Jessica's Joyful Kitchen

I've been craving a good potato pancake for awhile now, today my taste buds met their match!  I love making potato pancakes out of leftover mashed potatoes but tonight I decided to go for an extra crunchy hash brown version.  Don't skimp on the salt, potatoes need a lot of it. 16 oz shredded potatoes, fresh or thawed 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup chives, chopped 2 egg whites, lightly beaten 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Lay the potatoes on a kitchen towel, bring the corners of the towels together and squeeze out the moisture. Place in a large bowl, add the garlic, chives, egg whites, salt, and pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are combined. In a 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the potato mixture to the pan. Using a spatula, press the mixture evenly into the pan. Cook for 6 mi...

These are my all time favorite candy!  "They are called buckeyes because they are shaped like  the famous nut of Ohio's state tree as well as Ohio State's symbol." 2   cups   ( 475   g )   creamy peanut butter (not "natural" peanut butter) ½   cup   ( 113   g )   unsalted butter   softened  2   Tablespoons   light brown sugar   firmly packed ¼   teaspoon   salt 1 ¼   teaspoon   vanilla extract 3 ¼   cups   ( 405   g )   powdered sugar 2   cups   ( 340   g )   semisweet chocolate chips 1   teaspoon light  oil Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine peanut butter and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until well-combined.   Add brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.  Stir well.  Gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined.  Scoop into Tablespoon-sized balls and roll with the palms of you...

1 can pinto or cannelloni beans 4 cups chicken broth 2 tablespoons flour 1 (7 ounce) can green chilies, chopped 1 cup green salsa (Herdez brand) or green enchilada sauce 1 cup onion, chopped 1 teaspoon dried cumin 3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken sour cream, chopped cilantro, tabasco for serving, optional Coat the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray. Combine beans, broth, flour, chilies, salsa, onion, and cumin. Place chicken on top. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours, or low for 8-10 hours. Remove lid and reach in to the crock pot and shred chicken with two forks. Stir into chili taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper if needed and serve.

Homemade Cheese Sauce version: 4-5 cups broccoli florets 3-4 tbsp butter  1 c diced onion, optional  1 tsp chicken base 1 tbsp dijon mustard, optional  3 tbsps flour  2 cups half and half or heavy cream  2 tbsp sour cream, optional  1 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 cup monterey jack or cheddar cheese 1/2 tsp celery salt 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper  Topping: 1 sleeve ritz crackers, crushed  1 Tbsp lemon  1 c butter, melted  Blanch broccoli by boiling for 2-3 minutes, then remove to ice bath for 30 seconds. Place in paper towel lined bowl and allow it to dry off. In a skillet over medium heat melt 3-4 tablespoons of butter, add onion and allow it to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add in base, dijon mustard and flour whisk to combine then slowly pour in cream, continuing to whisk bringing up to simmer until thickened. Add sour cream and combine. Blend in Parmesan first and then Monterey jack or cheddar. A...

Cooking spray 1 pound penne pasta 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen pureed winter squash 2 cups  milk 4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated 2 ounces Monterrey jack cheese , grated 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon powdered mustard 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan 1 teaspoon olive oil Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender but firm, about 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Meanwhile, place the frozen squash and milk into a large saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the squash with a spoon until it is defrosted. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture is almost simmering, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the Cheddar, jack cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper. Pour che...

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes Servings: 6 Category: Main Dish ⸻ Notes After Making ⸻ Ingredients 1 medium onion, chopped (about 150 g) 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ teaspoon ground cumin 1 lb (454 g) kielbasa, diced 2 cans (29 oz / 858 mL total) beef broth or water with 3 tablespoons beef broth paste 3 cups (720 mL) water 3 cans (15 oz / 425 g each) black beans 1 jar (16 oz / 454 g) salsa 2 cups cooked brown rice , warmed Salt and black pepper, to taste, if needed ⸻ Instructions Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cumin. Sauté for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the cumin becomes fragrant. Add garlic and kielbasa, slightly caramelize.  Pour in a small splash of beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze, loosening any browned bits. Add the remaining beef broth and the water. Rinse and drain 2 cans of black beans. Place the...

This stew was outstanding (my favorite so far).  It was rich and thick and the beef and potatoes were cooked to perfection, before tossing it into the freezer.  I made the batch over last weekend, so I then cooled and froze it in an air tight container.  I then thawed it overnight in the fridge and reheated it on the stove top with a little more beef broth.  One caution, if freezing in the future I suggest adding the potatoes in when you reheat and not cooking them before freezing, I believe there texture was a little odd. I served the stew with warm pumpkin dinner rolls to absorb the rich broth! 4 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 cans (6 ounces each) tomato paste 2 1/2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed 2 medium onions, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium beef broth 1 can (14.9 ounces) Irish stout beer 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce 10 garlic cloves, sliced 2 tea...