White Pork Ragu

 

from “Smitten Kitchen Keepers: new classics for your forever files” by Deb Perelman

serves 4-6

2 Tablespoons oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1 small bulb fennel, chopped 
4 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes
1 pound ground pork

1 Parmesan rind 

1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1 bay leaf
Pasta water, as needed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 pound dry fettuccine, or 1 pound fresh
Lots of cracked black pepper & grated Parmesan, to serve

Build the sauce:

Heat a medium-to-large heavy pot or Dutch oven (4-5 quarts) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil, and once it is warm, add the onion, carrot, and fennel and season well with salt and black pepper and/or pepper flakes, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned all over. Don’t worry if anything sticks. Add the pork and garlic, season it generously with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking it up with your spoon, it until it has browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add the wine and scrape up any stuck bits; cook until the wine disappears (1-2 minutes). Add the broth, milk, and bay leaf, and bring to a simmer; then reduce the heat to the lowest simmer, leaving the lid off. Congratulations, you’ve now reached the “walk away” portion of the recipe.

Cook the ragu:

Here’s how the next 1 to 1.5 hours will go:Check in on the sauce from time to time, adding more water if needed to keep it loose, but not enough to submerge the meat (which would boil, not braise–shudder). Taste it from time to time, and add more seasoning if needed. The sauce is done with the meat tastes tender, butter, and rich; this takes 60 to 90 minutes. There’s little harm in going a little longer (up to 2 hours) if real life is more interesting. Do a final taste for seasoning, and cook any remaining liquid down to a saucy puddle. Remove from heat; discard the bay leaf and either discard or chop up Parmesan rind & add back to sauce.  Add the cream, and stir to combine.

To finish:

Cook your pasta 1-2 minutes shy of done in well-salted water. Before you drain it, ladle a cup of the pasta water int a glass by the stove. Drain the pasta, and add it directly to the ragu, along with a quarter to a half of the reserved water. Cook the pasta and sauce together until the pasta is as as done as you like it, adding more pasta water if needed to keep it moving. Serve in wide bowls, finished with Parmesan and pepper. 

Caramelized Onion & Blue cheese Pizza

 Loosely based off this recipe: https://food52.com/recipes/4481-balsamic-caramelized-onion-and-blue-cheese-pizza

We added herbs we had in the garden (chives & tarragon) but I think rosemary or parsley or thyme or sage (or a mix of all) would be good too. 

Ingredients:

1 pizza dough

4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped into large bite sized pieces

2 red onions, thinly sliced

1 tsp herbs de Provence (or Italian seasoning)

4 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1 Tbs worchestershire sauce

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Black pepper to taste

5 oz crumbled blue cheese, divided

1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts

Handful of chopped fresh herbs (we used tarragon & chives)

Balsamic glaze to top, as desired

Instructions:

Sauté bacon in a large skillet until cooked soft (but not crisp-bacon will continue to crisp while baking on pizza) Transfer bacon to a paper towel to drain, reserving bacon grease

Sauté red onions in bacon grease over medium heat until caramelized & softened (about 30 min), stirring often to prevent burning  Stir in herbs de Provence, vinegar, & worchestershire sauce & continue cooking until liquid has mostly evaporated/formed a thick sauce.  Remove from heat

Preheat oven to 450*.  

Stir together ricotta, garlic, Parmesan, & pepper. 

Stretch pizza dough over a greased pizza pan  Spread onions evenly over dough.  Dollop ricotta mixture over onions.  Sprinkle 4 oz of blue cheese over pizza, reserving last oz of blue cheese & fresh herbs to sprinkle over pizza after it’s removed from oven.  Sprinkle bacon pieces then chopped walnuts over pizza

Bake for 15-20 minutes until crust done & pizza toppings crisped & bubbling  

Remove pizza from oven & top with last of blue cheese, fresh herbs, & a drizzle of balsamic glaze, as desired  Slice & enjoy 

Corn with Chorizo and Cilantro

https://www.today.com/recipes/antoni-s-summer-corn-chorizo-cilantro-recipe-t161960

Ingredients

• • One 7-ounce package Spanish (dried) chorizo, cut into cubes (about 1⅔ cups)
  • 3 ears corn, shucked and kernels cut from the cobs
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 2 ounces)
  • 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
  • 1 tablespoon, plus 2 teaspoons, fresh lime juice (from 1 large lime)
  • Kosher salt

Preparation

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat until very hot but not smoking.

2. Toss in the chorizo and cook, undisturbed, until crispy on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Then continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until crispy all over, about 5 minutes more.

3. Add the corn and cook until it is warm and crisp-tender, 1-2 minutes.

4. Stir in the cilantro, cheese, lime zest, lime juice and a pinch of salt. Cook for 1 more minute, then remove from the heat. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve while hot.

Cheesy Lemon Rosemary Artichoke Dip

https://parade.com/893654/parade/cheesy-lemon-rosemary-artichoke-dip/

INGREDIENTS

• 3 (6½ -oz) jars oil-marinated artichokes, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 (8-oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1½ cups grated Gruyère cheese
• 1 cup grated aged sharp white cheddar
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Toasted baguette slices, crudités and/or crackers or chips, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Position rack in middle of oven; preheat to 400ºF.
2. In a large bowl, place first 8 ingredients; stir until well combined. Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish, a 7- to 8-inch ovenproof skillet or a 2-quart gratin dish. Bake 22-25 minutes or until bubbly and light golden brown on top. Cool 10 minutes before serving with toasted baguette slices, crudités and/or crackers or chips.

Prosciutto Wrapped Dates

https://www.popsugar.com/food/photo-gallery/46616137/image/46616138/Antoni-Porowski-Perfect-Bite-Medjool-Dates-With-Blue-Cheese-Marcona-Almonds-Prosciutto

Ingredients:

• 24 Medjool dates, preferably pitted
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto
• 3 ounces blue cheese
• 24 roasted salted almonds, preferably Marcona

Directions:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees, with a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• If the dates are not already pitted, make an incision down the side of each one and remove the pits.
• Cut or tear the slices of prosciutto lengthwise into strips about 1 1/4 inches wide. If you don't wind up with a total of 24 strips, cut a few in half to make up the difference.
• Listening to Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue," stuff each date with a nub (about 1/2 teaspoon) of blue cheese and an almond.
• Gently press to close up the opening, then wrap the dates in the prosciutto strips. Place the dates on the baking sheet, cut side up so that the cheese doesn't all ooze out.
• Bake the dates until warm and slightly bubbling, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving. These are magical warm but totally acceptable at room temp.

Tip: With its creamy semisoft texture and funky but not-too-intense flavor, Saint Agur, which melts like a champ, is my preferred blue for this dish. That said, there really is no wrong blue cheese option here. Cambozola, a Brie-style blue, offers a luxe creaminess and milder flavor, while sharp Stilton gives the sweetness of the dates a more robust flavor to bump up against. A crumbly Danish variety wouldn't be the end of the world, especially if you prefer milder blues, and, since it's a drier cheese, it makes assembly a bit less messy.

Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups

Easy to prep the night before for Game Day munchies

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (1 oz) packet ranch seasoning
1/2 cup wing sauce/hot sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (or 2 5oz cans chicken, drained)
1 cup blue cheese (or shredded cheddar if no blue cheese lovers in the fam)
1 cup chopped green onions
6 (10 inch) flour tortillas

Ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping
celery sticks along side to serve

Using a mix, mix together cream cheese, ranch dressing packet, & wing sauce.  Stir in chicken, cheese, & onions with a spatula.
Spread mixture evenly over tortillas.
Roll up and refrigerate at least 3 hours (or overnight)
Slice and serve with dressing & celery sticks

Bacon wrapped Chili Shrimp

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/bacon-wrapped-chili-shrimp.html

Ingredients
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined raw jumbo shrimp (U12 size)
1 pound thin bacon, slices cut in half
3 green onions, sliced

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet.

Melt the butter with the chili powder in a small pan, stirring to combine. Divide the chili butter between 2 separate bowls.

Wrap each shrimp in a half piece of bacon and skewer with a small skewer or large toothpick. Arrange the shrimp on the wire rack and brush with half of the chili butter (1 of the bowls).

Bake until the bacon is cooked, 5 to 10 minutes. With a clean brush, brush on more chili butter from the second bowl. Serve on a big platter and sprinkle with sliced green onions.

These can be taken out of the oven up to 1 hour before serving and kept warm. Brush on the second portion of chili butter right before serving.

Brie Stuffed Mushrooms

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/brie-stuffed-mushrooms.html

Ingredients
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
12 ounces white button mushrooms, stemmed and washed
4 to 5 green onions (up to the middle of the dark green part), sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Splash of white wine, optional
One 8-ounce wedge Brie cheese, cut into bite-size chunks

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted and the skillet is hot, throw in the mushroom caps and toss them around for a minute. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Throw the green onions and garlic in the skillet, saute for a minute and then add the parsley and wine (if you're using it). Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to release all the flavors, then remove from the heat.

Set the mushroom caps on a baking sheet or in a baking dish. Place a chunk of Brie inside of each cap, then pour the parsley mixture all over the tops. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.

Serve the mushrooms straight out of the oven, or at room temperature a little bit later. These are perfect little pop-in-your-mouth delights. You'll love them.

Bad, bad ideas for the Fry Daddy

http://fortunegoodies.com/baked-pickle-chips/

http://fortunegoodies.com/fried-ravioli/

http://fortunegoodies.com/fried-mushrooms/#more-3719

http://fortunegoodies.com/buffalo-goat-cheese-balls/#more-3018

http://fortunegoodies.com/cinnamon-apple-rings/

http://fortunegoodies.com/fried-pickles/

Jalapeno Lime Hummus

http://www.thekitchn.com/spicy-appetizer-recipe-roasted-152920

Roasted Jalapeño and Lime Hummus Makes about 2 cups

1-3 (or more!) jalapeños
2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 15-ounce can chickpeas
3-4 tablespoons lime juice
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons tahini (or substitute extra-virgin olive oil)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons minced cilantro (optional)
Pita wedges or tortilla chips for serving

Roast the jalapeños under the broiler, on the stove top, or on the grill. Flip every few minutes until the peppers are charred all over. Move them to a heat-proof bowl and cover with plastic wrap for about 10 minutes.

When the peppers are cool enough to handle, slip off the skin, split the peppers, and strip out the seeds. Slice the jalapeños into thin strips and set aside. Take care while working with these peppers because the jalapeño oils can really burn if you rub your eyes or touch your mouth. Wear gloves if desired.

Warm the chickpeas in the microwave for about a minute (this helps make the hummus creamier). Pour them them into the bowl of a food processor along with 3 tablespoons of lime juice, garlic, tahini, and spices. Begin processing and stream in the olive oil through the top of the machine. Scrape down and process again until the hummus is very smooth.

Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in the sliced jalapeños. Taste and add more jalapeños, more lime juice, or more seasonings to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before serving. (This hummus can also be made several days ahead.)

Garnish with minced cilantro and serve with pita wedges or tortilla chips.

Roasted Pumpkin Seed Ideas

From Rachael Ray:
1 cup of clean, raw pumpkin seeds
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbs EVOO

Toss seeds with EVOO and salt and spread in a single layer on a greased baking sheet
Roast 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees.
Toss with one of the seasoning blends and toast for 5 more minutes

Zesty blend:
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
pinch cayenne

BBQ:
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
pinch cayenne

Cheesy:
2 tsp grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp onion powder
pinch cayenne

Cinnamon and Sugar:
2 1/2 Tbs sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Sesame:
Substitute sesame oil for EVOO in the basic recipe
then toss with:
2 1/2 tsp sugar
1 Tbs sesame seeds
2 tsp ground ginger
pinch cayenne

Homemade Taquitos

http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/appetizers-and-snacks/baked-chicken-quesadilla-rolls/

For Keith, my taquito lover~I'm sure I could sub shredded beef or cheese (or even chorizo) for special game days :)

• 4 cups Cooked Shredded Chicken, Rotisserie Works Great
• 1 jar (8 Oz. Size) Medium Salsa
• 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
• 1 cup Montery Jack Cheese, Shredded
• 10 whole 8 Inch Flour Tortillas
• salsa or guacamole or ranch for dipping

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

Mix together chicken, salsa, and cheeses. Mix well. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into a flour tortilla and roll it up.

Place quesadilla roll Roll seam-side down on the baking sheet. Repeat until you are out of tortillas. Once finished, spray the tops of the taquitos with nonstick cooking spray or brush with olive oil.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes (or until edges and tops are golden). Let cool for a couple of minutes  Serve with dip if desired.

Corn Crisps

From Family Fun Magazine

1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbs butter, melted
1 1/2 cups corn kernels (about 3 large ears if using fresh corn)
2 chopped scallions
Sprinkle of salt/breadcrumbs/cheese to top if desired

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients (flour through cayenne pepper) in a large bowl.

Whisk together egg, milk, and butter in a medium bowl.

Add wet ingredients to dry and stir just until blended.

Fold in corn and scallions.

Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray and dollop batter in large tablespoons onto cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with salt/breadcrumbs/cheese if desired.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve immediately or make a few hours ahead and warm in a 400 degrees oven for 5 to 7 minutes before serving.

Parmesan Shortbreads

• 24 SERVINGS
• 
• PREP: 30 MIN
• 
• BAKE: 15 MIN

301545

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz. parmigiano-reggiano, cut into chunks
• 1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

DIRECTIONS:

1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 325°.
    Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment. Using a food processor,
    pulse the cheese until finely chopped.
2. Using an electric mixer, mix the butter, grated cheese, salt and cayenne
    at low speed until just blended. Sprinkle both flours over the butter mixture
   and mix at medium speed until the dough comes together.
   Gather the dough into a ball and, if necessary, knead briefly until smooth.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a scant 1/4 inch.
    Using 2-inch cookie cutters (choose your favorite shape), cut out the cookies.
    Transfer to the prepared cookie sheets. (Gather the scraps together and reroll once.)
4. Bake the shortbreads until lightly browned on the edges and slightly firm,
    13 to 15 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.
   
   
   http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dessert-recipes/parmesan-shortbreads

Wende's Caramel Dip for Apples

...or to just eat by the spoonful :)

One block of cream cheese
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 Tbs real vanilla

Whip!!!!!

Pumpkin Pie Chex Mix

1/3cup brown sugar

1tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4cup butter

2teaspoons vanilla

1 tsp maple syrup

2cups Rice Chex® cereal

2cups Wheat Chex® cereal

2cups Corn Chex® cereal

1 cup mixed nuts

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

In small bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice; set aside. In small microwave-safe dish, microwave butter on High about 30 seconds or until melted. Stir in vanilla & syrup.

In a large bowl or broiler pan, mix all cereals and pecans. Pour butter mixture over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly distributed. Add sugar and spice mixture and stir until coated.

Bake in broiler pan or 2 cookie sheets for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/2010/01/crab-stuffed-mushrooms/

• 2 pounds button or baby Portobello mushrooms
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 jar (6 to 8 ounces) crab meat
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 to 2 lemons, cut into wedges

1. Clean dirt and debris from mushrooms by wiping them with a damp paper towel or rinsing them under running water in a strainer. Let them dry for a few minutes, and then pull off the mushroom stems from their caps (these pop right off). Set the mushroom caps aside.
2. This next step is where you get to hone your chopping skills. You will need to chop the mushroom stems, onion, bell pepper and garlic as finely as possible without turning them into mush. The fancy term for this is mincing, which you’ve most likely heard. So, mince the vegetables until you’ve got what looks like tiny mosaic tiles all over your cutting board.
3. Once you’re done with that, place the butter in the frying pan on the stove over high heat. When the butter is melted and hot, dump in all your minced veggies and cook them for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the liquid from the mushrooms is mostly evaporated. Stir occasionally.
4. Add the crab meat, salt and pepper to the pan, and cook for a minute or two, just enough to heat the crab through. When it’s good to go, scrape the whole mixture into a bowl and let it cool for at least 20 minutes, or until it’s cool to the touch.
5. Next, add in the cream cheese, egg yolk and half of the Parmesan cheese. Mix it thoroughly with a wooden spoon or whatever you have handy at the moment. If you are making the filling a day in advance, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator. For those forging ahead, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
6. Using a tablespoon, scoop a little bit of the crab mixture from the bowl and pack it down gently into a mushroom cap. Place the stuffed mushroom on your baking pan. You want a well-rounded mound of crab and cream cheese goodness on top. Repeat with the rest of the mushroom caps, then sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan cheese for a topping.
7. Bake the stuffed mushrooms for 25 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when the Parmesan cheese on top is a light golden brown. Remove the pan(s) from the oven.
8. Before serving, cut the lemon into wedges and sprinkle a few drops of lemon juice onto each mushroom cap. Or, you can serve them on a tray with the lemon wedges and let your friends sprinkle on the lemon juice themselves. Enjoy!

Hot dog mummies

http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-recipes/halloween-dinners/hot-dog-mummies-715031/

To make these more of an appetizer/kid friendly, we cut the hot dogs in half to make shorter, smaller mummies. A big hit with blood (ketchup) to dip :)

• 1 11-ounce can of refrigerator breadsticks
• 1 12-pack of hot dogs

• Yellow mustard

Instructions

1. For each mummy, separate one breadstick from the roll and use kitchen shears or a knife to slice it in half lengthwise to create two thinner strips.

2. Wrap one strip at a time snugly around the hot dog. Depending on the size of the hot dog, you may not need all of both strips. Leave about 1/2 inch of hot dog exposed for the face area and continue wrapping the top of the hot dog.

3. Bake the mummies on a cookie sheet at 350º for 15 to 18 minutes or until the breadstick wrapping is golden brown.

4. Remove the mummies from the oven and cool them for 5 minutes. Add yellow mustard eyes just before serving. Makes 12 mummies.

Pizza Puppies

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/appetizers-and-snacks/pizza-puppies/

(basically pizza pigs in a blanket~big hit with the kiddos)

• 6 sticks String Cheese
• 1 container (13.8 Oz. Container) Pizza Dough
• 1 package (approximately 50-piece Package) Mini Pepperoni
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• ¼ teaspoons Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 1 Tablespoon Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Marinara Sauce, To Serve

Preparation Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
2. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate or cake pan.
3. Cut each string cheese into fourths.
4. Break out the tube of pizza dough and roll it out a bit. Use a pizza cutter to divide the pizza dough into 24 pieces.
5. Take one of the dough pieces, top with a piece of the cut string cheese and two slices of pepperoni.
6. Pull the edges of the dough around the cheese and pepperoni, and pinch to seal closed.
7. Place seam-side down in the baking dish.
8. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
9. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder (go easy), oregano, and Parmesan cheese.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy with the marinara dipping sauce.

Hot & Creamy Bean Dip

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/appetizers-and-snacks/hot-creamy-bean-dip/

• 8 ounces Cream Cheese (fat free is fine)
• 1 cup Sour Cream (low fat is fine)
• 2 cans Refried Beans, 15 Ounce Cans
• ½ packages Taco Seasoning, 1 Ounce Packet
• Hot Sauce, to taste
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
• ¼ cups Green Onion, Diced
• 1-½ cup Cheese, Shredded, Divided Use

Preparation Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese and sour cream. add the refried beans, taco seasoning, hot pepper sauce, parsley, green onions, and 1 cup of cheese.

3. Pour into an 8×12 inch baking dish and top with remaining cheese.

4. Bake for25 minutes or until cheese on top is slightly browned.