Bourbon Nut Blondies

1/2 cup salted butter, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
4 Tbsp. bourbon or whiskey
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease an 8×8-inch pan or line it with parchment paper with extra hanging over the sides – this makes for easy removal and slicing.

In a medium bowl, stir together the butter and sugar, then add the egg, bourbon and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Add the flour and salt and stir until almost combined. Fold in chocolate and pecans just until blended. Spread evenly into the pan.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the edges start to pull away from the sides and the middle is set. Cool at least 30 mins before cutting into squares. 

Makes 9-16 blondies.

Adapted from a recipe from www.dinnerwithjulie.com

Crab Pasta Bake

4 cups cooked egg noodles

2 cups prepared spinach and artichoke dip

1 – 6oz can crab meat ( ¾ cup)

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup green onion, chopped

1 tsp lemon zest

1 cup panko bread crumbs

2 T butter, melted

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together dip, cream cheese, crab meat, parmesan cheese, green onion, and lemon zest. Carefully fold in the cooked noodles. Pour into an 8 x 8 baking dish.

In a small bowl, mix melted butter and bread crumbs. Evenly spread over the crab/noodle mixture. Sprinkle Old Bay over the top.

Bake for 30 mins or until bread crumbs are golden and the bake is bubbling.

Morels in Basil Cream Sauce

Serves 2

12 to 14 morel mushrooms, rinsed and dried

 2 T butter

1 T olive oil

1 T flour

1 cup heavy cream

1 T sherry or white wine

2 T chopped fresh basil

Salt & Pepper

4 – 4 inch pieces of toasted bread, such as French baguette or ciabatta, drizzled with olive oil

In a small skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Saute morels for about 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove mushrooms. Add flour to the skillet, and mix thoroughly, making a roux or paste. Cook for about 2 minutes or until golden. Slowly pour in cream, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. When mixture begins to boil and thicken, take off the heat. Add sherry or wine and chopped basil. Stir for another minute before adding the morels. Spoon over toasted bread. 

Cauliflower and White Bean Soup

Serves 4

1 - 16oz (1lb) bag frozen cauliflower

1 - 15 oz can great northern beans, rinsed/drained

¼ cup finely chopped onion

4 cloves garlic – 2 finely minced, 2 quartered

1 - 3” sprig fresh rosemary, or 1 tsp dried

1 cup whole milk or half & half

½ cup chicken stock

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 ½ tsp sea salt

Olive oil

Black truffle infused oil (or infused oil of choice)

Heavy cream

In a large microwaveable steamer place cauliflower, chicken stock, quarter garlic cloves and rosemary sprig. If you don’t have a steamer, place in a large microwaveable bowl covered in plastic wrap. Steam for about 10 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender. Take out the rosemary sprig, remove the leaves and finely chop.

In a medium pot, heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another two minutes. Add beans, the chopped rosemary, and 1 tsp black truffle oil and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

In a blender, pour milk, salt and pepper, and both the cauliflower and bean mixture. Remove the top plug from the blender lid before securing. While covering the opening with a small towel, blend the mixture until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Return to the mixture to the pot and warm the soup on medium heat until bubbling hot. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Serve this soup with a drizzle of heavy cream and truffle oil along with some crusty bread or croutons. 

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1 c. sugar

¼ c. butter, melted

2 eggs

1 c. ripe bananas, mashed (3 med or 2 large)

½ c. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1½ c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

½ - 1 c. chocolate chips

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray large loaf pan with cooking spray. Beat together sugar and butter. Add eggs, banana, sour cream and vanilla, blending well. In a small bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add to wet mixture and stir just till combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts if desired. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick pricked into the loaf comes out clean. 

Let cool for 30 mins before turning out of the pan.

Recipe from thirtyhandmadedays.com

Lighter options:

Use light sour cream or low fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream

Substitute ¾ c whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour

Italian Beef Stew

Olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion 

1/2 cup chopped carrot 

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 pound stewing beef, trimmed and cut into cubes

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup dry red wine 

1 - 14 oz can diced Italian tomatoes

1 (8-ounce) package cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 - 14 oz can beef broth

1/2 cup water

1 T Italian seasoning

2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

3/4 cup (1/4-inch-thick) slices carrot 

2 tablespoons each chopped fresh basil and chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add onion and chopped carrot; sauté 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and sauté for 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from pan.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Add half of beef to pan; sauté 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan and repeat with the remaining beef.

Add wine to pan, and bring to a boil, scraping up all the brown flavorful bits. Cook until reduced, about 5 minutes. Return meat and the onion mixture to pan. Add tomatoes, mushrooms broth, seasoning and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, and stir in sliced carrot. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour or until meat is very tender, stirring occasionally. Before serving, discard bay leaf.

Fresh herbs can be sprinkled on top for serving.

Recipe adapted from one published by Cooking Light (2011)

A Grapefruit Duo

2 great recipes from one grapefruit!

Broiled Grapefruit

½  ruby red grapefruit

½  tsp pure cane sugar or brown sugar

Grapefruit Cooler

½ ruby red grapefruit, juiced

1 ½ oz quality gin, preferably Hendricks

Grapefruit flavored soda, such as Fresca or La Croix Pamplemousse 

To prepare the broiled grapefruit, line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil. In an oven, place a rack two levels from the top and set the broiler to high. Slice your grapefruit in half; for this recipe you’ll use the ½ that has the flattest bottom, so it won’t roll around on your pan. Using a sharp paring knife or grapefruit knife, slice each section of grapefruit . This will help you scoop out your grapefruit later. See below for a tutorial. Place the grapefruit on the pan and sprinkle with sugar. Broil for 5 to 7 minutes or until the top starts to char slightly. Let cool while you make your drink!

To prepare the grapefruit cooler, fill a small glass with ice. In a shaker filled with ice, add gin and grapefruit juice and shake for 30 seconds. Strain into the glass and top with grapefruit soda.

 Cutting a grapefruit:

(from Living Well Kitchen)

1. Start with a serrated knife

2. Cut the grapefruit in half horizontally

3. Put it in a bowl

4. If it’s not sitting up right by itself turn it over and slice a small piece of the bottom off to give it a flat surface to sit on

5. Now it sits up straight without wobbling

6. Using the serrated knife, cut around the edges of the grapefruit insides and the skin

7. Go around the entire diameter of the grapefruit

8. Now cut out each section of the grapefruit

9. Try to cut each piece on the inside part of each section – use the “lines” as guides and cut on the inside part of them for each section

10. Repeat with the entire grapefruit and you’re done!