Olive Oil-Lime Salad Dressing

Thought I would share this excerpt from my cooking blog. Enjoy!

The best recipes come from mothers. This one came from my friend's mother. I am so lucky to be joining them for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I first tried this at their home while they were on a raw foods diet.

Olive Oil-Lime Salad Dressing

1 c olive oil

juice of 3 small limes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients. Let sit 10 minutes to fully infuse. Drizzle desired amount over your salad of choice.

winner winner chicken dinner:

for some reason i always have a hard time posting a complete picture of the random number generator. however, i put in the numbers 1 thru 47, and it came up with 30!

which means:

Juliana is our winner!

Juliana said...

Tweeted about your recipe blog!
-Juliana
nulie87@hotmail.com
twitter.com/julianawade

congratulations! we're so excited to send you your prizes. please email us at justcookalready@gmail.com with your mailing address and we'll send you your goodies very soon!

thank you again for your participation in this months giveaway. since thanksgiving is tomorrow, today is the last day to post up some yummy holiday recipes. after today, please resume putting up whatever your little hearts desire, and we'll do the same.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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LAST DAY

Today is the LAST DAY to enter November's awesome giveaway in which you will win BOTH the awesome CRATE AND BARREL meat thermometer AND FABULOUS thank you for your kindness headband! There are ONLY 21 entries so that means MORE chances for YOU! ENTER ENTER ENTER!!!!!

...

mashed potatoes

we LOVE kelsey nixon. here is her take on mashed potatoes. great tips for this upcoming thursday. enjoy!

november giveaway!

hooray for giveaways!

i really love giveaways because it gives us an opportunity to show all of you lovely readers how much we love and appreciate you. we really do appreciate all of your creative posts and delicious recipes. keep them coming! and we'll keep the giveaways coming.

this month's giveaway includes the following:

the kind girls from thank you for your kindness have so kindly offered to giveaway one of their lovely& amazing headbands to one lucky just cook already winner. here is a little more information about them (don't forget to check out their blog) and the pretty little prize! ENTER HERE ON JUST COOK ALREADY!

this beauty is up for grabs! i'm sure it would look so good on all of you.

and now for the second part of the giveaway:

from our kitchen to yours!

doesn't everyone need a thermometer? i've realized that the answer to this question is YES. yes they do! this beauty comes from crate and barrel, and here is what they have to say about it:

Cook-time confidence without cutting into roasts or chops, turkeys or meatloaf. Turn the silicone ring until the indicators point to the desired temperature and insert probe before cooking. Conical face with large numbers makes it easy to read when the temperature indicator lines up with the red dial. Flat edge prevents rolling off countertops. Non-slip silicone ring for easy handling.

to enter the giveaway, all you have to do is one or all of the following. ALL would be best!

LEAVE US A COMMENT LETTING US KNOW YOU'VE DONE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:

1. become a follower of our blog

2. tweet about our recipe blog on twitter

3. give us a shout-out on facebook-- tell your friends!

4. post about this giveaway on your blog.

the winner will be announced in ONE week, november 25.

be sure to enter, and we'll announce the winner on that day.

good luck, and keep the posts coming! now is the time to get those delicious thanksgiving recipes on here so that we can all try them for the holidays!

cornbread and andouille stuffing

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 pound andouille, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Basic Cornbread, recipe follows
• 3 slices white or whole wheat bread, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 to 2 cups chicken stock, as needed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the sausage until brown and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Add onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl to cool.

With your fingers, crumble the corn bread into the bowl, add bread, the green onions, parsley, and thyme, and mix well with your hands. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne, and eggs, and mix well with your hands. Add enough broth, 1/2 cup at a time, to moisten the dressing, being careful not to make it mushy.

Transfer to the prepared dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Basic Cornbread:

• 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Pour the vegetable oil into a 9-inch baking pan or heavy cast iron skillet. Place the pan into the oven as it preheats, allowing it to heat for at least 10 minutes.

Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and cayenne in a large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the buttermilk and egg to the mixture, and stir well to blend. Pour the cornmeal batter into the preheated pan and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving or using in the dressing.

Note: When making the dressing, make cornbread the day before.

Yield: 8 servings

{recipe courtesy of emeril, www.foodnetwork.com}

sweet potato heaven

{photo courtesy of blog.fatfreevegan.com}

unfortunately i don't know who to give credit to for this delicious recipe. i know her name is heather, and she posted it as a comment on my friend's blog.

so, thank you heather, wherever you are!

i call this recipe sweet potato heaven.

Cream together:

3 C. mashed yams

3 beaten eggs

1/2 C. heavy cream

1/4 C. butter

Add to Creamed Mixture:

3/4 C. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Spread in casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. if you're feeling crazy, add the marshmallows or chopped pecans.

Turkey & Cranberry Ravioli [REMIX]

Make something new with leftover leftovers! tricky tricky, eih? ;)

Because i doubled the ravioli recipe I had some extra filling that i planned to use for mini-meatloaves. alas, i didn't have quite enough. Plan B my friends. I combined the ravioli filling with whole wheat chicken stove top stuffing and made meatballs instead. gotta love that crunchy crust! so, what to serve them with? i had extra elbow mac, so that got boiled up. then my taste buds didn't think marinara would go so great with stuffing, so i made another batch of the gravy and that became our sauce. It was awesome! When the hubs asks for seconds, i'm a happy camper... er, cooker. ;)

Make that turkey stretch for you!

Turkey & Cranberry Ravioli

photo courtesy of foodnetwork.com

giada de laurentiis... goddess of the italian kitchen! i've got a frowny face if i miss her on the food network (the only reason for owning cable in my opinion). i made these little beauties for dinner last night. we're revving up for thanksgiving!! they're just enough to get you excited for the BIG dinner or lunch, whenever you feast! :)

Turkey and Cranberry Ravioli - giada de laurentiis

Ravioli:
1/4 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat
2 tablespoons cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons grated Romano
1 tablespoon bread crumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
20 store-bought wonton wrappers
Gravy:
3 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
To make the ravioli: in a medium bowl, stir together the turkey, cranberry sauce, cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, egg, salt, and pepper. Place 10 wonton wrappers on a work surface. Brush lightly with water using a pastry brush. Place 1 tablespoon of the turkey mixture on each of the wonton wrappers. Top with another wonton wrapper. Push out any air bubbles and press the edges tightly to seal.

To make the gravy: in a medium, heavy skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir until cooked, about 1 minute. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring quickly to avoid lumps. Add the cream, parley, salt, and pepper and cook, without boiling, for 2 minutes, stirring often.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the ravioli and cook until tender but still firm to the bite and the turkey is cooked, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Drain the ravioli into the gravy and stir to coat. Serve immediately in individual dishes, drizzled with the remaining gravy.

**double the recipe if it's an entree and make LOTS o' gravy because it is mmm.mmm. goooood!

a turkey tutorial for you

preparing a turkey can seem both frightening & disgusting. and while we can't promise that this tutorial will eliminate the gross factor, we hope that it eases your fear of the bird and serves as a guide in assisting you this thanksgiving!

{thank you to miss kate, the culinary genius!}

you'll need:

{equipment}

large, heavy roasting pan

toothpicks

kitchen twine

pastry blush

bulb baster

instant read thermometer

{ingredients}

1 fresh or thawed turkey, about 16 lbs

1 yellow onion, quartered

2 celery stalks, cut in to 2-inch lengths

2 carrot sticks, cut in to 2-inch lengths

3 or 4 fresh flat leaf parsley sprigs

2 fresh thyme sprigs, plus more for garnish

2 to 3 T dried turkey herbs {we like Williams Sonoma's}

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 cup white grape juice

{directions}

Let the thawed turkey stand at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Do not leave the turkey at room temperature longer than 2 hours. (If using a frozen turkey, let it thaw in the fridge 1 to 2 days before you need it). Also, if the turkey comes with a pop-up timer, remove it; an instant-read thermometer is a much more accurate indication of doneness.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 425°F.

Remove giblets from the body and neck cavities. Rinse the turkey under cool running water, and pat it dry with paper towels. Tuck the wing tips under the body to prevent them from burning.

2. Stuffing the Bird Combine the chopped onion, carrots, celery, parsley, thyme, 1 Tbs. of the dried herbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl and toss. Stuff into both the body and neck cavities. Loosen skin of turkey at body-cavity end with your fingers; buttered hands and salt and pepper, season under skin all over (reach as far back as possible).

3. Securing the Neck Flap
After it is stuffed, pull the flap of skin at the neck down, and use toothpicks or small metal skewers to fasten it.

4. Trussing Truss the turkey by tying the legs together in a bow with kitchen twine. Brush the turkey with some of the melted butter. Sprinkle with the remaining dried herbs and season with salt and pepper. Place turkey in the 425°F preheated oven.

5. The Basting Process
Combine the remaining melted butter (1/4 -1/3 cup) with one cup of white grape juice. After the turkey has been in the oven for 30 minutes, using a bulb baster, baste the turkey with the butter/juice mixture. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Continue roasting, basting with the remaining butter, juice and pan juices every 30 minutes. Watch the pan juices; if they are in danger of overflowing, spoon them out and reserve them for the gravy. If the turkey gets too brown too soon, loosely cover that part with aluminum foil to prevent burning.

The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, away from the bone, registers 165°F, and into the thigh, 175°F. Total roasting time should be 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

6. Garnishing Transfer the turkey to a platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for about 20 minutes before carving. Garnish with remaining fresh herbs. Serves 12.

{have questions? leave a comment!}

old fashioned apple pie

since apple pie can never be made too much i thought i'd post another recipe. the one i use is just a good ol' martha stewart basic and i love it. in fact i went through a phase a few years back where i made it on a weekly basis. everyone was super happy about that phase :) enjoy.

ingredients:

2 T all purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Pie Crust recipe of your choice

12 granny smith apples, peeled,cored and sliced

3/4 cup sugar, plus additional for pie top

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

pinch ground cloves

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large egg beaten

directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pate brisee into two 1/8-inch-thick circles to a diameter slightly larger than that of an 11-inch plate. Press one pastry circle into the pie plate. Place the other circle on waxed paper, and cover with plastic wrap. Chill all pastry until firm, about 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar, lemon zest and juice, spices, and flour. Toss well. Spoon apples into pie pan. Dot with butter, and cover with remaining pastry circle. Cut several steam vents across top. Seal by crimping edges as desired. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with additional sugar.

Bake until crust is brown and juices are bubbling, about 1 hour. Let cool on wire rack before serving.

mel's perfect gravy

my mother in law is an idaho girl who has her meat, gravy & potatoes down to an art. i share with you her recipe and know how so that you can have the BEST gravy in the west this thanksgiving!

ingredients:

2 cups drippings {chicken stock if you don't have enough.}

1 cup water

1/3 cup flour

salt & pepper to taste

directions:

bring drippings to a boil in a saucepan. combine water & flour in a jar and shake thoroughly to make your thickening. run the thickening through a strainer in to the hot liquid, whisking constantly {mel says DO NOT skimp on the strainer, it is key to avoiding lumpy gravy.} stir the mixture until it comes back to a boil than season salt and pepper to taste. add more thickening if desired.

julie's famous rolls.

these rolls go like HOT CAKES on thanksgiving. i'm telling you. every time my mother-in-law makes them, all us kids grab a few before the rest of the family gets there because there is never enough. it's like the super bowl, only much more serious. this recipe was the first post i ever posted on just cook already, but i wanted to re-post it because of our theme this month. in the picture, the rolls are darker than what this recipe calls for. julie's rolls come out white and delicious, however if you're looking for the darker roll, i would suggest using wheat flour. that will probably make the difference. either way, ENJOY!

1 cup milk

2 tbsp. butter or margarine

2 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 pkg. dry yeast

3 1/4 cup flour

directions: scald milk, then add butter, sugar and salt. stir to dissolve, then cool to lukewarm. dissolve yeast into 1/2 cup lukewarm water. add to milk mixture. add flour a little at a time. keep moist and springy. let rise until double, about 1 hour. roll out on floured board to 1 inch think. use round cutter to cut individual rolls. spread or dip 1/2 of the roll into melted butter, then fold. bake at 450 for 9 minutes.

grandma's lemon cheesecake

ingredients

2 packages of Graham crackers

1 stick butter, melted (reserve a little bit for the end)

2 small lemon jello packages

2 cups boiling water

1 can chilled carnation milk

12 oz. cream cheese

2 tbsp. sugar

1 crushed pineapple (undrained)

directions

mix 2 packages of graham crackers with 1 stick of melted butter. line a 9 x 13 dish, reserving some of the mixture to sprinkle on top later. mix 2 small lemon jello packages in 2 cups boiling hot water. put in refrigerator until soft set. beat 1 can chilled carnation milk. add 12 oz cream cheese (you might have to buy 1 large brick and 1 small one), 2 tbsp. of sugar. add jello and 1 can crushed pineapple (undrained). pour mixture over crust and sprinkle some leftover crust mixture over the top. chill, and serve.

*this is an all-time family favorite. my grandma made it every time we came into town because she knew how much we loved it. hope you enjoy!

grandma's holiday salad

ingredients

1 cup sugar

1 cup

1 cup raw cranberries (ground)

1 pkg. lemon gelatin

1/2 cup boiling water

1 cup orange juice

2 tsp. grated orange rind

1 (8 oz can) crushed pineapple

1/2 cup nuts

1 cup chopped celery

directions

mix sugar and ground berries. let stand several hours-- add gelatin to boiling water, stir until dissolved. stir in orange juice, orange rind, pineapple, nuts, celery. pour into mold and chill overnight.

**i know some of you might be weary of this little recipe because its a version "cranberry salad." doesn't have the best reputation. but this is seriously good. try it!

Grandma's Blueberry Torte

ingredients

1 cup Graham cracker crumbs

1/2 stick butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup sugar

1 (8 oz) cream cheese (softened)

directions

take Graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 stick butter, and 1/2 cup sugar and mix together. press those ingredients down into a large pan. beat eggs, add softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. cream together and fill into crust. bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. cool, and then top with blueberry pie filling. chill and serve with whip cream.

yum! enjoy!

simple mashed potatoes

here is the tried and true mashed potato recipe. some may try to sass mashed potatoes up but i like mine simple & straightforward. some tips to remember: it is possible to overcook & over beat mashed potatoes leaving them grainy & mushy. watch them carefully and cut your slices evenly so they are all the same consistency.

ingredients:

4 lbs russet, Yukon gold or long white potatoes.

2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for taste.

1 1/2 cups cream.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut in to pieces.

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper.

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg.

directions:

1. peel potatoes and cut in to 1/2 inch thick slices. place in medium stock pot and cover in cold water. add 2 tablespoons salt. place over heat, and bring to boil. reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 20 minutes. drain.

2. while potatoes are cooking, place milk in a small sauce pan over medium heat just until it comes to a simmer. reduce heat to low, and keep warm. put potatoes in to a bowl and mash until smooth. about one minute.

3. stir in butter until melted. slowly pour in hot milk, stirring continuously. add pepper, nutmeg and salt; stir to combine. taste, and adjust for seasoning. serve and enjoy!

mom's corn souffle

i posted this already when we first started the blog. i wanted to re-post it because i don't think you understand how delicious it is. did i mention it's a piece of cake to make? make it and let me know what you think! it's become a new tradition with my in-laws, and this makes me so happy.

this is one of my most favorite recipes from my mom. i make it every thanksgiving...and everyone always comes back for more.

ingredients:

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 can creamed corn

1 jiffy corn muffin mix

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

3/4 stick melted butter

directions:

mix all together and put in greased 9 x 13 baking dish. bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, or until set and lightly browned on top.

{photo courtesy of thomhackett.com}

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I found this recipe when I was going through a pumpkin phase last fall. I have made it for a few dessert parties and everyone always asks for the recipe! It is pretty rich, but soo delicious.

I think it is a great alternative to pumpkin pie and I am planning on making it for my family this Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese at room temperature

1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin

3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:

In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For filling:

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Caramel Apple Pie

I had a bunch of apples in my refrigerator this last weekend and decided to make my mom's Caramel Apple Pie


Pie Crust
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
6-7 Tbs cold water

*You can use your hands to mix it with a pastry blender but I use my food processor.
*Place the flour, salt and shortening in the bowl of your food processor with the steel blade attached. Use between 14 and 16 rapid on/off pulses and the mixture should be about right. It should look dry and be in tiny crumbles. Add 4 Tbs of the water and pulse on/off 5 more times. Add 2 more Tbs of water and pulse 3 more times. The dough should be just damp enough that it will start to mass together if you press it but you may need to add more water. Add 1 tsp at a time and pulse 1-2 times between additions until you feel it is the right consistency.
*Flour your hands and pat the dough into 2 smooth discs (1 slightly larger than the other).
*Roll out the dough on a floured surface and be sure to use the larger disc for the bottom of your pie. Roll it out to 12 inches for a 9 inch pie pan and place it in your pie dish. Pinch the edges. Roll out the smaller disc as well, you can cut this in strips and lattice the top of your pie or just place the rolled out portion on top of the apple mixture and cut 3 slits in the top of the pastry.

Apple Pie Mixture
6 cups peeled and sliced baking apples
3 Tbs flour
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup sugar
1/2-3/4 cup caramel *I just used caramel ice cream topping because that is what I had, you can also use soft caramel candies

*After peeling and slicing your apples mix them with the flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar in a large bowl.
*Pour mixture on top of pie crust
*Drizzle the caramel topping over the apple mixture in the pie dish *or place caramel candies throughout the apple mixture
*Place the remaining crust on top of the pie (sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar), pinch the edges and bake for 40 minutes at 375F *I like to use a crust protector shield for the outer edge of the pie so that it doesn't get too crispy or burn. You can use foil for this as well.
*After 40 minutes of baking remove the crust protector and continue to bake for 15-20 more minutes.
*I like to let it come to room temperature before I serve it.

I hope you enjoy this, it's a Thanksgiving/Christmas staple at my house.

grandma's crunch apple or peach crisp

{photo courtesy of justbesplendid tumblr}

the story

i have a rich southern heritage on my dad's side of the family. most of my ancestors come from west virginia and other places in the south. they are all southern baptists preachers or choir singers...that's about as southern as you can get in my book. my parents currently live in georgia, where i lived for most of my adolescent days. because of all this, i consider myself a southern girl who really appreciates southern hospitality and good, homemade southern recipes.

the holidays, especially thanksgiving, always remind me of my grandma. we'd go to her home in florida every thanksgiving since i can remember. she died a little over a year ago, and it really was a hard time for me because i always felt so loved by her. she showed us grandchildren love by cooking us delicious meals three times a day. we were always given a hearty breakfast, and filling lunch, and a good down-home dinner.

it's too bad that you never experienced her food... it truly was the best food i've ever eaten.

with that history, i'll be including a lot of her recipes this month for our thanksgiving theme. some recipes might not seem very "thanksgiving-ish", but they were for us. you should try it out anyway, and maybe start a few new traditions in your home.

on to the recipe!

crunch apple (or peach) crisp

ingredients

4 cups peeled, sliced apples

1/4 cup apple juice (you can use water if you don't have any)

4 tsp. packed brown sugar

2 tsp. lemon juice

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup quick oats, uncooked

2 tbsp. chopped almonds

1 tbsp. packed brown sugar

1 tbsp. melted butter

directions

heat oven to 375 degrees. combine apples, water, 4 tsp. brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. toss lightly to coat apples. place apples in 8 x 8 square baking dish. combine remaining ingredients and mix well. sprinkle over apples. bake about 30 minutes until apples are tender and topping is brown.

***if you're using peaches (which is good, but the apple is way better. i'll be posting a peach cobbler recipe tomorrow):

you may use 2 (16 oz) cans light, sliced peaches, drained, but reserve 1/4 cup peach juice to replace the apple juice. decrease the cooking time to 20-22 minutes.

Caramel popcorn for Jenna the hot prego lady

This is my moms recipe...and one I love love love! We make it every year for Christmas. Its best when its warm. So gooey and melt in your mouth-ish!

Pour kernels in popcorn popper and pop a very large bowl full...then transfer to another bowl and leave all the unpopped kernels behind! Nobody likes unpopped popcorn kernels!

over stove:
-1 sq. butter or margarine
-1 cup white karo syrup
-1 cup Borders can cream (sweetened condensed milk) but don't use the whole can.
-pinch of salt

bring ingredients to boil and pour over popcorn. Mix and pour on wax paper evenly.

Then do what me and my sisters use to do...dig in with a fork! haha.

home-made big sky chili

every year my family takes off to big sky, montana for our annual ski trip.

we've gone for years now, and each time we create some yummy meals. my mom made a cookbook of recipes that we've created over the years, and this chili is one of my favorites.

i'm making it today for a chili cook-off that we're participating in tonight.

i think i might win. it's that good.

ingredients

2 lbs ground beef (or you can use ground turkey, which i love)

1 large onion, chopped

1 green pepper, diced

1 large can chopped tomatoes

1 large can tomato sauce

3 cans BUSH chili beans

1 can RO-TEL (located in your mexican food isle)

1 package McCormick chili mix

1 envelope Lipton's Onion Soup mix

2 tbsp. chili powder

directions

cook and drain ground beef. add rest of ingredients to a large soup pot and slow cook for 1 hour.

that's it! easy as pie, and SO delicious. i love to add a can of corn to it as well.

it's getting colder, so go ahead and whip up some chili, eat and enjoy, and then freeze the rest and save it for another chilly day (no pun intended).

enjoy friends!

traditions.

november

is rapidly approaching. how exciting! while i love october with all of it's bright colors, festivities, and yummy treat recipes, i always get excited for november because it is a month of gratitude.

thanksgiving

is one of my favorite holidays. it always has been, always will be. i truly love to be surrounded by family, friends, good food, warm drinks, sweaters, chilly air, and my husband. i also love a good turkey bowl. i find myself always thinking of my grandma on thanksgiving with all of her amazing recipes that she would cook up for us. now that she's gone, i feel a responsibility to carry on her traditions.

which brings me to my next point...

traditions.

welcome to the november theme for just cook already. for the entire month of november, we are urging you to post recipes that mean a little something to you. post your family traditional recipes, ones that have been passed down from generation to generation, or ones that have recently taken a place at your table. post your favorite recipes from your mom, grandma, aunt, or any that you have created that your family loves.

we've had a few comments/emails requesting thanksgiving recipes, so we feel this is a perfect opportunity to really get that going. isn't it exciting?

we can't wait to read and create your recipes. remember, if you'd like to contribute and you are not yet a contributor, all you have to do is email us and we'll add you immediately.

justcookalready@gmail.com

the more recipes, the merrier we'll all be!

we're setting out to create the biggest thanksgiving recipe archive known to the blogger world.

i just love november. posting begins november 1.

**please note that you CAN post other recipes, of course. however, it might be really fun to stick with the theme.

take time and spread your recipes all across the month.

happy posting everyone!

Pumpkin Cobbler

Our friends brought this to our pumpkin carving party. It was AMAZING!! I'm taking it to my office bake-off and plan to win! Healthy, not so much. But so worth the splurge.

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

3 eggs, beaten

30 ounces pumpkin

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 ounces evaporated milk

1 lb yellow cake mix

1/2 cup sweet butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together sugar, eggs, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and milk.
3. Grease a 9x13 inch pan and pour the above mixture inches.
4. Sprinkle the DRY cake mix on top.
5. Pour melted butter evenly over the cake. Pour the butter slowly and carefully because it sometimes likes to go all in one spot!
6. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.
7. Serve warm!

We had ours with vanilla ice cream. 

coconut milk tilapia

ingredients:

2-3 Large Tilapia fillets

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

2 Vine-ripened tomatoes

1 bunch Green onions

1/2 bunch cilantro

1 can coconut milk

directions:

Rub fillets in olive oil, salt & pepper, place in a 9 x 9 baking pan. Cook for 8-10 minutes at 375 until cooked through. Meanwhile combine diced tomatoes, chopped onions & cilantro than cover with coconut milk. Stir {it will be pretty runny.} Cover the fish with sauce & put back in oven for 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to overcook, you want your onions to be a little crunchy. Sprinkle generously with salt & pepper when done!

I served over brown rice with edamame on the side!

Mom's Potato Soup: for haley

in response to haley:

my mom made this soup growing up for us and i really loved it. it's not necessarily creamy creamy, but it does have a creamy taste to it, if that makes sense. anyway, our family loved it. i'm sure yours will too. enjoy! let me know how it goes!

baked potato soup

ingredients

4 baking potatoes (about 2.5 pounds)
2/3 cup all purpose flour
6 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 cup reduced-fat shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

directions

preheat oven to 400 degrees

pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400 for 1 hour or until tender. cool. peel potatoes, coarsely mash them. discard skins.

lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. place flour in a large dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 min). add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. remove from heat.

stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). sprinkle each serving with cheese, onions, and bacon.

yields: 8- 1.5 cup servings.

Broccoli and Potato Soup

I love soup. This soup is super simple. And delicious.

Broccoli and Potato Soup

1 bunch uncooked broccoli, chopped into bite size pieces
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 red skin potatos, diced
2 c chicken broth
2 c water
2 c milk
1 c shredded cheddar cheese

Boil Broccoli in chicken broth and water for 10 minutes. In the meantime, saute onion and potatoes in 2 tbsp olive oil for 15 minutes. Add onion and potatoes to the pot with broccoli, water, and broth. Add milk. Bring to back to a boil and let it boil for 5 minutes. Add cheese and season with salt and pepper. Serve.

serves 4.

*You can add shredded cheese on top of each serving

Curry Chicken Casserole

I have something to admit. I am not a good cook. I just prefer EASY, simple, dishes which are often NOT low fat and always flavorful. I don't speak shallots or fancy herbs.

More power to those who do.

Here's another easy recipe.

Curry Chicken Casserole

2 C cubed chicken

1 small package of frozen broccoli (or you can use fresh)

1/2 C almonds

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 c milk

1/2 T lemon juice

1/4 t Curry Powder

Mix and pour everything over broccoli. Top with buttered cracker crumbs.

Bake 350 degrees for 30 min.

Giveaway winner...

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The winner is:

The Razon's said...

I am a new fan of this site! Thanks for such great ideas!

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Congrats to The Razon's! Please email your mailing address to justcookalready@gmail.com and we'll send you your apron very soon!

Thanks to all of you who left comments. Don't forget to keep contributing-- we love your recipes! We have a special theme coming up for November... can you guess what it will be?

Stay tuned and we'll let you know!

Happy posting! Thanks for all you do!

pear & candied pecan salad

ingredients:

1 bag of mixed greens

1 pear, sliced

1 cup craisins

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup candied pecans

1/2 cup blush wine vinaigrette

directions:

combine, toss & enjoy!

Cranberry Meatballs

We love to make these in the fall and winter months. It's kind of a comfort food, but I've made some changes so that it's healthier. Enjoy!

Cranberry Meatballs

1 lb to 1 and a half lbs Ground turkey
1/4 to 1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 can of Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
1 bottle of Chili Sauce (same aisle as the ketchup & other condiments)
1 tbsp honey

Prepare the meatballs (mix ground turkey, bread crumbs, egg, seasoning); form lots of meatballs

Either cook on the stove top on medium-high heat until cooked all the way through (about 15 minutes), or bake covered in the oven, 400 degrees, 40 minutes)

Put cranberries into a separate, large pan on stove, mash to separate to break the can form, heat on low until it's all separated (about 3 minutes), add chili sauce and honey, cook another 2 minutes or so; add cooked meatballs using a slotted spoon so as not to transfer the grease.

Cook another 3 or 4 minutes, then done!

sesame orange shrimp.

i got this recipe from good ol martha stewart. made it last night and served it over some brown rice. amazing. especially if you love sesame seeds. this could even be made with chicken too if your not a shrimp fan.

Ingredients:

2 large egg whites
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup sesame seeds
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more if needed
1 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, cornstarch, sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until frothy. Add shrimp, and toss to coat.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two or three batches, cook shrimp until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Add more oil to skillet if necessary for remaining batches.

Wipe skillet with a paper towel. Add orange juice, soy sauce, and sugar. Boil over high heat until syrupy and reduced to about 1/3 cup, 4 to 5 minutes. Return shrimp to skillet; add scallions, and cook until heated through and coated with sauce, about 1 minute.

apron giveaway!!!

*This giveaway is now closed.

time for our october giveaway here on just cook already and we couldn't be more thrilled about it! memmy love is giving away one of her stylish, forties inspired smock aprons! this functional & trendy apron is a must have and we are giving it away to one of our very lucky readers!

for entries in to this adorable giveaway:

1. leave a comment with your e-mail.

2. become a follower, or let us know you are a follower.

3. leave a comment telling us what type of recipes you'd love to see posted on JCA.

4. blog, facebook or twitter about the giveaway and leave us a link!

winner will be chosen october 26th.....GOOD LUCK!

click here to view memmy love's blog & etsy. AND best of all you can find her at this awesome handmade event..... see you at bijou!

easy peasy apple crisp

This one I totally made up so no real measurements with the spices. I just kind of sprinkle til it looks right :) But it is yummy and easy and tis the season. Enjoy.

apple crisp

8 apples peeled, cored, sliced. sprinkle with lemon juice and toss with cinnamon & nutmeg.
lay apples flat in buttered 9x13 glass pan. Mix 1 T good quality vanilla in 1/2 cup water and pour over apples.

Mix 1 yellow cake mix, 3/4 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.

Add 1/2 cup melted butter. combine til "clumpy"

Cover apples with mixture. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes {til brown and crisp on top}. Let it sit for a few minutes then serve with vanilla ice cream. Oh my my.

Pumpkin Thumbprint Cookies

I made these cookies last night! They are amazing! In the center I had put Pumpkin Butter from Trader Joe's. Now, there's not a Trader Joe's everywhere so you can always fill the center with a pumpkin cream cheese frosting or any type of jam you'd like!

1 1/2 c self-rising flour

1/2 c castor sugar (regular sugar just blended)

1/2 c cubed butter

1 egg, well beaten

3 tbsp canned pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, and butter. Once fully mixed. Add egg in spoonfulls. Mix in canned pumpkin. Spoon 2 tbsp of the dough, each, on to the cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. With a spoon, indent the center of each cookie. Dollop with jam/pumkin butter. Continue to bake for 4 more minutes. Let cool. Enjoy!

(It may look messy, but its super yummy!)

*If using cream cheese frosting, wait to add until after cookie is cooled.

Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup

(Also posted on my other blog)

Earlier this week I was majorly craving Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup. Have you ever had it?! It's something you dream about...trust me! Anyway, I looked up a recipe for it and found one! It was really, really delicious, although the taste wasn't exactly the same as the restaurant it will still definitely be repeated in my kitchen in the near future. Here it is! Try it! You'll like it!

photo via Zupas

recipe from Bake 'n Make

Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup
Yields: 9 cups or 8 first-course servings (or 4-5 hungry adults :)

2 tablespoons margarine or butter (1/4 stick)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 can (13 3/4 to 14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 head (2 1/2 pounds) cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup pepper jack cheese

In 4-quart saucepan, melt margarine or butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until golden, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour and salt; cook 2minutes, stirring frequently. Gradually stir in milk, chicken broth, and 1 1/2 cups water; add cauliflower and heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes. In blender (with center part of blender cover removed to allow steam to escape), blend cauliflower mixture at low speed in small batches until very smooth. Return cauliflower mixture to saucepan; heat over medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in mustard and 1 1/2 cups cheese until melted and smooth. Garnish soup with remaining cheese to serve.

Let me know how it turns out when you make it!

spaghetti with artichoke hearts & tomatoes

{photo courtesy of the pioneer woman. i couldn't get my picture to look like something you'd ever want to try.}

even though we already had pasta this week and i'm trying to watch my calorie intake, i can not resist when the pioneer woman posts a recipe with my favorite ingredient, the noodle! so i was forced to submit my will to good ol' ree & boy was it worth it. i'm just glad i went on a run this morning! ENJOY!

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

1 14.5 ounce can artichoke hearts (quartered or whole), drained

1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chicken broth, more as needed

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

salt & pepper to taste

1 pound thin spaghetti

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped chives or other herbs

Cook spaghetti till al dente. Drain and set aside.

Melt olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add artichoke hearts and tomatoes. Stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste (do not undersalt!) Cook over low heat until heated through, then turn off heat.

Place drained pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 cup Parmesan. Pour sauce over the top. Add chopped chives. Toss lightly to combine and coat; add a tiny bit of reserved pasta water if sauce seems too thick.

delicious!

pumpkin apple muffins

i made these for our neighbors who just had a baby. i admit i did steal one for myself and they were yummy!

ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apple
• 
  
• topping:
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons butter

directions:

preheat oven to 350 degrees. mix dry ingredients in a bowl, wet ingredients in another then combine and mix thoroughly. fold in chopped apples. drizzle topping on muffins and bake for 30-35 minutes. enjoy!

fresh pasta

i made fresh pasta tonight and it is one of my favorite things to cook! i have to share the love

because it is so easy and so much more amazingly delicious than store bought noodles.

trust me.

combine two cups of flour, two eggs, 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon olive oil & 1/2 tsp salt.

knead well.

i use my pasta machine to cut my noodles but it's very simple & easy to do without.

with a rolling pin, flatten out dough pretty thin and cut in long strips with a pizza cutter.

the reason i love my pasta machine so much is because it can cut all sorts of different

types of pasta, including lasagna! my mom bought ours from italy for us a few years ago

but you can find the identical one i have here.

bring water to a boil and place fresh noodles in it for just thirty seconds! you make up

for the time you spend preparing the noodles in the time it takes to cook them. FAST!

serve hot. we just put some butter and parmesan over top and it is

delicious. or you can try my favorite bolognese recipe here. enjoy!

another pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe

i found this recipe on foodnetwork.com and it turned out pretty tasty. sarah's recipe is MUCH easier and i'm sure quite delicious, but if you're in the mood to make it from scratch, i think this is a pretty good one. enjoy!

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cups (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semisweet (I used regular semisweet, and they were perfect i thought)
• Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

{recipe courtesy of www.foodnetwork.com; by george duran }

toasted pumpkin seeds

with all the pumpkin carving you are doing this month, don't forget to save your seeds and make one of my favorite tasty toasted treats!

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. rinse pumpkin seeds.

3. in a small saucepan add seeds to water. about two cups of water for every 1/2 cup of seeds. add a tablespoon of salt, bring to a boil and let simmer for ten minutes.

4. spread about a tablespoon of olive oil over a cookie sheet. spread the seeds in one layer and bake for 10-20 minutes or until golden.

{i like to add a pinch of kosher salt over my seeds because i'm a salt addict.}

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 Box of Spice Cake Mix
1 15 Ounce Can of Pumpkin
1/2 Bag of Chocolate Chips (you can decide how many chocolate chips you would like to use).

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all the ingredients together.
3. Put small spoon fulls of dough on the tray (make sure to grease the tray before using it).
4. Cook for about 12 minutes.
5. Eat and enjoy.

I made these cookies for my family last night and they loved them. They are so easy!

Happy fall!

Low Fat & Low Cal Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25-ounce) package light devil's food cake mix
• 2 tablespoons stick margarine or butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 large egg ( I used egg beaters, little less calories this way)
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe taken from Cooking Light

Stats: 50 calories, 1.5 g of fat

Tonight I made these cookies and all i can say is YUM-O! This little delights were a smashing hit in my house and they are sinlessly delish.. oh and did I mention how quick and easy they are to make???

Sorry this has no pumpkin ingredients, too good I had to share!

Pumpkin-Swirl Brownie

These brownies are incredible. The cayenne totally makes the dish so don't leave it out!

The recipe and the picture are courtesy of Martha (and/or her minions). Does she scare anyone else? ;)

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups solid-pack pumpkin

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts or other nuts [I omitted the nuts since I don't like them in brownies]

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan or dish. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; butter lining.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until fluffy and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in flour mixture.
4. Divide batter between two medium bowls (about 2 cups per bowl). Stir chocolate mixture into one bowl. In other bowl, stir in pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
5. Transfer half of chocolate batter to prepared pan smoothing top with a rubber spatula. Top with half of pumpkin batter. Repeat to make one more chocolate layer and one more pumpkin layer. Work quickly so batters don't set.
6. With a small spatula or a table knife, gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect. Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 16 squares.

Delicious! Enjoy!

swiss german rösti potatoes

i decided to whip up some swiss german rösti this morning for breakfast. my husband and i just got back from a three-week trip in europe where we experienced all kinds of amazing food. one of our favorites was swiss german rösti, which we first ate in grindelwald, switzerland. it has now become a family favorite.

first, you might be asking yourself this question: what is rösti?

definition:

Rösti is made with potatoes which are grated and depending on the frying technique, possibly mixed with some butter or fat (and usually salt and pepper), or fried in oil later. The grated potatoes are then shaped into rounds or patties, which come in different sizes usually measuring between 3-12 cm (1 to 5 inches) in diameter and 1-2 cm (0.5 inch) thick. Often the Rösti is simply shaped inside of the frying pan. They are most often shallow fried but can also be baked in the oven. Although the basic Rösti consists of nothing but potato, a number of additional ingredients are sometimes added, such as bacon, onions, cheese, apples or fresh herbs. This is often considered to be a regional touch.

{definition courtesy of wikipedia}

i talked with some locals and had the recipe in my head, however i decided to look one up just in case i forgot something. they are very easy and take about 30 minutes to make. totally worth it. and jake LOVED them, which is always a plus.

ingredients:

3-4 red potatoes (or use whatever potatoes you love most; i used red)

4 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

directions:

Choose your potatoes. As a rough guide, you need one large potato per person. This varies, of course, depending on whether you're making breakfast or a side dish. Rosti potatoes are very tasty though, so make sure you're making plenty!

Advance preparation. Peel your potatoes, cut them into large chunks and then boil them in salted water for about 5 minutes. You need them to be parboiled - that is softened, but not cooked all the way through.

Drain and cool. Drain your parboiled potatoes and leave them to cool until you can comfortably handle them.

Grating. When your potatoes are cool, grate them using the coarse side of a grater

Cooking time. When you're ready to cook your rosti, heat some butter or oil in a frying pan. You need the pan to be hot, but not smoking.

Seasoning. Add salt and pepper to the potatoes - it's easiest to mix it through with your hands.

Press the potatoes into the pan. If you want to make one big rosti, press all of the potatoes into the pan. You want the potato layer to be no more than half an inch thick or so, or it won't cook through properly. To make individual portions, press the potatoes into metal rings in the pan.

Cook for 5 minutes. Once the potatoes have been pressed down into the frying pan, leave them to cook for 5 minutes so that they go golden brown (although you won't be able to see!).

Flip. Turn the rosti over. This isn't like flipping a pancake, because the rosti is too crumbly. You need to tip it out onto a plate, put another plate over the top and turn the plates over.

Cook the other side. Add a little more butter or oil to the pan, then slide the rosti back into the pan so that the uncooked side is on the bottom. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve. Now that both sides are cooked, the rosti is ready to serve.

{recipe and directions courtesy of emma cooper, www.howtodothings.com}

a standstill.

{photo courtesy of the lovely meikel}

We just want all of our valued readers to know two things:

1. We truly do appreciate you not only visiting our recipe blog on a regular basis, but actually making the recipes and enjoying them with your family. We love that.

2. We are still here. Just Cook Already has a makeover (just a slight one) coming up, including new giveaways, new recipes, and possibly even a new look. Stick with us.

And please, keep on posting.

Thanks for all you do. Happy Fall!

Love,

Jenna V. and Jenna R.

{creators of Just Cook Already}

Pumpkin Gingerbread

I'm more than slightly obsessed with this bread. I've listed the original recipe below (from Allrecipes.com) and added my adjustments in red. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sugar


• 1 cup vegetable oil (it gets a bit mushy after the first day -- and more guilt-ridden ;) -- if you do all oil. I substitute up to 1/2 c. applesauce)


• 4 eggs


• 2/3 cup water


• 1 large (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (Be sure to get a good brand. Beware of brands that are too watery.)


• 2 teaspoons ground ginger


• 1 teaspoon ground allspice


• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 1 teaspoon ground cloves


• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I substitute about half of this with whole wheat pastry flour. Regular wheat flour would probably work too. I think it gives it a more complex, richer flavor. And the boys never know. ;)


• 2 teaspoons baking soda


• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt


• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

I have added chocolate chips before, but my husband (who is a complete chocolate addict) and I agree that it's better without it. You get more of the ginger flavor without the chocolate competing.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).


2. Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. (I used to have problems with it sticking so I'm a little more liberal with my Pam spray.)


3. In a large mixing, combine sugar, oil and eggs; beat until smooth. Add water and beat until well blended. Stir in pumpkin, ginger, allspice and cinnamon.


4. In medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend just until all ingredients are mixed. Divide batter between prepared pans.


5. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour.

It's amazing when it's warm with a little butter, but still fantastic as it cools. My favorite is the day-of when the crust is still slightly crunchy. Enjoy!

Coconut-Banana Bread with a Lime Glaze

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1 tablespoon flaked sweetened coconut

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut.

Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely on wire rack.

* You can divide the batter into smaller pans to give away as gifts!

Zucchini Muffins...Yum Yum

Zucchini Muffins! D E L I C I O U S

I got this recipe off of http://cuisinenie.blogspot.com/ and it's delicious. I made muffins for my food club this past Wednesday morning and everyone loved them!

Enjoy!

1 large zucchini
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil or applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with cooking spray, and set aside. Grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater (to yield 1 3/4 cups); set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, oil, vanilla, and eggs.

Into a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, and stir to combine well. Stir in grated zucchini.

Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto a wire rack, then reinvert, top side up. Cool completely before slicing.

steak fajitas

hello.. i've been a lurker here for a while now, and finally decided to contribute.

so after sunday night's "throwdown with bobby flay" my hubby insisted we have steak fajitas the next night for dinner... but instead of doing bobby's recipe I made tyler florence's and oh man, they were delicious. 

you can never go wrong with tyler! :) he is one of my favorites. 

Fajitas

1 orange, juiced

2 limes, juiced

4 T extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

3 chipotle chiles, in adobo sauce
3 T roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

2 1/4 lbs skirt or flank steak, trimmed of fat (i couldn't find either, so i used petite sirloin)

salt and pepper

2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced

1 large onion, thinly sliced (i like sweet onion)

sliced avocado

fresh salsa (yummy recipe below)

Blend the first 8 ingredients in food processor or blender. Put meat and the marinade into a ziplock.. seal and shake to coat. Refrigerate 2-4 hours.

Preheat grill. Drain the marinade from the beef. Lightly oil the grill or grill pan. Season meat liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill the steak over medium-high heat and cook for 4 minutes on each side and then transfer to a cutting board and let rest. Depending on the size of your grill pan you may need to cook in batches.
Saute the onions in a little olive oil until soft. Salt lightly. Add peppers and cook until just barley limp. Cover to keep warm. Heat up tortillas (the uncooked kind are my favorite). Keep warm under a tea towel.

After the steak has rested for about 5 minutes, thinly slice it against the grain on a diagonal.

To serve: Top warm tortilla with a few slices of steak, peppers and onions, and fresh salsa. Top with a couple slices of avocado and a little fresh lime juice. Roll up the tortilla to enclose the filling.
(may also be served with sour cream and shredded cheese)

ENJOY.

my sister introduced me to this salsa and it is awesome!

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

8 vine-ripened tomatoes, diced

1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

3 scallions, finely sliced

1/2 jalepeno pepper, finely diced

1 can shoepeg corn

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 avocado, diced

1 lime, juiced

1 packet 'good seasons' italian dressing, made according to package directions

salt and pepper to taste

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

This is my favorite fall dessert! So yummy! My mouth waters when I think about it. Words (and sounds) come out of my mouth when I take a bite and I swear I've tasted Heaven. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do! Btw...its very calorie friendly!

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

1 cp unsweetened applesauce
½ cp packed brown sugar
1 cp fat-free milk
½ cp egg substitute
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp ground cinnamon
5 cps cubed wheat bread
½ cp chopped peeled apple
½ cp fat-free whipped topping
½ cp fat-free caramel topping

Preheat oven to 325. In large bowl, combine applesauce, milk, brown sugar, egg substitute, vanilla & cinnamon. Fold in bread cubes & apple. Pour into an 8-in. square baking dish (or pie dish) coated with cooking spray. Bake uncovered for 35 – 40 minutes (I bake for 45 min.) or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Serve warm w/ whipped topping and caramel topping. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 8 servings.

Check out my blog too! http://recipesat350degrees.blogspot.com/

lemon chicken farfalle

i could eat my weight in pasta. it's actually a problem. but hey i'm italian so that's my excuse. enjoy this VERY yummy recipe!

salt and pepper

olive oil

4-6 cloves garlic, minced

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; sliced

1 cup frozen baby peas

1 cup carrot, cut into small strips

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

6 Tbsp non fat cream cheese

6 cups farfalle pasta, cooked

9 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp lemon zest

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Heat a large, non stick skillet (med high heat) and add olive oil. Add garlic, saute one minute, being careful not to burn. Add chicken; saute until almost cooked through. Add carrots and peas and saute about 1-2 min. Remove from pan and set aside. Add broth and cream cheese to pan and cook over med high heat until cheese melts, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Stir in chicken mixture, farfalle, and next four ingredients. Cook about one minute.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Hi! I'm Lauren and I'm new to Just Cook Already. I love to cook and I love the site, so it was time for me to share one of my go-to week night recipes. This recipe is part Paula Dean and part my own. I hope you enjoy!

When I know my day is going to be busy, I will sometimes make the stuffing the night before, or on Sunday, and then all I have to do when I get home is stuff the peppers and bake them.

Ingredients

• 4 large red bell peppers
• 1.25 lbs. ground meat (I prefer turkey)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules (or a 1/2 packet of the liquid kind)
  
• Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder to taste
  
• 1 cup cooked rice** (I buy the frozen package from Trader Joe's...quick and easy, perfect for week night cooking)
  
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
• 1/2 cup jarred salsa
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion tops
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 cup hot water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Start by cutting the peppers in half lengthwise, leaving the stems intact, and halving them also. Remove the seeds and ribs inside the peppers- makes 8 servings. (You could also cut the tops off, remove the seeds and ribbing and serve that way if desired. Makes 4 servings.)

Using a hot skillet, saute the ground meat, onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon of bouillon granules, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Saute until onions become translucent. Drain the fat off. Add the rice, cheese, salsa, sour cream, tomatoes, green onion tops, and soy sauce, stir until heated through. Mix well and stuff the mixture into the peppers, top with shredded cheese.

In a small bowl, mix the hot water and the remaining bouillon granules. Pour this mixture into a shallow casserole large enough to hold all of the peppers. Place the stuffed peppers in the dish, cover with foil and bake for 25 to 35 minutes. Remove the foil and spoon the juice from bottom of the casserole over the top of the peppers. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted.

**If you have a Trader Joes in your area, check the freezer section for pre-packaged brown or white rice. There are three pkgs. to a box, and 2 cups to a package. You just microwave and eat...it's fluffy and delicious and perfect if you're in a hurry.

Bon Appetite!

Veggie & Couscous Tacos

If you've ever heard of Island's Restaurant, then you're missing out on their Veggie Tacos. I love to try and recreate things and I decided this time to add my own twist to it. My recipe is more of Mediterranean meets Southwestern. I was a little nervous of how it may have turned out, but to my surprise it looked and tasted GREAT!

1 c chicken broth
1 clove of garlic, minced
pinch of curry powder
pinch of paprika
2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 c uncooked couscous
2 cup frozen Market Pantry Corn & Blackbean mix (found at Target)
1/2 c zucchini Squash, cut into strips
8 corn tortillas
1 bunch green leaf lettuce

Add first 6 ingredients to a saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the dry couscous. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Oil a pan and toss in veggie mix and sliced zucchini. Cook 5 minutes on med-high heat.
Layer lettuce on top of tortilla. Spoon desired amount of couscous on top of lettuce. Add veggie mix on top of the couscous. Eat up!

serves 4.

Peach Cobbler

Matt's Uncle Boyd brought us a huge box of perfectly ripe peaches last week! I was so excited because there's not a lot of things better than a locally grown peach here in Utah. After contemplating what to do with them all Matt suggested to make a peach cobbler. Never having made one, I knew exactly who to turn to: Ms. Paula Deen, queen of southern cooking.

She had a very simple recipe that called for very basic ingredients. Oh, it did call for self-rising flour. Who has that on hand, anyway? Not me! So I did a little research and I substituted self-rising flour for this concoction. Anyway, the cobbler turned out delightful and was especially good the next day heated up in the microwave! Tis the season, people! Get your peaches and make this recipe! Trust me!

photo via here

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients
4 cups peeled, sliced peaches
2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/2 cups milk
Ground cinnamon, optional
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.

Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if using. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

and the winner is.......

True Random Number Generator

Min: Max:

Result:

17

Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Michelle said...

Love the red timer. It would match my kitchen!

Congratulations Michelle! You're our Giveaway Winner this month!

Please email me at jenna.vela@gmail.com with your address.

I'll mail you your prizes as soon as I hear from you!

Thank you so much for participating in this month's giveaway. Until next month, keep posting your delicious recipes. We love them! If you'd like to become a contributor, just send us a quick email and we'd be more than happy to add you.

Happy cooking everyone! Much love to you all.

*IMPORTANT: Just so you all know, I put the random number generator from 1 to 107, and 17 was the winner. For some reason the number 107 won't show up on the generator when I post it. Just wanted to make sure you all knew it was fair! Thanks!

Margarita Shrimp Tacos & Spanish Rice

Hello, I'm new. Both of these are my mom's recipes and so good!

Margarita Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients:
Margarita Mix
20-25 medium to large shrimp (I use pre-cooked tail-off shrimp)
1 Poblano Chile
1 Small Onion
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
Corn Tortillas
Pepper Jack Cheese
Salsa
Shredded Lettuce
Avocado
Cilantro
Limes

*marinade shrimp in margarita mix for 20 minutes to an hour (this can also be done with chicken, just marinade it and grill it, then toss it with the chile/onion mixture and serve)
*chop the chile and onion into long strips
*put the tortillas into foil and heat them in a warm oven while you prepare the shrimp/onion/chile mixture
*saute the onions and chiles for 7-9 minutes or until they are soft and fragrant
*in the last 2 minutes add the shrimp (drain off the margarita mix) and heat through
*put shredded cheese on the warm tortilla, top with the shrimp mixture, shredded lettuce, salsa, cilantro, avocado, and fresh lime (I know that sounds like a lot, but it is amazing)
*serve with Mexican rice and/or black beans

Spanish Rice

Ingredients:
3 T Crisco or oil
1 1/2 C Rice
1 T Garlic
1 Small Onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 can diced green chiles
2 1/2 C water or chicken broth (I think this is better with chicken broth)

*heat crisco in skillet
*add rice and stir over medium heat to brown
*add all remaining ingredients and bring to boil
*turn to lowest setting, cover tightly, and simmer for 20 minutes
*if the rice is still too wet, tilt lid and let steam escape
*toss to mix

GIVEAWAY #2

this giveaway is now closed. thanks for participating!

....

It's time for another 'from our kitchen to yours' giveaway!

This has become one of our favorite things to do on this blog--give the people what we love! For most giveaways, we like to offer something that we use in our own kitchens and simply can't live without. However, I thought I'd switch it up a bit this time and give away two things that I actually desperately need in my own kitchen! Sound like fun? Good, I thought so!

This month's giveaway products are:

The Magnetic Timer

"You'll never overcook a 3-minute egg again, thanks to this precise kitchen timer." - Anthropologie

Available in retro yellow/orange, red, or robin-egg blue

and

Paisleys Spoon Rest

"A florid ceramic rest for saucy spoons." - Anthropologie

Dishwasher and microwave safe

Have we convinced you yet?!

here's hows you can get your hands on these:

-comment on this post which color you desire, leave your e-mail & become a follower.

for additional entries you can do the following:

-twitter/blog about us & leave the address where we can see it!

-leave a comment with your favorite just cook already recipe.

-become a follower.

-grab our button!

....

we'll randomly pick the winner on 9/10. enjoy!

....

forgot to mention that contributers ARE eligible to enter as well!!

if you'd like to become a sponsor on our blog and have a giveaway of your own, just email us and let us know!

Grilled Rib Eye Steak with Onion-Blue Cheese Sauce

Alright. I made this last night and I have two words... Sinfully Delicious! I got this recipe off of Ree Dummond's (Pioneer Woman) website and I can't get enough if it! Usually, I'm not a big meat eater. I'll eat poultry (cuz I love it!), but it takes alot for me to eat red meat only because it's too heavy and most of the time I can't finish it! However, last night, I couldn't resist this bad boy!




Grilled Ribeye Steak with Onion-Blue Cheese Sauce
2 ribeye steaks
2 tablespoons butter
Salt
Pepper
4 tablespoons butter
1 very large yellow onion
3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Salt and pepper both sides of the steaks. Grill in 2 tablespoons butter until medium rare.
Saute onions in 4 tablespoons butter over high heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until dark and caramelized. Reduce heat to simmer and pour in cream. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until reduced by half. Stir in blue cheese until melted. Serve steaks on generous portion of sauce.

mediterranean pizza

photo & recipe courtesy of anne-marie tastebuds.blogspot

made this today for lunch. SO fresh & delicious!

ingredients:

pitas

olive oil

diced red onion

diced english cucumber

chopped romaine lettuce

hummus

feta cheese

kalamata olives, pitted and halved

greek vinaigrette

vinaigrette:

Juice of 1 lemon

5 Tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp dried oregano

Whisk to combine. Store in refrigerator.

Brush pitas with a little olive oil. Place on grill until a little crisp and grill lines are visible. Spread 1-2 tablespoons hummus on to each pita. Sprinkle with feta. Put back on grill just until warmed through. Sprinkle with the remaining inngredients and drizzle with a little vinaigrette.

I could eat Greek salad every day. Pile it all on to a pita, grill it, and you have yourself a winner!

chocolate bottom banana bars

Love Bananas...LOVE chocolate... So here is a recipe that includes the best of both worlds!!! They are so easy, so quick, and SO YUMMY!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups mashed banana (about 3 medium bananas)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla, and bananas, beating thoroughly.

2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to creamed mixture and mix well.

3. Divide batter in half. Add the cocoa to one portion of the batter. Spread that portion in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Spoon remaining batter on top, swirling gently with butter knife if desired, and sprinkle with chocolate chips.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until batter tests done with a toothpick or fork. Cool and cut into 24 squares.

Planted Banana Nut Bread

The other day I was trying to think of fun ways to give gifts. I thought and thought, and wondered if I could bake bread in a terra cotta pot. I figured I could because that's what they cooked with a billion years ago. I asked my mother-in-law what she thought, and she said it should be fine. So I tried it...and it worked! So here it is, friends. Planted Banana Nut Bread. (I assume you can use any bread recipe you want, but this is what I did):



Directions:
(yields five medium potted loaves)
difficulty level: easy

-buy five meduim-sized terra cotta flower pots ($0.45 @ Wal-Mart). Make sure to take off any stickers and wash well. Stuff a small ball of wax paper into the drain hole in the bottom of the pot.



-make bread acording to directions:

recipe by Dorthella Johnson (found in a church cookbook)

Kona Banana Bread

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter (or 1/2 c butter, 1/2 c. Crisco)
3 eggs
6 very ripe bananas
2 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup broken walnuts

Mash bananas in separate bowl. Cream together butter, sugar, and eggs. Add bananas and beat well. Add dry ingredients and mix only until smooth. Stir in chopped nuts. Pout into 2 loaf pans (*OR SEPARATE INTO 5 MEDIUM SIZED FLOWER POTS). MAKE SURE THEY'RE GREASED WELL. Put flower pots on a cookie sheet and bake @ 350 degrees for about 50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when poked in.







-Let cool on a cooling rack





Cut five 8.5x8.5 squares of wax paper. Put over the top of the bread, and fasten with pretty ribbon. Give as a fun gift to a neighbor! (if you try this idea out, please let me know how it goes...thanks!)

home-made honey wheat bread

3 c. warm water
2 tbls. yeast
1/3 c. honey
3 c. white flour
2 c. whole wheat flour
_______

1 tbls. salt
1/3 c. honey
3 tbls. canola oil
add up to 3 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

Combine warm water, yeast, and honey and whisk till yeast is disolved. Add white and wheat flour. Once mixed, let rise 30 mins. Add salt, honey, canola oil and mix. Add up to 3 1/2 c. whole wheat flour, mix then knead for 8 mins. In a clean bowl, put 1/2 tsp. canola oil. Place kneaded dough in bowl and flip over to coat dough in oil. Cover with dish towel and let rise till it doubles in size. Roll out when done into a rectangle shape to get all the air bubbles out. Roll up into a long roll (like if you were making cinnamon buns). Cut into 3 sections and place in bread pans that were sprayed with pam, or greesed in some way. Cover with towel till rises above top brim about 2 1/2 inches. (may take several hours...the size of your dough in the pans will be the size of your bread when done - it doesn't rise more in the oven).

Bake at 350 for 25 mins. When first out and hot rub top of bread with butter/margerine to keep the crust soft.

A.P.P.L.E. M.U.F.F.I.N.S.

These are my mom's famous apple muffins that are to die for! ENJOY...

Preheat oven to 375.

DRY
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 (heaping) tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

WET
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. veg oil

Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls. Add 3 medium chopped and peeled Granny Smith apples to dry mixture. (I like to make my apple chunks on the bigger side, but it's up to you how small your chunks are.) Then add the wet ingredients that have already been mixed into the dry bowl. Fill muffin papers, that have been placed in muffin pan, 3/4 of the way full.
Sprinkle with topping that has already been mixed:

Topping:
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. brown sugar packed
1 tsp. cinnamon
5 tbs. butter softened (not melted)

Mix topping with your fingers until it crumbles and the butter coats.

Bake 15 - 17 minutes, adding 1 - 2 extra minutes if needed,
until golden brown center and darker edges.

thai-style ground beef.

i made this tonight for dinner and it was pretty amazing. my husband kept saying "mmm...mmmm" over and over again (and believe me, its not easy to get that reaction from him). i love it because it's one of those recipes that you can taste and tweek as you go.olive oil

1 cup thinly sliced leek (you could just use chopped onion or green onion if you want)

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound lean ground sirloin

1 teaspoon red curry paste (i just used a few shakes of curry powder and a squirt of siracha)

1 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup light coconut milk

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon lime zest

1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp asian fish sauce (i promise, it makes it taste good)

cooked rice and/or iceberg lettuce wedges

chopped cilantro

heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. drizzle olive oil. add leek; sauté 5 minutes. add garlic; sauté 1 minute. add beef; cook 7 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring to crumble. stir in curry paste and tomato sauce; cook until half of liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes). add milk and next 4 ingredients (through fish sauce); cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. serve with the rice and lettuce wedges. garnish with cilantro.

*picture and recipe from cookinglight.com

pear and couscous salad.

hi everyone! brittany here. i'm a newbie but so excited to start sharing recipes. this is one of my favorites for summer. this was served at my good friend's bridal shower and i couldn't help but go back for 2nds, 3rds, maybe 4ths...you get the idea.

10 oz box plain couscous- prepare and let cool

1-2 thinly sliced bartlett pears

2 green onions- sliced

4 slices bacon-cooked and crumbled

1 cup chopped spinach

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds- roasted

dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 Tbs soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp garlic crushed

2 Tbs sugar

1/4 tsp ground ginger

mix and chill for one hour. enjoy.

baked mac & cheese

who said mac & cheese can't be fancy? i love this recipe from food network's alton brown. it's a great dish to serve as a side! definitely a comfort recipe! my modifications are in orange.

ingredients:

1/2 lb elbow macaroni

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon dry mustard

3 cups milk

1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced {i only chopped about 1/4 cup.}

1 bay leaf {didn't have this yesterday so i just sprinkled basil.}

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 large egg

12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

1 teaspoon kosher salt

fresh black pepper

topping:

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup bread crumbs {i just sprinkled a thin layer over top.}

directions:

preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

in a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

while the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter.

whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. make sure it's free of lumps. stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf and paprika. simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.

temper in the egg. stir in 3/4 of the cheese. season with salt and pepper. fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2 quart casserole dish. top with remaining cheese.

melt topping butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. top the macaroni with the mixture. bake for 30 minutes.

Bow Tie Pasta Spinach DELICIOUS Salad

I love this pasta, it's great for familes, parties, or just yourself. It's also great for the next day.

SALAD:
2 cups cooked chicken (diced)
1 - 16oz. bow tie pasta, aka farfalle (cooked)
1 1/2 bag spinach, I use LOTS of spinach
1 - 6oz. bag craisins
3 - 11oz. cans mandarin oranges (drained)
2 - 8oz. cans water chestnuts
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 bunch green onions (chopped)
1/3 cup sunflower seeds (toasted in oven) - this is optional.
6oz honey roasted peanuts

DRESSING:
1 cup oil
2/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2/3 cup vinegar
6 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper