Kaesespaetzle

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. Sea salt

1 1/2 tsp. Ground nutmeg 

1/4 tsp. Black pepper 

6 eggs

6 oz. milk

Water 

Salt

Butter 

3 cups grated cheese:

Elam, Gruyere, Swiss or combination 

Carmelized onions (see below) 

2 tbs. fresh parsley diced 

Tools:

Medium bowl

Large bowl

Large stock pot

Spaetzle maker or large holed cheese grater 

Large slotted spoon 

Large deep casserole dish

Directions:

Sift together dry ingredients in medium bowl. Set aside. In large bowl beat three eggs well. Alternate flour and milk while whisking until dough is smooth. It will be a very moist dough about the consistency of porridge. Let dough rest for 20 minutes. 

In large stock pot bring salted water to a full boil. Spray spaetzle maker with Pam. Hold spaetzle maker over pot. Fill spaetzle maker bowl about half to 3/4 full and slowly move bowl back and forth as the dumplings drop into the water. Repeat until all dough is used. Using slotted spoon stir dumplings. When all are floating to the top remove with slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. 

Butter large deep casserole dish and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer dumplings and cheeses in three layers. Placed caramelize onions on top. Bake 20-25 minutes until all cheese is melted.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh parsley. 

To make Carmelized onions: slice very thinly, two large sweet onions. You can use canola oil and butter, but I prefer using bacon fat to sauté the onions in. You just need enough to coat the bottom of the pan. I normally cut about 1/2 a pound of bacon into chunks and cook until crisp. Then I set the bacon aside. I am also normally making this at the same time that I am making beef roulade so I am already cooking bacon for that. Cook onions over medium heat stirring every five minutes. Cook for 20-30 mins until onions are soft and golden in color. The left over bacon is good sprinkled on top of your spaetzle or you can save for another recipe. The onions can be made ahead of time and refrigerated since they will bake in the oven they will reheat.  

Shrimp Po'boy

Andouille sauce:

3/4 mayonnaise 

1/4 tsp. cayenne 

1 tbl. parsley

1 tbl. Stone ground mustard 

1 tbl. sriracha

2 tsp. Worceteshire sauce 

2 tsp. Lemon juice 

Shrimp: 

1.5 lbs peeled deveined shrimp

1 cup flour

1/2 cup yellow corn meal

Cajun seasoning 

Salt

1/2 cup Milk

Canola oil 

Rinse and drain shrimp. Place in large bowl with milk and stir in 2 tbl. Cajun seasoning. Mix flour, corn meal, and 1 tbl. Cajun seasoning in large ziploc. Drain shrimp and add to bag shake well. In deep pot filled with at least 2 inches of oil, fry shrimp over medium heat 4-5 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve on lightly toasted submarine rolls with andouille sauce, lettuce, and tomato.  

French Toast

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Butter for griddle

8 slices of stale bread 

Mix together first four ingredients and whisk well. Preheat griddle to medium heat (325) and rub with cold stick of butter until coated. Place slice of stale bread one at a time in egg mixture using two forks to flip and then let excess drain off of bread before placing on griddle.  Cook until browned on both sides. Be sure to butter the grill each time you start a new batch so they don't stick. 

Roasted Ranch Carrots

Ingredients: 

1 pkg baby carrots 

2 tbs coconut oil (melted)

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder 

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tbs dried parsley 

Directions:

Spray sheet pan with non stick spray. Rinse carrots and blot dry with paper towels. Toss melted coconut oil and carrots until well coated. I just mix it right on the sheet pan but you can place in a ziploc and shake. I mix the dry spices in a small cup first and then sprinkle over carrots as evenly as possible and toss well. Bake at 400 for 25 minute.  Stir well and cook another 10-15 mins. You can stir in a or of butter at the end but that's optional. 

Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients

4 cans red kidney beans or

1lb raw kidney beans cooked

2 tbl. Canola oil 

1/2 onion diced

2 stalks celery diced

1/2 bell pepper diced 

3-4 cups beef broth

2 tbl. Cajun seasoning 

1 lb. andouille sausage

1 large ham steak 

1 1/2 cups rice 

3 cups water 

2 tsp. Salt

2 tbl. Butter 

Tabasco sauce 

I use canned beans simply for convenience, especially if I'm making this on a weeknight. The reason is that for this recipe even after the beans are cooked you are still going to cook them several more hours to break them down even further so it's much easier to just start out with pre cooked beans. Chop all vegetables and slice and cube sausage and ham. Add canola oil to large deep fry pan and heat to medium high heat. Add vegetables and meat to the hot oil. Stir frequently until it all starts to get golden brown. Sprinkle in Cajun seasonings and a few dashes of Tabasco sauce and toss well. Pour vegetables and meat into large crock pot. Add in four cans of beans and beef broth. The amount of broth you use will depend on how soupy you like your red beans and rice. I like mine to come close to covering the beans but not quite. Cook on low for 4-6 hrs. You want your beans to be pretty well broken down. You can also spoon about a cup of beans out and smash with a fork and then stir back in.  Alternatively you can simmer on the stove for two hours instead of using a crockpot. About thirty minutes before you are ready to serve add 3 cups of water, 2 tsp. Salt and 2 tbl. Butter to medium lidded pot. Bring to boil. Add in 1 1/2 cups medium to long grain white rice. Return to boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 25 minutes. Serve red beans with 1 scoop of rice and Tabasco sauce. 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookie Butter Dip

Ingredients

1 can pure pumpkin

1 can coconut milk

8 oz. cream cheese

3 tbs. powdered sugar 

4 tbs. brown sugar 

1 tsp. Vanilla 

1/2 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice 

Tarani pumpkin spice syrup 

Directions 

In stand mixer whip 8 oz. of cream cheese, 1 tsp. Vanilla, and 3 tbs. powdered sugar until fluffy. Add in 1/2 cup pure pumpkin and 1/2 tsp. Pumpkin spice. Mix well. 

In food processor pulse 20 biscotti cookies and 4 tbs. brown sugar into fine crumbs. While pulsing pour in approximately 1/3 cup coconut milk. Pour milk in slowly and stop when it is the texture of peanut butter. 

Add cookie butter to mixer and mix the cream cheese pumpkin mixture with the cookie butter until well mixed. Drizzle in tarani pumpkin spice syrup while mixing. 

Serve dip with apples and graham crackers 

Sun-dried Tomatoes and Zoodles

3 slices grilled chicken breasts 

1/4 cup chopped onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 leaves fresh basil, finely diced

6 oz. sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 

1 can evaporated milk

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2 zucchini, cut into zoodles

Olive oil

Butter

Salt and pepper 

I cheated a little bit and used pre-cooked frozen chicken breasts that were in my freezer begging to be used. I prepared all my veggies first and got everything ready, because it goes so quick, this took maybe 15 minutes start to finish. 

Add a little olive oil to a large lidded pan, add in chicken and onion, cook until chicken is heated through, add garlic, basil, and sun-dried tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir for a few minutes then add in evaporated milk and zoodles. Bring to a simmer and cover about 6 minutes until zoodles are tender. Add in Parmesan and toss.