Cauliflower Gratin
1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large florets
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere, divided
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.
Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere, divided
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.
Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Company Hash Browns
1 (2lb) bag of frozen cubed or shredded hash browns
2 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded sharp cheese, + ½ cup for topping
2 cans cream of chicken soup
Small bunch of green onions
sliced Corn flakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sour cream, 2 cups of the cheddar cheese, cream of chicken soup, and green onions in a large bowl. Add the hash browns and mix together thoroughly. Mix the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese with 2 cups of corn flakes which have been lightly crushed. Reserve for later. Cover and bake potatoes at 350⁰ for 30-35 minutes. (*I cook mine a little longer just to make sure they are done. There is nothing worse than crunchy potatoes. ) Cover top with corn flake/cheese mixture and bake an additional 15 minutes until potatoes are bubbling and top has browned.
2 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded sharp cheese, + ½ cup for topping
2 cans cream of chicken soup
Small bunch of green onions
sliced Corn flakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sour cream, 2 cups of the cheddar cheese, cream of chicken soup, and green onions in a large bowl. Add the hash browns and mix together thoroughly. Mix the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese with 2 cups of corn flakes which have been lightly crushed. Reserve for later. Cover and bake potatoes at 350⁰ for 30-35 minutes. (*I cook mine a little longer just to make sure they are done. There is nothing worse than crunchy potatoes. ) Cover top with corn flake/cheese mixture and bake an additional 15 minutes until potatoes are bubbling and top has browned.
Corn Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can whole corn, drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can cream style corn
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 (8.5 ounce) corn muffin mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 eggs
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Add the corn, creamed corn, butter, muffin, mix, and sour cream to a bowl and mix well.
- Add the eggs and mix together.
- Pour into a 11x17 pan that has been sprayed with cookiing spray.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until top is lightly browned.
- Serve with butter and honey if desired.
- Spicy Variation: If you want to add a little spice to this dish add a 4 ounce can of diced green chilies.
Spring Vegetable Risotto
You can mix and match the ingredients with fresh, seasonal veggies, you get something completely different and very appropriate for the warmer days of spring. Enjoy!
Shopping List 1 cup Arborio rice 2 quarts chicken stock (not broth, stock...use veggie stock if you're making this a vegetarian dish)
2 zucchini, chopped
10 pieces asparagus, chopped
1 tablespoon butter 1 onion, chopped 3-6 (depending on your love for garlic) chopped garlic cloves 1 cup frozen peas 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and Salt and Pepper, of course!
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken, optional (see below for more details!)
This meal should take you about 30 minutes from start to finish. Relax...risotto is a cinch!
In a large stock pot, bring chicken stock up to low simmer (not boiling, just a simmer...keep a lid on it to trap liquid inside) In a separate pan, melt butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat, add in zucchini and asparagus and saute 4-5 minutes. Remove veggies from pan, cover and set aside.
Add onion and garlic to skillet and cook 4-5 minutes. Stir in rice for another minute.
At this point, take a ladle and add 1 cup of your hot stock to the rice. Stir constantly for a minute or so. As the liquid evaporates, the rice will become super starchy and delicious. Stir pretty often, adding stock every time the majority of the liquid evaporates.
You will continue doing this for about 18 minutes. Add stock, stir, wait for it to evaporate and add more. This will cause the risotto to fluff up and look creamy (without using any cream!) A lot of recipes will tell you to stir continuously...but you don't need to. Just stir it around every few minutes and you'll be fine.
After the rice is tender (take a bite!), stir in frozen peas, zucchini and asparagus, and chicken and continue cooking another 3-4 minutes.
Stir in cheese, season with lots of salt and pepper to taste. That's it!!
Shopping List 1 cup Arborio rice 2 quarts chicken stock (not broth, stock...use veggie stock if you're making this a vegetarian dish)
2 zucchini, chopped
10 pieces asparagus, chopped
1 tablespoon butter 1 onion, chopped 3-6 (depending on your love for garlic) chopped garlic cloves 1 cup frozen peas 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and Salt and Pepper, of course!
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken, optional (see below for more details!)
This meal should take you about 30 minutes from start to finish. Relax...risotto is a cinch!
In a large stock pot, bring chicken stock up to low simmer (not boiling, just a simmer...keep a lid on it to trap liquid inside) In a separate pan, melt butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat, add in zucchini and asparagus and saute 4-5 minutes. Remove veggies from pan, cover and set aside.
Add onion and garlic to skillet and cook 4-5 minutes. Stir in rice for another minute.
At this point, take a ladle and add 1 cup of your hot stock to the rice. Stir constantly for a minute or so. As the liquid evaporates, the rice will become super starchy and delicious. Stir pretty often, adding stock every time the majority of the liquid evaporates.
You will continue doing this for about 18 minutes. Add stock, stir, wait for it to evaporate and add more. This will cause the risotto to fluff up and look creamy (without using any cream!) A lot of recipes will tell you to stir continuously...but you don't need to. Just stir it around every few minutes and you'll be fine.
After the rice is tender (take a bite!), stir in frozen peas, zucchini and asparagus, and chicken and continue cooking another 3-4 minutes.
Stir in cheese, season with lots of salt and pepper to taste. That's it!!
Ultimate Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients:
4 large baking potatoes
8 slices bacon
1 cup sour cream
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 green onions, sliced, divided
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour. You can just microwave the potatoes instead because it is way faster and they taste just as good. About three minutes per potato, just check for tenderness. So if you are cooking 4 potatoes in the microwave you will need to cook them for at least 12 minutes. Make sure to poke holes in the potatoes with a fork before microwaving so that they don’t explode.
Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl leaving about 1/4 inch of flesh so the potato maintains it’s shape; save skins.
To the potato flesh add sour cream, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese, 1/2 the green onions, and milk (start adding 1/2 cup of milk but you may not need to add it all depending on the consistency you want. You don’t want them too runny). Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
Bake for another 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
4 large baking potatoes
8 slices bacon
1 cup sour cream
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 green onions, sliced, divided
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour. You can just microwave the potatoes instead because it is way faster and they taste just as good. About three minutes per potato, just check for tenderness. So if you are cooking 4 potatoes in the microwave you will need to cook them for at least 12 minutes. Make sure to poke holes in the potatoes with a fork before microwaving so that they don’t explode.
Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl leaving about 1/4 inch of flesh so the potato maintains it’s shape; save skins.
To the potato flesh add sour cream, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese, 1/2 the green onions, and milk (start adding 1/2 cup of milk but you may not need to add it all depending on the consistency you want. You don’t want them too runny). Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
Bake for another 15 minutes at 350 degrees.