Awesome Steak

1. Preheat oven to 400. Heat oil in a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet (not a nonstick) over medium-high until it begins to smoke. 
2. Pat steak dry with paper towels. Season each side with 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 1 teaspoon cracked pepper.
3. Cook steak in skillet over medium-high heat until a dark crust has formed, 5 to 7 minutes per side (reduce heat if meat is browning too quickly). Holding steak with tongs, quickly brown all edges, turning as necessary; lay steak flat in skillet.
4. Transfer skillet to oven. 
5. Roast for about 7-10 minutes for a medium to medium well steak. 
6. Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest 5 to 10 minutes (temperature will then rise another 5 to 10 degrees). 
7. Slice across the grain and serve

Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

2 pounds of cauliflower
1 package of cream cheese
8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
8 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
8 oz block cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons heavy cream
2 bunches green onions, sliced (1 1/2 cups)
6 sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 clove garlic, grated
Salt & pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Steam cauliflower florets until tender
• While cauliflower steams, cream together 6 oz of the shredded cheddar, 6 oz of the Monterey Jack, cream cheese, and heavy cream
• Stir in sliced green onions, chopped bacon, and garlic

• Drain any liquid from steamed cauliflower and add to cheese mixture
• Stir cauliflower and cheese mixture together
• Taste for seasoning, and add as necessary
• If you want a finer texture, give a few mashes with the potato masher
• Pour into a 2-3 quart casserole and sprinkle on remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese
• Cover dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes; remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is brown and bubbly
• Enjoy

Creamy Brussels Sprouts

1.5 pounds brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 egg
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 sprig rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 cup sharp cheddar
1/2 cup fontina
crumbled bacon

• Half brussel sprouts and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper (to taste) and oven roast for 20 minutes at 350 for 20 min
• In a small bowl, mix egg, cream, red pepper, rosemary, garlic, and onion. Whisk together.
• Add cheeses and half the bacon to the bowl and stir to mix
• Add sauce mix to sprouts and stir to mix
• Add rest of bacon to the top
• Bake at 350 for 25 minutes

Pot Roast with Vegetables

This came out really yummy. Used 2.5 pounds of meat and cooked it for 2 hours. It was great that day and even better the next day!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
a few tablespoons of onion and garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
3.5 pounds rump roast
1/4 cup butter
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup water
3 large potatoes
2 pounds of carrots (I use baby carrots because I'm lazy)
2 medium onions

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees
• Peel and then roughly chop the potatoes
• In a small mixing bowl, mix the flour with te onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper
• Coast the roast in the flour mixture
• Brown floured roast in the butter
• Place the vegetables in the bottom of the baking dish and place roast on top
• In small bowl, combine the soup mix, mushroom soup, and water and pour over roast and vegetables
• For 3.5 pound roast, cook for 3 hours

Serve by itself, or with some bread to soak up the delicious drippings. I'd like to add celery and mushrooms as well next time. I think that would be delicious!

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

•  1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
•  1 (14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•  1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425
• Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. 
• I doubled entire recipe but only used one can of sweetened condensed milk plus one can full of whole milk to adjust sweetness.
• Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. 
• Cool
• Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Chestnut Italian Wedding Cookies

Makes about 4 dozen 1-inch cookies

1 cup cooked chestnuts
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon + additional for coating
A few gratings of fresh nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour

Chop-chop-chop those chestnuts as fine as you can, then use an electric mixer to whip the butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Add the vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, flour and chestnuts and beat until well blended.]

Divide dough and wrap each half in plastic, chilling for one hour or until firm. Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and a few pinches of cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside. Working with one half of the chilled dough at at time, roll it into 2 teaspoon-sized balls in the palm of your hand.

Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheet but no need to leave more than 1/2 inch between the cookies; they won’t spread.

Bake cookies until golden brown on bottom and just pale golden on top, about 14 to 17 minutes.

Cool cookies 5 minutes on baking sheet.

Gently toss warm cookies in cinnamon sugar to coat completely. Transfer coated cookies to rack and cool completely.

To touch them up before serving, you can sift some of the leftover cinnamon-sugar mixture over them.

Do ahead: Dough can be chilled in the fridge for a day or two, longer in the freezer. Chestnuts can be roasted in advance, kept at room temperature for a day or so. Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a week.

Basalmic Glaze Baked Chicken

Marinade:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced

Instructions:

• Whisk together everything in marinade and place chicken in marinade for at least 20 minutes
• Preheat oven to 425
• Cut up potatoes and mix with olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Toss to mix.
• Coat frying pan in cooking oil and preheat pan
• Sear chicken for 2 minutes on each side
• Dump potatoes on top of chicken
• Bake at 425 for 20 minutes (about 10 minutes in, pour remainder of marinade on top of the chicken)

(I like my vegetables a little more well done, so I cook the potatoes and chicken separately and then combine to serve)