Roasted Potato Wedges

from: The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• Potatoes (number And Variety Of Your Choosing: Russets Work Well)
• ¼ cups (approximately) Olive Oil
• Salt To Taste
• Fresh Herbs, to taste
• Optional Ingredients
• 2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
• Garlic, Minced
• 2 Tablespoons (to 3 Tablespoons) Balsamic Vinegar
• Cayenne Pepper
• Paprika

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Wash potatoes.
Cut potatoes into wedges.
Toss with oil, butter, salt, pepper, and whatever else you’d like: garlic, balsamic, spices, etc.
Roast for 15 minutes.
Shake around. Stir.
Roast for another 20 minutes. Check ‘em. Keep cookin’ ‘em.
Take ‘em out. Check the seasoning. Add more if necessary.
Sprinkle with herbs.
Serve immediately.

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1.02.28

Spanish Rice

from: About.com

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups rice
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup plain tomato sauce*
• 3 cloves finely chopped garlic *
• 1/4 of a medium onion*
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 4 heaping tablespoons of finely chopped parsley (optional)

Preparation:

In a medium sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add in the fresh garlic and onion. Saute for 1-2 minutes until softened. Add in dry rice. Stir for about 5 minutes until rice becomes a golden brown color.

Add in broth and tomato sauce (Slowly into rice, not directly onto hot pan!) Add in the parsley if you're using it. Stir it up and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, turn the heat to low and cover. Let it simmer for 20 minutes and fluff with a fork.

*If you don't have fresh garlic or onions on hand you can use the equivalent in powder form. Do not saute the powder, just skip that step and add the garlic powder and/or onion powder when you add the liquids. If you don't have tomato sauce you can use unseasoned stewed tomatoes, or canned diced tomatoes with their liquid.

**A note from Mama**

I was looking for an easy Spanish/Mexican Rice recipe to pair with my Mom's Sour Cream Enchiladas. I needed to have all of the ingredients in the pantry, and this one fit the bill! I used diced tomatoes and garlic powder because I did not have the sauce and fresh garlic, but we all thought it turned out super tasty! It's a keeper.

Slow Cooker Fall Favorites

recipe from: a year of slow cooking

a whole bunch of Fall Favorites that are bound to please the crowds!

Beverages

Holiday (non-alcoholic) Punch (although "Holiday" is in the title, I've been making this a lot. Wednesdays can totally be the new Holiday.)
Pumpkin Spice Latte (yummers)
Chai Tea Latte (I don't actually like this so much, but my mother-in-law loves it, and so do her friends.)

Appetizers

Brie with Balsamic Apricot Topping (just made this again on Saturday, and have been requested to make it on Thursday for my friend Jennifer's jewelry party. Oh! anyone want to buy jewelry? I think there might be an online form.)
Sundried Tomato Dip (one of the very first things I made during my challenge)
Cream Cheese, Sausage, and Rotel Dip (AKA Mommy Crack)
Pizza Fondue (liquid pizza)
Fancy Cheese Fondue

Main Courses

Apricot Chicken (the kids LOVE this)
Pomegranate Beef (from Karina's Kitchen, the Gluten Free Goddess. She is wonderful.)
Pizza Soup (because you need more liquid pizza)
Cowboy Stew (from Headless Mom)
Pasta Fagioli (copy cat(ish) from the Olive Garden. We eat this monthly.)
Coq au Vin (red wine for purple, white wine for not-purple)
Azorean Stew (from Sean at Hedonia)
Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup (I get the nicest thank you notes about this one)
Java Roast (doesn't taste like coffee. I promise.)
Chile Verde (I make this for guests. Often.)
Margarita Chicken (from Alanna, of Kitchen Parade)
Mongolian Beef (lots of ingredients, but totally worth it)
Korean Ribs (from Stefania, of City Mama)
Orange Apricot Pork Chops (a favorite with kids)
Cranberry Pork Tenderloin (my little buddy Austin's review is priceless on this one)
Asian Peanut Butter Pork (mmm. peanut butter.)
Sausage Vegetable Medley (we eat this an awful lot. super easy.)
Autumn Sausage Casserole (C. Beth reminded me to add this!)
Jamaican Pumpkin Soup (amazingly delicious)

Desserts

Cheesecake (I was crazily ecstatic at how this turned out. I think the neighbors could hear my squealing)
Crustless Pumpkin Pie (exactly what it sounds like!)
Apple Crisp (the people in the audience at GMA liked this)
Peach (or whatever fruit you'd like) Pie (I had canned peaches in the house)
Pumpkin Pie Dip (fondue-y)
5 Layer Brownies (use a small slow cooker for this, or your middle won't set)
Pound Cake (I can't believe I ate the whole thing)
Rice Krispies Treats (the kids can do this alone. while I nap. It's a good thing.)
Caramel Apples (great surprise as an after school snack)
Brownie-in-a-Mug (So. Much. Fun.)

Fresh Pasta with Lemon Cream

from: http://www.angelfire.com/journal/wwrecipes/448.htm)

15 oz low fat ricotta cheese
dash salt
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp nutmeg (I used only 1/2 tsp)
4 cups cooked pasta - spaghetti or angel hair
black pepper to taste

Empty ricotta into blender or food processor, using the steel blade. Add salt. Process until all graininess disappears and ricotta has the texture of thick whipped cream. Flavor the mixture with lemon peel and nutmeg. Store in refrigerator. Drain the hot cooked pasta, then immediately return it to the saucepan it was cooked in.

Add the whipped ricotta. Toss until pasta is well coated with sauce. Can garnish with Parmesan, fresh parsley or a few thin slices of pitted black olives.

Can be served as a side with fresh salmon or chicken.

Makes 8 servings, 3 points per serving
(note: garnishes not included in points per serving)

Macaroni & Cheese

(from Hillbilly Housewife)

• 2 cups dry macaroni
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup instant dry milk powder
• 1/4 cup margarine, melted (1/2 a stick)
• 2 medium eggs
• 3 cups shredded cheese (Colby is traditional)
• 4 oz of Velveeta type cheese, cut into chunks OR the equivalent of sliced sandwich cheese, torn into smallish pieces
• a pinch of dry mustard
• a pinch of salt

This is an incredibly rich version of that old favorite, macaroni and cheese. It isn’t the cheapest recipe for Mac ‘n Cheese. It is, however, the least expensive of all of the deluxe versions I have found in my church pot-luck travels. It is also really high in protein which is a good thing when your oldest boy won’t eat meat, but loves mac ‘n cheese. First boil the macaroni until it in tender in plenty of boiling salted water. When it is soft, drain it very well.

Meanwhile oil a 3-quart casserole or a 9 by 13-inch rectangular pan. Combine the dry milk powder, water, melted margarine, eggs, dry mustard and salt in the oiled casserole. I use a whisk to get it all emulsified nicely.

Sprinkle the shredded cheese and Velveeta-type cheese (or torn up sandwich slices) into the milk mixture. Add the macaroni too. Stir it all up until the cheese is sort of evenly distributed. One needn’t be obsessive about this part; randomness of the cheese distribution stands out as one of the charms of this creamy delicacy. Every third bite or so, has an extra gooey bit of cheese in it, which delights the palette of even an unsophisticated hillbilly. Bake the casserole at 350 ° for about half an hour. The cheese should be melted, and the milk should be absorbed into the dish, making it creamy and delicious. If desired, a bit of shredded cheese may be sprinkled on top of the casserole before baking.

This recipe serves about 8, fewer if they are gluttons. Which means it feeds my family for one meal as the main dish, without leftovers. I like to serve it with a plain green vegetable like broccoli or spinach, and a light dessert like gelatin with fruit, or even plain canned fruit cocktail. Tomato juice would be a good beverage to serve along side. As a side dish, this quantity serves about 10 or 12, once again, depending on how many macaroni cheese gluttons are in attendance. Excellent for pot lucks and the like.