Bourbon-Pecan Pumpkin Butter Pie

I got this recipe from Williams-Sonoma. Excellent.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups (about 1 1/3 jars) pecan pumpkin butter
• 1 3/4 cups plus 1 Tbs. evaporated milk
• 3 Tbs. bourbon
• 1 prebaked and cooled deep-dish piecrust (see related recipe at left)
• Whipped cream for serving

Directions:

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven. Place a cookie sheet on the rack. Preheat the oven to 325°F. (The pie dish will sit on the cookie sheet, which will help the bottom of the crust to brown.)

In a large bowl, gently whisk the eggs. Add the pecan pumpkin butter, evaporated milk and bourbon and whisk until well combined. Pour the filling into the prebaked piecrust and bake until the center of the pie is just set, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Check the crust after 30 minutes; if the edges begin to brown too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil.

Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool for at least 4 hours before serving. If making in advance, cover the cooled pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to overnight.

To serve, cut the pie into slices and serve with whipped cream. Serves 8 to 10.

Mashed Potatoes with Bacon and Chives

• Ingredients:
• 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 3 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 Tbs. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
• 3 Tbs. minced fresh chives
• 8 oz. bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and cooked until crispy
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

Place the garlic cloves on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with the olive oil. Fold over the foil to enclose the garlic and roast for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. When the cloves are cool enough to handle, peel them and mince enough garlic to measure 1 Tbs. Reserve any remaining garlic for another use.

Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a large pot. Add the 1 Tbs. salt and enough water to cover the potatoes by 3 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well in a colander.

Set the pot over low heat, add the half-and-half, butter and the 1 Tbs. roasted garlic and whisk until the butter melts. Set a potato ricer over the pot and pass the potatoes through in batches. Using a silicone spatula, fold the potatoes into the liquid until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in the chives and bacon, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the potatoes to a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately.

Serves 8-10

My Chicken Sauce

If you want just to cook a simple lemony chicken kind of meal I use these ingredients for lemon herb chicken. I have a habit of not really measuring for this sauce because I mix it up every time. But this is basically what I put in it

2 TB Olive oil

Chicken broth

1/2 cup chopped onions (depends on how much chicken I am cooking)

1 TB butter

1 TB mustard

2 TB White wine

1 TB Lemon juice

Lemon pepper seasoning

Clove of garlic

Tortilla Casserole

This recipe is a combination of my best friends tortilla casserole and my own. My friend Sierra is partially spanish and makes some amazing mexican recipes.

Ingredients:

1 can cream of chicken

1 can cream of mushroom

3/4 cup Medium Pace Salsa

4 small white corn tortillas

Tortilla chips

2-4 cooked chicken (dice) - (I use my canned chicken that Dustin and I make every year.)

Jack cheese

Directions:

1. Mix both creams and salsa. Put a little on the bottom of baking dish. (13x9)

2. Layer 2 tortillas, chicken, half cheese and then the rest of the sauce.

3. Tear other 2 tortillas into pieces and spread. Crinkle 2 small handfulls of chips and sprinkle over the dish. Put the rest of the cheese on top and put in the oven for 30-40 minutes.

Oven Temperature: 375

Risotto with Butternut squash, leeks and basil

I made this recipe over the holidays this last Christmas and the butternut squash taste definitely made it a very holiday-ish dish. Risotto is my favorite kind of rice. It is very creamy and almost like pasta.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled butternut squash (from 2 1/4 pounds squash)
1 bundle of green onions- chopped/diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cups arborio rice
4 14-ounce cans (or more) vegetable broth
1 cup chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional (for serving)

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add squash and sauté until beginning to soften and brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Transfer squash to medium bowl.
2. Reduce heat to medium; add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, green onions, and thyme to same pot and stir until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir 1 minute. Add 1 cup broth and simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining broth by 1/2 cupfuls, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next, stirring often, about 15 minutes.

3. Return squash to pot. Continue to cook until rice is just tender but still very creamy, stirring gently and often, about 10 minutes longer (about 25 minutes total cooking time). Remove from heat. Stir in basil and 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Transfer to large bowl and serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

Makes 8 servings.

Takes about an hour to cook.

Capellini Pomodoro

If any of you have been to Olive Garden and know their menu well you might have tried this simple pasta recipe. It is one of their smaller calorie pastas. Very simple but has a yummy italian taste. I was able to find this recipe and I would love to share it with you.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic - minced

2 pounds plum tomatoes - seeded/diced

1 oz fresh basil leaves -minced

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 oz parmesan cheese

12 0z dry angel hair pasta - cooked

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Heat olive poil and garlic. (Cook garlic until it is white)

2. Add tomatoes and pepper. Heat through stirring for 2-3 minutes.

3. Tomatoes shouldn't lose shape. Remove from heat.

4. Transfer hot cooked pasta to large bowl. Toss with tomato mix, basil and half of parmesan cheese.

5. Serve with remaining cheese.

Marinated Salsa Tomatoes

I LOVE heirloom tomatoes. They remind me of when I did catering and had heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella for a salad. It is very fast and easy to prepare.

6 large heirloom tomatoes

1 (16 0z) container fresh salsa ( I use Costco's salsa)

1 (4 0z) can diced green chiles

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar dressing

2 tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

1. Core and slice tomatoes. Arrange them in an overlapping pattern or in stacks of alternate colors on a large plate.

2. Stir together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over tomatoes.

3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Wa-la!! You have a tomato salad.

Sweet Chili

3 lb my dads pork sausage

1 lb Jimmy Dean hot sausage

4 texas sweet onions

1 green pepper

2 large cans dark red kidney beans

1 can northern beans

1 can chili beans

1 can black beans

1 large can Bushes baked beans ( I use the vegetarian one)

2 bottles Famous Dave's Rich and Sassy BBQ sauce

Garlic

Chili powder

Salt & Pepper

Basil

Italian Seasoning

Directions:

Brown sausage in large pot (12 qt). Chop onions and green pepper in food processor and add to meat once brown. Add garlic, chili powder, salt, pepper, basil, italian seasoning and cook for 5-10 minutes until onions are partially cooked. Add 2 bottles of BBQ sauce and cook for 5 minutes. Add all cans of beans, including the fluid in the can. Cook until hot, and then simmer until ready to eat.

This makes a TON of chili so if you do not want to make that much, divide the recipe in half. I like to make extra to put in little sandwich bags and I freeze them (laying flat down) for easy quick meals.