Cracked Pepper Salmon with Rice Pilaf

Another great recipe from my favorite little spice store, Penzy's, paired nicely with roasted vegtables and my Aunt Marilyn's recipe for Rice Pilaf.

Cracked Pepper Salmon

(this recipe can easily be adjusted depending on how many filets you're cooking. Remember 4 Tbsp = 1/4 Cup)

4 salmon filets

1/4 Cup PURE maple syrup

1/2 Cup reduced sodium soy sauce

2-3 tsp freshly ground Whole Black Peppercorns

Combine the maple syrup and soy sauce in a covered bowl or zip-lock bag. Add the salmon and refrigerate overnight (I only did mine for 4 or 5 hours and it was still great!)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the salmon from the marinade and place in a baking dish. Drizzle with about 2 Tbsp of the marinade, discard the rest. Using a peppermill, grind the Peppercorns over the salmon to cover the filets. Cover with foil, redece heat to 350 degrees and bake for 15-20 minutes. Uncover for the last 5 minutes of baking.

Rice Pilaf

Cook until slightly brown:

2 Tbsp melted butter

1 Cup uncooked rice

1/4 Cup minced onion

1/3 Cup minced celery

Add:

3 Cups hot chicken broth

2 Tbsp chopped dried parsley

Cover and simmer on low until moisture has been absorbed and rice is tender (about 20-25 minutes).

Twice Baked Potatoes

I copied this recipe from an episode of Pioneer Woman. I halved the recipe and it still made enough for me to freeze extras!

Ingredients

• 8 baking potatoes, washed
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 sticks salted butter
• 1 cup bacon bits (fry your own!)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup Cheddar or Jack cheese (or a mix of both), plus more for topping
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
• 3 green onions, sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Rub them with the canola oil and bake for 1 hour, making sure they're sufficiently cooked through.

Slice the butter into pats. Place in a large mixing bowl and add the bacon bits and sour cream. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Lower the heat to 350 degrees F.

With a sharp knife, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scrape out the insides into the mixing bowl, being careful not to tear the shell. Leave a small rim of potato intact for support. Lay the hollowed out potato shells on a baking sheet.

Smash the potatoes into the butter, bacon and sour cream. Add the cheese, milk, seasoned salt, green onions and black pepper to taste and mix together well. (IMPORTANT: If you plan to freeze the twice-baked potatoes, do NOT add the green onions.)

Fill the potato shells with the filling. I like to fill the shells so they look abundant and heaping. Top each potato with a little more grated cheese and pop 'em in the oven until the potato is warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Dutch Oven Potatoes

Homemade Mac-N-Cheese

Sometimes when I'm reading a book I start thinking I'm living the story. Does that ever happen to you? Isn't that why we read books - to escape and imagine. This week I'm reading "Moon over Manifest," a great book that takes place during the 1930s in Kansas. It is a delightful book and inspired me to make a southern meal tonight - brisket, coleslaw, and homemade Mac-N-Cheese.

2 Cups dry macaroni noodles

6 Tbsp butter, divided

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 Cups milk

2 tsp spicy brown mustard

8 oz cream cheese

2 Cups cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3/4 cup bread crumbs

1 Tbsp parsley

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, melt 4 Tbsp butter in a large saucepan. Meanwhile, melt 4 Tbsp butter in a large saucepan. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat; add cheeses, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Drain macaroni; add to the cheese sauce and stir to coat. Transfer to a greased shallow 3-qt. baking dish. Melt the remaining butter; toss with bread crumbs and parsley. Sprinkle over macaroni. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

3 Layer Boysenberry Salad

2 (3 oz) pkgs Raspberry Jello

1 cup sugar

1 cup light cream

1 pkg unflavored gelatin

1 Tbsp vanilla

8 oz cream cheese

1 (15 oz) boysenberry or blueberry pie filling

Layer 1: 1 pkg of jello, 1 cup boiling water, 1 cup cold water. Set.

Layer 2: Dissolve unflavored gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water. Heat but don't boil sugar, cream, vanilla, and cream cheese. Combine gelatin with sugar mixture in a blender and let cool then spread on 1st layer.

Layer 3: Combine 1 pkg of jello, 1 cup boiing water and pie filling in a bowl. Let set partially then layer on top of the 2nd layer after the 2nd layer is well set. Refrigerate.

Baked Onion Rings

My niece, Zoe, taught me how to make these amazing baked onion rings when she was here visiting. I loved that they are baked, not fried, which helps with the guilt trip when I eat a dozen of them. They are also sinfully good when paired with "Some Dude's Fry Sauce" - which again, can only be found in Utah : (

1 1/2 cups cornflakes
1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia, quartered crosswise and broken into rings (discard small center rings)
2 Tbsp olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a food processor, pulse cornflakes and breadcrumbs until fine crumbs form, then transfer to a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, flour, and cayenne and season with salt and pepper.

2. Dip onion rings in egg mixture (letting excess drip off) and dredge in cornflake mixture; place on a large plate. Pour oil onto a rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and heat 2 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and tilt to coat evenly with oil. Arrange onion rings on sheet. Bake, turning once, until onion rings are golden brown, about 16 minutes. Season with salt.

Green Bean Casserole

One word, okay two: Paula Deen. You know it's gonna be good!

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 (8 oz.) package fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cups sour cream
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 (28 oz.) cans French-style green beans, drained
2 cups French fried onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a casserole baking dish. in a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in flour, and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in milk, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until mixture thickens. Stir in next 5 ingredients, and spoon into prepasred baking dish. Bake 25 minutes; sprinkle with French fried onions, and bake 15 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Creamy Cranberry Salad

This was Ellie's favorite Thanksgiving dish. It was a beautiful color on the plate.


3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed and coarsely chopped
1 can (20 oz.) unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups miniature marshamallows
1 medium apple, chopped
2/3 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

In a large bowl, combine the cranberries, pineapple, marshamallows, apple, sugar, and salt. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, in a large bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold cream and walnuts into the cranberry mixture.

Cream Corn

Thank you Marie Dougherty for this delicious recipe. It has become a Thanksgiving regular at our house!

40 oz. frozen corn (I like the frozen white corn from Costco)

18 oz. whipping cream, divided

2 tsp. salt

8 tsp. sugar

2 pinches white cayenne pepper

4 Tbsp. butter

4 Tbsp. flour

In a large pot, combine everything except flour and 2 oz. whipping cream. Bring to boil. Simmer 5 minutes. Blend with 2 oz. cream and add to corn to thicken.

Sweet Potato Souflee

I decided to get a head start on my Thanksgiving prep this year by making a few dishes in advance to freeze for the big day. This recipe made enough to freeze a 8x8" pan and enough to enjoy a little now. Sweet potatoes and yams are my favorite Thanksgiving side dish so when I read this recipe I just had to try it. It is like eating vegetable candy!

Begin with 4-5 very large sweet potatoes. Bake them in the oven at 350 for 2 hours. The jackets will peel off very easily and they will be sweet, moist, and soft. They can also make a mess in the oven so cover your cookie sheet in foil.

6 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 cup butter
4 eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
2 Tbsp vanilla

Combine ingredients in a mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Pour into a 9x13" baking dish

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup coconut

Mix together and sprinkle over the top of the sweet potatoes. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until center s set.

Dutch Oven Potatoes

I love dutch-oven cooking! I love the smell, the flavor and the fun of lighting up the coals right in my own backyard! These dutch-oven potatoes I learned to make from a master dutch-oven cook, Kenny Gray, 2nd counselor in our Clinton 5th ward who came to girls camp every year with our young women as the priesthood holder. The potatoes are creamy, cheesy, and downright camping comfort!

3-5 lbs. Sliced Russet potatoes, slightly seasoned with salt and pepper & garlic powder
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup (3/4 to 1 can)
8 oz. Sour Cream (8 oz)
8 slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 lb. Colby Jack shredded cheese
1 sliced onion

Mix the Cream Mushroom soup and sour cream together. Spray tin foil with a little cooking spray and then start layering potatoes, cream mixture, cheese, onion, bacon, and then everything again. Cook for approximately 45 minutes with about 12-15 coals on top and on bottom.

*Note: The more potatoes you use, the more cream of everything else you'll need. There's really no set rule or exact amount to the ingredients. It just depends how creamy or cheesy you want it!