Carrie's Mashed Potatoes - Serves 12 (with no other sides)

Ingredients:

• 9 Yukon Gold* or Red Potatoes (both of these have better flavor than Russets). Size: Russet-sized 
• 8 oz block of cream cheese (low fat is fine, if you prefer), roughly cut into 1-2" pieces
• Stick of butter (all butter mentioned in these recipes is unsalted - I never buy salted butter
• Milk (Oat milk worked great)
• 1 cup or so of sliced green onions, chives, or combination
• Salt and Pepper

*NOTE: If the potatoes are smaller, then eyeball it or fill a medium sized pan about half full of cut potatoes (for 4 people) <-- Used 9 large potatoes from Sprouts for 6 people at Thanksgiving 2021, which was more than twice as much that was eaten given there were other sides. It overfilled an entire 14-cup container.

Directions:

1. Cut the potatoes in about 1 inch pieces - these will boil faster. I don't peel mine, but you could if you wanted to. I like the peels on, and it's a lot less work.
2. Place potatoes in a pot and fill with just enough water to cover them (or about a 1/4 inch over the top of the potatoes
3. Boil for about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of your cut potatoes. You can test them with a fork, or taste them to see if they are done - a fork should easily stab into them
4. Drain potatoes and place back into the pan - turn your burner down to low/warm (or off)
5. Add the cream cheese. For more people, feel free to add more - or add as much as you want to taste
6. Add stick of butter
7. Start to mash the potatoes with the butter and cream cheese. I use a hand masher because I like our potatoes lumpy
8. Add milk as you need it - start with maybe a quarter cup and go up from there, depending on how creamy/thick or thin you want your texture to be. I leave mine a little lumpy/chunky
9. Continue to mash, add salt and pepper, more cream cheese, milk and/or butter if you want, stir, and taste the potatoes until you achieve the taste/consistency you want
10. Add the sliced green onions and stir them into the potatoes (if you want) - or you can leave them on the side for people to add as they like
11. You can totally play with this recipe. You could use sour cream instead of cream cheese, you can mix in shredded cheddar and bacon too!  

White Sauce Pasta Recipe - Serves 4 to 6

 Adapted from: Lil' Luna

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pasta
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup milk (or alternate milk)
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup from mixed vegetables (Optional)
• 1 poached chicken shredded (Optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Optional: Fresh lemon juice, as needed (start with one small wedge)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to packaged directions.
2. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan, add garlic.
3. Cook for 1 minute over medium heat
4. Add flour and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly.
5. Add milk and broth, stirring constantly. Cook until sauce boils and thickens.
6. Stir in mixed vegetables and chicken (Optional)
7. Add parsley and parmesan cheese. Add desired salt and pepper. Continue stirring until cheese has melted.
8. If the taste feels like it's "missing" something, squeeze in an acid such as the optional lemon juice
9. Pour sauce over pasta and serve immediately.

Iced Lemon Ginger Turmeric Tea

 Adapted from: Iced Lemon Ginger Turmeric Tea - Six Clever Sisters

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts water
• 3 to 4 Lemons
• 1 or 2 lemons, sliced
• Juice from 2 lemons

• 1/4 cup fresh ginger, sliced
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• Sweetener to taste (1/3 cup raw honey; or 1/3 cup sugar; or 2-3 Tbsp Maple Syrup)
• Ice (for serving)

Directions:

• Combine water, sliced lemons, sliced ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon sticks in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from burner. Leave the saucepan covered and allow the tea to cool.
• While the tea is cooling, put juice from 2 lemons and sweetener in a pitcher.
• To add the tea to the pitcher, put a mesh strainer over the pitcher opening, and strain the tea as you pour it in, discarding the cinnamon sticks, ginger, and lemon slices.
• To serve, pour over ice. Enjoy!

Turmeric Tea / Golden Milk

Serves 2

From: https://www.elizabethrider.com/how-to-make-golden-milk-recipe/

Ingredients:

• 3 unsweetened almond milk (or unsweetened nut milk)
• 1/2 tsp. almond oil or coconut oil (optional)
• 1 tsp. of ground turmeric 
• big pinch of freshly ground black pepper if using ground turmeric (omit if using the paste) 
• 1 small (1/4 inch) piece of ginger root peeled and grated (more or less to taste) 
• 1/8 tsp. ground cardamom 
• 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon 
• 1 tsp. raw honey added off the heat (optional for a little sweetness) 

Instructions:

• Whisk all ingredients together, then warm through on the stove over medium heat for 15 minutes. Let it very gently simmer for 15 minutes but not boil. 
• Strain and Serve

Peach Dutch Baby

 Yields: 2 Servings

From: https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a89718/peach-dutch-baby/

Ingredients:

• 4 Eggs 
• 1/2 c. Whole Milk or Cream 
• 1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract 
• 1/4 c. Flour (All-purpose or White Rice Flour)
• 1/2 tsp. Salt 
• 1/8 tsp. Cinnamon or more to taste 
• 2 tbsp. Melted Butter, plus extra for the pan 
• 2 Ripe Peaches, 
• Butter & Maple Syrup, For Serving

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425ºF (218ºC)
• Butter the bottoms and sides of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or 13x9-inch glass pan
• Blend or whisk eggs, milk or cream, and vanilla until smooth
• Add flour, salt, and cinnamon and blend
• Add butter and blend
• Slice peaches
• Blend the batter once more
• Pour into pan and arrange peach slices on top
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 325ºF (163ºC) and cook for an additional 5–10 minutes, or until golden
• Remove from oven and serve immediately with lots of butter, a drizzle of maple syrup or honey (or a sprinkling of powdered sugar), and a dollop of whipped cream
• Recipe adapted from my recipe for Blueberry Dutch Baby, which was adapted from Always With Butter

Warm Ginger Citrus Tonic

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 Tbsp ginger (sliced)
• 1 clementine (peeled)
• 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup

Instructions:

• Add water and ginger slices to a small pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes, or longer for s spicier drink.
• Mash the clementine in a mug
• Add the hot ginger water and maple syrup to the mug
• Stir until dissolved

 

Fried Rice

 Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and black pepper
• 4 cups cooked and chilled rice (day old works great)
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 3–4 tablespoons soy sauce, or more to taste
• 2 teaspoons oyster sauce (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Mac 'N Cheese Mexicano - 8 to 10 Servings

 By: A Pati Jinich Recipe / https://patijinich.com/mac-n-cheese-mexicano/

Ingredients:

• 1 pound penne or elbow-shaped pasta
• 3 large poblano chiles, rinsed, stemmed, seeded and cut into large chunks, about 3/4 pound
• 3 cups milk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the dish
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse seasalt, or to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 cups grated Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese, plus 1 cup for topping
• 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesano-Reggiano cheese, plus1/2 cup for topping
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 1 cup corn kernels, shaved from the cob or thawed from frozen
• 1/2 pound chopped zucchini, (about 1 medium zucchini)
• 5 to 6 slices of bacon, fried and cut into chunks (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste

Directions:

1. Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot and cook pasta until al dente, about8 to 10 minutes. Drain.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a large baking dish.
3. In the jar of a blender, puree the poblano chiles and milk until completely smooth. Strain into a bowl, pressing with the back of a wooden spoon tomake sure you get mostly liquid.
4. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Once it has melted and begins to bubble, add the flour. Cook, stirring continuously to make aroux or paste until you get the desired color (I go for light brown and a toasty aroma), about 2 minutes. 
5. Pour the poblano chile mixture into the roux or paste, stirring as you do. Add salt and freshly ground pepper and cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 to 12 minutes, occasionally stirring. If it gets lumpy, you can smooth the sauce by beating with a whisk. 
6. Add 3 cups of Monterey Jack cheese and 1 cup of Pecorino Romano, mix well, remove from heat and stir until well combined.
7. In a large skillet set over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until completely soft and translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the corn kernels and cook for a couple minutes. Add the zucchini, sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, mix well and set aside. We don’t want to cook the zucchini here, as it will cook in the oven.
8. In the large pot, where the pasta was cooked, add the drained pasta, poblano chile sauce and sautéed vegetables, gently toss to mix. If using fried bacon, add it in here! 
9. Pour into a buttered baking dish, top with the remaining grated cheeses and place in the oven until the top layer of cheese has melted and begun to crisp along the edges, about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.