Butternut Squash Carbonara with Pancetta

This is a must try.... rich, creamy and quick.

2 Tbsp. olive oil
6 oz. pancetta chopped (omit for all you vegetarians)
1/2 Tbsp. sage chopped
1 lb. butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4" pieces
1 small yellow onion diced
2 garlic cloves diced
2 cups low sodium chicken broth (vegetable broth for all you vegetarians)
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
12 oz whole wheat linguine
1/4 cup grated pecorino

Heat oil in skilled over medium heat.  Add pancetta, reduce heat, stir occasionally, or until crisp 8-10 min.    Add sage.  Add squash, onion, garlic and salt and pepper.   Cook for 8 min, stir.  Add chicken broth.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer until squash is soft.  (15+ min).  Let cook and add to blender until smooth.

Cook pasta al dente.  Reserve 1 cup pasta liquid.

Combine pasta, squash puree, ad 1/4 cup of pasta liquid, or more to your desired consistency.  

Mix in pecorino, season with salt and pepper.

Calories 560, Fat 20, Fiber 8 Grams.

Berry Strata

For all you bread pudding junkies this is for you!

Over 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Serves 6.

1/4 C. Orange Juice
1/2 C. Sugar
1 C. Berries
1/2 C. Ricotta Cheese
1 C. Whole Milk
4 Large Eggs
4 Pieces of bread, torn.

Whisk eggs and milk together, add O.J., sugar and ricotta cheese. Fold in berries and bread.  Place in pie pan or square baking dish. Refrigerate for one hour.  (up to 6 hours)

Serve warm with fresh whipped cream.

Chicken and White Bean Chili

This is so yummy on a cold night, filled with mega protein!

Serves 8 people.  Only 270 calories per serving, 26 g of protein.

1 T olive oil
2 Yellow onions, chopped
5 Garlic cloves, chopped
2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced into small pieces
1 can roasted green chilies
1 Jalapeno, chopped (remove the seeds, if you can't handle the burn)
1 Anaheim pepper, chopped
2 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
4 C Low sodium chicken stock
1 Can cannellini beans, drained
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

A few T chopped cilantro
Greek yogurt (to top)

1/4 C cheddar cheese

Heat olive oil in pot, add garlic, onion.  Cook about 3 minutes.  Raise the heat to med-high and add chicken, chilies, peppers and spices.  Cook for about 8-10 minutes.

Add chicken stock and beans.  Bring mixture to a boil, lower the heat and simmer.   Simmer uncovered for about 20 minute (or longer, all the flavors will marry and taste even better the longer it simmers).

Top with cheese and a dollop of Greek yogurt and cilantro.

Italian Seafood Stew

Super easy!  Super satisfying and healthy!
Serves 4
Only 436 calories per serving with 48 g of protein!

1 T Olive Oil
1 Bulb of fennel divided from roots (sometimes I use kale instead or baby bok choy)
1 Onion diced
6 Garlic cloves roughly chopped
1/4 tsp Fennel seeds
1 tsp Red pepper flakes (more if you like heat)
1 Can whole peeled tomatoes
12 oz Clam juice
1 C Chicken stock (I use low sodium)
1 1/2 C Red wine (pinot works well)
2 Bay leaves
1/2 tsp thyme
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper (to taste)
1 lb firm white fish, season with old bay  (I like halibut or cod)
1/2 lb medium shrimp (not cooked, peeled and deveined)

12-16 fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded  (use a stiff-bristled brush under cool running water to remove sand and grit.   They should close when you scrub them, discard any that stay open).  

Add olive oil to large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, fennel, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes.  Saute for 5 min.

Lightly crush tomatoes and add, discard juice.  Add clam juice, chicken stock, wine, bay leaves and thyme.  Bring to a simmer.  Cook for 5 minutes, season with salt and pepper.

Add shrimp, fish and mussels in pan.  Cook until the shrimp are pink and the fish is firm, about 8 minutes.  Garnish with fennel or fresh Italian parsley.

Irish Cream Cheesecake

I received an Irish Pub Cookbook and am getting super stoked to cook through the entire thing!

Ingredients
 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
 1/4 cup butter

 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
 1 1/4 cups white sugar
 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
 3 eggs
 1/2 cup sour cream
 1/4 cup Irish cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F . In a large bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, confectioners' sugar and 1/3 cup cocoa. Add melted butter and stir until well mixed. Pat into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes; set aside. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, white sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa and flour. Beat at medium speed until well blended and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in the sour cream and Irish cream liqueur; mixing on low speed. Pour filling over baked crust.
Bake at 450 degrees F  for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F, and continue baking for 60 minutes.
With a knife, loosen cake from rim of pan. Let cool, then remove the rim of pan. Chill before serving. If your cake cracks, a helpful tip is to dampen a spatula and smooth the top, then sprinkle with some chocolate wafer crumbs.

Beef & Stout Pies

1 1/2 lbs stewing beef, diced
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons flour (heaping)
2 -3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
4 sticks celery, roughly chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
rosemary, thyme, bay (fresh herbs, pick leaves and add about a handful)
2 1/2 cups Guinness stout or 2 1/2 cups other dark stout beer
28 ounces tomatoes
puff pastry, defrosted (1 lb. 2 oz. package)
1 egg, beaten

Directions:
Season your beef generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the flour and toss around until all pieces are well coated.
Heat olive oil, over med.-high heat, in a large casserole type pan and brown the meat. Make sure to not crowd your meat. You may do this in two batches, if necessary.
Add the onion and cook for 1 more minute. Then add the carrot, celery, parsnips and fresh herbs. Cook for another 4 minutes. Add the Guinness and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Stir and turn down the heat to simmer. Simmer this mixture for about 2 hours or until the meat is very tender. The sauce should be thick and intensely flavored. Season if needed.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

Put your meat filling into a large, round baking dish. You could also make individual pies. Any high-sided round ovenproof bowl is fine.

Roll out the pastry, dusting with flour as you go, until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out a large circle (or individual circles for smaller servings) - about 1/2 inch bigger than the top of your bowl. Brush the rim(s) of the bowl with the beaten egg, then place the pastry circle(s) on top, pushing the excess pastry down the outside of the bowl to secure. Lightly score the top of the pastry in a criss-cross manner and brush with more of the beaten egg.
Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

I am not kidding, this is the most delicious thing you will ever taste!

Now I am not a big cheesecake fan whatsoever, so seeing this in the latest issue of #BonAppetit was not something I took note of.  The thing that stood out was the use of Greek yogurt and the yummy pomegranate syrup, so I thought I would give it a whirl. The result was amazing.  This was one of the best things I have ever tasted and I love food, cooking,  and a great pallet.

You have to try this version, creamy, delicious and irresistible!

I bought a graham cracker crust to save time and it did not affect the taste at all, but feel free to make your own!

For the filling:
1 1/2 lbs of cream cheese at room temp.
2 c of Greek yogurt
2 tbs lemon juice
3/4 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbs dry gelatin
1/4 tsp kosher salt

In a food processor pulse cream cheese, yogurt, lemon juice, vanilla, sugar and salt.

Take the dry gelatin and dissolve in 2 tbs of water in a heat proof ramekin or bowl. Let this stand for 5-10 minutes.  Take a small sauce pan and heat water, place the container of gelatin inside until liquefied.  Once gelatin in liquefied pour into food processor and mix thoroughly.

Spoon filling into crust and refrigerate for a few hours.

For Pomegranate sauce:
2 C. Pom juice (don't use fresh pomegranate juice, it will turn brown)
2 tbs sugar
3 tbs light corn syrup
Contents of one pomegranate separated to seeds only.  (use for topping and garnish)
Mix juice, sugar and syrup in saucepan.  Bring to a low boil and then simmer for 40 minutes.  Remove from heat and refrigerate.

Ready to serve!  Cut cheesecake and top with syrup and seeds.  Enjoy!