MAGIC BARS

½  cup unsalted butter

¼ cup light brown sugar, packed

2 cups graham cracker crumbs, approximately 15 to 16 full sheets

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

¾ cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1 2/3 cups sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Crush graham the crackers. Stir the brown sugar into the graham crackers; set aside.

Put the ½ cup butter into an 8 x 8 baking pan; heat in the oven until butter is completely melted.

Remove from the oven and evenly spread the graham cracker and brown sugar mixture over the melted butter.

In layers, alternate the chocolate chips, coconut, and the pecans. Evenly pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until the coconut is lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting.

PORK MEDALLIONS

Pork tenderloin

½ cup almond flour

½ cup flour

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

salt & pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ stick of butter

1 cup chicken broth

Juice of a lemon

Capers

Slice pork tenderloin into ¼” slices.  Combine flours, garlic powder and salt and pepper in a shallow dish.  Fry in olive oil and butter in a frying pan until brown on both sides.  Add chicken broth and lemon juice and simmer with lid on until tender.  Add capers and serve.  

SLOW COOKER CHEESY SCALLOPED POTATOES

1 ½ cups heavy cream

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon dried thyme

Pinch of nutmeg

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan

½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

In a medium saucepan, whisk together heavy cream, garlic, thyme and nutmeg over medium heat until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.  Add a layer of potatoes to a 4-quart slow cooker in an overlapping pattern; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour ½ cup cream mixture over potatoes; sprinkle with Gruyere. Repeat with remaining potato slices, cream mixture and Gruyere to create 2 more layers.  Cover and cook on high heat for 4-5 hours, or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover and cook until melted, about 5 minutes.  Remove lid and let potatoes rest for 15 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken as it sits.  Serve, garnished with thyme, if desired.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND BACON PESTO PASTA

4 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped

12 ounces brussels sprouts

1 clove garlic, grated or minced

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

8 ounces uncooked pasta shells or similar shape/size, gluten-free if needed

3 tablespoons pesto

1 lemon, juiced

¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to package instructions and drain. While the pasta cooks thinly slice the brussels sprouts or use the shredding attachment on a food processor. In a large skillet cook the bacon. Drain on paper towels and chop when cool enough to handle. Reserve one tablespoon of the bacon grease in the skillet and discard the rest. Add in the shredded brussels sprouts and red pepper flakes, season with salt pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds. Add the chopped bacon, pasta, pesto, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese into the skillet. Stir everything together until combined. Taste for seasoning and serve topped with extra Parmesan cheese.

THAI COCONUT RAMEN

1 bell pepper

6 green onions

1 head of bok choy

2 cloves garlic

4 tablespoons red curry paste

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon fresh ginger

½ cup peanut butter

2 tablespoons honey

¼ cup soy sauce

6 cups chicken broth

2 chicken breasts

2 ramen noodle blocks

1 can coconut milk

2 limes, juiced

Toppings: lime wedges, cilantro, basil, soft boiled eggs, green onions, sriracha, chopped peanuts 

In a large pot or dutch over, saute peppers, green onions, garlic and bok choy stalks (save leaves for later) in a drizzle of oil.  Add red curry past, fish sauce, fresh ginger, peanut butter, honey and soy sauce.  Stir together and cook for 2 minutes on medium.  Add chicken stock and scrape the bottom and edges of the pot.  Bring to a boil, add chicken and cook for about 12 minutes until chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.  Remove chicken and shred, then add back to the soup.  Add noodles,  bok choy leaves, and coconut milk.  Boil for 5 minutes, finish with lime juice.  Serve with any combination of the toppings.

KALE CHIPS

½ bunch green kale, stemmed and torn into chip-size pieces

½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon garlic or onion powder

¼ teaspoon seasoned salt or pink Himalayan salt

Preheat the oven to 300°F.  Dry the kale completely and spread it in one layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the olive oil onto your clean hands and massage the kale all over. Dust the kale with the powder and salt.  Bake until the edges of the kale are brown but not burned, 10 to 15 minutes. Store in a glass container in the pantry for up to a week.

HONEY BUTTER SKILLET CORN

2 tablespoons salted butter

2 tablespoons honey

1 bag (16 oz) frozen corn (it is really good with fresh corn cut from the cob)

2 ounces cream cheese cut into chunks

¼  teaspoon salt

¼  teaspoon black pepper

In a skillet pan, over medium-high heat, melt the butter and honey. Once melted add the frozen corn and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through.  Add cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir together and let it cook, about 3-5 minutes, while stirring occasionally.  Serve immediately. Leftovers keep well, covered in a container, and stored in the fridge.