Potato Puffs - total time 40 minutes

This is a great recipe for leftover mashed potatoes... maybe after Thanksgiving.  Or just something different to try for a side dish or appetizer.  Essentially it is mashed potatoes rolled into balls, dipped in egg and bread crumbs, then toasted to get a crispy shell.  Sounds tasty, right?!

1 lb potatoes

3 tbsp butter

2 clove garlic, roasted

1 green onion, chopped

.25 cup cream

.5 shredded parm, divided

2 egg whites

1 cup bread crumbs

salt & pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Boil potatoes about 12 minutes.  While potatoes cook, roast garlic in a ban with a little olive oil.  Drain potatoes and mash the potatoes in a mixing bowl.  Add butter, garlic, green onions, cream, .25 cup parm, salt & pepper, and any additional herbs (I added rosemary).  Put potatoes in the fridge to cool down.

2.  Crack eggs into a bowl (remove yolks).  Combine bread crumbs and remaining parm on a plate.  Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, roll into balls, dip into egg whites, roll in bread crumbs, and place on lined baking sheet.

3.  Bake for 12 minutes and serve!

Mocha Cupcakes - total time 1 hour

If you like coffee, you'll like these cupcakes... lots of coffee flavor!

Cupcakes

.5 cup butter

.5 cup sugar

.5 cup brown sugar

1.25 cups flour

.33 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

.5 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

.25 cup cream

1 tbsp espresso powder

.25 cup brewed coffee

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup butter

1 tbsp vanilla

1 tbsp espresso powder

2.5 cups powdered sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugars together in a mixer.  While mixer is running, combine dry ingredients in separate bowl; flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  

2.  Add vanilla, egg, espresso powder, and coffee to the mixer and blend together.  Slowly add the mixed dry ingredients while mixer continues on slow.  Pour into lined muffin tray.  Bake for 18 minutes.

3.  While cupcakes are baking, make the frosting.  Add butter to mixer and whip.  Add vanilla and espresso powder to mixer to combine.  Slowly add powdered sugar until completely combined.  Allow cupcakes to cool ten minutes before frosting.

Enjoy (but not right before bedtime, there's caffeine in there)!

Weekly Menu

I am trying to get back into creating weekly menus.  They usually only happen every other week... one week of more complex flavors and longer kitchen time, then a week of easier, faster meals that make use of what's left in the fridge.

Chicken Pesto Lasagna Rollups
Cheesy Quinoa with Tomato Gratin
Roasted Beat Soup
Sliders & Roasted Corn
Zucchini Enchiladas

Fluffy Scrabbled Eggs - total time 15 minutes

Make your breakfast even more tasty with a little sour cream and a splash of heavy cream in your scrambled eggs.  The sour cream makes it fluffy, the heavy cream makes it rich... add one or both.  No real directions here... just whip it together and fry it in a pan!

I always remove half of the yolks... mostly because of preference, but also less cholesterol.

Remember, cast iron handles are HOT!

Cheesy Quinoa - total time 50 minutes

I have been hearing a lot about quinoa lately.  It is probably one of those 'superfoods' that will be popular for a year or so, and then slowly fade into the grain isle.  It is healthy though... full of protein, fiber, and even calcium... and smells good when it is cooking.  Here is a recipe (maybe not the healthiest quinoa recipe with all the cheese) which tastes like something between mac 'n cheese and cheesy potatoes.


1.5 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup milk (I used mostly soy milk with a splash or cream)
1.5 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 egg
1 tomato, diced
.25 cup grated parm
red pepper flakes, salt & pepper
panko bread crumbs


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Rinse quiona, then cook according to package.
2. Saute tomato in olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Stir in a little of the cooked quinoa and the cheese together at a time.  Stir in tomatoes, minced garlic, milk, and egg.  Pour into casserole dish, sprinkle panko and parm on top.  Put in oven for 25 minutes and serve!

Weekly Menu

Trying to get back into selecting recipes at the beginning of the week.  This week is focused on using at least one thing from our CSA deliveries and making room in our freezer.  The garden is shaping up nicely so we will need to have lots of tomato and pepper recipes on deck for the next couple weeks.

chicken pesto lasagna rollups w/ salad
mexican stuffed shells w/ tomato gratin
cheesy quinoa casserole
CSA veggie pizza
sliders & roasted corn
zucchini enchiladas
roasted beet soup w/ fried green beans

Baked Ravioli - total time 25 minutes

A healthier option to fried ravioli and just as fast!  We get a bunch of the hand-made raviolis when we make a trip to Whole Foods... this kicks it up a notch from plain raviolis.

package of raviolis

.5 cup milk (i used soy milk)

.5 cup bread crumbs

1 cup marinara

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Dip each ravioli into milk, then coat in the bread crumbs.  Lay raviolis on baking sheet and spray with oil.

2. Put in oven for 10 minute.  Turn broiler on to add crispiness.  Top with marinara and serve!

CGTs (cheese guac and tomato) - total time 20 minutes

A quick, delicious summer lunch.  I saw this recipe on Pinterest and was surprised how much flavor it packed!

whole wheat english muffin

cheese

guacamole

tomato, sliced & roasted

1. Slice tomato, drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper on top, and put it in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, turn the broiler for last minute.

2.  Toast the english muffin with cheese on it (in toaster oven).

3.  Spread pre-made guac on the cheesy english muffin and top with the roasted tomato slices.  Enjoy!

Crash Potatoes - total time 45 minutes

The idea for these crash potatoes came from Pioneer Woman's blog.  Essentially they are the same as the crispy roast potatoes recipe.  However, this recipe is a bit more fun and kids could help in the kitchen smashing and 'painting' the potatoes.

2 lbs potatoes

2 tbsp butter, melted

rosemary, oregano, parsley, salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wash potatoes and cut large potatoes into big chunks.  Cook in boiling water for 10-12 minutes.  Melt butter in a bowl and add herbs.

2.  (here's the fun part)  Smash... or crash... the potatoes with a potato masher on a baking sheet.  Then 'paint' the melted butter on to each smashed potatoes.

3.  Put the tray of potatoes in the oven for 25 minutes.

Baked Shrimp Scami - total time 30 minutes

1 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined

3 tbsp white wine

3 tbsp olive oil

6 tbsp butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

.5 cup onions, minced

2 tbsp lemon juice

.5 cup panko bread crumbs

parsley, rosemary, salt, pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Peel and devein shrimp, put in mixing bowl with wine, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Set aside.

2. Melt butter a bit in the microwave.  Then add herbs, garlic, onions, lemon juice, and panko bread crumbs.

3. Lay shrimp in a casserole dish with the tail up.  Pour any remaining wine/olive oil mixture on top, then add the butter mixture and spread evenly over top.

4. Put in oven for 12 minutes, then enjoy!