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Mashed Carrots

I love a cooked carrot and a mashed root vegetable. These mashed carrots are savory, sweet, buttery, and delicious. I am a big fan of serving them along side some chicken or pork. This recipe makes a lot, but they go fast and with some added stock they could make a decent soup. If you are looking for a healthier option sub plain yogurt for the butter.

Mashed Carrots

4 lbs carrots, cut into 2 inch chunks
1 medium onion, quartered
1/4 cup chicken Stock
2 Tablespoons butter
salt and pepper

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add carrots and onions and continue to boil until carrots are cooked through and soft. In batches if necessary, put carrots and onions in food processor with butter, stock and blend until smooth. Return to pot and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Feta and Sun-dried Tomato Lentil Salad

I enjoy lentils and feel like they are highly underrated. This lentil salad from Gourmet Magazine has a lot of good flavors happening. I'm a fan.

Feta and Sun-dried Tomato Lentil Salad

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1/4 cup drained finely chopped sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
1 cup lentils picked over and rinsed
1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese (about 2 ounces)

In a large bowl whisk together oil, vinegar, thyme, tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Add lentils to a large saucepan of salted water and bring water to a boil. Cook lentils at a bare simmer until just tender, about 20 minutes. Drain lentils in a sieve and rinse gently. Toss lentils well with dressing and gently stir in Feta.

Spinach Garlic Bread

This garlic bread recipe from Rachael Ray is the best garlic bread I have ever had. It's buttery, garlicy, and cheesy without making you feel sick. If there is a spaghetti supper at my funeral, I want them to serve this bread.

Spinach Garlic Bread

4 cups spinach leaves, stemmed
4 cloves garlic, cracked from skin
1 stick softened butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 loaf good quality Italian bread

Preheat broiler or oven to 375 degrees. Place the spinach in a food processor with garlic, butter, salt, freshly ground black pepper and cheese, and process until smooth. Cut the bread in half lengthwise and slather it with the spinach butter. Bake the toast until crispy, about 7-10 minutes in the hot oven.

Blue Cheese & Spinach Mac & Cheese

It has been a lifetime mission of mine to find an amazing mac and cheese recipe to call my own. Mac & Cheese, while delicious, almost always has overcooked pasta and a bland, eggy, and cheese-less taste. This recipe is bold and surprising, but is only for true fans of blue cheese. It's not my favorite mac & cheese, but it's still pretty tasty.

Blue Cheese & Spinach Mac & Cheese

1 pound spiral tube-shaped pasta
2 tablespoons butter (for sauce)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup whipping cream
3 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
10 oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed)
1 cup breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons butter (for topping)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly (do not allow to brown).
Gradually whisk in milk and cream. Simmer until mixture thickens slightly, whisking occasionally, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add grated cheddar cheese and 1 cup crumbled blue cheese. Whisk until cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Stir in chopped spinach and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add cooked pasta to sauce; stir to coat. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake until sauce begins to bubble, about 25 minutes.

Chive, Thyme, and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I am bored with plain mashed potatoes and want to make some this year with added flavor that will still work well with gravy. This recipe infuses the flavors of garlic and thyme in the cream that you mix into the potatoes for a subtle depth of flavor. For added color and taste, they are topped with chopped chives. I'm pretty excited about them.

Chive, Thyme, and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

4 to 6 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Put the cut potatoes into a large pot, cover them with cold water, and add a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Drain well. Meanwhile, in a small pot heat the cream, butter, garlic, and thyme. While the potatoes are still warm, press them through a potato ricer or food mill into a bowl. Stir in the warm cream a bit at a time, straining out the solids, until the potatoes are fluffy. Season with salt and pepper and gently fold in the chives. Serve immediately.

Wild Rice and Cornbread Dressing

I usually make a pretty basic stuffing recipe for Thanksgiving, but this year was inspired by my love for cornbread and wild rice to piece together a new recipe.

Wild Rice and Cornbread Dressing

2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 cup wild rice
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Handful fresh sage leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
4 cups premade cornbread
3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking dish and set aside.

To cook rice, combine 2 cups chicken stock, water, and rice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, about 1 hour. Drain rice and transfer to a large bowl.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, or until soft and caramelized. Add sage and parsley and cook 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and add to bowl with rice.

Add 4 cups premade cornbread and pecans to the rice mixture and stir to combine. Transfer rice mixture to baking dish. Drizzle 1/2 cup chicken stock and butter over mixture. Bake until cornbread is golden and crispy, about 20 minutes.

Pan Fried Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Cream Sauce

I made this pasta as part of a Halloween bad movie night last Saturday and it changed lives. I'd seen Food Network chefs make ravioli from premade won ton wrappers before, but it looked too Sandra Lee for me and the whole idea seemed a little unnatural. The truth is that the process is crazy easy and the result is way better than any stuffed pasta you might find in your grocery store. I pan fried mine, but you could boil them too if you want to go that way.

Pan Fried Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Cream Sauce

For the Filling:
15oz can 100% pumpkin (not pie filling)
2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon ground sage
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Ravioli & Sauce:
1 package wonton skins
Egg wash (1 egg, mixed with 1 teaspoon water) 
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon, ground sage
1/2 cup cream or half and half
Olive oil
Pumpkin seed kernels or pine nuts (optional)

For Ravioli: Empty pumpkin into a mixing bowl. Add egg yolk, cheese, sage, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Arrange one wanton skin on work surface. Add 1 teaspoon filling, mounding it in center of square and brush border with egg wash. Top with another wanton skin, pressing dough around filling to remove any air bubbles and transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet. Cover with dampened paper towels while preparing remaining raviolis. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place 4-5 raviolis in hot oil and cook the ravioli until they are just tender and lightly browned.

For Sauce: In a saucepan set over moderate heat melt the butter, add the sage and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the cream and simmer until lightly thickened.

Transfer pasta to a serving bowl. Add sauce and toss to combine. Garnish with pumkin seed kernels or pine nuts.

Drunken Cheesy Bread

I made this recipe on our trip to Lake Arrowhead from a Real Simple magazine. It is quick, easy, and amazing. I fully recommend trying it. How can you go wrong with wine, cheese, ham, and onion?

Drunken Cheesy Bread

Butter, for the pan
1 baguette, cut into 2 inch slices
1 small yellow onion, very thinly sliced
1/4 lb thinly sliced cooked ham
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups (12oz) grated Gruyere

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place the bread in a buttered ovenproof skillet, baking dish, or casserole dish. Scatter the onion and ham over the bread. Pour wine over the onion and ham and sprinkle with black pepper and Gruyere. Bake until the cheese has melted and begins to brown at the edges, about 20 minutes. Spoon onto plates.

Squash Cassarole

I grew up in a household that wasn't very vegetable friendly. We only had two vegetables on our table corn or green beans (stewed in pork). I didn't really welcome squash into my life until my 20's and now I eat it at least 2-3 times a week. One of my favorite way to eat yellow squash is in cassarole form. For this recipe you can also swap out the Ritz crackers with some of your favorite croutons (crumbled).

Squash Cassarole

2 pounds yellow squash
1/2 cup coarse-chopped carrots
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 large onion, preferably yellow, chopped
1 plump garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 cups saltine or Ritz cracker crumbs
3/4 cup grated mild to medium Cheddar cheese
Hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter a medium baking dish.

Slice the yellow squash lengthwise into quarters, then cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Place the yellow squash, zucchini and carrots in a saucepan, barely cover with water and salt well. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat to medium and cover. Cook about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft.

Meanwhile, warm 3 tablespoons of the butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the onion and cook slowly until very soft and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute. Scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl. Wipe out the skillet, return it to medium-low heat, and add to it the remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cracker crumbs and cook briefly until the crumbs are golden. Scrape them onto a small plate and reserve them.

Drain the squash mixture, mashing the vegetables just a bit. Spoon it into the mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining 3/4 cup of cracker crumbs, cheese and a good splash or two of the pepper sauce. Salt and pepper generously to taste. Stir in the eggs and spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Scatter the toasted cracker crumbs over the top. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, until golden brown and lightly firm in the center. Serve hot.

Cheesy Orzo with Green Peas

I love a cheesy rice or rice shaped pasta. This orzo recipe is a great way to make a lame baked chicken dinner more exciting. It goes well with almost anything and can be thrown together in a matter of minutes.

Cheesy Orzo with Green Peas

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup frozen green peas or frozen peas and carrots
2 cloves garlic, chopped
28 ounces chicken or vegetable broth or stock
2 cups orzo pasta
1 1/2 cup grated cheese (I like Parmesan or a good sharp cheddar)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat a 8 inch pot with a tight fitting cover over moderate heat. Add oil, onion and garlic and saute for 2 or 3 minutes. Add broth and peas to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in orzo and return broth to a boil. Cover pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until liquid is absorbed and pasta tender. Remove lid and stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.