Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's offerings include a little of this, a little of that, and a lot of yum. Check out the Southwest Meatloaf, the Sweet Potato Casserole, or any of the other recipes in today's post. Enjoy!

PERFECT ROAST CHICKEN

This is from Ina Garten on the Food Network. Prep Time: 20 minutes; Inactive Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes; Makes 8 servings; Level: Intermediate

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs

1 lemon, halved

1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted

1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced

4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks

1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges

Olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

SOUTHWEST MEATLOAF

Recipe Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings

Source: TBC

Recipe and photo appears courtesy of Cattlemen's Beef Promotion Board.

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/southwest-meatloaf.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef (95% lean)

1 cup soft bread crumbs

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons salt

1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa

Directions

Heat oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients in large bowl except salsa, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Shape beef mixture into 10 x 4-inch loaf on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 160F.

Let stand 10 minutes. Top with salsa; cut into slices.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 280; Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Fiber: 1.8 g; Sodium: 313 mg; Cholesterol: 120 mg; Protein: 34 g; Carbohydrates: 12 g

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)

1/4 cup Packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple

1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Water

1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup Chopped pecans

Directions

Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 mins. Cover & let stand 5 minutes.

Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.

CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

This yummy soup is from Chungah, on her wonderful site, Damn Delicious. I've mentioned her site once or twice. But if you haven't visited it yet, I highly recommend it. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap...)

Okay, hopefully you checked it out. Now, this recipe begins, "So warm, so cozy, so soothing. A must for those busy cold weeknights, using up that leftover rotisserie chicken!"

Yield: 8 servings; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes

You can view this online at https://damndelicious.net/2022/04/29/creamy-chicken-noodle-soup/.

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 sweet onion, diced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 celery ribs, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup dry white wine

6 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 cups leftover shredded rotisserie chicken

2 cups wide egg noodles

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup frozen green peas

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.

Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in chicken stock and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes.

Stir in chicken and pasta and cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes.

Stir in heavy cream, peas and parsley until heated through, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve immediately.

COLORFUL TURKEY STUFFED PEPPERS

Yield: 4 servings

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=1321

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1321.shtml

Source: Jennie-O

Ingredients

2 bell peppers, preferably a mix of yellow, green or red

1/2 (16-ounce) package Jennie-O Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt, if desired

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (14-1/2-ounce) can low-sodium diced tomatoes or seasoned diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup cooked white or brown rice

3/4 cup shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese, divided

paprika, if desired

fresh parsley, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 375F.

Cut bell peppers lengthwise through stems keeping stem halves intact to hold stuffing. Discard seeds and veins.

Cook peppers in boiling salted water 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and immediately place peppers in ice water to stop cooking process. Drain peppers well and place cut side up in 8 x 8-inch baking dish.

Cook ground turkey as specified on the package. Always cook to well-done, 165F as measured by a meat thermometer.

Add onion, garlic, basil, salt, if desired, ground pepper, tomatoes, and rice; continue to cook 5 to 6 minutes or until heated through and most of the juices have reduced.

Remove meat mixture from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese.

Mound heaping 1/2 cup of mixture into each pepper half.

Bake 20 minutes or until filling is hot and peppers are tender.

Remove peppers from oven and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese on top of peppers. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley, if desired.

Always cook to an internal temperature of 165F. Learn how to safely handle turkey.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 160; Protein: 20 g; Fat: 2.5 g; Sodium: 210 mg; Cholesterol: 30 mg; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g

STUFFED PEPPERS

This is from Lidey Heuck in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. The recipe begins, "These classic stuffed peppers are as flexible as they are delicious: The filling combines lean ground beef with sautéed vegetables and cooked white rice (the perfect use for leftover takeout rice!), but ground turkey, chicken or pork can be substituted in its place. Topped with melty mozzarella, these peppers will feed a hungry crowd. For a speedy weeknight dinner, make the filling, stuff the peppers and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking."

Time: 1-1/4 hours; Makes 6 to 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021007-stuffed-peppers.

Ingredients

4 large red, orange or yellow bell peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely chopped fennel bulb (about 1/2 a small bulb) or celery

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (about 1 small)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

1 pound ground beef (at least 15 percent fat), turkey, chicken or pork

3/4 cup dry white wine, chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 (14-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

1 cup cooked white or brown rice

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for serving (optional)

1 cup shredded mozzarella, provolone or other semifirm cheese

Preparation

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and carefully remove core, seeds and ribs using a paring knife. Arrange the peppers, cut-sides up, in a 9-by-13-inch pan or other baking dish in which they fit snugly.

In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the fennel and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano and red-pepper flakes, and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, for 3 to 5 minutes, until no longer pink.

Add 1/2 cup wine, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the liquid in the pan is reduced by about half.

Add the tomatoes and their juices, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the rice, Parmesan and parsley, if using. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Divide the mixture among the peppers. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup wine into the bottom of the dish, wrap tightly with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a paring knife easily pierces the peppers. Remove the foil and spoon any juices that have accumulated in the bottom of the pan onto the peppers. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly onto the peppers and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the mozzarella is melted and beginning to brown.

Allow the peppers to cool for 5 minutes, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve hot.

Holiday Sides

What is a holiday dinner table without Holiday Sides? Boring, right? Here are six sides to go with your holiday meal, including Sweet Potato Casserole and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic. Enjoy!

ROASTED CARROTS AND PARSNIPS

This was in the November/December 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 50. It begins, "Whole sage leaves and thyme sprigs are tossed with carrots and parsnips to add aromatic flavor as they roast." Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/roasted-carrots-and-parsnips/.

Ingredients

3-4 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices (2 1/2 cups)

3-4 parsnips, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices (2-1/2 cups)

1-1/2 Tbs. olive oil

8 fresh sage leaves

6 thyme sprigs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss together all ingredients in large baking dish, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Roast 15 minutes, then shake dish to loosen vegetables. Roast 15 minutes more, then shake again, and roast 10 minutes more, or until tender.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)

1/4 cup Packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple

1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Water

1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg

1-1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup Chopped pecans

Directions

Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Cover & let stand 5 minutes.

Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.

MASHED POTATOES WITH GARLIC AND BASIL

This is from Pierre Franey in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. (Hint: If you haven't signed up for their enewsletter, I highly recommend it. You'll be able to access their yummy recipes, guides, and tips for cooking.)

Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

This was featured in "60-Minute Gourmet," and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4118-mashed-potatoes-with-garlic-and-basil.

Ingredients

6 to 8 medium Washington, Idaho or Yellow Gold potatoes

6 whole garlic cloves, peeled

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons virgin olive oil

1-1/4 cups warm milk

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

Freshly ground white pepper

Preparation

Peel the potatoes and cut them into 3/4-inch cubes. Place the pieces in saucepan and cover with water. Add the garlic and salt.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Do not overcook.

Drain. Discard garlic. Put the potatoes through a food mill or ricer, or mash them well with a potato masher.

Add the olive oil, and beat to blend. Add the warm milk, basil and pepper. Blend well. Serve piping hot.

CINNAMON CHRISTMAS TREE

This was from Fr. Dominic Garramone (aka The Bread Monk). I first ran across his show, Breaking Bread with Fr. Dominic, years ago on PBS. The show has since left television (at least, as far as I can tell), but you can still check out his recipes and books on his website (above).

Yield: 2 trees (16 rolls each).

Ingredients

Basic Sweet Dough:

3-1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 package FLEISCHMANN's RapidRise Yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup half-and-half or light cream

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg, beaten

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:

2 tablespoons butter, softened and divided

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Pinch ground nutmeg (optional)

Topping:

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon milk

Red and green candied cherries, halved

Directions

Sift 2 cups of the flour, yeast and salt into a large mixing bowl; stir until well blended. Place half-and-half, butter and sugar in a saucepan; heat until butter is nearly melted. Let cool to 120 to 130 degrees.

Add half-and-half mixture to flour mixture; beat well. Add egg and vanilla; stir until blended. Add 1 cup flour; stir until thoroughly incorporated. Gradually add enough of the remaining 1/2 to 1 cup flour to make a soft dough that is rather sticky.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 3 minutes, or until the dough is a consistent texture. Cover with a slightly damp towel and let rest 10 minutes.

Divide dough in half. Roll one half on lightly floured surface into a rectangle, 14x12 inches. Spread 1 tablespoon of softened butter on dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; sprinkle half this mixture over butter. Roll up dough from long side, jelly-roll style; pinch seam to seal (brush edge with a little water if necessary to make it stick). Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Construct a tree shape from each log: Cut a 2-inch piece from one end of the log and reserve. Slice the rest of the log into 15 slices. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease well. On the short side of the baking sheet, center one slice cut side down. This is the top of the tree. Add 2 slices, sides touching, below the first slice, then add 3 more rows of slices to form a tree shape. Complete the tree by centering the 2-inch slice, seam side down, below the last row to form the trunk.

Repeat with second cinnamon roll log. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 45 minutes, or until nearly doubled.

About 15 minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake trees 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. If trunk is browning too fast, cover with foil for the last few minutes. Use foil to move trees from baking sheets to wire racks. Cool thoroughly.

Prepare topping:

Combine confectioners, sugar and milk in a pastry or plastic zipper-sealed bag; cut one corner from bag. Pipe mixture on trees to create garland. Garnish with cherry halves.

THE ULTIMATE BOURBON-MAPLE SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE WITH PECANS

This yumminess comes from The Today Show, and begins, “Sweet potatoes are a must-have on Thanksgiving, especially in the South. With its bourbon and pecans (two ingredients with Southern roots), this casserole is the epitome of Southern hospitality. The bourbon adds a depth of flavor to the maple-syrup sweetened potatoes, while the pecans add a buttery crunch. True to the Southern table (and palate) this dish is a little sweet, so feel free to cut back a bit on the maple syrup to satisfy your 'savory tooth.'" Cook Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 25 minutes; servings: 16

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

4 cups apple cider

6 cups water

2/3 cup pure maple syrup

1 stick, plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish

2 tablespoons bourbon

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pecans

Scant 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder or cayenne pepper

Preparation

Put the sweet potatoes into a large pot along with the cider and water and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered over moderately low heat until tender, but not mushy, 20 to 25 minutes. Reserving 4 cups of the cooking liquid, strain the sweet potatoes, gently shaking out any excess liquid. Return the reserved liquid to the pot and boil until reduced to 2/3 cup, about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Add 8 tablespoons of the butter to the pot, along with the maple syrup and bring to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes and bourbon and toss to combine. Mash the sweet potatoes, then whisk until smooth. For super-silky mashed sweet potatoes, puree them in a food processor. Season with salt. Spread the sweet potatoes in the baking dish.

In a small skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add the pecans, chipotle powder or cayenne pepper and season with salt. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the sweet potatoes in the baking dish.

Bake until the pecans are toasted and the potatoes are heated through, about 25 minutes.

Make Ahead: The sweet potatoes can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH GARLIC

This is from Mark Bittman, no The New York Times' cooking email newsletter. He writes, “If you haven’t yet figured out a go-to recipe for brussels sprouts, this simple dish is the answer. It results in sweet caramelized brussels sprouts that will make a believer out of anyone.” Serves 4 in 45 minutes.
To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 pint brussels sprouts (about a pound)

4 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, to coat bottom of pan

5 cloves garlic, peeled

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preparation

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim bottom of brussels sprouts, and slice each in half top to bottom. Heat oil in cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers; put sprouts cut side down in one layer in pan. Put in garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cook, undisturbed, until sprouts begin to brown on bottom, and transfer to oven. Roast, shaking pan every 5 minutes, until sprouts are quite brown and tender, about 10 to 20 minutes.

Taste, and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in balsamic vinegar, and serve hot or warm.

Double-Post Tuesday, Holiday Style

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday, Holiday Style. Today's offerings include Twice-Baked Potatoes and Sweet Potato Casserole. Enjoy!

ULTIMATE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

This comes from Vegetarian Times (November 2013, page 53), and begins, "The Native American “three sisters” - corn, beans, and squash - come together in these individual holiday entrées stuffed with corn pudding and black beans." Makes 8 servings. Great for holiday meals

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/ultimate-stuffed-acorn-squash/.

Ingredients

3 Tbs. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.), divided

4 acorn squash, halved and seeded

1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder, plus more for sprinkling squash

1/2 tsp. ground coriander, plus more for sprinkling squash

3 cups fresh or frozen organic corn kernels, divided

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

2 large eggs

4 Tbs. melted butter or olive oil

3 oz. soft goat cheese or low-fat cream cheese (1/3 cup)

3 oz. grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (3/4 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops, optional

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 large poblano chile or 1 small red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)

8 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced (1 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine oil and 2 tsp. minced garlic in small bowl. Brush squash halves with garlic oil, and sprinkle lightly with ancho chile powder and coriander. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and place on large baking sheet.

Pulse 2 cups corn kernels in food processor until finely chopped and milky. Set aside.

Whisk 1/2 tsp. each coriander and ancho chile powder into cornmeal, along with sugar, baking soda, salt, and cayenne (if using) in medium bowl. Set aside.

Whisk together buttermilk and eggs in separate bowl. Whisk in butter, then puréed corn, remaining 1 cup corn kernels, goat cheese, Cheddar, and remaining 2 tsp. garlic. Fold in cornmeal mixture with spatula, then fold in black beans, poblano chile, and green onions.

Divide filling among squash halves. Sprinkle each squash with extra Cheddar (if using).

Bake squash halves 30 to 45 minutes, or until squash are tender and filling is set. Sprinkle with green onions. Squash can be prepared 24 hours ahead, then reheated 20 minutes at 325°F.

RICH VEGETABLE BROTH

This comes from Vegetarian Times (November 2013, page 49), and begins, "A flavorful broth is the foundation for delicious gravy. Browning only the onions adds enough color and “caramel” richness to support, but not overwhelm, other ingredients. The finished broth is left unsalted, which ensures that the gravy can be reduced as needed without becoming too salty. Make the broth days ahead and chill, or weeks ahead and freeze." Web site says makes 4 servings; magazine said makes 4 cups.

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/rich-vegetable-broth/.

Note: A good article for making vegetarian gravy (with tips and more gravy recipes) can be found at "How to Make Foolproof Vegetarian Gravy", on the Vegetarian Times web site. (Now, if only they'd bring back the magazine, in all its glory.)

Ingredients

2 Tbs. safflower oil

2 medium onions, peeled, halved, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 pinch salt

4 canned Italian-style tomatoes packed in juice, excess liquids shaken off

3 large shallots (8 oz.), peeled and quartered lengthwise

3 celery stalks (no leaves), sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips (2 cups)

2 1-inch pieces dried porcini mushrooms

1/2 cup diced carrot

4 whole allspice berries, coarsely crushed

1 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbs. chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preparation

Heat oil in 5-qt. pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and salt. Sauté 18 minutes, or until onions are deep golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Add 2 qt. cold water, tomatoes, shallots, celery, dried porcini, carrot, allspice, thyme, and pepper. Increase heat, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour. Add parsley, and cook 5 minutes more.

Strain broth into large measuring cup. Press on solids in strainer to yield 4 cups broth. Or return broth to same pot, and cook until reduced to 4 cups. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover. Keep refrigerated or freeze.

CARAMELIZED SHALLOT GRAVY

This comes from Vegetarian Times (November 2013, page 50), and begins, "The sweet, subtle flavor of shallots makes them great for flavoring sauces and gravies." Makes 2 cups

View this online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/caramelized-shallot-gravy/.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 lb. large shallots, peeled and cut into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick rounds (4 cups)

1 small Turkish bay leaf

1 pinch salt

1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

2 cups Rich Vegetable Broth or low-sodium vegetable broth

1/2 cup extra-dry French or Italian vermouth

1 tsp. dark brown sugar

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. white wine vinegar

Preparation

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, bay leaf, and salt. Sauté 20 minutes, or until shallots are deep brown, stirring often.

Mix in thyme; stir 30 seconds. Mix in flour. Stir 2 minutes, or until flour is completely absorbed and beginning to color. Add Rich Vegetable Broth and vermouth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir in brown sugar and mustard. Simmer 5 minutes, or until gravy is thickened enough to coat spoon, stirring often. Mix in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)

1/4 cup Packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple

1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Water

1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup Chopped pecans

Directions

Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 mins. Cover & let stand 5 minutes.

Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.

Enjoy!

TWICE-BAKED POTATOES

This yummy recipes is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes; Yield: 12 to 16 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/twice-baked-potatoes-recipe-1925596.

Ingredients

8 baking potatoes, washed

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 sticks salted butter

1 cup bacon bits (fry your own!)

1 cup sour cream

1 cup Cheddar or Jack cheese (or a mix of both), plus more for topping

1 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons seasoned salt

3 green onions, sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Rub them with the canola oil and bake for 1 hour, making sure they're sufficiently cooked through.

Slice the butter into pats. Place in a large mixing bowl and add the bacon bits and sour cream. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Lower the heat to 350 degrees F.

With a sharp knife, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scrape out the insides into the mixing bowl, being careful not to tear the shell. Leave a small rim of potato intact for support. Lay the hollowed out potato shells on a baking sheet.

Smash the potatoes into the butter, bacon and sour cream. Add the cheese, milk, seasoned salt, green onions and black pepper to taste and mix together well. (IMPORTANT: If you plan to freeze the twice-baked potatoes, do NOT add the green onions.)

Fill the potato shells with the filling. I like to fill the shells so they look abundant and heaping. Top each potato with a little more grated cheese and pop 'em in the oven until the potato is warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes.

FROM SCRATCH PUMPKIN PIE

This is from Nancy Fuller on the Food Network.

Active Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes (includes chilling and cooling times); Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/from-scratch-pumpkin-pie-2251073.

Ingredients

Pumpkin:

1 medium sugar pumpkin (about 3 pounds)

Canola oil, for oiling pumpkin

Easy Pie Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup (11 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Filling:

One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3 large eggs

Directions

For the pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove the stem from the pumpkin and scrape out the insides, discarding the seeds. Cut the pumpkin in half and lay the pieces cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Rub canola oil all over the skin and bake until fork-tender, about 1 hour. Let cool.

For the easy pie crust: While the pumpkin is cooking, make the crust. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add in the butter and work into the dough with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in just enough cold water (4 to 5 tablespoons) with a fork just until the flour is moistened. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a ball and flatten slightly. Wrap one ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for another use.

Roll out the remaining dough ball on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Fold the overhangs under and crimp decoratively. Pierce the dough all over with a fork. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Line the crust with foil, fill with dried beans or pie weights and bake until the sides are set, about 12 minutes. Remove the foil and beans. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

For the filling: Scoop out the pulp from the roasted pumpkin and puree in a food processor until smooth (you should have about 4 cups). Add the condensed milk, cream, cornstarch, molasses, canola oil, cinnamon, ginger, salt and eggs and combine thoroughly.

Pour the filling into the crust and bake until the filling is set in the center, about 1 hour. Transfer the pie to a rack and cool for 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Thanksgiving Recipes - Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Since Thursday is Thanksgiving here in the U.S., today's double post deals with Thanksgiving Recipes, and includes Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic, Mashed Potatoes With Garlic and Basil, and Ultimate Bourbon-Maple Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans. Enjoy!

ROASTED CARROTS AND PARSNIPS

This was in the November/December 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 50. It begins, "Whole sage leaves and thyme sprigs are tossed with carrots and parsnips to add aromatic flavor as they roast." Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/roasted-carrots-and-parsnips/.

Ingredients

3-4 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices (2 1/2 cups)

3-4 parsnips, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices (2 1/2 cups)

1-1/2 Tbs. olive oil

8 fresh sage leaves

6 thyme sprigs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss together all ingredients in large baking dish, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Roast 15 minutes, then shake dish to loosen vegetables. Roast 15 minutes more, then shake again, and roast 10 minutes more, or until tender.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)

1/4 cup Packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple

1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Water

1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup Chopped pecans

Directions

Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Cover & let stand 5 minutes.

Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.

MASHED POTATOES WITH GARLIC AND BASIL

This is from Pierre Franey in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. (Hint: If you haven't signed up for their enewsletter, I highly recommend it. You'll be able to access their yummy recipes, guides, and tips for cooking.)

Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

This was featured in "60-Minute Gourmet," and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4118-mashed-potatoes-with-garlic-and-basil.

Ingredients

6 to 8 medium Washington, Idaho or Yellow Gold potatoes

6 whole garlic cloves, peeled

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons virgin olive oil

1-1/4 cups warm milk

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

Freshly ground white pepper

Preparation

Peel the potatoes and cut them into 3/4-inch cubes. Place the pieces in saucepan and cover with water. Add the garlic and salt.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Do not overcook.

Drain. Discard garlic. Put the potatoes through a food mill or ricer, or mash them well with a potato masher.

Add the olive oil, and beat to blend. Add the warm milk, basil and pepper. Blend well. Serve piping hot.

CINNAMON CHRISTMAS TREE

This was from Fr. Dominic Garramone (aka The Bread Monk). I first ran across his show, Breaking Bread with Fr. Dominic, years ago on PBS. The show has since left television (at least, as far as I can tell), but you can still check out his recipes and books on his website (above).

Yield: 2 trees (16 rolls each).

Ingredients

Basic Sweet Dough:

3-1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 package FLEISCHMANN's RapidRise Yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup half-and-half or light cream

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg, beaten

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:

2 tablespoons butter, softened and divided

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Pinch ground nutmeg (optional)

Topping:

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon milk

Red and green candied cherries, halved

Directions

Sift 2 cups of the flour, yeast and salt into a large mixing bowl; stir until well blended. Place half-and-half, butter and sugar in a saucepan; heat until butter is nearly melted. Let cool to 120 to 130 degrees.

Add half-and-half mixture to flour mixture; beat well. Add egg and vanilla; stir until blended. Add 1 cup flour; stir until thoroughly incorporated. Gradually add enough of the remaining 1/2 to 1 cup flour to make a soft dough that is rather sticky.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 3 minutes, or until the dough is a consistent texture. Cover with a slightly damp towel and let rest 10 minutes.

Divide dough in half. Roll one half on lightly floured surface into a rectangle, 14x12 inches. Spread 1 tablespoon of softened butter on dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; sprinkle half this mixture over butter. Roll up dough from long side, jelly-roll style; pinch seam to seal (brush edge with a little water if necessary to make it stick). Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Construct a tree shape from each log: Cut a 2-inch piece from one end of the log and reserve. Slice the rest of the log into 15 slices. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease well. On the short side of the baking sheet, center one slice cut side down. This is the top of the tree. Add 2 slices, sides touching, below the first slice, then add 3 more rows of slices to form a tree shape. Complete the tree by centering the 2-inch slice, seam side down, below the last row to form the trunk.

Repeat with second cinnamon roll log. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 45 minutes, or until nearly doubled.

About 15 minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake trees 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. If trunk is browning too fast, cover with foil for the last few minutes. Use foil to move trees from baking sheets to wire racks. Cool thoroughly.

Prepare topping:

Combine confectioners, sugar and milk in a pastry or plastic zipper-sealed bag; cut one corner from bag. Pipe mixture on trees to create garland. Garnish with cherry halves.

THE ULTIMATE BOURBON-MAPLE SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE WITH PECANS

This yumminess comes from The Today Show, and begins, “Sweet potatoes are a must-have on Thanksgiving, especially in the South. With its bourbon and pecans (two ingredients with Southern roots), this casserole is the epitome of Southern hospitality. The bourbon adds a depth of flavor to the maple-syrup sweetened potatoes, while the pecans add a buttery crunch. True to the Southern table (and palate) this dish is a little sweet, so feel free to cut back a bit on the maple syrup to satisfy your 'savory tooth.'" Cook Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 25 minutes; servings: 16

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

4 cups apple cider

6 cups water

2/3 cup pure maple syrup

1 stick, plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish

2 tablespoons bourbon

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pecans

Scant 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder or cayenne pepper

Preparation

Put the sweet potatoes into a large pot along with the cider and water and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered over moderately low heat until tender, but not mushy, 20 to 25 minutes. Reserving 4 cups of the cooking liquid, strain the sweet potatoes, gently shaking out any excess liquid. Return the reserved liquid to the pot and boil until reduced to 2/3 cup, about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Add 8 tablespoons of the butter to the pot, along with the maple syrup and bring to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes and bourbon and toss to combine. Mash the sweet potatoes, then whisk until smooth. For super-silky mashed sweet potatoes, puree them in a food processor. Season with salt. Spread the sweet potatoes in the baking dish.

In a small skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add the pecans, chipotle powder or cayenne pepper and season with salt. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the sweet potatoes in the baking dish.

Bake until the pecans are toasted and the potatoes are heated through, about 25 minutes.

Make Ahead: The sweet potatoes can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH GARLIC

This is from Mark Bittman, no The New York Times' cooking email newsletter. He writes, “If you haven’t yet figured out a go-to recipe for brussels sprouts, this simple dish is the answer. It results in sweet caramelized brussels sprouts that will make a believer out of anyone.” Serves 4 in 45 minutes.
To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 pint brussels sprouts (about a pound)

4 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, to coat bottom of pan

5 cloves garlic, peeled

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preparation

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim bottom of brussels sprouts, and slice each in half top to bottom. Heat oil in cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers; put sprouts cut side down in one layer in pan. Put in garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cook, undisturbed, until sprouts begin to brown on bottom, and transfer to oven. Roast, shaking pan every 5 minutes, until sprouts are quite brown and tender, about 10 to 20 minutes.

Taste, and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in balsamic vinegar, and serve hot or warm.

Thanksgiving Sides

Here are six more Thanksgiving Sides to put on your holiday table next week, including Sweet Potato Casserole and Twice-Baked Potatoes. Enjoy!

ULTIMATE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

This comes from Vegetarian Times (November 2013, page 53), and begins, "The Native American “three sisters" - corn, beans, and squash - come together in these individual holiday entrées stuffed with corn pudding and black beans." Makes 8 servings. Great for holiday meals

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/ultimate-stuffed-acorn-squash/.

Ingredients

3 Tbs. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.), divided

4 acorn squash, halved and seeded

1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder, plus more for sprinkling squash

1/2 tsp. ground coriander, plus more for sprinkling squash

3 cups fresh or frozen organic corn kernels, divided

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

2 large eggs

4 Tbs. melted butter or olive oil

3 oz. soft goat cheese or low-fat cream cheese (1/3 cup)

3 oz. grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (3/4 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops, optional

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 large poblano chile or 1 small red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)

8 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced (1 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine oil and 2 tsp. minced garlic in small bowl. Brush squash halves with garlic oil, and sprinkle lightly with ancho chile powder and coriander. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and place on large baking sheet.

Pulse 2 cups corn kernels in food processor until finely chopped and milky. Set aside.

Whisk 1/2 tsp. each coriander and ancho chile powder into cornmeal, along with sugar, baking soda, salt, and cayenne (if using) in medium bowl. Set aside.

Whisk together buttermilk and eggs in separate bowl. Whisk in butter, then puréed corn, remaining 1 cup corn kernels, goat cheese, Cheddar, and remaining 2 tsp. garlic. Fold in cornmeal mixture with spatula, then fold in black beans, poblano chile, and green onions.

Divide filling among squash halves. Sprinkle each squash with extra Cheddar (if using).

Bake squash halves 30 to 45 minutes, or until squash are tender and filling is set. Sprinkle with green onions. Squash can be prepared 24 hours ahead, then reheated 20 minutes at 325°F.

RICH VEGETABLE BROTH

This comes from Vegetarian Times (November 2013, page 49), and begins, "A flavorful broth is the foundation for delicious gravy. Browning only the onions adds enough color and “caramel” richness to support, but not overwhelm, other ingredients. The finished broth is left unsalted, which ensures that the gravy can be reduced as needed without becoming too salty. Make the broth days ahead and chill, or weeks ahead and freeze." Web site says makes 4 servings; magazine said makes 4 cups.

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/rich-vegetable-broth/.

Note: A good article for making vegetarian gravy (with tips and more gravy recipes) can be found at "How to Make Foolproof Vegetarian Gravy", on the Vegetarian Times web site. (Now, if only they'd bring back the magazine, in all its glory.)

Ingredients

2 Tbs. safflower oil

2 medium onions, peeled, halved, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 pinch salt

4 canned Italian-style tomatoes packed in juice, excess liquids shaken off

3 large shallots (8 oz.), peeled and quartered lengthwise

3 celery stalks (no leaves), sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips (2 cups)

2 1-inch pieces dried porcini mushrooms

1/2 cup diced carrot

4 whole allspice berries, coarsely crushed

1 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbs. chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preparation

Heat oil in 5-qt. pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and salt. Sauté 18 minutes, or until onions are deep golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Add 2 qt. cold water, tomatoes, shallots, celery, dried porcini, carrot, allspice, thyme, and pepper. Increase heat, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour. Add parsley, and cook 5 minutes more.

Strain broth into large measuring cup. Press on solids in strainer to yield 4 cups broth. Or return broth to same pot, and cook until reduced to 4 cups. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover. Keep refrigerated or freeze.

CARAMELIZED SHALLOT GRAVY

This comes from Vegetarian Times (November 2013, page 50), and begins, "The sweet, subtle flavor of shallots makes them great for flavoring sauces and gravies." Makes 2 cups

View this online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/caramelized-shallot-gravy/.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 lb. large shallots, peeled and cut into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick rounds (4 cups)

1 small Turkish bay leaf

1 pinch salt

1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

2 cups Rich Vegetable Broth or low-sodium vegetable broth

1/2 cup extra-dry French or Italian vermouth

1 tsp. dark brown sugar

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. white wine vinegar

Preparation

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, bay leaf, and salt. Sauté 20 minutes, or until shallots are deep brown, stirring often.

Mix in thyme; stir 30 seconds. Mix in flour. Stir 2 minutes, or until flour is completely absorbed and beginning to color. Add Rich Vegetable Broth and vermouth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir in brown sugar and mustard. Simmer 5 minutes, or until gravy is thickened enough to coat spoon, stirring often. Mix in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)

1/4 cup Packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple

1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Water

1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup Chopped pecans

Directions

Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 mins. Cover & let stand 5 minutes.

Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.

Enjoy!

TWICE-BAKED POTATOES

This yummy recipes is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes; Yield: 12 to 16 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/twice-baked-potatoes-recipe-1925596.

Ingredients

8 baking potatoes, washed

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 sticks salted butter

1 cup bacon bits (fry your own!)

1 cup sour cream

1 cup Cheddar or Jack cheese (or a mix of both), plus more for topping

1 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons seasoned salt

3 green onions, sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Rub them with the canola oil and bake for 1 hour, making sure they're sufficiently cooked through.

Slice the butter into pats. Place in a large mixing bowl and add the bacon bits and sour cream. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Lower the heat to 350 degrees F.

With a sharp knife, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scrape out the insides into the mixing bowl, being careful not to tear the shell. Leave a small rim of potato intact for support. Lay the hollowed out potato shells on a baking sheet.

Smash the potatoes into the butter, bacon and sour cream. Add the cheese, milk, seasoned salt, green onions and black pepper to taste and mix together well. (IMPORTANT: If you plan to freeze the twice-baked potatoes, do NOT add the green onions.)

Fill the potato shells with the filling. I like to fill the shells so they look abundant and heaping. Top each potato with a little more grated cheese and pop 'em in the oven until the potato is warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes.

FROM SCRATCH PUMPKIN PIE

This is from Nancy Fuller on the Food Network.

Active Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes (includes chilling and cooling times); Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/from-scratch-pumpkin-pie-2251073.

Ingredients

Pumpkin:

1 medium sugar pumpkin (about 3 pounds)

Canola oil, for oiling pumpkin

Easy Pie Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup (11 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Filling:

One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3 large eggs

Directions

For the pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove the stem from the pumpkin and scrape out the insides, discarding the seeds. Cut the pumpkin in half and lay the pieces cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Rub canola oil all over the skin and bake until fork-tender, about 1 hour. Let cool.

For the easy pie crust: While the pumpkin is cooking, make the crust. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add in the butter and work into the dough with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in just enough cold water (4 to 5 tablespoons) with a fork just until the flour is moistened. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a ball and flatten slightly. Wrap one ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for another use.

Roll out the remaining dough ball on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Fold the overhangs under and crimp decoratively. Pierce the dough all over with a fork. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Line the crust with foil, fill with dried beans or pie weights and bake until the sides are set, about 12 minutes. Remove the foil and beans. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

For the filling: Scoop out the pulp from the roasted pumpkin and puree in a food processor until smooth (you should have about 4 cups). Add the condensed milk, cream, cornstarch, molasses, canola oil, cinnamon, ginger, salt and eggs and combine thoroughly.

Pour the filling into the crust and bake until the filling is set in the center, about 1 hour. Transfer the pie to a rack and cool for 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Thanksgiving Recipes

The holiday season is going strong now. To help out, here are six recipes to help with your holiday meal, including Ultimate Stuffed Acorn Squash and Sweet Potato Casserole. Enjoy!

NEW ENGLAND ROAST TURKEY

This recipe is from Yankee Magazine and adapted by Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Sam wrote, "This adaptation of an old Yankee Magazine recipe for classic New England roast turkey is solid and unfancy, the sort that has adorned tables from Portsmouth north for generations. Old-line New Englanders may be tempted to soak an old cotton button-down dress shirt in butter and drape it over the bird for the first two hours. But this is not necessary." (Yup, not sure about you, but I'll forgo draping the bird with the buttered shirt!)

Total Time: 4-1/2 hours, plus brining; Yield: 12 or more servings

This was featured in "The United States of Thanksgiving", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016933-new-england-roast-turkey.

One last No way I'm soaking "an old button-down dress shirt in buter and drap(ing) it over the bird" at all! (Shakes head in disbelief...)

Ingredients

1 12- to 14-pound turkey

2-1/4 cups kosher salt, more as needed

1 cup white sugar

3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon black peppercorns, cracked, more as needed

3 sprigs each fresh rosemary, thyme and sage

1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered

2 ribs of celery, roughly chopped

2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

Preparation

Rinse turkey under cold water and place on a rack in its roasting pan while you make the brine.

For the brine, combine salt, sugar, bay leaves, pepper and herbs with 2-1/2 gallons water in a pot or cooler large enough to hold turkey comfortably. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Put turkey in brine and refrigerate or ice overnight, at least 12 hours.

When ready to cook, heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove bird from brine, drain well and pat very dry with paper towels. Discard brine. Set turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack set into a large roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper, then fill the cavity with onion, celery and carrots. Fold wings under the bird and tie its legs together with butcher’s twine. Roast for 30 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast approximately 3 hours more, basting bird every 30 minutes with drippings and tenting it with foil if skin is turning too dark, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165 degrees. Transfer to a cutting board or platter and allow to rest at least 30 minutes before carving.

TURKEY BREAST ROULADE WITH GARLIC AND ROSMARY

This recipe is by Ina Garten and adapted by Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, "Ina Garten has been known as the Barefoot Contessa since she opened a gourmet store by that name in East Hampton, N.Y., in 1985. She shared this recipe from her book “Modern Comfort Food” with The Times for Thanksgiving in 2020, when many cooks were looking for alternatives to whole turkey. If you don’t like fennel seeds, leave them out: Garlic, sage and rosemary give this roast the flavors of Italian porchetta, and it will still be fragrant, juicy and delicious without them."

Time: 3 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings

This yummy recipe (and aren't most of Ina's recipes yummy?) was featured in "How Does Ina Do It?", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021643-turkey-breast-roulade-with-garlic-and-rosemary.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons good-quality olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)

3/4 teaspoon whole fennel seeds

6 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves, plus 4 whole sage leaves

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

1 whole butterflied boneless, skin-on turkey breast (about 4 to 5 pounds)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup cold unsalted butter (1/2 stick)

4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

1 cup dry white wine, such as Chablis

Preparation

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium (10-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and fennel seeds and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the onion is tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the chopped sage and the rosemary; set aside to cool.

Set the turkey breast on a cutting board and open it up, skin side down. If necessary, pound the turkey to an even thickness of about 1 inch. Sprinkle the turkey with 4 teaspoons salt and 1-1/2 teaspoons pepper. Once the onion mixture has cooled, spread it evenly on the meat. Grate the butter and sprinkle it on top. Arrange the prosciutto on top to totally cover the filling and meat.

Starting at one long end of the turkey breast, roll the meat up jelly-roll style to make a compact cylindrical roulade, ending with the seam side down. Tie the roulade tightly with kitchen twine at 2 to 2-1/2-inch intervals to ensure that it will roast evenly. Slip the whole sage leaves under the twine down the center of the roulade.

Place the roulade, seam side down, in a roasting pan and pat the skin dry with paper towels. Brush the skin with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pour the wine and 1 cup water into the roasting pan, surrounding the turkey with the liquids without pouring them directly over the roulade. Roast for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature is 150 degrees.

Remove from the oven, cover the turkey with foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Remove the string, slice the roulade crosswise in 1/2-inch-thick slices, and serve warm with the pan juices.

ULTIMATE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

This comes from Vegetarian Times (November 2013, page 53), and begins, "The Native American “three sisters”—corn, beans, and squash—come together in these individual holiday entrées stuffed with corn pudding and black beans." Makes 8 servings. Great for holiday meals

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/ultimate-stuffed-acorn-squash/.

Ingredients

3 Tbs. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.), divided

4 acorn squash, halved and seeded

1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder, plus more for sprinkling squash

1/2 tsp. ground coriander, plus more for sprinkling squash

3 cups fresh or frozen organic corn kernels, divided

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

2 large eggs

4 Tbs. melted butter or olive oil

3 oz. soft goat cheese or low-fat cream cheese (1/3 cup)

3 oz. grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (3/4 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops, optional

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 large poblano chile or 1 small red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)

8 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced (1 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine oil and 2 tsp. minced garlic in small bowl. Brush squash halves with garlic oil, and sprinkle lightly with ancho chile powder and coriander. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and place on large baking sheet.

Pulse 2 cups corn kernels in food processor until finely chopped and milky. Set aside.

Whisk 1/2 tsp. each coriander and ancho chile powder into cornmeal, along with sugar, baking soda, salt, and cayenne (if using) in medium bowl. Set aside.

Whisk together buttermilk and eggs in separate bowl. Whisk in butter, then puréed corn, remaining 1 cup corn kernels, goat cheese, Cheddar, and remaining 2 tsp. garlic. Fold in cornmeal mixture with spatula, then fold in black beans, poblano chile, and green onions.

Divide filling among squash halves. Sprinkle each squash with extra Cheddar (if using).

Bake squash halves 30 to 45 minutes, or until squash are tender and filling is set. Sprinkle with green onions. Squash can be prepared 24 hours ahead, then reheated 20 minutes at 325°F.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)

1/4 cup Packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple

1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Water

1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup Chopped pecans

Directions

Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 mins. Cover & let stand 5 minutes.

Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.

Enjoy!

THREE SISTERS CASSEROLE

This was in the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. It begins, "A Native American expression, “three sisters” refers to the practice of growing beans, corn, and squash together. This filling casserole can be frozen for an upcoming party or made fresh for dinner. Serve with Pumpkin Seed Pesto."

Serves 6.

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/three-sisters-casserole/.

Ingredients

Polenta topping

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal

1 Tbs. chili powder

3/4 tsp. salt

Filling

3 Tbs. olive oil, divided

1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 large red or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch dice (1 cup)

1 lb. kabocha squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (2 cups)

1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes with chiles

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

Preparation

To make Polenta Topping: Whisk together cornmeal, chili powder, salt, and 4½ cups water in double boiler, or in large metal bowl over barely simmering water. Cook 40 minutes, or until polenta is thick and stiff, stirring 3 or 4 times. Remove from heat.

To make Filling: Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 7 minutes, or until softened, stirring often. Add bell pepper, and cook 5 minutes more, stirring often.

Stir in squash, tomatoes, garlic, coriander, and cumin. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/2 cup water and salt. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer, partially covered, 10 to 15 minutes, or until squash is tender. Stir in beans and corn, and cook 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Coat 8- x 11-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 2 cups polenta over bottom of prepared dish. Spoon squash mixture over polenta. Smooth remaining polenta (about 2 1/2 cups) over top.

Score casserole into 6 squares with knife. Brush top with remaining 1 Tbs. oil. Bake 30 minutes, or until heated through and top is lightly browned.

SHEET-PAN SWEET POTATO, PECAN AND PUMPKIN PIE

This is from Jocelyn Delk Adams on the Today website. It begins, "This is a fun recipe that will please everyone, even the pickiest people, on holidays! You can have three different flavors of pie all in one, so everyone is satisfied.

"Swap option: You can use canned sweet potato and canned pumpkin. Also puff pastry is a fun sub for refrigerated pie dough."

Prep Time: 60 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 16

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/sheet-pan-sweet-potato-pecan-pumpkin-pie-recipe-t200661.

Ingredients

Crust

2 boxes refrigerated rolled pie crust (4 crusts total)

1 egg plus 1 teaspoon water, whisked together

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 large egg, room temperature

Pecan Pie Filling

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pinch kosher salt

2 cups pecans, roasted and roughly chopped

Sweet Potato Filling

2/3 cup granulated sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 2/3 sweet potato, fully cooked and mashed

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup evaporated milk

Preparation

For the crusts:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Unroll 3 of the pie crusts on a lightly floured work surface. Stack them on top of each other. Roll out the thick, layered dough to a 15- by 21-inch rectangle. Press into a rimmed baking sheet so that the crust comes up the sides and hangs over slightly. This will be the bottom crust.

Chill until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.

For the pumpkin pie filling:

Whisk together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice and the egg in a medium bowl until smooth. Cover and set aside.

For the pecan pie filling:

Whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, eggs, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in the pecans, cover and set aside.

For the sweet potato pie filling:

Using a handheld mixer, beat together the sugar and butter until fluffy, then carefully mix in the egg and vanilla. Once combined, add mashed sweet potato, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. As the mixture begins to smooth out, gradually pour in the evaporated milk. Mix until fully incorporated, cover and set aside.

To assemble:

Remove the prepared baking sheet with dough from the refrigerator. Using a fork, poke the pie crust about a dozen times, going all around the dough (except for the crust).

Using a large spatula, carefully scoop, spread and smooth each filling onto the crust. On the left side, start with the sweet potato and allow it to only take up 1/3 of the pan. Next, scoop out the pumpkin pie filling on the opposite right side leaving just the center open then add the pecan filling to the center (because there is a bit more liquid in the pecan mixture, it will spread a bit, do your best to control it by quickly scooping, spreading and smoothing).

Finally, decorate the outside pie dough that is hanging over and brush the outside of the pie crust with your egg wash.

Bake until all pies are set and the crust is golden-brown and crisp, about 50-60 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to completely cool, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Tightly cover the top with nonstick aluminum foil (or plastic wrap) and transfer to the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.

Allow the pie to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Slice, serve and enjoy!

Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's offerings include a little of this, a little of that, and a lot of yum. Check out the Southwest Meatloaf, the Sweet Potato Casserole, or any of the other recipes in today's post. Enjoy!

PERFECT ROAST CHICKEN

This is from Ina Garten on the Food Network. Prep Time: 20 minutes; Inactive Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes; Makes 8 servings; Level: Intermediate

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs

1 lemon, halved

1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted

1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced

4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks

1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges

Olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

SOUTHWEST MEATLOAF

Recipe Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings

Source: TBC

Recipe and photo appears courtesy of Cattlemen's Beef Promotion Board.

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/southwest-meatloaf.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef (95% lean)

1 cup soft bread crumbs

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons salt

1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa

Directions

Heat oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients in large bowl except salsa, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Shape beef mixture into 10 x 4-inch loaf on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 160F.

Let stand 10 minutes. Top with salsa; cut into slices.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 280; Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Fiber: 1.8 g; Sodium: 313 mg; Cholesterol: 120 mg; Protein: 34 g; Carbohydrates: 12 g

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)

1/4 cup Packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple

1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Water

1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup Chopped pecans

Directions

Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 mins. Cover & let stand 5 minutes.

Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.

CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

This yummy soup is from Chungah, on her wonderful site, Damn Delicious. I've mentioned her site once or twice. But if you haven't visited it yet, I highly recommend it. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap...)

Okay, hopefully you checked it out. Now, this recipe begins, "So warm, so cozy, so soothing. A must for those busy cold weeknights, using up that leftover rotisserie chicken!"

Yield: 8 servings; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes

You can view this online at https://damndelicious.net/2022/04/29/creamy-chicken-noodle-soup/.

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 sweet onion, diced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 celery ribs, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup dry white wine

6 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 cups leftover shredded rotisserie chicken

2 cups wide egg noodles

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup frozen green peas

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.

Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in chicken stock and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes.

Stir in chicken and pasta and cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes.

Stir in heavy cream, peas and parsley until heated through, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve immediately.

COLORFUL TURKEY STUFFED PEPPERS

Yield: 4 servings

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=1321

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1321.shtml

Source: Jennie-O

Ingredients

2 bell peppers, preferably a mix of yellow, green or red

1/2 (16-ounce) package Jennie-O Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt, if desired

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (14-1/2-ounce) can low-sodium diced tomatoes or seasoned diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup cooked white or brown rice

3/4 cup shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese, divided

paprika, if desired

fresh parsley, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 375F.

Cut bell peppers lengthwise through stems keeping stem halves intact to hold stuffing. Discard seeds and veins.

Cook peppers in boiling salted water 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and immediately place peppers in ice water to stop cooking process. Drain peppers well and place cut side up in 8 x 8-inch baking dish.

Cook ground turkey as specified on the package. Always cook to well-done, 165F as measured by a meat thermometer.

Add onion, garlic, basil, salt, if desired, ground pepper, tomatoes, and rice; continue to cook 5 to 6 minutes or until heated through and most of the juices have reduced.

Remove meat mixture from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese.

Mound heaping 1/2 cup of mixture into each pepper half.

Bake 20 minutes or until filling is hot and peppers are tender.

Remove peppers from oven and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese on top of peppers. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley, if desired.

Always cook to an internal temperature of 165F. Learn how to safely handle turkey.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 160; Protein: 20 g; Fat: 2.5 g; Sodium: 210 mg; Cholesterol: 30 mg; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g

STUFFED PEPPERS

This is from Lidey Heuck in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. The recipe begins, "These classic stuffed peppers are as flexible as they are delicious: The filling combines lean ground beef with sautéed vegetables and cooked white rice (the perfect use for leftover takeout rice!), but ground turkey, chicken or pork can be substituted in its place. Topped with melty mozzarella, these peppers will feed a hungry crowd. For a speedy weeknight dinner, make the filling, stuff the peppers and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking."

Time: 1-1/4 hours; Makes 6 to 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021007-stuffed-peppers.

Ingredients

4 large red, orange or yellow bell peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely chopped fennel bulb (about 1/2 a small bulb) or celery

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (about 1 small)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

1 pound ground beef (at least 15 percent fat), turkey, chicken or pork

3/4 cup dry white wine, chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 (14-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

1 cup cooked white or brown rice

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for serving (optional)

1 cup shredded mozzarella, provolone or other semifirm cheese

Preparation

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and carefully remove core, seeds and ribs using a paring knife. Arrange the peppers, cut-sides up, in a 9-by-13-inch pan or other baking dish in which they fit snugly.

In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the fennel and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano and red-pepper flakes, and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, for 3 to 5 minutes, until no longer pink.

Add 1/2 cup wine, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the liquid in the pan is reduced by about half.

Add the tomatoes and their juices, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the rice, Parmesan and parsley, if using. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Divide the mixture among the peppers. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup wine into the bottom of the dish, wrap tightly with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a paring knife easily pierces the peppers. Remove the foil and spoon any juices that have accumulated in the bottom of the pan onto the peppers. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly onto the peppers and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the mozzarella is melted and beginning to brown.

Allow the peppers to cool for 5 minutes, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve hot.

Holiday Dinner

The holiday season is in full-swing. To help out, here are six recipes to help with your holiday meal, including Ultimate Stuffed Acorn Squash and Sweet Potato Casserole. Enjoy!

NEW ENGLAND ROAST TURKEY

This recipe is from Yankee Magazine and adapted by Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Sam wrote, "This adaptation of an old Yankee Magazine recipe for classic New England roast turkey is solid and unfancy, the sort that has adorned tables from Portsmouth north for generations. Old-line New Englanders may be tempted to soak an old cotton button-down dress shirt in butter and drape it over the bird for the first two hours. But this is not necessary." (Yup, not sure about you, but I'll forgo draping the bird with the buttered shirt!)

Total Time: 4-1/2 hours, plus brining; Yield: 12 or more servings

This was featured in "The United States of Thanksgiving", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016933-new-england-roast-turkey.

One last No way I'm soaking "an old button-down dress shirt in buter and drap(ing) it over the bird" at all! (Shakes head in disbelief...)

Ingredients

1 12- to 14-pound turkey

2-1/4 cups kosher salt, more as needed

1 cup white sugar

3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon black peppercorns, cracked, more as needed

3 sprigs each fresh rosemary, thyme and sage

1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered

2 ribs of celery, roughly chopped

2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

Preparation

Rinse turkey under cold water and place on a rack in its roasting pan while you make the brine.

For the brine, combine salt, sugar, bay leaves, pepper and herbs with 2-1/2 gallons water in a pot or cooler large enough to hold turkey comfortably. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Put turkey in brine and refrigerate or ice overnight, at least 12 hours.

When ready to cook, heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove bird from brine, drain well and pat very dry with paper towels. Discard brine. Set turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack set into a large roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper, then fill the cavity with onion, celery and carrots. Fold wings under the bird and tie its legs together with butcher’s twine. Roast for 30 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast approximately 3 hours more, basting bird every 30 minutes with drippings and tenting it with foil if skin is turning too dark, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165 degrees. Transfer to a cutting board or platter and allow to rest at least 30 minutes before carving.

TURKEY BREAST ROULADE WITH GARLIC AND ROSMARY

This recipe is by Ina Garten and adapted by Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, "Ina Garten has been known as the Barefoot Contessa since she opened a gourmet store by that name in East Hampton, N.Y., in 1985. She shared this recipe from her book “Modern Comfort Food” with The Times for Thanksgiving in 2020, when many cooks were looking for alternatives to whole turkey. If you don’t like fennel seeds, leave them out: Garlic, sage and rosemary give this roast the flavors of Italian porchetta, and it will still be fragrant, juicy and delicious without them."

Time: 3 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings

This yummy recipe (and aren't most of Ina's recipes yummy?) was featured in "How Does Ina Do It?", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021643-turkey-breast-roulade-with-garlic-and-rosemary.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons good-quality olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)

3/4 teaspoon whole fennel seeds

6 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves, plus 4 whole sage leaves

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

1 whole butterflied boneless, skin-on turkey breast (about 4 to 5 pounds)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup cold unsalted butter (1/2 stick)

4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

1 cup dry white wine, such as Chablis

Preparation

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium (10-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and fennel seeds and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the onion is tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the chopped sage and the rosemary; set aside to cool.

Set the turkey breast on a cutting board and open it up, skin side down. If necessary, pound the turkey to an even thickness of about 1 inch. Sprinkle the turkey with 4 teaspoons salt and 1-1/2 teaspoons pepper. Once the onion mixture has cooled, spread it evenly on the meat. Grate the butter and sprinkle it on top. Arrange the prosciutto on top to totally cover the filling and meat.

Starting at one long end of the turkey breast, roll the meat up jelly-roll style to make a compact cylindrical roulade, ending with the seam side down. Tie the roulade tightly with kitchen twine at 2 to 2-1/2-inch intervals to ensure that it will roast evenly. Slip the whole sage leaves under the twine down the center of the roulade.

Place the roulade, seam side down, in a roasting pan and pat the skin dry with paper towels. Brush the skin with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pour the wine and 1 cup water into the roasting pan, surrounding the turkey with the liquids without pouring them directly over the roulade. Roast for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature is 150 degrees.

Remove from the oven, cover the turkey with foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Remove the string, slice the roulade crosswise in 1/2-inch-thick slices, and serve warm with the pan juices.

ULTIMATE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

This comes from Vegetarian Times (November 2013, page 53), and begins, "The Native American “three sisters”—corn, beans, and squash—come together in these individual holiday entrées stuffed with corn pudding and black beans." Makes 8 servings. Great for holiday meals

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/ultimate-stuffed-acorn-squash/.

Ingredients

3 Tbs. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.), divided

4 acorn squash, halved and seeded

1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder, plus more for sprinkling squash

1/2 tsp. ground coriander, plus more for sprinkling squash

3 cups fresh or frozen organic corn kernels, divided

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

2 large eggs

4 Tbs. melted butter or olive oil

3 oz. soft goat cheese or low-fat cream cheese (1/3 cup)

3 oz. grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (3/4 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops, optional

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 large poblano chile or 1 small red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)

8 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced (1 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine oil and 2 tsp. minced garlic in small bowl. Brush squash halves with garlic oil, and sprinkle lightly with ancho chile powder and coriander. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and place on large baking sheet.

Pulse 2 cups corn kernels in food processor until finely chopped and milky. Set aside.

Whisk 1/2 tsp. each coriander and ancho chile powder into cornmeal, along with sugar, baking soda, salt, and cayenne (if using) in medium bowl. Set aside.

Whisk together buttermilk and eggs in separate bowl. Whisk in butter, then puréed corn, remaining 1 cup corn kernels, goat cheese, Cheddar, and remaining 2 tsp. garlic. Fold in cornmeal mixture with spatula, then fold in black beans, poblano chile, and green onions.

Divide filling among squash halves. Sprinkle each squash with extra Cheddar (if using).

Bake squash halves 30 to 45 minutes, or until squash are tender and filling is set. Sprinkle with green onions. Squash can be prepared 24 hours ahead, then reheated 20 minutes at 325°F.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)

1/4 cup Packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple

1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Water

1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup Chopped pecans

Directions

Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 mins. Cover & let stand 5 minutes.

Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.

Enjoy!

THREE SISTERS CASSEROLE

This was in the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. It begins, "A Native American expression, “three sisters” refers to the practice of growing beans, corn, and squash together. This filling casserole can be frozen for an upcoming party or made fresh for dinner. Serve with Pumpkin Seed Pesto."

Serves 6.

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/three-sisters-casserole/.

Ingredients

Polenta topping

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal

1 Tbs. chili powder

3/4 tsp. salt

Filling

3 Tbs. olive oil, divided

1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 large red or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch dice (1 cup)

1 lb. kabocha squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (2 cups)

1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes with chiles

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

Preparation

To make Polenta Topping: Whisk together cornmeal, chili powder, salt, and 4½ cups water in double boiler, or in large metal bowl over barely simmering water. Cook 40 minutes, or until polenta is thick and stiff, stirring 3 or 4 times. Remove from heat.

To make Filling: Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 7 minutes, or until softened, stirring often. Add bell pepper, and cook 5 minutes more, stirring often.

Stir in squash, tomatoes, garlic, coriander, and cumin. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/2 cup water and salt. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer, partially covered, 10 to 15 minutes, or until squash is tender. Stir in beans and corn, and cook 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Coat 8- x 11-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 2 cups polenta over bottom of prepared dish. Spoon squash mixture over polenta. Smooth remaining polenta (about 2 1/2 cups) over top.

Score casserole into 6 squares with knife. Brush top with remaining 1 Tbs. oil. Bake 30 minutes, or until heated through and top is lightly browned.

SHEET-PAN SWEET POTATO, PECAN AND PUMPKIN PIE

This is from Jocelyn Delk Adams on the Today website. It begins, "This is a fun recipe that will please everyone, even the pickiest people, on holidays! You can have three different flavors of pie all in one, so everyone is satisfied.

"Swap option: You can use canned sweet potato and canned pumpkin. Also puff pastry is a fun sub for refrigerated pie dough."

Prep Time: 60 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 16

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/sheet-pan-sweet-potato-pecan-pumpkin-pie-recipe-t200661.

Ingredients

Crust

2 boxes refrigerated rolled pie crust (4 crusts total)

1 egg plus 1 teaspoon water, whisked together

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 large egg, room temperature

Pecan Pie Filling

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pinch kosher salt

2 cups pecans, roasted and roughly chopped

Sweet Potato Filling

2/3 cup granulated sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 2/3 sweet potato, fully cooked and mashed

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup evaporated milk

Preparation

For the crusts:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Unroll 3 of the pie crusts on a lightly floured work surface. Stack them on top of each other. Roll out the thick, layered dough to a 15- by 21-inch rectangle. Press into a rimmed baking sheet so that the crust comes up the sides and hangs over slightly. This will be the bottom crust.

Chill until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.

For the pumpkin pie filling:

Whisk together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice and the egg in a medium bowl until smooth. Cover and set aside.

For the pecan pie filling:

Whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, eggs, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in the pecans, cover and set aside.

For the sweet potato pie filling:

Using a handheld mixer, beat together the sugar and butter until fluffy, then carefully mix in the egg and vanilla. Once combined, add mashed sweet potato, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. As the mixture begins to smooth out, gradually pour in the evaporated milk. Mix until fully incorporated, cover and set aside.

To assemble:

Remove the prepared baking sheet with dough from the refrigerator. Using a fork, poke the pie crust about a dozen times, going all around the dough (except for the crust).

Using a large spatula, carefully scoop, spread and smooth each filling onto the crust. On the left side, start with the sweet potato and allow it to only take up 1/3 of the pan. Next, scoop out the pumpkin pie filling on the opposite right side leaving just the center open then add the pecan filling to the center (because there is a bit more liquid in the pecan mixture, it will spread a bit, do your best to control it by quickly scooping, spreading and smoothing).

Finally, decorate the outside pie dough that is hanging over and brush the outside of the pie crust with your egg wash.

Bake until all pies are set and the crust is golden-brown and crisp, about 50-60 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to completely cool, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Tightly cover the top with nonstick aluminum foil (or plastic wrap) and transfer to the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.

Allow the pie to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Slice, serve and enjoy!