Salted brown butter crispy treats

I haven't even cut these yet (they're not cool), but I'm so sure they are going to be amazing that I'm posting the recipe already anyway. Suffice it to say, I CLEANED OUT the pot I made these in! I haven't made rice crispy treats since I was in high school probably, so I'm not certain how these would compare to regular ones side-by-side, but I'm pretty sure I'll never bother making "regular" crispy treats again. Thanks to Smitten Kitchen for this one, and her unwavering quest to find the perfect crispy treat!

Makes 16 2-inch squares or 32 1- x 2-inch small bars

4 ounces (1/4 pound or 1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan
1 10-ounce bag marshmallows
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (about half a 12-ounce box)

Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square cake pan with 2-inch sides.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute.

As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.

Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan. I liked to use a piece of waxed or parchment paper that I’ve sprayed with oil to press it firmly and evenly into the edges and corners, though a silicon spatula works almost as well.

Let cool, cut into squares and get ready to make new friends.

"Baked" Potato Soup

This is the third soup I've made this week, and for someone who's always been leery of soups, it's been surprisingly simple, fun, and not time consuming. And this may be THE BEST SOUP I've ever eaten. It comes again, you guessed it, from Smitten Kitchen. There isn't any actual potato baking required, which definitely saves time. The "baked" idea is inspired by the toppings. It is a very thick soup, so, if you'd like it a bit soupier, either skip the blending step at the end, or add the extra broth with the sour cream. I personally loved it thick and made sure the leave it a bit chunky. Of course, in my opinion, bacon is an indispensable topping.

*Below is the recipe as written on Smitten Kitchen, along with her notes. I followed them just as written.

Serves 6

1 head garlic
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts halved lengthwise, washed, and chopped small
5 to 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (I used 5 cups; add the extra cup after pureeing if you’d like a thinner soup)
2 bay leaves
Table salt
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup sour cream
Ground black pepper

Toppings, optional:
Minced fresh chives or scallions
Bacon bits
Sour cream
Grated cheddar
A drizzle of melted (or melted and browned) butter

Rinse the head of garlic to remove any outside grit or dirt. Cut the top third off the head and peel any loose papery skins off the bottom two-thirds. Instead of discarding the top third (CI’s suggestion), pop out a bunch (or all) of the garlic clove tips and mince them. If you’re Deb, breathe a sigh of relief that you have wasted nothing.

In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add leeks and cook them until soft (but not brown), about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute. Add the larger part of the garlic head (whole, not chopped), broth, bay leaves and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat and simmer until garlic is very tender when pierced with tip of knife, 30 to 40 minutes. Add potatoes and continue to simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Discard bay leaves. Remove garlic heads. Optional: If you’d like an extra garlic boost to the soup, using tongs or paper towels, squeeze garlic head at root end until cloves slip out of their skins. Using a fork, mash the garlic cloves to smooth paste and add it back to the soup. [I felt our soup was garlicky enough without this. It had a great suggestion of garlic without overpowering the baked potato flavor.]

Add sour cream to soup and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper to taste. Using immersion blender, process soup until chunky-creamy, leaving lots of potato texture intact. (Alternatively, transfer a portion of the potatoes and broth to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.) Serve with whatever makes you happy on top, or nothing at all.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

This chili is superb! Even better than that, it doesn't have to sit in the crockpot all day! I grilled some chicken breasts earlier in the day and shredded them. Then I added it with the spices! So easy and really tasty! I also made the bleu cheese cornbread, which complemented the chili really well, but next time I'll probably use a bit less cheese, so it's not so overpowering. I will DEFINITELY be making this again!!!!

This recipe come from Beth Cooks.

Chili adapted from this Rachael Ray recipe

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), 1 turn of the pan

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing

2 pounds ground chicken (I used shredded breasts)

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 celery ribs, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin (half a palmful)

1 teaspoon ground coriander (one-third palmful)

1 tsp paprika

12 ounces beer (your favorite brew)

1/2 cup cayenne pepper hot sauce (Franks!)

One 15-ounce can tomato sauce

One 8.5-ounce Jiffy-brand corn muffin mix prepared according to package instructions

3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)

I can beans (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat a medium Dutch oven or large skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, and the butter and melt together. Add the chicken and cook, breaking up the meat, for 6 minutes. Add the garlic, celery, onion, carrot and jalapeño. Season with salt, pepper, cumin and coriander, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the beer and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Concentrate the flavor of the beer by reducing the mixture over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the hot sauce and the tomato sauce. Add beans if using. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the chili for 15 minutes.

**For cornbread: Mix according to package instructions and place in 8x8 baking dish. Sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles. Bake for 20 -25 minutes.

Boeuf Bourguignon Soup

This recipe comes from a recent issue of Martha Stewart Living. It is delicious, and pretty easy as soup recipes go. I've never been a big fan of making soup-- too much chopping, too much planning ahead and simmering. But maybe making more soup can be part of me growing as a person! I made it even easier by using pre- cut stew meat instead of short ribs.

4 bone-in short ribs (2 inches thick, 2 lbs total) * I used about 2.5 lbs of beef stew meat.

coarse salt and pepper

2 tsp. cornstarch

2 Tbsp. EVOO

8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered

3 carrots, 2 finely chopped and 1 cut into 3/4- in. cubes

3 shallots, minced

2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

2 strips bacon, thinly sliced crosswise * as per my MO, I used 3 slices

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 thyme sprigs

1 dried bay leaf

1 C. dry red wine, such as Burgundy * I used [yellow tail] pinot noir

8 C. homemade or store- bought low- sodium beef stock * I love how they specified homemade or store- bought-- aren't those the only two kinds?

2 C. water

1. Season ribs (or stew meat) with 1/2 tsp. salt and some pepper. Coat with cornstarch. heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium- high heat. Lightly brown ribs on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add mushrooms to pot. Cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add cubed carrot to same bowl. Set aside.

3. Add shallots, celery, bacon, and chopped carrots to pot. Cook until caramelized, about 6 minutes. Stir in tomato paste.

4. Return ribs with plate juices to pot. Add thyme and bay leaf. Raise heat to high. Add wine. Cook, scraping up brown bits with a wooden spoon, until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add stock and water. bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until beef is tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

5. (Remove ribs. Separate meat from bones; discard. Cut meat into bite- size pieces; return to pot.) * You can skip previous step if you use stew meat. Add reserved mushroom- carrot mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook until cubed carrots are tender. Season with salt.

I cooked whole wheat egg noodles (about 6 oz probably) and added them right before serving, just to give the soup a bit more substance.

Soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw before using. Skim fat from top and reheat.

This was really SOOOO good. You can see how using the stew meat simplifies this recipe immensely. I am picky about my stew meat though, because it is so often tough and yucky. I have had great luck with the stew meat at Right by Nature (they'll cut it for you if they don't have any in the case). This time, I used meat from Giant Eagle because I was there. I used a mixture of Nature's basket natural beef stew meat and their angus beef stew meat. I was very pleased with how it turned out-- tendered up quite nicely-- no gristle to speak of.

I am also posting the recipe for Horseradish chive bread, which in insanely good and goes insanely well with this soup!

Jerk Chicken Chili

Made this chili for dinner this evening using a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store that I cleaned and shredded this afternoon. This was a super simple, quick recipe to prepare. I only got 4 cups of shredded chicken off the bird I had (instead of the 6 cups required by the recipe), so I only made a half batch. This was plenty of chili with enough for Caleb and I to have another meal. A full batch would be enough for 2 meals or entertaining. Also, since I had more than half the amount of chicken, it made the chili thicker, which I liked. I did use the cornmeal/ water slurry at the end to thicken it up, but depending on how thick you like your chili, you might not need it. I got this recipe over at Smells Like Home, and she adapted it from Pam Anderson's One Dish Dinners. I have to admit, I didn't like the smell of this chili while it was cooking, but it sure did taste good when I tried it.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

3 tbsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1 large rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded (about 6 cups)

4 cups chicken broth

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (15 oz) black beans, undrained or partially drained

1 can (15 oz) small white beans, undrained or partially drained

2 tbsp chopped pickled jalapenos

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 oz semisweet chocolate

2 tbsp cornmeal or 3 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (optional for thickening)

1.Heat oil in a large pot over medium- high heat.

2. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.

3. Add chili powder, thyme, cinnamon, and allspice. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Add chicken and stir to coat with spices. Add broth, tomatoes, beans, and jalapenos, bring to a boil, cover partially, reduce heat, and simmer to blend flavors, about 20 minutes.

5. Stir in garlic, cilantro, chocolate, and either cornmeal or cornstarch/water slurry if desired. If you add the cornstarch slurry, bring the heat up to medium-high and allow the chili to thicken. Turn off the heat and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Taco Salad Dippers

This recipe is FANTASTIC, and easy, and it makes A LOT of food-- so it's great if you have to feed a crowd. Or you can freeze the leftovers. I got this recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe by way of my great friend, Chrissie!

*Serves 6-8

2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cups water
1 cup rice (white or brown)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

In a large pot, brown the ground beef or turkey with the onion and garlic and cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are translucent. Drain any accumulated grease. Add the water, rice, seasonings, tomato sauce, tomato paste and beans. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmeruncovered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, watching to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot (if you are using brown rice, it may need to simmer for up to 60-70 minutes). The mixture will seem very watery at first, but after simmering, it will thicken to perfection as the rice absorbs water and all the ingredients meld together.

Serve warm with tortilla chips for dipping and other taco garnishes.

Crock pot Buffalo Chicken Lasagna

I'm not making this tonight because we have dinner with our community group (yay!), but it's one of my recent favorites, and SUPER EASY! I had NEVER made a lasagna until this, and I will probably never make one anywhere but in a crockpot now.

This recipe is from the blog A Year of Slow Cooking, and there are a bunch of other great looking crockpot recipes over there.

--uncooked traditional lasagna noodles
--4 already cooked chicken breast halves
--jar of prepared pasta sauce
--1 cup buffalo wing sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot)
--3 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers
--tub of ricotta cheese (15 oz)
--2 cups shredded cheese (mozzarella and cheddar blend)
--1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles
--1/4 cup of water (add at very end)

The Directions.

use at least a 5qt crock pot, or cut back on the amount of ingredients. ( I don't have one this big, so I decrease everything just a tad.)

In a large glass bowl, combine cooked and chopped chicken breast, the pasta sauce, and 1 cup of buffalo wing sauce.

Ladle a big spoonful of the sauce into the bottom of your crock pot. Cover with a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles. You'll have to break them to get a proper fit.

Add a smear of ricotta cheese to the top of the noodles. Add a layer of chopped bell pepper. Sprinkle on a handful of shredded cheese.

Repeat layers until you run out of ingredients.

Add the bleu cheese crumbles, if desired. Put the 1/4 cup of water into your empty pasta sauce jar and shake. Pour the liquid over the top of the entire lasagna.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 4-5. When cooking time is complete, unplug and take off the lid of the crock. Let it sit for 20 minutes before cutting into it, or it will fall apart.

Enjoy this one! It's not too spicy, though my kids didn't want to try it (but then, they don't generally like pasta type dishes).

Black Beans and Sausage

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 pound kielbasa or other smoked sausage, cut into 1-in. pieces

3 mediums carrots, diced

2 shallots, diced

salt and pepper, to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans (15.5 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 tbsp chopped, fresh parsley

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add sausage and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add carrots and shallots to skillet and cook until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add black beans and broth and bring to a boil. Add sausage, reduce heat to a rapid simmer, and cook until carrots are tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.

I recommend serving this with rice. We used Uncle Ben's Minute Rice, Spanish style, and it was awesome! This recipe is so simple and good. Yum, yum, yum!

Recipe from Everyday Food, November 2010