A classic casserole of Britain and Ireland done “American-style.”
Ingredients
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
3 large (1 1/2 to 2 pounds) potatoes , peeled and quartered
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, divided
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 to 2 cups mixed vegetables, such as diced carrots, corn, or peas
1 1/2 pounds ground round beef
1/2 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Pepper and/or other seasonings of choice
Instructions
Boil the potatoes: Place the peeled and quartered potatoes in medium sized pot. Cover with at least an inch of cold water. Add a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender (about 20 minutes).
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Sauté the vegetables: While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until tender, about 6 to 10 minutes.
If you are including vegetables, add them according to their cooking time. Carrots should be cooked with the onions because they take as long to cook as the onions do.
If you are including peas or corn, add them toward the end of the cooking of the onions, or after the meat starts to cook, as they take very little cooking time.
Add the ground beef, then the Worcestershire sauce and broth: Add ground beef to the pan with the onions and vegetables. Cook until no longer pink. Drain the pan of excess fat, if necessary (anything more than 1 tablespoon). Season with salt and pepper.
Add the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth. Bring the broth to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, adding more beef broth if necessary to keep the meat from drying out.
Taste the cooked filling and, if needed, add more salt, pepper, Worcestershire, or other seasonings of your choice.
In a large bowl, mix cooked pasta, tomato sauce, eggs, ricotta, parmesan, bread crumbs, and parsley. The mixture should hold together easily and be thick and creamy.
Heat oil on medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees.
Scoop pasta with an ice cream scoop and form into 2” balls.
Drop pasta balls into oil and cook until golden, approximately two minutes. Repeat until all batter is used. Set aside on paper towel.
(You can make the sauce first if you prefer) In a large saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in carrots along with celery and onions and sauté until they’re just tender, about 3 minutes. Add the ground beef and ground pork, and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as you stir.
Pour in the jar of store-bought marinara sauce along with salt and pepper and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens.
When the Bolognese sauce has reached your desired consistency, stir in the heavy cream.
Serve up a healthy portion of the sauce in a bowl and place spaghetti arancini balls on top.
2 tablespoons Organic Extra Virgin Mediterranean Olive Oil (+ extra for drizzle)
6-8 fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup half and half
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup each; crumbled goat cheese, dried cranberries, toasted pine nuts and pecans for topping
Instructions
Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, reduce to medium heat and add sage leaves. Fry just until oil stops bubbling around leaves, 10 to 15 seconds (try not to let them brown), then remove carefully with tongs and set aside to drain paper towels.
Add butter to the pan and melt over medium heat. Then add garlic and sauté it start to turn yellowish. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, for 3–5 minutes, or until bubbly and fragrant.
Next, add half and half and 1 cup of chicken broth. Whisk until combined and add pumpkin, Parmesan, minced parsley, minced sage, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally. Use the remaining cup of chicken broth to thin sauce as needed
While sauce is simmering cook ravioli according to package directions.
Drain ravioli and gently stir into sauce.
Plate and top each serving with a drizzle of olive oil, crumbled goat cheese, dried cranberries, and nuts.
Add the oil, butter, and onion to a soup pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 5-7 minutes or until it’s lightly browned.
Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning, followed by the tomatoes and chicken broth.
Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 minutes, covered, with the lid slightly ajar.
Blend the soup until it’s smooth (you may want to let it cool a little bit first). Stir in the cream and basil and season with salt & pepper as needed.
Grilled Cheese
Melt butter and brush on to both sides of each sourdough slice.
In a large skillet toast the bread, two slices at a time. Place two slices of cheese on top of one of the bread slices. Next add two slices of bacon, a handful of spinach, another cheese slice and top with a toasted sourdough.
Press firmly down with a spatula and cook until cheese is melted, and sourdough is golden brown.
If using whole lobsters, cook them in boiling water for 6-8 minutes until bright red. Remove from boiling water. Once the lobsters are cooked, plunge them into the ice water to stop the cooking process. Shuck the lobster meat from the shells.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta.
As the pasta cooks, make the bechamel sauce. Pour lobster stock into a large sauté pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the reserved roux to pan and stir slowly until sauce begins to thicken. Whisk lemon mascarpone and heavy cream sauce until incorporated. Add lobster meat, herbs and juices to the pan and cook on low heat. Add peas and half of the grated Parmesan cheese. Gently fold the ingredients together as they warm.
Once the pasta is tender, remove from boiling water and toss with the sauce in the same pan. Cook on low heat for a few minutes, until sauce coats the pasta. Add salt and pepper to taste. Use tongs to transfer the mixture to two warm bowls. Arrange the pasta on the bottom and lobster on the top in each bowl. Spoon half of the sauce over the top of each dish. Garnish with cracker crumbs (optional), remaining Parmesan cheese and chopped basil. Serve hot.
4-6 boneless-skinless chicken thighs, or breasts (your preference)
salt & pepper
1 1/2 cups baby potatoes
Fresh or frozen green beans
Lemon Sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon honey maple syrup (agave works too)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F
Mix lemon sauce ingredients: Whisk all of lemon sauce ingredients together in a bowl – chicken broth, lemon juice & zest, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, and chopped rosemary. Set aside.
Prep potatoes: wash potatoes, then slice in half (or quarter if larger).
Brown chicken: season chicken with salt and black pepper on both sides. Then in a skillet pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, brown chicken on both sides (2-3 minutes per side). Then remove from heat.
Add potatoes and lemon sauce: In the same pan with browned chicken, add sliced potatoes and lemon slices. Then pour all of lemon sauce over top of ingredients.
Bake: then transfer to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with cooked green beans.
A bowl of soup in the fall puts the heart at ease.
Ingredients
1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage (mild or spicy, your preference)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1-1/2 cups torn fresh spinach
3/4 cup refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Directions
In a small saucepan, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in broth and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Return to a boil. Reduce heat, add spinach and tortellini; cook until tortellini is tender, 7-9 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. If desired, top with crushed red pepper flakes.
A perfect fall dish that will make your entire house smell delicious!
Ingredients
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. tomato paste
2 lb. ground beef
1 oz. (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes (Italian, Cento San Marzano preferred)
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. whole milk
1 c. dry red wine
Freshly ground black pepper
Pappardelle pasta
Directions
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and cook until tender, 6 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir until combined, then add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer mixture with a slotted spoon to slow cooker.
Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, salt, milk, and red wine. Season with pepper and stir until combined.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Discard bay leaf.
Serve over cooked pasta, pappardelle preferred.
BONUS: After cooking for 6 hours, let cool and then place in refrigerator. Take out the next day (allow dish to semi-room temperature before turning slow cooker back on). Cook on low for an additional 4 hours for an even richer tasting sauce.
Turn a simple chicken dish into a whole other super tasty experience with this.
Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts – pounded to even thickness (1 inch or less)
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning – (OR ¼ teaspoon each dried basil, dried oregano, and dried thyme)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
4 slices mozzarella cheese
Tomato Basil Topping
3 roma tomatoes – diced
salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
Lemon Capellini
1/2 pound (usually 1/2 box) thin spaghetti or Angel Hair pasta cooked to Al Dente
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup capers
15-20 basil leaves
1 large tomato, diced, or a handful of sweet cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/2 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (or the juice from one lemon)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp granulated garlic powder
Instructions
In a large bowl combine chicken, oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir to combine and coat chicken evenly with the seasonings.
Grill chicken over medium-high heat 6-8 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
While chicken is cooking, prepare the topping. In a medium bowl combine tomatoes, salt and pepper, lemon juice, and basil and stir well.
Once chicken is cooked through, top each chicken breast with a slice of mozzarella cheese and cook for about 1 minute longer until cheese is melty.
Top chicken with tomato basil topping and serve immediately.
For the Capellini
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic powder. Whisk together until smooth.
Pour the desired amount over pasta. Then top with the parmesan, tomatoes, and capers. Stir to combine. This is best served cold, so if you have time, refrigerate it for about an hour. Add basil right before serving.
When you’re craving a bowl of childhood comfort with just a hint of adulting.
Ingredients
1 pint cherry tomatoes, baby Roma tomatoes or baby heirloom tomatoes
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese
1 cup pasta water saved from spaghetti
1 standard package thick spaghetti or bucatini
8-10 large shrimp, peeled, deveined
Directions
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the tomatoes (whole) and gently toss to coat. Allow the tomatoes to blister (but not burn) for several minutes. They may pop every once in a while and that is ok. Add in the fresh basil, thyme, parsley and garlic and toss to coat. Reduce the heat if needed to keep the butter from browning or burning.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. Before straining, save 1 cup of pasta water and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot. Lightly coat bottom of pan with 1 tsp oil; heat until lightly smoking. Add shrimp in a single layer. Cook just until golden and orange, 10 seconds; flip shrimp quickly. Cook 10 seconds more; immediately transfer to a plate.
Once the pasta is drained, add it in with the blistered tomatoes, the 1 cup of saved pasta water, salt, pepper and the Asiago cheese. Gently use tongs to toss it all together until combined.
Serve with additional fresh tomatoes, basil or cheese if desired.
