<b>Really good mashed sweet potato recipe</b><br /> <br /> <b>Ingredients</b><br /> - A couple good-sized sweet potatoes, I think I had 5 of them<br /> - 1/4 tsp salt<br /> - 2 tbsp butter<br /> - 2 tbsp maple syrup<br /> - Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste<br /> - 3 to 4 tbsp half-and-half or milk<br /> <br /> <b>Directions:</b><br /> - Bring sweet potatoes to a boil in a pot and boil them until soft, strain out water and then peel when they're done. You can do this easily with a fork. (I strongly suggest you wait a bit for them to cool down because they will be VERY HOT)<br /> - Mash them up with the rest of the ingredients and you can add more or less tbsp of milk if you like.

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<b>I do not own this recipe, this belongs to Cooks Illustrated, which is the bible of cooking in my opinion. </b>Basically I've made so many of their recipes that I now no longer worry if it'll taste good or if it'll turn out. It does. So I assume the same of this one. :3<br /> <br /> CLASSIC CHICKEN AND HERBED DUMPLINGS WITH AROMATIC VEGETABLES<br /> <br /> WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:<br /> Most chicken and dumplings recipes include flour, salt, and one or more of the following: butter, eggs, milk, and baking powder. We came upon one, however, that was unusual for its mixing method. It called for cutting butter into flour, baking powder, and salt but then, instead of just dumping cold milk right in, it called for heated milk. Suddenly we had our ideal dumpling—light and fluffy, yet durable enough to hold together during cooking. As for the rest of the chicken and dumplings recipe, we decided on a whole cut-up chicken rather than boneless breasts; the breasts may be a little easier to work with, but they don't provide as much flavor as a complete mix of white and dark bone-in meat. Next were the vegetables. Steaming them separately for 10 minutes worked well; we then just added them to the pot when the dish was about finished to heat them through (and keep them from overcooking).<br /> <br /> SERVES 6 TO 8<br /> A touch of heavy cream gives the dish a more refined look and rich flavor, but for a weeknight dinner, you may want to omit it. If you are in a hurry, you may poach boneless chicken breasts in low-sodium canned stock, then pull the breast into large pieces, and skip step 1 below.<br /> INGREDIENTS<br /> Poached Chicken with Creamed Gravy and Aromatic Vegetables <br /> 1 large roasting chicken, 6 to 7 pounds, butchered<br /> 1 large onion cut into large chunks (unpeeled)<br /> 2 bay leaves<br /> Table salt<br /> 3ribs celery, trimmed and cut into 1-by-1/2-inch pieces<br /> 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-by-1/2-inch pieces<br /> 6 boiling onions, peeled and halved<br /> 4tablespoons unsalted butter softened, or chicken fat from the cooked chicken<br /> 6tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour<br /> 1teaspoon dried thyme<br /> 2tablespoons dry sherry or vermouth<br /> 1/4cup heavy cream (optional)<br /> 3/4cup frozen peas, thawed<br /> 1/4cup minced fresh parsley leaves<br /> Ground black pepper or ground white pepper<br /> Baking Powder Dumplings <br /> 2cups unbleached all-purpose flour<br /> 1tablespoon baking powder<br /> 3/4teaspoon table salt<br /> 1/4cup minced fresh parsley leaves, chives (or scallion greens), dill, and tarragon<br /> 3tablespoons unsalted butter<br /> 1cup milk<br /> INSTRUCTIONS<br /> 1. For the Chicken: Heat deep 11- or 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add hacked-up chicken back, neck, and wings, and onion chunks; sauté until onion softens and chicken loses its raw color, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue to cook until chicken pieces give up most of their liquid, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add 6 cups hot water, chicken parts (legs, thighs, and breasts), bay leaves, and 3/4 teaspoon salt, then bring to simmer. Reduce heat; continue to simmer, partially covered, until broth is flavorful and chicken parts are just cooked through, about 20 minutes longer. Remove chicken parts and set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones in 2- to 3-inch chunks. Strain broth, discarding chicken pieces. Skim and reserve fat from broth and set aside 4 cups of broth, reserving extra for another use.<br /> 2. Meanwhile, bring 1/2-inch water to simmer in cleaned skillet fitted with steamer basket. Add vegetables; cover and steam until just tender, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.<br /> 3. For the Dumplings: Mix flour, baking powder, herbs, and salt in medium bowl. Heat butter and milk to simmer and add to dry ingredients. Mix with a fork or knead by hand two to three times until mixture just comes together. Following ****s below, form dough into desired shape; set aside.<br /> 4. Heat butter or reserved chicken fat in cleaned skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and thyme; cook, whisking constantly, until flour turns golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Continuing to whisk constantly, gradually add sherry or vermouth, then reserved 4 cups chicken stock; simmer until gravy thickens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in optional cream and chicken and vegetables; return to simmer.<br /> 5. Lay formed dumplings on surface of chicken mixture; cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 10 minutes for strip dumplings and 15 minutes for balls and biscuit rounds. Gently stir in peas and parsley. Adjust seasonings, including generous amounts of salt and pepper. Ladle portion of meat, sauce, vegetables, and dumplings into soup plates and serve immediately.<br /> <br /> <br /> *****<br /> For biscuit-like dumplings, roll dough to 1/2-inch thick. Use a 2-inch biscuit cutter or a round drinking glass top to cut dough rounds.<br /> <br /> For round puffy dumplings, divide dough into 18 pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a rough round.<br /> <br /> For flat noodle-like dumplings, roll dough to 1/8-inch and cut them into about 2-by-1/2-inch strips.<br />

<b><u>Really good oil + vinegar dressing</u></b><br /> <br /> <b>Ingredients:</b><br /> - 1/2 cup vinegar (I like to do 1/4 one kind, 1/4 another.. like balsamic and white.. but whatever you want)<br /> - 1 cup olive oil<br /> - 1 tsp white sugar<br /> - 1/2 tsp onion powder<br /> - 1/2 tsp garlic powder<br /> - 1/2 tsp dried parsley<br /> - 1/8 tsp celery seed<br /> - 1/8 tsp salt<br /> - 1/8 tsp ground black pepper<br /> <br /> <b>Directions:</b><br /> Mix it up together and put on salad.

I love this recipe, I got it from a Milk Calendar :)<br /> <br /> <b><u>Chicken Fajitas with Fresh Salsa</u></b><br /> <br /> <b>Ingredients:</b><br /> - 2 plum (Roma) tomatoes, diced<br /> - 1/2 sweet red pepper, diced<br /> - 1/2 avocado, diced (optional)<br /> - 1/2 jalapeño pepper, minced<br /> - 1/2 cup (125 ml) shredded Canadian Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese<br /> - 2 tbsp (30 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice<br /> - Salt<br /> - 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter<br /> - 1 medium onion, sliced<br /> - 1 lb (500 g) boneless skinless chicken, cut in thin strips<br /> - 2 tbsp (15 ml) chili powder<br /> - 1 tbsp (15 ml) minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (optional)<br /> - 1 1/2 tsp (7 ml) dried oregano<br /> - 3 tbsp (45 ml) all-purpose flour<br /> - 1 cup (250 ml) milk<br /> - 4 to 6 large whole wheat flour tortillas, warmed<br /> - Torn lettuce leaves <br /> <br /> <b>Directions:</b><br /> - In a bowl, combine tomato, red pepper, avocado, jalapeño, cheese, lime juice and a 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) salt; set aside.<br /> - In large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat; sauté onion for 3 min or until softened and starting to brown. Add chicken, chili powder, chipotle, oregano and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt; sauté for 5 min until chicken is no longer pink inside.<br /> - Whisk flour into milk until smooth; gradually stir into skillet. Simmer, stirring, for 3 min or until bubbling and thickened. Line tortillas with lettuce and spoon filling on top along centre; top with fresh salsa. Fold up bottom of tortilla then fold sides to enclose filling.

Alright, for those who want it, this is not my recipe, but in fact belongs to "Cook's Illustrated", who I pretty much adore.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://imageshack.us/a/img802/9637/screenshot20120914at814.png">Part One</a><br /> <a href="http://imageshack.us/a/img152/9637/screenshot20120914at814.png">Part Two</a><br /> <br /> I'm too lazy to type it up.<br /> <br /> ***IF you're not the legal age to buy alcohol in your country, you're going to have to ignore this recipe or have your parents make it.***<br /> <br /> ***IF you don't have a food processor - or a big food processor for this one - then you can stil do it by hand. The biggest key to this is <b>do not overmix</b>. This is how a crust ends up tough and dry.***

<b>Peanut Butter Cookies</b><br /> <br /> 2 cups flour<br /> 1/2 tsp baking soda<br /> 1/4 tsp salt<br /> 1 1/4 cup brown suger, firmly packed<br /> 1 1/4 cup white sugar<br /> 1 cup butter, softened<br /> 3 large eggs<br /> 1 cup creamy peanut butter<br /> 2 tsp vanilla<br /> <br /> <i>Extra peanut butter may be added per desire for a more chewy cookie. I personally add 1/4 cup extra flour to allow the cookies to maintain their shape.</i><br /> <br /> Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well and set aside. In a large bowl, blend sugars using an electric mixer. Add butter to form a grainy paste. Add eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla. Best mixed at m edium speed until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture and mix at low speed until mixed.<br /> <br /> Place the cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet. With a wet fork, after you have completed all of the above steps, gently press a criss-cross pattern on top of each cookie. You can also use sugar rather than water. Bake twelve to fourteen minutes for a chewy cookie, longer if you prefer your cookies well-done. Transfer <u>immediately</u> to a cool surface or the bottom of your cookie will burn.<br /> <br /> When I'm short on time or don't feel like washing a lot, I mix everything in a single bowl. However, I find it tastes better when done the way it is written but that may just be my mind tricking me into doing more work.

The sounds of that recipe make me hungry Matthew. I've never made Shepherds Pie due to lack of lamb where I come from...but perhaps I could try the beef version. :3

<b>Shepherd's Pie</b><br /> <br /> 1 lb lean lamb, minced<br /> 1 large onion, sliced<br /> 1 medium carrot, chopped<br /> 1 stick celery, chopped<br /> enough beef stock to cover<br /> salt<br /> pepper<br /> 3 to 4 tsp corn starch or 2 Bisto (if you know what it is) and 1 corn starch<br /> 2 lbs good mashing potatoes<br /> 4 oz butter<br /> salt<br /> pepper<br /> <br /> Note that you can substitute the lamb for a pound and a half of beef but it would be considered cottage pie. <br /> <br /> Add minced lamb into a casserole dish, add onion, carrot, celery, beef stock, corn starch and/Bisto/corn starch, salt and pepper, to taste, and stir. Cook in a slow oven, say 275°F for 2 hours.<br /> <br /> When complete, drain off gravy and reserve. Boil and mash potatoes with milk, butter, salt and pepper, however do not make it into a wet paste. It should be firm and almost chunky.<br /> <br /> Add back enough gravy to the meat to make it moist. Gently add the potato to the top and build up. Spread with a fork, finally making fork marks both up and down and across to form a basket like pattern.<br /> <br /> Put oven temperature at 400°F, then bake until potato is crispy and golden on the peaks (about) 30 minutes.<br /> <br /> Serve with remaining gravy and steamed cabbage if desired. <br /> <br />

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For Ehm and Clay, who asked for this:<br /> <br /> Pork Lo Mein (my adaption of a Cooks Illustrated Recipe)<br /> <br /> <br /> 6 tablespoons soy sauce<br /> 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce <br /> 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil<br /> 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder<br /> 1 pkg Boneless Pork chops, fat removed, cut into 1/8 slices. (This originally calls for boneless, country style ribs, these are super fatty which I don't eat, I go for the boneless pork chops.)<br /> 4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press <br /> 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (optional, I don't add this, I hate ginger)<br /> 4 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil or olive oil.<br /> 4 tablespoons Chinese rice cooking wine (Shao-Xing) or dry sherry (Cooking sherry is cheapest! I use this!)<br /> 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed and sliced. (Although, I'm on a budget, I use baby bellas, sliced very thinly.)<br /> 2 bunches scallions (Green Onions), whites thinly sliced and greens cut into 1-inch pieces <br /> 2 smallish heads or 1 really big head of Bok Choy, sliced. Or more, I like more.<br /> 10 ounces Lo Mein Noodles or 8 ounces dried linguine (Depends on what you can get<br /> 1 tablespoon Asian chile garlic sauce (This will make it SPICY if you get the right kind, so if you don't like spicy at all, leave it out, if you do, add in 1/2 teaspoon batches if you can't handle a lot of heat.)<br /> <br /> INSTRUCTIONS<br /> Whisk soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and five-spice powder together in bowl. Place soy sauce mixture in large zipper-lock bag; add pork. Press out as much air as possible and seal bag, making sure that all pieces are coated with marinade. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. (OR more, more is fine. I do more.) In separate small bowl, mix garlic and ginger with 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil; set aside.<br /> <br /> Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in 12-inch cast-iron or nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. (Or you know, a wok, I own one of those.) Add half of pork in single layer, breaking up clumps with wooden spoon. Cook, without stirring, 1 minute. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons wine/sherry to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is reduced and pork is well coated, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer pork to medium bowl and repeat with remaining pork, 1 teaspoon oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons wine. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.<br /> <br /> Return skillet to high heat, add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, and heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add scallions and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions are wilted, 2 to 3 minutes longer; transfer vegetables to bowl with pork.<br /> <br /> Add remaining teaspoon vegetable oil and cabbage to now-empty skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Clear center of skillet; add garlic-ginger mixture and cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir garlic mixture into cabbage; return pork-vegetable mixture; simmer until all ingredients are well incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.<br /> <br /> While cabbage is cooking, stir noodles into boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender. Drain noodles and transfer to cabbage pork mixture if cooking in large wok or if a small skillet, combine into noodles into bowl or dutch oven. Make sure noodles are well coated, serve.<br /> <br /> If you make this spicy, I suggest a good strong white wine with it. Mostly because I make this for special occasions and therefore, alcohol is involved. <br />

Glad you liked it, Goose. =3<br /> <br /> Clayton, I have no doubt about that. I've only made it with peanut butter though, since the dog I make it for likes it best. ^.^"