Ina's Pot Roast

• 1 (4 to 5-pound) prime boneless beef chuck roast, tied
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour
• Good olive oil
• 2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 2 cups chopped celery (4 stalks)
• 2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 to 4 leeks)
• 5 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2 cups good red wine, such as Burgundy ( I used chicken stock)
• 2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes in puree
• 1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 3 branches fresh thyme
• 2 branches fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the roast and sear for 4 to 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn and sear the other side and then turn and sear the ends. This should take 4 to 5 minutes for each side. Remove the roast to a large plate.

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the carrots, onions, celery, leeks, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the wine and Cognac and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add to the pot. Put the roast back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover. Place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender or about 160 degrees F internally. Turn the heat down to 250 degrees F after about an hour to keep the sauce at a simmer.

Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and discard. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce. Transfer half the sauce and vegetables to a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree until smooth. Pour the puree back into the pot, place on the stovetop over low heat, and return the sauce to a simmer. Place 2 tablespoons flour and the butter in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Taste for seasonings. Remove the strings from the roast, and slice the meat. Serve warm with the sauce spooned over it.

Chicken Saltimbocca

This was the main dish for my mother's day meal. I used ham and a lot more cheese in the chicken. I might experiment with different sauces next time!

• 6 (3-ounce) chicken cutlets, pounded to evenly flatten
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 paper-thin slices prosciutto
• 1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 (14-ounce) can low-salt chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Place the chicken cutlets flat on the work surface. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Lay 1 slice of prosciutto atop each chicken cutlet.

Squeeze the frozen spinach to remove the excess water. Season the spinach with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, toss the spinach with 1 tablespoon of oil to coat.

Arrange an even, thin layer of spinach atop the prosciutto slices. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over each. Beginning at the short tapered end, roll up each chicken cutlet as for a jellyroll. Secure with a toothpick.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice, and scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer until the chicken is just cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Simmer the cooking liquid over high heat until it is reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 5 minutes. Season the cooking liquid with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove toothpicks from the chicken. Drizzle the reduced cooking liquid over the chicken and serve immediately.

Baked lemon Pasta

I made this as a side dish for a great mother's day dinner. I doubled the sauce!

Ingredients

• 1 pound Thin Spaghetti
• 4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested
• 2 cups Sour Cream
• ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste
• Plenty Of Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
• Extra Lemon Juice

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.

In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.

Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.

Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.)

When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

Marbled Caramel Chocolate slice

I made this a long time ago (Utah State era) and remembered how good they were. I wanted to save this one before I lose it!

Base:

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup superfine sugar

3/4 cup sweet butter, softened

Filling:

7 TBSP butter, diced

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2x 14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk

Topping:

3 1/2 oz. semisweet chocolate

3 1/2 oz. milk chocolate

2 oz. white chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Line and lightly grease a 13x9 jelly roll pan. Put the flour and sugar in a bowl and rub in the butter until crumbly. work until it forms a dough.

2. Put dough in prepared pan and press it down. Prick all over with a fork and bake for 20 minutes of until light brown. Cool.

3. Put butter, brown sugar and condensed milk into a pan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Stirring constantly, bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes until thickened and turned a caramel color. Remove from heat.

4. pour the filling over the base and leave until cold.

5. Melt each type of chocolate separately in a microwave. Spoon lines of semisweet and milk over the set caramel. Add small spoonfuls of white chocolate. Use a skew to form a marbled effect on the top.

Ginger Steak Salad

Next time I might add some red pepper! Muy Bien!

• 
  
• MARINADE INGREDIENTS:
• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Sherry
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 teaspoons Brown Sugar
• 1 whole Rib-eye, Strip, Or Sirloin Steak
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• _____
• FOR SALAD DRESSING:
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons White Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
• 2 cloves Garlic, Finely Diced
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger, Minced
• ½ whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Diced
• _____
• SALAD INGREDIENTS:
• 2 whole Green Onions
• 8 ounces, weight Salad Greens (baby Lettuce, Endive, Radiccio, Etc.)

Preparation Instructions

Combine steak marinade ingredients in a Ziploc bag. Mix and place steak into bag. Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Combine salad dressing ingredients and slice green onion.

When steak is finished marinating, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a hot skillet. Cook steak about 1 1/2 minutes per side, or until medium rare. Remove from skillet and keep on a plate, allowing to cool slightly.

Toss salad greens in 3/4 of the salad dressing. Place steak on cutting board and slice thinly, then pour juices from the plate over the top. Mound tossed salad on a platter, then place sliced steak on top of salad. Pour remaining salad dressing over the top. Sprinkle green onions over the salad, and add cherry tomatoes if that makes your skirt fly up.- Pioneer woman

Heavenly Angel food Cake

• 12 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar

Directions

1. Separate eggs; discard yolks or refrigerate for another use. Measure egg whites, adding or removing whites as needed to equal 1-1/2 cups. Place in a mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, sift confectioners' sugar and flour together three times; set aside. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on high speed. Gradually add sugar, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form. Fold in flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely before removing cake from pan.

Rich peanut butter cookies

1	cup packed brown sugar
1/2	cup peanut butter
1/2	cup butter or margarine, softened
1	egg
1 1/4	cups flour
3/4	teaspoon baking soda
1/2	teaspoon baking powder
1/4	teaspoon salt
1	cup peanut butter chips
	Granulated sugar

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1.	Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat brown sugar, peanut butter, butter and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in peanut butter chips.
2.	Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Dip tops of balls into granulated sugar. Place balls, sugared sides up, about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet (do not flatten).
3.	Bake cookies 9 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

flour

Creamsicle Cookies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons orange zest (for me that was the zest of 2 oranges)
2 cups Guitard Choc-Au-Lait Vanilla Chips (I used Ghirardelli white chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture until combined. Stir in orange zest and chips.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Do not flatten cookies; it will make them dry. Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Do not overcook! Cookies will be plump. Cool for several minutes on cookie sheets before transferring to rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

BBQ sauce!!

1/2 cup butter

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 TBSP chopped fresh garlic

2 TBSP salt

1 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (I left out)

1 TBSP paprika

1 TBSP chili powder

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 cups cold water

1 1/4 cups cider vinegar

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 TBSP worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup molasses

1 cup tomato paste

a dash of liquid smoke

Melt butter and add onion, garlic, and salt. Coo over low heat until onion is tender. Add crushed red pepper, paprika, chili powder, and pepper, cook and stir for 1 minute.

Add water, vinegar, brown sugar, and worcestershire sauce; bring to a simmer. Stir in molasses. Whisk in tomato paste until smooth. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, uncovered for 15 minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally. (longer the better).

Chicken Piccata

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (pounded to an even thickness)
2 tablespoons butter (for frying)
1 tablespoon oil (for frying)
Breading-
4 tablespoons of milk
2 large eggs
¾ cup flour
1 ½ teaspoons seasoning salt
1 teaspoon paprika
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Sauce-
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup white wine
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
1 onion (chopped)
½ lb fresh sliced mushrooms
4 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)

Step 1: Pound chicken breasts to an event thickness between two sheets of wax paper (if they are really thick cut them in half). In a shallow bowl or plate combine flour, paprika, seasoning salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Mix well.
Step 2: In another bowl beat eggs and milk together.
Step 3: Dip chicken first in the egg mixture and then roll in the flour mixture and coat thoroughly.

Step 4: To make the sauce- whisk together chicken broth, lemon juice, wine and cornstarch – set aside for now.
Step 5: Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the coated chicken breasts and sauté on both sides until golden brown but do not cooking completely. Remove chicken breasts from the pan.

Step 6: Add mushroom slices to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes. Add in garlic and onions and Sauté for 3 minutes. Pour the sauce mixture into the pan and simmer over medium heat.

Step 7: Add chicken breasts back into the pan. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 25 minutes or until fully cooked. Top with fresh parsley.

Chantilly Potatoes

These potatoes were good- I added garlic and butter to the mashed potatoes. I would also add some kind of seasoning to give it a little punch!

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, chilled 3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Place the potatoes in a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave the potatoes on high for 8 to 12 minutes, giving the bowl a shake halfway through, and cooking until the potatoes are tender. Mash the potatoes well with a potato masher (or you can use a potato ricer set over a second large bowl). Cover the potatoes again with plastic wrap and microwave the mashed potatoes until they are heated through, 3 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper and stir well.

In a large bowl, beat the chilled cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gently fold 2/3 of the whipped cream into the potatoes with a rubber spatula until the cream is mostly absorbed. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish. Carefully spoon the potatoes into the baking dish. They don’t have to be evenly flat on top – you want to take care not to deflate this potato layer. They will look slightly uneven. With a rubber spatula, fold all but 1/4 cup cheese into the remaining cream. Spread the cheese/cream mixture over the potatoes and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

At this point you can either cover the potatoes and refrigerate until baking (I made these the morning before I wanted to serve them). When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake the potatoes, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are hot and the top is golden brown. If you are making the potatoes to eat immediately, preheat the broiler and broil the potatoes until the top is golden, 2 to 3 minutes (don’t let them burn!). Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Easter Carrot Cake

Perfect dessert to celebrate Easter Sunday! I loved the frosting!

Ingredients: 2 1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces – I always weigh my ingredients if the option is given b/c it is a no-fail way to make sure you aren’t adding too much or too little) 1 1/4 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 1/8 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp table salt 1 lb. medium carrots (6 to 7 carrots), peeled 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces) 1/2 c. packed light brown sugar (3 1/2 ounces) 4 large eggs 1 1/2 c. vegetable oil , safflower oil, or canola oil

Frosting: (I doubled the recipe below to frost the two 9-inch cakes I made) 8 oz cream cheese, softened but still cool 5 Tbsp unsalted butter softened, but still cool 1 Tbsp sour cream 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/4 c. confectioners’ sugar (4 1/2 ounces)

Directions: Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13 by 9-inch baking pan (I used two 9-inch round pans).

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in large bowl; set aside. In a food processor fitted with large shredding disk (I used a fine shredding disk), shred carrots (you should have about 3 cups); transfer carrots to bowl and set aside.

In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or in large bowl and using hand-held mixer), beat granulated and brown sugars and eggs on medium-high until thoroughly combined, about 45 seconds. Reduce speed to medium; with mixer running, add oil in slow, steady stream, being careful to pour oil against inside of bowl (if oil begins to splatter, reduce speed to low until oil is incorporated, then resume adding oil). Increase speed to high and mix until mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 45 seconds to 1 minute longer. Turn off mixer and stir in carrots and dry ingredients by hand until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain.

Pour into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time (I didn’t rotate my 9-inch pans). Cool cake to room temperature in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours (I cooled my cakes about 30 minutes and then inverted them onto a wire rack to cool completely).

When cake is cool, mix cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla at medium high speed in clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment (or in large bowl using handheld mixer) until well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix until very fluffy, about 1 minute. Frost and eat!