Butternut-Squash Crumble

D made this. I have no clue if he liked it because all he did was bitch about what it looked like. I liked it. I think my brother liked it. D didn't think it looked like the picture on Martha Stewart. Just typing that makes me laugh. Also he put it in a dutch oven and there was no way in such a deep pan it would look like anything resembling a Martha Stewart picture.

Regardless, I would have it again. It was sweet from the squash and savory from the crust.

Butternut-Squash Crumble

Squash in the Red Pot
Photo by ALB

You can make this recipe through step two up to one day in advance; cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The crumb topping can also be made one day ahead; store it separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Servings:8
From Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, plus more for dish
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 small butternut squash (about 4 pounds total), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1 teaspoon table salt
2 large egg yolks
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Directions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a 10-inch round gratin dish; set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the squash, and season with coarse salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to prepared dish. Repeat with another tablespoon oil and remaining squash, and transfer to prepared dish. Set aside.

Step 2: Reduce heat to medium; add remaining tablespoon oil and the shallots to skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the shallots to baking dish along with parsley and stock; stir well to combine. Cover dish tightly with foil, and bake, stirring occasionally, until squash is just tender, about 30 minutes.

Step 3: Meanwhile, place flour, sugar, thyme, and table salt in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together the yolks and 3 tablespoons ice water in a small bowl; add to flour mixture. Pulse until the mixture just comes together. If crumble is too dry, add remaining tablespoon ice water.

Step 4: Remove the squash from oven, and remove foil. Arrange the crumble on top. Return to oven, and bake until the topping is golden brown and the squash is very tender, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole Recipe

This recipe needs a little help.  It is good, but it needs some more flavor.  D and I had it with the Guinness Chicken, and it had a good consistency, just not a lot of taste.  I think it needs some more salt, maybe some garlic (D put garlic powder on his leftovers), and some more pepper.  Or maybe our seasoning was too old/stale.

Still I liked it enough (I love Broccoli and Cauliflower) that I would play with the recipe.

Suggestions:
Flavored Bread Crumbs
Add fresh garlic to the onion mixture
Use a better Parm Cheese
Add more Italian Seasoning, pepper and Garlic Salt
Add some salt

Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole Recipe

Photo by ALB

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Serves: 10

This creamy casserole can be made a day ahead, refrigerated and then baked just before dinner. Using frozen vegetables makes this dish a cinch.

Ingredients
1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Perfect Pinch® Italian Seasoning , divided
1 package (16 ounces) frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1 package (16 ounces) frozen cauliflower florets, thawed
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Salt
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper, Coarse Ground
1 1/4 cups milk
4 ounces (1/2 package) cream cheese, cubed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons melted butter and 1/2 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning in small bowl. Set aside. Cut up any large broccoli or cauliflower florets into bite-size pieces.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour, remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, garlic salt and pepper. Add milk; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; cook and stir until cream cheese is melted. Add vegetables; toss gently to coat. Spoon into 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle top evenly with crumb mixture.

3. Bake 40 minutes or until heated through and top is lightly browned.

Nutritional information
Total Calories: 179; Sodium: 432mg; Fat: 11g; Carbohydrates: 13g; Cholesterol: 31mg; Protein: 7g; Fiber: 3g

Make Ahead: Unbaked casserole may be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bake as directed.

Recipe by McCormick

Oven-Roasted Guinness Chicken

So I forgot to get a picture of this coming out of the oven. Oh well.  It was pretty good, but a little too heavy on the salt.  And forget about making a gravy, unless you are one of those people what can eat salt straight from the can.  Still the chicken was good. 

I would have again.

Oven-Roasted Guinness Chicken

From Cherylstyle.com

6-8 servings

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced

Photo by ALB

3 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp salt, divided
10 oz Guinness beer
5 lb whole chicken
2 rosemary sprigs
twine

Preparation
1. combine garlic, rosemary, parsley, soy sauce, pepper and 1½ tsp of salt in mixing bowl

2. stir in Guinness and set aside

3. rub remaining salt in cavity of chicken

4. slide 2 rosemary sprigs under the skin above the breast

5. tie chicken legs together with twine

6. place chicken in medium roasting pan, breast side up

7. pour marinade over chicken and cover with foil

8. refrigerate overnight, rotating if possible

9. preheat oven to 350 degrees

10. bake chicken covered 1 hour, then remove foil and baste

11. continue baking for an addition 30 to 60 minutes or until temperature reaches 165 degrees (test temperature in meatiest part of the leg, avoiding the bone)

Santa Fe Chicken Dip Recipe

I really need to get off Pinterest.  Another recipe found there, originally from Diddles and Dumplings.  At least I make things only for holidays (or weekends, or football games, or...)

Anyway, I can't remember if my brother or I found this recipe.  But it just sat there, pinned in my untried section. I'm not sure why.  Being as we are having 2 Christmases, D and I decided to make this for lunch for our Christmas.  It was really good.  Especially because we may have indulged in too many beverages the night before so this was REALLY good.

I would definitely have again.

Santa Fe Chicken Dip Recipe

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts (shredded)
1 (10 ounce) can of Ro*tel Original
1 cup mayonnaise (used Helman's Light)
1 large chipotle pepper (packed in adobo)
2 (8 ounce) blocks of cream cheese
1 (15 ounce) can of black beans
3/4 cup sweet corn
8 ounces Cabot Vermont Sharp Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a food processor (or blender) combine chipotle pepper and mayonnaise. Set aside.

In a large pan over medium heat, place shredded chicken. Add Ro*tel and cook for a minute. Place cream cheese in pan and melt completely. Add chipotle mayonnaise, stir and combine. Turn off heat. Stir in black beans, corn and cheese. Pour into a large baking dish.

Bake, uncovered for 15-16 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Recipe yields about 6 cups.

Berry Cream Cheese Monkey Bread

So I thought this would be different than it was.  D and I decided to make it because sugar, cream cheese and berries?  A cheesecake filling on bread?  Wow!

Except it is not.  It was rather tart (which was fine) and liquidy (don't use more fruit than called for).  So making it was a complete mess.  D and I made it together which was good because I think both of us would have lost our minds other wise with a purple ooze that was all over the kitchen.  Still the result tasted good.  Just not cream cheese-y.

Not sure if we will have again.

Berry Cream Cheese Monkey Bread

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
2 (11 ounce) packages Pillsbury Thin Crust Pizza Dough
1/2 cup strawberries (used raspberries)
1/2 cup blueberries (used black berries)
3 tablespoons sugar (you need a lot more sugar)
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, room temperature

Helpful Tip: Don't have fresh berries? Skip the sugar in the filling and swap in ¾ cup of fresh jam instead.

Preparations
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spray an 11-inch spring-form pan with cooking spray and set aside.

3.  Place all berries, cream cheese, and 1 tablespoon of sugar (a lot more) into the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth (about 1 - 2 minutes).

4. Lightly flour a surface, and roll out both pieces of Pillsbury Thin Crust Pizza Dough, side by side.

5. Spread both dough pieces evenly with the cream cheese mixture, leaving a 2-inch border of dough around the cream cheese.

6 Roll up both dough sections into a log -- jelly-roll style.

7. Trim off the ends of each roll to make them neat, and then, Cut each roll into 15 1-inch pieces.  (Neat...hahaha...we had a lot of unused dough which is more a thing of Pillsbury, not the recipe...that dough is a bitch to get out of the tube).

8. Place each piece of dough into prepared round or bundt pan (didn't step 2 say Springform pan...that's what we used), placing them side-by-side in concentric circles until entire pan is filled.

9. Sprinkle dough with remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and bake for 35 minutes or until bread is lightly golden.

10. Serve immediately.

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup

So D and I got back from Los Cabos this week (well he got back last Thursday and I got back Saturday...one day we'll have compatible work schedules).  Being that I spent a week eating Mexican food, I thought we should have Tortilla Soup for Christmas Eve Dinner (or chili).  D thought so too.  But then I saw I had pinned this to my Pinterest page.  I showed him and he said ok. It is from the Blog, I wash You dry.

It is supposedly a take on Chili's Enchilada Soup.  I think I went to Chili's in 2004.  So I couldn't tell you, since I can barely remember what happened yesterday.

It's very delicious.  A tinge of heat but nothing to make you get up and get a glass of milk.  I would have again.

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup

Photo by ALB

Yield: makes 12 1-Cup Servings
Recipe slightly adapted from Just a Pinch

Ingredients
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups onion, diced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup Masa Harina (found in the Mexican isle of your grocery store)-- Used Corn Meal
8 cups chicken broth
1 cup of canned crushed tomatoes
1 (15oz) can RED enchilada sauce (used 19oz can)
8oz Velveeta cheese, cubed (used 2% Velveeta)
3 cups chicken, shredded (I buy a rotisserie chicken from the deli and pull the chicken off the bones)

Toppings
Tortilla strips (we used Tostitos because we had them for another recipe)
Sour cream

Instructions
Heat a LARGE (12 quart preferably) pot over medium high heat and add the vegetable oil. Once hot, add the onions and spices and saute until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

In a separate bowl combine the Masa harina with 4 cups of chicken broth and whisk until combined. Pour mixture into the large pot, and stir constantly, cooking, for 2-3 minutes. Mixture will become thick.

Pour in the remaining chicken broth, enchilada sauce and crushed tomatoes, stir and bring to a boil.

Add the cubed Velveeta cheese, and stir until melted. Stir in the shredded chicken.

Serve topped with sour cream and tortilla strips. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
(from My Fitness Pal, excluding Sour Cream and Tortilla Strips)
Calories: 219; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 40 mg; Sodium: 866 mg; Potassium: 187 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 19 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 4 g; Protein: 16 g