Confessions of a Foodie

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Friday, October 13, 2017

Friday Recipes

It's Friday, it's autumn...sounds like a great time for cooking. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the weekend, including Comfort Meatballs and Cranberry-Almond Oatmeal. Enjoy!

SLOW COOKER BAKED ZITI

This is from Ashley Fehr, “a high school teacher turned food blogger” in Canada. Her food blog, The Recipe Rebel is really nice. Check it out!

This recipe begins, “This Slow Cooker Baked Ziti is actually made completely in the crockpot -- even the pasta! It is so much easier than the traditional version but packs all of the same flavor!”

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 4 hours; Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes.

To view this online (and to read Ashley’s notes on the recipe), click here.

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef, turkey or Italian sausage

1 onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes

1 650ml (around 22 ounces) jar pasta sauce (about 2 1/2 cups)

2 1/2 cups water or chicken broth

1 375g (about 13-14 ounces) box Penne or Ziti (or other short) pasta (about 4 cups)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion until browned. Stir in garlic and salt and cook 1 minute.

Add beef mixture, basil, parsley, tomatoes, pasta sauce and water to a 4qt (or larger) slow cooker. Stir.

Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

Add pasta and stir until combined. Cover and continue cooking for 20-45 minutes (depending on how hot your slow cooker is) -- check and stir at the 20 minute mark.

Sprinkle with cheese and cover for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.

CRANBERRY PIE

This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.




My dad sent this recipe in a letter dated “18 No 79”. He wrote, “Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it.”

2 T cornstarch

1 C sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 C hot water

1 C raisins

1 T butter

2 C cranberries

Pie crust

Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want, whether double crust or simply a bottom crust.)

VARIATION

2 Tbls cornstarch

3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 C hot water

1 C raisins

1 T margarine

1 1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)

Pie crust

Make as above.

VEGAN PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BROWNIES

This is from Alissa Saenz at Connoisseurus Veg, and starts off, “Fudgy chocolate chip-studded vegan brownies are topped with a layer of luscious cashew cheesecake to make this decadent and totally vegan fall dessert.”

Servings: 16; Calories 254 kcal; Author Alissa Saenz

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Brownie Layer

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup organic granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer

1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours and drained

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons powdered ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° and lightly oil a 9 x 9 inch baking pan.

To make the brownie layer, stir the coconut oil, pumpkin puree, vanilla and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir just until fully blended. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and bake just until set in the center, 18-20 minutes.

While the brownie layer bakes, place all ingredients for the cheesecake layer except for the chocolate chips into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an S-blade. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Remove the blade or transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the chocolate chips.

When the brownie layer is set, remove the pan from the oven and spread the cheesecake mixture over top. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cheesecake layer is set, 22-24 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Cut into 16 squares and serve.

CRANBERRY-ALMOND OATMEAL

This was in a Weight Watchers' email several years ago. The recipe begins, “Tangy cranberries and toasted almonds add a unique flair to our simply prepared, homemade oatmeal. Not a cranberry fan? Consider using dried cherries instead.”

POINTS® Value: 4; Servings: 4; Preparation Time: 6 min; Cooking Time: 8 min; Level of Difficulty; Easy

Ingredients

2 Tbsp slivered almonds

4 cup water

2 cup uncooked old fashioned oats

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

Place almonds in a medium saucepan and set pan over medium-high heat. Cook, shaking the pan frequently, until the almonds are golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes.

Yields about 1 cup per serving.

ONE PAN LEMON CHICKEN WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS

This is from Chungah Rhee on her site, Damn Delicious. Chungah wrote, “An easy peasy one pan meal! And the chicken breasts come out so tender and flavorful!”

Yield: 4 servings; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

Zest of 1 lemon

Zest of 1 orange

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut in 1-inch chunks

1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, halved

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, butter, honey, brown sugar, Dijon, garlic, oregano, basil, lemon zest and orange zest; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

Place butternut squash and brussels sprouts in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Top with chicken in a single layer and brush each chicken breast with honey mixture.

Place into oven and roast until the chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 25-30 minutes. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until caramelized and slightly charred.

Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

COMFORT MEATBALLS

This is from Ree Drummond of The Food Network’s The Pioneer Woman.

Total: 2 hr; Prep: 15 min; Inactive: 45 min; Cook: 1 hr; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/comfort-meatballs-recipe-2042533

Ingredients

Meatballs:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

3/4 cup quick oats

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons very finely minced onion

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Plenty of ground black pepper

4 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Sauce:

1 cup ketchup

4 to 6 tablespoons minced onion

3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Dash of hot sauce, such as Tabasco

Directions

For the meatballs: In bowl, combine the ground beef and oats. Pour in the milk, and then add the onions, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Roll the mixture into tablespoon-size balls and refrigerate them for 30 to 45 minutes to firm.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dredge the meatballs in the flour, and then brown the meatballs in batches until light brown. As they brown, place them into a rectangular baking dish.

For the sauce: Stir together the ketchup, onions, vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Drizzle the sauce evenly on the meatballs.

Bake until bubbly and hot, about 45 minutes.

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