Pioneer Woman’s Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Yield 10 servings

Ingredients

• 5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into three-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup butter (1-1/2 sticks), plus two tablespoons, all cut into one-inch pieces
• 1 head of roasted garlic cloves
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2  to 3/4 cup half and half
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh chives, finely chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer over high heat and add the potatoes. Cover the pot with a lid that is set slightly ajar and bring the water to a boil.  
2. Cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F.
4. When the potatoes are fork-tender, drain them into a colander then transfer them back into the dry pot.
5. Add 1-1/2 sticks of butter, roasted garlic, the 8-ounce package of cream cheese, and about 1/2 cup of half-and-half. Mash the potatoes to incorporate the ingredients.
6. Mash in the Lawry’s Seasoning salt and black pepper. Continue to mash until the potatoes are smooth, creamy and the seasoning is evenly distributed.
7. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a medium-sized baking dish.
8. Add two tablespoons of butter pieces over the top of the mashed potatoes and bake in the oven until the butter is melted and the potatoes are heated through.
9. Immediately garnish the mashed potatoes with the fresh chives.

Mocha Cream Party Punch - Mom's

4 qt strong coffee (1 gallon)
2 qt chocolate ice cream (Haagen Dazs recommended)
2 qt vanilla ice cream (Haagen Dazs recommended)
1/2 pt whipping cream (or cheat and use Cool Whip)
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbs vanilla
Nutmeg for garnish


Chill coffee.
Add ice creams, stir until partially melted.
Whip cream, adding sugar gradually (or dissolve into coffee), then fold in vanilla - float on top of ice cream mixture
Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Yield: 25-30 servings

White Bean Soup, Italian Style - Lexie's

8 oz dried cannellini beans
or
3 cans of cannellini beans
3Tbs olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups vegetable stock
1 celery stalk, chopped
3 or 4 parsley stems (flat leaf parsley)
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

To serve:
Chopped parsley leaves
Crumbles of cooked bacon

1) Soak the beans in cold water to cover overnight. Drain.
2) Heat 2 Tbs oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 8 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3) Add the drained beans, stock, celery, parsley, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer about 1 1/2 hours, stirring or until the beans are very tender. Stir in the lemon juice.
4) Remove the bay leaf. In batches, with the lid ajar, purée the soup in a blender. Return to the pan and season. Keep warm.
5) Heat the remaining 1 Tbs oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon, cook for 5 minutes. Add shallots and cook for 3 more minutes.

Top with crumbled bacon and shallots or leaves of parsley.

Tabbouleh

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/14229/tabbouleh-i/

• - 1 cup bulgur grain
• - 1 2/3 cups boiling water (to make bulgur)
• - 1/3 cup olive oil 
• - 1/3 cup lemon juice
• - 1 cup chopped green onions
• - 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• - 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• - 3 tomatoes, chopped
• - 1 cucumber - peeled, seeded and chopped
• - 1 teaspoon salt
• - ground black pepper to taste 
• Instructions:
• - Cook bulgur according to package
• - Add oil, lemon juice, onions, parsley, mint, tomatoes, and cucumber; toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
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Raspberry Sherbet Party Punch

Ingredients

2 Liter bottle Sierra Mist Sprite or 7-up, chilled

2 Liter bottle Club Soda, chilled

1 Fruit punch concentrate can 12oz, or pink lemonade, thawed in fridge

1 Pineapple juice concentrate can 12oz, thawed in the fridge

6-8 scoops Raspberry Sherbet or any flavor you have available

For Garnish (optional, but also pretty!):

Raspberries, fresh or frozen

Pineapple slices, fresh or frozen

Instructions

1. Pre-scoop sherbet and place on a baking dish lined with plastic wrap. Freeze and add sherbet just before serving so it remains frozen in the punch.

2. In a punch bowl, combine: 2 juice cans. Pour in Sierra Mist and Club Soda and gently stir until combined.

3. Add pineapple slices and raspberries if using and top with scooped sherbet just before serving. The sherbet just before serving. The sherbet will keep it chilled. 

Notes: Add cold water or ice if desired to control how sweet the punch is. Also, keep in mind once the sherbet is added, the punch will be sweeter.

Honey Cheesecake

CRUST:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup butter

Mix together all ingredients and press into a spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven.

FILLING:
24oz cream cheese, chèvre, or ricotta
1/2 cup honey
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Beat cream cheese until smooth; beat in honey. Add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth. Add vanilla. Spread filling over baked crust and bake at 300 degrees F for 45-60 minutes or until golden yellow and set in center. Top with desired toppings and serve warm or chilled.

Christmas Roast - Lexie's

• - Eye of Round Roast (the size is up to you as we are working with internal temps – not lengths of time for cooking. You can also use a rump roast or another cut of round roast)
• - olive oil
• - Worcestershire sauce
• - lime juice
• - finely chopped garlic
• - kosher salt
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• - Garlic cloves, slices thickly 
• - 2 tablespoons butter
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1. Poke holes all in the roast with a fork. Marinate it in the steak marinade in a resealable plastic bag overnight in the fridge.
2. When ready to cook, drain the marinade off with a colander. Using a sharp paring knife, cut deep slits all over the roast. Stuff those slits with thick slices of garlic cloves. Sprinkle the roast with steak seasoning or seasoning to taste.
3. Heat the butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides. Transfer the roast to a rack in your roaster. Sprinkle with additional steak seasoning if desired.
4. Place your meat thermometer in the thickest part of your roast. Cook the roast in an oven preheated to 250 degrees until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees F. Remove the roast, and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.