Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

 From:  Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce (Video)

Serves:  4-6

For the Sauce

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

¾ cup finely chopped shallots, from 2-3 large shallots

1¼ cups red wine

3 cups beef broth

6 fresh thyme sprigs

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the Beef

1 (2 to 3 lb) center-cut beef tenderloin roast

Kosher salt (½ teaspoon per pound of beef)

Freshly ground black pepper (¼ teaspoon per pound of beef)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

¼ cup beef broth

For the Sauce

Melt 5 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the shallots and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the wine, beef broth, thyme sprigs, salt, pepper and sugar, and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by about half.

While the liquid is reducing, place the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl and soften in the microwave, if necessary (it should be soft but not melted). Add the flour and, using a small spoon, mix into a smooth paste.

Once the wine mixture is reduced, reduce the heat to low and remove the thyme sprigs. Whisk the flour-butter paste, a tablespoon at a time, into the simmering liquid, and simmer for a few minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Set aside. (The sauce can be made up to this point and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead of time.)

For the Tenderloin

Let the beef stand at room temperature for 1 hour before roasting. Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F.

Season the beef all over with kosher salt and pepper. Heat the oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Cook, turning with tongs, until well browned on all but one side, about 10 minutes total. Turn the tenderloin so that the un-seared side is down, and transfer the skillet directly to the preheated oven. (If your pan isn't oven-proof, transfer the beef to a lightly oiled roasting pan.) Roast until a thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 120°F-125° for medium rare, about 15 minutes, or until done to your liking (115°F-120°F for rare, 130°F-135°F for medium). Keep in mind that these temperatures account for the fact that the temperature will continue to rise about 5 degrees while the meat rests.

Transfer the meat to a carving board (preferably with a well for collecting juices) and let it rest, covered loosely with aluminum foil, for 10 to 15 minutes. Place a dishtowel or oven mitt over the handle of the roasting pan to remind yourself that it's hot.

Meanwhile, carefully discard the fat from the roasting pan (remember that the handle is hot!). Set the pan on the stovetop and add the ¼ cup of broth. Bring the broth to a boil and, using a wooden spoon, scrape the fond, or brown bits, from the bottom of the pan. Add the flavorful broth to the red wine sauce, and then bring the sauce to a simmer.

Carve the tenderloin into ½-inch-thick slices. Serve the beef, passing the red wine sauce at the table.

Perfect Graham Cracker Crust

 From:  Perfect Graham Cracker Crust (Video) - Sally's Baking Addiction

Yields: 1 9" crust

1 and 1/2 cups (180g) graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full sheet graham crackers)

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted

If you’re starting out with full graham crackers, use a food processor or blender to grind them into fine crumbs. You can also place them in a zip-top bag and crush them into fine crumbs with a little arm muscle and a rolling pin.

Stir the graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar together in a medium bowl, and then stir in the melted butter. The mixture will be thick, coarse, and sandy. Try to smash/break up any large chunks.

Pour the mixture into an ungreased 8-inch, 9-inch, or 10-inch pie dish, cake pan, springform pan, or square pan. With medium pressure using your hand, pat the crumbs down into the bottom and up the sides to make a compact crust. Do not pack down with heavy force because that makes the crust too hard. Simply pat down until the mixture is no longer crumby/crumbly. Tip: You can use a small flat-bottomed measuring cup to help press down the bottom crust and smooth out the surface, but do not pack down too hard. If making a pie, run a spoon around the bottom “corner” where the edge and bottom meet to help make a rounded crust⁠—this helps prevent the crust from falling apart when you cut slices.

For a baked dessert, pre-bake this crust per your filling recipe’s directions. I usually pre-bake for 10 minutes at 350°F (177°C). For a no-bake dessert, cool the crust completely before using, unless your filling’s recipe instructs otherwise.

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

 From: Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting | Mel's Kitchen Cafe

4 large eggs

1 ⅔ cups (353 g) granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil, can substitute 1/2 cup applesauce for 1/2 cup oil

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

2 cups (284 g) sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing

1 (8-ounce) package (227 g) cream cheese, softened

½ cup (113 g) butter or margarine, softened

2 cups (228 g) sifted powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth.

Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Apple Pie by Grandma Ople

 From:  Apple Pie by Grandma Ople Recipe

Yields: 1 pie

6 small Granny Smith apples, or as needed

½ cup unsalted butter 

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ cup white sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup water

1 (9 inch) sour cream pie crust (see recipe in blog)

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Peel and core apples, then thinly slice. Set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir to form a paste; cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add both sugars and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Press one pastry into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Roll out remaining pastry so it will overhang the pie by about 1/2 inch. Cut pastry into eight 1-inch strips.

Place sliced apples into the bottom crust, forming a slight mound. Lay four pastry strips vertically and evenly spaced over apples, using longer strips in the center and shorter strips at the edges.

Make a lattice crust: Fold the first and third strips all the way back so they're almost falling off the pie. Lay one of the unused strips perpendicularly over the second and fourth strips, then unfold the first and third strips back into their original position.

Fold the second and fourth vertical strips back. Lay one of the three unused strips perpendicularly over top. Unfold the second and fourth strips back into their original position. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 to weave in the last two strips of pastry. Fold and trim excess dough at the edges as necessary, and pinch to secure.

Slowly and gently pour sugar-butter mixture over lattice crust, making sure it seeps over sliced apples. Brush some onto lattice, but make sure it doesn't run off the sides.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking until apples are soft, 35 to 45 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Sour Cream Pie Crust

 From:  No Fail, Sour Cream Pie Crust Recipe

Yields: 2 crusts

2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup, 8 ounces, 225g) cubed

2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar (for sweet recipes, otherwise skip)

1 teaspoon salt (skip if using salted butter)

1/2 cup (115ml) sour cream (full fat, NOT light sour cream)

Cut the butter into cubes and let sit:

Cut the butter into cubes and let it sit on the counter to take the chill off (don't soften the butter, just let it sit out for a couple minutes when you take it out of the fridge).

Whisk together the dry ingredients:

In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, sugar (if using), and salt (omit if using salted butter).

Work the butter into the flour:

Sprinkled the cubes of butter over the flour. Use your clean hands to squish the flour and butter together with your thumbs, fingers, and knuckles. Work the butter into the dough until you have what resembles a coarse meal with some flattened chunks of butter.

Add the sour cream:

Add the sour cream to the flour and butter mixture. Use a fork to incorporate into the mixture.

Form the dough into disks, refrigerate:

Use your hands to gather the pastry dough together into a large ball. Use a knife to cut the ball in half. Form into two disks. As you work the dough into disks, it should end up smooth, having the consistency of Play-Doh. Don't worry about over-working this dough. Form the disks so that there are no cracks.

Sprinkle all over with a little flour. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Once you wrap the dough disk in plastic wrap, you can massage the dough and the edges with your warm hands to close any cracks. Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or up to a day ahead.

Remove the dough from fridge, let sit, then roll out:

After the dough has been sitting in the fridge for an hour, remove it and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes at room temperature to become more malleable before rolling out.

If it still feels too stiff to roll out, hold your hands around the edges to soften.

To roll out, sprinkle a clean, flat surface with flour. As you roll the dough, check to make sure the bottom is not sticking. If it is, lift it up and sprinkle a little flour underneath.

Roll out to 12 to 14 inches wide, to an even thickness

You can use this pastry dough for unstructured rustic pies or galettes, or single or double crusted traditional pies. It can also be used for a savory pot pie.

Whether you use the dough for a galette or a double crust pie, it will be prettier with a light egg wash. Just whisk one egg in a small bowl, add a teaspoon of water, and brush lightly over the exposed crust with a pastry brush, right before baking.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

 From:  The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Ever - JoyFoodSunshine

Yields:  36

▢1 cup salted butter softened

▢1 cup granulated sugar

▢1 cup light brown sugar packed

▢2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

▢2 large eggs

▢3 cups all-purpose flour

▢1 teaspoon baking soda

▢½ teaspoon baking powder

▢1 teaspoon sea salt

▢2 cups chocolate chips (12 oz)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugars until combined.

Beat in eggs and vanilla until light (about 1 minute).

Mix in the dry ingredients until combined.

Add chocolate chips and mix well.

Roll 2-3 Tablespoons (depending on how large you like your cookies) of dough at a time into balls and place them evenly spaced on your prepared cookie sheets.

Bake in preheated oven for approximately 8-10 minutes. Take them out when they are just barely starting to turn brown.

Let them sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

Cranberry Apple Stuffing

 From:  {Slow Cooker} Cranberry Apple Stuffing - House of Yumm

Yields: 6 servings

10 ounces dried bread cubes

▢2 cups chicken broth low/no sodium

▢4 tbsp unsalted butter divided

▢2 large eggs

▢2 stalks celery chopped

▢1/2 cup yellow onion diced

▢1 apple chopped

▢½ cup dried cranberries

▢½ tbsp sage diced

▢½ tbsp thyme diced

▢1 tbsp parsley diced

In crockpot mix together the eggs, chicken stock, and 3 tablespoons of melted butter.

Add in the bread cubes, celery, onion, and apple, stir until bread cubes are completely coated. Add in the cranberries and herbs. Stir to combine.

Slice the last tablespoon of butter into three thinner slices and place on top of the stuffing.

Cook in the slow cooker on HIGH for 1 hour. Stir with fork. Continue to cook on LOW for another 2 hours. Serve and enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

 From:  Butternut Squash Soup Recipe (Stovetop, Instant Pot or Crock-Pot!)

Yields:  6-8 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 white onion, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 cups vegetable broth

1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and roughly chopped

1 medium (about 3–4 lb) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

1 sprig fresh sage

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste

optional garnishes: smoked paprika, extra drizzle of unsweetened coconut milk, or see more ideas above

Sauté the onion and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 more minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.

Simmer: Add the vegetable broth, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are all tender and mash easily with a fork. Remove and discard the sage. Stir in the coconut milk.

Purée: Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. (Or alternately, see instructions in the notes below for how to purée the soup safely using a traditional blender.)

Season and serve: Taste and season the soup generously with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm, topped with your desired garnishes, and enjoy!

Vegetable Pot Pie

 From:  Vegetable Pot Pie Recipe

Yields: 8 pot pies (individual)

1 package (2 sheets, 17.3 ounces) puff pastry sheets, thawed

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1 cup diced red onions, 1/4-inch dice

1 cup diced carrots, 1/4-inch dice

1/2 cup diced celery, 1/4-inch dice

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

8 ounces sliced brown mushrooms

1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, 1/4-inch dice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup flour

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock

1 cup whole milk, plus 1 tablespoon for egg wash

1 cup peas

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 large egg, whisked

Prepare the puff pastry:

Thaw the puff pastry overnight in the fridge. If you forget, you can thaw it on the counter: Remove the frozen pastry from its packaging and defrost on a sheet tray until cool but pliable, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetable filling.

Cook the vegetables:

Set a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter to the pot. Once melted, add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme.

Sauté until onions are tender and translucent, 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir and cook for 7 minutes.

Make the gravy and finish the filling:

Sprinkle flour over the vegetables, stir and cook, to reduce the raw flour taste, about 2 minutes.

Slowly pour in the vegetable stock and milk, stirring constantly until the gravy is smooth. Allow the gravy to simmer until slightly thickened and potatoes are tender but not falling apart, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Stir in and combine the peas and parsley. Taste the vegetable pot pie filling, season with more salt and pepper as desired.

Preheat the oven and fill the ramekins:

Heat your oven to 400°F. Evenly divide the filling among ramekins, about 3/4 cup of filling per serving.

Cut the puff pastry:

Trim 1/4-inch around the edges of the puff pastry; this will help it look neat and allow the pastry to puff a little better. Cut each pastry sheet into four 4-inch squares, making 8 squares total. Place one square pastry sheet over each ramekin, allowing the edges to hang over the sides. Make 4 small slits in the top (1/2-inch long).

Bake the vegetable pot pies:

In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon of milk. Brush the top and sides of the puff pastry with egg wash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Once your oven reaches 400°F, place the ramekins on the baking sheet. Bake until the puff pastry is puffed up and golden brown in color, 15 minutes.

Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies

 From:  Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies – Salted Plains

Yields: 16

▢2 cups (236g) almond flour

▢¼ teaspoon baking soda

▢½ teaspoon salt

▢¼ cup + 1 tablespoon maple syrup

▢¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

▢1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

▢½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips I prefer mini chips

▢sea salt for sprinkling, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, combine almond flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla extract and stir to combine until dry ingredients are moistened and incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips and allow dough to rest for 5 minutes.

Scoop dough with a tablespoon and roll into ball. Space about an inch and a half apart on baking sheet. Using the palm on your hand, press ball down about halfway. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. 

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until edges are just golden brown. The tops will not brown like traditional cookies. Allow to rest on baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer to wire cooling rack. 

Store olive oil chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container for 5-6 days.