Pear, Raspberry and Pistachio Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

It's pretty unusual for me not to be posting a cookie recipe or a holiday dessert on the Monday before Christmas. I've done a little baking, but honestly I'm not as into it as usual. And that's ok. Because we all need vegetables, too.

I made this salad last week when I had pears that needed o be used up. (Again, with the buying too much produce!) I loved the combination of the pears and raspberries with the tang of the poppyseed dressing. And the pistachios? Those salty wonders just took this right over the top.

This salad was a big hit with my family and would be a great addition to any holiday menu. I love that it's so beautiful on the plate, too. And when you eat this salad, you can justify eating even more cookies. So, that's a pretty good deal. Merry Christmas!

Pear, Raspberry and Pistachio Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

6 cups spring mix
1 cup raspberries
2 pears, thinly sliced
1/3 cup shelled pistachios
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Creamy Poppyseed Dressing:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk
3 Tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. poppy seeds

For the dressing, in a large measuring cup, whisk together the mayonnaise, milk, sugar, and vinegar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in poppyseeds.

Place the spring mix in a large bowl and pour dressing over. Toss to coat all the greens. Divide the greens among 4-6 salad plates (depending on how big you want each salad to be!) and top with sliced pears, raspberries, feta and pistachios. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6.

Monte Cristo Breakfast Bake

As you're planning your Christmas or New Year's menu, I hope you'll consider this wonderful breakfast dish. The Monte Cristo sandwich is traditionally dipped into French Toast batter and fried, then topped with powdered sugar and served with cream cheese and jam. It is indulgent! In this casserole version, croissant sandwiches with the same traditional Monte Cristo fillings (ham, swiss, turkey) are baked in an egg "bath." A blackberry jam on the croissant adds the wonderful sweetness that often accompanies the sandwich.

I made this after Thanksgiving and used leftover turkey in place of deli slices. If you have leftover ham and turkey after Christmas, this would be a great, and unique, way to use those leftovers! Like all good breakfast casseroles, this one can be made the night before, making your morning easy. You can serve this with a fruit salad (we love this cranberry version!) and have a wonderful and filling breakfast or brunch.

Find more great ideas at Inspire Me, Hearth and Soul.


Monte Cristo Breakfast Bake

4 Tbsp. blackberry preserves
1 1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
6 bakery croissants, split
6 slices Swiss cheese
12 thin slices Black Forest ham, (8-oz.)
12 thin slices turkey, (8-oz.)
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups half-and-half

In a small bowl, combine the jam and mustard. Spread the mixture on the cut sides of each croissant. Layer the ham, turkey and cheese on the bottom halves of the croissants; top with the other half of the croissant. Place sandwiches in a single layer in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.

Whisk together eggs and half and half; pour over the sandwiches. Lightly press down the sandwiches into the egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

Bake at 350, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Cover and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until eggs are lightly set. Serve immediately. Serves 6-8

Recipe Source: HyVee

Strawberry and White Chocolate Shortbread

I love rich, fancy, complex Christmas cookies just as much as the next person. But I also love a really simple, but equally delicious and satisfying, Christmas cookie. This cookie fits into the latter category. Super easy to whip up and bake, but beautiful on a plate, this is a lovely cookie with a contrast of tart dried strawberries and sweet white chocolate.

This cookie dough requires refrigeration before you slice and bake. You could certainly work to make these more perfectly round, but I sort of like shortbread in little square-ish shapes. Do what you like. But make them, in any case. They will be a big hit at any Christmas gathering, or just at your table with your morning coffee!

Strawberry and White Chocolate Shortbread

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
3/4 cup dried strawberries, finely chopped
2/3 cup white chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add flour. Mix until combined.

Stir in finely chopped dried strawberries and white chocolate.

Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper and roll into 2 inch diameter log. Gently press with your hands, and wrap tightly in parchment paper and refrigerate the log for 2 hours to firm.

Unwrap the log and using serrated knife cut into 1/3 inch thick slices. If the dough crumbles too much leave it at room temperature 5-8 mins then slice. If the slices lose their shape press back together with your fingers and place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet with one inch of space between.

Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Cool on baking sheets for 5 mins then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Recipe Source: OMGChocolate Desserts

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

It just wouldn't be fall without a new pumpkin recipe. In the past, we've enjoyed Pumpkin Gingerbread, Pumpkin and Raisin Muffins, Pumpkin Apple Spice Muffins, Pumpkin Spice Donuts, Pumpkin Waffles and even Pumpkin Ice Cream!

This list could be A LOT longer; I'll save the dessert links for another post! But today we're back in the breakfast/bread category with these delicious pumpkin streusel muffins. I adapted this recipe from a coffeecake; when bringing treats to the office, individual servings make things much more convenient.

These muffins are full of pumpkin goodness and all the delicious spices that go along with the flavors of fall. I especially liked the chopped pecans in the streusel. They're great for breakfast or a coffee break or an afternoon snack. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did. (And all my office mates!)


Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Muffins:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Streusel:
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
2/3 cup chopped pecans


In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until well blended. Add the pumpkin and eggs and mix until well combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and cloves. Whisk until spices are evenly distributed throughout.

Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture. Mix with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter between 16 paper-lined muffin cups.

For the streusel, in a small bowl, mix the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, and pecans with a fork. Evenly sprinkle the topping over the batter in the muffin cups.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center tests clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Recipe Source: Adapted from a coffeecake at Love Bakes Good Cakes

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

This is a wonderful fall dessert that would make a great addition to any holiday table. Alternatively, it would make a great addition to any meal, any day of the week. Shortbread, cheesecake, apples, streusel, caramel sauce... there's a reason I adapted this recipe to a 9-inch pan from its original 9x13... I knew I would be likely to eat the WHOLE.THING.

We took these to a friend's house and they were a huge hit. And there's no question why. Everyone will love to eat them, but I also loved that I could make all the layers in my food processor, dirtying only one bowl! (Except the apples. Don't put the apples in the food processor!)

If you don't have a food processor, don't worry. You can just whip up the layers in a regular bowl using a pastry blender or your fingers. The original post that gives directions without a food processor is also linked below, if you're interested.

However, don't worry about the method of preparation here. Just go out, buy the ingredients, and get these made. And eaten.

Find more great ideas at Inspire Me, Fabulous, Hearth and Soul, Full Plate, Favorite Things, Wow Me, Wonderful Wednesday, Wine'd Down.


Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Crust:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes

Apples:
3 medium baking apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Filling:
1-8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup oats
4 ounces butter, cold, cut into cubes

1/2 cup your favorite caramel topping

For the crust, in the bowl of your food processor, combine the flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Pulse to mix well. Add the butter, and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Press the crust evenly into a greased 9" pan. Bake at 350 for 10-13 minutes or until very lightly browned around the edges.

For the topping, combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and oats in the food processor and pulse just to mix. Add the butter and pulse until crumbly. Set aside.

For the filling, combine the cream cheese and sugar in the food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and pulse until well combined. Pour over the warm crust.

For the apples, in a small bowl, stir together the chopped apples, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon over the cheesecake layer. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apples. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the filling is set.

Cool the bars to room temperature or refrigerate overnight for best results. Drizzle with the caramel topping.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Sausage and Tortellini Soup

This is the perfect soup for these fall days. Even though I just made it yesterday, I wanted to post it as soon as possible so you could make it immediately! I think this would be especially good to warm up the tummies of your little trick or treaters before they head out on Thursday.

This soup comes together quickly thanks to refrigerated tortellini. And it's chock full of carrots and spinach, so you will feel good about serving a well-rounded dinner. Meat, dairy, vegetables, starch - this soup has everything and is super tasty to boot! Normally I serve salad and bread with soup but in this case, we ate the soup solo - and everyone was satisfied.

This sausage and tortellini soup was a dinner winner in my family; two people had seconds, and the other two took the leftovers for lunch! (Wait, that's today, that's my lunch TODAY! Woo hoo!)

Get more great ideas at Inspire Me, Fabulous, Hearth and Soul, Wine'd Down, Wonderful Wednesday, Favorite Things,


Sausage and Tortellini Soup

1 pound Italian sausage
1 tsp. olive oil
1 small yellow or white onion, diced
2 cups peeled and diced carrots (I use baby carrots and just slice thickly)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup flour
5 cups chicken broth
14 oz. refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
6 ounces baby spinach, chopped
2 cups half & half
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese


In a large stockpot set over medium-high, cook the sausage until browned. Remove the cooked sausage to a paper towel lined plate; set aside.

Add olive oil to the pot, then saute onion and carrots for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning.

Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add in the chicken broth, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 6 minutes.

Add the sausage, tortellini, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to the pot. Simmer for 3 minutes, then add the spinach and half and half, stirring until the spinach is wilted and the tortellini is fully cooked.

Serve immediately and top with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Life Made Simple Bakes

Shrimp, Corn and Bacon Risotto {Instant Pot!}

You know that risotto is my favorite thing to cook in the Instant Pot. It comes out beautifully every time, with minimal effort, and without having to add cream. So I am always on the lookout for new combinations. This one, with shrimp, bacon and corn, is a wonderful combo. If you wanted to get super fancy, you could grill the corn and shrimp first for even more flavor and color, but my family adored this dish just as written.

It's the perfect comfort food with summery flavors - great for a transitional season like this. (Work with me here, I'm still trying to transition away from summer, even though I'm wearing flannel pjs to bed...TMI.) So, all that to say, make this risotto. You won't be sorry.

Find more great ideas at Inspire Me, Inspire Me 2, Fabulous, Hearth and Soul.


Shrimp, Corn and Bacon Risotto

4 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
12 oz bag frozen cooked shrimp, thawed
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Turn the Instant Pot to the saute setting. Add the chopped bacon and cook and stir until cooked through but not too crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel lined plate. Add the onion, red pepper and garlic to the bacon drippings in the pot. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the rice and cook and stir for 2 minutes until the rice is slightly browned. Add the wine to the pot to deglaze. (Scrape the bottom of the pot to get any bits off!)

Add the chicken broth, stir all the ingredients together, then cover the pot. Set on high pressure for 6 minutes. When the cycle is complete, do a quick release of the pressure.

Stir in the shrimp and corn and the Parmesan cheese and stir well to incorporate all the ingredients. Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste. Serves 6.

Recipe Source: Adapted for the Instant Pot from the original recipe at From a Chef's Kitchen