Search Results

Ingredients: 2 Tbsp olive oil 2-3 med onions, thinly sliced 1 Tbsp brown sugar 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed 2 oz chilled Brie cheese, rind removed and diced 2 oz Gorgonzola or other blue cheese, diced 2 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon Instructions: Caramelize the onions: Heat oil in a large deep pan on medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for about 10 minutes or until wilted and starting to brown. Add sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and cook gently, uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until richly caramelized. Add a little water if the onions look like they are starting to dry out. Cool. Roll pastry into a 10-to-14-inch rectangle (or whatever shape you want). Place pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Prick with a fork at a couple inch increments to prevent the pastry from forming big bubbles while baking. Spread onions over pastry, all the way to the edges of the pastry. Dot with cheese. Sprinkle with tarragon. Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 18-20 minutes or until cheese has melted and pastry is crispy. Cool for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges or squares and enjoy!

Ingredients: 1 (14 ounce) can water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped 4 ounces cream cheese 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 garlic clove, minced 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 green onions , sliced 1 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 2 whole artichokes Directions: Cut off the stem of the artichokes, then take off the tips with scissors.  Place 1 cup of water and a steamer basket into your pressure cooker.  Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.  Quick release and let cool. (If using stovetop, steam for 20-30 minutes covered). Place half the artichokes in a food processor; add cream cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic, cayenne, and 3 tablespoons water. Process until smooth.  Refrigerate until ready to use. Scoop out the middle of the artichoke.  Peel off the first 2-3 layers of leaves.  Stuff dip into artichoke for center piece, then scoop 1 teaspoon dip onto remaining leaves and display around base of the center. If desired, drizzle with butter and lemon juice. Enjoy!

Ingredients: For the Butternut Squash: 1 butternut squash, cut into ½” pieces 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons za’atar (or any warm spices) Salt & pepper to taste For the candied pecans: 1 cup pecans 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons water 1 teaspoon seasoning of your choice For the Quinoa Salad: 4 cloves garlic, minced ½ yellow onion, finely chopped 1 apple, peeled & diced 4 cups cooked quinoa ¼ cup maple syrup Pinch cayenne pepper 4 cups baby kale, coarsely chopped For the Apple-Ginger Vinaigrette: 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoons crystallized ginger, diced 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped Salt & Pepper to taste For garnish: Crystallized ginger, diced Method: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread squash cubes on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Sprinkle with seasoning and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Toss to coat, make sure it is in a single layer.  Bake 25 minutes or until fork tender and lightly browned, turning once.  Let cool. Make pecans by heating water and sugar together in a 8” fry pan.  Once sugar is dissolved add pecans and seasoning.  Saute until pecans are coated and well candied.  Dry in parchment or a silicone liner. Make the dressing by placing all items together in a jar and shaking.  Set aside. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.  Add garlic, onion and a pinch of salt and saute for one minute.  Add apple and saute until soft.  Stir in quinoa, syrup and cayenne, cook 6 to 8 minutes or until quinoa is crispy.  Transfer to a large bowl.  Stir in kale until just wilted. To serve, top with sweet potatoes, ginger and pecans.  Drizzle with dressing.  Enjoy!

Ingredients: For the Crust: 1 C. flour 1/3 C. butter, cut into large chunks ¼ C. water, less or more if needed 1 tsp sugar ½ tsp salt For the Pie: 4 T. butter 4 oz. dark chocolate chips 4 eggs 1 C. dark corn syrup ¾ C. dark brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla ½ tsp salt ¼ C. bourbon 1.5 C. pecan halves Method: For the Crust: Mix the flour, butter, sugar, and salt together in a bowl.  Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until the butter is in small pieces.  Add the water and work in gently until a dough has formed.  Shape into a ball, and place on floured work surface.  Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out until it is large enough to lay across a 9” pie plate.  Gently work the dough into the pie dish, shape crust as desired, and cut off any overlaying pie dough with kitchen shears.  Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. For the Pie: In a small saucepan on low heat, combine the butter and the chocolate chips; stir well to combine, making sure the chocolate and the butter are completely melted. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt; mixing well until all of the ingredients are fully combined.  Next add the melted chocolate butter mixture and the bourbon; stir to fully incorporate; fold in pecans. Pour batter into prepared pie shell and bake at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes, or until fully cooked. Let cool on a wire rack for a minimum of 2 hours.

Ingredients For the cake: 8 oz dark chocolate, cut into pieces 4 oz. milk chocolate, cut into pieces 1/2 lb. butter, cut into pieces 6 eggs For the raspberry sauce: 1 pint raspberries 1/3 C. sugar ½ lemon, zested and juiced Method: Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl over a double boiler. Incorporate the eggs one at a time Line an 8” square baking pan with parchment paper and pour mixture into pan and cover w/ aluminum foil Bake in a water bath at 350 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes. Take cover off and let cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. To serve: Cut out pieces of torte with a very hot knife dipped in hot water (water wiped off), plate and let come to room temperature to serve. For the Raspberry Sauce: Combine the raspberries, sugar, lemon juice and zest in a small saucepan.  Over medium heat, melt the sugar and mash the raspberries down to make a nice syrupy consistency.  Remove from heat and place in a blender and puree.  Strain the mixture completely, removing all the seeds. Set aside and use at room temperature or chilled.

It's my favorite holiday!! You know...That one that falls between Halloween and Christmas that Hobby Lobby just skips right over. I'm so enamored with Thanksgiving that I refuse to play Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. There are a few reasons I love it SOOOO much: 1.) It's a time to celebrate family and friends 2.) It's not about gifts 3.) I get to eat myself into a food coma 4.) Most importantly - I get to feed people one of their very favorite meals, one they wait for ALL YEAR! In my career, Thanksgiving was one of our most important seasons. So I have spent countless hours researching and testing the best ways to make all of your favorite foods. This month we'll be sharing those recipes, tips and techniques to share with your family and friends. This week, we're talking TURKEY!! Let's talk turkey! I think we all know that turkey isn't the most delicious of meat options, but it is quintessentially Thanksgiving. However, it can be the delicious centerpiece that we all hope it to be, with a few tricks and techniques. I get a lot of questions about how I make my turkey - so many that last year I taught a turkey class. So here is my method. I'm not saying it's good...but I have been invited to TWO Thanksgiving dinners where the hosts have asked me to bring the turkey (true story!). It does take a little extra time, but it's totally worth it. 1.) Brine. Does it make a difference? Yes, it does. But in testing different brine recipes we ended up with overly salty pan drippings that were useless for gravy (gasp!). Even after rinsing. My Perfect Turkey recipe includes a brine that is part sugar and salt, to reduce the salt level and includes spices, herbs and veggies to both flavor your turkey and make a great gravy starter. It was inspired by and Alice Waters recipes, so you know it's pretty great. Tip: if you can't fit it in your fridge and it's cold enough outside, put it in a cooler with ice and place it in your garage overnight. 2.) Get under that skin! Use your hand to loosen the skin and get under it with butter and herbs. Make sure to really massage the whole turkey with that butter mixture. Loosening the skin will allow air to get under it and make it nice and crispy. The butter will also help add fat to the lean turkey breast and keep it moist. Tip: Let your turkey air dry in the refrigerator uncovered for extra crispy skin. 3.) Inject. Everybody wants to argue over this one, but I've tested it all ways and this is my favorite. Yes, I brine AND inject. Because I can!! My Perfect Turkey recipe includes a homemade recipe for a Cajun injection which was the tested favorite. If you do inject, make your own. The store bought versions are full of preservatives and salt. Place the injector halfway into the area you want to inject and push the plunger. The meat will swell and then be flavored throughout with the flavor. It adds a little extra fat (again) to that lean turkey and adds flavor to those ever important pan drippings. Tip: Make sure not to go all the way through the meat or your injection will just end up in a puddle. 4.) Stuff the cavity. With fruit and herbs, not dressing. I like to add apples, oranges and any herbs that I have leftover. It retains moisture, add sweetness and there is no contamination threat since you won't be eating the fruit and herbs. Tip: You'll need less than you think. One apple and one orange will easily fill a cavity. 5.) Roast. Yes, I roast. And one of my big tips is to invest in an electric turkey roaster. They cook faster and save your oven space for sides, rolls and keeping food warm. For and investment of $20-$50 you get your whole oven back. I was resistant for many years, but if all of the above steps are followed there is enough fat to keep your turkey moist. And I usually get ask if I fried my turkey. I didn't, but the electric roaster makes it seem like you did. If you're willing to spend a little extra, this Convection Roaster is my favorite and tested with the best results (and her WI accent makes me feel like I'm home!): 6.) Altitude. My favorite. Did you know that it may take you 5-10 extra minutes per pound for your turkey? It might. So keep that in mind when you are allowing time for your meal. Don't go by those pop up timers that come in the turkey, invest in a small probe thermometer for a minimal cost and know when you are at that just right temp. Also keep in mind you'll loose anywhere from 50 to 100 degrees in your oven if you leave the door open too long to temp. So be speedy! 7.) Let it rest for at least 10 minutes. That will allow the juices to stay in the meat. If you try to cut right into your turkey all of the juices will leak out and all of your above efforts will have been in vain. 8.) RELAX! It's over. Enjoy your day and your turkey, but most of all enjoy your family! Check out our Perfect Turkey Recipe for detailed instructions. We hope these turkey tips help you have the best Thanksgiving table ever. And stay tuned for more Thanksgiving tips and recipes next week!

Ingredients for Brine: · ¾ cup kosher salt · ¾ cup sugar · 1 carrot, peeled and diced · 1 large onion, peeled diced · ¼ cup diced celery · 1 leek, white light parts only, cleaned diced · 2 bay leaves · 1 tablespoon peppercorns · 1 tablespoon coriander seeds · 1 tablespoon orange peel · ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes · ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds · 2 star anise · 2 or 3 sprigs of thyme · 1 - 12-14 lb turkey Ingredients for Injection Sauce: • 1 cup chicken stock • ¼ cup olive oil • 2 cloves garlic • 1 teaspoon salt • ¼ cup honey • 1 tablespoon hot sauce • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce • 1 sprig fresh rosemary • 1 sprig fresh sage • 1 bay leaf • 1 sprig fresh thyme For the butter rub: • 1 stick butter, softened • Chopped fresh herbs, as desired For stuffing the cavity: • 1 apple • 1 orange • Fresh herbs Method: 1. In a 16-quart or larger stockpot, bring 2 gallons of water to boil. Add salt, sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Turn off heat and add everything else besides the turkey and olive oil. 2. Remove giblets from turkey, reserve for another use. Add turkey to the cooled brine solution. Refrigerate the turkey for 24-48 hours, then remove from the brine and allow to come to room temperature. 3. Prepare injection sauce by boiling all ingredients together in a sauce. Strain and let cool. Inject turkey 2 times per thigh and 3 per breast. Avoid making too many holes in the turkey to preserve moisture. Allow at least one hour to marinate. 4. Pull skin away from turkey meat and insert the butter rub between the meat and the skin. Do this all around the bird and use any leftover on the outside of the bird. Season with pepper. 5. Stuff cavity with apples, oranges and herbs. 6. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, truss the turkey, place it on a roasting pan and roast until it starts to brown, about 25 minutes, reduce to 350 degrees and roast for 12 minutes more per pound. When the internal temperature at deepest of the of the leg reaches 170 degrees it is done. (total roasting time will be about 3 hours). Baste frequently with olive oil or butter and pan juices, using the rosemary branches as a brush if desired. If the bird begins to darken too much, cover it loosely with a piece of foil. 7. Allow the turkey to rest for 20 minutes before carving and serving.

We're committed to bringing our customers and neighbors fresh and vibrant flavor ideas to encourage healthy eating habits and promote more heart healthy lifestyles. As we head into the holiday season we wanted to take a few minutes to give you new ideas to beat the holiday over-indulgence. Here are a few ideas to keep your body and taste buds very happy! Use fresh herbs to make meals taste bright and fresh. You'll satisfy your need for light and tasty food and feel great about it. Herbs are readily available year round and can make your dishes taste SO much better. Try these tips and recipes to freshen up your holidays! Gumbo Z’herbes – As the story goes, this gumbo is so good that its only supposed to be eaten once a year.It is laden with many vegetable greens and herbs for a flavor that is unlike any other.Try with or without meat for an amazing gumbo on a cool Colorado evening. Taboulleh – Edible herbs were once, and still are, a large part of the Arabian diet.Taboulleh is a fantastic example of this.Parsley and Mint mixed with bulgur wheat, fresh tomatoes and lemon zest is the basis to this Mezzo that will really impart a ton of flavor to your meal, without breaking out the salt grinder. Chimmichuri – A parsley, cilantro, oregano and garlic based condiment, pureed with oil and vinegar makes a delicious side sauce for anything from grilled steak, to fish, chicken or even simple grilled vegetables.This is an excellent alternative to heavier, processed sauces such as Steak Sauce or Worchestershire and you’ll think summer has never ended. Make your own Pho – With the rising popularity of “eating outside of the box”, grocery stores are expanding their purchasing to ordering in more international products; Thai basil is a great example.Pho is a very highly seasoned broth with noodles and vegetables - and meat if you wish, finished with a bouquet of fresh herbs (such as thai basil, mint, and cilantro). Make your own herb mix/blend.Herb blends can replace heavier seasonings by adding vibrance and dimension to your meals.Salt is only a flavor enhancer.If you are concerned that a less salt diet will result in less tasty food, remember, your taste buds will adapt to the new change in 2-3 weeks, and you’ll never even know you missed salt.

Ingredients: 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 T. red onion, minced ½ C. parsley, 1 T. oregano, fresh 1 T. Cilantro, fresh 2-3 T. olive oil ½ T. red wine vinegar 2 T. grapefruit juice Zest of ½ grapefruit 1 T. honey Pinch red pepper flakes Salt and pepper, to taste Method: 1. Mince all of the fresh ingredients as small as you can. Mix everything together in a bowl and refrigerate until use.

Ingredients: 1 bunch cress, chopped 1 bunch mustard greens, chopped 5 oz spinach, chopped 1 bunch chard, chopped 1 bunch kale, chopped 1 bunch green onions, chopped 1 bunch parsley, chopped 1 onion, chopped 6 garlic cloves, chopped Water to cover 5 thyme leaves, stripped 2-3 tsp. salt ½ tsp. cayenne ½ C. brown roux 1 T. gumbo file (sassafras) powder Method: 1. Remove stems from vegetables, and chop roughly. 2. In a large pot, combine the greens, onion, and garlic. Add enough water to cover and boil for 30 minutes. 3. Strain the vegetables, and reserve the liquid. Puree the vegetables in batches. Add the vegetables back to the pot and add 8 cups of the reserved liquid. Bring to a simmer, add the thyme, salt and cayenne, and ½ C. of brown roux. Simmer until thickened. Add the file powder, check for final seasoning and serve with rice.

Ingredients: 2 T. lime juice ¼ C. orange juice 1/3 C. olive oil 5 cloves garlic, minced 1.5 tsp. cumin Salt and pepper ¼ C. cilantro 1 # skirt steak Method: 1. Place skirt steak a resealable bag and add lime and orange juices, 1/3 cup olive oil, garlic, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Seal and squish around to combine. Place in the refrigerator to marinate at least 1 hour and up to overnight. 2. Remove from marinade and shake off any excess oil. Transfer marinade to a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until reduced by half. 3. Cook anyway you would like: pan seared, grilled.. to your desired doneness. . 4. Serve with reduced marinade and lime wedges, and also with chimichurri. Chimichurri: 4 cloves garlic 1 T. chopped red onion 1 C. parsley, whole and firmly packed 2 T. oregano , fresh 2 T. Cilantro, fresh ¼-1/3 C. olive oil 1 T. red wine vinegar 1 T. lime juice Pinch red pepper flakes Salt and pepper 1. Blend all together in a food processer.

Ingredients: For the Vinaigrette • Minced zest of ½ a lemon • ½ c. each fresh lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil • Salt to taste For the Taboulleh • 1 C. GF grain of your choice • 1 (10 oz) package grape tomatoes, halved • 1 small zucchini, diced • 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed • 1 C. chopped fresh parsley • ½ C. chopped fresh mint • ½ C. pitted and sliced Kalamata olives For the Mushrooms • 4 large Portobello mushrooms (4-6 oz each), stemmed and gilled • ½ C. crumbled feta cheese Method: 1. For the vinaigrette, whisk together zest, lemon juice, oil and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Reserve 3 T. vinaigrette to brush on portobellos. 2. For the Tabbouleh, cook grain according to package directions; transfer to a baking sheet and chill. 3. Combine tomatoes, zucchini, chickpeas, parsley, mint, olives, and chilled grain; toss with vinaigrette and set aside. 4. Preheat grill to medium-high, brush grill grate with oil or preheat oven to 375 degrees. 5. Fill mushrooms with tabbouleh filling, firmly but not overfilled. 6. For the mushrooms, brush both sides with reserved vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Grill mushrooms, uncovered, until grill marks appear and mushrooms are softened, about 2 minutes per side, or oven roast for 20-30 minutes, or until cooked through. 7. Top with feta, if desired.