Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

5 pounds Russet Potatoes (peeled)

1 package (8 Ounce) Cream Cheese, Softened

1 stick Butter, Softened

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt (I used Nature's Seasoning)

Salt And Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cut the potatoes into quarters and cover with water in a large pot. Boil until potatoes are fork tender, about 25-30 minutes. Drain the potatoes, then put them back into the same pot. With the heat on low, cook the potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes to release as much steam as possible.
Remove potatoes to Kitchenaid, add cream cheese, butter, cream, seasoned salt, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Serve potatoes immediately or spread them into a buttered baking dish to be reheated later. To reheat, put them in a 375 degree oven, covered in foil, until hot.

Shrimp and Grits with Bacon

Shrimp and Grits
Ingredients

2 bacon slices
1 lb. unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tsp. canola oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
 1 cup low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
 1/4 tsp. hot sauce
Cheese Grits (recipe below)

See More: Rise-and-Shine Breakfast Recipes
Preparation
1. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat 10 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tsp. drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon.
2. Peel shrimp; devein, if desired. Sprinkle shrimp with pepper and salt; dredge in flour.

 3. Sauté mushrooms in hot drippings with oil in skillet 5 minutes or until tender. Add green onions; sauté 2 minutes.
4.  Add shrimp and garlic, and sauté 2 minutes or until shrimp are lightly browned.

5. Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and hot sauce, and cook 2 more minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet. Spoon shrimp mixture over hot Cheese Grits; sprinkle with crumbled bacon.


Cheese Grits
Ingredients

1 (14-oz.) can low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
1 cup fat-free milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
 3/4 cup (3 oz.) shredded 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper

Preparation

1. Bring first 3 ingredients and 1 1/3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir in Cheddar cheese and next 3 ingredients.

*Courtesy of:  http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/shrimp-38-grits-bacon-142600089.html

Banana Almond Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 ice cubes

Preparation

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth.


*Courtesy of:  http://www.health.com/health/recipe/0,,50400000126010,00.html

Olive Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Ingredients

• 1 cup diced seeded plum tomato
• 1/4 cup chopped pitted olives
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 16 (1/4-inch-thick) slices French bread baguette (about 4 ounces)
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/4 cup mild goat cheese, at room temperature

 

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside.
3. Arrange bread on a baking sheet; bake at 400° for 8 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove toast slices from oven, and cool 2 minutes.
4. Rub both sides of each toast slice with garlic clove. Spread goat cheese thinly on 1 side of each toast, and top with the olive mixture.

 

 

 

*Courtesy of:  http://www.health.com/health/recipe/0,,10000001188058,00.html

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan and Pine Nuts

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup Parmesan shavings
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; add Brussels sprouts, salt, and pepper. Cook until sprouts are tender and golden (about 6 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat; add vinegar. Toss well. Transfer the sprouts to a serving bowl; top with Parmesan and pine nuts.


*Courtesy of:  http://www.health.com/health/recipe/0,,50400000107647,00.html

Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake

1 - 18 0z spice cake mix + (oil, water and eggs according to box directions)
1 - cup sweetened condensed milk
1 - cup Marzetti Old Fashioned Caramel Dip, Light or Fat Free Caramel Dip
1/2 cup pumpkin puree 

Whipped Frosting:
1 - 3.4 oz package jell-o pumpkin spice instant pudding mix
1 - cup milk
1/4 - cup confectioners sugar
1 - 8 oz tub whipped topping (cool whip)

Garnish: 
10 -15 gingersnap cookies or 1 cup graham crackers, coarsely crushed
additional caramel dip

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare cake according to package directions for a 9x13 cake. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the cake is still warm poke holes 1 - inch apart all over the cake using a wooden spoon handle or a straw. If a lot of cake comes out on the handle, wipe with a paper towel and continue poking the holes. You want the holes all over the cake.

In a medium bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and the caramel dip. Pour the caramel mixture over the cake, making sure to fill the holes. It's OK if the mixture puddles on the sides. 

Place cake in refrigerator and let cool for one hour. Once cake is cooled, spread the whipped topping frosting evenly over the top of the cake. 

To make the frosting in a large bowl add the dry pudding mix, confectioners sugar and milk. Using an electric mixer blend until the mixture starts to thicken. Fold in the whipped topping.

Sprinkle frosted cake with crushed ginger snaps or graham cracker crumbs. Garnish with additional caramel topping. Serve cold and refrigerate any leftovers.

Cook's Note: To make the caramel dip easier to drizzle first, place the caramel dip in a microwave safe dish and heat on the defrost setting for 20 - 30 seconds. Using a spoon drizzle caramel on frosted cake. 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree can also be added to the cake batter before baking, but that's optional.


*Courtesy of:  http://www.mommyskitchen.net/2013/11/easy-pumpkin-caramel-poke-cake.html

Honey Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, plus more to swirl on top
• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup hot water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat oil and honey together. Add eggs and beat well.
3. Stir in bananas and vanilla, then stir in the salt and cinnamon. Lastly, stir in the flour, just until combined.
4. Add baking soda to hot water, stir to mix, and then mix briefly into batter until it is evenly distributed. Spread batter into the greased loaf pan.
5. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Be sure to check that the bread is done baking by inserting a toothpick in the top. It should come out clean. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 5 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

 

 

*Adapted from:  http://cookieandkate.com/2011/honey-whole-wheat-banana-bread/

Fall Fruit Salad

2 medium apples
1 medium firm, ripe pear
2 Fuyu persimmons (I found these at the Asian market in the Strip)
1 large orange (I used mandarin oranges and orange/mango/peach juice because oranges weren't in season)
1/2 cup pomegranante seeds
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
3 whole cloves
1 star anise
Pinch of salt
Core the apples and pears, and cut the tops off the persimmons, and cut into 3/4-inch chunks. Place in a large serving bowl. Using a sharp knife, remove the peel and the pith from both the orange and the grapefruit. Holding the peeled fruit over a small saucepan so that any juice drips into the pan, cut the sections from both the orange and grapefruit by slicing between the thin white lines of membrane, leaving the membrane and any other pith behind. Place the sections into the bowl and squeeze the juice from the remaining membrane of both the orange and grapefruit into the saucepan (there should be a fair amount of juice).
Add to the saucepan the brown sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, star anise and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove the pan from the heat. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into the syrup; discard the pod. Pour the syrup into a small metal pan and place it in the freezer to cool it quickly. Strain over the fruit. Discard any solids in the strainer.
Add the pomegranate seeds and toss to blend well. Cover and chill before serving, about 1 hour.

*Courtesy of:  http://shaunasever.com/2011/11/sweet-spicy-fall-fruit-salad.html