Mini Cheesecakes (Salted Carmel of Raspberry Sauce)

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups finely crushed graham crackers (from 16 sheets)
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 7 Tbsp salted butter, melted
• 4 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salted Caramel Sauce or Strawberry Sauce, recipes follow. Don't use tin foil liners. It makes them take on a metal flavor.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together crushed graham crackers with 3 Tbsp granulated sugar. Pour in melted butter and stir mixture until evenly coated. Divide graham cracker mixture among 24 paper lined muffin cups, adding about a heaping Tbsp to each. Press mixture into an even layer. Bake in preheated oven 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool while preparing filling.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar with 3 Tbsp flour until well blended. Add softened cream cheese to a separate mixing bowl and pour sugar mixture over top. Blend mixture on low speed until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time and blend on low speed, while scrapping sides and bottom of bowl and mixing just until combined after each addition. Add vanilla, sour cream and heavy cream and mix just until combined. Tap mixing bowl against counter top about 30 times to release some of the air bubbles. Divide mixture among muffin cups filling each cup nearly full. Bake in preheated oven 20 - 23 minutes, centers should still jiggle slightly, don't overbake (if they begin to crack they are starting to become overbaked). Remove from oven and allow to cool 1 hour. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator and chill 2 hours. Serve chilled with a spoonful of Salted Caramel Sauce or Strawberry Sauce (note: for best results spoon topping on just before serving). Store in an airtight container in refrigerator or freeze.
• Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh strawberries, rinsed and dried
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp fresh lime or lemon juice

Directions

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well chopped and mixture is beginning to break down and liquefy (I liked it with some small pieces not completely pureed). Transfer to an airtight container and chill 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 1 /2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp water
• 6 Tbsp salted butter
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Maldon or coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions

• Gather all of your ingredients and have them nearby ready to add to the mixture as needed. In a heavy-bottomed 3 quart saucepan, heat sugar and water over moderately high heat whisking constantly to dissolve sugar. Once mixture reaches a boil, stop whisking and allow mixture to boil until it reaches a dark amber color, carefully swirling pan occasionally. Once mixture reaches a dark amber color, immediately add butter and whisk until butter has melted then immediately remove from heat. Wait 3 seconds then carefully pour in cream and immediately whisk to combine (it will bubble vigorously). Whisk until mixture is smooth. Allow caramel to cool several minutes then pour into a glass jar to cool. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt after spooning caramel over cheesecakes.

Thai Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

I can't believe I haven't posted this yet!  Don't let the name fool you. This is a meal in a bowl. Use your favorite thai curry paste, to taste.  Serves 4 (as a meal).

INGREDIENTS

Two 398 ml (14 ounce) cans of full-fat coconut milk, unshaken (*if you're looking to reduce some of the fat in this soup, you can substitute 1 can of lite coconut milk, but make sure at least one of the two cans is full fat)


1 generous Tbsp. Thai curry paste (red, yellow or green, I have only used red)


2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces


3 cups chicken broth 


1 carrot, cut into matchsticks about 2 inches long


2 Tbsp. fish sauce


Zest and juice of 1 lime


1 tsp. minced fresh ginger


2 cups bean sprouts


2 cups bok choy, trimmed of white root ends (could also use spinach or other greens)


1/2 lb. (225g) wide rice noodles (don't substitute egg noodles or pasta unless pre-cooked sparately)


Fresh cilantro, about 1/3-1/2 cup, roughly chopped


2 or 3 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish


Shredded carrot, for garnish

METHOD

Heat a large soup pot over medium high heat. Remove the top layer of coconut cream from one can of coconut milk and add to the pot. Once it's melted, stir in the curry paste and heat until mixture starts to bubble. Add the chicken and cook, stirring until the chicken is cooked, 4-5 minutes.

Add the remaining coconut milk (the remainder of the first can and the whole second can). Add the chicken broth, carrot, fish sauce, ginger and lime juice and zest. Stir and bring to a low boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 15-20 minutes.

Add the rice noodles, ensuring that they are completely covered by the soup. Add the bean sprouts, bok choy. Stir gently to combine. Turn off the heat under the pot, cover and let stand 5 minutes. The rice noodles will re-hydrate in the hot soup (but this won't work with egg/pasta noodles, which is why they aren't recommended. If you need to use egg noodles, you'll have to cook them separately and add them to the soup at the end.)

Stir in some cilantro. Taste and season with a touch more salt, if needed. Serve in large bowls and garnish with the green onions and a bit more cilantro leaves.

Prep time: 5 min 
Cook time: 25 min 
Total time: 30 min 
Yield: 4 servings

Pear Sour Cream Coffee Cake

1 c. butter, softened

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

8 oz sour cream

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 c. pared and grated pear

Topping:

1 c. finely chopped nuts (I don't use)

5 T. Brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

preheat oven 325. have all ingredients at room temperature. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Fold in eggs, vanilla and sour cream; mix well. In separate bowl, stir flour, salt and baking powder together. Add to creamed mixture and mix well. use a spoon to stir in grated pears. Spoon batter into a greased 9x13 baking dish (or can do mini loaf or bread pans). Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over batter. Bake 40-50 minutes or until center springs back when pressed lightly. serves 16-20

Mary's Go-To Recipes

Thanks for the creative inspiration Alisa because it's truly all about the easy repeating meals we make.  I appreciate having some variety but always come back to my staple meals and actually base all of my food storage on these 10 meals because I don't want to have to eat boring food in my food storage and I also don't want to think too hard to have a delicious dinner. 

Real Italian Lasagna: I always make 2 and freeze one.  I've submitted the recipe already.  Packed with veggies.
Burritos: Sweet pork in the crockpot, black beans, and cilantro lime rice.
White Chili: This is an easy one for storage because I will even have some canned chicken in storage.
Spaghetti and Meatballs: make your own or costco bag lasts about 6 months
Meatballs and rice: Go with an asian sauce and veggies.
Taco Soup: no brainer...
Not Your Mammas Meatloaf: Make 2 or 3 and have them in the freezer. (recipe already submitted)
3 Cheese Chicken Penne: So easy, so good, so wonderful.  I will submit if it's not already on.
Pork Chops with Balsamic Pear Sauce: My main staple.  I make this 2x's a month because it makes us all so happy.  Will Submit if it's not here...
Minestrone Soup: Throw in whatever you've got.  Either base it on chicken or Sausage, then choose rice or pasta, then add all the veggies you can find and a bay leaf and VIOLA!
Breakfast Burritos: This happens when we've got nothing else and it's always good.  Omelet style eggs/veggies and whip it up quick and dirty.
Pear and Red Onion Pizza: If you're doing a girl thing like book club or VT lunch or a special lunch date with the hubs.. this is it.  The gist of it is: pre-made crust, Cook 1 large red onion in butter and add some sugar until caramelized.  The onion is your "sauce".  Add sliced fresh pear and Gorgonzola or feta cheese.  Cook for 10 min at 400 or until melted.  Remove from oven and top with spring mix greens, sliced tomato, hazelnuts, and drizzle with Blue Cheese Dressing.  YOUR WELCOME!
Thai Coconut Hay Stacks: Cook the chicken in a pan and then add cumin and coconut milk instead of doing haystacks with traditional cream or chicken.  Thai toppings: Sugar snap peas, pineapple, mandarin oranges, raw Chinese noodles, scrambled eggs, etc.

Some of my "go-to" recipes/meals

While these aren't recipes, I thought I'd share some of my go-to meals.  You know, the meals I put together with very little effort, with relative frequency, and generally without needing a recipe.

• Sausage, eggs & rice

• Scramble some eggs, cook some rice, slice kielbasa (beef or turkey) and heat it in a skillet. Serve with syrup and/or soy sauce. It does not get easier, although it does require three pans if you want it all ready at the same time. We eat this at least twice a month.  The beef kielbasa is better, but the turkey has WAY less fat. I buy it on sale (Hillshire farms is our favorite). 
• Tacos/burritos and Mexican rice
• Sweet bean burritos
• Buttermilk waffles
• Teriyaki chicken and rice
• Spaghetti and meatballs
• I have a crazy easy meatball recipe and they freeze terrifically. 12-16 oz of ground meat, 1 egg, 1/3 C Italian bread crumbs. Bake for 20 minutes on 350, turn over and bake for another 15.
• Crock Pot pulled pork
• Katie's veggie mac and cheese
• Huevos rancheros
• Choppe BBQ chicken salad
• Taquitos

I'm sure there are others so I'll come back and add if/when I think about it.  In the spirit of Alyson's call to revamp the blog (and her recent posts), at the very least a few more "go-to" meal ideas would be helpful.  I'm always looking for ideas, regardless of how mundane they might seem.

So, perhaps everyone else should add their ideas, too, hint hint!  :)  

Chocolate Dump Cake

3 C. flour                                 2 C. Sugar

2 tsp. baking soda                   1 tsp. salt

1 Tb. Vinegar                          1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs                                      ¾ C. oil

2 C. water                                1/3 C. cocoa (if chocolate)

          Bake at 350 for 25-30 min. in 2 round cake pans, then cut each in half.

Frosting:

1 stick butter (softened)                   2/3 C. cocoa

3 c. powder sugar, sifted                  1/3 C. milk

2 tsp. vanilla                                     ¼ tsp salt

Beat butter and cocoa together first, and then beat in everything else.  Beat entire mixture for 2-3 minutes on medium speed.

Banana Cream Sunday Pie

1 cup flour and a square of softened butter mix them together. Then press into 9X13 pan until it covers  the bottom of the whole pan. Put in oven and cook on 350 for 15 to 20 minutes until turning brown. Let the crust cool.

After the crust is cool, mix together a 8 oz package soften cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar. Blend and then mix in ½ container of cool whip (16 oz container). Do not use light. When crust is cool put this mixture on a layer on crust.

Then mix 1 small instant banana pudding and small instant vanilla pudding with 3 cups of milk.  Blend for 2-3 minutes or until it has start thickening. Then put a small layer (half of mixture) on top of cream cheese layer. Then put sliced banana layer (however many to taste).  Then put the rest of the pudding. Then on top of that use the rest of the cool whip left in the container.  Easy and is like banana cream pie. Could vary recipe by using two vanilla puddings and only having the bananas for the banana flavor. 

(And for Katie...you can't taste the cream cheese)

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos... yet another. :)

I changed up the original recipe a bit.  It makes a lot.  Ben and I ate this for 5 days straight, but it was so good we didn't mind.  :)  

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2-3/4 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 cans black beans, drained 
a little water to thin out the beans if needed
1 tablespoon chili powder (or to taste) 
2 teaspoons ground cumin (or to taste)

4 teaspoons prepared mustard (dijon was good)
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 large sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed (I chopped and boiled mine)
corn tortillas (because I served them as tacos with melted cheese, but you could use flour tortillas and make burritos if you like)
shredded cheddar cheese
taco condiments: cilantro, guac, avocado, salsa, sour cream, tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a medium skillet, and saute onion and garlic until soft.  Stir in the chili powder, cumin and cook a minute or two.  Stir in beans, and mash (leaving some whole). Gradually stir in water, if needed, and heat until warm. Remove from heat and add mustard, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.
   
2. Mix the bean mixture with the mashed sweet potato (the original recipe leaves them separate, but this worked great).  
   
3. Melt cheese on tortillas on stove, fill with mixture and serve with your favorite toppings.
   
   

Twice Baked Butternut Squash

Simple and delicious... if you like butternut squash and blue cheese that is.

Twice Baked Butternut Squash (with quinoa
and gorgonzola)
Author: Erin Alderson Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 75 mins Total time: 1 hour 35 mins

Ingredients
1 large butternut squash 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium shallots
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese, plus extra for topping 
pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 ̊. Slice butternut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Place each half cut side down in a 9x13 pan and pour 1/2" of water in the bottom. Place in oven and bake until tender, about 45­60 minutes. Once done, remove and set aside.
   
2. Rinse quinoa and set aside. In a medium pan heat olive oil over medium low heat. Dice shallots, add to oil, and saute until shallots are fragrant. Stir in quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer at let cook until water is absorbed, 12­15 minutes.
   
3. While quinoa cooks, scoop out butternut squash, leaving a 1/4"­1/2" on the sides and bottom. Drain water from pan and return butternut squash to the pan, cut side up.
   
4. Mash butternut squash and stir in gorgonzola cheese. Once quinoa is done, add it to the butternut squash. Taste and add salt if need be.
   
5. Scoop filling evenly into butternut squash halves. Sprinkle with gorgonzola cheese and return to oven. Let bake for 10­15 minutes or until cheese has melted and the tops begin to brown. Remove from oven, cut eat half in half, and serve.
   
6. Evenly spread filling back into butternut squash
   

Notes
​The butternut squash can be roasted the day before cutting out a good majority of the time it takes to make this!​ 

Crock Pot Refried Beans

In.Credible. Never buy canned refried beans again. Never. Promise? So cheap and so good. I want to make Mexican food just so I can make these as a side dish. This makes quite a bit, but you can freeze the beans in smaller portions (I have). And there is nothing "fried" here ... but there is butter :)

3 C dry pinto beans
5 chicken bouillon cubes
1 TB garlic salt
1/2 medium sweet onion**
1/2 C (1 stick) butter

This is for a large 5 qt+ crock pot.

First, lay the beans out on a cookie sheet. Pick through to make sure there aren't any funky beans in there. Then rinse the beans.

Put beans in a crock pot and fill with at least 8 cups of water. You'll need to check the water level periodically to make sure the beans stay covered (although a few will start floating near the end).

Add bouillon cubes and garlic salt. You can either chop up the onion into big chunks, or leave it just one big chunk. I've done it both ways.

Cook on high for 4 hours (again, depends on your crock pot, beans need to be soft).

Strain beans, but keep the liquid! You'll want to save at least 1 Cup of "bean liquid".

Add 1/2 cup butter, and 1/2 cup of bean liquid. Use an immersion blender (or do this in batches) to blend the beans/butter/liquid. Gradually add more liquid until the beans are your desired consistency. I usually add 1 cup, maybe a little more. You don't want them too stiff, since they set up.

**If you leave the onion as a big chunk, you can just take all/most of the onion out before you blend. When I've cut it into chunks, I take out some, and blend the rest with the beans. I liked it both ways.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili

If you use vegetable stock, you can make this a vegan chili. I only had chicken stock on hand. I cannot fully express how satisfying this is! Even Brandon thought so. Oh, and don't worry about the kids liking it. Miles ate 2 bowls for dinner, 2 days in a row. On the second day he saw me getting it out of the fridge and said "Is that chili, Mama?" and went right to the table.


1, 29 oz. can black beans (or 2, 15 oz cans), rinsed & drained
1, 6 oz. can tomato paste
32 oz. vegetable (or chicken) stock
1 onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced (or to taste, it's not garlicky per se)
1 TB chili powder
1 TB cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 TB olive oil
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 C dry quinoa (I used white)
salt & pepper to taste
avocado (didn't have, but I'm sure it takes the chili to the next level)

Heat olive oil in a pot over medium low. Add onions and cook until they start to brown. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Add tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook for about 2 minutes (stir constantly). Add beans, stock, potatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add quinoa. Cook for 20-30 minutes (check along the way) until potatoes and quinoa are cooked, and it's thickened to your liking. Serve with avocado.

Mine definitely took around 30 minutes, and I put the lid on the pot for about 5 minutes to get the potatoes working.

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

Whipped up a batch of this in December. WICKED good! Seriously, I have no desire to buy hot cocoa mix again, especially since it uses things I generally have on hand. I used the Hershey's cocoa powder, and next time I want to try a more decadent cocoa.

3 C nonfat dry milk powder
2 C powdered sugar
1.5 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1.5 C white chocolate chips
1/4 tsp salt (I forgot this, didn't miss it)

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Pour half (or however much fits) into a food processor and process until the chocolate chips are finely ground. Repeat with remaining until everything is nice and fine, like hot cocoa powder. :)

Can be stored in an airtight container for 3 months.

To make hot cocoa:
1 C hot milk
1/3 C hot cocoa mix

Makes about 20 cups of hot cocoa.

Lime Fish Tacos

It's the dead of winter and I really needed a summer-food pick-me-up. These fish tacos are crazy easy to whip up and just right to get you through another cold and dreary day. Ahhh, summer.

1 lb. fish (orange roughy, tilapia, whatever) cut into 1" chunks
1 garlic clove finely diced
7 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 TB butter
1/4 tsp pepper
2 TB sour cream
2 TB mayonaise
dash hot sauce
small corn (or flour) tortillas
shredded cabbage
good salsa

Melt butter in a skillet. Add 5 tsp lime juice. Saute garlic in butter and lime juice for ~30 seconds. Add fish and pepper and cook on medium heat until flakes with a fork (flip half-way through).

Combine mayo, sour cream, 2 tsp lime juice, dash hot sauce. Stir well.

Heat up tortillas in the microwave (corn tortillas need longer than flour to get soft).

Top tortilla with fish, shredded cabbage, white sauce, and a little salsa.

I can get easily get these on the table in 20 minutes, 15 minutes if I'm really efficient.