On my travels today, I stopped by Wakefield Market in Wakefield, Virginia. I had a hankering for some short ribs, but I couldn’t find any—so I opted for regular boneless ribs! Y’all! The results were fantastic!

Here’s how ya make it!

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion , diced
• 3 carrots , chopped
• 8 whole beef short ribs , bone-in
• salt and pepper , to taste
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry red wine (such as Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir)
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large dutch oven or oven safe pot with a lid, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Add onion and carrots and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Remove veggies to a plate.
• Season the ribs with salt and pepper and coat on all sides with flour. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pot and turn heat to high. Add ribs and brown on all sides, about 45 seconds per side. Remove to a plate.
• Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bites of flavor. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.
• Add beef broth, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in tomato paste. Taste broth and add additional seasonings, if needed.
• Add ribs, veggies, and (whole) sprigs of thyme and rosemary to the pot.
  Cover with the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350 degrees for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Ribs should be very tender, nearly falling off the bone. 
• Remove the pan from oven and allow rest for 20 minutes, with the lid on, before serving. Skim off any fat that has risen to the top of the liquid, before serving.
• Add ribs, veggies, and (whole) sprigs of thyme and rosemary to the pot.
  Cover with the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350 degrees for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Ribs should be very tender, nearly falling off the bone. 
• Remove the pan from oven and allow rest for 20 minutes, with the lid on, before serving. Skim off any fat that has risen to the top of the liquid, before serving.
• Serve ribs over mashed potatoes with a spoonful of gravy from the pot.
  Store leftover short ribs in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days depending on the freshness of your ingredients.
• Serve ribs over mashed potatoes with a spoonful of gravy from the pot.
  Store leftover short ribs in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days depending on the freshness of your ingredients.

Stepping out of your comfort zone doesn’t have to be hard at all! I did with this recipe and I absolutely loved the result. If you love a good Reuben sandwich, this is the recipe for you!

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup sauerkraut, drained and squeezed dry
• ⅓ cup Thousand Island salad dressing
• 1 (8 ounce) tube refrigerated crescent rolls (such as Pillsbury)
• ¾ pound thin-sliced cooked corned beef
• 8 slices Swiss cheese
• 1 beaten egg white

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.

Mix sauerkraut and salad dressing together in a bowl until well combined. Unroll crescent roll dough, and cut dough in half; place one half of the dough onto a floured work surface, and pinch the perforations of the dough closed to make 1 sheet. Roll dough sheet out to about 12 inches square, and fit the dough into the prepared baking sheet. Pinch perforations closed on 2nd half of dough; roll out to about 9 inches square, and set aside.

Prebake dough crust in the baking dish in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and place 4 slices of cheese into the bottom of the crust; top cheese slices with the corned beef, and spread with the sauerkraut mixture. Lay 4 remaining slices of Swiss cheese on top of the sauerkraut mixture. Lay the 2nd sheet of crescent roll dough onto the filled baking sheet, and press the top crust down onto the edges of the dish to seal. Brush with beaten egg white.

Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes; let stand about 5 minutes before slicing.

This yummy dish is going to be a hit at your next event or potluck!

For as long as I can remember, Momma would make this for Thanksgiving and it was requested at Christmas also! The yummy flavor fusion of the beans with the cream of mushroom soup are the perfect mix of savory and sweet.

It’s one of my favorite dishes especially during the holidays!

Versatility: this dish is perfect and quick to whip up in short notice.

Ingredients:

• 2 (15-ounce) cans cut green beans, drained
• 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 (2.8-ounce) can Lipton French fried onions
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

Mix green beans, condensed cream of mushroom soup, milk, and 1/2 of the fried onions in a 1.5-quart casserole dish.

Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Sprinkle remaining onions on top and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let rest for a few minutes before serving.

One of my favorite dishes ever! The tender, lump crab meat in a beautiful bisque is definitely the way to go especially with the holidays coming up! The first time I tried this was at Hyman’s Seafood in Charleston! Fabulous selection of fresh seafood and even better service!

This stuck out to me the most because of all the flavors that were made up in this one dish. Have this at your next gathering and I’m sure everyone that loves crab meat and soup will love this!

You can always double or triple the recipe depending on your party!

Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 shallots diced
• 1 small carrot diced
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper diced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup white rice un-cooked
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons Old Bay
• 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Kosher salt and white pepper to taste
• 2 cups clam juice (bottled)
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 lb. fresh crab meat
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup dry sherry (not cooking wine)
• Fresh chopped parsley and paprika for garnish

[WHY NO COOKING WINE: In the kitchen we never use cooking wines, they are usually loaded with salt and do not taste very good]

Directions:

• Melt butter over medium low heat, add shallots, celery, carrots and bell pepper, and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Deglaze pan with 1/2 white wine, scrapping up any browned bits.
• Whisk in clam juice and chicken broth (or fish stock), rice, tomato paste, Worcestershire, Old Bay seasoning, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, cooking until vegetables are tender and rice is very soft, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat.
• In batches to avoid burning yourself, puree crab soup in a blender until smooth. Once soup is pureed, bring it back to a simmer over a medium low heat
• Add in crab meat, and whisk in 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Cook just until hot, adding 1/2 cup sherry the last 2-3 minutes for additional flavor. If necessary, thin soup with additional broth to desired thickness. 
• Ladle into soup bowls, garnish with fresh chopped parsley and a dash of paprika and an additional shot of sherry if desired.

Notes:

Instead of 5 cups clam juice and chicken stock, you can substitute fish stock. 

Try this dessert when you need something to carry to Thanksgiving! It is a crowd pleaser for sure! Using cinnamon and clove, this really can spice things up. In most homes pumpkin pie is a staple for good eats, and it’s really great to finish off a good meal.

The crispy texture of the phyllo dough really enhances the flavor of this pie and makes it lighter and airy.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 8 sheets frozen phyllo dough (each approximately 13 by 18 inches), thawed
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 ½ cups pure pumpkin purée (from a 29-ounce can)
• 12 ounces evaporated milk (1 can)
• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla paste or extract
• 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Stir together 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder. Brush 1 sheet of phyllo with butter (as you work, keep remaining phyllo covered with a kitchen towel); sprinkle evenly with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar mixture.

Starting at one short end, fold in half to enclose butter and sugar mixture; brush top with more butter. Transfer to a 9-inch springform pan, buttered-side-down, gently pressing into bottom and sides.

Repeat with remaining phyllo, butter, and sugar mixture, arranging in overlapping layers to completely and evenly cover bottom and sides of pan.

Bake until crust is crisp and golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. (The baked cooled crust can be wrapped and stored at room temperature up to 1 day.)

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, milk, syrup, vanilla, flour, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder until smooth. Pour mixture into crust and bake 20 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking until custard is just set in center, 40 to 50 minutes more. Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool completely. Remove pie from pan, cut into wedges, and serve with whipped cream.

For the few years I lived near the lowcountry, I grew a fondness for Cajun cuisine. Crawfish are some of the best I’ve eaten. Especially along Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant.

This recipe is inspired by all things southern and flavored with traditions of the Lowcountry. The season for Crawfish runs from November to March and honey, that makes it perfect for the holidays!

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter or use peanut oil
• 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 medium bell pepper chopped (I use jalapeno for spicier)
• 1 stalk celery chopped
• 4 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasonings or to taste
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepperoptional, for spicier
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups chicken stock or use seafood stock
• 1 pound crawfish tail meat par-cooked
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• FOR GARNISH: Extra chopped parsley, spicy chili flakes, hot sauce
• Cooked rice for serving if desired

Directions:

• Heat a large pan or pot to medium heat and melt the butter.
• Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Stir continuously for 5 minutes, or until the roux turns a copper color. Do not let the roux burn.
• Add the onion, peppers, celery and garlic. Stir and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
• Stir in the Cajun seasonings, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste, and stock or broth. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes to let the flavors develop, stirring occasionally.
• Add the crawfish tails and warm them through.
• Remove from heat and stir in the parsley.
• Serve over white rice (if desired) and garnish with extra parsley and spicy chili flakes. Don’t forget the hot sauce!

Honey put some souf in ya mouf this holiday season!

My favorite cracker spread is a round of rich, cream cheese with savory, oniony seasonings and then rolled in dried beef. The retro classic is a must-have party and holiday appetizer. Serve with lots of crackers, and step back!

Mom and dad always made this for Christmas brunch and then I carried on the tea carrying it to parties and they even have a pan version now!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces package cream cheese,softened
• 4.5 ounces dried beef, chopped or snipped into small squares 
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, one tablespoon of the chopped dried beef, green onions, onion powder, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Form the mixture into a ball. and roll in the reserved dried beef to coat.

• Sprinkle the remaining dried beef onto a plate or small rimmed baking sheet. Roll the cheese ball through the chips until the ball is covered in the dried beef.
• Gently wrap in cling wrap and pat to tidy up the spherical shape. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. It’s even better the next day, so it’s make-ahead wonderful!

Tips ‘n Such

Cream cheese can get a bit sticky when it’s warm, so as an alternative to the process above, combine the ingredients as instructed above and drop the mixture onto a large square of cling wrap. 

Draw up the corners together around the misture and twist the excess tight. Gently form the mixture into a ball and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Unwrap the ball and roll in the reserved dried beef squares to coat. Pat the dried beef to help it adhere to the cheese ball

Something about this recipe says thanksgiving! With the holidays coming up, this is a quick, simple recipe!

With the busyness of the holiday season, throw this together and satisfy tastebuds and smiles y’all! Who doesn’t love some butter and pecans?!

Ingredients:

2 eggs 

1 cup brown sugar 

1 cup granulated sugar

 ¾ cup Butter, melted

1 1/4 cup Flour, sifted

1 cup chopped pecans 

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease pan. In medium size mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add brown sugar and mix. Add granulated sugar and mix well. Melt butter and pour into the egg-sugar mixture and blend. Add flour, chopped nuts and vanilla. Mix well.

Pour into greased 9 inch square pan and bake about 35 minutes. When done, the inside will still be moist. Cut into bars or squares while slightly warm. When cool, store in container with tight lid.

My search for the perfect Thanksgiving pie is over! Especially after trying this recipe! Oh my gosh! It is insane the flavor combos!

If you like bourbon and you like butterscotch, you’re in for a real treat!

This pie does have quite a few steps, but feel free to cheat with a frozen pie crust—it won’t taste the same!

Have this around your holiday table! It will definitely be something people leave wanting more of!

For the crust:

For The Crust:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter into very small pieces
• 3-4 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg lightly beaten

For the Fillin’

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
• 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons Makers Mark Bourbon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Toppin’

• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 4  teaspoons cold water
• 1  cup heavy whipping cream chilled
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon  unsulphured molasses
• Butterscotch chips optional

Directions:

For the crust:

1. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, salt and butter on lowest speed for about 2 minutes or until a coarse meal starts to form. With the mixer still running add 3 tablespoons of water and the vanilla and mix on low just until the dough clumps together, about 45 seconds. If it isn’t clumping add the other tablespoon of water and mix again. Gather the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Lightly flour a board and then roll out the dough into an 11 inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch deep dish pie pan and crimp the edges. Then freeze the crust until hard, about 40 minutes. 
3. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line the crust with foil or parchment and then fill with pie weights or beans. Place the pan on a baking sheet and then bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned.
4. Remove the weights and foil and prick the crust all over with the tines of a fork. Paint the crust all over with the egg wash. Bake for 10 minutes. Then cover the edge of the crust with foil or a pie shield and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is baked and golden brown all over.
5. Remove the crust from the oven and set aside until ready to fill.

For the Fillin’:

1. Combine the cream, milk and salt in a large bowl.
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and cook without stirring until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer, or about 5 minutes (if you don’t have a candy thermometer, cook for about 3 minutes more once the sugar has dissolved and monitor closely for signs of burning).
3. In a slow stream, add the cream mixture, whisking constantly. It will bubble and splatter. In the same large bowl, combine the egg yolks, corn starch and sugar until smooth. In a slow stream, add the hot cream mixture to the bowl, whisking constantly.
4. Wipe out the saucepan. Strain the mixture in the bowl into the saucepan through a fine-mesh sieve and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to bubble occasionally and starts to thicken, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the bourbon and the vanilla.
5. Pour the butterscotch mixture into the pie shell and refrigerate for at least three hours, or overnight covered.

For the Toppin’:

1. Get all of the ingredients out and ready and fit your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Bloom the gelatin in a small bowl with the water for 5 minutes. Over low heat, melt the gelatin until dissolved but do not boil. Move right on to the next step, do not allow the gelatin to set.
2. Whip the cream and powdered sugar on high until medium firm peaks begin to form. Then add the gelatin in a slow steam with the mixer running on low. Next, whip on high until stiff peaks form. Add the molasses in a thin stream and whip until completely combined.
3. Spoon whipped cream over chilled pie and serve. Pie should keep, refrigerated, for several days but is best fresh. You can garnish with optional butterscotch chips or shavings.

How fun to start out the holiday season! I remember Nanny having multiple cookie cutters and icings for us to decorate our gingerbread!

These really give you a quick start to celebrate the holidays! With them fast approaching, this is gonna be something you’re going to want in a cloche or on the counter. You can even use them as decorations on your tree!

They are super simple to make and I recommend chilling your dough as well!

Ingredients:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar
• ⅓ cup unsulphured blackstrap molasses
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2¼ cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the molasses, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix again.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt, and cloves. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing after each addition. Mix in the almond milk.
• Form the dough into a ball, divide the ball in half, and flatten each half into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until about ¼-inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes, then transfer the cut-outs to the prepared baking sheets, re-rolling the dough scraps as necessary.
• Bake, one sheet at a time, for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are just set but the middles are still soft. The cookies might seem underdone, but taking them out at this point will ensure that they stay soft once they cool. I typically use a 3-inch cookie cutter and bake my cookies for 8 minutes. The exact timing will depend on your oven, the size of your cookie cutters, and how soft or crunchy you like your gingerbread cookies.
• Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired.

These are genuinely a favorite of mine! I do tend to like a little more sweet in mine so I may add powdered sugar to the top! Everyone has different preferences.

This dough makes 24 nice size cookies! I will be making these this holiday season and giving them out to friends and neighbors!

This is so super rooted in tradition! You’re going to want to whip these up!