Dutch Apple Pie with Oatmeal Streusel

Pie is the one dessert I can’t stay away from in any circumstance.  I really do like apple, and prefer dutch.  This one was pretty good, though I felt the topping ended up too crunchy…I think tenting the pie in the last 10-15 minutes, or maybe a smidge more butter might have prevented that.  I would make it again and try to adjust.  I did a braided crust since this was our Thanksgiving pie (I’m a little late to the party posting this!), and it puffed up quite well and I thought really added a nice layer.  We used a mixture of Fuji and Jonagolds which we had picked ourselves for this, and they were great…I think you could use any apple, really.

dutchapple

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Sausage and Asiago Stuffed Mushrooms

I really heart stuffed mushrooms. They’re easy, portable, and you can stuff them with just about anything. I brought these to a holiday party this year and they seemed to go over well. The only change I would make is choosing a stronger sausage…though I picked Italian, it was a chicken sausage and I thought the mushrooms could use a bit more kick than this really provided.

I found this on a blog called Sweetsugarbean.com, which I landed on after sorting through what I felt were twenty-bajillion mushroom filling suggestions!

mushrooms

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White Bean Spread

This is a dip we make over and over again and we never get tired of it.  It’s great for parties or just a casual snack at home.  I got this recipe from Serious Eats, and haven’t adjusted too much other than usually using canned beans, and cutting back on the garlic because of it.  I have made my own Za’atar, but I have a pre-made version from Penzey’s that I use just as often.

whitebeandip

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Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

I heart anything peanut butter, and these cookies were no exception.  We were looking for something besides the traditional to add to our Christmas gift baskets, and this went well.  Definitely one I will make over and over!  I originally got the recipe from Epicurious and tweaked for more peanut butter and extract (I used almond).

pbcookies

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Peppermint Bark

A holiday favorite!  I am really not a fan of chocolate (especially white chocolate), but I do love this.  The first bark I ever had was at Williams-Sonoma many years ago, and I’ve been searching for a close call ever since!  This recipe came out of Food Network magazine, and was quite close!  Close enough that we actually made it to include in gift baskets this year.

bark

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Iced Sugar Cookies

Nothing says Christmas like iced sugar cookies!  They’re so pretty, and actually sugar cookies are my favorite…and these are so fun.  Icing is included at the bottom of the recipe, but I left a few with just some sprinkles or glitter sugar.  This is an old recipe I have, and they can make thinner, crispier cookies, or thick and chewy.  The icing is a tried and true I got from Allrecipes many moons ago.  Keep in mind that the icing dries as a glaze…this is not a royal icing.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

sugarcookies

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Herb Roasted Potatoes

Easy side dish that goes well with lots of different mains – I’ve made it with everything from fish to steak to roast chicken.

  • 1-2 lb potatoes (I particularly like Yukon Gold or Purple Potatoes), quartered
  • 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence (or a similar mix of dried herbs to taste)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.

In an oven-proof dish, toss potatoes with olive oil, garlic, herbs and salt and pepper.  Roast for approximately one hour, or until brown and crisp at the edges.  Stir twice during roasting.

 

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Arctic Char in Parsley and Garlic Sauce

We’re always looking for new ways to cook fish, and incorporate more of it in our meals.  We had some frozen Arctic Char hanging out that needed something to do.  I based this off a Food Network recipe for Garlic/Rosemary Arctic Char and went from there.  We served this with roasted asparagus and roasted herb potatoes.

arcticchar

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Bruschetta

One of my favorite appetizers/small plates, and super easy.  Pretty much a no-fail.  I also sometimes like to have it as a main dish in summer, when tomatoes are so fresh.  This can go with or without cheese; this time I went without.

bruschetta

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Tomato Basil Soup

I’m really not a fan of tomato soup. Except I can’t turn this one down. This one is Serious Eats attempt at Nordstrom’s rendition of Tomato Basil soup, and I thought it was pretty darn close. It was a perfect dinner on a chilly evening paired with a good old grilled cheese.  I made this recipe as is, with one exception – I substituted light cream for heavy.  We didn’t notice the difference.

tomatosoup

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