Spinach & Red Pepper Dip

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup thawed frozen chopped spinach
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely diced red bell pepper

Directions:

Bring the cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat and add the 1 cup of diced red pepper and the chopped spinach. Bring the water back to a boil, turn the heat down to medium and simmer until the pepper is very soft, about 10 minutes. Drain the spinach and red pepper in a colander, pressing out as much liquid as possible.

Combine the cream cheese and milk in the saucepan and cook over medium heat until hot and softened. Stir in the cooked spinach and red peppers, Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and ground black pepper. Continue to stir until well combined and heated through.

Spoon hot dip into a serving dish and serve with the tablespoon of finely diced red bell pepper sprinkled on top for garnish.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1/3 cup butter, salted

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

3-3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1/3 cups sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins and/or walnuts, optional

1 egg and milk

1 tablespoon milk

Directions:

Heat the milk in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter into it without boiling, remove from heat and let cool until it is luke warm.

Mix in the yeast and let sit for 10 minutes.

Mix the eggs and sugar in a large bowl.

Mix in the milk.

Mix the flour and salt and beat half of that mixture into the milk mixture until combined.

Beat in the remaining flour until combined.

Knead the dough until smooth, adding more flour if it is too sticky.

Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover and let it rise until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours. (Tip: Warm the bowl first by filling it with hot water and drying it out just before use.)

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out so that it is as wide as your baking pan and about 18 to 24 inches long.

Spread the butter over the dough.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it over the dough.

Roll the dough up into a log.

Place the dough into a grease loaf pan, cover and let it rise until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Mix the egg and milk and brush it over the top of the loaf.

Bake the loaf in a preheated 350F oven until golden brown on top, about 30-40 minutes.

Deli-Style Reuben Sandwich

Ingredients:

2 slices rye bread

1 tablespoon butter, softened

2 ounces thinly sliced corned beef

2 ounces sauerkraut

1 slice mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Heat medium skillet over medium heat. Butter bread on one side. Place one slice of bread, buttered side down, in skillet. Layer corned beef, sauerkraut and mozzarella on bread. Top with remaining slice of bread. Cook, turning once, until bread is browned, sandwich is heated through and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Turkey Bolognese with Fettucine and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

Bolognese Sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, small dice

1 fennel bulb, small dice

1 large carrot, small dice

2 stalks celery, small dice

6 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 pound ground turkey

1 cup dry red wine

2 cups chicken stock

9 medium VERY ripe tomatoes (about 2 3/4 pounds), medium dice

4 ounces button mushrooms, quartered

Pasta

12 ounces fresh fettuccine or tagliatelle noodles

1/2 cup fresh basil, torn into pieces

1 wedge Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:

PREPARE BOLOGNESE SAUCE:

Heat a heavy medium pot (5 quart) over medium high heat.

Add the olive oil to the hot pot and sweat the onions for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, or until they soften.

Add the fennel, carrot, celery, garlic, and fennel seeds and saute until the liquid evaporates and the vegetables are golden, about 12 minutes.

Add the turkey. Season generously with salt and pepper and cook until the turkey is golden brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the wine and cook until the wine has almost completely reduced.

Add the broth, tomatoes, and mushrooms and bring the sauce to a simmer.

FINISH THE SAUCE:

Reduce heat and cover. Continue simmering very gently, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the sauce has reduced slightly and thickened.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

PREPARE THE FETTUCCINE:

Just before serving, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine in the water for 2 to 3 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.

Lift the pasta from the pasta water to drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

TOSS PASTA WITH SAUCE:

Transfer the pasta to the sauce.

Toss well with carving fork to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper, adding a little of the reserved pasta water if necessary to thin out the sauce.

TO SERVE:

Swirl the pasta into the center of 4 pasta bowls or onto a pasta serving platter.

Mix some of the basil into the remaining sauce in the pot, then spoon the sauce over the pasta.

Sprinkle the remaining basil over each bowl of pasta then grate the Parmesan over and serve.

Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:

Medium Russet Potatoes

Foil

Directions:

Wash potatoes and let them dry. Prick a few times with a fork. Microwave for 5 minutes. Wrap in foil. Place inside slow cooker. (Don't add water, but you might want to spray or oil the inside.)

Cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 3-4 or until desired tenderness. Test with sharp knife.

Clotted Cream

Ingredients:

2 cups pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized) cream

Directions:

Set a coffee filter basket, lined with a filter, in a strainer, over a bowl. Pour the cream almost to the top of the filter. Refrigerate for 2 hours. The whey will sink to the bottom passing through the filter leaving a ring of clotted cream. Scrape this down with a rubber spatula and repeat every couple of hours until the mass reaches the consistency of soft cream cheese.

Pepperoni Casserole

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked rotini pasta

1 package pepperoni

1 (16 ounce) jar pasta sauce

2 (12 ounce) containers cottage cheese

1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives

12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

2 (3 ounce) packages sliced pepperoni

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium casserole dish.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place pasta in the pot, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until evenly brown.

In the prepared casserole dish, mix the cooked pasta, sausage, and pasta sauce. In a bowl, mix the cottage cheese, olives, and mozzarella cheese. Spoon the cheese mixture over the sausage and pasta mixture. Top with pepperoni slices.

Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and lightly browned.