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It is sooooo easy to roast garlic, and so worth the minimal effort. I have only ever used roasted garlic for mashed potatoes, but I'm sure there are many other uses I have yet to try (pasta sauces, pizza topping, garlic bread...). There are 4 simple steps to roasting garlic--try it! The smell alone will make your mouth water.
Roasted Garlic
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1. Cut about 1/2 inch (maybe a little more) off the pointy side of the garlic to expose the garlic inside.
2. Put on aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
3. Wrap the aluminum foil up and twist the top closed.
4. Bake at 350 for about 30-45 minutes. The garlic should be soft. To remove the roasted garlic, simply squeeze it and they pop right out. Let the garlic cool before handling it!!! (I have burned myself many times because I couldn't wait that long)
The oven temperature and time it takes to roast can be tweaked around a little bit. I usually throw in the garlic when I'm already cooking something else. If my oven is hotter than 350, I just roast the garlic for a shorter time, and if the oven is cooler than 350, I may leave the garlic in a little longer...you get the idea!
To use in mashed potatoes, I just mash up the roasted garlic with a fork and then beat it right in with the potatoes. Roasted garlic has a much milder and sweeter flavor than regular garlic. I use the ENTIRE bulb for about 2 1/2 pounds of potatoes.
There is nothing gourmet about this recipe, but it is so good in its simpleness. It is hands down Reagan's favorite dessert. She is always asking me to make this. I got the recipe from my mother-in-law, but tweaked it just a tiny bit.
Lemon Pudding Dessert
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crust:
2 c. graham cracker crumbs (2 pkg. minus 1 sheet)
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. sugar
Mix well and press into bottom of 9x13 pan.
filling:
12 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 c. powdered sugar
9 oz. Cool Whip
Blend together cream cheese and powdered sugar, fold in Cool Whip.
top:
2 sm. pkg. INSTANT lemon pudding, mixed according to package directions, following the pie instructions!
Spread over cream cheese layer. Chill several hours.
I have made these caramels at Christmas time for the last couple of years. They are sooooooooo good. My daughter is giving them to her friends for gifts this year. Enjoy!
Caramels
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1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 can Eagle sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup light Karo syrup
In heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients and stir constantly until soft ball is formed when tested in water*. Pour into buttered 9x13 pan, without scraping the bottom and sides of pan, and store in fridge until ready to use. Cut in squares and wrap in waxed paper.
note: if using a candy thermometer, a soft ball is reached at 234-238 degrees. The first time I made these, I used a thermometer, but I guess it wasn't calibrated correctly because by the time I reached the right temperature, they were hard as a rock when they cooled off! I prefer the water method myself. I have found the caramels are usually done about 10 minutes after the mixture starts to bubble.
*In using the cold water test, use a fresh cupful of cold water for each test. When testing, pour about 1/2 teaspoon of caramel into the cold water. Pick the candy up in the fingers and roll into a ball if possible. For the "soft ball" stage, the candy will roll into a soft ball which quickly loses its shape when removed from the water.
Have you ever tried making cranberry sauce instead of serving it from a can? I tried it for the first time last year, and I couldn't believe the difference! I also couldn't believe how easy it was! How come it took me so long to figure this out? Here's the recipe that I found from America's Test Kitchen. It is a little different from the recipe on the back of the cranberry package. It has a bit less water to make it the ideal consistency, and it also has a touch of salt to bring out the flavor. I can't wait to have this with my Turkey!
Basic Cranberry Sauce
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3/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
12 oz. cranberries (picked through)
Bring water, sugar and salt to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cranberries and simmer until slightly thickened and two-thirds of berries have burst, about 10 minutes. Transfer to serving bowl and cool completely, at least 1 hour. Serve.
note: can be refrigerated for 1 week
This is my FAVORITE stuffing recipe. It is very simple and has no weird ingredients. The secret that makes this stuffing the best I've ever had is the sourdough bread and the FRESH herbs. I can't wait to make it for Thanksgiving this year! You must try this recipe if your food assignment is the stuffing, and I guarantee everyone will LOVE it!
Sourdough Bread Stuffing
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1 pound loaf sourdough bread
8 Tbsp. butter, divided
10 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper
2-4 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
10 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped from the stems
10-12 fresh sage leaves, chopped
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley leaves
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.
Cut or tear the bread into 1-inch cubes and spread it evenly on 2 baking sheets. Toast the bread in the oven until completely dry and beginning to crisp and brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and a few pinches of salt and saute, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Add celery, onion, 2 Tbsp. butter and thyme. Once the butter has melted, cook until the vegetables have softened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add sage and remaining 4 Tbsp. butter. Add chicken broth to skillet and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the chicken broth mixture over the bread cubes and toss to combine until the bread cubes absorb the liquid. Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish, and sprinkle with parsley. Bake until heated through and the top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Remove the stuffing from the oven and allow to cool about 15 minutes before serving.
I made these scones the other day for my family. Believe it or not, I have never made scones before--probably because I love them so much and I can't imagine how many calories are in them! We ate them with this honey butter--the BEST honey butter ever! So simple to make, and so dang delicious!
Honey Butter
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1 cup butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Whip together with an electric mixer. Serve at room temperature.
I'm so happy I came across this recipe--it is sooooo good. Hearty and healthy! Perfect for the season. I found it on this blog, which happens to be one of my favorite food blogs. I changed the recipe just a teeny tiny bit according to how I made it. Enjoy!
Southwestern Chicken Barley Chili
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1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained (I used petite diced)
1 (16 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup barley (not quick cooking)
4 cups water
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into bite-size pieces
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
In a large pot, combine diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, barley, water, chili powder, cumin, oregano and cayenne. Stir well and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and let simmer 45 minutes. Add chicken and simmer 30 minutes more. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Add corn and blackbeans and simmer until ready to serve (make sure barley is tender and chewy--I simmered for a couple of hours because that's how much time I had). If desired, garnish with green onions, cheese and sour cream (I use plain greek yogurt).
The chili will thicken considerably upon cooling. Add chicken broth or water as needed to achieve a desirable consistency.
