Chipotle Burgers

Course Entree
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 19 minutes
Servings 4
Author Maria Lichty from Two Peas and their Pod

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 2 chipotle peppers (from a can of chipotles in adobo, minced)
  • 1-2 tbsp adobo sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 4 slices Pepper Jack Cheese
  • For the chipotle sauce:
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (can use sour cream or mayo)
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tsp chipotle in adobo sauce
  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika
  • salt, to taste

Instructions

  • 1. Place the ground beef in a medium bowl. Add the minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.
    2. Divide the seasoned beef into 4 portions and form patties that are about ½-inch thick.
    3. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Place the beef patties directly on the hot grill. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes and flip with a spatula. Cook for 3 to 5 more minutes, applying the cheese slices the last 1 to 2 minutes so it can melt. The internal temperature of beef should be 160˚F.
    4. To make the chipotle sauce, whisk together the plain Greek yogurt, lime juice, chipotle in adobo sauce, smoked paprika, and salt in a small bowl.
    5. To assemble the burgers, top the bottom of the buns with lettuce. Add the burger patties, tomato slices, and avocado slices, if desired. You can serve the burgers with chipotle sauce if you want to enhance the chipotle experience even more. Add the bun tops. Serve immediately.

Susie’s Hot Fudge Sauce

Susie’s Hot Fudge Sauce

There is nothing more festive and fun than Christmas dinner at Natalie and Mickey’s. Tonight we shared a wonderful meal with Mickey’s parents, Becky and Wally, enjoying world-class Beef Wellington and plenty of laughs. For dessert, we were treated to a chocolate yule log topped with Becky’s famous secret-recipe hot fudge. It was the perfect finale to a lovely night. Best of all, the recipe was shared with us the next morning, officially becoming a new treasure in our family cookbook.
Course Dessert, Desserts
Cuisine American

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • tsp salt
  • 1 tsp instant coffee
  • 2 tbsp rum
  • cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • Melt butter, blend in sugar, salt, coffee, rum and cocoa.
    Add cream and bring to a boil.
    Lower heat and simmer 5 minutes stirring often.
    Remove from heat and add vanilla.
    Pour into jars and refrigerate, and enjoy!

Healthy Greek Yogurt Dill Dip

Healthy Greek Yogurt Dill Dip

Course Appetizer
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 1 cup

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain Greek Yogurt
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 3/4-1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried dill (or sub 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped)
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Fresh Basil Pesto

Fresh Basil Pesto

Pesto is made to taste, therefore, adjust the ingredients to taste. Sub out spinach for basil if you do not quite have enough basil on hand. Also, basil pesto recipes often call for pine nuts but you can easily substitute walnuts which I almost often use.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 1 cup
Author Elise Bauer from Simply Recipes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves packed (can sub half the basil leaves with baby spinach)
  • ½ cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan-Reggiano cheese about 2 ounces
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • cup pine nuts can sub chopped walnuts
  • 3 garlic cloves minced (about 3 teaspoons)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt more to taste
  • teaspoon freshly ground black pepper more to taste

Instructions

  • Pulse basil and pine nuts in a food processor: Place the basil leaves and pine nuts into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a several times.
  • Add the garlic and cheese: Add the garlic and Parmesan or Romano cheese and pulse several times more. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.
  • Stream in the olive oil: While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady small stream. Adding the olive oil slowly, while the processor is running, will help it emulsify and help keep the olive oil from separating. Occasionally stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor.
  • Stir in salt and freshly ground black pepper, add more to taste. Toss with pasta for a quick sauce, dollop over baked potatoes, or spread onto crackers or toasted slices of bread.

Skinny Greek Layer Dip

 

Skinny Greek Layer Dip

Natalie, personal chef and owner of Deliverette, focuses on providing fresh, tailored family meals. Natalie's motto "reclaim a healthy table" focuses on using fresh, healthy and delicious ingredients. Lately, Natalie has been experimenting with anything chickpea. With that said, Natalie discovered Erin's Well Plated recipe for a healthy Greek version of the famous Mexican 7-layer dip that utilizes hummus. The recipe also calls for Greek yogurt, cucumbers, tomato, and feta. Erin recommends serving it with pita chips for an appetizer or snack.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Greek
Servings 6 -8
Author Erin from Well Plated

Ingredients

  • 1, 1 o-ounce container of hummus your favorite flavor (I used roasted garlic)
  • ½ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 tomato diced
  • ½ cup diced seeded cucumber
  • cup crumbled feta cheese
  • ¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives chopped
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
  • Pita chips carrots, broccoli, sliced bell peppers, or crackers, for serving

Instructions

  • Spread the hummus in a smooth layer in the bottom of an 8x8-inch square baking dish, a shallow pie dish, or similar serving dish. Dollop the Greek yogurt by small spoonfuls over the top, then gently spread to create a new layer.
  • Scatter the tomato, cucumber, feta, and olives over the top. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Refrigerate until ready to serve, then dip with pita chips, crackers, and sliced veggies as desired.

Anita’s Cranberry Scones

 

Recipe Type: Breads
Cuisine: English
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 15
Looking for something to make with those cranberries you have stored in the freezer? This is Taste-Test Kitchen Baker Anita Reeck’s favorite cranberry scone recipe.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup cold butter, sliced
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • Almond Frosting:
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
  1. Rinse cranberries in cold water; drain. Slice or coarsely chop cranberries; set aside. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper; set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter pieces until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in center of the flour mixture; set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk and cranberries. Add buttermilk mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir until just combined.
  4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough by folding and gently pressing it for 10 to 12 strokes or until dough is nearly smooth. Divide dough in half. Pat or lightly roll each dough half into an 8-inch circle that’s about 1/2 inch thick. Cut each circle into eight wedges.
  5. Place dough wedges 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until scones are golden brown on top. Scones may spread slightly when baked. Transfer scones to wire racks to cool slightly. Spread tops with Almond Frosting and serve warm. Makes 16 scones.
  6. Almond Frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter, softened, and almond extract with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add powdered sugar and milk, beating until well combined and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl often. Makes 1/2 cup

Cabbage, Potatoes & Sausage Stew

Recipe Type: Main DIsh
Cuisine: German
Author: Bacon, Butter, Cheese & Garlic
The author of Bacon, Butter, Cheese, and Garlic, the four food groups as she calls it, created this rich German stew. My daughter Natalie and her husband, Mickey, host an Oktoberfest party each year and make this main dish which includes sauerkraut, sausages with mustard, horseradish, cabbage and vinegary foods.
Ingredients
  • CABBAGE, POTATOES & SAUSAGE
  • 1/2 of a large green cabbage, chopped
  • 1 1/2 lbs red potatoes, halved or quartered
  • 1 lb sausage, (like bratwurst) sliced
  • 2 T spicy brown mustard
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 large carrots, sliced into 1-inch chunks
  • 1/4 C white vinegar
  • 1/2 C chicken stock
  • 2 T brown sugar
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • Olive oil
Instructions
  1. Mix the cabbage, carrots, onion, and garlic together and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle a little olive oil in your crockpot. Add the cabbage mixture to the crockpot. Mix together the vinegar, chicken stock, brown sugar, and brown mustard. Pour this over the cabbage mixture. Next layer the potatoes over the cabbage and then layer the sausage over the potatoes. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve it in bowls with some of the juice. This goes great with a hunk of warm, buttered cornbread.
  2. NOTE: If you are going to prep this the night before, store your potatoes in the fridge covered in water. This prevents them from turning brown. Also, the cabbage will make a lot of juice, so don’t add any more liquid than the recipe calls for.

Whole30 Zuppa Toscana Soup

 

Recipe Type: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Author: Cheryl Malik
This Whole30 Zuppa Toscana is rich and creamy, the perfect comfort food for these cold, wintry days. The author, Cheryl Malik, shares that the soup is dairy free, gluten free, grain free, and sugar free.
Ingredients
  • 4 slices Whole30-compliant bacon , cut into about 1/2″ pieces
  • 1 pound Italian sausage , made from below recipe or storebought
  • 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
  • 4 medium yellow potatoes , about 1 pound 3 ounces, diced into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 medium white or yellow onion , diced
  • 2 tablespoons garlic , minced, about 4 cloves
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 bunch kale , stems removed and leaves chopped, 4 cups
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • Salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
  1. In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed medium pot over medium heat, add Italian sausage and sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes over. Use a spoon to break up the pieces. When browned and cooked through, drain and set aside.
  2. Cook the bacon pieces in the same Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 5-10 minutes. Remove the crisp bacon and set aside – don’t get rid of the bacon fat! Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven with the onions and garlic, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 10-20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the coconut milk and the cooked sausage; heat through. Add the bacon and the kale into the soup just before serving and cook ’til the kale is bright green and softened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Tuscan Bean Soup

Recipe Type: Soup
Author: The Wanderlust Kitchen
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8-10
It’s soup season here in Minnesota. The hubs and I spent the afternoon on Grand Ave in St. Paul. To keep us warm as we ran around in a -20 below windchill, we stopped at Cafe Latte to warm up. I ordered the Tuscan Bean Soup and the hubs had Chicken Tortilla Soup. I found this copycat recipe on The Wanderlust Kitchen website which is equal to Cafe Latte’s soup. Wanderlust says it best “It is savory, hearty, filling, yet oddly devoid of guilt-inducing ingredients”.
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 1 yellow summer squash, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 quart vegetable (or chicken) broth
  • 2 (14 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juices
  • 3 cups chopped kale, ribs removed
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Instructions
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 6 quart or larger Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, and squash. Saute for 4 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme and rosemary. Cook 30 seconds.
  3. Stir in the broth, beans, and tomatoes. Bring the contents to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and add the chopped kale. Cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
  4. Use an immersion blender* to partially puree the soup, leaving some chunks of beans vegetables for texture.
  5. Add the salt, pepper, sugar, and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
  6. Serve topped with Parmesan or Dubliner cheese and a side of crusty bread.