Fettucine Alfredo

For this dish I took a well-rated recipe and added some modifications to my tastes.  I'm happy to say it turned out amazing, and not nearly as rich as alfredo usually is.

Fettucine Alfredo

Ingredients

12 to 16 oz fettucine noodles
1/2 cup pasta water reserved
1/2 lb chicken tenderloins or similar small thin cuts (optional)

3-4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook noodles according to package directions in salted water. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain noodles and set aside.

If adding chicken, season with salt and pepper, and dry with a paper towel.  Add to a large heated and oiled skillet at medium to medium high heat for about 2 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.  Set aside.

After removing the chicken from the skillet, reduce heat to low and add butter and minced garlic.

Once the butter is melted and garlic is fragrant, whisk in cream, reserved pasta water, and dried parsley. Simmer (but do not boil) over low heat for 2-5 minutes.

Whisk in the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper for one minute.

Whisk in the parmesan cheese until melted and sauce is smooth.

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Gently fold in noodles and chicken to the sauce and heat to warmed.

Serve immediately.

Original link:

https://thesaltymarshmallow.com/best-homemade-alfredo-sauce/

Easy Mac and Cheese

 Great mac and cheese recipe. It's very easy and not too rich.  I added some additional cheeses (like parmesan).  As always, a mix of various cheeses is always better than just one cheese.

Easy Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

8 ounce elbow macaroni
1/4 cup butter
2 oz cream cheese cut in cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheese such as cheddar or colby jack (mix and match!)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in boiling water, stirring occasionally, and cooking according to package directions, al dente.

Meanwhile in a separate pan, melt butter in a medium to large sauce pan over medium heat; stir in cream cheese until well combined. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth, about 5 minutes. Slowly pour milk into pan while stirring until mixture is smooth and starting to gently boil, about 3-5 minutes. Add cheese to mixture and stir until cheese is melted and well combined.

Pour cheese sauce over drained macaroni and stir gently until cheese sauce is well combined with pasta. Serve immediately.



Original link:  https://www.lovefromtheoven.com/easy-macaroni-and-cheese/

German Green Beans

 This simple recipe is going to be our replacement for green bean casserole. It has many of the same flavors, but is so easy to make.

German Green Beans

Ingredients

Bacon

Shallot, finely chopped

Green beans, trimmed

Directions

Cook bacon, saving grease.

Saute shallots in some bacon grease until soft.

Add green beans (and more grease/oil if needed) and cook until crisp-tender. Cover to steam if needed.

Crumble bacon and add to green bean dish. Salt and pepper to taste.

Buttery Herb Stuffing

 Thanksgiving is tomorrow, so it's a great time to add a stuffing recipe.  This one is basic, but delicious.  It also serves as a great base for whatever additions you want to add.  In the latest batch I've added mushrooms (included below) and crush fried leek greens (not added because it's such an odd ingredient, but delicious nonetheless).   I've also made this with dried herbs instead of fresh and it was just fine.

Buttery Herb Stuffing

Ingredients

18 to 24 ounces bread cubes, (1.5 loaves of bread, or about 12 to 14 cups) preferably toasted or stale
1 cup unsalted butter
3 cups diced sweet onion, roughly 2 large onions
2 cups diced celery
6 garlic cloves, minced
kosher salt and pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 large eggs
a mixture of fresh herbs for sprinkling

Directions

If starting with fresh bread, cube it and toast it by put the cubes in oven, toasting them at 350 degrees F until they are like croutons, about 15 minutes or so.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the butter in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the onion, celery , mushrooms, and garlic with a big pinch of salt and pepper - at least ½ to 1 teaspoon each. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the sage, parsley and rosemary. Cook for another minute. Stir in 1 cup of stock.

Pour the onion celery mixture over the bread crumbs and toss well to coat.In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the remaining 1 ½ cups stock and 2 eggs.

Pour that mixture into the bread cubes and stir and fold the bread cubes until thoroughly combined. 

Bake the stuffing in a 9x13 pan for 45 to 50 minutes, until the internal temperature registers 160 degrees F. If the stuffing is getting too browned, you can tent it with foil.

Can be made a day ahead. Remove dish from fridge 60 mins before reheating.

Original link: https://www.howsweeteats.com/2020/11/best-stuffing-recipe/

Pie Crust

There are many pie crust recipes out there. But as simple as this one is, it’s quite good. 

Pie Crust (oil crust)

Ingredients 

2 cup flour

1/2 cup oil (neutral flavor preferred)

1/4 cup water (ice cold)

Pinch of salt

Directions 

Mix flour and salt. Add oil and water to dry ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon until a ball forms. Add water, 1 tbsp at a time, if too dry.

Cover and let rest in fridge for 15 mins.

Roll or press into pie plate. Bake as filling calls for or at 450 until light brown.

Best Juicy Skillet Pork Chop

This pork chop recipe was very delicious and super easy! The pan sauce is really great.

Best Juicy Skillet Pork Chop

Ingredients

4 pork chops, about 6 ounces each, 1-inch thick
Salt, to taste
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon avocado oil or vegetable oil

Pan Sauce
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons honey or brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1/2 tbsp dried parsley

Directions

Prepare Pork Chops

Take the pork chops out of the refrigerator and season on both sides with salt (we use just less than 1/4 teaspoon of salt per pork chop). Set the chops aside to rest for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the spice rub. In a small bowl, mix the flour, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.

After 30 minutes, use a paper towel to dry the pork chops, then rub both sides of the chops with the spice rub.

Heat the oil in a skillet (with a lid) over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and looks shimmery, add the pork. Cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

Flip the pork so that the seared side is facing up. If there is a fattier side of the pork, use kitchen tongs to hold the chops fat-side-down until they sizzle and brown slightly, about 30 seconds.

Reduce the heat to low, then cover the skillet with a lid. Cook for 6 to 12 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 145°F when inserted into the thickest part of the chop. Cook time depends on the thickness of the chops, so check for doneness at 5 minutes, then go from there, checking every 2 minutes after that. If you do not have a thermometer, pork chops are done if, when cutting into them, the juices run clear.

Transfer pork chops to a plate, then cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let the pork rest for 5 minutes.

Make Pan Sauce

While the pork chops rest, make the pan sauce. Increase the heat to medium-high, then add the chicken stock, vinegar, and honey.

Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. As it simmers, use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan so that any stuck bits of pork come up. Taste, then adjust with additional salt, vinegar, or honey.

Slide the skillet off the heat, wait until the sauce stops simmering, then swirl in the butter. (If adding dried parsley, add it here)

Slide the pork chops back into the pan and spoon some of the sauce over them. You can also slice the chops and place them back into the pan. Scatter fresh parsley over the pork, and then serve.





Original link:

https://www.inspiredtaste.net/37062/juicy-skillet-pork-chops/

Baked Cauliflower Wings

 We love wings around here, but here is a super easy substitute with cauliflower. It was a huge hit! Next time I'll try it out with some other sauces (the kids recommend our Tandoori Tofu sauce).

Baked Cauliflower Wings

Ingredients

⅔ cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup water
1 cauliflower, about 2 pounds, broken into large florets
Buffalo Sauce, for brushing

Buffalo sauce:
1 part melted butter
2 parts cayenne sauce like Frank's

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt. 

Add the water and whisk until smooth. 

Add the cauliflower florets and stir to coat.

Lift the cauliflower florets out of the batter, allowing any excess batter to drip back into the bowl. 

Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully flip the florets. Bake for another 10 minutes, swapping the pans on the oven racks.

Remove the cauliflower from the oven and brush with some of the buffalo sauce. Bake for another 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is dark and crisp around the edges.

Remove from the oven and brush with additional buffalo sauce. If desired, serve with ranch and/or blue cheese for dipping.

Original link:

https://www.loveandlemons.com/buffalo-cauliflower-wings/