brussel sprout salad {winner!}

Photo Credit: Kalyn's Kitchen

Brussel Sprout Salad from Andrea:

1-2 packages shredded brussel sprouts (I get mine at Trader Joe's)

cherry or heirloom tomatoes, halved

juice from one lemon

1 jalapeno thinly sliced, don't add if you don't like them

1 lb cooked and crumbled bacon

Ceasar Dressing (I get mine from Trader Joe's, see picture below)

1/2 - 1 cup Parmesan Cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients and dress salad, serve.

zucchini bread.

Photo Credit: A Dash of Sanity

Zucchini Bread from Shalee:

3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cup sugar
3 tsp vanilla
3 cups grated zucchini

Grease and flour two 8x4 pans. Preheat oven to 325.

Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda and cinnamon together in a bowl.

Beat eggs, oil, vanilla and sugar. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat well. Add in grated zucchini and nuts until mixed. Pout batter into pans. Bake for 60 minutes.

berry galette.

Photo Credit: Our Best Bites

Berry Galette from Beckie:

All Butter Pastry Crust:

2 cups flour

11 T butter (real butter, no exceptions) this is just over 2/3 cup

1/4 tsp salt

4-5 T ice water

Fruit Filling:

4 cups prepared fruit (peeled, pitted, diced, etc)

up to 1/2 cup sugar*

3 T flour

2 T butter

(plus some extra butter and sugar to brush on top)

*add sugar depending on the sweetness of your fruit.

Measure flour and salt into a bowl. Cut cold butter (straight from fridge) into small chunks and throw on top of flour.  Cut the butter into the flour, until butter is in small crumbly pieces.  Add ice water 1 T at a time while stirring dough mixture with fork.  Bring all together and pat into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge.

Pick your fruit (I used frozen berries). Sprinkle flour over fruit. Add sugar to taste, up to 1/2 cup. (If doing apples, pears etc add some cinnamon and a splash of lemon juice.)

Roll out pastry dough on flat surface. You want it to be atlas 12" in diameter. Be generous and err on the large and thick side. Use a parring knife or pizza cutter and trim edges if needed so that you have a circular shape, don't worry about perfection, it is supposed to look rustic.

To transfer dough to cookie sheet, fold your circle in half, and then in half again. Place on baking sheet and unfold. Dump fruit in center and dot with 1-2 T butter. 

Pull up edges of dough, pleating as your go. Dip your fingers in some water and moisten in between the pleats to seal them a little better. When its all wrapped up brush the dough with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in oven at 375 degrees for 50-60 minutes. The fruit should be bubbling and the crush golden brown. When finished remove from oven and place pan on cooling rack. Cool for about 10-15 minutes before serving.

Our Best Bites Recipe

Lemon glaze variation

autumn in a bowl.

Photo Credit: With Salt and Wit

Autumn in a Bowl from Michelle:

Costco Sweet Kale Mix (use everything except the dressing)

***If this mix is not available, it contains: chopped kale, broccoli slaw, shaved brussel sprouts, craisins and pipits (roasted pumpkin seeds)***

1-2 apples, diced (I used Honey Crisp, but any apple is fine)

1 container Blue Cheese

2 lbs butternut squash, diced (bags of pre-diced is easiest), roast at 425 with olive oil, salt and pepper until there's nice color on them, 35-40 minutes

Spiced Candied Pecans (you can buy these or make them yourself) I did 1 - 1.5 cups and ate the other 1/2 cup the recipe makes the next day.

2 cups pecan halves

1 egg white

1 T water

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp coarse salt

Generous pinch of cayenne

Zest of one orange

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix sugars, salt, cayenne and orange zest making sure there are no lumps; set aside. Beat egg white and water until frothy but not stiff. Add pecans, and stir to coat evenly. Remove pecans from egg white mixture and let excess drip off. Put pecans in bowl with sugar mixture, and toss until evenly coated. Taste and adjust salt and cayenne if needed (it grossed me out to taste it at first but them I remembered I eat raw cookie dough with reckless abandon!) Spread sugared nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet fitted with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven, and seperate nuts as they cool. When completely cool, our the nuts into a bowl, breaking up any that stick together.

Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup canola oil

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp coarse salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Mix in blender and adjust seasonings to taste.

Mix all ingredients for salad and dress with dressing to taste. Probably won't use all the dressing. Best when butternut squash is still warm.

slow cooker butternut squash tortellini.

Photo Credit: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Tortellini from Shauna:

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 tsp minced dried rosemary
1/4 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 pounds peeled and cubed butternut squash (approx. 4 cups)
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
4 to 8 oz cream cheese, light or regular (depending on how creamy you want it), cubed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving, if desired
1 1/2 lb refrigerated tortellini

In a nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is starting to soften, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the rosemary, thyme, sage, salt and pepper.

Place the butternut squash in a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker. Add the sautéed onion and garlic and then pour in the chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.

Add the cubes of cream cheese and the Parmesan cheese to the slow cooker. Stir until mostly melted. Using an immersion blender (or blending/food processing in small batches), blend until smooth. Stir in the tortellini. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until the tortellini are tender.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with additional parmesan cheese, if desired.

** Best results with refrigerated tortellini (not the dry tortellini in the pasta aisle).


Mel's Kitchen Cafe Recipe

basic granola.

Photo Credit: The Live Fit Girls

Basic Granola (honey + coconut oil) from Ashley:

1 cup almonds

3 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup honey

3 T coconut oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Finely chop almonds. 

Mix in large bowl:

almonds

oats

salt

brown sugar

Microwave honey and coconut oil for 30 seconds, stir. Add vanilla. Pour over oat mixture and stir. Put on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 5 minutes, stir, bake 5 more - bake until golden. Cool and then break into pieces.

pork tenderloin with soy-orange glaze.

Photo Credit: Menu Musings

Pork Tenderloin with Soy-Orange Sauce from Jenny:

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (Tropicana Grovestand or Simply Orange works, too)

2 T soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

8 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 tsp ground thyme)

1 pork tenderloin

2 T butter

2 T oil

Combine the orange juice with the next 5 ingredients. Set aside.

Score the pork tenderloin 1/8" deep in a crisscross pattern on each side. Place in a glass container and pour the marinade over the tenderloin and let sit at least 30 minutes. Drain and reserve marinade.

Heat butter and oil in a large, heavy skillet until hot. Pat the tenderloin dry and sear for 2 minutes on each side, browning well.

Reduce heat to low and pour reserved marinade over the tenderloin. Cook until done, about 30 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of your tenderloin. Use a meat thermometer and don't overcook.

Remove the tenderloin and cover, then reduce the marinade in the skillet to about 1/2 cup. Slice the tenderloin and pour the reduced marinade over the pieces and serve immediately.

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with fresh lemon icing.

Photo Credit: A Bountiful Kitchen

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fresh Lemon Icing from Jenni:

2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

For Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 T fresh or bottled lemon juice
dash of salt
1 T butter, melted
2 T cream, half and half or milk to thin
grated lemon zest (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, beat eggs and brown sugar until smooth. On low speed, mix in rest of wet ingredients. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add the dry ingredients and the chocolate chips to the bowl and mix all at once. Mix just until wet and dry ingredients are incorporated. Do not overmix. Spoon or scoop batter out onto a parchment lined or lightly greased cookie sheet, about 9 cookies per sheet. Bake until the tops feel firm about 12 minutes. Cool completely. Mix lemon icing by whisking ingredients together in a medium size bowl. Spoon icing over cooled cookies. Cookies are best when eaten with 2 days.

*I use a scoop that holds 2-3 T per scoop. If using a scoop that holds 2 T, the recipe will yield about 24-28 cookies. The dough is fairly wet, more so than traditional cookie batter, and will stick to the scoop.

A Bountiful Kitchen Recipe

creamy green chile chicken enchiladas.

Photo Credit: A Pretty Life

Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas from Debbie:

3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (a rotisserie chicken works great)
2 cans (4 oz each) green chiles, lightly drained
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, light or regular, softened and cubed
1 can (15 oz) white or black beans, rinsed and drained (you can use any type of bean you like, or leave them out)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 T fresh lime juice

Sauce:

2 T butter
1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
2 T flour
1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup (8 oz) green chile enchilada sauce (or salsa verde)
1/2 cup sour cream, light or regular

Assembly:

8 oz (about 2 cups) Monterey jack cheese, shredded
8 medium (soft taco size) flour or corn tortillas
Handful of chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and green chiles. Mix well. Add the chicken, beans, cilantro and lime juice. Mix to combine. Set aside.

For the Sauce: In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. As you whisk and the mixture cooks, the flour will get less lumpy around the onions and the mixture will become smooth. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is bubbling and has thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the enchilada sauce and sour cream.

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread 1/4 cup of the sauce in a thin layer on the Bottom of the dish. Fill each tortilla with about 1/2 cup of the chicken/cream cheese filling. Top with a small handful of shredded cheese, a couple tablespoonfuls for each enchilada. Save at least 1/2 cup cheese for the top of the enchiladas. Roll the tortillas up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling enchiladas until the dish is full (approx 8, but will depend on tortilla size).

Pour the white sauce over the top of the enchiladas and spread evenly. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the enchiladas are bubbling, hot and lightly browned. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top and serve.

Mel's Kitchen Cafe

shepherds pie.

Photo Credit: Jo Cooks

Shepherds Pie from Sarah:

4 large potatoes

3 T butter

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

milk to thin

salt & pepper to taste

garlic (roasted, powder, whatever)

1 onion, chopped

1 lb lean ground beef

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup brown gravy mix

3/4 cup water

1 cup frozen peas*

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Make mashed potatoes: peel & cube potatoes; put in salted water; once water boils, set timer for 15-20 minutes. A fork should slide in easily when they're done. Preheat oven to 350.

While potatoes are boiling, heat oil in a skillet. Add ground beef, onion & Worcestershire sauce. Cook through, and skim off fat. Sprinkle gravy mix and stir in, then add water. Heat through to thicken and add frozen peas. Taste the mix - if you need to add more seasoning, do it now. Transfer meat mixture to pie pan.

Drain potatoes and set back over low heat, stirring to cook off any excess water. Remove from heat. Add butter and garlic (if desired). Mash and thin with milk. Make it a little wetter than you think you want - some moisture will cook out later. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cheddar cheese.

Spread mashed potatoes on meat mixture and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

*You can use a peas/carrot mixture, or steam some fresh carrots and add them in. This reheats well, and may be better the second or third day.

sundried tomato pasta salad.

Photo Credit: Good Dinner Mom

Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad from Lys-An:

1 lb fusilli

salt

olive oil

1 lb diced ripe tomatoes

3/4 cup kalamata olives, diced

1-2 lbs fresh mozzarella, medium diced

1-2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped

salami, sliced

1 bunch green onions sliced

For Dressing:

1 - 7 oz jar sun-dried tomatoes, in oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 T sugar

2 cloves garlic

2 tsp capers

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup fresh grated parmesan

1 cup packed fresh basil, julienned

Cook pasta in salted, boiling water with splash of oil. Drain & cool. Place in bowl. Add: tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, chicken, salami & green onions. Process dressing ingredients in food processor. Pour over pasta and stir in basil and parmesan.

creamy white chili.

Photo Credit: Gimme Some Oven

Creamy White Chili from Randi:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 T oil

2 cans (15.5 oz each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth

2 cans (14.5 oz) chopped green chilies (if you like less kick, add just one can)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, sauce chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately. This is especially good served with tortilla chips. Makes about 6 servings.

ham, apple and brie panini.

Photo Credit: A Dish of Daily Life

Ham, Apple and Brie Panini from Brittany:

Thinly sliced deli ham

Wheel of Brie, cut into pieces

Granny Smith Apples, sliced thin

Honey Mustard (or chick fil a sauce packets)

Naan Bread (or your favorite bread)

Apply honey mustard to both sides of bread, layer ham, brie and thinly sliced green apple to sandwich and press in panini maker, to desired liking.

*I like to pan fry the ham a little (on the panini maker) before adding it to the sandwich because the brie melts so quickly.

*This can be done on a skillet pan as well