Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

 Original recipe found here

Sweet Potatoes

• 3 1/2 - 4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Topping

• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons butter unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fill a large pot with sweet potato pieces and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until fork tender. Drain potatoes and place back into pot. Mash potatoes with a potato masher or blend with an electric mixer, until mostly smooth. Add remaining ingredients (except topping ingredients). Mix until combined.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8”x10” casserole dish (8x8 or 9x9 works too).
3. Spoon sweet potatoes into casserole dish and smooth out. Sprinkle top of sweet potatoes with marshmallows.
4. Melt butter in a medium microwave safe bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Mix with a fork. Sprinkle over top of casserole.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until streusel is crisp and marshmallows are golden brown.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Beef Barley Soup--Slow Cooker

 Original recipe found here

•   2 pounds stew meat (nicely marbled beef chunks) 
•   salt and pepper 
•   2 tablespoons oil 
•   8 cups water 
•   2 cups beef broth  
•   2 cups celery, chopped 
•   2 onions, chopped 
•   5 cloves garlic, minced 
•   1 large potato, peeled and shredded, about 2 cups 
•   3-4 large carrots, peeled and shredded, about 2 cups 
•   1 cup pearl barley, rinsed

1. Generously salt and pepper the beef. In frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
2. When it is very hot, add about 1/3 of the meat. Brown for about 1-2 minutes, then turn to brown the other side. Remove the browned meat to a large slow cooker.
3. Repeat with remaining meat in 2 more batches (if you add it all at once it will steam the meat instead of browning it--not what you want).
4. Add 2 cups of beef broth to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir up all the browned bits. Add this and the remaining 8 cups of water to the crock pot.
5. Add celery, onions, and garlic to the slow cooker and stir.
6. Cook on low for about 6 hours, or 3 hours on high. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook for another hour.
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   Add the barley and simmer for another hour or so.

Coconut Cream Pie

 *original pie filling recipe found here 

*original graham cracker crust recipe found here

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham crackers, crushed into crumbs

1/3 cup white sugar

6 TBSP butter, melted

-Mix ingredients well. Press into pie plate, then refrigerate for 1 hour.

Pie Filling:

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup corn starch

14 oz. can of full fat coconut milk

1 cup half & half

2/3 cup white sugar 

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup toasted sweetened shredded coconut

2 TBSP butter

1 1/2  tsp coconut extract

1. Make the coconut filling: Whisk the egg yolks and cornstarch together. Set aside. Whisk the coconut milk, half-and-half, granulated sugar, and salt together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisking occasionally, bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then reduce temperature to medium-low heat. Once boiling, remove about 1/2 cup of the mixture and, in a slow and steady stream, whisk into the egg yolk and cornstarch mixture. Keep those egg yolks moving so they don’t scramble. In a slow and steady stream, pour and whisk the egg yolk mixture into the pot.
2. The pudding will immediately begin to bubble and thicken. Whisk and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut, butter, coconut extract.
3. Pour warm filling into cooled pie crust. Cover tightly with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding (to prevent a skin from forming) and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight until chilled and thickened. Pie may be refrigerated for up to 1 day.

Whipped Cream:

1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream

3 TBSP powdered sugar

3/4 tsp coconut extract

--Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Medium peaks are between soft/loose peaks and stiff peaks and are the perfect consistency for topping and piping on desserts.

--Pipe or spread the whipped cream on top, then sprinkle toasted coconut over whipped cream.

*Refrigerate uncovered, or serve immediately

1. 
   

Rice Pilaf

 Original recipe found here

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup orzo pasta 
1/2 cup white long grain rice uncooked
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp salt

1) Melt butter in saucepan on medium heat. Add in orzo pasta and rice, stirring to coat in butter. Let pasta and rice cook, stirring periodically, until the orzo pasta is golden brown.

2) Add salt and chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Once you reach a boil, turn down low heat and cover with lid. 

3) Let simmer for about 20-25 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. 

4) Turn off heat, stir rice, and cover with lid until ready to serve.