French onion soup

For a delicious and flavorful dinner, try French onion soup. It's very easy to make. It takes a little time, only because you have to cook the onions down, but it doesn't require much babysitting. 

Ours is a non-alcoholic version. I studied several recipes, then made the dish twice, making a few alterations to see if they made a difference in our level of enjoyment. Our conclusion is that this soup is a winner no matter what. Adjust ingredients -- you'll see the options below -- according to what you have on hand.

THE RECIPE:

2-3 lbs. onions, sliced up to 1/4 inch thick*
3 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
3 ounces apple juice or orange juice
8 c. beef broth**
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Big cheesy croutons:

Sliced french bread
Butter
Garlic powder
Dried basil
Shredded Swiss cheese

In large pot, over medium-low heat, melt butter with olive oil, then toss with onions. Cover pot and let onions steep for 15 minutes to soften and release juices. No need to check on them. Stir in salt and sugar, increase heat to medium-high, and let onions cook uncovered, stirring periodically, for about 30 to 40 minutes. Onions will reduce down to about one-third their original volume. Toward the end you'll need to stir quite frequently.

Add flour and cook for a minute, then deglaze pan with cider vinegar and juice. Add broth and Worcestershire. Bring to boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. I needed an extra 1/4 teaspoon salt and a sprinkle of pepper.

Meanwhile, spread butter on french bread. Sprinkle with garlic powder and dried basil. Toast under broiler until dried and crispy. (Toast both sides, even though one side has nothing on it.) Remove from oven, sprinkle with Swiss cheese, then toast again to melt cheese. Dip into soup.






*I used white onions one time and yellow onions the other. Both were great. The first time, I used 2 pounds, and the second time, I used 4 pounds. Our family preferred something closer to the 2-pound mark. My onions were huge -- about the size of a small baby's head -- and each weighed about a pound.

**The first time, I used 5 cups beef broth and 3 cups chicken broth, because that was all I had. The second time, I used all beef broth. We were equally happy both ways. I would just suggest that the majority be beef broth.

Better than a sloppy joe

I got this recipe for Stromboli sandwiches from my sister-in-law Joanne. It makes a really quick and easy weeknight dish, or as my sister-in-law has done, you can use it to serve a crowd. Either way, you'll be happy with the results. It's a tasty sandwich!

THE RECIPE:

1 lb. ground beef
1 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1/2 c. tomato sauce
1/2 c. ketchup
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 tsp. oregano
6 large rolls or hoagies
Butter or spread
6 slices mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In skillet, cook beef and onion. Drain excess fat if necessary/desired. Add tomato sauce, ketchup, Parmesan, garlic powder and oregano. Simmer until flavors have melded, up to 20 minutes.

Split each roll in half and butter both sides. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Spoon meat mixture onto one side, then top with a slice of mozzarella. Close roll, then wrap in foil and place in oven for about 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Finger food

I bought jumbo olives on a great Thanksgiving sale and thought to myself, "I should stuff these with something!" How about cream cheese and spices? The stuffed olives turned out to be a really yummy and fun appetizer. The seasoning options are endless, so use whatever you want. We made a southwest kind and a ranch kind.

THE RECIPE:

3 cans jumbo black olives, well drained
4 ounces cream cheese, softened

Seasoning option #1

1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. salt

Seasoning option #2

1/2 tsp. spicy brown mustard
1/8 tsp. dill weed
1/8 tsp. dried basil
1/8 tsp. salt

Mix cream cheese with your choice of seasonings, then spoon into piping bag fitted with flower tip. Pipe mixture into olives, then refrigerate about an hour so seasonings can meld.

Appearances are deceiving

I'm a huge fan of classic dishes with a twist. I love tradition, so I could never do away with the stereotypical holiday dishes. But, I love adding a little interest and intrigue. Keep your guests guessing the special ingredient in these yummy mashed potatoes and...parsnips! The recipe is a basic one to allow for gravy, but feel free to add whatever mix-ins suit your fancy.

THE RECIPE:

2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks*
10 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks**
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste

Put parsnips and potatoes in large pot of water and boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Parsnips take a little longer than potatoes. Drain well, then put in large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients, then beat with electric mixer until smooth.

*Parsnips look like fat, whitish carrots. They taste a lot like carrots, too.
**When I say medium, I mean the size that comes in the bags.

Always worth it to try something new

We tried a new stuffing this year -- mushroom-artichoke stuffing. It was very good, but next time I make it, I'm going to make some changes. I loved the mushrooms and artichokes, but I used an egg as a combining agent, and it gave the bread a spongy, stick-to-everything texture. I know that's a common way of making stuffing, but you see, it reminded me of regular spongy Stove Top Stuffing. Maybe you'd love it, but I can't have that. I like my bread to be a star and hold its own. This recipe is definitely worth keeping and tweaking, though.

THE RECIPE:

1 lb. thick, crusty bread, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 c. butter
1 onion, diced
1 c. diced celery
16 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz. marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. ground sage
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 beaten egg
1 c. shredded Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay out bread pieces on baking sheet and cook for about 10 minutes, or until dry and crispy.

In large skillet, melt butter, then saute onions, celery and mushrooms until mostly tender. Add garlic and saute one minute more. Place mixture in large bowl and add bread. Add remaining ingredients one at a time and mix well. Spoon stuffing into 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.

Citrus kiss

I hope no one will be horrified if I post a couple of belated Thanksgiving recipes. Our menu contained a few first-time items. The meal was voted a success! These orange-kissed sweet potatoes were so delicious. I loved the combination of flavors. I will definitely make them again. The base recipe came from America's Test Kitchen.

THE RECIPE:

4 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks*
1/2 c. brown sugar, divided
2 tsp. freshly grated orange zest, divided
1/4 c. fresh orange juice
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put sweet potatoes in 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and cover very tightly with foil. Bake about an hour, or until potatoes are tender. When done, change oven setting to broil.

In a small bowl, thoroughly mix remaining 6 tablespoons brown sugar with 1 teaspoon orange zest and set aside.

Pour sweet potatoes and any liquid into large mixing bowl. Add orange juice, butter, cream, salt, cinnamon, pepper and remaining 1 teaspoon orange zest. Beat with an electric mixer until nicely pureed. Spoon potatoes back into 9x13 pan and sprinkle with brown sugar/zest mixture. Place pan on oven's middle rack and broil on high about 2 minutes, or until topping is browned and bubbly.

*I used three huge sweet potatoes.

Something different: tuna + lasagna

This is cheesy tuna lasagna with mushrooms and basil. The base recipe came from our cute niece Cassidee, who is a great cook. It's comfort food, of course, with all that cheese. This dish is a snap to throw together, and our family really enjoys it!

THE RECIPE:

9 lasagna noodles
2 5-ounce cans tuna, drained
1 10.5-ounce can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. plus 1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 c. cottage cheese
8 ounces sliced mushrooms (optional)
2 c. shredded cheese (I have used mozzarella or cheddar)
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil lasagna noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, mix tuna, soup, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 teaspoon basil, and pepper.

Spread about 3/4 cup of tuna mixture onto bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Lay down three noodles, then layer as follows: 3/4 cup of tuna mixture, 3/4 cup cottage cheese, 4 ounces mushrooms, 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Lay down three more noodles, then repeat layering process. End with last three noodles, then top with remaining shredded cheese and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon basil.

Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand about 15 minutes so sauce can thicken.