Sunshine Carrots

Easter is this coming weekend, and when I was growing up this side dish was a staple in our Easter feast.  So, I will be making it this weekend for my family.  Because we loved it so much, my mom would always have to double the recipe.  It's a nice combination of different levels of sweetness between the carrots (small) and orange juice (large).

Sunshine Carrots

Ingredients:
5 carrots
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tbs. butter

Directions:
1. Slice carrots 1 inch thick.  Place in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil and cook carrots until tender.  Drain.
2. In a small saucepan mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and ginger.  Add cold orange juice, stirring frequently.  Cook over medium heat until sauce thickens.  Remove from heat and add butter, stirring until melted.
3. Pour sauce over hot carrots.

Baked Butternut Squash

We have been visiting a local orchard every weekend this summer, and when they had butternut squash ripe, I had to get one. I've never tried it, but heard good things about it. I imagined it being sweet like a yam, so I tried to find a recipe that included brown sugar and cinnamon. But once again, I didn't quite find the recipe with the ingredients I wanted. So I tweaked it and this is what I came up with. My family LOVED it! Not too sweet, but sweet enough.

Baked Butternut Squash

Ingredients:
Butter (for greasing pan)
1 medium butternut squash, about 2 1/2 pounds
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 scant teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flour
3 tablespoons cold butter

Directions:
1. Butter an 9x13-inch baking dish or shallow 2-quart casserole dish. Heat oven to 350°.
2. Quarter the squash lengthwise and cut off ends. Peel and scoop seeds out. Cut each slice in half.
3. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and flour. Combine with a fork. Place each squash piece into the mixture and turn to coat. Place into the prepared baking dish.
4. Into the remaining brown sugar mixture, cut in the butter until well combined. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the squash. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender. Remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes longer.

Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:
3 large tomatoes, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, washed and minced
1/2 sweet onion, minced
1 green pepper, minced
1/3 cup vinegar
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Combine ingredients in large tupperware container and shake to combine.
2. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
3. Shake container once more before serving.

Makes 3 cups

Stuffed Peppers

This is one of my favorite crock pot meals. Easy, very hearty, and very very yummy.

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
4 medium to large green bell peppers
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 can (14,5 oz.) corn, drained
1 can (14 oz.) tomato sauce
2 cups cooked rice
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Clean peppers, remove tops, seeds and membranes.
2. Combine ground beef, corn, rice and tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Add 1 ½ cups of cheese and stir to incorporate. Add salt and pepper. Note: the cheese will provide plenty of seasoning, so don’t add too much salt.
3. Place peppers in crock pot, top up, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover crock pot and turn on low. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

25 Days of Christmas Recipes - Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Again, here's something we are fixing on Christmas Eve. It's a nice alternative to your traditional baked sweet potato. This recipe is scaled for 15, 1 cup servings.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
10 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 1/2 cup half-and-half
1 cup butter
2/3 cup light-brown sugar
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions:
1. Set a steamer basket in a large saucepan. Fill with enough water to come just below basket; bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Place sweet potatoes in steamer basket and cover; steam until tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Drain, and return to saucepan.
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring half-and-half, butter, and brown sugar to a simmer, stirring to combine; remove from heat. Add to drained sweet potatoes, and mash just until smooth; season with salt and pepper.

Awesome Guac

I love guacamole - I love it on tacos, fajitas, salads, you name it! Avacados are so good for you too. The only problem is, I don't like the premade stuff you buy at the store. Not enough avacado for me. So, I've created my own recipe. It's had some tweaking, some testing, and some lovin'. Here's my final version. I use my Kitchenaid to make it so that it's nice and creamy and every ingredient has been incorporated.

Cat's Guac (a-mole)

Ingredients:
2 avacados
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. lime juice
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. chile powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper

Directions:
1. Slice and pit avacados. Place in food processor with cilantro. Pulse to chop.
2. Place remaining ingredients in processor and puree until combined. Refrigerate left overs.

Portabella Mushroom Burgers

Portabella Mushroom Burgers

Ingredients:
2 portabella mushrooms
2 Tbs. olive oil or butter (melted)
1 Tbs. oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper
2 slices provolone cheese
1 tomato, sliced
Spinach leaves, washed
Horseradish Sauce
2 hamburger buns, toasted

Directions:
1. Cut stems off of mushrooms, wash, and dry on a paper towel. Preheat grill to medium high heat.
2. Combine olive oil, oregano, and garlic. Brush over caps of mushrooms, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Place mushrooms on grill, cooking each side 3 minutes. After final turn, place one slice of cheese on each mushroom and grill until cheese is melted. Layer remainder of ingredients on hamburger bun.

Dutch Oven Potatoes

This has been a staple recipe for my family since I can remember. They would make this at reunions, camping, and our summer holiday get-togethers. I particularly remember my Uncle Bruce making these, and I absolutely LOVE them. This is a very simple recipe for potatoes in the dutch oven, kind of a "dump cake" version. The only thing I do differently with the recipe is cut my vegetables at home and take them in ziploc bags so that I don't have to do any cutting at the campsite and can just enjoy being up in the mountains.

Sparkling Potatoes

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. bacon, cut into small pieces
1 large onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 potatoes, scrubbed with skins left on
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms
12 oz. can lemon-lime soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese (the sharper, the better)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
15 top and 9 bottom charcoal briquets

Directions:
1. Light the charcoal briquets and let heat until white. Place dutch oven on top of 9 briquets. Brown bacon in dutch oven. Drain grease and add onion and garlic. Cook until onions are clear.
2. Slice the potatoes while onions are cooking. Layer potatoes and mushrooms in dutch oven with the onions and bacon. Pour the lemon-lime soda over the top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with lid (and 15 charcoal briquets) and steam potatoes until tender.
3. About halfway through the cooking time, turn mixture to prevent burning. Just before serving, top with cheese and parsley. Continue cooking until cheese melts. Serve directly out of dutch oven.