Brussels Sprouts

 2 packages steamable brussels sprouts - steamed

1 cup shredded parmesan

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

6 pieces of crisp bacon, crumbled

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp panko crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

Blend everything together in a food processor. Form the mixture into small balls, press onto a greased cookie sheet to make patties. Airfry or bake at 400 degrees until golden brown and sizzling (about 15 minutes). 

Refrigerate leftovers (but there won't be any). 

Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

For the Muffins

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoons ginger

1/4 teaspoon clove

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

2/3 cup cinnamon chips

In a medium bowl whisk the brown sugar, butter, and molasses together until no lumps remain. Whisk in the vanilla and pumpkin, and set aside.

In a large bowl sift together the baking powder, baking soda and flour. Stir in the spices and salt. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the large bowl and stir together until a soft dough forms.

Add the cinnamon chips. They may not want to stick to the dough, but try to get them as evenly distributed as you can.

Cover the dough with wax paper and chill for 30 minutes.

After chilling line a muffin tin with baking cups. These muffins are extremely rich so I suggest regular or mini muffins. Jumbo muffins are almost too much for this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. For regular muffins roll just over 1/4 cup dough into a ball, and place in the muffin cup. For mini muffins use just over 1/8 cup.

Bake the muffins for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. These muffins don't rise much but they will expand to fill the cups.

Cool the muffins for at least 10 minutes before frosting.

For the icing

4 oz cream cheese

1/8 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup powdered sugar

Mix all together, and spoon onto cooled muffins. Lightly sprinkle cinnamon on top.

Chili Lime Chicken Wraps

 It's been a little while since the dogs have posted a recipe but we have one today! Chili lime chicken wraps!

You will need:

2 lbs of chicken (breasts cut into strips or tenderloins)
1 onion, chopped. 
2 limes
1 bunch of cilantro - chopped
2 cups of guacamole
Cheddar cheese
tortilla wraps
Spring Mix or other greens
Salsa

For the marinade
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
Zest of 2 limes. 

In a crockpot combine your marinade ingredients, and coat the chicken thoroughly. Arrange the chicken to cover the bottom of the crockpot. Spread the diced onion on top. 
Cook on low until the chicken shreds easily. Juice the limes into the crockpot and stir in the cilantro well.  Allow to cook for a little longer. 

Transfer to a bowl and add the guacamole and stir to coat. 

Serve with cheddar cheese and greens in a tortilla wrap. 

Homemade Garlicky Naan style flat bread

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 1/2 tsp baking powder 

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl activate the yeast in the warm water (~110 degrees F).  If you have a cool house you will want to make sure to place your mixing bowl in a warm location so that the yeast will activate properly. 

Wait about 15 minutes

Add the flour, yogurt, salt, garlic, and baking power. Mix the dough until smooth. The dough may be slightly sticky but should form into a ball easily. If it's too sticky add more flour. Remove the dough ball and grease the bowl, place the ball back into the bowl, cover with cling film and let the dough rise for about an hour in a warm location. You want the dough to double in size

Remove the dough from the bowl and cut the ball into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into its own ball. Using a rolling pin, roll them out one at a time on a floured surface into ovals about 1/4 inch thick. It's best to start cooking your first one while you roll out your second.

Cook the dough on a non-stick flat griddle or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Once the skillet is nice and hot add a piece of dough and cook for 1 minute or until the dough begins to bubble and the bottom turns light gold. Flip and cook the second side for about 30 seconds to a minute.

Remove to a plate and cook the next piece. Continue until all 8 pieces are cooked. Cover with a damp tea towel and serve warm. 

Coconut Curry with Lentils and Tomatoes

 Ingredients

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3 medium yellow onions
• 3 jalapenos
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 small bunch cilantro
• 3 inches of ginger root
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 cups lentils
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 3/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cumin

Wash your produce. Quarter the onion, peel the garlic and ginger root, and remove the stems and seeds from the jalapenos. Strip the cilantro leaves from the stem. Set aside 1/2 of the cilantro for garlic. Place everything else into a food processor and lightly process until well chopped. 

Drain the tomatoes and add them to a crockpot with yogurt, coconut milk, chicken broth and lentils. Add your spices. Add the mixture from the food processor. Cook until lentils are soft and most of the liquid is absorbed. 

Mince the remaining cilantro for garnish.

Serve over basmati rice with fresh naan. 

Pizza Grilled Cheese

Want a great pizza flavor but don't really want to deal with takeout or making your own? How about a pizza grilled cheese sandwich? 

Yep. You heard that right. Pizza. Grilled. Cheese. 

 I'd share a picture but the sandwich seems to have disappeared.... 

You will need:

• Sliced bread - your choice of type. The Other Human likes brioche. The Human Scribe likes sourdough.  
• Pizza toppings
• large Canadian Bacon slices and pineapple rings
• large pepperoni
• mushrooms (pre-cooked)
• olives
  
• whatever you want to try
  
•  Sharp cheddar cheese slices
• mozzarella rounds
• Butter (amount needed varies)
• Marinara dipping sauce

Pre-heat a skillet or griddle over low to medium heat. 

Assemble your grilled cheese in layers - bread, cheddar, toppings, mozzarella, bread.

Cover one exposed bread side of the assembled sandwich with butter. Place it butter side down on the pre-heated griddle. Cover the remaining exposed bread side with butter. 

Allow the sandwich to toast until your preferred color is achieved. Flip sandwich. toast the second side. 

If the cheese hasn't fully melted by the time the bred is toasted, you can melt it under a broiler or pop it into the microwave for 30 seconds or less. 

Slice into halves, and serve with marinara dipping sauce.

We did the grilled cheese with pepperoni and it was FANTASTIC.

Brined Cornish Hens with Herb Butter

• 4 Cornish Hens
• 3.5 cups of white wine and herb brine
•  4 lidded storage containers large enough to hold the 1 hen with room for brine
• 1 lemon, quartered

• 2 tablespoons of fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme
• 8 cloves of fresh garlic
• 1 teaspoon of whole peppercorns
• 3/4 cups of butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil"
• 1/3 cup parsley
• 2 lemons cut in half
• 4 small bay leaves

Place your Cornish Hens in the storage containers, and divide the brine between then. Add water to cover each hen. Place a slice of lemon on top of each hen and place the lid on the container. Refrigerate overnight. 

*The next day*

Pre-heat your oven to 475℉. 

Make a slice in the center of each half lemon. Insert a bay leaf and a garlic clove in each slice.

 Place the herbs, butter, salt and peppercorns in a food processor and blend until smooth. 

Remove the hens from their containers, and pat them dry.  Place a half lemon in the body cavity of each bird. You can also add the herbs from the brine to the cavity as well. Loosen the skin on the breast and back, and carefully rub 1/4 of the herb butter under the skin of the hen. 

Pin the skin down with toothpicks, and tie the legs together. Pin or tie the wings to the body.  Place the birds, breast up, a wire rack in a roasting pan.

Cook until the internal temperature of the largest hen reaches 165℉ on a meat thermometer. 

Allow to rest for 10 minutes before untying the legs and removing the toothpicks. Remove the lemon and herbs from the body cavity and serve.