Shepherd's Pie

Photo & recipe from Life in the Lofthouse

Ingredients

POTATO LAYER

3 large russet potatoes

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 c milk

1 tsp garlic powder

MEAT LAYER

2 lb ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp each, salt and pepper

2 Tbsp flour

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 c beef broth

1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 1/2 c frozen peas and carrots

1/2 c frozen corn

1 c shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

POTATO LAYER 

Peel potatoes and chop into small pieces. 

Place chopped potatoes in a large pot of water. 

Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender. (About 15 - 20 minutes)

Drain water from pot. Mash the potatoes. 

Add butter, milk and garlic powder. Continue to mash until no lumps remain. 

Cover potatoes and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray.

MEAT LAYER

 In a large skillet, over med-high heat, add ground beef, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. 

Cook and crumble meat until browned. Drain grease.

Sprinkle flour evenly over meat mixture. Stir and cook 1 minute. 

Stir in tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire sauce and oregano. 

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in frozen peas, carrots and corn. 

Cook another 5 to 10 minutes or until heated through.

Pour meat mixture into prepared pan. Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the top. 

Top potatoes with cheddar cheese.

Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes until casserole is hot and bubbly. 

Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

One-Pot Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Noodles

photo and recipe from Life Made Simple

Ingredients

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 lb. chicken breasts, filleted and seasoned with salt and pepper

½ small yellow onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 c low-sodium chicken broth

2 c half and half

2 tsp kosher sea salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp dried thyme

½ tsp ground sage

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

¼ tsp paprika

8 oz egg noodles or other pasta

1 c frozen corn, thawed

1 c frozen peas, thawed

2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Pie crust crumbles (optional)

Directions

In a large pot over medium heat, add the butter. 

Once the butter has melted, add the prepared chicken and cook thoroughly.

Remove from the pot and transfer to a cutting board. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add onion, celery and carrots, saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. 

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Pour in the chicken stock along with the half and half, whisk, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. 

Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.

Cut the chicken into small bite-size chunks and return it to the pot. 

Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, sage, cayenne and paprika. 

When the mixture begins to boil, add the pasta and reduce heat to medium. 

Cook for 10-15 minutes, then add the corn, peas and parsley. 

Cook until the pasta is tender and the sauce is thick, about 6-8 minutes 

(note: the sauce with thicken as it cools). 

Remove from the heat and serve with pie crust crumbles, if desired.

Apple Cake with Maple Buttercream Frosting

Photo from and recipe barely adapted from Eat In Eat Out

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 eggs

1 cup canola oil

2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups apple, finely chopped

if desired, 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts + more for trim

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Spray 2 – 8” cake layer pans with cooking spray.

2. In a bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda.

3. In a large bowl, beat eggs and oil with electric mixer until combined. 

Add sugar and vanilla, beat well for 1 minute.

Slowly add flour mixture until combined – batter will be very thick.

Stir in apples (and nuts, if desired) by hand. Pour into prepared pans. 

4. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool completely on wire racks. When ready to frost, you may want to trim away the top of the layers which may be a bit crispy. Frost with maple buttercream and trim with nuts, if desired.

Maple Buttercream Frosting

1. Mix ½ cup softened butter with ½ cup maple syrup. 

2. Gradually beat in up to 4 cups confectioners sugar (icing sugar). 

If too stiff, add 10% cream or milk (by tablespoon) until desired consistency is achieved.

Butternut Squash Apple Bruschetta

Recipe adapted from & photo from Whitney Bond

Ingredients:

2 c diced butternut squash

1 c diced apples

6 tbsp olive oil (divided)

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp allspice

¼ tsp ground cloves

1 tsp kosher salt (divided)

1 tsp black pepper (divided)

8 slices french bread

1 c ricotta cheese

4 cloves garlic (minced)

6-8 fresh sage leaves (chopped)

2 tbsp balsamic reduction

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Toss butternut squash and apples with 2 tbsp olive oil, cinnamon, 

nutmeg, allspice, cloves,  ½ tsp kosher salt and ½ tsp black pepper.

Place in an even layer on baking sheet and into oven for 15 minutes.

While squash and apples are roasting, brush sliced bread with 2 tbsp olive oil, set aside.

Combine ricotta cheese with remaining ½ tsp black pepper and ½ tsp kosher salt, set aside.

In small skillet, add remaining 2 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. 

Add garlic and sage leaves, saute for 1-2 minutes. 

Remove from heat and toss with squash and apples when they come out of oven.

Place slices of bread into oven for 4-5 minutes, or until toasted to your liking.

Remove bread from oven and top with ricotta cheese, then roasted squash and apple mix.

Drizzle with balsamic reduction.

Parmesan Spaghetti Squash w Spinach & Bacon

Recipe adapted from & Picture from Julia's Album

Ingredients:

olive oil

1 spaghetti squash, medium size

4 garlic cloves , minced

8 oz spinach fresh

8 strips bacon, cooked and finely chopped

1 c Parmesan cheese, shredded

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cook bacon according to package.

2. Cut squash in 2 halves, scrape seeds & fiber out of each. 

Spray cut sides of the squash and baking sheet with olive oil and 

place squash on baking sheet cut side down.

Bake about 30-40 minutes at 425.

3. While squash bakes, cook spinach. 

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in large skillet on med-high heat. 

Add minced garlic and fresh spinach and saute about 2 minutes, stirring until spinach wilts. 

Season with salt.

4. Remove squash from oven when cooked through and soft. Let it cool. 

Flip squash so cut side faces up – that will speed cooling. 

After cool, scrape with fork to remove flesh in long strands and transfer to bowl.

5. Add spaghetti squash to skillet with spinach.

Add finely chopped cooked bacon and mix to combine on low heat.

Add freshly shredded Parmesan cheese to skillet and stir on low heat to melt the cheese. 

Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Chicken & Gravy - Crockpot

Picture & Recipe from The Magical Slow Cooker

Ingredients:

1-2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 pkt dry chicken gravy mix

1 10¾ oz can cream of chicken soup

1¾ c  water

⅛ tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Put gravy packets, cream of chicken soup, water and pepper in 4 quart or larger slow cooker.

2. Whisk until gravy is as smooth as you can get it.

3. Add chicken breasts (no need to pre-cook or brown).

4. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Poor Man's Stew - Crockpot

photo & recipe from The Magical Slowcooker

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef, browned & drained

1.5 lbs potatoes, diced large

3 carrots, sliced

1 onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

6 oz. can tomato paste

2 cups water

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. dried oregano

Directions:

1. Add the cooked ground beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic to

5-quart or larger slow cooker.

2. In small bowl, whisk together tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, onion powder and oregano. 

Pour  mixture over everything in slow cooker. Stir.

3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours, without opening lid during cooking time.