Bacon, Apple Grilled Cheese

I have so many recipes that I need to upload on the blog...so stay tuned. :)

Ingredients:

White Bread
Bacon (3-4 pieces per sandwich)
Granny Smith Apples, sliced (I leave the peels on, but either way works)
Sharp White Cheddar Cheese

Use a good white bread from the bakery. I have also used sourdough. Sometimes I add a good dijon mustard on the bread too. Basically you can play with it as much as you like. Usually one apple will make two sandwiches, but I like to do one apple per sandwich and serve the extra on the side. Assemble all your ingredients and make just as you would a regular grilled cheese. Be careful because this sandwich is addicting!

Shepard's Pie

This is my version, a slightly healthier take on the standard recipe.

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef
1-2 heads of broccoli
1/4 -1/2 head of cauliflower
1 can green beans
1-2 carrots
1 can diced tomatoes
1.5 - 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
10-12 red potatoes

Instructions:

Brown ground beef until fully cooked. Boil potatoes (with or without skin) until tender. Steam carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower together until crisp tender. Combine ground beef, steamed veggies, green beans, and tomatoes in a large casserole dish. Mash potatoes, adding milk and butter if desired. Top the beef and veggies mix with the mashed potatoes and cover with cheese. Bake at 375 until cheese is melted and everything is warm throughout.

Holiday Toffee

This stuff is amazing. I dream about it as Christmas approaches. Seriously, I made a batch Sunday and now I am sitting here at my computer eating some and I just had to post it. This recipe is so easy and delicious! It is also perfect for putting in little bags tied with ribbon for gifts! It makes a LOT as written, but can be halved easily. Just ignore how much butter and sugar are in it...it is worth it! And hey, it IS Christmas after all!

Ingredients:

2 boxes Crispix cereal
2 cups melted butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Spray 2 large baking sheets with Pam and fill with cereal, set aside. Melt butter in a medium size sauce pan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda. It will start to bubble and expand a little.

Pour liquid evenly over cereal, don't mix. be very careful, it is hot! Place pans in preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

You can also try fun variations like adding nuts of your choice, or chocolate chips the last 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Homemade Granola Bars

This recipe is from Barefoot Contessa. It is pretty simple and very delicious. Ben loves these!

You can play around with the dried fruit, I have tried dried cherries and have also tried them as written. I am not a big fan of the apricots. My favorite combination so far has been with dried cranberries and dates and then sprinkle white chocolate chips over the top before baking. Yummy! Hope you give these a try, you won't be sorry!

Ingredients

• 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dates, apricots, and cranberries and stir well.

Pour the mixture into a 8 X 12 baking dish that has been sprayed liberally with Pam. Using the back of a spatula, press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.

"Spicy" Chicken and Rice Bake (not super spicy, in my opinion)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 to 3 lbs. of meaty chicken pieces, skinless (I used 4 boneless, skinless breasts)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 chopped green sweet pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of cooking oil
1 15-ounce can of baked beans, rinsed and drained
1 14 1/2-ounce can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup tomato juice
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
2/3 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Paprika
1/4 to 1/2 cup of shredded Mexican cheese

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

In a large SAUCEPAN cook onion, sweet pepper, and garlic in hot oil until vegetables are tender.  Stir in black beans, undrained tomatoes, tomato juice, corn, uncooked rice, chili powder, red pepper, and salt.  Bring to boiling.

Transfer this mixture to a 3-quart rectangular baking dish.

Arrange chicken pieces on top of rice mixture.  Sprinkle chicken with paprika.  Top chicken with cheese.

Bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and the rice has cooked.

NOTE:  I added the cheese to this recipe and cooked uncovered.  Original recipe does not call for cheese and lists to bake covered.

Steaks with Bordelaise Sauce

(I forgot to take a picture, sorry!)  Also, this is not the most healthy recipe...lots of butter!

Ingredients:

1 cup low-salt beef broth

2 ounces beef bone marrow (from four 2-inch-thick beef crosscut shank bones)

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1 cup dry red wine

4 1/2-inch-thick New York strip steaks (each about 8 ounces)

Chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

Bring broth to simmer in heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add marrow; reduce heat to low and poach gently until marrow looks translucent and gray, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer marrow to small plate. Refrigerate marrow poaching liquid. Refrigerate marrow until cold and firm, about 45 minutes. Dice marrow finely; cover and chill. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep marrow and poaching liquid chilled.)

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add wine and boil until reduced to scant 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Transfer reduction to small bowl.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle steaks lightly with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and sear until cooked to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to plates. Add wine reduction to skillet and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat to medium. Whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add 1/4 cup reserved marrow poaching liquid and diced marrow. Cook until marrow melts and sauce is smooth, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes. Thin sauce with more poaching liquid by tablespoonfuls, if desired. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over steaks. Sprinkle with parsley.

Taco Pie

This is a very simple dish- very "man" friendly. Brad LOVED it.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef (this would probably also be good with ground turkey)
1 packet taco seasoning
Refried beans
3 tortillas (I used whole wheat)
Salsa
Mexican shredded cheese
Chopped green onions
Additional toppings of choice- lettuce, tomato, sour cream, etc.

Directions:
1. Brown meat and drain, add taco seasoning according to packet directions.
2. Place tortilla in bottom of pie dish. (For easier serving later, you can cut your tortillas into fourths and place in the dish.)
3. Spread with a layer of refried beans, then a layer of meat.
4. Top with another tortilla, a layer of refried beans, and a layer of meat.
5. Top with the third tortilla.
6. Cover with salsa
7. Top the entire thing with cheese.
8. Cook at 350 until cheese is bubbly.

9. After taking out of the oven, top with green onions and other toppings of choice!