White Mushroom Lasagna

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• olive oil
• 3/4 pound dried lasagna noodles
• 4 cups whole milk
• 12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks) butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 pounds mushroom (portabella and crimini)
• 1 cup freshly ground Parmesan

 

Heat oven to 375.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt and a splash of oil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.

For the white sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Set aside. Melt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture all at once. Add 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring first with the wooden spoon and then with a whisk, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick. Set aside off the heat.

Separate the mushroom stems from the caps and discard the stems. Slice the caps 1/4-inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan. When the butter melts, add half the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and they release some of their juices. If they become too dry, add a little more oil. Toss occasionally to make sure the mushrooms cook evenly. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and set all the mushrooms aside.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned the sauce is bubbly and hot. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and serve hot.

Peanut Butter Bars

Peanut Butter Bars
3/4 c butter
1 c peanut butter
2 c graham cracker crumbs
2 c powdered sugar

1 1/2 c semi-sweet choco chips
4 Tbsp peanut butter

Directions: Melt butter & 1 c peanut butter. Add graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar. Mix until well blended. Press into ungreased 8" by 8" pan. Melt choco chips with 4 Tbsp peanut butter (either on stovetop or microwave) and spread on top of graham cracker mixture. Refridgerate for at least 1 hour.

Posole Stew

This recipe comes from family.

Posole Stew
1 lb. Pork loin
1 can hominy
6 C. Chicken broth
2 TB Tomato paste
salt;pepper to taste
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. dried oregano

Toppings
Chopped cabbage
Queso Fresco
Cilantro
lime
oregano
jalapeno
corn tortilla

Saute onion and garlic.  Add remaining ingredients and slow cook for 1-2 hrs until pork is shredded.

Pineapple Fried Rice

Recipe and picture from Pioneer Women.  I served this with BBQ pulled pork and even the little baby ate it!  Must repeat this meal.

Pineapple Fried Rice

1/2 whole Pineapple, Cut Into Spears And Skewered

2 cups Brown Rice, Cooked

6 whole Pork Chops

1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

1 whole Large Onion, Sliced

6 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (more To Taste, Or If More Liquid Is Needed)

1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Honey

1 Tablespoon Sriracha, Or Other Hot Sauce

Salt To Taste

3 cloves Minced Garlic

2 whole Eggs

1 cup any vegitable (I used spinach, broccoli and carrot)

Black Beans and Quinoa

Found a good one on allrecipes.com.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

Sugar Cookies

These are the best sugar cookies!  The almond extract is what sets these apart from all others.  I haven't exactly found an easy and tasty frosting recipe, so I buy that!

Vanilla-Almond Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
3 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 c sugar (I use sugar that I've stored vanilla beans in)
 2 sticks (salted) butter, cold & cut into chunks
 1 egg
 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extracts and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.

The dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl for rolling.

Roll onto a floured surface and cut into shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and freeze for 5 minutes prior to cooking and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let sit a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

 

Green Bean and Feta Salad

This is SOOOOO good!

Green Bean and Feta Salad

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans
• 1 sweet onion, peeled
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 dash hot sauce
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Thinly slice the onion and place into a colander over the sink. Add the cleaned green beans to a large pot of boiling water and boil until crisp tender (about 4 minutes). When the beans are done, drain the water into the colander to slightly cook the onions. Immediately rinse all in cold water to stop the cooking process.
2. For the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the garlic, rice wine vinegar, cider vinegar, oil, sugar, salt, pepper, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Add beans, onions and cheese and stir until combined. Place in a nonreactive container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Enjoy!