Pumpkin Pie Brisket

Pumpkin Pie Brisket

The best season for comfort food is the fall months! This one is for the slow cooker. This cooks really really slow.....24 hours slow! It is worth the wait if you are a pumpkin lover! I know... pumpkin and brisket?? Give it a try you will enjoy1 I used spinach and white potatoes but personalize with your favorite greens or sweet potatoes. This recipes serves a generous 4.
.
Gotta have:

4 white potatoes, cubed
2 sweet onions, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 beef brisket...about 4 pounds
1 package of onion soup mix
3/4 cup of bourbon
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
5 cups of fresh spinach
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/4  cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

How to assemble in a 5 quart or larger slow cooker:

Place onion slices in the bottom of the cooker. Massage the package of oinion soup mix into the meat and place on top of the onions.

Mix together the bourbon, worcestershire sauce in a mixing cup and pour over the brisket.

Cook for 20 hours on the low setting of the slow cooker.

Remove lid and add spinach. In a medium saute pan heat, warm the orage juice, presevsre and spice. add pototoes and fold until coated. Remove from heat and place on top of brisket.

Cover and cook or an additional 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Place brisket to a cutting board and rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.

Serve with greens, potatoes and left over juices.

Rotini with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage

I love Broccoli Rabe! This recipe is a perfect simple meal that has a quick prep time and a goes amazing with a sprinkle of Asiago cheese!

This recipe makes 4 servings.

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 pound of sweet sausage with cassing removed and crumbled

4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1 large bunch of broccoli rabe , stems cut, rinsed and cut into 2 inch peices

1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teas dried organo

1/2 teas black pepper

1 16 oz box of rotini

Italian Wedding Soup

It is getting cold now, so I tried to think of another comfort food for winter months. Growing up in my house this was just my mom's chicken soup, but in the past decade or so it has been titled "Italian Wedding Soup".

This is great as a first cource . Reserve some extra chicken and make chicken salad for soup and sandwiches!

Chicken Broth

1 3 lb soup chicken

1 small onion

2 tbsp salt

6 qts water

Meatballs

1 lb ground chuck

2 garlic clove

1/4 cup of water

2 tbsp parsley

1 cup bread crumbs

1 small onion

2 eggs

3 cups of chopped streamed escarole

1/4 cup romano cheese mixed with 2 eggs.

Chop garlic, onions and parsley very fine and add to ingredients. Mix well and form into very small meatballs.

Boil chicken, salt and onions in water until tender. This can be anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. Remove chicken from broth. Let chicken cool and shut broth. Debone chicken and ct into small pieces. Set aside. Skim off any fat off the broth, and bring it to a boil. Drop in meatballs, lower heat and heat for 15 minutes. Add chicken and escarole. Cook 10 minutes more, then add cheese and egg mixture while soup begins to boil again. Cook for another 10 minutes. Serve hot.

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Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a yummy sweet comfort food dessert! Great this time of year with some eggnog or hot toddies...see the links below!!

16 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 vanilla bean

2 1/4 cup of unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons powdered instant espresso

1 teas salt

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 1/3 cups chopped pecans

Place oven racks near the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets.

In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars, scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.

Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the mixing bowl. Mix well.

Sift the flour. Mix the sifted flour with the espresso powder, baking soda, and sat. Slowly beat into the butter mixture until fully mixed.

Mix the chopped chocolate and pecans into the dough

For big cookies, drop the batter heaping tablespoonful on the cookie sheets. For smaller cookies, drop heaping teaspoons. For flatter cookies pat the dough with the back of a spoon before baking. Bake 10 to 12 minutes for the larger cookies. Let the cookies cool slightly on the baking sheets and then remove to racks.

Now for the drinks to eat them with..talk about comfort!!!

Apple Pie Hot Toddy

 

Cooked Eggnog

Itailian Sausage Soup with Tortellini

Super tasting, super simple, elegant looking soup.  This is actually my traditional Christmas Day soup, but it is perfect for any occasion, Goes well with some nice crusty Italian Bread!! This serves 8, I double my recipe.

1 lb Italian Sausage
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup of water
4 medium tomatoes (peeled, seeded and chopped)
1/2 tsp oregano
8 oz tomato sauce
3 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
1 medium green pepper (cut in 1/4 inch strips)
1 cup chopped onions
5 cups of beef broth
1/2 cup red wine (can use water instead)
1 cup thin sliced carrots
1/2 tsp basil
1 1/2 cups zucchini, sliced thin
8 oz frozen tortellini
Grated Parmesan cheese

Remove the sausage casings then brown in 5 qt pot. Brown until cooked, then drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pot. Saute the onions and garlic in drippings until tender. Add beef broth, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots , and tomato sauce and add bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Skim the fat from the soup. (you can make this part up to two days ahead of time, just bring to a boil until you proceed). Put in the zucchini , tortellini, parsley and pepper in the pot.


Simmer covered for 30 minutes or until tortellini is tender.

Farmer's Pasta

                                                                      

Wow it has gotten cold very fast! This is a perfect meal to come home to if you have a family member working outside all day. This is a hardy comfort food that is all about the great flavors of different cheeses...stringy mozzarella, mild fontina, flavorful Parmesan, and sharp provolone!


Butter for baking dish
2 tablespoons of olive oil
6 oz sliced panchetta or bacon, chopped
4 teaspoons of minced garlic
3 tablespoons all purposes flour
4 cups whole milk
3 cups heavy cream
8 oz mozzarella cheese
8 oz fontina cheese
salt
1 pound of penne pasta
3 tablespoons of chopped parsley
3 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil
6 oz provolone cubed
ground fresh pepper
2 cups bread crumbs


Preheat the oven to 375.

Butter a 13 X 9 X 2 inch baking dish. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden, about 4 minutes. Remove the pancetta. Add 3 teaspoons of garlic and saute for only one minute, add flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cream. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and let simmer, whisking often, until the sauce thickens a bit, about 5 minutes. Now whisk in all the fontina, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese


As you are completing this part. ring a large pot if salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, al dente. For me that is about 8-9 minutes. Drain and transfer into another large bowl. Pour the cheese sauce over the penne. Add parsley and basil and toss to coat. Let it stand until the mixture cools and the cheese sauce thickens slightly, ( 10 minutes) tossing every few minutes. Mix the provolone cheese and pancetta to the dish. Season the pasta mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to buttered dish.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat. Add bread crumbs on top.

Bake uncovered, until bubbly and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Diner Chicken Soup

Here's a simple, yet great tasting chicken soup with very few ingredients but packs a great flavor!




1 whole chicken (about 3 pounds)
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
1/2 cup oil
2 cups diced Spanish onions
2 cups diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1/4 teas salt
1/4 teas ground black pepper
1 box ache egg noodle or thin spaghetti broken in two




In a large stock pot, bring a gallon and 1/2 of water to a boil. Add chicken and thyme. Simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute all the vegetable until nice and soft.

When chicken is done, usually about and hour, remove it from the pot . Shut off the pot, Allow it to cool Strain and excess fat off the top of the pot and add the vegetables.

Remove all the meat from the chicken. Throw out bones and add meat to the pot. Return to a boil, them simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

15 minutes before you are ready to serve, throw in the whole box of macaroni. Stir for 15 minutes until cooked. Serve hot!


Have a great weekend!