Ruths Chris Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potatoes were never something that we felt like we absolutely had to have at Thanksgiving.  I never really cared for them, and Colin could take them or leave them.  This last year we had family over for Thanksgiving and since it was more than just the 2 of us, we felt like we should make an effort to have some sort of sweet potato on the table.  After searching Pinterest (my addiction),  I found this recipe.  We enjoy going to Ruths Chris for a good steak every now and then and so we figured we would try their sweet potatoes.  They were a success.  Even I liked them!  We will be having these every Thanksgiving from now on.

Ruths Chris Sweet Potato Casserole
Crust:
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts (preferably pecans)
1/3 stick butter- melted (do not reduce or omit this)
cinnamon to taste (we added this- not in original recipe)

Sweet Potato Mixture:
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (we bake them in the oven first)
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
cinnamon (to taste-not in original recipe)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs well beaten
1 stick butter melted
cinnamon to taste (not in original recipe)

Note:  We added mini marshmallows to the top at the end of the cooking time and put it under the broiler until the marshmallows browned.  Watch closely so it doesn't burn!

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine brown sugar, flour, nuts, cinnamon and butter in mixing bowl and set aside.
Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, eggs and butter in a mixing bowl in the order listed.  Mix thoroughly.  Pour mixture into a buttered baking dish.  Sprinkle the top with the crust mixture.  Bake for 30 minutes- At the end of 30 mins, put on some mini marshmallows and put it under the broiler (watch closely) to finish it off.  Allow to set at least 30 mins before serving.  Serves 6.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

This recipe is another one that my mom always use to make at Christmas.  It was my brother's favorite. I have to say I haven't made this recipe for awhile and I only have it half written down on a card in my recipe box.  I'm doing the rest from memory, and I'll have to test it out next Christmas and see if this recipe is right.  

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 2/3 cups peanut butter
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp shortening
24 oz almond bark

Mix together the powdered sugar, peanut butter, and cup of butter.  Form into balls and put on a baking sheet.  Put in the refrigerator for a couple hours to firm up.  Over a double broiler, melt 1 tsp shortening and the almond bark.  Dip the balls in the melted almond bark and put them back on a wax paper lined baking sheet.  Put them back in the refrigerator to firm up before transferring them to an air tight container.  Keep refrigerated.

The Pioneer Woman's Creamy Mashed Potatoes

I discovered this recipe from this website here http://thepioneerwoman.com.  It's the mashed potatoes that I make every year now for Thanksgiving.  I love that I can make them the day before and just bake them an hour or so before dinner.  It's a huge time saver.    

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

5 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold Potatoes

3/4 cups butter

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (to 3/4 cups) half and half

1/2 tsp to 1 tsp Lawry's season salt (*I find that I use significantly more than this.  I just keep adding to it until I get the flavor where I want it)

1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of black pepper (or more depending on your taste)

Peel and cut potatoes into same size pieces.  Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes.  Bring to a boil and cook for 30-35 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender.  Drain the potatoes in a large colander and transfer them back into the large pot.  Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape before adding in all the other ingredients.  Turn off the stove and add in the butter, softened cream cheese, about 1/2 cup of half and half (you can always add more if you need it), and the lawry's seasoning and pepper to taste.  Stir well and place in a medium sized baking dish.  Put a few pats of butter on the top and bake them in a 350 degree oven until the butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.  

*When making this a day or 2 ahead of time (which I am usually doing), take it out of the fridge about 2-3 hours before baking and let it come to room temperature a little.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes or until warmed through.  

Outback Steakhouse Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

I love the ranch dressing at the Outback.  In fact, I have told Colin several times that I would eat salad every day if I had this dressing on it.  I realize that defeats the healthy purpose of why you are eating salad because it's not great for you, but it's great tasting!  I found this recipe on the web and after making it and loving it, stuck the recipe in the recipe box where I promptly forgot I had it for a few years.  I'd say that finding it again is a sign that I need to make it-soon!

Outback Steakhouse Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
1 tsp buttermilk recipe ranch dressing mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together and chill at least 30 mins before serving.

Christmas Prime Rib

We always have prime rib for Christmas dinner, so that's what we call it.  Prime rib at Christmas is a Battersby tradition.  I don't think I even had prime rib until I married Colin.  Luckily, Colin's mom taught him how to make it!

Prime Rib:  You should plan on 1 lb per person, a little more if you want leftovers.  For 4 people, we usually get a 6 lb roast.  Colin prefers to have the person at the meat counter cut the roast from the ribs and then tie the bone back to it for presentation and flavor. 

Rub:

8-10 cloves of minced garlic

2 TBS kosher salt

1/4 cup olive oil

2 TBS of freshly ground black pepper

Aromatics:

3-4 whole cloves of garlic

Twig of fresh rosemary

1/2 of sliced red onion

2 stalks celery

Combine all ingredients for the rub and and rub it on the prime rib.  Put a little bit of olive oil in the base of the pan and then put the aromatics in the pan.  Place the prime rib on top of the aromatics.  Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes per pound for medium doneness.  Adjust time according to how you like your meat cooked.

Prime rib before going in the oven

My cute hubby and the finished prime rib!

  

Yorkshire Pudding

It is a Battersby tradition to have prime rib for Christmas dinner.  Along with the prime rib, comes Yorkshire pudding.  This is another one of those recipes that I don't like, but I think I would get kicked out of the family if it didn't show up at the Christmas table every year.  Luckily, Colin or his mom make it because I don't want to be responsible for it not turning out!  :)

Yorkshire Pudding

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk

2 eggs

Mix ingredients together.  In a casserole dish pour some fat from the prime rib, heat the fat in the oven for 15-20 mins.  Pour the mixture into the fat and bake at 400 degrees until it raises and browns (about 15-20 mins) as the prime rib cools.  Serve with prime rib and gravy.  

Stuffed Mushrooms

Let me just say right now, I don't like mushrooms.  This isn't where I say- except for these mushrooms, because I don't like these either.  My husband and in laws and everyone else who likes mushrooms seems to love them, and Colin makes these every year for our Christmas Eve appetizer spread.

Stuffed Mushrooms
1 lb fresh button mushrooms
1 onion, diced
1/2 stick butter
1 cup italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
garlic salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup finely grated cheese  (mixture of parmesan and sharp cheddar)
cooked, crumbled bacon.

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Wash mushrooms and remove stems, keeping some of the stems.  Wipe dry.  Chop some of the stems and the onion finely.  Saute 1/2 stick butter, chopped mushroom stems and onion.  After sautéing, add 1 cup of bread crumbs and stir.  Add 1 tsp worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, pepper, 3/4 cup finely grated cheese, and crumbled cooked bacon.  Fill mushroom caps and bake on baking sheet for 15-20 minutes.    

Chocolate Mint Bars

This is another Christmas recipe.  They really are so good that they shouldn't be made just once a year, but that is sadly they way it turns out.  I love to give these to friends and neighbors as Christmas gifts.  It's one of the things I remember my mom always making every Christmas.  Definitely a favorite of mine.  

Chocolate Mint Bars
Cake:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margerine, softened
4 eggs
16 oz can Hershey's chocolate syrup

Mint Center:
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine (melted)
3/4 tsp mint extract
1 TBS water
3 drops green food coloring

Chocolate topping
6 TBS butter or margerine
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 baking pan.  In a large mixer bowl, combine flour, sugar, butter eggs and chocolate syrup.  Beat until smooth.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake 25-30 minutes.  Cool completely in the pan.

Mint Cream Center- In small mixer bowl, combine confectioners sugar, butter, mint extract, water and food coloring.  Beat until smooth.  Spread on top of cake when cake has competely cooled.  Cover with saran wrap and put in the fridge to chill.

Chocolate topping- In a small saucepan on very low heat, melt butter and chocolate chips.  Remove from heat and stir until smooth.  Cool slightly.  Pour on top of chilled mint center and let chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.  Cut into small squares and keep in the refrigerator in an air tight container until ready to serve.

Fudge

Colin makes fudge every year for Christmas.  Since he does it, I have never had to.  Something about all that stirring makes me glad that he does it!  He got this recipe from his mom, and I'm not sure where she got it, but it's one we have used for the last 10 years and we love it.

Fudge
3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips- Nestle's
1 cup butter or margarine (we use 1 stick of each)
1 pkg mini marshmallows
chopped walnuts (or whatever nut you like- optional)
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 can evaporated milk
1 TBS vanilla

Line a 9x13 inch pan with aluminum foil.  Butter the foil.

Combine chocolate chips, marshmallows and nuts in a large bowl, set aside.
Blend sugar, milk and butter together in a saucepan and and bring it to a rolling boil.  After it start to boil, set a timer for 6 minutes.  You need to stir this constantly and be patient.  After 6 minutes, remove from heat and add vanilla.  Pour the entire mixture over the chip mixture in the large bowl.  Stir hard until mixed well.  Pour into prepared buttered pan and let it sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours before cutting to ripen.  Turn the pan out onto a clean surface and remove foil and cut into pieces.

Note:  I like walnuts in my fudge, but Colin does not.  He solves this problem by putting an aluminum foil divider in the pan.  He leaves the nuts out of the chocolate chip and marshmallow mixture and does all the other steps.  He then pours some of the fudge without nuts into the pan with the divider, and then put the nuts in the remaining fudge stirring well before putting it in the other half of the pan.  

Sandra's Lemon Bundt Cake

I call this Sandra's Lemon Bundt Cake because I got the recipe from Colin's cousin's wife, Sandra.  She made it for us one time when we were visiting and although it's been a few years, I still remember how good it was!  I have yet to make it, but I'm putting it on the blog so I can find the recipe because I WILL be making this sometime in the near future.  I think Sandra originally got the recipe from a Cooks Illustrated cookbook.

Sandra's Lemon Bundt Cake
Cake:
Grated zest plus juice from 3 lemons
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp table salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk (low fat)
3 large eggs plus 1 large yolk, room temperature
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar

Glaze:
2-3 TBS lemon juice
1 TBS buttermilk
2 cups confectioners sugar

For the cake- preheat oven to 350 and spray a bundt pan generously with pam for baking.  If you don't have pam, melt 1 TBS of butter and mix with 1 TBS flour and brush the pan with it.  Combine zest and lemon juice in a small bowl; set aside for 15 mins to soften.

Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Combine lemon juice mixture, vanilla and buttermilk in a medium bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk eggs and yolk to combine.

In a standing mixer with flat beater attachment, combine butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy.  Add half of eggs, incorporate, and add remaining eggs.  Reduce speed to low and add 1/3 flour mixture followed by 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture.  Repeat until all flour mixture and buttermilk mixture is thoroughly combined.  Remove bowl from mixer and fold batter a few times to incorporate any remaining flour.  Scrape into prepared pan.  Bake at 350 until the top is golden brown and wooden skewer or toothpick comes out clean, 45-55 minutes.

For the Glaze:
While cake is baking, whisk 2 TBS lemon juice, 1 TBS buttermilk and 2 cups confectioners sugar a little bit at a time until smooth, adding more lemon juice if needed until glaze is thick but pourable.

Cool cake 10 mins.  Invert onto plate.  Pour 1/2 glaze onto cake now, 1/2 1-2 hours later.    

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

I discovered this little recipe in a Rachel Ray magazine.  The irony of that is, my husband isn't a Rachel Ray fan, but he loves these and begs me to make them for him every fall.  I find it funny that one of his favorite recipes came from someone that he doesn't like.  The original recipe only makes about 12 whoopie pies, and honestly, its kind of a lot of work to only end up with 12 when you are all done, plus they are so good that you are going to wish you made more, so I double the recipe.  The recipe listed below is the doubled version, so feel free to cut it in half if you want.  Colin and I both take some of these into work when I make them, and our co workers love them.  The thing that sets these whoopie pies apart from other whoopie pies is the cream cheese filling.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
For the cake:
3 1/2 cups flour
2 sticks unsalted butter (melted)
2 cups light brown sugar
4 large eggs lightly beaten
2 cups canned pumpkin puree
2 TBS pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda

Filling:
8 oz cream cheese softened
2 cups confectioners sugar
4 pinches salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick unsalted butter softened

Preheat oven to 350.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In large mixing bowl, mix together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth.  Whisk in eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, 2 tsp vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and 1 1/2 tsp salt.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour.

Using a small ice cream scoop, put batter on baking sheet and bake at 350 for 12 minutes.  Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling- With an electric mixer, cream the softened butter with cream cheese.  Add confectioners sugar, 4 pinches of salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Mix on low speed until blended and then beat on medium high speed until fluffy.  About 2 minutes.

Spread the flat side of one cake with cream cheese frosting and top with another cake.  Keep them stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve or eat them.  Makes about 2 dozen.

Mom's Molasses Cookies

This recipe comes from my mother in law.  My husband loves these cookies.  I have never been a big molasses fan, but I have to say, over the years these cookies have grown on me.  I may have eaten as many as my husband this past Christmas!

Mom's Molasses Cookies
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg beaten
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
(extra sugar for rolling balls)

Melt unsalted butter in large saucepan.  Let cool.  Add sugar, molasses and egg.  Mix well.  Combine flour, baking soda, salt & spices.  Add to creamed mixture by hand slowly, a bit at a time.  Mix well.  Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  Makes 2 dozen.

Caramels

Funny story about this recipe.  My nieces found it in my mothers recipe box that she had given them and made it this past Christmas.  I saw them talking on Facebook about grandma's caramel recipe and asked them for it.   I figured it must be their other grandma, since my mom never made caramel.  Imagine my surprise when I found out it came from my mom's recipe box!  I had always wanted to try making caramels, but was kind of intimidated to do so.  Now that I have made them, I feel silly for ever thinking that.  They are easy and delicious, and now part of my Christmas baking.

Caramels
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1cup butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Spray 8 inch glass dish and set aside.  Combine corn syrup, butter & sugar.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Once it starts to boil, let it boil for 4 minutes without stirring.  Remove from heat after 4 minutes and stir in sweetened condensed milk.  Reduce heat to low and return to a boil.  Boil for 10 minutes stirring constantly.  Pull off heat and stir in vanilla.  Pour into prepared pan.  Let cool.  Cut into pieces and wrap in wax paper.

  

Butter and Jam Thumbprint Cookies

This is one of my top 2 favorite cookies- tied with oatmeal chocolate chip.  I make these cookies every Christmas to give away as gifts.  I usually double the recipe- these cookies are just that good.  I think I originally got the recipe from Emeril.  Thanks, Emeril!

Butter and Jam Thumbprint Cookies
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
2/3 cup sugar (plus more for rolling)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam (honestly, it could be more than this.  I don't measure it, just fill the thumbprints)

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.  In another bowl, whip the butter and 2/3 cup sugar with a hand held mixer until fluffy- about 5 mins.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla until just combined.  Slowly beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing until just incorporated.  Scoop the dough with a cookie scoop and roll it in sugar.  Place about 2 inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use the back of a teaspoon measure to make a "thumbprint" in the cookie.  Fill thumbprint with raspberry jam.  Bake at 350 for 15 mins.  

Funeral Potatoes

You don't have to just make these for a funeral- they are tasty anytime!  They are called funeral potatoes because they show up at just about every Mormon funeral.  It's something that I'm always requested to make for a funeral and they really couldn't be easier.

Funeral Potatoes
32 oz bag frozen shredded hashbrowns
2 (10 3/4) cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion (optional- I leave it out just as a personal preference)
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine

Topping:
2 cups finely crushed cornflakes
2 TBS melted butter or margarine

Grease 9x13 baking dish and preheat oven to 350.

Combine all ingredients except cornflakes and 2 TBS melted butter and mix together.  Pour mixture into prepared pan.  Combine crushed cornflakes and 2 TBS melted butter.  Sprinkle on top of potatoes. Bake at 350 for about an hour.

Creamy Orange Fluff

This jello salad makes an appearance at my table every Thanksgiving.  It's something I had every Thanksgiving growing up, and it just wouldn't be the same without it.  I usually only make it once a year though because there are only 2 of us, and we can never finish the whole pan.

Creamy Orange Fluff
1 pkg (6 oz) orange gelatin
2 1/2 cups boiling water
2 cans (11 oz each) mandarin oranges, drained
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained  (I omit this just because of personal preference)
1 can (6oz) frozen orange juice concentrate (without pulp), thawed

Topping
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup cold milk
1 (3.4 oz) pkg instant vanilla pudding mix

Coat a 9x13 dish with cooking spray.  In a bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water.  Stir in oranges, pineapple, and orange juice concentrate.  Pour in the dish and refrigerate until firm.  After the gelatin  has firmed up, beat softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl until light.  Gradually add milk and pudding mix.  Beat until smooth.  Spread over orange layer.  Chill until firm.

Championship Bean Dip

This is my go to dip whenever we have a party or get together.  I haven't met one person that didn't like it.  It's quick and easy to throw together too- which is an added bonus in my opinion!

Championship Bean Dip
1 can refried beans (16 oz)
1 cup picante sauce
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
3 oz cream cheese (softened)
1 TBS chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin

Mix all ingredients together and put in a small crock pot- something that holds a minimum of 1 quart.  I just usually mix all the ingredients in the crock pot and save myself an extra dish.  Cook in the crockpot on high for a couple hours, stirring occasionally.  Once all the ingredients have melted together nicely, you can turn it down to the low setting.  I just keep the crockpot plugged in and serve it hot right out of there with with tortilla chips.  On the off chance that you do have some leftover, you can reheat it the next day.  It's especially good on nachos.  Happy eating!    

Enchiladas

I originally posted this recipe on our other blog a couple years ago.  You can find that post here.  
http://www.thebattersbybox.blogspot.com/2010/01/enchiladas.html.  Since moving to the East coast 10 years ago, we have had a hard time finding good Mexican food, so I had to go in search of making a chili based enchilada sauce that we loved.  After lots of searching, I found a recipe that fits the bill!

Enchilada Sauce:

2 TBS oil

3 TBS flour

2 TBS chili powder (I use ancho chili powder)

1 tsp cumin

2 cups chicken stock or water

Salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil and add flour, chili powder, cumin and garlic powder.  Stir until combined.  Add the 2 cups of chicken stock and stir or whisk well.  Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, stirring often.  Salt & pepper to taste.

Filing for enchiladas:

1 lb ground beef, cooked and then seasoned with 1 pkg taco seasoning.

1 can refried beans- heated

Monterey jack and cheddar cheese (as much as you like- the more the better as far as we're concerned!)

Mix all ingredients together with a couple tablespoons of the enchilada sauce.

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and put a little enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan.  Put the filling in softened corn tortillas (I wrap 3 at a time in a paper towel and microwave them for 30 seconds and that makes them pliable enough to roll).    I usually put the softened tortillas in the pan and then put the filling in and roll them up in the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan.  Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas and add more cheese (again, as much as you want), and bake at 375 degrees until the cheese is melted- around 15-20 minutes.  Top with sour cream and salsa and pair it with some chips and rice and beans.  Enjoy!

  

Bread Machine Rolls

I love bread.  No, really...I LOVE bread!  I have been in search of the perfect roll recipe for what seems like my whole life.  I have found it!  I don't remember where I found it, but I was perusing the web one day and decided to give these a try.  Let's just say- I won't be making any other rolls ever again.  Colin claims they are the best he has ever had.  He is also a lover of bread.  Take our word for it.  Make these easy rolls!

Bread Machine Rolls:
1 cup lukewarm water
1 egg
2 TBS butter
3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons bread machine yeast.

Put all ingredients in your bread machine in this order and use the dough setting.  My machine takes about an hour and a half on the dough setting.  Once that setting is finished, form your rolls and put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

 Cover with a tea towel and let them rise for about an hour or hour and a half.  These are the rolls after they have risen, ready to go in the oven.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

The finished product!  Only thing left to do is eat and enjoy!