french silk pie

 This French silk pie from Handle the Heat was an overall hit at Thanksgiving. It was a little dark for Kory, but the rest of us loved it. 

Ingredients

For the crust

• 20 gluten free Oreo (230 grams) cookies (regular-stuffed, keep filling intact)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling

• 1 1/3 cups (266 grams) granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 8 ounces (227 grams) bittersweet baking chocolate, melted
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 10 tablespoons (142 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups heavy cream, cold
• 4 teaspoons powdered sugar

For the topping

• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Chocolate shavings or cocoa powder, for garnish if desired

Instructions 

Make the crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch deep pie dish with cooking spray.
2. Place the Oreo cookies in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add in the melted butter and pulse until moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie dish. Bake for 10 minutes, or until fragrant and set. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the filling:

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar and eggs. Set over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 160°F and coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla until smooth. Cool to just warm, stirring occasionally.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add in the cooled chocolate mixture then beat on high speed for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
3. In a clean bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream until it begins to thicken. Add the powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into the chocolate mixture.
4. Pour the mixture into the pan, smoothing evenly. The pie will be tall with filling. Chill for 6 hours. At this point, the pie can be stored for up to 2 days ahead of time.

Make the topping:

1. Use an electric mixer to beat the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form. Top pie with whipped cream and garnish with chocolate shavings or dust with cocoa powder.

omelet roll

This Taste of Home omelet roll was a simple baked egg recipe that looks impressive (at least to teenagers...). We used ham, bacon, and sauteed mushrooms in ours, but any toppings would work. 

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup 2% milk
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (we used GF)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2-1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 2 cups finely chopped fully cooked ham
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green

Instructions

1. Line the bottom and sides of a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan with parchment; grease the paper and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add flour and salt; mix until combined. In a large bowl, whisk eggs until blended. Add cream cheese mixture; mix well. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake at 375° until eggs are puffed and set, 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven. Immediately spread with mustard and sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Sprinkle with ham, onions and 1 cup cheese.
4. Roll up from a short side, peeling parchment away while rolling. Sprinkle top of roll with the remaining cheese; bake until cheese is melted, 3-4 minutes longer.

sheetpan lasagna

Using Jovial lasagna noodles, this sheetpan lasagna recipe from Abby Thome was easily adapted to gluten free, made a TON of food, and was an overall hit. 

Ingredients

-Ricotta Dollops -

• 5 ounces organic spinach, sautéed
• 2 cup ricotta cheese
• 3 Tbsp parsley, chopped
• zest of 1 lemon
• good pinch of salt + pepper

- Meat Sauce -

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 lb sweet or mild italian ground sausage
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 Tbsp onion powder, garlic powder + italian seasoning
• Good pinch salt + pepper
• 2 (28 ounce) jars Rao's marinara

• 1 box Lasagna noodles, par boiled (5 minutes of boiling in salted water) + cut into 3rds
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan

-Extra Toppings-

• 1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• few tablespoons grated parmesan
• Chopped Parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°
2. Drizzle 10x17 baking sheet with olive oil
3. Par boil your lasagna noodles, then cut into thirds - set aside
4. In a large add the spinach, with a drizzle of olive oil + pinch of salt + pepper. Allow it to wilt completely and then remove from the pan + set aside
5. To the same pan, add the chopped onion with a drizzle Olive Oil, pinch of Salt + pepper and sauce until tender
6. Add in the ground sausage, beef, garlic powder, onion powder, italian seasoning + good pinch of salt and pepper and cook all the way through 
Stir in the two jars of marinara, lasagna noodles, 1 cup shredded mozzarella + parmesan cheese and stir to combine everything
7. Pour lasagna noodle/meat sauce onto the prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer
8. Add more mozzarella cheese + parmesan
9. In a separate bowl mix all ingredients for the ricotta mixture
10. Top lasagna with dollops of the ricotta cheese
11. Bake at 425° for 25-30 minutes until bubbly