Ruth's Chris' Sweet Potato Casserole

I am hosting Thanksgiving this year, and this is definitely on the menu!  If you don't make any other side, make this one.  Trust me.  Turkey?  Ham?  What?  Who cares! :)

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse is one of our favorites.  We always seem to go here for a birthday, anniversary, or really whenever we are in the mood for a great steak.  I would highly recommend checking it out.  Can't beat the sizzling plate with all that butter.  Not only are the steaks fantastic, but the sides are killer as well.  This sweet potato casserole is our favorite by far.  I've given up on my usual potato Au gratin when I'm at a Ruth's Chris.  Even if you don't like sweet potatoes, you may just fall in love.  This is the restaurants most popular side.  People even order it for dessert with a scoop of ice cream.

Give me a chopped salad, a great steak, and a ridiculous potato... I am a happy girl!

The recipe comes from Ruth's Chris Chef, Pat Gallagher.  Thank you, Sir!

An important tip~
Please don't use canned sweet potatoes, it's not hard to boil them.  Starting with cold water, bring 3~4 large potatoes to boil.  Cook for about 30~35 minutes or until tender enough to be able to mash.  Do not over cook, as they will be cooking again in the casserole.  Let them cool for about 30 minutes before handling.  Peel the skin off and mash.

Crust~
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 stick butter, melted

Sweet Potato Mixture~
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup  (1 stick) butter, melted

Crust~
Combine brown sugar, flour, pecans, and butter in mixing bowl.  Set aside.

Sweet Potato Mixture~
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a medium~size casserole dish with non~stick spray.  Or use a couple smaller dishes.

Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs and butter in a large mixing bowl in the order listed.  Beat thoroughly with a hard mixer about 4 minutes, to increase the fluffiness of the sweet potato mixture.

Pour mixture into the baking dish.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the crust mixture and return to oven for 10 minutes.  The brown sugar and pecan crust should be slightly browned and crunchy.  Allow to set for 10 minutes before serving.  The crust will harden a little more.

Apple Coffee Cake

This recipe comes from the Vichy Hot Springs Resort & Inn in Ukiah, California.  The cookbook is, Breakfast In Bed California by Carol Frieberg.  The recipes are from the best Bed & Breakfast sites in California.  I received this book as a wedding gift and have been making yummy things for breakfast and brunch ever since.

Breakfast and/or Brunch is one of my favorite things.  I also love having people over for brunch.  It's seems fun, relaxed, and just a little different from the normal dinner party.  I haven't met anyone who doesn't like breakfast food.  It doesn't matter if you like savory or sweet, there is something for everyone.  This is a great sweet addition to any breakfast menu.  The grated apple makes this a fun change from the same old coffee cake.  It's perfect for this time of the year with apples so abundant.  This is Vichy Hot Springs recipe as is.  I usually add a little extra cinnamon, as I do with most of my recipes.  The recipe also calls for cooking apples.  I use Granny Smith.

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all~purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
5 cooking apples, peeled, cored, and grated
Cinnamon sugar (2 tablespoons granulated sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon)

Topping~
2 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all~purpose flour

Glaze~
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In large bowl, cream butter and sugar; add egg and vanilla.  In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add flour mixture alternately with milk to butter mixture.  Spread batter in greased 15 x 10 inch baking pan.  Sprinkle grated apples over batter. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon sugar mixture.  In medium bowl, cut butter into sugar and flour until mixture resembles fine crumbs; sprinkle over apples.  Bake 40 minutes or until cake tests done.  In small bowl, blend powdered sugar with milk; glaze cake while still warm.

Ina Garten's Chicken Stew with Biscuits

As much as I love cooking up a storm and having a well rounded meal complete with at least a few side dishes.  There is something to be said for a one pot meal (this does not mean the cooking or ingredients need to be lack luster).  My husband pretty much grew up on casseroles.  He used to beg me to make some.  I cannot bring myself to cook some ground beef and open a can of soup.  I'm sorry, my inner diva is coming out.  Instead of soup, make your own cream sauce.  Instead of boiling chicken, roast some or do a quick saute.  A little effort makes a huge difference.  The fresh parsley in the biscuits is perfect!  Love them. If you love pot pies, like my honey does.  Make the filling and bake it with pie crust.  A large one family style or make individual servings.  So fun.  This is a perfect dinner with the cooler weather upon us.

Dinner is served with this great recipe from my favorite, Ina Garten.  Recipe from Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook.  This is word for word Ina's recipe.  I don't have any need to change or fuss with anything from her.

For the Stew
3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (recipe follows)
2 chicken bouillon cubes
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
3/4 cup all~purpose flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups medium~diced carrots (4 carrots), blanched for 2 minutes
1 10~ounce package frozen peas (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

For the Biscuits
2 cups all~purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
3/4 half and half
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil.  Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through.  Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin.  Cut the chicken into large dice.  You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock.  In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium~low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent.  Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.  Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce.  Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick.  Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the heavy cream.  Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions, and parsley.  Mix well.  Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2~inch oval or rectangular baking dish.  Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the biscuits.  Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas.  Add the half and half and combine on low speed.  Mix in the parsley.

Dump the dough out on a well~floured board and, with a rolling pin, roll out to 3/8 inch thick.  Cut out twelve circles with a 2 1/2 inch round cutter.

Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling.  Brush them with egg wash, and return the dish to the oven.  Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly.

* Homemade Chicken Stock~ makes 6 quarts
3 5~pound roasting chickens
3 large yellow onions, unpeeled, quartered
6 carrots, unpeeled, halved
4 celery stalks with leaves, cut in thirds
4 parsnips, unpeeled, cut in half (optional)
20 sprigs fresh parsley
15 sprigs fresh thyme
20 sprigs fresh dill
1 head garlic, unpeeled, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

Place the chickens, onion, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, and seasonings in a 16~ to 20~quart stockpot.  Add 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil.  Simmer uncovered for 4 hours.  Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and discard the solids.  Chill the stock overnight.  The next day, remove the surface fat.  Use immediately or pack in containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

Cider~Glazed Chicken with Browned Butter~Pecan Rice

Fall is my favorite time of year.  I love the beginning of any season but, I never get tired of the fall.  It could be the idea of snuggling up with someone special, hot chocolate and a can of whip cream, really cute boots, comforting food, the holidays fast approaching.  Whatever it is, I love it.

This is a simple chicken dish, perfect for a busy weeknight.  I find myself using a ton of nuts in the fall and winter.  One of my favorite things, my kids call me a nut freak.  This also has apple cider in the sauce.  Pick some up when you go to the local pumpkin farm or in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.  Try not to use plain old apple juice for this one.  Get into the spirit of the season.  If apple cider doesn't do it for you, grab your honey and snuggle.  Either way, enjoy!

If you don't have chicken breast cutlets, don't stress.  Use chicken breasts and pound to at least 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet.  I usually place chicken in a Ziploc bag to pound, to make clean up easy.

3 cups cooked brown rice
3 tablespoons butter, divided
4 chicken breast cutlets
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup refrigerated apple cider
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4~1/2 cup pecans
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat~leaf parsley

Cook the brown rice according to package directions in a saucepan, omitting salt and fat.

While rice is cooking, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large heavy skillet over medium~high heat.  Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.  Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done.  Remove chicken from pan.  Add cider and mustard to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 2~3 minutes or until syrupy.  Add chicken to pan, turning to coat with sauce.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in saucepan over medium~high heat; cook for 2 minutes or until butter is browned and fragrant.  Reduce heat to medium; add chopped pecans and cook for 1 minute or until toasted, stirring frequently.  Add rice and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon (or even less) salt; toss well to coat.

Serve brown rice with chicken.  Garnish with chopped parsley.