Baked Chickpeas with Butternut Squash

 

Ingredients:

2 15-oz cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

1.5 lb butternut squash, peeled and cubed into ½ inch pieces (about 4 rounded cups)

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup milk

¼ cup half n half

3 garlic cloves

Salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon), freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or more, to spread on top of the casserole pan)

Directions:

 Roast cubed butternut squash and whole garlic cloves at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes

Make the sauce. It's super easy. Just add half of the roasted butternut squash (about 2 cups), milk, half and half, roasted garlic, and salt and pepper into a blender and pulse for a few seconds until smooth.

Arrange the casserole: combine the chickpeas and roasted butternut squash in a baking dish, cover with sauce, and mix

The casserole is topped with a generous amount of Parmesan cheese and baked in the oven until the sauce gets all bubbly and delicious. 

Bake for about 10 minutes, then broil. The casserole gets popped under the broiler for a few minutes to really melt that Parmesan cheese topping and make a golden-brown cheesy crust.

I made this for Mother's Day for ME!

Next Time- I'm going to roast the chickpeas. Really liked this.

I took a photo with a serving taken out because I wanted to show you what it looked like inside. 

Ham Loaf

 

Ingredients

1 tsp. olive oil

 1 small (4 oz.) yellow onion, coarsely chopped (about ¾ cup)

 1 lb. smoked or baked ham, cut into ½-in. cubes (about 4 cups)

 1 lb. ground pork

1 large egg, lightly beaten

 2/3 cup dry breadcrumbs

 1/2 cup whole milk

 2 tsp. Dijon mustard ( used honey mustard)

 1 tsp. garlic powder

 1/3 cup pineapple preserves

 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons drained sliced pickled jalapeño chiles

 2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Prepare oven and loaf pan:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom and sides of an 8 1/2- x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides; set aside. 

Cook onion:

Heat oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium. Add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and light golden brown, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside. 

Chop ham:

Pulse ham in a food processor until finely chopped, about 6 (1-second) pulses. 

Make ham loaf mixture:

Gently stir together chopped ham, cooked onion, ground pork, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, mustard, and garlic powder in a large bowl until evenly combined. 

Put ham loaf mixture in pan, and bake:

Pat into an even layer in prepared loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven 45 minutes. 

Make ham loaf glaze

Meanwhile, heat preserves, brown sugar, jalapeño chiles, and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside at room temperature until ready to use. 

Add glaze to ham loaf:

Spoon 1/2 cup of the preserve mixture over ham loaf; bake until a thermometer inserted into center of loaf registers 165°F, about 25 minutes.

Rest loaf:

Remove from oven, and let rest in loaf pan 20 minutes. Remove ham loaf from loaf pan using excess parchment paper. (Discard parchment paper.)

I made a spiral ham for easter and had lots left over. 

For the glaze I brushed with BBQ sauce. Gabe isn't crazy about pineapple.

It's good, would make it again.

Easy Creamy Sweet Potato Soup

 

Ingredients:

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, ¼ inch thick slices approximately

1 small onion chopped

¼ cup butter

4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon thyme, dried, ground or leaves

1 tablespoon light brown sugar packed

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon sour cream 

1 green onion, thinly sliced

Directions:

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat.

Add onions and sauté until they are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add broth, increase heat to high, and simmer.

Remove pot from heat, add sweet potatoes, and let stand covered for 20 minutes.

Add brown sugar, thyme, vinegar, 1 teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.

Stir to combine.

Bring to simmer over high heat.

Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and cook until potatoes are very soft, about 10 minutes.

Using an immersion blender or working in batches with a stand mixer, puree soup until smooth. If needed, return soup right back into your pot.

Bring your pureed soup to a simmer over medium heat.

Add more broth if necessary to reach your desired consistency.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a tablespoon of sour cream of whipping cream and green onions if desired. 

I had lots of sweet potatoes left from my garden. I liked this soup and will make it again

Crispy Baked Shrimp

 

Ingredients:

1 lb jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup dry white wine *

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and divided

Juice from one lemon

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the Topping:

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Directions:

Preheat the Oven:

Preheat oven to 425°F.  Hot enough to cook the shrimp quickly and evenly.

Prepare the Baking Pan:

Pour the dry white wine and 2 tablespoons of melted butter into a 9×13-inch baking pan. Place the pan in the oven for about 10 minutes. This reduces  the sauce to concentrate its flavor.

Mix the Shrimp with the Sauce:

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Add the shrimp and toss them well.

Prepare the Breadcrumb Topping:

In another bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs, finely grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and 2 tablespoons of melted butter. This topping will add a delightful crunch to the dish.

Bake the Shrimp:

Remove the preheated baking dish from the oven. Spread the shrimp in a single layer in the dish, making sure they fit snugly together for even cooking.

Add the Breadcrumb Topping:

Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the shrimp. This will create a crispy, golden-brown topping as it bakes.

Broil for Crispiness:

Bake the shrimp for about 12 minutes, or until they are opaque but still slightly pink. To achieve that perfect crispy topping, switch your oven to broil on high for an additional 1-2 minutes. Keep a close eye on them to prevent burning.

***For a white wine substitute in cooking, use broth (chicken or vegetable) with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice to add acidity. You can also consider white grape juice, apple juice, or even ginger ale for a sweeter white wine substitute

Why it works: Broth provides the necessary liquid and depth of flavor, especially for savory dishes.  How to use broth: 1:1 ratio /wine called for in the recipe

Adding Acidity: Since broth lacks acidity, add a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice for every cup of broth used to balance the flavors. 

Shrimp has been on sale so I have lots in the freezer. Will be looking for Gabe friendly recipes. Gabe liked this.

Retro Cooky's Steak Pub Banana Bread (AKA Cake)

 I lived in Hempstead in 1980. This restaurant was on the corner on the street where I use to live. Went a few times but remembered the "cake".

Recipe was in Long Island paper Newsday.

It's just as good as I remember it 😉

Tortilla Quiche With Cottage Cheese

 Ingredients:

1 tortilla ( I used gluten free spinach)

3 eggs

1/2 cup cottage cheese

seasoning of your choice ( I used italian seasoning)

 1/4 to 1/5 cup mozzarella  - depending on how much you like cheese 😉

Direction:

Line small shallow pie dish with tortilla

Beat eggs and add cottage cheese -mix well. Add seasonings to taste

Spread shredded cheese to tortilla

Add egg/cottage cheese mixture to the top of the cheese

Place in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Stir-Fry Shrimp with Broccoli and Scallions

 

Ingredients:

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cups broccoli florets

2 tbsp. sesame oil

4 scallions (green onions), sliced into 1-inch pieces 

3 garlic cloves, minced

 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp honey or maple syrup ( I used honey)

 1 tbsp rice vinegar (I used my Meyer Lemons juice)

1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water (optional, for thickening)

 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for a bit of heat)

Salt and pepper, to taste

 Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

 Cooked rice or noodles, for serving

 Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and cornstarch mixture (if using). Set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until pink and opaque. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.

3. In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the broccoli florets, stirring occasionally for about 3-4 minutes until bright green and slightly tender.

4. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallions to the skillet with the broccoli. Stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.

5. Return the shrimp to the skillet, then pour in the soy sauce mixture. Add red pepper flakes if desired for a bit of spice.

6. Toss everything together until the sauce thickens slightly, and everything is well coated. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until heated through.

7. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired and serve over rice or noodles.

 TIPS:

 Frozen broccoli; just blanch broccoli for a minute first.

 Swap honey with brown sugar if you prefer a richer, caramelized flavor.

 For extra crunch, add a handful of sliced bell peppers or snap peas.

Next time make more sauce and serve over rice