From The Pioneer Woman Cooks.
5 lbs. russet or Yukon gold potatoes
3/4 C. butter (1-1/2 sticks)
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. (to 3/4 C.) half-and-half
1/2 tsp. (to 1 tsp.) Lawry's seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. (to 1 tsp.) black pepper
Peel and cut potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When the potatoes are cooked through, a fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.
Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.
Turn off the stove and add the butter, cream cheese, and half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Add the seasoned salt and pepper.
Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until the butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.
When making the dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until warmed through.
Notes: I used Yukon gold potatoes and light cream cheese. Yum! Also, I halved the recipe and it turned out great.
Slow Roasted Turkey with Gravy
From America's Test Kitchen.
Turkey:
3 medium onions, chopped medium
3 medium celery ribs, chopped medium
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped medium
5 sprigs fresh thyme
5 medium garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1 C. low-sodium chicken broth
1 whole bone-in, skin-on turkey breast (5 to 7 pounds), trimmed of excess fat and patted dry with paper towels
1-1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1-1/2 tsp. table salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
Gravy:
2 C. low-sodium chicken broth
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 bay leaves
Instructions:
1. For the turkey: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Arrange onions, celery, carrots, thyme, and garlic in even layer on rimmed baking sheet. Pour broth into baking sheet. Place wire rack on top of vegetables (rack will rest on vegetables, not on bottom of baking sheet).
2. Brush turkey pieces on all sides with melted butter. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over turkey. Place breast skin-side down on vegetable-filled baking sheet.
3. Roast turkey 1 hour. Using wads of paper towels, turn turkey breast skin-side up. Continue roasting until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in thickest part of breast, 1 to 2 hours longer. Removing baking sheet from oven and transfer rack to second baking sheet. Allow pieces to rest at least 30 minutes or up to 1-1/2 hours.
4. For the gravy: Strain vegetables and liquid from baking sheet through colander set in large bowl. Press solids with back of spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard vegetables. Transfer liquid in bowl to 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Add chicken broth to measuring cup (you should have about 3 cups liquid).
5. In medium saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until flour is dark golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Whisk in broth mixture and bay leaves and gradually bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until gravy is thick and reduced to 2 cups, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Remove gravy from heat and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
6. To serve: Heat oven to 500 degrees. Place baking sheet with turkey in oven. Roast until skin is golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven, transfer turkey to cutting board, and let rest 20 minutes. Carve and serve, passing warm gravy separately.
Turkey:
3 medium onions, chopped medium
3 medium celery ribs, chopped medium
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped medium
5 sprigs fresh thyme
5 medium garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1 C. low-sodium chicken broth
1 whole bone-in, skin-on turkey breast (5 to 7 pounds), trimmed of excess fat and patted dry with paper towels
1-1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1-1/2 tsp. table salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
Gravy:
2 C. low-sodium chicken broth
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 bay leaves
Instructions:
1. For the turkey: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Arrange onions, celery, carrots, thyme, and garlic in even layer on rimmed baking sheet. Pour broth into baking sheet. Place wire rack on top of vegetables (rack will rest on vegetables, not on bottom of baking sheet).
2. Brush turkey pieces on all sides with melted butter. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over turkey. Place breast skin-side down on vegetable-filled baking sheet.
3. Roast turkey 1 hour. Using wads of paper towels, turn turkey breast skin-side up. Continue roasting until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in thickest part of breast, 1 to 2 hours longer. Removing baking sheet from oven and transfer rack to second baking sheet. Allow pieces to rest at least 30 minutes or up to 1-1/2 hours.
4. For the gravy: Strain vegetables and liquid from baking sheet through colander set in large bowl. Press solids with back of spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard vegetables. Transfer liquid in bowl to 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Add chicken broth to measuring cup (you should have about 3 cups liquid).
5. In medium saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until flour is dark golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Whisk in broth mixture and bay leaves and gradually bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until gravy is thick and reduced to 2 cups, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Remove gravy from heat and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
6. To serve: Heat oven to 500 degrees. Place baking sheet with turkey in oven. Roast until skin is golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven, transfer turkey to cutting board, and let rest 20 minutes. Carve and serve, passing warm gravy separately.
White Chicken Chili
From The Recipe Club. Perfect for a cool day!
16 oz. box low-sodium chicken broth
2 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 white or yellow onion, chopped
2 4-oz. cans mild diced green chiles, undrained
2 cans (14-16 oz.) great Northern beans, undrained
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Place ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high 3-5 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, shred chicken and return to slow cooker.
Right before serving, add:
1 C. sour cream
4 oz. cream cheese
Top with shredded pepper jack cheese, avocado, Fritos, extra sour cream, sliced jalapeno peppers, cilantro, pico de gallo, etc.
Note: The original recipe called for three chicken breasts, but I thought it was too "chicken-y." If you prefer lots of chicken, use three chicken breasts instead of two. I used light sour cream and light cream cheese. I have also omitted the onions with no discernable difference in flavor.
16 oz. box low-sodium chicken broth
2 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 white or yellow onion, chopped
2 4-oz. cans mild diced green chiles, undrained
2 cans (14-16 oz.) great Northern beans, undrained
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Place ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high 3-5 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, shred chicken and return to slow cooker.
Right before serving, add:
1 C. sour cream
4 oz. cream cheese
Top with shredded pepper jack cheese, avocado, Fritos, extra sour cream, sliced jalapeno peppers, cilantro, pico de gallo, etc.
Note: The original recipe called for three chicken breasts, but I thought it was too "chicken-y." If you prefer lots of chicken, use three chicken breasts instead of two. I used light sour cream and light cream cheese. I have also omitted the onions with no discernable difference in flavor.
Buffalo Chicken Macaroni & Cheese
Another recipe (slightly adapted) from The Girl Who Ate Everything.
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 lb. elbow macaroni
3 C. shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 C. Frank's Original RedHot Sauce, divided
2 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. dry mustard
2-1/2 C. half & half
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3-1/2 cups)
8 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
2/3 C. sour cream
1 C. panko breadcrumbs
1/2 C. crumbled blue cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, optional
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken and cook 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute more.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard until smooth. Whisk in the half & half and add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.
Combine the chicken mixture, cooked pasta, and cheese sauce and toss to combine.
Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Best served immediately. Does not reheat well without separating.
Notes: I eliminated the celery and onions from the original recipe and reduced the butter accordingly. Also, instead of rotisserie chicken, I boiled three skinless, boneless chicken breasts in water (with some bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, dry onion, and dry parsley) for about 8-10 minutes, until no longer pink, and then shredded the meat. I also shredded the cheddar cheese instead of cubing it. I also used bottled minced garlic rather than mincing my own. My family thought it would be better if the chicken was served on the side with the macaroni and cheese rather than being stirred into the mixture.
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 lb. elbow macaroni
3 C. shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 C. Frank's Original RedHot Sauce, divided
2 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. dry mustard
2-1/2 C. half & half
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3-1/2 cups)
8 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
2/3 C. sour cream
1 C. panko breadcrumbs
1/2 C. crumbled blue cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, optional
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken and cook 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute more.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard until smooth. Whisk in the half & half and add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.
Combine the chicken mixture, cooked pasta, and cheese sauce and toss to combine.
Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Best served immediately. Does not reheat well without separating.
Notes: I eliminated the celery and onions from the original recipe and reduced the butter accordingly. Also, instead of rotisserie chicken, I boiled three skinless, boneless chicken breasts in water (with some bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, dry onion, and dry parsley) for about 8-10 minutes, until no longer pink, and then shredded the meat. I also shredded the cheddar cheese instead of cubing it. I also used bottled minced garlic rather than mincing my own. My family thought it would be better if the chicken was served on the side with the macaroni and cheese rather than being stirred into the mixture.
French Dip Sandwiches
This is a mash-up from two websites: Becky Higgins LLC and Our Best Bites. My niece and nephew LOVED these sandwiches.
1 3-lb. boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed
2 Tbsp. oil
salt and pepper
2 1-oz. pkg. dry onion soup mix
2 C. water
1 10.5-oz. can condensed beef consommé, undiluted
1 14-oz. can low-sodium beef broth
provolone cheese
French rolls, split in half lengthwise
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper. When oil is very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides. Place seared roast in slow cooker and sprinkle with onion soup mixes. Pour water, consommé, and broth over roast. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours (until the water boils) AND low for 3-4 more hours (until the meat is tender). The longer the roast cooks, the more tender it will be.
Remove meat and shred with two forks. Broil rolls "face up" on low for just a few minutes until the rolls are lightly toasted. Place provolone cheese on the rolls. Broil for a few more minutes until the cheese is melted. Spoon the shredded meat onto the rolls. Skim fat from cooking juices and serve as a dipping sauce (au jus).
Notes: For the dry onion soup mix, I used Lipton Beefy Onion. I wasn't a big fan of just serving the cooking juices as the dipping sauce (au jus) because it seemed too fatty and had no taste. The last time I made this, I decided to thicken the cooking juices to make more of a thin gravy for the dipping sauce. It tasted much better! Here is the recipe:
2-1/4 C. cooking juices (divided)
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
Pour 2 cups of the cooking juices into a saucepan. In a small bowl, pour the remaining 1/4 cup of the cooking juices and stir in cornstarch until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the cooking juices already in the saucepan and stir over medium heat until the mixture reaches the desired thickness.
Next time, I'll try doing this in the slow cooker itself to save cleaning another pan!
Updated: September 15, 2012 and December 5, 2012
1 3-lb. boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed
2 Tbsp. oil
salt and pepper
2 1-oz. pkg. dry onion soup mix
2 C. water
1 10.5-oz. can condensed beef consommé, undiluted
1 14-oz. can low-sodium beef broth
provolone cheese
French rolls, split in half lengthwise
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper. When oil is very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides. Place seared roast in slow cooker and sprinkle with onion soup mixes. Pour water, consommé, and broth over roast. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours (until the water boils) AND low for 3-4 more hours (until the meat is tender). The longer the roast cooks, the more tender it will be.
Remove meat and shred with two forks. Broil rolls "face up" on low for just a few minutes until the rolls are lightly toasted. Place provolone cheese on the rolls. Broil for a few more minutes until the cheese is melted. Spoon the shredded meat onto the rolls. Skim fat from cooking juices and serve as a dipping sauce (au jus).
Notes: For the dry onion soup mix, I used Lipton Beefy Onion. I wasn't a big fan of just serving the cooking juices as the dipping sauce (au jus) because it seemed too fatty and had no taste. The last time I made this, I decided to thicken the cooking juices to make more of a thin gravy for the dipping sauce. It tasted much better! Here is the recipe:
2-1/4 C. cooking juices (divided)
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
Pour 2 cups of the cooking juices into a saucepan. In a small bowl, pour the remaining 1/4 cup of the cooking juices and stir in cornstarch until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the cooking juices already in the saucepan and stir over medium heat until the mixture reaches the desired thickness.
Next time, I'll try doing this in the slow cooker itself to save cleaning another pan!
Updated: September 15, 2012 and December 5, 2012
Emeril's Three-Cheese Baked Macaroni
From Everyday Food. My niece and nephew have asked me to make this several times. It's their favorite recipe for mac & cheese.
1/2 lb. elbow macaroni
3 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1-1/2 tsp. minced garlic
3 large eggs
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1-1/2 C. (6 oz.) grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 C. (2 oz.) grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 C. (1 oz.) finely grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni 6 minutes (it will be undercooked). Drain. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat and add bacon. Cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon mixture to a plate lined with paper towels.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and evaporated milk. Add 1/2 tsp. salt, cayenne, nutmeg, and cheeses; mix well. Add macaroni mixture and bacon mixture and stir well to combine. Transfer to an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish or 2-quart gratin dish. With a spoon, gently spread mixture to form an even layer. Bake just until sauce is bubbling at edges, 12 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 4-6.
Notes: I made this without the bacon and it was just as good. I also think the garlic is optional.
1/2 lb. elbow macaroni
3 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1-1/2 tsp. minced garlic
3 large eggs
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1-1/2 C. (6 oz.) grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 C. (2 oz.) grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 C. (1 oz.) finely grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni 6 minutes (it will be undercooked). Drain. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat and add bacon. Cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon mixture to a plate lined with paper towels.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and evaporated milk. Add 1/2 tsp. salt, cayenne, nutmeg, and cheeses; mix well. Add macaroni mixture and bacon mixture and stir well to combine. Transfer to an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish or 2-quart gratin dish. With a spoon, gently spread mixture to form an even layer. Bake just until sauce is bubbling at edges, 12 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 4-6.
Notes: I made this without the bacon and it was just as good. I also think the garlic is optional.