White Wine Sauce

2 teaspoons minced garlic

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper fresh ground

½ cup white wine

1-2 TBSP Parmesan Cheese

Worcestershire Finishing Butter

1/2 stick Unsalted Butter
2 cloves of Minced Garlic
1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper *Course

Crockpot Apple Butter using Apple Sauce

7 cups Unsweetened Apple Sauce

1 1/2 cups Apple Cider/Juice

1 1/4 cup Sugar 

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Cloves

1/2 tsp Allspice

Cook on low for 8 to 12 hours on low. Remove lid and cook 2 to 3 hours until thick.

Last 2 to 4 weeks in fridge.

Hummingbird Nectar

1 1/2 cups Sugar
4 cups Hot Water

Mix Sugar with hot water until Sugar is dissolved. Store in fridge.

Classic Stuffed Shells

24 jumbo pasta shells cooked according to package directions

15 ounces ricotta cheese

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided use

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

1 egg

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

3 cups marinara sauce divided use

2 tablespoons parsley chopped

cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9″x13″ baking pan with cooking spray.

Spread 1 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce in an even layer in the bottom of the pan.

Place the ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, Italian seasoning, egg, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese in a bowl. Stir to combine.

Fill each shell with the ricotta mixture and place in the baking dish.

Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the shells, then sprinkle the other 1 1/2 cups of cheese over the top.

Cover the dish with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover the pan, then bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to brown.

Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.

Notes

Be sure to undercook your shells by 1-2 minutes because they will continue to cook when they go into the oven. You want your shells to be a little more firm than al dente when you fill them.

I prefer to use whole milk ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, but if you’re looking to save a few calories, you can use part skim.

Skip the pre-shredded bags of cheese and grate your own instead. I find that the pre-grated cheeses at the store tend to be coated with anti-caking agents and preservatives, and do not melt as smoothly.

From: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/stuffed-shells-recipe/

French Fry Seasoning for Grilling Potato Wedges

1-½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. ground coriander

½ tsp. paprika

½ tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. ground allspice

½ tsp. dried thyme

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of sugar (optional)

From:https://coyoteoutdoor.com/blog/how-to-make-french-fries-on-the-grill

Christmas Wine Sangria Punch

1 large bag of ice

5 cups 100% cranberry juice* 40 ounces, NOT cranberry juice cocktail

2 bottles very dry sparkling wine (750 ml bottles) , such as champagne, cava, or Prosecco (I used a brut Prosecco)

2 cups apple cider

1 ½ cups diet ginger ale (12 ounces) (from 1 can or poured from a liter bottle)

1 ½ cups dark rum or brandy (12 ounces)

2 oranges thinly sliced into rounds

1 cup fresh cranberries

Make sure all of the ingredients are well chilled.

Fill a large punch bowl with ice.

Top with the cranberry juice, sparkling wine, apple cider, ginger ale, and rum.

Stir gently to combine.

Top with the orange slices and fresh cranberries. Enjoy!

Notes

*IMPORTANT NOTE ON CRANBERRY JUICE: Look for a juice that is marked 100% cranberry but that has a blend of other juices, usually apple, added (it is confusing! This is the one I used). If you purchase 100% pure cranberry juice without any other fruits used, it may be too tart for your taste. If this happens, you can sweetened the punch to your liking by stirring in 1/4 to 1/2 cup simple syrup.

From: https://www.wellplated.com/christmas-punch/