Banana Blueberry Nut Oatmeal

1 cup water

3/4 cups milk (you can do all water or whatever ratio, the more milk the creamier)

1 cup rolled oats

Dash of salt

1 banana

1TBSP brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup blueberries

1/4 chopped nuts 

Bring liquid and salt to a boil. Add oats and 1/2 sliced banana and boil about 5 minutes uncovered. Add vanilla and brown sugar and cover and let stand about 2 minutes. Pour oatmeal into bowl and top with blueberries, the rest of the sliced banana and nuts. 

Serves 2

Cookie Dough Frosting

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Cookie Dough Frosting

Yield: Frosts about 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temp
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 Tablespoons milk 
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

1. With a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar at medium speed. Add the vanilla and beat well. Add the flour and salt and mix until combined. Add the milk gradually until desired consistency is reached and beat until fluffy. Gently fold in chocolate chips. Frost cooled cupcakes. I like mine thick so I kind of spoon is on. Store in refrigerator.

Notes

Add less milk for a cookie dough to snack on or add more milk to make it into a dip!

Source: Sally's Baking Addiction 

Spatchcocked Turkey

No it's not a naughty word. It's the quick, easy method for cooking a turkey. You cut out the backbone and smash it flat. Cooks evenly, and gives the most perfectly crispy skin all over. You can play with seasonings and rubs and even dry brine. Makes a delightful gravy and is just overall really really good. 

Whole, raw, thawed turkey (12-18lbs)

Onions

Celery

Carrots 

Garlic

Fresh thyme (sage, rosemary are also nice) 

Kosher Salt

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 450. Yes, 450

Lay bird in counter breast side down. Use scissors to cut on either side of the backbone and cut out. Flip over and smash across breastbone and get it flat. You should break the bone. Pat dry and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place cut veggies and herbs on a cookie sheet and leave a few aside for gravy. Place cooling rack on top of veggies and place bird in top. Place in oven and cook for about 1 1/2 hours. For 45 minutes boil some veggies and aromatics with the chopped up back bone and giblets. Place flour and some butter in a pan to make a rue and slowly add turkey broth. Season to taste.

Pork Carnitas

I like this recipe. Definitely needs all the salt. Really good with Mexican rice in rice bowls and in corn tortillas with salsa and all the fixings.

5 lb pork shoulder (pork butt), skinless, bone-in

1 onion, coarsely chopped 

1 jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, chopped

• 1¼ tbsp table salt OR 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 oranges, juice only

Rub

• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Rinse and dry the pork shoulder, rub in salt and pepper.

Combine the rub ingredients then rub all over the pork.

Place the pork in a slow cooker (fat cap up), top with the onion, jalapeño, minced garlic (don't worry about spreading it) and squeeze over the juice of the orange.

Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.

The meat should be tender and falling off the bone. Remove from the slow cooker and let cool slightly. Then shred the pork using two forks.

Skim off the fat from the juices remaining in the slow cooker and discard the fat. Then if you are left with a lot more than 1½ to 2 cups of juice, then reduce it (either in the slow cooker on the sauté setting with the lid off, or in a saucepan). Set aside

To serve:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large non stick pan over high heat. Place shredded pork into the pan and press down and cook until the bottom side is golden brown and crusty.
2. Pour over the juices and serve immediately (if you are using defrosted carnitas, this is not applicable as the juices are already on the meat).
3. If you are reheating the carnitas, then flip and cook the other side briefly just to warm through. I really recommend only making one side crusty and leaving the other side juicy and moist.
4. 2. To make this in the oven, add 1 cup of water to the braising liquid. Place in 325F/160C oven for 2 hours, covered, then roast for a further 1 to 1.5 hours uncovered. Add more water if the liquid dries out too much. You should end up with 1½ to 2 cups of liquid when it finishes cooking.
   
   If you make this recipe in the oven, you could skip the pan frying step because you will get a nice brown crust on your pork.
   
   3. Use pork with the skin removed but leaving some of the fat cap on. The fat adds juiciness to the carnitas!
   

Fresh Canned Salsa

I had a family friend give us a ton of tomatoes this year and thought it would be great to can some salsa. Little did I know you nearly bust your bum to make about 4 jars! Way too much work! So canning the tomatoes whole not only saves you time but makes the MOST delicious salsa anytime you need it! 

1. 2 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes or one quart of whole
2. 1/2 onion - diced
3. 1/8 cup green pepper - diced
4. 1/2-1 TBSP diced jalepeno
5. 1 teaspoon minced garlic
6. 1 tablespoon lime juice
7. 1/2 teaspoon salt
8. pepper to taste
9. 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
10. pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Blueberry Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 (12-14 ounce) loaf french bread, sourdough bread, or challah
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 8 large eggs
• 2 and 1/4 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

STREUSEL TOPPING

• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 6 Tablespoons butter, cold and cubed
• Optional: extra blueberries, fresh fruit, maple syrup, and/or confectioners' sugar for topping

Directions:

1. Grease a 9x13 pan. Slice then cut the bread into cubes, about 1 inch in size. Spread cubes into the prepared baking pan and top evenly with blueberries. Set aside.
2. Whisk the eggs, milk, cinnamon, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Pour over the bread and smoosh the bread a bit to get it all soaked. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and stick in the refrigerator for 3 hours - overnight. Overnight is best.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove pan from the refrigerator.
4. Prepare the topping: Whisk the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Cut in the cubed butter with a pastry blender or two forks. Sprinkle the topping over the soaked bread.
5. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown on top. I usually bake it for 45 minutes because I like it softer. Serve immediately. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
6. Make ahead tip: Prepare the topping in advance, cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator. Sprinkle over the soaked bread before baking. For freezing, prepare the recipe through step 4 (without preheating the oven) and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then bake as directed.

If you want to half the recipe just bake for 30-35 minutes. Recipe via sallysbakingaddiction.com

Mexican Rice

I made this recipe recently and it was FANTASTIC! Better than at a restaurant. Very flavorful. It is a bit time consuming but SO worth it! I found it on Food.com but did make my own adjustments to it. The original recipe is below.

12 oz can diced tomatoes

1 medium onion, chopped

3 small jalapeños, seeded, de-veined and chopped

2 cups long grain white rice

1/3 cup canola oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups water

1 cube chicken bouillon

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 lime

Heat oil in a medium saucepan and sauté onion, garlic and jalapeños until tender and golden. Add tomatoes and heat. Place mixture into a food processor or blender until pureed and smooth. Transfer to a measuring cup reserve exactly 2 cups. Discard excess.

Place rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear- about 1 1/2 minutes. Shake rice vigorously to remove excess water. This step removes the starch from the rice so it will not stick. (This made a very sticky rice I might try not rinsing next time.)

Place the rice, tomato mixture water, bouillon and salt in a rice cooker and let it do it's thing. Fold in the chopped cilantro and fresh lime and mix in just before serving.

12 ounces tomatoes, very ripe and cored 

1 medium white onion

3 medium jalapenos

2 cups long grain white rice

1⁄3 cup canola oil

4 minced garlic cloves

2 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste (may omit if using canned tomatoes)

1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt

1⁄2 cup fresh cilantro, minced

1 lime

• Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350.
• Process tomato and onion in processor or blender until pureed and thoroughly smooth. Transfer mixture to measuring cup and reserve exactly 2 cups. Discard excess.
• Remove ribs and seeds from 2 jalapenos and discard. Mince flesh and set aside. Mince remaining jalapeno. Set aside.
• Place rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear- about 1 1/2 minutes.Shake rice vigorously to remove excess water.This step removes the starch from the rice so it will not stick. IF YOU OMIT THIS STEP YOUR RICE WILL NOT BE DRY AND FLUFFY.
• Heat oil in heavy bottomed ovensafe 12 inch straight sided sautee pan or Dutch oven with tight fitting lid over low-medium heat about 2 minutes. (The recipe is very specific about this but I used a 10 inch dutch oven and it worked out fine.) Drop a few rice grains in and if they sizzle then it is ready. Add rice and fry stirring until rice is light golden and translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Be careful that the oil doesn't get too hot too fast or the oil will splatter.
• Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and 2 minced jalapenos and cook , stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Stir in broth, pureed mixture,tomato paste, and salt. Increase heat to medium high, and bring to a boil.
• Cover pan and transfer pan to oven to bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 30-35 minutes.Stir well after 15 minutes.
• Stir in cilantro, minced jalapeno to taste, and pass lime wedges separately.
• Edited to add 6-15-05: If you can't get good fresh tomatoes you are better off using canned tomatoes. Don't use those awful hard and underipe tomatoes that are at most supermarket chains. Just be sure that the processed tomatoes and the one onion equals 2 cups. One the other hand- if you find that after processing your tomatoes and onions that you have less than 2 cups- simply add enough bottled salsa to make up the difference.
• Edited 8-21-06: Do not skip any of the steps. It may seem stupid- but rinsing the rice to remove the starch is very important if you want fluffy rice. It will only take two minutes of your time but it makes the difference.
• Edited 8-15-08: Leftovers are just as delicious the next day so this is a perfect dish to make ahead time for potlucks. This rice also freezes well. For Freezing Ahead: Cool, portion and freeze in a ziploc bag. To reheat from frozen: Place in a pyrex dish and warm in the microwave, stirring every 2-3 minutes until heated through.

http://mexican.food.com/recipe/mexican-rice-117892