Bell Pepper soup

Serves 6...great with Peasant Bread

 2 tablespoons olive oil

4 medium  bell peppers, diced   Green peppers if you want bitter taste

1 large yellow onion, diced 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1 pound ground beef 

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped 

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

4 cups low-sodium beef broth  

One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes 

One 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes  

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 

1 cup cooked white rice 

Shredded Cheddar, for serving 

Chopped fresh parsley, for serving Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 7 minutes.

1. 
   
2. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.  
3. Add the garlic, thyme and oregano. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef broth, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until flavors are blended, about 5 minutes.  
4. Stir in the rice and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

Sweet and Sour pork chops

If you're looking for the sweet and sour sauce they serve in Chinese restaurants, no need to buy bottled when our freshly made version tastes a million times better. We bet you'll agree our Sweet and Sour Pork Chops are amazing!

What You'll Need

• 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained, with liquid reserved
• 1 1/4 cups ketchup
• 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 3 carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 to 6 pork loin chops, 1 inch thick

What to Do

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    
2. In a large saucepan, combine reserved pineapple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar; cook 5 minutes, until hot. Add pineapple chunks, carrots, and green pepper; remove from heat.
    
3. In a large skillet, heat oil; add chops and brown.
    
4. In a shallow baking dish, arrange chops; spread pineapple-vegetable mixture over top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 25-35 minutes, until chops are done and vegetables are crisp-tender.
   
    

Notes

For that extra authentic feel, serve this one up over white rice!

Gladys Osborne's SECRET and famous Potato Soup

 When I realized that my mom didn't have a recipe for this, a number of years ago, I stood with her as she made it and measured everything so often I wasn't sure if we were going to ever get the soup made but finally we did.  I kept her secret recipe secret until she died and then I didn't want the wonderful soup lost. I compiled her recipes and this had to be in the cookbook which has been given to her friends and some of mine

25    potatoes, peeled and cubed

6    onions, finely chopped

3     sticks margarine or butter

2 t    salt

2 t    pepper (I'd suggest starting with 1t til you decide how much you want..my mom loved pepper

16 T flour

2qt    milk

1. cook the cubed potatoes in salted water til BARELY soft.  Drain

2.  Use 2 pans using half the ingredients. Put 1-1/2 stick of butter in each pan and melt   Add the onions and cook. Add salt, pepper Turn off heat

3.  Add 8 T. flour per pan and still til thickened

4.  Add 1 qt milk per pan. Stir.  this will be soupy til it thickens,  Turn ON heat. Simmer and watch as it starts to thicken (need to cook the flour).  You will notice steam rising.  Do not allow to burn.

5.  Taste - add salt and pepper as needed.

6.  Add the drained potatoes to the milk roux. See if you need to make more roux. Do this in a separate pan and add to the main soup.

SERVES 10

Chicken Lasagna (white)

 Chicken lasagna

Ingredients

Chicken Lasagna Ingredients:

• 9 lasagna noodles cooked al dente
• 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken or cooked from 2 lbs chicken breast

Spinach Cream Sauce:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups half and half (or equal parts of heavy cream and milk)
• 5 oz fresh spinach coarsely chopped
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves minced

Ricotta Cheese Sauce:

• 15 oz ricotta
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup parsley
  1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 3 cups mozzarella cheese 12 oz by weight, divided (reserve 1 cup for topping)
• Preheat oven to 375˚F. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente according to package instructions then drain hot water and add cold water to the pot to stop the cooking process and prevent noodles from sticking together. Shred 4 cups of chicken.
  

Make the Belachamel (Spinach Sauce):

1. Place a pot or large saucepan over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and saute onions for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add 4 Tbsp butter and whisk in 1/3 cup flour. Continue whisking 3 minutes or until flour mixture is golden.
   
2. Add 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups half and half, 2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Whisk until smooth and simmer 5 minutes until thickened to a light gravy consistency.
3. Add minced garlic and chopped spinach, and stir to combine then remove from heat.

Make the Ricotta Cheese Sauce:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together: ricotta, egg, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan, and 1/4 cup parsley

To Assemble Chicken Lasagna:

1. Add a little bechamel sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish, add 3 noodles, Add 1/2 ricotta sauce, 1/2 shredded chicken then ladle 1/3 of spinach sauce over the chicken.
2. Add 3 noodles, 1/2 ricotta cheese, 1/2 shredded chicken, and 1/3 spinach sauce
3. Add 3 noodles, remaining 1/3 sauce, and sprinkle on reserved 1 cup cheese.
   
4. Cover and Bake: Arrange 10-12 toothpicks over the top to keep the foil from touching the cheese then cover with a large sheet of foil. Bake on the center rack in a preheated oven at 375˚F for 45 minutes then uncover and broil 2-3 minutes to brown the cheese. Rest at least 10 minutes uncovered before slicing.

Palmiers by Ina Garten

 

I have always used a recipe that Jocelyn posted here for Butterfly cookies but needing some quickly for a funeral I opted for this recipe  and they are every bit as good..AND FAST.

Ingredients

Deselect All

2 cups granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

2 sheets puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Combine the sugar and kosher salt. Pour 1 cup of the sugar/salt mixture on a flat surface such as wooden board or marble. Unfold each sheet of puff pastry onto the sugar and pour 1/2 cup of the sugar mixture on top, spreading it evenly on the puff pastry. This is not about sprinkling, it's about an even covering of sugar. With a rolling pin, roll the dough until it's 13 by 13-inches square and the sugar is pressed into the puff pastry on top and bottom. Fold the sides of the square towards the center so they go halfway to the middle. Fold them again so the two folds meet exactly at the middle of the dough. Then fold 1 half over the other half as though closing a book. You will have 6 layers. Slice the dough into 3/8-inch slices and place the slices, cut side up, on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Place the second sheet of pastry on the sugared board, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar mixture, and continue as above. (There will be quite a bit of sugar left over on the board.) Slice and arrange on baking sheets lined with parchment.
3. Bake the cookies for 7 minutes until caramelized and brown on the bottom, then turn with a spatula and bake another 3 to 5 minutes, until caramelized on the other side. Transfer to a baking rack to cool.

Ina says you can prepare them up to the baking part and freeze them in a zip lock back and place in the freezer for when company comes unexpectedly.  Take the right out and bake without defrosting them.  I just may have to do this!

Ultimate sticky buns ATK

GATHER YOUR INGREDIENTS

Flour Paste

⅔ cup water 

¼ cup (1 1/3 ounces) bread flour 

Dough

⅔ cup milk 

1 large egg plus 1 large yolk

2 ¾ cups (15 1/8 ounces) bread flour 

2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast 

3 tablespoons granulated sugar 

1 ½ teaspoons salt 

6 tablespoons 

unsalted butter,

 softened

Topping

6 tablespoons 

unsalted butter,

 melted

½ cup packed (3 1/2 ounces) 

dark brown sugar

¼ cup (1 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar 

¼ cup dark corn syrup 

¼ teaspoon salt 

2 tablespoons water 

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped (optional)

Filling

¾ cup packed (5 1/4 ounces) 

dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon 

ground cinnamon

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

These buns take about 4 hours to make from start to finish. For dough that is easy to work with and produces light, fluffy buns, we strongly recommend that you measure the flour for the dough by weight. The slight tackiness of the dough aids in flattening and stretching it in step 6, so resist the urge to use a lot of dusting flour. Rolling the dough cylinder tightly in step 7 will result in misshapen rolls; keep the cylinder a bit slack. Bake these buns in a metal, not glass or ceramic, baking pan. We like dark corn syrup and pecans here, but light corn syrup may be used, and the nuts may be omitted, if desired. 

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE FLOUR PASTE: Whisk water and flour together in small bowl until no lumps remain. Microwave, whisking every 25 seconds, until mixture thickens to stiff, smooth, pudding-like consistency that forms mound when dropped from end of whisk into bowl, 50 to 75 seconds.

2

FOR THE DOUGH: In bowl of stand mixer, whisk flour paste and milk together until smooth. Add egg and yolk and whisk until incorporated. Add flour and yeast. Fit stand mixer with dough hook and mix on low speed until all flour is moistened, 1 to 2 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes. Add sugar and salt and mix on medium-low speed for 5 minutes. Stop mixer and add butter. Continue to mix on medium-low speed for 5 minutes longer, scraping down dough hook and sides of bowl halfway through (dough will stick to bottom of bowl).

3

Transfer dough to lightly floured counter. Knead briefly to form ball and transfer seam side down to lightly greased bowl; lightly coat surface of dough with vegetable oil spray and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise until just doubled in volume, 40 minutes to 1 hour.

4

FOR THE TOPPING: While dough rises, grease 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan. Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt together in medium bowl until smooth. Add water and whisk until incorporated. Pour mixture into prepared pan and tilt pan to cover bottom. Sprinkle evenly with pecans, if using.

5

FOR THE FILLING: Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined; set aside.

6

Turn out dough onto lightly floured counter. Press dough gently but firmly to expel air. Working from center toward edge, pat and stretch dough to form 18 by 15-inch rectangle with long edge nearest you. Sprinkle filling over dough, leaving 1-inch border along top edge; smooth filling into even layer with your hand, then gently press mixture into dough to adhere.

7

Beginning with long edge nearest you, roll dough into cylinder, taking care not to roll too tightly. Pinch seam to seal and roll cylinder seam side down. Mark gently with knife to create 12 equal portions. To slice, hold strand of dental floss taut and slide underneath cylinder, stopping at first mark. Cross ends of floss over each other and pull. Slice cylinder into 12 portions and transfer, cut sides down, to prepared baking pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until buns are puffy and touching one another, 40 minutes to 1 hour. (Buns may be refrigerated immediately after shaping for up to 14 hours. To bake, remove baking pan from refrigerator and let sit until buns are puffy and touching one another, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.) Meanwhile, adjust oven racks to lowest and lower-middle positions. Place rimmed baking sheet on lower rack to catch any drips and heat oven to 375 degrees.

8

Bake buns on upper rack until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil and bake until center of dough registers at least 200 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Let buns cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Place rimmed baking sheet over buns and carefully invert. Remove pan and let buns cool for 5 minutes. Using spoon, scoop any glaze on baking sheet onto buns. Let cool for at least 10 minutes longer before serving.

Candy Apples

 I really wanted the old fashioned kind of Candy Apple...NOT caramel. I don't mind caramel apples but I will always go for a Candy one.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp. red gel food coloring
• baking spray
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon extract (optional)
• 1/4 cup demerara sugar (optional)
• 1 tsp. pumpkin spice (optional)
• 6 medium apples

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

• parchment paper
• candy thermometer
• 6 candy apple sticks

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan mix together sugar, water, corn syrup, food coloring and extract (if using). The mixture will be bright red.
2. Set up your candy thermometer so that the tip is in the mixture and is not touching the bottom of the pot. Put it over high heat and bring it to a boil. Leave it bubbling on high until it gets to be between 300ºF and 310ºF. It will take around 20 minutes but keep your eye on it. It gets really fast at the end.
3. While the sugar mixture is coming to temperature, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it with baking spray. Wash and dry your apples. Stick the sticks down into the tops of the apples. You want to get a good ways in. If your sticks are long, go all the way but not through the other end. If they’re shorter, getting halfway into the apple is good enough.
4. For sparkly apple bottoms, mix together 1/4 cup demerara sugar and 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice (you can leave out the pumpkin spice if you want. What’s crucial is the sugar). Sprinkle the sugar mixture onto your prepared pan.

5. When your candy mixture is at 310ºF, take it of the heat. Tilt your pot to the side and hold the apples by the stick to roll them one at a time in the mixture. Be careful because that sugar syrup is very hot. After rolling the apple around, hold it up over the saucepan and shake it gently to let some excess syrup drip off. Put the apples on your prepared pan to harden. They’ll be hard and ready to eat within 10 minutes.