Pan fried potatoes

• 2

  large baking potatoes
• 1

  small onion
• 2 -3

  garlic cloves
• ¹⁄₄

  teaspoon paprika (smoked is good), can try chili powder or other similar spices
• salt
• pepper
• 2

  tablespoons white wine
• olive oil and/or canola oil mixed together, as needed

  
  

  Cheddar Cheese

DIRECTIONS

• Microwave potatoes for 5-6 minutes to soften.
• Cut potatoes into bite size pieces(about 1 inch cubes) OR coins.
• Dice onion.
• Spray large frying pan with olive oil and add potatoes, onions, and garlic adding more oil as needed to brown the potatoes, leave 4-5 minutes on each side to brown. Can add rosemary, thyme, or other hearty herbs at this point if desired. Cook on medium heat until tender and browned.
• When done, add white wine, paprika (and/or similar spices) , salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute and add cheddar cheese. 

Italian Pot roast

1 boneless beef chuck roast 3-4 lbs
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes (I didn't drain, but it said you could, use the kind with Italian seasoning in it)
Chopped onion (3/4 c or less)
3/4 c burgundy wine (I used Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon which I recommend)
1/2 t. salt (or 1 t. if other ingredients don't have any sodium)
1 t. dried basil
1/2 t. dried oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 t. pepper

1/4-1/2 c. cornstarch

1. Put all ingredients in slow cooker, except cornstarch. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. Pull meat apart with a fork or cut with a knife. Add cornstarch at the end and cook two more minutes.

Asparagus with Almond sauce

1 lb fresh or 10 oz frozen asparagus spears
1 T butter
3 T almonds
1 1/4 t cornstarch
1/2 c water (can use the asparagus water leftover)
2 t lemon juice
1/2 t instant chicken bouillon granules
dash black pepper

1. Snap off and discard woody bases from fresh asparagus. Cook in a small amount of boiling lightly salted water for 3-5 minutes, until crisp-tender (it keeps cooking after you take it out of the water so don't let it get too cooked). Drain, reserving 1/2 c water.

2. Melt butter in small saucepan, add almonds. Cook over medium low heat for 3-5 minutes or until golden. Stir in cornstarch. Add water, lemon juice, bouillon, pepper. Cook until thickened and bubbly, then two minutes more. Spoon over asparagus.

Bread rounds for bread bowls

1 1/2 c lukewarm water (100 degrees-too warm will destroy yeast)
2 1/4 t granulated yeast
1 1/2 t salt
3 1/4 c flour (bread flour has most gluten, but unbleached all purpose flour works ok)
cornmeal for parchment paper

1. Measure flour into bowl, add yeast and salt. Add water and mix until uniformly moist. Cover with lid (not airtight) and allow to rise at room temperature 2-5 hours (until it starts to collapse)

2. After rising, bake immediately, or leave covered (not airtight) and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Dough can be easier to work with after 3 hours refridgeration.

3. To bake, sprinkle parchment paper with cornmeal. Sprinkle dough with flour and flour your hands. Make two 1 lb loaves (grapefruit size piece of dough) or four 8oz loaves (smaller is better for bread bowls).

4. Create a smooth ball of dough by pulling the sides around to the bottom. Place dough on parchment paper and dust lightly with flour (called cloaking). Rest for 40 minutes.

5. Place baking stone or sheet in oven. Place a container of hot water in shelf below. Preheat to 450 (usually takes 20-30 minutes).

6. After 40 minutes of resting, use serrated knife dipped in flour to slash three or so deep crosses or slashes into the top of the loaf. Transfer parchment and bread to baking stone or sheet. Bake for 30 minutes for a 1 lb loaf (about 20 minutes for smaller loaf). Cool on wire rack.

Tips:
The kind of flour makes a big difference.
High heat is essential.
The moisture helps insure a crisp crust, so don't open the oven during baking.

Cheesy Broccoli Soup

1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 c. broccoli
1 large carrot, finely chopped
3 c. chicken stock
2 c. half and half
2 bay leaves
1/2 t. salt (a little more if using a stock with no salt added)
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. pepper (I used white pepper)

1/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 c. additional stock
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

5-6 bread bowls (8 oz)
Optional: could also crumble bacon or additional cheese on top

1. In stockpot, heat butter and saute onion and garlic until tender, 6-8 minutes. Stir in broccoli, carrot, stock, cream, and seasonings; bring to a boil then simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender (10 minutes).

2. Mix cornstarch and additional stock; stir into soup. Bring to a boil, stirring until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Remove bay leaves and stir in cheese.

Hot pockets

Crust

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 c butter, softened

2 c flour (all purpose with some whole wheat pastry flour)

1/4 t salt

Filling

olive oil (or some of the grease from bacon)

1 lb bacon

1 bell pepper, diced and 2 c. fresh spinach, lightly packed (or other veggies, try beef and broccoli?)

6 eggs

1/2 c. shredded cheese

1/2 t. salt (maybe less if using bacon)

1 t. pepper

1 t. paprika

1 t. garlic powder

Egg wash

1 egg

1/4 c milk

1. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth (butter needs to be very soft or it will be difficult to mix). Add flour and salt gradually to butter mixture, until smooth. Divide dough in half and shape each half into a ball, then flatten into discs. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

2. Cook bacon in a pan on medium and set aside (crumble the bacon when cool). Cook vegetables in oil or grease on medium, until tender. 

3. Beat eggs and remaining filling ingredients. Add egg mixture to hot skillet, stirring occasionally until cooked and incorporated. Set aside to cool. 

4. Roll out pie crust to 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface and cut our 4 inch circles with a cookie cutter, bowl, or glass. This should make 12-16 circles. You can also just cut the dough into 8 rectangles and fold it over itself, like a calzone (this takes less time, but not as pretty as a circle and might be harder to freeze and store without them breaking apart). If the circle is too small however, it's hard to get enough filling inside and there's too much crust to filling. 

5. Set pie dough on parchment lined baking sheet and spoon 1/4 c mixture into center, leave 1/2 inch of dough around the edges. Brush the edges with egg wash and top with another round of pie dough. Crimp edges with a fork to seal. Poke holes in top and brush egg wash on top. 

6. Bake at 425 degrees for 11-14 minutes or until golden brown. 

7. Store in fridge for up to 4 days or freezer for 3-6 months. Reheat in microwave or in oven at 350 for 10 minutes. 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups flour (try 1/4 c whole wheat pastry flour, 1 c was too much, not good texture)
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (or try cardamom or allspice)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 t. baking soda (was originally 1.5 t but metallic taste)

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, cooled slightly (try canola oil)
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree (or entire 15-oz. can)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup (try half of this brown sugar, don't do less sugar; 1/2 c was not near enough) sugar

1 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I like dark choc chips)
1 cup chopped nuts (optional, I like walnuts usually)
1 c oats (optional, I sometimes just add some at the end for a portion of the recipe, it might be better like a topping, on top as the texture gets pretty dense if it's mixed in)

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease pans (it made about 2 dozen muffins). 

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, (flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder). 

3. In a larger bowl, mix together the liquid ingredients, (melted butter, eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla). Add the sugar to the wet ingredients and combine evenly. 

4. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined; do not over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips (and nuts, if using). Spoon the batter into the prepared pans.

5. Bake for 20 minutes or until the muffin springs back from a finger touch, or until a toothpick returns cleanly. Cool in the pan for 3-4 minutes before removing from the pan, then remove and place on cooling rack.

Compare: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chocolate-chip-pumpkin-bread/