Roasted Veggie and Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner

Source: Our Best Bites (are you noticing a theme here? if it's not from Mel, it's from OBB!)

We ate it before I could take a good "final" pic!  (If that's not
a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is!)

Ingredients:
1 12-14 ounce package smoked sausage, cut into 2″ slices (I like to use turkey smoked sausage to cut the calories and fat just a bit)
1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved
1 pound sweet potato, cut into 3/4″ chunks (the smaller the better so they cook quicker)
1/4 cup extra virgin lemon olive oil (or 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + zest of 1 lemon) (I always do the oil + zest, but I never have lemons, so I use limes instead)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dry parsley)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pomegranate arils (really fun and different and delicious, but not necessary if you don't have them)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the sausage, sprouts, and sweet potato on the baking sheet and set aside.

Whisk together the olive oil (and lemon (or lime - seriously, give it a try) zest, if using), garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper and drizzle over the sausage/sprouts/sweet potato mixture. Toss to combine. Place the sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then use a spatula to flip the sausage mixture and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and, if desired, season with additional salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Ready to toss with oil and spices.

Just needs pomegranate arils! (Or not!)
(Also, you can see I scrapped the foil - I don't have patience
for the stuff when I'm tossing and flipping and ripping it to shreds.)

Notes:
I first made this in 2016, shortly after it was posted by OBB, and it instantly became a family favorite.  And I became an instant fan of sheet pan dinners and sought out and pinned about a million the next day - but I always come back to this one over and over and over.  It's just so GOOD.  We love it with the pomegranate arils for a little pop of color and sweetness, but I don't always have them or use them.  Also, the veggies and sausage are totally customizable - get creative!  You could use regular red/gold potatoes, zucchini, green beans, peppers, onions, even grape tomatoes!  Same goes for the sausage - I just buy the cheapest smoked turkey sausage I can find at the store, but there are all kinds of flavors and brands available these days, so use what you like!

Update 3/6/2019: I made it with sweet potatoes and sausage,
like usual, but subbed asparagus for the sprouts and added
some onion and cauliflower - so yummy!  So versatile!

Pepperoncini Beef (or Pork) Sandwiches

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1/2+ teaspoon kosher salt
1/2+ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of olive or cooking oil
3 lb. beef roast, trimmed of excess fat (OR, and I might even like this better: ~3 lbs boneless pork ribs)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 16-oz. jar sliced pepperoncinis, undrained  (these come in various heat levels - apparently the jar that looks exactly like this but is labeled "mild pepper rings" are the ones I need to look for next time for Callie's zero heat tolerance level)
Optional: 1 small packet dry Italian dressing
Crusty sandwich rolls (my fave are ciabatta rolls)
Sliced provolone cheese
Mayo

Directions:
Heat oil in a pot or high-sided skillet over high heat. While the oil is heating, combine the salt and pepper and rub it into the meat. Add more if necessary. When the oil is hot, sear the roast on all sides so the outsides of it is browned and a little crispy.  (Or you can just skip the searing part like I do - especially when I have frozen pork ribs - I just toss them in the bottom of the crock pot and sprinkle the salt and pepper on top.)

Transfer the roast to a slow cooker and add the minced garlic and the entire jar of pepperoncinis and dressing mix if using. If possible, cook on high until the liquid comes to a boil and then turn it to low and cook until the roast shreds easily with a fork, for a total cooking time of about 6-8 hours. If not possible, cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the beef is fork tender.


For sandwiches, slice the rolls and spread lightly with mayonnaise and then top with the shredded beef. Add a slice of provolone cheese and then place open face under the broiler for 1-3 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.  Place the top of the bun on the melted cheesy/meat side.  Serve immediately. Makes 12 large sandwiches.  Leftovers freeze wonderfully and are especially good in Creamy Baked Taquitos, or on salads, nachos, burritos, etc.

Notes:
I made this first for my birthday dinner a few years ago and have made it occasionally since (when my mom has generously gifted me a frozen beef roast, usually - this is my favorite way to make roast beef).  But recently I when I was craving it and all I had in my freezer was pork ribs, I decided to try it that way (the idea was sparked by a commenter in the original post, so thank you to that anonymous person!).  I made the sandwiches the same way as described and was licking my lips the whole meal.  And the few meals that followed.  And then I mixed the leftovers into our favorite taquito recipe instead of shredded chicken and about died all over again.  Seriously.  Fave status, for sure.

Creamy Garlic Alfredo Sauce {aka "White Sauce" at our house}

Source: the one and only Mel

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into 6 pieces (you can use regular or low fat)
1 cup milk (anything from 1% to whole works great)
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup) (I only ever have that "fake" powdery stuff in the green can, so I use about 1/2 cup of that, and then set the rest on the table for people to add more as garnish if they want)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste, if needed
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (my own addition)

Directions:
In a medium pot or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, taking care not to let the garlic burn.

Add the cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. It will look curdled at first, but with constant whisking for 2-3 minutes, it should come together to form a smooth, creamy paste.

Add the milk gradually, about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking quickly and constantly until each addition is incorporated fully into the sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, pepper, salt and nutmeg. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is the desired consistency.

Cook for 2-3 minutes for a thicker sauce or remove right after the cheese is melted for a thinner sauce. Serve immediately over hot, cooked noodles.

Notes:
One of Cal and Sam's favorite meals of all time is "White Sauce with Noodles". (Grandma B. gave Sam a box of dinosaur shaped noodles in his Christmas stocking and this how he requested we eat them).  We make it at least monthly and for some reason we always have steamed broccoli on the side.  (I tell you what, this sauce spooned over the cooked broccoli is mighty fine, too!)  If we happen to have leftovers (which isn't super common), I like to use it on pizza with chicken and tomatoes and mushrooms and cheese.

Naan {My Favorite Version}

Source: adapted from Savoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites (thanks, Heather W., for sharing your extra copy!), p 76

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (105-110 degrees F)
1/8 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (the recipe says rapid rise, but I always use active dry and it works fine, so use what you have)
~3 cups flour (I like to do about 1 cup whole wheat + 2 cups all purpose, but all all-purpose is fine - also, the original recipe says 3 1/2 - 4 cups, so you may need more than the three I need, and that's probably okay)
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg, room temp, lightly beaten
1/4 cup plain yogurt or milk
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:
1. Place warm water in a bowl and add sugar.  Stir gently and sprinkle in yeast. Let stand 10 minutes or until bubbly.

2. While yeast is proofing, add 2.5 cups flour and the salt to a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or a large mixing bowl if you do not have a stand mixer).  Add proofed yeast mixture, egg, and yogurt or milk.  Mix until it forms a very soft dough; add additional flour (I add about 1/2 cup while I'm kneading) if needed but keep dough very soft and sticky to the touch.  Knead with dough hook for 5 minutes (or by hand if not using a stand mixer).

3. Place in a lightly oiled bowl (I never oil my bowl for bread rising and it's always fine) in a warm location and cover with a light towel.  Let rise until nearly double in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.  (Another option, if you want to try it, is to make the dough to this point early in the day and then let it rise slowly all day in the fridge, covered tightly with a lid or saran wrap.)  Punch down dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Form into a mound and divide into 12-14 equal sized portions (just do your best!).  Place portions on a baking sheet (or just on your kneading mat/counter) and let rise again about 30 minutes until double in size.  While dough is rising, preheat grill, panini press, or skillet (I use an electric skillet that lives on our counter and let me tell you, this has been a life changer in my naan making).

4. Place butter in a small bowl and add garlic.

5. When dough has risen and the pan is hot, lightly brush the pan with garlic butter.  Roll out each portion of dough slightly thicker than a tortilla, about 1/8 inch.  Place dough on hot pan and grill 1-3 minutes until small bubbles form on top.  Brush top side with garlic butter and flip.  Cook an additional 1-3 minutes until golden brown on each side.  Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm while making the remaining flatbread.  Serve as a side dish with hummus or the remaining garlic butter, or use as wraps or for dipping in curry.  Leftovers freeze great, and also make really yummy personal pizzas (just add your favorite sauce and toppings and pop in the oven for a few minutes to warm/melt everything).

Notes: 
One of the only reasons I make curry is so I can make naan to dip in it.  (haha - #ilovecarbs)  I used to make a recipe that said to cook it in the oven and it was just such a hassle (and resulted in one of my pizza stones cracking in half years ago due to the high temps and spritzing water involved).  Once my sister Heather told me she liked the skillet method and recipe in the OBB cookbook, I knew I had to try it, and I've never looked back!  I also love that I can make the dough ahead of time (usually before church) and let it rise all day in the fridge so I can just get it started about a half hour before I'm ready to eat and I have hot, fluffy/chewy naan ready to feast upon in almost no time.

Best Ever Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Source: Our Best Bites (with my own tweaks in italics, of course)

(my first ever batch of these beauties - and then I was hooked!)

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup dark brown sugar (I only ever have light brown)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (do it!  I promise it's magical!)
2 cups all-purpose flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife (very high altitudes may want to try adding 2 additional tablespoons of flour)
1 cup quick-cooking oats (or regular, or a combo of the two)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 3/4 teaspoon table salt) (also, trust the recipe - magic!)
3 cups (or 18 ounces) chocolate chips (I usually like a higher cookie-to-chocolate ratio, so I do less, but feel free to go crazy with the chocolate!)
any other add ins you might fancy (I LOVE all the things!) - some great combos: dark chocolate chips + pecans (+ m&ms pushed into the top), semi-sweet chocolate chips + raisins, dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips + craisins + coconut

Watch out - the dough is incredible!

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 (I up mine to 350 for my smaller cookies). If desired, line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Beat the softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl (I almost never do a separate bowl for dry ingredients - I'm a rebel, I know!), combine the dry ingredients (except the chocolate chips). Add to the butter/sugar/egg mixture and mix until combined. Add the chocolate chips and mix until just combined.

Using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop (this is huge and makes giant cookies, a la Old Grist Mill (a bakery shop in Logan), which was the idea behind the original post on OBB, but I never make them that big; instead I use my medium (I guess?) #40 (1 1/2 TB) cookie scoop for normal sized cookies), drop the dough by the scoopful onto the prepared baking sheets. You should be able to get about 6 (or 12) cookies per sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes (~10-11 for the smaller ones) or until they begin to turn light brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely (or don’t…no shame…) Makes 18 giant cookies (or ~3 dozen normals).

Notes:
I made these cookies for the first time in February 2016 and since then they have become my all-time favorite cookie recipe that doesn't come from someone I'm related to (ha!  how's that for commitment?).  They were touted as Old Grist Mill copycats, but I don't really think mine are that similar.  They are amazing, though.  Maybe it's the extra vanilla?  Maybe it's the extra salt?  That's all that is really different from my usual cookie recipe I grew up with (well, besides all butter, and we know butter is delicious). Whatever it is, they're spectacular!  I make them regularly these days, and whipped up a batch just yesterday with raisins.  SO DANG GOOD!  Also, they freeze great and are just like fresh when thawed (if you can wait a minute or two for that to happen!).

Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing {Like Cafe Rio}

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1-ounce package ranch dressing mix (ignore directions on package)
1 cup mayonnaise (light is fine)
1/2 cup buttermilk (plus more if necessary to thin out the dressing) (I just use regular milk and it works just fine)
1-2 limes (enough for 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice)
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cup green salsa (I use La Victoria brand)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Hot sauce, to taste (I like Cholula)

Directions:
Place buttermilk (milk), mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, and ranch mix in a blender. Add the garlic and green salsa and blend until smooth. Add the cilantro and pulse until the cilantro is well combined. Add hot sauce to taste. Chill for several hours before serving (if possible.)

Notes:
I've made a few knock off versions of the Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Dressing, but once I found this one, I have never looked back.  It's definitely my favorite.  Super easy.  Super delicious.  We call it green sauce and whenever I made the Cafe Rio pork salad/tacos/burritos spread (I LOVE Heather's version with a little more spice than sweet - it's almost better than the real thing, I think!) I always include this sauce to go with it.  But even more often, I make it as a dipping sauce for our favorite creamy chicken taquitos.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese (can use low-fat) (I always up this to 4 oz (half a brick) just because)
1/4 cup green salsa (I always use La Victoria brand, medium heat)
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons sliced green onions
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (these are also really delicious with leftover pepperoncini pork or cafe rio pork too)
1 cup grated pepperjack or monterey jack cheese
20 small flour (or corn, but I like flour best) tortillas (look for "fajita size")
kosher salt
cooking spray or olive oil

Directions:
For the filling:
Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well. (You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.)

For the taquitos:
Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

If using corn tortillas, work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave, wrapped in damp paper towels until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If using flour tortillas straight from the fridge, it helps to warm them in the microwave so they’re easier to roll.

Place 2 Tablespoons (don't overfill or it will all ooze out and it might do that anyway) of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1 inch from the edges.

Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another. Spray lightly with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Dip in sour cream, salsa, or our favorite: Creamy Lime Cilantro Ranch (we call it "green sauce" and it is THE BEST!).

For the freezer:
Prepare the taquitos through rolling them out and placing them on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a large freezer bag. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 and place the taquitos on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Notes:
I'm trying to get back to posting here on the ol' recipe blog.  (I feel like I've said this before, and I probably will say it again. New Year's Resolutions and all that.)  BUT, I definitely want to share some of my all-time favorites that I've been making the past couple of years.  I won't post every single new thing I make like I used to.  But I absolutely want to get the ones that we come back to over and over again shared here.  And these taquitos definitely fit in that category.  They are AMAZING and a big-time favorite at our house.  And they're easy!  The hardest/longest part is rolling them up, but that isn't even that hard/long.  So don't delay!  Give them a try!