Old Ebbitt Salad (Autumn Salad)

Old Ebbitt Salad
Sean and I tried this salad at a restaurant in Washington DC called Old Ebbitt. I have seen others call it an Autumn salad, as well. Whatever it's called, we like it!

Ingredients:

Spring mix (or arugula and green leaf lettuce)
Asian pears
Honeycrisp apples
Candied walnuts
Sharp white cheddar
Green onions
White balsamic vinaigrette (recipe below)

Optional toppings to make it heartier:
Bacon
Seasoned and browned ground beef

White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup light flavored olive oil
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Chicken Poke Bowls

Serves: 4
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins 

Ingredients

       4 cups cooked brown rice

• A few chicken tenderloins (or whatever chicken you like. Poke is usually made with tuna or shrimp, but I prefer chicken)
• Soy sauce
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
• ▢1/4 cup light mayo
• ▢1 tsp sriracha
• ▢
• ▢1 cup diced cucumber
• ▢1/2 cup shredded carrots
• ▢1/2 cup shelled edamame
• ▢2 large avocados, peeled and sliced
• ▢1 tbsp black sesame seeds (or regular sesame seeds - optional)
• ▢1 tsp green onion
• 
  

Instructions

 

• Cook the rice.
• Cook the chicken - I usually pan fry with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and soy sauce.
• Add mayo and sriracha to a bowl. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
• Prepare the vegetables- Dice the cucumbers, shred the carrots, prep the edamame, cut the avocadoes, and cut the green onions.
• Divide cooked rice between four bowls. Spoon chicken on one part of the rice. Surround with a pile of the cucumber, edamame, and carrot. Spread half of an avocado on top of the bowl. Drizzle the spicy mayo over the bowl. Sprinkle with green onion and sesame seeds.

Miso Caramel

Miso Caramel

I know what you're thinking. But it's so good - it's basically a salted caramel with an interesting extra kick and I LOVE it.

Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp miso paste

Instructions:
1. Loosen the miso with 1-2 Tbsp of water. You can strain to get chunks out, if you like.
2. Heat the cream until just before reaching boiling point. Turn the heat off.
3. Place sugar and water in a large and deep saucepan and stir together to dissolve the sugar.
4. Heat the sugar/water mixture over medium heat and bring to boil without further stirring. (I found that different burners worked better than others, so don't feel bad if this doesn't work the first time!)
5. When the sugar mixture becomes golden brown, remove the pan from the heat.
6. Pour the pre heated cream into the sugar mixture carefully and a little at a time.
7. Stir to combine and whisk the loosened miso mixture in.
8. Put the saucepan back on low heat and simmer for a minute.
9. Allow it to cool down and pour into a storage container. Store in the fridge or freezer!

Ore-Whoa Bars

Ore-Whoa Bars

Ingredients:
1 box fudgy brownie mix, plus ingredients called for on box
A box of Oreos (divided into about 15 whole Oreos, and 15 crushed)
2 8-oz blocks cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of kosher salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1/2 cup white chocolate, melted (optional)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. Spray parchment with cooking spray.
2. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and pour batter into prepared pan. Place whole Oreos on brownie batter.
3. Prepare cheesecake mixture: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined. Fold in crushed Oreos until fully incorporated.
4. Pour cheesecake mixture over brownie batter and bake until edges are set and center of cheesecake mixture is only slightly jiggly; 37-40 minutes.
5. Let cheesecake brownies cool completely in pan. Drizzle with melted chocolates, and serve.

Firecracker Meatballs with Roasted Green Beans

 

Firecracker Meatballs with Roasted Green Beans
(From Hello Fresh)

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
4 Green Onions (divided)
1 Thumb Ginger
4 Tbsp Mayonnaise
4 Tbsp Sour Cream
4 tsp Honey
4 Tbsp Soy Sauce (divided)
2 tsp Sriracha
Rice
20 oz Ground Beef
1/2 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
12 oz Green Beans
Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 and adjust racks to middle and top positions
2. Trim and thinly slice green onions; separate whites from greens
3. Peel and mince ginger
4. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, honey, 4 tsp soy sauce, and sriracha to taste
5. Cook rice
6. While rice cooks, in a second bowl, combine beef, panko, green onion whites, ginger, remaining soy sauce, 1 tsp salt, and black pepper to taste.
7. Form the beef mixture into ~24 - 1 1/2 inch meatballs
8. Place meatballs on a lightly oiled baking sheet and place on middle rack
9. Toss green beans on empty side with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper and roast on top rack. Cook for about 14-16 minutes, until done.

Serve rice in a bowl with meatballs and green beans on top. Drizzle with sriracha sauce and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

 Pottowatumi jelly

by Allie Adams

5 cups plum juice

7 cups sugar

3 TBSP M.P.C /Sure Jell 

Add Sure Jell to juice and stir. Bring to a boil. Add sugar and bring to boil again. Boil 1 minute. Heat canning lids in boiling water. Pour  hot syrup in clean jars, making sure edges of jars are clean. Place hot lids on jars and screw rings on tightly. Invert jars on towel for at least 15 minutes. Ensure jars are sealed...center of lid "sucks in".    

Alisa's Refried Beans

This one one of Alisa's staple dishes for her family--it works great in burritos or as a dip for chips.  You can substitute the pinto beans for black beans as well and use them whole in salads. 

Ingredients

1 onion, peeled and halved
3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
2 fresh jalapeno peppers; seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp minced garlic
5 tsp salt
1 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
9 cups water

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker.  Cook on high for 8 hours (or less--until done).  Once the beans have cooked, strain them and remove the liquid.  Mash the beans with a potato masher or immersion blender, adding the reserved water as needed to attain the desired consistency.  Or serve whole in salads after removing the onion pieces.