Peanut Butter Pie

Recipe from:

http://parade.condenast.com/200063/donnaelick/an-irresistible-no-bake-pie-for-your-halloween-candy-overstock/

(Serves 12)
INGREDIENTS:

24 whole chocolate sandwich cookies (I used regular Oreos)
~40 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, (wrappers removed, divided)
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
1¾ cups powdered sugar, divided
1 (16.3-oz) jar peanut butter, (approximately 1¾ cups) (I used creamy but original recipe called for crunchy)
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped (OPTIONAL - I didn't use)
2 oz milk chocolate, broken into pieces

DIRECTIONS:

In a tall bowl whip heavy cream with an electric mixer until you can start to see a defined trail through the cream. Add vanilla and slowly add ¾ cup powdered sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form. (In other words when you turn off the blender and lift the beaters out of the cream, the cream stand up on the end of the beater). Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

In a food processor combine cookies and 20 peanut butter cups. Pulse until your mixture is crumbs. Slowly pour butter in through the feed tube. Pulse until combined and crumbs are moistened.

Pour crumbs into a 9” pie plate and press mixture on the bottom and around the sides to form pie crust. I started by pressing with clean hands, but found that using a spoon worked best. Place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.

To prepare the filling: Combine softened cream cheese and 1 cup powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add peanut butter. Beat until well combined. Fold in ½ of the whipped cream until it is completely incorporated. Pour into chilled pie crust. Smooth with a spatula. Pour remaining whipped cream over top. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare toppings.

Place the milk chocolate in a microwave safe mixing bowl. Heat for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time, until chocolate is melted. Set aside.

Quarter the remaining 20 mini peanut butter cups.

Sprinkle peanut butter cups over pie. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over pie, if using. Use a spoon to drizzle chocolate over pie (or transfer chocolate to a plastic sandwich bag and cut a very small hole in the corner, then drizzle over pie).

Refrigerate until ready to serve or serve immediately.

Potato and Turnip Gratin

Recipe is from: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/potato-and-turnip-gratin

Ingredients:
1 pound russet potatoes
1 pound turnip(s)

2 cups whipping cream
1 cup half and half
2 shallots, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp thyme (dried is fine but fresh is better)
1 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel and slice the potatoes and turnips into 1/6 inch thick slices. Arrange the slices in a glass 13x9 baking dish; slightly overlapping the slices.

In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer then remove from heat. Pour the cream mixture over the potato and turnip in the baking dish. Sprinkle with pepper.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until the potatoes and turnips are tender and the top is golden brown.

Potato and turnip slices arranged in dish

After pouring cream mixture; before baking

After baking

Fettuccine Pesto Alfredo

from: http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/175049/creamy-pesto-fettucine-alfredo

Shown here served with vegetarian chicken (Quorn gruyere cutlet)

Ingredients:
1 package (1 lb) fettuccine (I used whole wheat)
1/2 cup pesto (store bought, or home made recipe here)
2 cups heavy cream
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 small heads broccoli (optional - or any type of vegetable you want to add)
salt and pepper to taste
italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, minced garlic to taste (optional)

Directions:
Bring water to a boil and begin cooking pasta according to package directions. Cook until just UNDER al dente.
Cut broccoli into bit-sized florets. Steam for 8 minutes and set aside.
While pasta and broccoli are cooking, make the sauce. Pour the heavy cream and veggie broth into a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until slightly reduced. Stir in pesto and parmesan and simmer until combined and cheese is melted. Add salt and pepper to taste, plus any other spices you wish (I added some italian seasoning and some garlic and onion powder, and a little bit of minced garlic).
Once sauce is to your liking, put drained pasta and sauce in the same pan. Cook pasta in the sauce for about 10 minutes or until sauce thickens - the starch in the pasta will thicken the sauce. Then, add the broccoli (or any other steamed veggies you are using) and stir well until combined. Serve with some parmesan cheese on top if you wish. We ate it with some vegetarian Quorn gruyere cutlets with some pesto on top.

Vegetarian Chicken Broccoli Tortellini with Pesto Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

1 12oz bag of tortellini (or a box/bag of any other kind of pasta)
2 small heads of broccoli (plus any other veggies you want)
2 Quorn Naked Chik'n cutlets
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup basil pesto
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
(optional) spices - such as salt, pepper, garlic powder, italian seasonings... (you definitely want to add these if you aren't using tortellini because the sauce can be bland)

Directions:

Cut up veggies and place in a frying pan with some olive oil. Add some salt, pepper, garlic powder and italian seasoning and  cook until desired doneness is reached. While veggies are cooking, bring water to a boil for the tortellini. Cook according to package directions (10-11 minutes) then drain. While tortellini is boiling, combine pesto and heavy cream in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer for about 5-10 minutes then add parmesan cheese and spices to taste. Stir to combine and turn off heat. Microwave 2 Quorn cutlets for 3-4 minutes and cut into small cubes.
Put pasta back in its pan and add Chik'n and veggies. Pour sauce over the mixture and then mix until it's coated. Serve with garlic bread.

Serves 4.