Tuna Melts

This is a simple recipe and maybe people don't need a recipe for this, but I did, lol, and I've made these often since coming across the recipe a few months ago. They're quick and easy, and it you want them easier, you can mix up the tuna mixture ahead of time, stick it in the fridge, and then use it when you're ready for it. You do have to toast all the English muffins before baking the sandwiches, and it's nice to have a 4-slice toaster for this. I used 4 English muffins for a total of 8 open-faced sandwhiches. 

Tuna Melts

adapted from Food and Wine

1/2 scant cup mayonnaise (try using 1/3 cup)
2 tablespoons Dijon or honey mustard
1 (12-ounce) can water- or oil-packed tuna, drained (I just use chunk light in water)
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1/4 red, white, or yellow onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon minced parsley or 1 tsp dried

1/2 tsp BOTH dried dill and dried tarragon, optional, but very good
freshly ground black pepper

salt, to taste (I don't add any- these are plenty salty with tuna, mayo & cheese)
4 English muffins, split and toasted ( to make 8 halves total)
1-2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (can use more or less)

1. Whisk together mayonnaise and mustard in a medium bowl. Add tuna, celery, red onion, and parsley and mix with a fork until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat broiler to high. Spoon tuna salad onto English muffin halves and place on a baking sheet. Top tuna with cheese. Broil until cheese is melted, about 4 minutes. (Optional- heat oven to 400 F or 425 F and just bake these until cheese is melted. My broiler is weird and I don't use it.) 

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Molasses Sandwich Cookies

The fam enjoyed these Molasses Sandwich Cookies. I'm not a molasses lover, but even I thought these were good. The marshmallow filling really makes them. I used my regular-sized cookie scoop for these; next time I might use my smallest one, because these cookies turned out very tall and were super filling with regular-sized cookies! They're so good though. Using my medium scoop, I only got 13 cookies out of this recipe (so, 26 single cookies, sandwiched together to make 13).

Molasses Sandwich Cookies  

adapted from I Am Baker

Cookies:

2 ¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks / 170 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
¼ cup (84 g) molasses
4 tablespoons granulated sugar, for rolling

Filling:

½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) butter, softened
teaspoon almond extract
pinch kosher salt
2 cups (250 g) confectioners' sugar
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme or fluff

Ginger Cookies:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and molasses, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

2. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the molasses mixture. Mix until fully combined. Shape the dough into 1-inch sized balls, rolling them into the granulated sugar. Place the cookies a couple of inches apart onto the lined baking sheet, flattening slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes, letting them cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Filling:

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until the butter is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the almond extract and salt. Add in the confectioners' sugar, about ½ cup at a time. Once all the sugar is added, mix on high for 2-3 minutes. Once fully combined, fold the marshmallow creme into the frosting by hand with a silicone spatula. Spread the filling on the bottoms of half the cookies and top with the remaining cookies.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Chowder

This was a delicious and easy to prepare chicken corn chowder recipe. I prepped this the night before, but kept the potoates in an airtight container soaking in cold water. In the morning, I drained the potates in a strainer and just added them to the top, then plugged the crockpot in. I also just used whole, frozen chicken tender pieces and shredded them after cooking. This way I could make this on a work morning.

Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Chowder

adpated from An Edible Mosaic

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenders, breasts, or thighs
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 large cloves garlic crushed
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 large red bell pepper chopped
3 large stalks celery sliced
20 ounces frozen sweet corn, no need to thaw
1 1/2 pounds yellow potatoes scrubbed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons cornstarch
real bacon bits, for garnish

1. Drizzle the oil across the bottom of a slow cooker. Spread out the chicken in an even layer across the bottom. Sprinkle on the salt, black pepper, garlic, and thyme. Add the following in even layers: onion, bell pepper, celery, corn, and finally the potatoes. Add the bay leaf. Pour in the chicken broth. (Don’t stir.) Cook until the chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender, on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. At the end of the cooking time, shred the chicken with two forks. 

2. Mix together the cream and cornstarch in a small bowl. If you’re cooking on LOW, stir in the cream/cornstarch mixture during the last 30 minutes of cooking. If you’re cooking on HIGH, stir in the cream/cornstarch mixture during the last 15 minutes of cooking.

3. If you want the soup even thicker, you can puree 2 cups of it in a blender and stir it back in, or simply use a potato masher to partially mash the soup when it’s done cooking. (Note that this soup will thicken more as it cools.) Serve garnished with bacon.

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Butternut Squash Chowder

This butternut squash chowder was SO GOOD! I loved it!! You can use butternut squash or pumpkin in this. The sweet squash flavor is delicious with the savory Italian sausage. Here, I can buy pre-cut chunks of butternut squash. They're kind of big, so I have to cut them in half or smaller. But it's SO much easier than peeling and cutting a huge butternut squash. 

Butternut Squash Chowder 

adapted from Closet Cooking

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound bulk italian sausage
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped (can use 1/2 tsp dried)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup flour 
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups butternut squashed or pumpkin, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup heavy cream (or 1/2 cup sour cream)
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
salt and pepper to taste

fresh sage for garnish, optional

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the sausage and cook, breaking it apart as it cooks, before setting aside. Add the butter, let it melt. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, sage, red pepper flakes, flour, mix well and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add the broth, butternut squash, and sausage, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, mix in the cream and cheese and let it melt into the sauce. Mix in the corn. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! If you have fresh sage, you can garnish the soup with it. 

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Pumpkin/Butternut Squash Butter Chicken

This curry was so delicious! This recipe is made with either butternut squash chunks or pumpkin puree. I made it both ways and both ways were delicious. The first pic, above, is with canned pumpkin puree. The second pic is with no pumpkin puree, and I used butternut squash chunks instead. (I used the same amount of chicken in both.) The squash/pumpkin added a delicious hint of sweetness to the curry. In the version with the puree, it also thickened the sauce very nicely. 

Pumpkin/Butternut Squash Butter Chicken

adapted from Closet Cooking

For the chicken marinade:
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon garlic, grated/minced
1 tablespoon ginger, grated/minced (I used purchashed ginger/garlic paste here)
1 tablespoon garam masala 
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite sized pieces

For the butter chicken:
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, grated/minced
1 tablespoon ginger, grated/minced  (I used purchashed ginger/garlic paste here)
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth 
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk (or 1 cup heavy/whipping cream)
2 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed OR 1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
2 tablespoons butter
salt to taste

1.  For the chicken marinade: Marinate the chicken in the mixture of the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, and salt for 20 minutes to overnight.

2.  For the butter chicken: Melt the butter in a large pan (or saucepan) over medium heat, and cook the onion and chicken, about 10 minutes. (I included all the marinade and just cooked it with the chicken here.) Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, coriander, and tomato paste, mix, and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

3.  Add the broth, coconut milk OR cream, and butter nut squash (OR pumpkin puree), bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the squash/chicken is tender, about 15-20 minutes. Add the fenugreek leaves and butter, mix, season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

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Cheesy Pinto Beans (Bean + Rice Bowls)

My husband and I LOVED these simple bean and rice bowls. I found the recipe randomly on Facebook. You just simmer canned beans on the stove, mashing some, and stirring. As they cook, they turn creamy, like beans from a Mexican restaurant in the US. I loooove them! You include the bean liquid, and at first, it does not seem like it will work, but it does. These were so delicious and easy. You just need some rice to go along with them, and whatever toppings you want. We used chopped tomatoes, minced white onions, guacamole, chopped lettuce, and cilantro-lime ranch. For the ranch dressing, I just mixed up some Trader Joe's dry mix with the ingredients listed and blended it with some fresh cilantro and lime juice.

              

Cheesy Pinto Beans (Bean + Rice Bowls)

adapted from a random FB recipe

1 cup dry rice (or more if you want more)
oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 cans pinto beans (about 30 oz. total)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar (or any shredded cheese)

Topping ideas: guacomole, chopped tomatoes, chopped lettuce, diced onion, hot sauce, **cilantro-lime ranch, sour cream

1. Cook rice as directed and set aside- I always use my rice cooker. For more flavor, cook in low-sodium broth.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium pot (I used non-stick), heat oil over medium heat. Add red pepper flakes and garlic powder and saute until frangrant, about 15 seconds. Don't burn the garlic. 

3. Add pinto beans, liquid and all, and stir. With a potato masher, mash half of the beans right in the pot. Add the remaning spices, stir, and bring to a simmer. The beans will look watery at first, but will thicken upon cooking and stirring. Keep going at it; dont' get discouraged. At first I thought it wasn't working out, but it ended up being perfect after cooking/stirring. 

4. Stir in cheese until melted. Serve on top of rice with optional toppings and enjoy!

**Cilantro-lime ranch dressing- I made a half-recipe using Trader Joe's dry ranch mix (instructions are on the bottle), then I blended it with a small bunch of cilantro and some lime juice. You can make this a day or two ahead of time. You can also use a dry packet of Hidden Valley ranch, OR just take pre-made Ranch and blend it with some cilantro and lime. You can also just use plain sour cream and fresh cilantro, seperately.**

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Pumpkin and White Bean Chicken Chili

I really enjoyed this chili, and it was easy to make in the slow cooker. I love savory pumpkin dishes, beans, and soups, so this was perfect. I also love using my slow cooker. I put this together in the insert of the crockpot the night before and stuck it in the fridge. In the morning before work, I pulled out the insert with the ingredients inside, put it into the metal part of my crockpot, plugged it in and turned it on to "Low". It was perfect that evening. 

Pumpkin and White Bean Chicken Chili

adapted from Closet Cooking

1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2-4 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped (or 1-2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder) (I used chipotle paste I bought on Amazon)
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups pumpkin puree (or 1 15 ounce can)
2 (15 ounce) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
1 teaspoon oregano
4 ounces cream cheese, warmed
1 tablespoon lime juice (optional)
salt and black pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving (I didn't have this so I used fresh sage- lol)

1. Place all ingredients into the crockpot except cream cheese, lime juice, salt, pepper, and optional cilantro. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 4-6 hours. Shred chicken in crockpot using two forks. Add cream cheese and let it melt. (May need to use a whisk, and you may have a few lumps remaining- it's ok.) Add lime juice, and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with fresh cilantro, optional. 

                                                                      **This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com**