Baked Shrimp Scampi - Ina Garten

2 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp in the shell
3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1/4 cup minced shallots
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 extra-large egg yolk
2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Balsamic BBQ Sauce

We have used it on ribs, but would be great for anything with BBQ sauce.

1 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by 1/3, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Crispie Waffles - KitchenAid recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, separated

1 1/4 cups low-fat milk

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in mixer bowl. Add egg yolks, milk, and butter. Attach bowl and flat beater to mixer. Turn to Speed 4 and mix about 30 seconds, or until ingredients are combined. Stop and scrape bowl. Continuing on Speed 4, mix about 15 seconds, or until smooth. Pour mixture into another bowl. Clean mixer bowl.

Place egg whites in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and wire whip to mixer. Turn to Speed 8 and whip until whites are stiff but not dry. Gently fold egg whites into flour mixture.

Heat waffle iron. Pour about 1/2 cup batter for each waffle onto iron. Bake 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown.

Yield: 6 servings (1 waffle per serving).

Per serving: About 287 cal, 8 g pro, 39 g carb, 10 g fat, 75 mg chol, 441 mg sod.

Creme Brulee French Toast

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 (8 to 9) inch round loaf Challah bread
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a small heavy saucepan melt butter with butter with brown sugar and corn syrup over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth and pour into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish.

Cut 6 (1-inch) thick slices from center portion of bread, reserving ends for another use, and trim crusts. Arrange bread slices in one layer in baking dish, squeezing them slightly to fit.

In a bowl whisk together eggs, half and half, vanilla, Grand Marnier and salt until combined well and pour evenly over bread. Chill bread mixture, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day. You can also freeze it once the bread soaks up the egg mixture. Remove from freezer night before and place in fridge - may take a little longer to cook if still a little frozen in the morning.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and bring bread mixture to room temperature. Bake uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed and edges are pale golden, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Double-Layer Pumpkin Pie

My favorite pumpkin pie recipe.

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup plus 1 Tbsp. milk, divided
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed, divided
1 Graham Pie Crust (6 oz.)
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) Jell-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Beat cream cheese, 1 Tbsp. milk and sugar in large bowl with whisk until blended. Stir in half the Cool Whip. Spread into crust.

Whisk remaining milk, pumpkin, pudding mixes and spices 2 min. (Mixture will be thick.) Spread over cream cheese layer.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Top with remaining Cool Whip just before serving.

Simplest Turkey

Not sure where I got this one from but my meat thermometer didn't work so well last Thanksgiving and I had to eyeball it when it was ready - definitely took longer than the recipe states.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Pull the neck and giblets out of the cavity; ditch the liver and save the rest of the giblets for gravy. Dry the turkey with paper towels, then season inside and out with salt and pepper.

Fill the turkey with aromatics like chopped onions, carrots, apples and herbs, then place breast-side up in a roasting pan and brush with melted butter.

Tent with foil and roast for 2 hours (for a 10- to 12-pound turkey; add an extra 15 minutes per pound for larger birds). Remove the foil, baste with more melted butter and crank the oven to 425 degrees F. Roast for another hour or until the meat at the thigh registers 165 degrees F.

Let rest while you make the gravy.

Homemade Gravy - Ina Garten recipe

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
1/4 cup flour1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Defatted turkey drippings plus chicken stock to make 2 cups, heated
1 tablespoon Cognac or brandy
1 tablespoon white wine, optional
1 tablespoon heavy cream, optional

In a large (10 to 12-inch) saute pan, cook the butter and onions over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Don't rush this step; it makes all the difference when the onions are well-cooked. Sprinkle the flour into the pan, whisk in, then add the salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock mixture and Cognac, and cook uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes until thickened. Add the wine and cream, if desired. Season, to taste, and serve.

Creamy Squash Soup Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

2 pounds butternut squash, halved, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups diced onion
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 (13 3/4-ounce) cans chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup light cream or heavy cream

In a medium saucepan, combine squash, onion, carrots, broth and salt. Simmer, uncovered, until squash is very tender, about 40 minutes. Puree soup in a blender or food processor with the butter. Whisk cream into soup. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired. 

Optional: One apple, added with squash.  2 tsp Penzey's Fox Point seasoning

This freezes well right before the addition of the cream and I have served it without the cream to guests that are lactose-intolerant.

Sage, Sausage and Apple Dressing

16-ounce bag stuffing cubes
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan and topping
1 pound fresh sage sausage, casing removed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cooking apples, such as Gravenstein, Rome, or Golden Delicious, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 to 2 ribs celery with leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted (See Note)
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Put the stuffing cubes in a large bowl and set aside. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it loses most of its pink color, but not so much that it's dry, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and pan drippings to the stuffing cubes.

Melt the remaining butter in the pan. Add the onion, apple, celery, and salt. Cook until the vegetables get soft, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and parsley and bring to a boil. Pour the vegetable mixture over the stuffing cubes and toss until evenly moistened. Mix in the walnuts and eggs.

Loosely pack the dressing in the prepared pan and cook uncovered until the top forms a crust, about 40 minutes. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of turkey pan drippings or melted butter over the top. Cook until the top is crisp and golden, about 20 minutes more. Set immediately or warm.

Tips: Put the dressing in the oven during the last hour of cooking the turkey
Note: To toast nuts, spread them out on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree F oven until golden, about 7 minutes. Also can add dried fruit.

Rich Chocolate Pecan Pie - Emeril Lagasse

1 1/2 cups pecans
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell – frozen deep dish
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.Spread the pecan pieces and the chocolate chips evenly on the bottom of the pie shell.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together. Pour the filling over the pecans. Bake on top of foil, cover edges with foil last 10 minutes. Bake until the filling sets, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes before slicing. Cut into individual servings and serve with a drizzle of Caramel Sauce and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Knorr’s Spinach Dip

1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, drained and squeezed dry
1 pkg Knorr’s vegetable soup mix
1 small can water chestnuts, chopped
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
3 green onions, minced (optional)

Mix the sour cream and mayonnaise together in a bowl. Pour in the soup mix, water chestnuts, spinach, and green onions (optional). Mix thoroughly and refrigerate for at least four hours. Stir before serving.

Cranberry Sauce

1 cup cranberry juice
1 cup white sugar
1 bag of fresh cranberries (12 oz or 3.5c)
1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled & diced
1 Anjou pear, peeled & diced
1/4 cup of frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cornstarch mixed into 1 tbsp cold water

1. Put water & sugar in a medium pot and bring to a boil, dissolving sugar.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring back to a boil.
3. Turn heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add cornstarch/water mix. Simmer for 30 minutes
4. Let cool to room temperature and serve it warm or chilled.

The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup diced nuts and 1/2 cup of whatever dried fruit you like. Add at end but I omit them.