Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Recipe Found HERE

These ultra-creamy make-ahead mashed potatoes can be prepared two days ahead of time and reheated in the microwave. Perfect for the busy holidays! 

*My Idaho husband loved them - they passed the test!* 

3-1/2 pounds Russet potatoes
2 cups heavy cream
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
Chives, for serving

Preheat the oven to 450°F and adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack (alternatively, you can place them on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet). Bake until very soft, 50 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. (Err on the side of overcooking rather than undercooking them.) Remove the potatoes from the oven.

While they are still hot, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Using an oven mitt or a folded kitchen towel to hold the hot potatoes, scoop out all of the flesh from each potato half into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (*see notes on using a potato ricer, food mill or hand-held electric mixer). The flesh near the skin gets a little tough, so be sure to leave it behind. Break the cooked potato flesh down into small pieces using a fork, potato masher, or rubber spatula.

Beat on low speed until completely smooth and no lumps remain, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream and 6 Tablespoons of the butter to a simmer.

Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and, using a large rubber spatula, gradually fold in the hot cream and butter mixture. It will take a few minutes to mix it all in; keep folding until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Stir in the salt, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap (the bowl should be large enough that the potatoes don’t touch the plastic wrap). Refrigerate for up to 2 days. (DO NOT FREEZE)

To reheat, use the tip of a knife to poke about 10 holes in the plastic wrap knife, and microwave at medium-high (75 percent) power until the potatoes are hot, about 14 minutes, stirring halfway through the reheating time. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a serving dish, top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and sprinkle with the chives. Serve hot.
Note: For perfectly smooth potatoes, pass the potato flesh through a potato ricer or food mill before adding them to the mixer. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use a hand-held electric mixer but the potatoes won’t be quite as smooth. If you don't have an electric mixer, pass the potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer and then whip by hand with a wooden spoon.

Sparkling Cranberry Apple Cider Punch

Recipe Found HERE

1 cup fresh cranberries
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 cups apple cider (see note), chilled
2 cups ginger ale, chilled 
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups 100% cranberry juice, chilled
Crushed ice

In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries and water and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the cranberries pop and split. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar. Let cool to room temperature (or chill in the refrigerator).

In a 2-quart pitcher, pour in the cranberry mixture. Add the apple cider, ginger ale, lemon juice and cranberry juice. Mix. Serve in cups with crushed ice.

NOTES 

Make ahead of time: combine everything but the ginger ale in the pitcher and refrigerate for several hours. Add the chilled ginger ale when ready to serve.

Best served in a punch bowl. The cranberries clogged my beverage dispenser.

Smoked Salmon Dip

Recipe Found HERE

1 cup (8 ounces) cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons capers, drained
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco
4 ounces smoked salmon, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped dill
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped chives
Salt, to taste

Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, capers, and Tabasco in a food processor fitted with the metal blade; pulse until blended.

Add the salmon, dill and chives and pulse, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary, until the salmon is finely chopped. Taste and add salt, if necessary (I usually add about 1/4 teaspoon, but it depends on the saltiness of the smoked salmon).

Serve as a dip with crackers or bagel chips, or as a spread with bagels.

Make ahead: This dip can be made a few days ahead of time. However, it gets quite firm in the fridge so let it sit out at room temperature before serving, otherwise it will be hard to scoop.

(Award Winning) Smoked Brisket Chili

This chili has a record of winning 1st prize across the country - I've won with it also!

This is a very hot and spicy chili! To reduce the heat, discard the seeds from the jalapeños. It will still be spicy, even discarding the seeds.  Tip: when removing seeds from jalapenos wear food prep gloves and scrape seeds out with a small spoon to protect skin/fingers from burning. 

Recipe Found HERE 
Recipe also here: http://itsmyrub.com/award-winning-smoked-brisket-chili/

Yield: 1 ½ gallons

3 cups celery, chopped
3 small jalapenos, thinly sliced (I discard all the seeds)
3 purple onions, chopped
vegetable oil or bacon grease
4 cloves of garlic, pressed (or minced)
½ cup + 2 Tablespoons chili powder (Pendery’s Original Chile Blend)
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne
1 Tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano (Pendery's Mexican Oregano)
2 teaspoons granulated onion
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 cup red wine (Pinot Noir or Claret)
1 (14 oz.) can tomato sauce (I use Hunts)
3 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes (Hunts)
3 cups LOW SODIUM beef stock/broth
12 oz. V-8 juice
3 Tablespoons Knorr Tomato Bouillon w/ Chicken Flavor (powdered) (Amazon, Hispanic food section)
2 Tablespoons of whatever rub you used on the brisket (if other than salt and pepper) (optional)
2 ½ lbs. of cooked smoked brisket, cut into 3/8” cubes (you can buy this already smoked from a BBQ restaurant)
Optional: 1-2 (20 oz) cans of pinto beans, drained and rinsed (we do not add beans)

3 cups celery, chopped
3 small jalapenos, thinly sliced
3 purple onions, chopped

Sauté the vegetables in vegetable oil or bacon grease until translucent. 10 min +

Then add: 4 cloves of garlic, pressed (or minced) Sauté for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly,

Add the following spices and bloom them in the hot oil with the veggies:

½ cup + 2 Tablespoons chili powder (Pendery’s Original Chile Blend: http://www.penderys.com/ )
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne
1 Tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano (also available at http://www.penderys.com/)
2 teaspoons granulated onion
2 teaspoons granulated garlic

Once this mixture has bloomed, add: 1 cup red wine (Pinot Noir or Claret) Reduce the wine down for about 10 minutes.

Then add:
1 (14 oz.) can tomato sauce (I use Hunts)
3 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes (Hunts)
3 cups LOW SODIUM beef stock/broth
12 oz. V-8 juice
3 Tablespoons Knorr Tomato Bouillon w/ Chicken Flavor (powdered) (Amazon or hispanic foods section)
2 Tablespoons of whatever rub you used on the brisket (if other than salt and pepper) (optional)
2 ½ lbs. of cooked smoked brisket*, cut into 3/8” cubes
Optional: 1-2 (20 oz) cans of pinto beans, drained and rinsed (I added two 14 oz cans)

Bring up to a slight boil, then turn heat down and simmer until brisket starts falling apart, about 3 hours.

*Cook the brisket as you would cook it to eat it, all the way.  The three hour cooking time allows the brisket to fall apart into silky, smaller pieces.  You don't want "chunks" of bite-sized brisket remaining in the chili.  This way allows you to fully enjoy the brisket BOTH ways!

Rub for smoking the Brisket: "It's My Rub!" Power Blend - You can check out the website at www.itsmyrub.com

Baked Ziti with Sausage

Recipe Found HERE

We've also made this dish with ground beef, for a more mild (kid friendly) taste and it works wonderfully!*

1 lb ziti noodles
1.5 lbs ground Hot Italian sausage (I use 1 lb, can substitute with ground beef if desired)*
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano Reggiano) cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to the package directions for very al dente, about 7 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the oven so you want to under cook it just a bit.) Drain and add the pasta back to the pot. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425°F and set the oven rack in the middle position.

Heat a large sauté pan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don't have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Add the heavy cream, 1/3 cup of the Pecorino Romano, cooked sausage, and basil to the pan; stir until evenly combined. Carefully pour the contents of the sauté pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella and half of the remaining Pecorino Romano. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Pecorino Romano. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil and serve.

Make Ahead: This dish can be assembled and refrigerated, covered, up to 2 days in advance. Since the dish will be cold, the baking time will need to be increased. To bake, cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in a 425°F oven for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and the pasta is hot throughout.

Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The dish can be frozen unbaked. When you’re ready to cook it, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then proceed with the Make Ahead instructions above.

Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp

This makes 3-4 servings, double the recipe to feed more or have leftovers. Two large chicken breasts is enough for the original or doubling. 

Recipe Found HERE

Curry Coconut Sauce
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic minced
1 small onion chopped
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cumin ground
1/2 teaspoon coriander ground
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon  pepper 
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
14 fl oz coconut milk (1 can)
1-2 medium carrots julienned
1 zucchini julienned
1/2 cup peas, frozen

Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter creamy
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce, reduced sodium
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

milk

Chicken and Shrimp
1-2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
10 medium shrimp shelled

salt

pepper
cornstarch
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Coconut Rice (plain rice is also fine) 

Combine in rice cooker

2 cups water 

1 can unsweetened coconut milk (13.5 oz) 

2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar 

1 teaspoon salt 

2 cups white or jasmine rice 

Garnish (optional)

1/2 cup flaked coconut toasted

1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
2 green onions, chopped 
sesame seeds

Chicken and Shrimp
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet. Season chicken pieces and shrimp generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the cornstarch over chicken and shrimp and toss, making sure each piece is fully coated in cornstarch. Add the coated chicken to the skillet and cook for a couple minutes per side, until slightly golden. Remove chicken from skillet and add shrimp. Cook shrimp for a couple minutes until slightly pink and remove from skillet. Set aside. May place on a oven proof plate and keep warm in oven until ready to serve. 

Peanut Sauce
To make the peanut sauce add all ingredients in a small sauce pan and heat over low just until the mixture begins to bubble; cover and remove pan from heat. Add milk to thin sauce to desired consistency.

Coconut Curry
In a medium sauce pan heat the olive oil, sesame oil and crushed red pepper flakes over medium heat. Add chopped onion, cook just until onion is translucent 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and saute, stirring constantly for 1 minute.

Add spices and water and stir well. Bring to a boil, then add coconut milk and bring the mixture back up to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add julienned carrots and zucchini, then peas. Cook for another 10 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Plating: Add about 1 cup of rice to each of the 4 plates. Add chicken and shrimp, dividing them equal among the 4 plates. Spoon the coconut curry over chicken and shrimp. Drizzle peanut sauce over the rice. Top with crushed peanuts, sesame seeds if desired, green onions and some of the flaked coconut.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe Found Here

1 cup (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature 
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature 
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature 
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour
1 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats 
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoon regular table salt
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I prefer milk chocolate)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper, or lightly grease with non-stick vegetable oil spray.

Beat together the butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.

Whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and add to the butter mixture in the bowl. Mix until everything is thoroughly incorporated. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and mix briefly. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 1/2" to 2" between cookies. Bake the cookies for 12 to 17 minutes, until they're a light golden brown, with slightly darker edges. Their middles may still look a tiny bit shiny; that's OK, they'll continue to bake as they cool on the pan. Remove the cookies from the oven, and as soon as they're set enough to handle, transfer them to racks to cool.