sweet onion potatoes au gratin

---

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large or 2 medium sweet onions, such as Vidalia, thinly sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
• 2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes or fingerling potatoes
• 1/2-2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 pound brick Gruyère or Swiss cheese, shredded

Serves 4

Preparation

Heat a small skillet with the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and season with salt, the ground thyme and bay leaf and cook until very soft and sweet and lightly caramelized, 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and discard the bay leaf.

While the onions cook, put the potatoes in a medium size pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then salt the water and cook until tender, 12-15 minutes. Drain and return the potatoes to the hot pot. Mash the potatoes with the cream and Parmigiano Reggiano and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Pre-heat the broiler.

Arrange the mashed potatoes in individual gratin dishes or one shallow casserole dish. Top the potatoes with the onions and Gruyère cheese. Place the dish(es) on a sheet pan and brown under a hot broiler until bubbly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

No Bake Cherry Cheese Pie

(This was what I brought a time or two ago.)

1 room temperature cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon or lime juice
1 tsp. vanilla

Blend all ingredients together with a whisk attachment on your mixer.  Whip it until still peaks form (5 or more minutes.)  Pour into a graham cracker pie crust.  Refrigerate until set (at least 2 hours).  Serve with cherry pie filling.

Date Changes

Ladies,

Bunko was a blast last night and once again the food was delicious!

 Just a reminder that we will be meeting the 3rd Wednesday of October (10/19) at Tanya's and then will be meeting the first Wednesday of each month starting in November (11/2) at my place. Also, Jen G. and Angie have switched for December and January.

Now get busy posting those recipes. :)

Love you all,

Brooke

Remember Bunko is on the 3rd Wednesday in July and August. It'll be July 20th and August 17th.

Put the drum in Drumsticks...

1/4 cup basting oil

Mix 1/4 cup Canola oil, 1/4 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 tsp dried parsley, 1/4 tsp garlic powder.

Let sit for five minutes.

1/4 cup McCormick BBQ seasoning (I like to use the sweet ones but any will do)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Mix all ingredients above. Set aside.

3 lbs Chicken drumsticks. Can also use chicken split breasts and thighs (bone in).

1. Add chicken to BBQ seasoning. Tossing to coat. Marinate covered, 6-8 hours in refrigerator. I like to marinate mine for 24 hours. Tossing half way through time.

2. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Transfer chicken to baking sheet. Bake 2 hours, or until internal temp reaches 165 degrees. Remove from oven. Preheat grill to 400 degrees. Place chicken on grill and turn down grill to mid-low. Close lid. Grill for 3 minutes turn over and grill for another three minutes. Remove from grill and serve.

You can also broil the chicken. Adjust rack to 6 inches from heat. Broil chicken 5-8 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning.

lemon-blueberry crumb bars

what you need


1/2 cup butter
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
2 eggs, divided
2 tsp. lemon zest and 3 tbsp. lemon juice from 1 lemon, divided
2 pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

make it

heat oven to 350.
line 13 x 9 pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. microwave butter in a bowl on high for 1 minute, or until melted. add cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 tsp lemon juice. beat with mixer until well blended. press 2/3 of the mixture into the pan.

beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended. add remaining egg, lemon juice and zest. mix well. pour over crust and top with berries. pinch small pieces of the remaining cake mix between your fingers and press lightly into the cream cheese layer.

bake 48 to 50 minutes, or until the center is almost set. cool completely. refrigerate 1 hour. use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting into bars. keep refrigerated.

enjoy!

Brooke's Baked Beans

Baked Beans

Ingredients:
1 large onion, diced
2 (16-ounce) cans pork and beans
1/2 -1 pound bacon strips, cut into 1/2-inch pieces


(I never really measure these.  I've just listed rough measurements for you to go off of.)

3-4 tablespoons yellow mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
4 tablespoons bbq sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook bacon. Reserve bacon fat to cook onion.
Cook onion in bacon fat until tender.
Drain onion and add  to everything else.

Bake, covered, for 45 to 60 minutes.

Bunko Babes

The last Bunko was a sad Bunko because it was Erika's last Bunko night as an official member. She'll be subbing a lot, but we will miss you terribly!!! We love you E!

Dip recipe

Okay, so here's the yummo strawberry fruit dip

1 small jar marshmallow creme
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, at room temp
dash ginger
1 t orange zest (I add more)

Beat first 2 ingredients together then add the rest. Simple and good!

A little too late

Ladies, I totaly forgot about posting these photos the last time I hosted Bunko, back in may.

Better late then never.

Sweet and Sour Chicken and Triple Citrus Mojitos

Sweet and Sour Chicken

INGREDIENTS
1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained (juice reserved)
2 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces (optional)
1 onion cut into pieces (optional)
1-2 carrots julienned/thinly sliced (optional)
2T vegetable oil or Peanut oil for stir frying above veggies
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 3/4 cups water
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
2 drops orange food color
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
2 1/4 cups self-rising flour (If you don't have self-rising flour just add 1/2t salt and 1 1/2t baking powder to your flour)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 egg
2 cups water
1 quart vegetable oil for frying

DIRECTIONS

1-In a saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, vinegar, reserved pineapple juice, and orange food coloring. Heat to boiling. Turn off heat. In a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; slowly stir into saucepan. Continue stirring until mixture thickens. Set aside keeping warm.

2- If you prefer no veggies with your meal, then skip this step, otherwise, heat 2 T peanut or veggie oil (or enough oil to stir fry veggies) and stir fry veggies until tender. Set aside, and serve with sauce on chicken.

3-Combine flour, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, salt, white pepper, and egg. Add 1 1/2 cups water gradually to make a thick batter. Stir to blend thoroughly. Add chicken pieces, and stir until chicken is well coated.

4-Heat oil in skillet or wok to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C). Fry chicken pieces in hot oil until golden. Remove chicken, and drain on paper towels.

5-When ready to serve, layer veggies, pineapple chunks, and cooked chicken pieces on a platter. Pour hot sweet and sour sauce over top. Serve with rice if desired.

The Pampered Chef ®Triple-Citrus MojitosRecipe

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 pkg (.75 oz) fresh mint leaves (about 1 1/4 cups leaves), divided
1 orange
2 lemons, divided
2 limes, divided
1/2 cup white rum (optional)
5 1/2 cups chilled lemon-lime soda

Combine sugar and water in Small Batter Bowl. Tear six mint leaves in half and place into Quick-Stir® Pitcher; set aside. Finely chop remaining leaves with Chef's Knife and place into batter bowl.

Zest orange, one of the lemons and one of the limes using Zester/Scorer; add zest to mint mixture. Microwave on HIGH 2-3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.

Slice orange, both of the lemons and both of the limes in half crosswise. Reserve half of one lemon and half of one lime for garnish. Juice remaining lemon and lime halves using Citrus Press; add juices to pitcher. Juice orange with Juicer; add juice to pitcher.

Pour mint mixture through Strainer into pitcher; discard chopped mint. Add rum, if desired. Carefully add soda to avoid overflow. Slice reserved lemon and lime halves with Ultimate Mandoline fitted with v-shaped blade; place into pitcher. Place lid onto pitcher and plunge gently. Serve over ice.
Yield: 8 servings

Cook's Tip: To garnish rims of glasses, zest an additional orange using Microplane® Adjustable Grater. Combine zest and 1/2 cup sugar in Prep Bowl. Place a small amount of sugar mixture onto Simple Additions® Appetizer Plate. Rub rim of glass with orange wedge to moisten. Dip rim of glass into sugar mixture.

Italian Night Chicken Tetrazzini

Chicken Tetrazzini

Ingredients
9 tablespoons butter (I used half real butter, and half I can't beleive it's not butter for lower fat)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth (stock is richer in flavor)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, room temperature (Used 2% for lower fat)
1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature (used no substitutes, needs it for rich flavor)
1 cup chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 ounces linguine
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup dried Italian-style breadcrumbs

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Spread 1 tablespoon of butter over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a deep large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until pale golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool slightly. Coarsely shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and into a large bowl.
Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil to the same pan. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms become pale golden, about 12 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add 1/2 c of stock/broth and simmer until it evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the chicken.
Melt 3 more tablespoons butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, cream, 1 c. broth, nutmeg, remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Drain. Add the linguine, sauce, peas, and parsley to the chicken mixture. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended.
Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Stir the cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta. Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes. BON APPETTIT!

Christmas with the Bunko Babes!

I thought it was time to push down that whole post from my birthday months ago...

We had bunko here last night and also did a little Christmas movie exchange. It was lots of fun- as it always is and we were able to celebrate the season together. It doesn't get any better!

Can you guess who this is? Nice jugs!

Happy Birthday, Erika!

Orange Mini Bundt Cakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Orange Mini Bundt Cakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
10 tablespoon butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped orange slice candy (about 12 pieces)
1 cup pitted dates, diced
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1 cup fat-free buttermilk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare cake, heavily coat mini Bundt pans with cooking spray; turn pan upside down to drain excess. Place granulated sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a heavy-duty mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until well blended. Add egg substitute and eggs to sugar mixture; beat well. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, stirring well. Sprinkle candy, dates, and coconut over flour; stir well to disperse and coat candies. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Spoon batter into each mini Bundt cup. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of 1 cake comes out clean. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove cakes from pans. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield: 13 mini Bundt cakes (serving size: 1 cake)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 329(25% from fat); FAT 9.2g (sat 4.9g,mono 2.6g,poly 0.9g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 40mg; CALCIUM 34mg; CARBOHYDRATE 58.3g; SODIUM 154mg; PROTEIN 4.7g; FIBER 1.6g

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2006

Brooke’s Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
1 stick butter at room temperature
3 ½ cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. frozen orange juice concentrate
½ tsp. vanilla

Combine cream cheese and butter. Add powdered sugar and combine well. Add frozen orange juice and vanilla.

Twilight

Cream Cheese Grape Salad

Sorry it's taken me so long, computer problems.

1 8 oz cream cheese softened
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup walnuts

Mix all of these ingredients until smooth

1 bag red-seedless grapes
1 bag white-seedless grapes

wash and mix with cream cheese mixture.

Enjoy.

Squash Casserole

6 cups large diced yellow squash and zucchini (2 large yellow and 2 large zucchini)

Vegetable oil

1 large onion chopped

4 T of butter

1/2 cup sour cream

garlic powder

1 cup sharp grated cheddar cheese

1 c crushed butter crackers (Ritz)

Preheat oven to 350.  Saute the squash in a little vegetable oil over med-low heat until it has completely broken down, about 20 min.  Line a colander with a clean paper towel.  Place the cooked squash and onion in colander and drain excess moisture from veggies.  Set aside.

In med bowl, mix all wet ingredients together except for cracker crumbs.  Pour mixture into buttered dish with cracker crumbs sprinkled on top.  Bake for 25 min.   Enjoy!

The Lady and Son's Smoked Boston Butt Roast Recipe (Brooke’s Version)

Here is my take on this delicious dish.

1 (5-pound) pork butt roast
4 tablespoons House Seasoning, recipe follows
4 tablespoons liquid smoke
Barbeque sauce of choice, for serving

Sprinkle 1 side of the roast with 2 tablespoons of the House Seasoning, making sure to rub well. Flip the roast over and rub the remaining 2 tablespoons of House Seasoning. Repeat the process with liquid smoke. Place the roast in a crock pot on low before you go to bed the night before. I placed it in the crock pot at midnight. Turn the roast over in the morning and pull it out when you’re ready to have dinner.

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Because I cook my roast in the crock pot for so long it will not slice as shown in the picture.

Here is Paula Deen's original recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_23501,00.html

Paula Deen's Gooey Butter Cake

Let's have those yummy recipies ladies!

Ingredients & Directions:

Cake:
1 18 1/4-ounce package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Prepare Filling.

Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla 8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 16-ounce box powdered sugar

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar and mix well. Spread over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.