Easy Potluck Recipes

Caramelitas

Adapted from Lulu the Baker

Ingredients

32 caramel squares, unwrapped (Like the Kraft kind.  You can buy a bag of these in either the baking or candy section of the grocery store; they are in the candy section of my Schnucks.)

½ cup heavy cream

¾ cup butter, melted

¾ cup packed brown sugar

1 cup flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

6 ounces milk chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Combine caramels and cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until completely smooth; set aside.
2.  In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and baking soda.  Pat half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8x8" pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.
3. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over crust.  Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips.  Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture over caramel.  Return to oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned.
4. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting.

Notes:  A stint in the fridge will help them cool off if you're pinched for time. They shouldn't be served cold, but all of that molten caramel takes a long time to cool down. They should be stored and served at room temperature.

Oreo Cookie Truffles

Adapted from Kraft Recipes

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

36 OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups)

2  (6 ounces, each) packages white chocolate, melted (I typically use Baker's White Chocolate because it melts easily)

Instructions

1. Finely crush the cookies in a food processor, if not already crushed.
2. Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until blended.
3.  Shape into 48 (1-inch) balls.  Freeze 10 minutes.
4. Dip balls in melted chocolate.  Place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan.
5. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes:  For Snowmen Cookie Balls, prepare as directed and add a snowman face to each with decorating gel or frosting.  For Christmas Tree Cookie Balls, prepare as directed, use decorating frosting to draw Christmas tree designs and top each with a cinnamon candy.

Holiday Brie en Croute

Adapted from Pepperidge Farm

Ingredients

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

All-purpose flour for work surface

1 Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheet (½ of a 17.3-ounce package), thawed

½ cup raspberry jam

⅓ cup dried cranberries (Craisins)

¼ cup sliced almonds (optional)

1 (13- to 16-ounce) Brie cheese round

1 package crackers (like Wheat Thins or Triscuits)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
3. Sprinkle the flour on the work surface.  Unfold the pastry sheet on the work surface.  Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch square.
4. Spread the preserves on the pastry to within 2 inches of the edge.  Sprinkle with the cranberries and almonds.
5. Place the cheese in the center of the pastry.  Fold the pastry up over the cheese to cover.  Trim the excess pastry and press to seal.
6. Brush the seam with the egg mixture.  Place seam-side down onto a baking sheet.  Decorate with the pastry scraps, if desired.
7. Brush with the egg mixture.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Let stand for 45 minutes.
9. Serve with crackers.

Vegetarian Spinach Quiche Cups

Adapted from Pillsbury

Ingredients

2 cans (8 ounces, each) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls {8 rolls each}

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

3 Eggs

1 (9-ounce) box frozen, chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain

¼ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon pepper

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions 

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Spray 16 (2 ¾ x 1 ¼-inch) muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Separate each can of crescent dough into 8 triangles.  Press 1 triangle on bottom and up side of each muffin cup.
4. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in spinach, salt and pepper until well mixed.  Fold in cheese.  Fill each cup to the top with egg mixture (do not overfill).
5. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean and edges of rolls are golden brown.
6. Remove from pan. Serve warm.  Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Curried Pumpkin Soup and Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin pie, but I refuse to let that get in the way of enjoying the Great Pumpkin food spirit of Thanksgiving.

In fact, this curried pumpkin recipe is My Very Favorite Soup Recipe Ever, slightly adapted from Kim Barnouin’s Skinny Bitch vegan cookbook series. 

Use the leftover pumpkin puree (you’ll need to buy 2 cans, but won’t use it all) to make this delicious Pumpkin Snickerdoodles recipe courtesy of MS2 Emily Williams.  With subtle hints of spice and pumpkin, these are perfect cookies for the holidays.    

***BONUS RECIPE*** If you have a donut pan (about $10), try this Baked Pumpkin Donuts recipe.  I substituted apple cider for milk (mine was bad)- they turned out verrry sweet!  

Curried Pumpkin Soup

3 tablespoons butter

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped

1 onion, roughly chopped

2 cups (500 g) canned pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon curry powder

3 tablespoons brown sugar

3 cups vegetable stock

½ cup dry white wine

1 ½ cups almond milk (yes, you can use regular milk)

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. In a large pot, add the butter and melt over medium heat.  Add the apples and onion.  Cook until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes.  Add the pumpkin puree, curry, and sugar, and cook 2 minutes.  Add the stock and wine.  Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.  Then reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and cook about 20 minutes. 

(If you have an immersion blender- lucky you! Use it to puree the soup right in the cooking pot, and then skip to step 3)

2.  Remove from heat and transfer half of the soup to a food processor or blender.  Let it sit 10 minutes to cool.  Puree the soup until smooth, and then pour into a large bowl.  Transfer remaining soup from the pot into your processer/blender and puree.

3.  Return all soup to the pot and cook gently over medium-low heat until heated through.  Pour in the milk and stir until hot.  Add the salt and pepper to taste.

I love to serve this soup with a loaf of sourdough wheat bread. 

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles 

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda,  salt and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg and beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin puree and beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon for rolling in a shallow bowl. Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a 1½-inch ball, roll the ball in the sugar mixture, and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart

Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and just beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.  Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 5 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Huevos Rancheros and Cheddar Masa Waffles

(serves 4)

On busy days, I would assemble a quick version of this recipe by cooking an egg, warming some salsa and canned refried beans, and then topping a hot corn tortilla with all of that semi-homemade goodness.  If you have the time, try to make the recipe below.  It is tasty, filling, and makes a great breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Please click on the links below for technique demonstrations or additional recipes.  Happy cooking :)

Ingredients:

1	medium jalapeño, chopped with seeds and ribs removed
2	cans of diced tomatoes
1/2	medium yellow onion, diced
2	garlic cloves, minced
1	tablespoon tomato paste
3	tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2	teaspoon ground cumin
1/8	teaspoon cayenne pepper
3	tablespoons fresh, minced cilantro leaves
	shredded cheddar cheese
	salt and pepper
	refried beans
4	corn tortillas or cheddar masa waffles (recipe below)
4	large eggs

Procedure:

Tomato sauce and eggs

1. Heat your vegetable oil in a pan
2. Sauté your onions until they are translucent, then add the garlic and jalapeño.  Cook until the garlic has softened.
3. Add your spices and stir the contents of your pan.  Heat until the spices are fragrant.
4. Add your tomato sauce and tomato paste.  Cook until the sauce has thickened.  
5. Season with salt and pepper.  If you would like a smooth sauce, food process or blend it before returning it to the pan.
6. Prepare your eggs using one of the following methods: 
1. make 4 wells in your sauce, crack the eggs into the wells, cover the pan, and cook over low heat until the eggs have reached your desired level of doneness.
2. cook the eggs any other way that you would like.

Assembling the Huevos Rancheros

1. Spread your refried beans on either the warmed corn tortillas or the cheddar masa waffles.
2. Spoon sauce on top of your beans, then top everything with an egg.
3. Sprinkle cheddar cheese, cilantro, and more sauce over the egg.
4. Enjoy

Cheddar Masa Waffles
note: all-purpose and white whole wheat flours work well with this recipe, too.  

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Masa Harina (I bought mine at Schnuck's) 
1/4 cup cornstarch 
1/2 tsp. salt 
1/2 tsp. baking powder 
1/4 tsp. baking soda 
3/4 cup buttermilk (<--click for a buttermilk substitute.  Other acids, like vinegar, can be used instead of the lemon juice)
1/4 cup milk 
6 Tbs. vegetable oil 
1 large egg, separated 
1 Tbs. sugar 
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 
Shredded cheddar cheese

Procedure:

1. Preheat your waffle iron.
2. Sift or whisk your masa harina (or other flour), cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl.
3. In another container, mix your buttermilk, milk, vegetable oil, and egg yolk.
4. Combine your wet and dry mixtures to make a batter.
5. Whip your egg white to the soft peak stage.  Add your sugar and vanilla to the egg white, whisk briefly to combine.
6. Fold the whipped egg whites into the batter.
7. Spoon 1/2 of the amount of batter that you would use for one waffle onto the waffle iron
8. Sprinkle ~2 tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese over the batter
9. Spoon the remaining 1/2 of the amount of batter for one waffle over the cheese
10. Cook the waffle according to your machine’s instructions
11. Repeat with the remaining waffles
12. Enjoy.

One-Skillet Meals

These one-skillet meals are both easy and dirty relatively few dishes... always a plus.  They both make about 3 or 4 servings, but they are both good reheated, so you can make them at the beginning of the week and get a few dinners out of them. 

Creamy Butternut Squash & Spinach Gnocchi

adaptation of this recipe

Ingredients

2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (hint:  use a y-peeler to easily peel the squash! you can wrap leftover squash in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days)

1 small onion, diced

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

salt and pepper

1 to 2 cups chicken broth

1/3 cup heavy cream

5 cups baby spinach, stems removed

1 (16 oz) package potato gnocchi (you can buy these dry & vacuum-packed in the Italian section of Schnucks or at any of the Italian grocery stores on the Hill)

2 tablespoons fresh sage or basil, rough chopped (optional)

1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Add oil to a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat (I used my cast-iron skillet).  Add squash and onion & cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly soft and golden, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and a few shakes of black pepper; cook until garlic is fragrant, about 2 more minutes.
2. Preheat the broiler. In the meantime, add 1 cup of the chicken broth and heavy cream to the skillet. When it starts to simmer, stir in the gnocchi, adding more chicken broth if needed so the gnocchi has enough liquid to cook in. Pile the spinach leaves on top and slowly stir them in as they wilt.  Cook until the gnocchi are just tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan and the herbs.
3. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan over top; transfer to the broiler and cook until golden and bubbly, about 3 minutes.

Chicken, Kale, & Chickpea Skillet

adaptation of this recipe

Ingredients

salt & pepper

1.75 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 teaspoon Urzi's Bread Dipping Spice (Plug for my favorite grocery store.  It's definitely worth the trip to have this on hand for adding to any Italian dish... Alternatively, just use your favorite Italian Seasoning)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup whole wheat pasta, preferably a smaller noodle

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

1 bunch of kale, torn from stems and coarsely chopped

12 ounces of baby portobello mushrooms, quartered

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and all 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, then place in the skillet and cook on both sides until golden brown and cooked through – about 6-7 minutes per side.
2. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the water to boil for your pasta, and cook according to directions.
3. Once chicken has cooked, reduce heat to medium-low, remove chicken and place on a plate.  To the skillet, add onion with a pinch of salt, followed by kale and mushrooms. Saute for 5-6 minutes, until soft. Add in garlic & seasoning and cook for another minute. Increase heat slightly and add white wine, letting it cook and bubble for 3-4 minutes while the alcohol cooks out. Add in chickpeas and pasta, then stir in Parmesan cheese until everything is combined. Immediately place chicken back on top of the ingredients in the skillet and cover for a few minutes to heat through. Taste and season more if desired.  Serve immediately!

Also, if you didn't get enough Halloween candy yesterday, these chocolate-covered coconut balls are really good & really easy!