Meatballs

Makes 24 small meatballs . . .

1 lb beef
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp powdered garlic
3/4 tsp oregano
Dash of liquid smoke
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup italian breadcrumbs
1 egg
Salt, pepper

Bake at 400 degrees for approx 8-12 minutes, until centers are no longer pink

Cherry Cheese Strudel

1 package filo dough
1 package cream cheese
1 tub ricotta cheese
1/4c bakers sugar
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
Cherries (jar or fresh, pitted) - if using fresh you may want to boil them in saucepan with a little water, cornstarch, lemon juice and sugar
4 tbsp melted butter
Powdered sugar for serving

Preheat oven to 350
Line baking sheet with parchment paper
Beat together ricotta, cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice in stand mixer til smooth
Add in cherries
Layer filo dough by brushing with butter
Put filling lengthwise on one side, fold in short sides, roll up, brush with butter
Bake approx 30 min til golden
Serve with powdered sugar

Lamb Tagine

Yellow Rice

1.5 cups basmati rice
3/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cumin
3 cups chicken stock
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
optional - lemon at end

Add turmeric, cumin, stock, garlic, butter, salt to stock pot and bring to boil.  Add rice, return to boil, then cover and turn heat to very low (barely simmer) for 20 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.  Turn off heat and let sit for 10 minutes more, then fluff with fork.

Lamb Tagine

2 lbs lamb shoulder, cubed (approx 1.5 inch cubes)
2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
1 pinch saffron
3/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp coriander

1.5 cups chicken broth
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 leek, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 pear, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup raisins

Combine all spices in gallon ziplock bag, toss together well, then add raw lamb, toss again well until lamb is evenly coated.  Refrigerate overnight ideally.
In saucepan with a few tbsp olive oil, brown lamb on all sides for a few minutes
Pour chicken broth into pan to deglaze it from lamb, save to add into slow cooker
In slow cooker, put all vegetables, raisins
Layer lamb on top, then pour in chicken broth
Turn on slow cooker to low setting for 8-10 hours

Oreo cupcakes

Oreo Cupcakes

Ingredients
1 pack Oreo Cookies
1 package Mini Oreo Cookies, for decoration (optional)
1 recipe of chocolate cake (homemade or package)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
3 cups powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Make cake mix, add a little less than 1/2 package of Oreos, crushed
Mix together, pour into mini cupcake tins, bake about 10 min

Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla, then powder sugar slowly, mix 5 min in stand mixer.
Finely grind remaining Oreos (maybe reserve some for decoration) and add into frosting, to taste.

Creme Brulee

Relatively easy creme brulee recipe

Ingredients:
1 qt heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, halved and scraped
6 ounces white sugar (3/4 c) - divided in half
10 egg yolks
6 tbsp brown sugar
ramekins, cooking torch

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Boil cream, split/scraped vanilla bean and half of the white sugar together - watch closely because it will boil over if unattended!
Mix yolks and other half of white sugar with whisk, whisking until foamy and pale
Remove the vanilla bean from the pot
Slowly and constantly whisk in boiling cream mixture to yolk mixture
Put ramekins in a deep baking dish, fill baking dish with water until it comes halfway up sides of ramekins
Pour the custard evenly into the ramekins, bake for about 45 minutes until tops are set but jiggly
Let cool to room temperature (or cover with plastic in fridge overnight)
Sprinkle brown sugar on each custard, carmelize with cooking torch

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:

6-8 red potatoes
2 tsp olive oil
.5c onion
1 1/4c broth
3 tbsp flour
2 c milk (or half-half)
1/4c sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
5 strips bacon
1/2c cheddar cheese
4 green onions

Directions:

- Pierce potatoes with fork, microwave on high 13 minutes, halve, cool
- Heat oil in saucepan, sautee onions 4 minutes
- Combine flour and 1/2c of the milk, add into pot
- Add the remaining (1 1/2c) milk
- Bring to boil, stir often
- Remove from heat, add in sour cream, salt, pepper
- Cook bacon on paper towel in microwave 4 minutes, crumble
- Remove potato skins, mash potato into soup
- Top with green onions, cheese, bacon

Berry Custard

Ingredients:

1 tsp melted butter
1 c raspberries
4 sliced fresh peaches
.5c flour
2/3c sugar
1 1/4c milk or half-half
3 eggs
.5 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Directions:

Arrange peaches and raspberries in 2-quart baking dish
Whisk all other ingredients together for 2 minutes, pour over fruit
Bake at 350 for at least 50 minutes until puffed with golden brown edges