Berry Cobbler

Berry CobblerRecipe by Our Best Bites

3 c. all-purpose flour, lightly spooned into the measuring cup and leveled with a knife
1/4 tsp. table salt
2 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. (1 stick) salted butter
2 eggs
1 c. heavy cream
zest of one lemon or orange (optional)
4 c. berries (I like blueberries and/or blackberries)
1/2 c. brown sugar

Streusel Topping:

1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 Tbsp. butter at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and citrus zest. Set aside.

Using a cheese grater, grate 1 cold stick of butter. Lightly toss the butter with flour mixture until it’s mixed evenly and crumbly (don’t over-mix here). Whisk the eggs and then lightly toss them with the flour/butter mixture until evenly absorbed. Add in the cream and mix until combined; the mixture should be quite sticky and a little lumpy (kind of like biscuit dough). Lightly press about 1 1/2 c. of the dough mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and set it aside.

Toss the berries with the brown sugar and spread it over the prepared “crust.” Drop the remaining dough over the berries and set aside.

Whisk together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon for the struesel topping. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the dough and bake for 45-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the crust is cooked through. Serve warm with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Mini cheesecake tarts

Mini Cheesecake Tarts

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

12 Nilla Wafer Cookies

2 8oz packages cream cheese

3/4 C sugar

2 Tbs flour

1/4 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Foil cupcake liners

Optional Toppings:

canned pie filling

fresh berries

whipped cream

chocolate sauce

caramel sauce

lemon curd

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375. Soften cream cheese if needed. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar.  Add in flour and baking powder and beat to combine. Then add in eggs, one at a time, lemon juice, and vanilla.  Beat to combine.

Fill a muffin pan with cupcake liners and place one vanilla wafer at the bottom of each one. Divide batter between 12 muffin papers, filling each cup up to about 1/4 inch from the top. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  They’ll puff way up during baking, but they’ll settle after being chilled.

When you take them out of the oven, place them on a cooling rack and let them cool completely. While they cool, they will sink down in the center. Don’t worry- that’s normal! It makes the perfect little well to fill up with the fruit filling. Before you top them, chill in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours or preferably over night. Then top and serve. You can be creative and top with whatever you like, like chocolate, caramel, lemon curd, whatever! Makes 12 cheesecakes.

French Dip Sandwiches

French Dip SandwichesOur Best Bites

1 2.5-3 lb. beef roast (you can use a frozen roast if you want)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix
2 c. water
2 cans beef broth
6-8 large buns (or more…6 would be VERY generous servings!)
Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper.

When very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides. You’re not cooking the meat, you’re just browning it quickly on all sides to add flavor and seal in the juices. Oh, and it smells so good–just like Grandma’s house on a Sunday afternoon.

Place in crockpot and sprinkle with onions soup mix. Pour water and beef broth over roast.

Cook 8-10 hours on low or cook 4-5 hours on high and another 3-4 hours on low. It’s hard to screw this part up; basically, the longer it cooks, the more tender it will be. But you know it’s done when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart. When meat is ready, shred with a fork.

Place meat in crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open-faced in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until bread is golden and cheese is melty. And don’t even think about walking away–things can go from lightly-toasted to on fire within a matter of seconds when you’re using your broiler.

Ladle juices into small cups for dipping and enjoy!

FREEZER DIRECTIONS:

Prepare roast through the searing step; after meat has cooled, place in a plastic freezer-safe container (think Gladware), cover with onion soup mix and boullion, and freeze. When ready to cook, pop it straight into the crockpot (frozen), add 2 cups of water, and set to high until warm or, even better, simmering. Turn to low; cook for a total of 8-10 hours.

Chicken tortilla soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup
adapted from Our Best Bites 

1/2 Rotisserie chicken topped with :  

1. A couple of juicy limes
2. A splash of red wine vinegar
3. 2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or coarsely chopped
4. 1 tsp. chili powder
5. 1/2 tsp. cumin
6. 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
7. 1/2 tsp. black pepper
8. 
   

1 large onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

4 cans chicken broth

1 1/2 c corn

1 can black beans

1 15-oz. can chopped or diced tomatoes

1/2 can diced green chilis

1/4 c. fresh lime juice (3-4 limes). Don’t even think of buying the stuff in a bottle.

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

TOPPINGS:

Store-bought tortilla chips, or 2-3 corn tortillas, plus oil for frying
Sliced avocado or guacamole
1/4 c. cilantro

Buy a rotisserie chicken and mix in s bowl with seasonings

In a large stockpot, heat some olive oil (I can tell you right now that you’ll never hear the words EVOO from my mouth. Or my fingers.) over medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and minced jalapeno and cook a few minutes more until pepper is softened and garlic is fragrant. Add chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer 15-20 minutes.

While soup is simmering, juice the limes and set aside. Start preparing the toppings: grate the cheese, chop the cilantro, cut up the avocado or prepare the guacamole, and fry the tortillas. Right before serving, add lime juice and chicken to the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into the bowls and add desired toppings.

Breakfast casserole

I got this recipe from my husband's sister who got it from our Aunt Pam. I can’t count the number of times I’ve made it. It’s So good and soooo easy! 

1 dozen eggs

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

3T dry minced onion

2 cups sour cream (I sub plain yogurt)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1-1 1/2 cups diced ham (I use leftover ham if I have it, otherwise I use deli ham)

Salsa for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat with a whisk eggs, salt and sour cream until foamy. Fold in cheese , onion, pepper and meat. Pour into a 9x13 pan sprayed well with non-stick spray. Bake for 40 minutes until eggs are set and edges are slightly browned. Serve with salsa. 

Butternut Squash Risotto

Recipe: Butternut Squash Risotto

Butternut Squash Risotto

Serves 2 (and it literally serves ONLY two. I triple the recipe and make side dishes when we have two friends coming over, and there’s always a bit of extra.) Recipe slightly altered from epicurious.

1 large butternut squash, diced into 1/2″ cubes and roasted until slightly caramelized
1 3/4 cups broth (veggie, chicken, whatever you’ve got)
1/2 cup water
1 onion, diced finely
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. peeled gingerroot, minced
3 T. earth balance (or butter, or olive oil)
1/2 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine

In a small saucepan, combine broth and water, and bring to a simmer.

In another saucepan, cook onion, garlic, and ginger in butter/oil over med-low heat until soft. Stir in rice and cook for about 1 minute. Add white wine and cook until absorbed. Add 1/4 cup of broth, stirring constantly until completely absorbed. Keep adding 1/4 cup of broth at a time, stirring constantly as each addition is completely absorbed before adding the next. Do this until you’ve added about half of the broth. Stir in diced and chopped squash and continue simmering and adding broth in same manner until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still al dente, about 18 minutes.

Thank you Alie Jones! 

Best Ever Banana Bread

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
6 bananas (ripe)
3 eggs  or (1 egg and 2 flax meal egg sub.)
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1c. walnuts (optional)
3 1/2 c. flour

I sub in the flax egg substitute because I find that it makes the bread stay moist for longer.  Mix all ingredients.  Pour into two greased bread pans.  Bake 45 min-1 hour at 350 degrees.

-Kim Fox's Recipe from the Sheldon/ Wilton Ward cookbook