Blueberry Cream Cheese Rolls

Place in the bowl of a standing mixer:

• 1 c milk, warm

Add, cover and let sit 10 minutes, until foamy.  (I was worried because mine never did really get foamy):

• 2/3 c sugar
• 1 1/2 T dry yeast (2 pkts)

Add:

• 1/2 c butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• zest of 1 lemon (I think it could use a little more)
• 1/2 t salt

Add and beat on low-medium until dough forms.

• 4 1/2 c all purpose flour

Increase speed a little and knead dough until soft and it pulls away from the sides of the bowl, adding flour as necessary.  Remove hook and shape dough into a ball.  Cover and place somewhere warm. Let rise 1 hour, until doubled in size.  (Again, I was worried because it was not rising like I had expected but I kept pushing on.)

While dough is rising, mix well:

• 8 oz cream cheese (I used lite)
• 3 T powdered sugar

Combine in a separate bowl:

• 10 oz (3 cups) frozen blueberries 
• 1/4 c powdered sugar

When the dough has risen, punch down and turn onto a well floured surface.  Divide into 2 equal pieces and roll each into a 10x13" rectangle.  

Spread 1/2 cream cheese over each and sprinkle with blueberries.  Roll up, tightly.  Cut each into 8 pieces.  Place into 2 (9") cake pans lines with parchment paper.  (I totally forgot about the parchment until it was too late and it didn't make any difference.  I only had 1 cake pan and used 1 spring-form pan for one batch.  The spring-form pan actually worked really well and was easy to get the rolls out.)

Let rolls rise until they touch each other, about 40 minutes.  (Still no rising taking place here but I refused to give up.)

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes.  To test if cooked through, tap the bottom of the pan.  It should sound hollow.

Make the glaze.  Combine and pour over hot rolls:

• 3/4 c powdered sugar
• 3 T melted butter
• 2 T heavy cream (I used 1/2 and 1/2)
• (the recipe didn't call for it, but I added the juice of 1/2 lemon)

Look!  They finally rose!  Quite tasty!

Adapted from Blueberry Cream Cheese Swirly Bread posted on lovefoodies.com 

Brown Sugar Garlic Pork with Carrots and Potatoes

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine and put on a foil-lined cookie sheet.

• 1/4 c canola oil (recommend using less...maybe only 2 T)
• 2 # carrots, peeled and sliced (I only used 1 #)
• 2 # potatoes, 1" chunks (I used red potatoes and left the skin on)
• salt and pepper

Combine and rub over pork.  Place pork in center of vegetables.

• 2 # pork loin, trimmed
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, mined

Roast 40-50 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the center reaches 150 degrees F.  (I cooked until 145 degrees F because I made this to portion and freeze for lunches)  Let rest on cutting board for 5-10 minutes.  Again...I didn't take a picture of the completed recipe.  Dumb me!

Adapted from the recipe posted on dinnerthendessert.com 

Beef Stew with Parmesan Dumplings

Season and sear meat until brown on both sides.  Remove from pot and set aside.

• 1 kg (2.2 #) beef shin (another name for beef shank.  I couldn't find a whole one, so I got one package of bones and 2 # of stew beef)
• salt and pepper
• canola oil (I think you could get by using very little or even none)

Fry (in same pan) until soft and fragrant:

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 celery stick, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped

Add and fry 30 seconds:

• 2 cloves garlic, sliced thin

Add and allow to come up to a simmer:

• 14 oz chopped tomato (I used no salt added)
• 1 T tomato paste (I use the tube of super-concentrated)
• 2 t sugar
• 2 T soy sauce
• 1 c red wine (I used cabernet)

Return beef to pot.

Add and turn heat down.  Cover with a lid and simmer 2 hours.

• 2 c beef stock (I used low sodium)
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme

Add and cook, uncovered 10 minutes.  Adjust seasonings to taste (I didn't have to add any additional salt or pepper)

• 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, quartered

Now, to make the dumplings.  Mine totally fell apart but worked well to thicken the stew.

Pulse in food processor:

• 1/2 c butter
• 1 c flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 c parmesan cheese

Pour in processor, while running, until mixture turns into a ball:

• 100 ml (3.4 oz) milk

Form dough into balls a little smaller than golf balls.  Drop into stew, cover with lid and steam 10 minutes.

No idea why I didn't take a picture when it was all done.  Just let me say...the smell in my house was intoxicating!  So delicious!!

Adapted from Beef shin stew with parmesan dumplings by simply-delicious-food.com

Hot Crab Dip

Grease a 1-1 1/4 quart baking dish (I used spray instead of butter)

Saute over medium-high heat until shallots brown:

• 2 t olive oil
• 2 T minces shallots

Blend and add to shallots:

• 8 oz cream cheese (I used lite)
• 1/3 c mayo (I used lite)
• 1/3 c sour cream (I used lite)
• 1/3 c parmesan cheese
• 2 T fresh chives (recommend doubling)
• 1 T fresh dill (recommend doubling)
• 2 T lemon juice (recommend adding another 1 T)
• 1/2 t hot sauce (recommend doubling)
• 1/4 t salt

Fold in:

• 1 pound lump crab meat

Spread into dish and sprinkle with another 1/3 c parmesan cheese.  Bake 30 minutes.  Serve with crackers.

Adapted from a recipe posted on October 31, 2015 by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Adapted from Cooking Light September 2015.  Their recipe calls for a 32 ounce container of chicken stock and rotisserie chicken breast but I prefer to make my own.

A couple of pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (I use whatever is on sale or whatever I have on hand)
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a Dutch oven on medium-high.  Brown the chicken, first the skin side then the other side.

Celery, chopped roughly
Carrots, chopped roughly
Onion, quartered
Sprig of thyme
Bay leaf

Add to the pot and cover with water.  Cover with a lid and cook over low-medium heat for at least an hour or so.  When the chicken is cooked well, remove from pot, remove the skin, shred the chicken and return the bones to the pot.  Cook uncovered for a while until reduced to 6 cups, strain.  Now, you have homemade stock and cooked chicken.  You can do this part a day ahead so you can skim the fat easily from the stock.

Time to make the soup...

1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

Heat in a pot over medium/high heat.

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrot (I like to do it in long diagonal slices)
2/3 cups thinly sliced celery
1 cup finely chopped onion

Saute 5 minutes.  While this is going on, heat your stock.  Add to the veggies and bring to a boil.

1 teaspoon dried thyme or 3 fresh sprigs (I like the fresh best)
6 ounces whole grain rotini (about 2 cups), dry

Add to the pot, reduce heat to medium and cook 8 minutes.  Add the shredded chicken, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the pot.   Cook until everything is heated through and the pasta is tender.

Justin loves chicken noodle soup and I got tired of buying it canned.  He likes this even better!

Beef Stew

Looks like I got this recipe from Pinterest and when I tried to go back to find the original website it came from, the link was blocked.  Oh well.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

6 ounces thick sliced bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

Saute in a large, oven-proof pot over medium heat.  Remove to a bowl (leave the grease in the bottom of the pot).

2 1/2 pounds boneless chuck, cut into 1 inch pieces (I cleaned it up quite a bit since neither of us enjoy chomping on a huge wad of fat)
flour, salt and pepper

Season and dredge the meat.  Brown in batches in bacon fat.  Transfer to the bowl with the bacon.

2 cups pinot noir 

Add to the pot, bring to a boil, scrape bits from the bottom.

1 pound mushrooms, sliced thick

Add to the pot and cook 10 minutes.  Return the meat and bacon to the pot.  While the mushrooms are cooking...

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped

In a large skillet, cook 4 minutes at medium/high heat.

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Add to skillet and cook 1 minute.  Add contents of skillet to the pot.

4 cups beef broth (I always use unsalted beef stock so I can add the amount of salt I want to taste)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dry thyme (leaves, not ground)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Add to pot and bring to a boil.

1 pound small potatoes, halved or quartered depending on their size

Add to the pot.  Cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour and 45 minutes.  Serve with crusty bread.

Even Big Mac wanted in on the action.

Chili and Cornbread

Justin loves this stuff.  I made it once for him and a few friends and they inhaled it.  Also made it for some friends of mine and they (along with their kids) gobbled it all up.  I rarely have leftovers!

All American Chili

food.com

6 ounces hot Italian sausage (casings removed)

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped green bell peppers

8 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground beef (I use ground turkey often)

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add sausage through jalapeno, cook until sausage and beef begin to brown, stirring to crumble.

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground cumin

3 tablespoons tomato paste (I like to use the tube of super-concentrated tomato paste)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 bay leaves

Add to the pot and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

1 1/4 cups merlot (I like cabernet too)

2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped (I hate dealing with the whole tomatoes, so I just get diced)

2 (15 ounce) kidney beans, drained (I added an extra can of beans and rinsed them)

Add to pot.  Bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Uncover and cook for 30 more minutes stirring occasionally.

While the chili is cooking, make the cornbread.

Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

allrecipes.com

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with a 9-inch cast iron skillet inside to heat while you make the batter.

1 1/4 cups coarsely ground cornmeal

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Whisk in a large bowl.  Set aside.  I like to push the baking powder and soda through a strainer to break up clumps.

1/3 cup whole milk (any milk works really)

1 cup buttermilk

2 egg, lightly beaten

8 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Whisk in a separate bowl.  Combine the wet and dry ingredients.

Remove the cast iron skillet from the oven and coat with butter (not too much).  Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.  Pour the batter into the skillet and bake 20-25 minutes.  Allow to cool for a few before trying to cut.