Garlic Dill Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1 cup olive oil mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup whole fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons sliced, minced fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons Gourmet Gardens® Parsley Paste
• 3 tablespoons finely minced fresh dill
• 1/2 rounded and packed teaspoon finely minced fresh garlic
• 1/4 rounded teaspoon of Redmond's® Real Salt
• 1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1/2 scant cup whole fat buttermilk

Directions:

In a nutshell, you will add the ingredients in the order which they are given, stirring between groupings of them.  So, prep your garlic first and line up all of your ingredients.  I have always made the ranch dressing in a 4-cup glass measuring cup.

I go back and forth between starting with the fresh herbs and the first two dairy items.  I have settled on starting with the mayonnaise and sour cream, stirring them together.

Then add the chives, parsley paste, dill, and garlic.  Stir well, dipping down to the bottom of your container to ensure that the herbs and garlic are completely mixed into your diary ingredients.

Then add the salt and white wine vinegar and take the opportunity to mix together your ingredients another time.

Next, slowly and gently fold in the buttermilk.  You want your ranch dressing to be thick at first, because the longer it sits in the refrigerator, the more it breaks down to a thin dressing.  Keep folding until you have finished incorporating all of the buttermilk, but only just.

Finally (AND DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP), allow the ranch dressing to sit in the refrigerator for a good amount of time so that the ingredients can meld together.  IDEALY, you want to make your ranch dressing last thing in the evening and leave it overnight.  Trust me, fresh made ranch and "stewed" ranch is worlds apart in tastiness.

I store my ranch in a dark mason jar in the refrigerator, using a four-ounce jar for the bit that doesn't fit into a quart jar.


Myrtle's Note:  Special thanks to my dear friend Becky for giving me the courage to try making ranch dressing from scratch.  Pioneer Woman's base recipe is just perfect and you can modify it as you wish.  I am a lover of dill in ranch dressing and decided to just go whole hog.  For my friend Bethanie, I decided to try to quantify what I do so that she, too, could make it.  It took me two tries to figure it out and then a third batch to ensure that it was replicable.  Friends are the best cook encouragers!

About those ingredients, so often people make substitutions on key ingredients.  So, I am specifying whole fat dairy.  If you do not use it, your ranch dressing will not turn out sublime.  Also, whole fat dairy is healthier than low fat!

I would still use the same amount of dried chives (although my chives grow through the snow) and 2-3 tablespoons dried dill, but high quality, such as Mountain Rose Herbs.  Their shipping is not economical, but they sell the best cinnamon on the planet.  I often buy 2-3 pounds and share it with friends as well as cook liberally with it.  Their cumin is stellar, as is the dill.  Buying larger quantities of those three items makes the shipping moot in comparison to what you pay for lower quality spices in the store and their fresh herbs and spices age better than those in the store.  Sharing all three spices with friends or giving them as gives will make you quite popular.  I find parsley paste better than fresh parsley.  Don't ask me why.  I often use Gourmet Gardens herbs because they last longer and add far more to a meal than dried herbs do.  Their basil paste will knock your socks off!

Pioneer Woman's recipe calls for 1-2 cloves of garlic.  However, cloves vary in size.  I spent eons trying to find that balance of the fresh bite of garlic that falls between awful hot garlic and disappearing garlic.  What I like about cooking with garlic is that I often will double and triple the amount of garlic in most heated recipes and have never, ever had someone tell me that there was too much garlic in them.  But I have learned the hard way that finding the perfect garlic in non-heated recipes is rather tricky.  Hence the specific directions of garlic that is finely minced, packed into a 1/2 teaspoon, and rounded on the top.


Yield:  10-12 ounces

Source:  https://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/homemade-ranch-dressing/

Roasted Garlic and Bell Pepper Balsamic Butter

Ingredients:

• 1 cup salted butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons minced roasted red pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons roasted garlic
• 1 tablespoon Gourmet Garden® Basil Paste
• 1 tablespoon Colavita® Balsamic Vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon honey

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.


Directions:

To roast the bell pepper and garlic, place the bell pepper on its side in a metal pan.  Take a clove of garlic and peel back the outer paper until you get to the tight-fitting inner paper.  [Since roasted garlic is so very tasty, I always roast an extra bulb to have lots of leftovers.] Turn the bulb on its side and slice the tip top of it off, to have a small bit of access to the top of the cloves.  Place the bulb in the center of a square of foil.  Drizzle olive oil atop the bulb.  Salt and pepper the top.  And wrap the foil around the bulb.

Place the bell pepper and the garlic into the oven on the same rack.  Roast for 20 minutes.  Remove the bell pepper and carefully turn it over so that the bottom is now the top, leaving it on its side.  Roast for an additional 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let both cool for a bit.

The bell pepper skin should be blacked and tight.  Pull off the stem.  Peel off the skin.  Discard the seeds.  The extra roasted red pepper can be stored in the refrigerator and is excellent on salads and in sandwiches!

Carefully pluck off the cloves of garlic.  Peel back the paper and scoop (or squeeze) out the roasted garlic.  The extra roasted garlic can be stored short-term in the refrigerator or frozen.  It is excellent atop brie cheese on slices of french bread and then broiled in the oven.

Once you have your roasted bell pepper and garlic ready, turn your softened butter into a bowl and beat it to make sure there are no hard portions left.  Add honey, balsamic vinegar, basil, bell pepper, and garlic.  Fold and stir, turn the bowl, fold and stir,  and repeat again and again until the ingredients are all thoroughly mixed together.  The butter will be very wet and soft.

Place into an airtight container (or your molds) and refrigerator a minimum of two hours, but preferably overnight.   Serve on crusty bread, atop vegetables, or atop chicken or fish.


Myrtle's Note:  Compounded butter needs a few hours if not overnight in the refrigerator to blend.  However, this was so very tasty that I found myself licking the spatula after I scraped the butter into my jars and molds.  The smell of making it was enough to drive me crazy.  The one major change I did was to ditch the parsley in favor of basil.  I also slightly increased the bell pepper and change the garlic from number of cloves to a measurable amount.  I was slightly hesitant about trying this butter, but I already know it will be a hit.


Source:  http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/condiments/roasted-red-pepper-compound-butter/

Herbed Goat Cheese Butter

Ingredients:

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 2 large cloves of garlic and 1 small one
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Herbs de Provence
• 1 heavily rounded teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or more to taste)

Directions:

Soften butter and set aside.  Zest lemon and set aside.  Finely mince garlic and set aside.  Weigh out goat cheese and set aside.  Measure out Herbs de Provence and set aside.

Rough mix the butter and goat cheese until the mixture is looking equally blended.  Add garlic, salt,  and lemon zest and fold those into the mixture.

Taking a small amount of the herbs at a time, perhaps a half a tablespoon at a time, place into the palm of your hand and use the thumb pad of your other hand to crush the herbs by rubbing it back and forth over the herbs, keeping them in the palm of your hand.  Drop the crushed herbs into the bowl and take another amount to crush.  Continue until all the herbs are crushed.  Crushing dried herbs releases their aromatics more so than simply dropping them into the bowl.

Thoroughly fold in the herbs until you have an even mixture.  As with all compound butters, it is best to let it set in the refrigerator over night before the first serving.

Compound butter can be shaped into a log, spread into silicone molds, divided into 4 ounce mason jars, or placed into a single glass container.


Myrtle's Note:  This is from a recipe for roasted corn, as in slather the butter all over roasted or grilled corn.  However, it is BLOODY FANTASTIC on steak.  Seriously sublime!  I had to adjust the original recipe because I wanted the ease of just using a whole stick of butter.  My end result was so very tasty that I feel confident in my estimate of how to make that adjustment.


Source:  https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Grilled-Corn-with-Herbed-Goat-Cheese-Butter

Orange Cranberry Butter

Ingredients:

• 1 cup salted butter
• Zest of one large orange, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1/3 cup minced craisons (dried cranberries)
• 1/4 cup Really Raw® honey
• 1 teaspoon Watkins® Pure Orange Extract
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

Directions:

Mince enough craisons (dried cranberries) to fill 1/3 cup and set aside.  Zest one large orange.  If your zester creates strips, mince them.  Set aside. Squeeze the juice from the orange and set aside.

Soften the butter, but do not let it melt.  Thoroughly mix in the honey, orange juice, and orange extract.  Then add the rest of the ingredients and slowly fold them in until you have a uniform mixture.  

Press into storage containers or silicone molds.  Leave in the refrigerator (or freezer) overnight to allow the flavors time to meld together.

Myrtle's Note:  I have declared 2019 The Year of the Butter.  This is my first one.  I adapted one recipe to include the ingredients I wanted to use, because I couldn't find a single recipe that had everything.  I chose the Really Raw Honey because its viscosity is higher and works quite well with mixing into butter as opposed to regular honey.  As for the taste, the three folk who've tried it beside myself have all declared it to be extremely tasty.  I wanted a truly orange tasting cranberry butter.  I believe I have achieved that, especially having plowed through the first jar of it that I earmarked for myself in rapid fashion.  I am in love with this butter!

Adapted from:  https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cranberry-honey-butter

Toum

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 - 4 cups sunflower oil chilled
• 1/2 cup peeled garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup lemon juice, divided
• 1/2 cup ice cold water, divided
• 1 3/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Before you begin, place your oil in the freezer or refrigerator so that it is chilled, but still liquid. While the oil chills, remove the ends from your garlic cloves, split them in half and remove any green layers from inside. In a food processor, combine garlic cloves, salt, 1/4 cup of the lemon juice and 1/4 cup of the ice cold water.

Process until smooth, then stop and scrape the sides of the food processor with a spatula.

Turn the food processor back on and drizzle the chilled canola oil through the top as SLOWLY as possible, one cup at a time. If you don't have a steady hand I suggest putting the oil in a squeeze bottle and drizzling it in that way. After each cup of oil, add 1 tbsp each of the lemon juice and cold water.

Scrape down the sides of the food processor as necessary. Be sure that your processor does not get too hot, as this can cause your sauce to separate.

Add oil until you've reached the texture you desire. The final result should resemble a soft mayonnaise. Store toum in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This recipe makes a pretty big batch, but it should keep for up to 4 weeks and it can be used on so many things. You'll be happy you have extra. Enjoy!

Myrtle's Note:  This was exactly like the white garlic sauce that I have had in Lebanese restaurants.  It  did not last very long for me before separating.  I do not know if that is because I didn't emulsify it enough or because this was my first batch.  I mixed up the separated toum again and it tasted just fine.  A lot of folk consider it middle eastern mayonnaise.  It goes so well with meat, but also combined with other middle easter food on pieces of naan, such as chicken shawarma, baba ganoush, lemon basil hummus, and labneh.


Yield:  3 cups

Source:  http://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2015/03/toum-middle-eastern-garlic-sauce/

Spicy Dr Pepper Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

• 12 oz Dr. Pepper
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• ½ teaspoon liquide smoke
• 1½ teaspoon Redmond's® Real Salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon McCormack's® Chipotle Chili Pepper
• ½ teaspoon McCormack's® Peppercorn Medley
• 1 large dollop Gourmet Gardens® Garlic Paste

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients into a sauce pan, whisking thoroughly.  Bring just to a boil and continue to simmer vigorously for

Myrtle's Note:  I swapped out garlic powder to garlic paste, for a bit fresher taste.  I wanted to add a little heat to this to balance all the sweet, so I added the two peppers.  And I upped the salt to that end, too.  This is my first ever barbecue sauce.  I was tickled pink to discover a recipe for Dr Pepper barbecue sauce posted on my Facebook wall by a dear friend.

Yield:  ~28 ounces

Adapted from:  http://www.missinthekitchen.com/dr-pepper-barbecue-sauce/

Avocado Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (1.5 to 2 limes)
• 1 large dollop Gourmet Gardens® Fresh Garlic Paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Redmond's Real Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormack's Peppercorn Medley
• 1/4 teaspoon McCormack's Chipotle Pepper

Directions:

Halve, de-seed, and scoop out the flesh of the avocado.  Place in a processor cup (I used a NutriBullet Pro 900).  Add the rest of the ingredients.

When juicing the lime, use a reamer to also get some of the pulp from the halves of the limes.  I had to add a bit more lime juice to have everything come together.

Pulse and then mixed until thoroughly whipped.  Will be fluffy and light.


Myrtle's Note:  I wanted avocado on a taco but in a light way, since I was also going to be using goat's milk cheese.  This was my solution, not quite dressing or sauce.  More of an airy whipped cream.


Yield: 10-12 servings

Adapted from:  https://patijinich.com/recipe/boston-lettuce-salad-with-avocado-dressing-candied-pineapple-and-spicy-pumpkin-seeds/

Black Bean and Corn Relish

Ingredients:

• 1 can cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can's worth Trader Joe's Frozen White Corn
• 2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 6 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Mince garlic and set aside.  Drain and rinse the black beans and set aside.  Thaw corn and set aside.  Mince red bell pepper and set aside.  Hope green onions and set aside.

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss well. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

Refrigerate relish for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, before serving.


Myrtle's Note:  I wanted a black bean and corn relish recipe, but only found a black bean one that had what I wanted in it, so I tweaked Emeril a bit.  The longer it sits, the better it gets.  I just loved it the second day!


Yield: 6 servings

Adapted from:  http://emerils.com/126948/black-bean-relish

Avocado Salad with Tomatoes, Lime, and Toasted Cumin Vinaigrette

Salad Ingredients:

• 4 large ripe tomatoes (or 20 cherry tomatoes)
• 2 ripe large Hass avocados
• 1 large red onion
• 2 cups arugula leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
• Toasted Cumin Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup avocado oil
• Redmond's Real Salt
• McCormack's Peppercorn Medley

Directions:

Cut the tomatoes into 1-inch chunks (or halve the cherry tomatoes) and set aside.  Halve the avocados, remove the pit, scoop the sides out and cut into 1-inch chunks and set aside.  Peel and thinly slice the onion, separating out the curved pieces, and set aside.  Lightly toast the cumin seeds and set aside.

[Do not use a blender to make this vinaigrette.]  Whisk together the lime juice, vinegar, honey, cumin, and cilantro in a medium bowl.  Gradually whisk in the oils until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Gently mix the tomatoes, avocados, onions, arugula, and half of the vinaigrette in a large bowl. Check for seasoning and add more vinaigrette, if needed. Sprinkle the cumin and cilantro over the top and serve immediately.

Myrtle's Note:  I actually served this without the arugula and it was very, very well-received.  Other than not having the arugula, I swapped out one of the oils for avocado oil, since this is a recipe with avocados.  You end up with extra vinaigrette so you can have the salad a second day or use the vinaigrette with another salad.  My guests thought this had a very Mediterranean flavor.

Yield:  Serves 4

Source:  http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/avocado-salad-with-tomatoes-lime-and-toasted-cumin-vinaigrette.html

Spinach and Gruyere Soufflé

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 cups (5 ounces) packed spinach
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons whole milk 
• 1/2 cup, plus a bit grated Gruyere cheese 
• Coarse salt and ground pepper 
• 2 large eggs, separated, plus 2 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


Directions:

Set out your eggs to bring them to room temperature.

Fetch a small metal paper clip.  Cut some cooking twine, long enough to go around the dish and tie off.  Cut some parchment paper into a six-inch strip long enough to go around the dish with a bit of overlap.  Set these aside.

In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons water over medium-high. Add spinach and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted (~ 4 minutes). Transfer to a strainer to cool, press to release the liquid.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium until bubbling. Add flour and whisk until a paste forms.  Continue to cook until pale blond in color (~2 to 3 minutes). Whisking, gradually add milk. Cook, whisking, until lumps are gone and mixture is thickened (~3 to 5 minutes).  Remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted.  Season with salt and pepper.  This is your soufflé base.  Transfer it to a large bowl.

In a food processor, pulse spinach and egg yolks until coarsely pureed. Add 1/4 cup souffle base and then pulse until blended. Stir spinach mixture into remaining soufflé base. [If needed, you can press plastic wrap against surface and keep at room temperature, to store the base up to 4 hours.]

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat four egg whites and pinch of salt on until stiff peaks form.  You will want to start the mixer slowly, then move to a medium speed after you see a lot of air. And then finish on medium high.  Be sure not to over beat the eggs.  (~3 minutes).

You want to add the egg whites in two batches. First add a third of them into the souffé base, folding the egg whites until they are mixed thoroughly.  It is best if you cut down with your spatula as if you are using a knife, then rotate the spatula to lift up the mixture and fold it over.  Rotate the bowl a quarter turn, cut, lift, and fold.  Repeat until mixed.  This first step will lighten your base.  Then, gently, gently add in the remaining egg whites, cutting, lifting and folding until just mixed.  Do not over mix.

Pour the soufflé batter into a one quart, high-sided soufflé dish.  Wrap the parchment paper around the dish, using the paper clip at the top where it overlaps to hold it into a cylinder shape.  Use the twine to tie the paper to the dish.  Carefully transfer the dish to the oven.  

Bake until soufflé is tall, browned, and firm to the touch (~ 35 minutes).  Do not open the oven during the first 25 minutes of baking.  Serve immediately.

Myrtle's Note:  I watch a lot of the Great British Bake Off, so I have learned a bit about soufflés.  I used that knowledge on my changes to this recipe.  Use room temperature eggs.  Do not grease the dish so that the soufflé can climb.  Use parchment paper, a paperclip, and twine to help the soufflé hold its shape in the oven whilst it is cooking.   I learned the egg whites folding technique, especially about lightening the base first with a third of the egg whites from many, many YouTube videos on egg whites and batters.  The other change I made to the recipe was to add a bit more gruyere than a half cup.  A heavily mounded half cup.  I love cheese and took the risk to add just a bit more to this recipe.  It is tasty, for sure.  And seeing your own soufflé all tall and risen is a mighty proud culinary moment!


Yield: 4 servings

Source:  http://www.marthastewart.com/317933/spinach-and-gruyere-souffle

Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium red onion (~1/3 cup)
• Juice from 2 limes (~4 tablespoons)
• 2 1/2 pounds ripe mangoes (~4)
• 1 large poblano pepper (~2 tablespoons)
• Leaves from 4 stems cilantro (~3 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Redmond's® Real Salt

Directions:

Thinly slice the onion.  Place in a bowl with the lime juice and let sit for at least 10 minutes.

Peel and cut into a large dice the mango and place in a medium bowl.  Stem, seed, and finely chop the poblano pepper and add it to the mango.  Finely chose the cilantro and add.  Add the salt and olive oil.  Toss thoroughly.  Then add in the lime juice and onions.  Toss thoroughly.

Myrtle's Note:  I do wonder if my mangos were not diced small enough, since I had no photo as a guide.  After dumping the onions in and tossing, I decided they looked odd with long slivers and the mango pieces and tiny pieces of pepper.  So, I fished them out and cut them in about thirds.  Next time, I will sliver and then cut them before soaking.  I am allergic to mangos, so I couldn't taste test this recipe.  However, my folks loved it.  Every cook loves a satisfied customer!

Yield:  4-6 servings

Source:  https://patijinich.com/recipe/fresh-mango-salsa/

Mustard Crusted Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup whole-grain/stone ground mustard
• zest and juice of either one large lemon or two small lemons
• 4 garlic cloves
• 6 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered (about 6 cups)
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 fresh lemon, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.


Directions:

Zest the lemon(s), mincing the peel if you have a string zester, and set aside.  Mince the garlic and set aside.  Cut the potatoes into small cubes and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, mustards, lemon zest, lemon juice, and garlic.  Add the potatoes and toss to coat with the mixture.

Spread the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle generously with salt.

Bake for 30 minutes. Toss the potatoes, return to the oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are a deep golden brown and fork-tender.

Transfer the potatoes to a serving platter, squeeze the fresh lemon juice over them, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot.

Myrtle's Note:   I loved the taste of this, but I thought that the flavoring was a bit much for the recipe, especially since I had uncooked mixture still on the pan after cooking the potatoes for 1 hour and 20 minutes. So, I reduced the ingredients down for when I make it the next time.  Follow the link to the original recipe if you want to have more flavoring.  I also increased the cooking temperature for next time, especially because 1) I frankly believe that roasting vegetables needs to be done at at least 415 degrees and 2) I had to cook this double the time of the original recipe.  Still, this will definitely be a repeat recipe for me.  Also, I think it would be a great side dish for when you are having guests.  Finally, I used baby Yukon golds and cubed 18 of them, a ratio of 3 to represent 1 regular yukon potato.


Yield: 4-6 servings

Source:    http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/mustard-crusted-potatoes/

Roasted Medley Carrots

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch (or more) medley carrots
• olive oil
• smoked salt
• McCormack® Peppercorn Medley
• thyme
• sage

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Directions:

Lightly peel or simply scrub the carrots.  Trim tops and bottoms.

Place in a metal pan and drizzle olive oil atop them.  Jiggle the pan so that the carrots become coated in olive oil.  Sprinkle salt and pepper.  Liberally sprinkle thyme and sage (crushing between your fingers as you do if using dried herbs).  Carefully turn over the carrots.  Drizzle a bit more olive oil.  Salt and pepper.  Sprinkle herbs.

Roast for 35-45 minutes.

Source:  Myrtle

Skillet-Braised Fennel

Ingredients:

• 4 medium bulbs fennel 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 1 teaspoon sugar 
• 2 -3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 
• 3/4 cup water 
• 1/2 teaspoon Redmond's Real Salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormack's® Peppercorn Medley

Directions:

Trim the tops of the fennel bulbs down to the bulb.  Cut the bulb in half lengthwise.  Stand each piece on its end and, using the tip of the knife, cut a V-shape out of the bottom to get the hard part and discard.  [This video will help with the cutting, just leave the halves as they are once you get the bottoms out.]

Melt butter in a large iron skillet over medium heat. Add sugar and stir until melted. Add garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add fennel, cut side down, and cook until well-browned, about 5 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to let the fennel burn.

Turn over bulbs and add orange juice, water, and salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover pan and cook until fennel is soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 to 30 minutes. If the pan becomes dry during cooking, add a little more water. If any liquid is left at the end of the cooking time, continue to cook, uncovered, at medium heat until the liquid evaporates.

Serve warm with a drizzle of the glaze from the pan.

Myrtle's Note:  I upped the orange juice a bit from the original recipe ... just because.  I also did not have a lid for my cast iron skillet, so I used foil.  My guests loved this recipe.  Having never tasted fennel, I have nothing to compare, but I especially enjoyed the glaze.


Yield: 4 servings

Source:  http://www.marthastewart.com/339240/skillet-braised-fennel

Savory Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds sweet potatoes
• 4 large eggs
• 1/3 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon McCormack Peppercorn Medley
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350

Directions:

Arrange the sweet potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet. Using a knife, poke several holes in each of the potatoes to allow the steam to escape. Bake for approximately one hour or until soft. Alternatively, poke holes in the sweet potatoes, place them in the microwave with a dish of water and cook for 10 minutes.  Remove any that are done and cook for another 5-10 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Once handleable, peel and discard the skins.

Using an old fashioned potato masher, mash the potatoes until you have achieved a smooth consistency. Switch to a large whisk or beaters and incorporate the eggs, one at a time. Whisk in the brown sugar, then the sour cream, heavy cream, and mascarpone, mixing well between each addition. Add the seasonings, thyme, black pepper, and kosher salt.

Once combined, scrape into a 9 X 7 X 2 casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the center is just set.

Myrtle's Note:  The sweet potatoes were nowhere near cooked, so I adjusted the cooking time.  I know the photo is after we already started digging into them, but I wanted to show the BEST EVER sweet potatoes.

Yield:  10-12 servings

Source:  http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/savory-sweet-potato-casserole/

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Ingredients:

• 1 pound brussels sprouts
• 5 slices Wright's® Applewood Smoke Bacon
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon Redmond's Real Salt®
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormack's® Peppercorn Medley

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Directions:

Cut the bacon into 1/4 inch strips and cook them about half-way to done.  Scoop out the pieces and set aside.

Place Brussels sprouts in a large mixing bowl.  Add bacon.  Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup and then toss to coat. Season with salt and black pepper and toss again.

Spread on an aluminum pan and roast until bacon is crispy and Brussels sprouts are caramelized, approximately 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Myrtle's Note:  Gosh, these were such a hit with guests of all ages.  I followed the advice of one of the reviewers of the original recipe and partially cooked the bacon as I directed above.  That worked well.  So well that everyone wished I had doubled the recipe!


Yield:  4-6 servings

Source:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/228875/maple-roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-bacon/

Pickled Carrots

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds Fresh Carrots, Peeled And Sliced ¼-inch Thick
• 1/4 Large White Onion, Thinly Sliced
• 2 cups Water
• 2 cups Cider Vinegar
• 3 cups Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Whole Yellow Mustard Seeds
• 1 teaspoon Celery Seeds
• 1 teaspoon Whole Coriander Seeds
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon Minced Fresh Ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Directions:

Fill a medium-large saucepan half-full with water and bring to a boil on the stove top. Carefully add carrots to boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes, until just softened. It’s better to have the carrots be a little too crisp than too soft and mushy. Drain carrots and transfer to a large non-reactive bowl. Add onion and set aside.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring a couple times to completely dissolve the sugar. Slowly pour the hot liquid over the carrot and onion mixture. Let cool completely to room temperature. Then divide between 4 to 5 pint jars, adding carrots and liquid to within half an inch of each jar top. Seal jars tightly with lids and refrigerate.

This recipe is for refrigerator pickling only and needs to be stored in a refrigerator. Enjoy for up to 1 month.

Myrtle's Note:  First, I do like these.  Growing up in Texas, I would encounter pickled carrots when eating out, only I would think of them as marinated carrots.  These are sweet and sour. I like them.  Perhaps, they could do with a bit less sugar.  Still, I was very happy.  I did make two changes, although the recipe is the same as the original:  1) I used baby carrots to lesson my prep labor and 2) I used Gourmet Gardens® Fresh Minced Garlic because I was too tired to tackle the garlic root in the refrigerator.  I will most definitely use baby carrots again.


Yield:  Depends on how greedy you are!  The photo shows that I ended up with six mason jars of carrots, though each is not quite filled.  So, perhaps 12 servings.

Source:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/food-and-friends/how-to-make-quick-pickled-carrots/

Herbed Vegetable Sticks

Ingredients:

• 1 bag Green Giant Fresh® Cauliflower Crumbles (16 ounces of chopped cauliflower)
• 1/4 cup egg whites
• 1/2 cup + 3/4 cup (for topping) Italian mix shredded cheese
• 4 leaves fresh sage
• 6-8 stems fresh thyme (leaves)
• 1 large or two medium stems of rosemary (leaves)
• 1-2 large dollops of Gourmet Gardens® Minced Garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon McCormack's® Peppercorn Medley
• 1/2 teaspoon Redmond's® Real Salt
• Marinara sauce for dipping (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


Directions:

In a mini-food prep or regular processor, pulse the cauliflower into tiny crumbs ("rice" texture).  Place in a container (such as a pyrex bowl) and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

While the cauliflower is cooking, mince the fresh herbs together and set aside.

Line a bowl with a flour sack towel and dump the cauliflower atop the towel.  Gather the edges together so that the cauliflower forms a ball in the center of the towel.  Twist the gathered cloth until the liquid from the cauliflower come out from the bottom of the towel.  The size of the ball of cauliflower will shrink by about half if you do a good job of squeezing!

Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees.

Empty the cauliflower from the towel back into the mixing bowl.  Add egg whites, 1/2 cup cheese, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper.  Mix thoroughly.

Pat the cauliflower mixture into a rectangular shape, approximately 1/4 inch thick (perhaps 9x7 or 10x8) on a baking sheet.  Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown on top.  The original recipe stated 18 minutes, but it took me 24 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and top with 3/4 cup cheese (or enough to make a complete layer of cheese on top).  Return to the oven and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Slice in half lengthwise and then make strips.  Serve with warm marinara sauce if desired.


Myrtle's Note:  These are originally titled "breadsticks," but they are not bread in any fashion.  So, I took the liberty, for my peace of mind, to just change the title to something that was more fitting.  Not owning a regular food processor, I started not with a head of cauliflower, but with a bag of chopped cauliflower.  [In case you are considering it, do not try to pulse cauliflower in a NutriBullet.]  The recipe intrigued me, even though the idea of using cauliflower did not sound very palatable to me.  I liked how they turned out.  I did not have marinara sauce, but I could imagine they would be good with that as the original recipe suggests.  I think was made them more tasty in my mind is that I switched from Italian herbs to fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage.  And I added garlic.  So, really, I essentially tweaked the recipe to fit my own tastes.  Finally, I will note that I cooked them on a baking stone, not being a parchment paper person.  They did stick a bit, but I think part of that is because I needed to do a better job of squeezing out the liquid from the cooked cauliflower.  Not being a bread maker at all, I am unsure as to which type of baking surfaces are best.  I might try metal next time.  Because they were a bit soft on the bottom, after moving them to the cooling rack, I returned them to the oven for an additional 2 minutes.


Yield:  16 sticks.

Adapted from:  http://ifoodreal.com/cauliflower-breadsticks-recipe/

"Enhanced" Refried Black Beans

Ingredients:

• 2 cans refried black beans
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 2 large limes
• McCormack's® Chipotle Chili Pepper
• chili powder
• cumin
• cinnamon
• Simply Organic® garlic powder
• Simply Organic® onion powder
• Kulp's smoked seasoning salt

Directions:

TBD ... other than whipping them all together with a hand mixer.


Myrtle's Note:  Really, this is just for me to remember the combination of flavors that worked so well for enhanced black beans that I used as the first layer on my chalupas.  I liked this combination so much better that what I on my first try and wanted to remember it.  I need to work on figuring out the proportions that I use since I am a sprinkle-and-taste kind of cook when making up stuff for myself.


Yield:  Enough to slather on 24 tostada shells.  12 servings for the circumscribed; 8 for the hearty eater.

Source:  Myrtle Bernice Adams

Parsnips with Brown Butter Sage

Ingredients:

• 1 pound bag parsnips
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon McCormick's® Peppercorn Medley
• 1/2 teaspoon Redmond's® Real Salt

Directions:

In a small prep bowl, thoroughly mix brown sugar, salt, and pepper and set aside.

Peel and cut the parsnips into slivers and set aside.

In a sautuese pan, melt the butter on medium heat and allow it to brown, turning a bit foamy.  Add in the parsnips and toss thoroughly to coat.  Sprinkle the sugar, salt, and pepper mixture evenly across the top of the parsnips and toss thoroughly once more.  Sauté for approximately 12-14 minutes, until nicely browned, turning the parsnips periodically.  Half way through, add in the fresh sage and continue cooking.  Serve warm.

Source:  Myrtle Bernice Adams