Smoked Almonds

 I love that this is a healthier snack and so good.  Super easy to make.  I double this recipe most times.

SMOKED ALMONDS

(makes 2 cups)

Ingredients:

*2 cups almonds

*3 tablespoons butter, melted

*1 teaspoon garlic powder

*1 tablespoon salt

*1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 

*mesquite or applewood chips (or your favorite)

Directions:

~Heat smoker up to 250 degrees.

~Fill with your choice of wood chips.

~Whisk spices into melted butter until spices are dissolved. 

~Place almonds into large bowl and pour butter mixture.

~Stir until well coated.

~Place some parchment paper onto a cookie sheet.

~Pour coated almonds onto the parchment paper and spread into a single layer.

~Place on top rack.

~Smoke for 2 hours

~Remove from smoker and allow to sit for a couple hours before eating (over night is best).

Bacon Mashed Potato Cakes

You can use leftover mashed potatoes for this.  About 4 cups of mashed potatoes.  If you are using leftover  potatoes, just add the spices, cheese, and bacon and follow the directions starting with "divide the potatoes into 8 equal parts".

BACON MASHED POTATO CAKES

(makes 8)

Ingredients:

*1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

* 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes 

*1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

*1 large egg yolk

*2 tablespoons butter

*1/4 cup milk

* 2 teaspoons dried chives

*1 teaspoon salt

*1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

*1/2-2/3 cup all-purpose flour 

*1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil

*1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

~Boil potatoes until fork tender.

~Drain liquid and allow potatoes to sit for about 4-5 minutes.

~Place hot potatoes into a large bowl.

~Add Parmesan Cheese, egg yolk, butter, milk, dried chives, salt & pepper and mash until smooth.

~Fold in bacon.

~Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

~Remove mashed potatoes from refrigerator and stir in flour (start with 1/4 cup, add more if it's hard to form a Pattie with the mashes potatoes).

~Divide the potatoes into 8 equal parts.

~Set aside onto a plate.

~In a large skillet, over medium heat, heat up olive oil and butter, stirring until butter is melted.

~Place patties into hot skillet (don't over crowd) and fry until golden brown (about 5-7 minutes).

~Flip and fry the other side until golden brown (about 4-5 minutes).

~Serve, with a dollop of sour cream.

Palomino Sauce

 I love this sauce.  I normally put it over penne pasta and have grilled chicken with it.

PALOMINO SAUCE

Ingredients:

*1/2 cup butter

*1 large yellow onion, chopped

*4 cloves garlic, minced

*1 (28 ounce) can tomato puree

*1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce

*28 ounce water

*1/4 cup red wine, sherry, or chicken stock

*1/4 cup heavy cream

*1 (8 ounce) cantainer mascarpone cheese (1 cup),  room temperature

*1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped  (or 1 tablespoon dried basil)

*1 teaspoon salt

*1 teaspoon ground black pepper

*1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon sugar (to taste)

Directions:

~In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat.

~Add onions & garlic and sauté until onions are soft (8-10 minutes), stirring often.

~Add the basis leafs and cook for another 1-2 minutes. 

~Add tomato sauce, tomato puree, water and wine/sherry/chicken stock.

~Reduce heat and simmer for 40-50 minutes.

~Add heavy cream, salt, pepper, and sugar, stirring until well incorporated.

~Whisk in mascarpone cheese until cheese has melted.

~Simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring often.

~Carefully add mixture to a blender and blend until smooth (you can use an immersion blender).

~Serve over pasta of your choice.

Dill Pickle Ranch Dressing

 If you like dill pickles and if you like ranch dressing, you are going to love this.

DILL PICKLE RANCH DRESSING:

(makes 1 pint)

Ingredients:

*1 cup mayonnaise 

*1/4 cup sour cream

*1/4 cup buttermilk

*3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced (1 tablespoon dried)

*2 teaspoons fresh dill weed (1/2 teaspoon dried)

*1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

*1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

*1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

*1/4 teaspoon onion powder

*1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

*1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped small (1/4 teaspoons dried chives)

*4 ounces dill pickles, chopped fine

*1/4 cup  dill pickle juice

Directions:

~Place all the ingredients, except pickles into a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.

~If it's to thick, add a little more pickle juice

~Fold in chopped dill pickles

~Add salt to taste if needed (remember that he pickles and pickle juice have salt in them).

~Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (It's even better if you wait for 4 hours).

Cheesy Potato Stacks

 Yummy!   It's good with or without the cheese.  

CHEESY POTATO STACKS

(serves 6)

Ingredients:

*4-5 potatoes medium-large, peeled and sliced thin (about 1/16 inch thick) I use the thinest setting on my mandolin

*4 tablespoons butter,

*1 teaspoon garlic powder

*1/2 teaspoon onion powder

*1 teaspoon salt

*1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

*3 springs of fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)

*2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

~Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

~rinse sliced potatoes in cold water & then dry on a towel for a little bit (optional).

~Lightly butter a muffin pan.

~In a small saucepan, melt butter.

~Once butter is melted, whisk in garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and rosemary.

~Remove from heat and set aside.

~Place potatoes into a large bowl, or baking dish, separating them from each other.

~Pour the melted butter mixture over potatoes.

~Sprinkle parmesan cheese over them.

~ Mix until all pieces are well coated.

~Layer the potato slices into stacks and place into the prepared muffin cups.

~Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the centers are tender.

~Remove from oven and allow to set for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Dutchess Potatoes

 I like to make these, because they can be made ahead of time (even the day before) up to the step just before baking them.

DUTCHESS POTATOES

(serves 6)

Ingredients:

*3 pounds potatoes (I use russet), peeled and quartered 

*3 tablespoons cold butter

*1 teaspoon salt

*1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

*1/8 teaspoon (or less) ground nutmeg

*1/3 cup heavy cream

*3 large egg yolks

*2 tablespoon butter, melted

*1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Directions:

~In a large pot, add potatoes.

~Cover with cold water by around  4 inches.

~Bring to a boil over high heat.

~Reduce heat once it's boiling to medium-low.

~Bake until fork tender, around 30-40 minutes.

~Drain into a strainer and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, to dry out some.

~Place potatoes into a large bowl and mash until smooth.

~Add butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg, and mash until butte is melted.

~Add cream and egg yolks and whisk until mixture in completely smooth (no lumps).

~Cover and allow potatoes to cool to room temperature.

~Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and place a piece of parchment paper on it (this helps so the parchment paper doesn't move).

~Put mashed potatoes into a piping bag with a large star tip.

~Pipe 12 equal portions onto parchment paper (If you don't have a piping bag, then just use a measuring cup and scoop them onto the parchment paper).

~Cover lightly with plastic wrap and chill potatoes in the refrigerator for about 1/2 hour (you can do this longer if you want).

~Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

~Remove potatoes from refrigerator, and very lightly brush melted butter over each potato.

~Sprinkle parmesan cheese evenly over potatoes (optional).

~Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Cheese Stuffed Manicotti

I make my own spaghetti sauce, but you can you your favorite.  

CHEESE STUFFED MANICOTTI

(serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

*12 manicotti shells, uncooked

*12 mozzarella string cheese sticks

*1 pound ground beef

*1 small yellow onion, chopped

*4 garlic cloves, minced

*1 teaspoon salt

*1 teaspoon ground black pepper

*1 1/2 tablespoons parsley flakes

*1 teaspoon dried oregano

*1 teaspoon dried basil

*1 (24 ounce) jar of spaghetti sauce (or make your own)

*1 1/2 cups chicken stock

*1 (8 ounce) container cottage cheese or ricotta cheese

*2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

*1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

~In a large skillet, add ground beef and cook until almost done,  breaking up as it cooks.

~Add onions, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley flakes, basil, and oregano, cooking until ground beef is done and onions are translucent.

~Add spaghetti sauce and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

~Add a thin layer of spaghetti sauce over the bottom of baking dish.

~Add a stick of mozzarella cheese into each manicotti noodle.

~Layer stuffed noodles to baking dish.

~Spread a layer of cottage cheese or ricotta cheese over the noodles (I just put little dollops all over it).

~Pour chicken stock over all of it.

~Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

~Wrap aluminum foil over top of baking dish.

~Bake for 40-45 minutes.

~Remove foil and bake for another 10.

~Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Candied Walnuts

 Super easy to make.   Great for any party.

CANDIED WALNUTS

Ingredients:

*1 (16 ounce) bag walnuts

*1 cup granulated sugar

*2-3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

*1 teaspoon sea salt (optional)

*1 large egg white

*1 tablespoon vanilla (maple extract is also very good)

Directions:

~Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

~Spray cooking spray onto a cookie sheet.

~In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg white and vanilla extract just until mixed.

~In another large mixing bowl, stir sugar, cinnamon, and salt together.

~Add walnuts to egg mixture and stir until well coated.

~Dump walnuts into cinnamon sugar mixture.

~Stir until well coated.

~Dump walnuts onto prepared cookie sheet and spread into a single layer.

~Cook for 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

~Remove from oven and cool before eating.

Whipped Honey (Creamy Honey)

 I love honey butter, but it's not all that healthy.    This is a great alternative.   It gives the texture of honey butter.  I love it on toast, bagels, English muffins or a dab in oatmeal.   Even though the recipe calls for one pint, you can make this with whatever amount you want to.  You can even use crystallized honey.  I just warm it up, stir it to get rid as much of the crystals as I can.  Let it cool a little bit and then make it.

WHIPPED HONEY (CREAMY)

(makes 1 pint)

Ingredients:

*1 pint honey (or any amount you want)

Directions:

*Pour honey into mixing bowl.

*If you have a whisk attachment use that.

*Turn mixer on high.

*Whip for 10-15 minutes (honey will become white).

*Pour into a glass jar.

Pink Dressing

Good on any salad, but really good on a Greek Salad.  The first five ingredients are to make olive oil mayo.  To make it quicker,  you could just put in store bought olive oil mayo.  About 1 cup.

PINK DRESSING

Ingredients:

*1 large egg white

*1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

*1/4 teaspoon salt

*1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

*1/2 cup olive oil 

*1/2 cup beet juice (or you can use 2 cups raspberries)

*1/4 cup olive oil

*1/2 cup milk

*1 teaspoon granulated sugar

*1 clove garlic, minced

*1 teaspoon dried oregano 

*1/2 teaspoon salt

*1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

*1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)

*1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

Directions:

~In a medium bowl, whisk (I use an immersion blender or a food processor) egg white, dijon mustard, salt, and lemon juice until well blended.

~Slowly drizzle the olive oil (about 1/4 cup of it).

~Pour in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil a little quicker (but don't dump it in), until mixture is smooth and creamy

~Add in beet juice, 1/4 olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, oregano, dill, salt, pepper, and milk.

~Add remaining ingredients and blend until well blended.