbly and foamy, place lid on, turn down to medium low and cook 12 minutes;

4.    Remove from stove and rest 10 minutes;

5.    Fluff; then

6.    Serve!

Mamaw's Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Cream well:

1 cup butter or oleo (227g)

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar. firmly packed

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Mix well and add to creamed mixture:

2 cups flour

1 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

Add:

2 cups uncooked oatmeal

1 pkg (8 oz) chocolate chips 

Drop by teaspoon on greased cookie tray. Bake 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Sesame Tofu With Coconut-Lime Dressing and Spinach

By Nik Sharma

• YIELD4 servings
• TIME30 minutes

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Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Susan Spungen.

Coated in panko and sesame seeds, tofu takes on a splendid crunchiness that contrasts with sautéed spinach in this 30-minute dish. It comes together under a fragrant coconut-lime dressing — which you can double, then toss with salad. Swap out the spinach to your taste: Try this with mustard greens or chopped collard greens, adjusting the cooking time accordingly. Be careful when handling the uncooked tofu once it is breaded, as the breading is delicate. Using a pair of kitchen tongs or two forks to grab the tofu from the sides will help prevent its crumbling or falling apart. Serve this satisfying main by itself, or alongside a bowl of rice.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DRESSING:

• ¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 lime, zested and juiced (1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice)
• 2 tablespoons sambal oelek
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup pure sesame oil (or toasted sesame oil, for stronger flavor)
•  Fine sea salt

FOR THE TOFU:

• 1 (12-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, cut into 8 equal rectangles
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs (or 1/4 cup cornstarch, for a gluten-free option)
• ½ cup white sesame seeds (or a mix of black and white)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
•  Fine sea salt
• 2 large egg whites
• ¼ cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed, for pan-frying

FOR THE SPINACH:

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed
• 1 shallot, peeled and minced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 20 ounces spinach
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
•  Fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons minced chives, for garnish

PREPARATION

1. Prepare the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk, lime zest and juice, sambal oelek and brown sugar until sugar dissolves completely. Slowly stream in the sesame oil and whisk until the mixture is emulsified and creamy. Taste and season with salt as needed; set aside. (You’ll have 3/4 cup dressing. Save any extra in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)
2. Prepare the tofu: Pat the tofu dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. In a medium bowl, whisk together panko, sesame seeds and black pepper. Season the mixture generously with salt. In a second medium bowl, lightly whisk the egg whites. Using a pair of kitchen tongs, dip the tofu slices one at a time in the egg whites and coat well. Transfer to the bowl with the panko mixture, coating well on all sides, then move to a clean plate. Repeat with remaining tofu slices.
3. Line a large plate with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium (10-inch) cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-low. Working in batches to avoid crowding, pan-fry the tofu until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. (Don’t overcook, or the sesame seeds will turn bitter.) Transfer the fried tofu slices to the prepared plate. Repeat with the remaining tofu, adding oil and wiping out the pan as needed.
4. Prepare the spinach: Wipe out the skillet, and heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add the shallot and sauté until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 seconds, taking care not to scorch the garlic. Add the spinach by the handful, increasing the heat after the first handful and allowing the greens to wilt before adding more. Sauté until wilted and most of the liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Add the soy sauce and black pepper, and fold to coat well. Taste and add salt as needed. Remove the skillet from the heat.
5. Place spinach in a serving bowl. Add fried tofu on top, and drizzle with half of the coconut-lime dressing. Sprinkle the chives over the tofu, and serve immediately, with more dressing on the side.

Braised Turkey Shanks

• Level: Easy
• Total: 1 hr 10 min
• Prep: 30 min
• Cook: 40 min
• Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

4 turkey drumsticks, frenched 

8 ounces sliced smoked sausage 

1 large onion, diced

2 tablespoons minced ginger root 

2 tablespoons minced garlic 

1 cup diced sweet potatoes 

1 cup diced celery 

1 cup sliced okra (reserve some whole okra for garnish)

3 cups chicken stock 

1 large tomato, chopped 

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 cups cooked collard greens

Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup toasted unsalted peanuts

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the turkey drumsticks and saute for 5 minutes. Add the sausage and onions and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the gingerroot, garlic, sweet potatoes, celery, sliced okra, and chicken stock. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the chopped tomato, collard greens and cayenne pepper, to taste. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes longer. Add the salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with whole okra and toasted peanuts.

This recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional. It has not been tested for home use.