Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

• 6 large sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups white (or brown) sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)

Directions

1. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into slices.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet and add the sliced sweet potatoes.
3. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Cover the sweet potatoes with sugar mixture and stir. Cover skillet, reduce heat to low and cook for about 1 hour or until potatoes are "candied". They should be tender but a little hard around the edges. Also the sauce will turn dark. You will need to stir occasionally during the cooking. Stir in the vanilla just before serving. Serve hot.

From: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/9209/southern-candied-sweet-potatoes/print/?recipeType=Recipe&servings=12

Filet Mignon

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (8 ounce) filet mignon steaks
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt (maybe 3 tsp)
• 4 teaspoons fresh cracked pepper
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened ( 1 stick divided)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix together 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) softened butter with the minced garlic, the chopped herbs and the lemon zest. Form into a log and refrigerate.
2. Wrap bacon around Filet if desired; secure with toothpick
3. Generously season the filets with salt and pepper, approximately 1 teaspoon of seasoning per side.
4. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
5. Heat the remainder 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick) and the olive oil in a cast iron skillet to a screaming hot temperature (not burn you house down hot, though). Sear the filets in the hot pan for about 2-3 minutes per side or until a nice brown crust has formed. Once they're down, don't move them around.
6. While the steak is searing, continue to spoon the residual butter in the pan on top of the meat while it's cooking. Once both sides are seared, carefully place the entire skillet with steak in the center of the preheated oven for about 6-8 minutes, depending upon how thick your steak is.
7. In the last minute of cooking, take the log of compound butter and slice a thick piece to place on top; set aside.
8. Your steak will be ready when it is approximately 135 degrees in the center, or when you push lightly on the top center of the steak and it gently and slowly bounces back. Watch carefully especially if your steaks are thinner. Top with reserved compound butter.

From: http://www.food.com/recipe/restaurant-style-filet-mignon-487364

Steak Doneness	Remove from Grill at this Temperature	Final Cooked Temperature
Rare	130 to 135°F	130 to 140°F
Medium Rare	140°F	145°F
Medium	155°F	160°F
Well Done	165°F	170°F

Protein Waffles

Ingredients

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste

Directions

1. Preheat a waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.
2. Blend oats, cottage cheese, eggs, honey, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in a blender until creamy.
3. Ladle batter into preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer directions and cook the waffles until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Repeat until entire batch of batter is used.

RED LENTIL PANCAKES

Serves: 10

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup dried red split lentils
• 2 cups (240 grams) gluten-free oat flour (also works w/1C ground oat bran + 1 C wheat flour)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (also works w/butter)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse red split lentils and then place in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then turn heat down to low and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until lentils are soft. Drain and place in bowl of food processor. Blend lentils until you have a smooth puree.
2. In a large bowl, add oat flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk until combined. In a medium bowl, add milk, eggs, coconut oil (butter), vanilla extract, and maple syrup and whisk to combine. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients as well as pureed lentils. Whisk to combine.
3. Spray a large non-stick fry pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Using a ¼ measuring cup, pour batter onto pan, cook until bubbles start to form on top and bottom is slightly browned, then flip and continue until cooked through. Your first pancake will be a tester and most likely look like a dud.
4. Top pancakes with fruit and maple syrup if desired.

From: http://saltedplains.com/red-lentil-pancakes-gluten-free-dairy-free/

Harry Potter Butterbeer (and Cream Soda)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup light or dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 6 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
• Four 12-ounce bottles cream soda

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan over medium, combine the brown sugar and water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring often, until the mixture reads 240 F on a candy thermometer.
2. Stir in the butter, salt, vinegar and 1/4 heavy cream. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the rum extract.
4. In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Use an electric mixer to beat until just thickened, but not completely whipped, about 2 to 3 minutes.
5. To serve, divide the brown sugar mixture between 4 tall glasses (about 1/4 cup for each glass). Add 1/4 cup of cream soda to each glass, then stir to combine. Fill each glass nearly to the top with additional cream soda, then spoon the whipped topping over each.

From: (#1 of) http://wizardingworldpark.com/butterbeer-recipes/

Cream Soda:
2 cups sugar 
1 cup water 
1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
a healthy supply of seltzer (carbonated water), half and half, and cubed or crushed ice

Pesto Pasta with Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• 1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and cut into strips
• 1/2 cup pesto sauce

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until tender, then stir in chicken. Season with red pepper flakes. Cook until chicken is golden, and cooked through.
3. In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and pesto. Toss to coat evenly.

Ginger Lemonade

Yield:4 servings


Ingredients

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 2 large strips lemon peel
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Ice, for serving

Directions

• Combine the sugar, ginger and lemon peel in a small saucepot. Pour enough water to cover the mixture, about 1 cup. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer, about 5 minutes. Remove the saucepot from the heat and let sit at least 15 minutes up to a few hours.  Pour the lemon juice in a pitcher. Add 3 cups water and the sugar mixture and mix to combine. Serve the lemonade over ice.

Recipe courtesy of Melissa d'Arabian

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/ginger-lemonade-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback