Creamy Herbed Potatoes

4 To 5 Whole Russet Potatoes
1 stick Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
3/4 cups Heavy Cream
1 cup Whole Milk (Half-and-Half Works, Too)
1 teaspoon Finely Chopped Rosemary
1 teaspoon Finely Chopped Parsley
1 teaspoon Finely Chopped Chives
1/2 teaspoon Finely Chopped Sage

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Slice potatoes very thinly.
• Add butter to a large skillet over medium low heat. When melted, add diced onion. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
• Add cream cheese to the pan and stir to melt. Pour in cream and milk, stirring to combine.
• Season with plenty of salt and pepper, then add chopped herbs.
• Place potatoes in a buttered baking dish. Pour contents of skillet over the top. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake for 45 minutes, or until bubbly. 
• Allow potatoes to sit 15 minutes before serving.

NOTES:

• We used shredded potatoes instead of sliced.  Recommended!  (2+ containers of the Costco dehydrated ones, but a big package of frozen would work too)
• Polnaszek-recommended and delicious!  We had them with ham for Christmas.
• We skipped the parmesan for Jonah, and was fine without

SOURCE - Pioneer Woman

Dark Chocolate Buttercrunch

1 cup (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional; for enhanced flavor
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda, optional (see "tips," below)
2 cups diced pecans or slivered almonds, toasted
2 2/3 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped; or chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large, deep saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the salt, sugar, espresso powder, water, and corn syrup, and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil gently over medium heat, without stirring, until the mixture reaches hard-crack stage (300°F on an instant-read or candy thermometer). The syrup will bubble without seeming to change much for awhile, but be patient; all of a sudden it will darken, and at that point you need to take its temperature and see if it's ready. (If you don't have a thermometer, test a dollop in ice water; it should immediately harden to a brittleness sufficient that you'll be able to snap it in two, without any bending or softness). This whole process should take about 10 to 12 minutes. Pay attention; too long on the heat, and the syrup will burn.
• While the sugar mixture is gently bubbling, spread half of the nuts, in a fairly closely packed, even single layer, on a lightly greased baking sheet (a half sheet pan works well here). If you're unfamiliar with making buttercrunch, it may be easier to use a 9" x 13" pan lined with greased foil or parchment. Top the nuts in the pan with half the chocolate.
• When the syrup is ready, stir in 1 teaspoon baking soda; it'll foam up, so be careful. Pour the syrup quickly and evenly over the nuts and chocolate. Immediately top with the remaining chocolate, then the remaining nuts.
• Wait several minutes, then gently, using the back of a spatula, press down on the chocolate-nut layer to spread the chocolate around evenly.
• While the candy is still slightly warm, use a spatula to loosen it from the baking sheet. When cool, break it into uneven chunks.
• Store cooled candy tightly wrapped; it'll stay fresh for a couple of weeks at room temperature. Freeze for longer storage.

NOTES:

• I used toasted almonds (and some TJ's almond meal I happened to have) to make it Jonah-friendly
• I followed some other directions on their English Toffee post and put the chocolate chips on the bottom and sprinkled the nuts on the top.  I wouldn't do it that way again - the chips didn't quite melt and lots of the almonds just fell off the top.
• Espresso powder = instant coffee (at least it was close enough to work and that's what I had on hand)
• The baking soda step is an option, but it really does give it a better texture.  Teeny bubbles make it easier to eat.

SOURCE:  https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/dark-chocolate-buttercrunch-recipe

https://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2018/12/10/tips-for-making-english-toffee/?fbclid=IwAR3w8efre0PX8BRyI4xvIVkxnK5vb0LuyyNIqNnwfvavJ9iW5T3K24AKfJ0

Crock Pot Mushrooms

1 pound mushrooms
1/2 cup butter
1 envelope of ranch salad dressing mix

I stuff as many mushrooms as will fit into this little crockpot.
Melt the butter, add the dressing mix and pour over the mushrooms.

Cook on low for 3-4 hours.

MORE NOTES:

• As soon as the mushrooms start to get warm they'll reduce quite a bit.  Check after the first hour and stir in more mushrooms as space will allow.
• I like to buy my mushrooms at Costco.  The price is reasonable and the quality is better. (larger, more uniform sizes)
• I typically serve these as appetizers, but they would be pretty great with steak as well.

(Somebody's) Mom's Caramels

8 teaspoons (2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
2 cups (1 pound) unsalted butter
4 cups (1 quart) half & half
2 cups (1 pint, 16 fluid ounces) light corn syrup*
4 cups granulated sugar
2 cups light brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
*See "tips," below.
coarse flake sea salt for topping, optional; for salty caramels

INSTRUCTIONS

• Butter two 8" x 8" or 10 1/2" x 6 1/2" pans. Measure the vanilla into a small container, and set it aside for later.
• Cut the butter into 1" chunks, to help it melt faster. Combine the cut-up butter, half & half, corn syrup, sugars, and salt in a heavy-bottom, 5- to 6-quart saucepan.
• Heat the mixture over medium-low heat until everything has melted, stirring constantly. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan.
• Cook slowly, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 248°F, or until a small amount dropped in cold water forms a firm ball. As the mixture boils it will become thicker and thicker and the frothy bubbles will give way to a more blurpy bubble that resembles thick lava. This happens gradually, but you'll notice it around 230°F and higher. This is when you really have to pay attention and watch the temperature carefully, as it tends to move more quickly from 230°F up. The whole process will take about 2 hours.
• Remove the pan from the heat, and carefully stir in the vanilla; the mixture will bubble and boil.
• Quickly pour the caramel into the prepared pans. Don't add any residue from the pot into the pans; instead, scrape it into a separate container. Baker's treat!
• Wait 30 minutes, then sprinkle with coarse-flake sea salt, if desired.
• Cover the candy securely, and refrigerate.
• Remove the candy from the pan by loosening its edges with a knife or offset spatula, and banging the pan on a cutting board until the slab releases from the pan. Allow the candy to warm up a bit if it's hard, or it'll shatter when you bang the pan.
• Cut the caramels into squares, and wrap in waxed paper. Store in the refrigerator for longest shelf life. Wrapped caramels can also be frozen.
• Yield: about 10 dozen 1" caramels.

NOTES:

• Delicious, but was quite a commitment, time-wise (see the photo).  I basically watched two episodes of something on Netflix (thanks, iPad) while stirring endlessly.
• Consider making a half batch next time.  Today is December 30 and even after 2 family parties and a couple weeks of munching, I have a bunch still around
• I poured a full batch into my oversized cake pan (roasting pan) sprayed with pam.
• Flaked sea salt is perfect for this application.
• I ordered these: http://www.clearcellobags.com/catalog/item/6501521/6344450.htm.  Well, actually it was the amazon equivalent, but Donna S sent me this cheaper link.  1000 should be enough for several years.

SOURCE: King Arthur Flour

Polish Sweet-Sour Red Cabbage (Czerwona Kapusta Zasmażana)

1 (3-pound) head red cabbage (washed, dried, cored, and shredded)
1 medium onion (shredded)
2 tablespoons butter (or canola oil)
1 cup water
4 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
4 tablespoons brown sugar (firmly packed)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook cabbage and onion in butter or oil on medium heat until it collapses, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together water, vinegar, brown sugar, pepper, and salt until sugar is dissolved.
• Add to cabbage mixture, combining well.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover tightly.
• Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender but still a little al dente, about 15 minutes.
• Refrigerate overnight to improve flavor.

NOTES:

• I made this for Wigilia in 2018 and liked it's mild flavor
• MAKE IT AHEAD OF TIME.  S/B SERVED COLD.
• I didn't have red wine vinegar but used some Trader Joe's pomegranate vinegar instead
• The recipe says to shred the cabbage and onion, but clearly that's not what is pictured.  I chopped the cabbage into roughly 1/2" sized pieces.
• I did try to shred the onion, but what a mess!  Just chop it into reasonably small pieces.

SOURCE:

https://www.thespruceeats.com/polish-braised-red-cabbage-recipe-1137527

(Says it can be frozen for 6 months.)

Citrus Sugar Gems

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
• 1½ cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2½ cups flour
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp lemon zest
• 2 Tbsp lime zest
• coarse sugar for rolling cookies in

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Using a mixer, beat the butter and white sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and continue to beat for three more minutes.
3. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir well. Add to the butter/sugar mixture and beat at medium speed for several minutes. Add zest and continue to beat for two more minutes.
4. Roll dough into 1½" balls. Coat with coarse sugar. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for eight to ten minutes. Remove from pan and cool on cooling rack.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna

2 tsp. oil
1-1/2 cups thinly sliced red onion
1-1/2 Tbsp. sliced garlic
6 oz. baby spinach
¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup milk
3 oz. provolone cheese, torn into pieces
1-1/2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 – 20 oz. butternut squash
1 cup ricotta cheese
1-1/2 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated

Yield: 1 - 8x8 glass baking dish.

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add onion and garlic; sauté for 4 minutes.  Add spinach and sauté until wilted; remove from heat.

Place yogurt, milk, and provolone in a blend, blend for 20 seconds.  Add flour, salt and eggs; blend 1 minute.

Peel the neck of the squash.  Cut the neck from the bulb; and slice the neck into 24 long slices 1/8 inch thick.  Place squash slices in the baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 4 minutes or until almost tender.

Remove the squash from the baking dish.  Coat the dish with cooking spray; spread ½ cup of the yogurt mixture in the bottom of the pan.

Shingle 1/3 of the squash over the yogurt mixture.  Top with 1/3 of the ricotta, 1/3 of the spinach mixture, and 1/3 of the remaining yogurt mixture.  Repeat twice ending with the yogurt mixture.

Sprinkle lasagna with Gruyere.  Cover dish with foil and bake for 60 minutes.  Remove foil and broil until lightly browned.  Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:
A double recipe will fit in a 9x13 pan.
You could certainly add some cooked italian sausage.

Reverse Seared Steak

Steaks, preferably around an inch thick
Salt
Oil or butter

Pat the steaks dry and rub about a tsp of salt on each. Let them sit uncovered in the fridge overnight. Let come to room temperature before cooking.

Preheat oven to 200, and put steaks on a baking rack on a baking sheet covered in foil. Let the steaks cook until they reach an internal temperature of 120 (45-75 minutes depending on the thickness of the steaks.)

Let the steaks rest for 5-10 minutes, tented in foil, while a cast iron pan gets as hot as you can get it on the stove. Brush both sides of the steaks in butter or oil (preferably something with a high smoke point), then sear both sides for 60-90 seconds. Let rest for 5 minutes, then serve. The steaks should be around 130-135 degrees.

Kremówka Papieska

Try this for Wigilia
https://www.thespruceeats.com/polish-papal-cream-cake-recipe-1136954

This Polish cream cake dessert was renamed papal cream cake or kremówka papieska (kreh-MOOF-kah pah-PYESS-kah) when it was learned St. Pope John Paul II loved it.

Karol Hagenhuber attended Marcin Wadowita high school in Wadowice, Poland (Wadowice is in southern Poland, about 50 km from Krakow), with none other than Karol Wojtyła, who later became the cardinal of Kraków and then Pope John Paul II and now St. Pope John Paul II. As school chums, they would often stop at Hagenhuber's father's bakery where the future pope would invariably purchase one or two cream cakes and a love affair with the dessert began.

If push came to shove, you could say that kremówka is similar to a French napoléon only in the latter case, the dessert is cut into rectangles, not squares.

A very similar Polish dessert is karpatka or Polish Carpathian Mountain cream cakewhose uneven top layer dusted with confectioners' sugar looks like the rugged mountainous terrain of the Polish Highlands.

Two Eastern European desserts similar to kremówka are Serbian krempita and sampita which, in the latter case, is filled with meringue.

Use the leftover egg whites in another recipe like a meringue torte.

• 2 sheets puff pastry dough (1.1 pound package, thawed)
• For the Pastry Cream:
• 2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch salt
• 5 tablespoons cornstarch
• 6 large egg yolks (beaten)
• Garnish: confectioners' sugar

Steps to Make It

1. Heat oven to 400 F.

Bake the Puff Pastry

1. Roll out each piece of puff pastry slightly to blend the seam lines, keeping it 1/4-inch thick (try not to warp the shape when rolling).
2. Without cutting all the way through, lightly score each pastry sheet into 9 even sections. This is just a guide to be used when cutting and serving.
3. Sandwich each puff pastry sheet between two pieces of parchment paper and two cooling racks. This will keep the pastry flat but still flaky. If you want to bake both pastry sheets at the same time, you will need four cooling racks. Otherwise, bake them separately, using two cooling racks.
4. Bake 15 minutes, remove top rack and top sheet of parchment paper.
5. Replace rack and continue to bake until golden and crispy throughout, about 15 more minutes. Cool completely.

Make the Pastry Cream

1. While the puff pastry is baking, make the pastry cream. If you like a thick layer of filling, make a double batch.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring milk, sugar, vanilla, salt, cornstarch, and egg yolks to a boil, stirring constantly with a wire whisk.
3. Reduce heat slightly and continue to boil 1 minute, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to get in the corners.
4. Take the pan off the heat and plunge it into an ice-water bath or, if you have lumps, strain it through a sieve into a pan or heatproof bowl set in ice water.
5. Do not chill the pastry cream. It will be poured hot over the baked puff pastry.

Assemble the Kremówka

1. Using a 13x9-inch pan as a mold, place one layer of cooked puff pastry in the bottom of the pan.
2. Pour hot pastry cream over it, and place the second layer of cooked puff pastry with the cutting-guide marks on top.
3. Refrigerate until set. When ready to serve, using the prescored marks as guides, cut into 9 pieces. Dust each piece with confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate the leftovers.

Superior Corn Bread

The only cornbread that's still any good the next day.  Who could've guessed - the extra cup of fat helps!

From Taste of Home

1 c all-purpose flour
1 c cornmeal
1/4 c sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 c (8 oz) sour cream
1/3 c milk
1/4 c butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk together the egg, sour cream, milk, and butter; stir into dry ingredients until just moistened.

Pour into a greased 8-in. square pan.  Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Serve warm.

Lemon Orzo Salad

• 1 lb. whole wheat orzo 
• 2/3 cup Panera® Mediterranean Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries 
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds 
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest 
• 3/4 cup feta, crumbled 
• 3 cups mixed greens (like arugula, baby kale and baby spinach) 
• to taste salt and black pepper
• Instructions:

1. Cook pasta to al dente, drain and rinse 
2. Mix everything together 

My Notes:

• Use half the pasta called for
• Instead of the fancy (and I'm sure delicious) dressing, I just juiced the lemon and mixed it with cheap-o Aldi Italian dressing. It's really good!
• My greens are all spinach
• Would be better thoroughly chilled with the greens added just before serving.

Source:

https://www.paneraathome.com/meal-ideas/types/salads/lemon-orzo-salad

Crock Pot Breakfast Bake

This is a perfect method for Sunday brunch!

Cooking spray, for slow cooker
12 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. finely chopped chives
salt
pepper
2 c. shredded Cheddar
1 lb. baby potatoes, thinly sliced 1/8" thick
10 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2 c. thinly sliced red onion
1 c. chopped red bell pepper
Chopped parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

• Whisk together eggs, milk, and chives; season with salt and pepper. Stir in cheese.
• Lightly grease a 5- or 6-quart crock pot. Layer half the potatoes, bacon, red onion, and red peppers, then the rest of the potatoes. Pour in the egg mixture.
• Cover and cook on low for 4 to 4 1/2 hours. Garnish with parsley.

My Notes:

• I cut the potatoes and onion pretty thin with my Pampered Chef mandoline - quick, easy and consistent.
• I was concerned that both chives and onion would be overwhelming, but it was fine.
• Used pre-cooked bacon pieces from Costco.
• Just used regular potatoes that I had around.
• I  was a little afraid that all the potatoes would clump together so I did more layering - one layer of potatoes, a little onion/bacon/peppers, repeat.
• It would be very easy to change out the breakfast meat and seasonings.
• I did the egg/cheese prep the night before and just put it together on Sunday morning.  It was done and perfect in time for after-Mass brunch.  
• Source

Sheetpan Italian Chicken

Fast, easy, and everyone liked.  The chicken made great leftovers.  Veggies are somewhat flexible; I added some cherry tomatoes that were getting wrinkly.  Based on this recipe.

Marinade:

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme 
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 
• 3 cloves crushed garlic 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

• 8 (4 oz each) boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt 
• 12 ounces zucchini, diced into 1-inch pieces 
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces 
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces 
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces 
• 1 sweet onion, cut into 1-inch pieces 

DIRECTIONS:  Spray 2 large nonstick sheetpans or use parchment or foil.  Combine themarinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the chicken and all veggies to the bowl and toss well to coat. Marinate 30 minutes or as long as overnight.

Preheat oven to 450F degrees.  Arrange everything in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheets. The vegetables and chicken should not touch (to avoid steaming the veggies). Bake about 20 minutes, turn chicken and vegetables and bake an additional 10 minutes, until roasted and tender. Top with fresh parsley and serve with rice (homemade rice-a-roni was a good choice).

Maple Ginger Salmon

1/4c maple syrup - best grade available
2Tb soy sauce
2tsp fresh ginger minced
2tsp fresh garlic minced
4 green onions divided
1 lb salmon
pepper

• Preheat oven to 400
• In a 9×13 baking dish, lightly pepper the salmon on both sides. If using low sodium soy sauce, salt the salmon to taste.
• In a non-reactive bowl or measuring cup, combine the first four ingredients and the thinly sliced green onions
• Pour the mixture over the salmon and let marinate for 20min. You may marinate for up to 30min.
• Bake salmon at 400 for 20min

NOTES: 

• I've made this the past two years for Wigilia.  It's delicious and easy.
• Garnish with a sprig of herb like thyme or rosemary.  The visual effect is totally worth the $$ you're going to pay to get fresh herbs in the middle of winter, even if that part gets thrown away before eating.  It's just pretty.  I'll add a photo someday when I find it.  Until then, just take my word for it.  ;-)
• Do not make one piece per person for Wigilia.  Lots of us ended up having only half when there is so much other food to consume.
• Source

Mouth Watering Stuffed Mushrooms

• 12 whole fresh mushrooms 
  
• 1tablespoon vegetable oil 
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet. Fry until any moisture has disappeared, taking care not to burn garlic. Set aside to cool.

When garlic and mushroom mixture is no longer hot, stir in cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Mixture should be very thick. Using a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing. Arrange the mushroom caps on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under caps.

NOTES:

• We've had these the past two years for Wigilia.  Tradition?
• Costco's mushrooms are especially nice.
• Source

Sweet and Sour Glazed Pork Chops

4 (8-ounce) pork chops, bone-in, 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

FOR THE SWEET AND SOUR GLAZE
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Season pork chops with salt and pepper, to taste.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add pork chops and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 140 degrees F, about 8-10 minutes.*
To make the sweet and sour glaze, combine balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium heat; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Serve pork chops immediately with sweet and sour glaze.

NOTES:

• I skipped the red pepper flakes and poured the glaze over both sides of the chops while still in the pan.  
• The method was very easy. Results were good.

Source

Instant Pot Pork Roast

2 1/2 pounds pork loin roast

kosher salt or sea salt , to taste
fresh cracked black pepper , to taste
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 medium onion , diced
4 cloves garlic , minced
1/2 cup broth
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon coarse mustard
2 teaspoons herbs of choice- dried or fresh (rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme etc…)
1 Tablespoon corn starch
1/4 cup water

Season pork with salt and pepper. Turn Instant Pot on "Sauté”, and add butter and melt. Add the pork loin and sear the sides of the pork loin to a nice golden brown.  Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the broth, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard, and herbs.
Close the lid, set to high pressure, and after the pressure cooker reaches full pressure,  cook for 15-30 minutes *depending on size & preferred doneness. 

After the cooking time is complete, press "Cancel" and carefully release the pressure. If possible, check the internal temperature of the pork loin (it should be about 145°F).
Remove the pork loin from the Instant Pot (keep the juices the Instant Pot), cover and allow the pork loin to rest for about 10 minutes, depending on how large your loin roast is and how well done you like it.
Mix together the cornstarch and water. Add to the Instant Pot with the juices. Turn Instant Pot on "Sauté” and simmer until thickened. Taste seasoning and add additional salt and pepper if desired.

NOTES:

• Source
• I omitted the celery and carrots from the original recipe.
• I started with a Costco pork roast (4 pack, about 2.5 lbs each).  
• Be sure to sear well all around.  It holds in juices and adds lots of flavor.
• The herbs were delicious and I'll definitely do this again.  
• The only change I'd make is to cut the roast into 2 pieces so it's a uniform thickness.  Mine was thinner on one end and I ended up restarting the instant pot 3 times to get it to an internal temperature of 145 in the thickest part.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts

3 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt ( I like these salty like French fries), and serve immediately.

NOTES:

• Source - Ina Garten
• Very easy and delicious!
• Mine took quite a bit less time than called for and I ended up peeling off outside leaves on some of them because they really were too overdone.
• Ina likes hers salty and I agree.  A little extra sea salt ground on top was good.

Blueberry Lemon scones

It's Nick's baptism day, so naturally a treat is in line.
I added these scones to brunch and they were quite delicious!

Ingredients

• Scones
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold, unsalted butter
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 large lemon, zested
• ¾ cups heavy cream
• ¾ cup frozen raspberries
• Glaze
• ½ large lemon, juiced
• ½ to 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

1. Cut butter into ¼-inch pieces and return it to the refrigerator to keep it cold until needed.
2. Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a large wide bowl. Mix to combine.
4. Add butter to the dry ingredients and toss it to coat with flour. Working quickly with clean fingers or a pastry blender, rub or cut butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal.
5. Add frozen raspberries to the mixture and toss to coat. Drizzle the heavy cream evenly over the mixture. Toss with a fork, scraping up from the bottom, until the dough starts to clump together. Knead the mixture together in the bowl until it comes together in a mass. It’s okay if there are a few stray bits and dry patches; the most important thing is to avoid overworking the dough.
6. Turn out the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press in stray bits gently and shape the dough into an a 7 to 8-inch square about ¾-inch thick. It should look a bit rough and ragged.
7. Using a knife or bench scraper, divide the square into 9 smaller squares. Divide each square in half diagonally to make 18 small triangles.
8. Separate the scones carefully to give them room to spread. Bake until pale golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.
9. To prepare the glaze, combine lemon juice and ½ cup confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Add more sugar, as needed to create the desired consistency for glazing.
10. Cool scones for at least 10 minutes before glazing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Find a nice photo here. I'm not sure how to add it on my iPad.

http://www.flourarrangements.org/2016/05/raspberry-lemon-scones/

NOTES: 

One positive change -

• I used grated frozen butter ala Sally's Baking Addiction's recommendation 

Two things I did to avoid next time

• I used Aldi canned blueberries instead of frozen fruit and it was super messy. Frozen would be better.
• I tried to accomplish steps in advance and had the dry ingredients and the lemon zest mixed up in a bowl overnight. I'm wondering if the zest activated the baking powder because they did not raise as much as expected.