HR Synergy’s Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients:

FOR THE TOPPING

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with a knife
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 Tbp granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 6 Tbp unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
• ¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• Lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

FOR THE FILLING

• 1 lb rhubarb stalks, trimmed, sliced ½-inch thick
• ½ lb strawberries, hulled and quartered
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1½ Tbp cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

FOR THE FILLING

1. In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla. Stir until the fruit is evenly coated with the sugar mixture, and the sugar mixture is no longer white.
2. Transfer the fruit mixture to a 2-quart or 8-inch baking dish (no need to butter it) and set aside while you prepare the topping.

FOR THE TOPPING

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and salt. Process until well combined, about 30 seconds. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with a few pea-sized clumps of butter within. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the oats and chopped pecans.
2. Spoon the topping evenly over the fruit without packing down. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling around the edges and the topping is golden brown. Cool for 20 minutes before serving. Spoon into shallow bowls and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Note: If your baking dish is shallow, place it on top of a foil-lined sheet pan to catch any spills that might bubble over the edges.

Note: Don’t be tempted to increase the strawberries in the recipe, or you’ll end up with fruit soup (they release a lot of juice).

Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The crisp can be frozen tightly covered for up to 3 months. Before serving, reheat it, uncovered, in a 300°F oven until heated through and crisp on top.

HR Synergy’s Baseball Rotel Sausage Dip

Ingredients:
1 lb. sausage
16 oz. Velveeta, diced
10 oz. Rotel, drained
1 (4 oz.) can diced jalapeños, optional

To serve:
Chips
Carrots
Broccoli

Directions:
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown sausage until no longer pink.
Add in Velveeta cubes, Rotel, and diced jalapeños, if desired. Stir to combine.
Continue to stir until cheese is fully melted.
Serve warm and enjoy with you favorite baseball game!

HR Synergy’s Oreo Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients:

• 2 lb cream cheese softened (four 8-ounce packages)
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 18 Oreo cookies roughly chopped
• 28 regular Oreo cookies
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted

Directions:
Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Pulse the Oreos in a food processor until the cookies have become a fine crumb. Pour in the melted butter and pinch of salt and blend until combined.
3. Pour your crumb mixture into the prepared springform pan and press evenly into the bottom of the pan and up the sides of the pan. You can use the bottom of a flat glass or a flat measuring cup to really press it in well and get a nice, even crust.
4. Bake for 10 minutes.
5. Allow it to cool completely.

Cheesecake

1. Add your softened cream cheese to the mixing bowl of your stand mixer and beat with a paddle at medium/high speed for about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for a few seconds more. The goal is to make sure the cream cheese is as smooth as possible, so your cheesecake doesn’t have any lumps.
2. Add the sugar and sour cream and mix at medium-low speed until just combined. Scrape the bowl again and mix for 10 seconds.
3. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds-1 minute. Scrape the bowl again. Add chopped oreos and fold in by hand.
4. Using 18-inch heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap the outside of your springform pan with four sheets of foil.
5. Place your wrapped pan in a deep roasting pan. You can alternatively use a baking sheet, so long as the sides are about 2 inches deep.
6. Using very hot water, add water to the baking sheet until there is about 1 ½ inch of water around the springform pan. On a rack in the lower 3rd of the oven, carefully move your pan into the oven.
7. Bake for 1-1 ½ hours. After about an hour of baking, check the cheesecake’s consistency. A slight jiggle of the pan (while still in the oven) should tell you if it’s ready or needs more time. The cheesecake should be jiggly but not liquid. If it seems very liquidy still, give it 10-15 more minutes and check it again.
8. Once the cheesecake is set yet jiggly, turn the oven off but leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour or so until the oven has cooled down. Resist the temptation to open the oven during this time! The purpose of this step is to allow the cheesecake to cool slowly as the oven cools. Doing this will prevent it from cracking, as one of the biggest reasons cheesecakes crack is the drastic temperature change going from the hot oven into the much cooler kitchen.
9. Once the oven and the cheesecake are cooled, remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil lining the pan. Chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
   Before serving, run a knife around the edge of the pan to ensure an easy release when the springform is removed. Top with whipped cream and additional Oreos as you desire.

Michelle’s Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp Salted Butter (divided)
• 1 large Onion (finely diced)
• 3 Garlic Cloves (minced or 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder)
• 4 lbs Potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 cups Chicken Broth
• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 3 Tbsp Flour
• 2 cups Whole Milk
• 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
• 1 tsp Salt (or more to taste)
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 2-3 cups Sharp Cheddar CheeseGarnish:
• 1 lb. Bacon (cooked and crumbled)
• 4 Green Onions (chopped)
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Sour Cream

Directions:

1. 1. 1. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp of butter and onion and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until the onions start to become soft and golden in color. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
      2. Add cubed potatoes and chicken broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Let simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. The time will depend on how large the pieces of potato are. You may need to reduce the heat to low.
      3. Meanwhile, heat another pot over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp of butter. Using a whisk, add flour and continually whisk to form a paste. Stir in whole milk, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Continue to whisk often as the mixture begins to thicken. Let it cook for at least 10-15 minutes, or until the mixture begins to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in sour cream until it is completely incorporated.
      4. Add cream mixture to the potatoes in a pot and stir. Stir in the cheese and let melt and thicken. Taste for seasonings.
      5. Cook bacon according to package instructions. Top soup with crumbled bacon, extra cheese, green onions, and sour cream, if so desired.

Peter’s Grandmother’s Scottish Shortbread

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 lb. Butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 cups flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250-300F.
2. 1/2 lb. Butter, 1/2 cup sugar, Mix the butter and sugar with your hands.
3. Slowly add flour and work in.
4. Place in baking dish.
5. Bake 250-300F until golden (~30 min).
6. Cut and enjoy. Yum!

HR Synergy Jessica’s Red Wine Cranberry Sauce with Honey

Ingredients:

• 2 (12 ounce) packages of fresh cranberries (6 cups)
• 1 ¾ cups dark brown sugar
• 1 cup dry red wine
• ½ cup water
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 4 slices of fresh ginger root (1/4 inch thick)
• Pinch of kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium pot over medium heat, combine the cranberries, sugar, red wine, ½ cup water, honey, ginger, and salt.
2. Simmer gently until most of the cranberries have popped and the sauce is thick and syrupy, 20-30 minutes.
3. Stir in the black pepper.
4. Chill thoroughly before serving.

Linda’s Boo Pops!

Here are Linda’s Boo pops or Tootsie Pop ghosts – before and after. 

• 1 or 2 tissues
• Tootsie Pop
• Piece of ribbon, yarn or string
• Black marker

1. Put the tissue(s) over the top of the Tootsie Pop.
2. Tie with the ribbon.
3. Add 2 dots with the black marker for the eyes.

SLOW COOKER HONEY SESAME CHICKEN

Have you seen the 2 qt mini slow cookers?

Prep your lunch at home and cook it in the break-room!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup honey
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced for garnish
• Sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, soy sauce, ketchup, vegetable oil and red pepper.
2. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken thighs into a slow cooker. Add honey mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours and 30 minutes.
3. Remove chicken thighs from the slow cooker and shred the chicken before returning to the pot with the juices. Cover and keep warm for an additional 30 minutes.
4. Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.

Ingredients

• 1 quart vegetable oil (for frying)
• 1 (10 1/4 ounce) can beef gravy
• 5 medium potatoes, cut into fries
• 2 cups cheese curds

1. Preheat the oil in the deep fryer, or a deep heavy skillet if you’re using one instead, to 185 °C. Warm the gravy either in a saucepan on the stove or in a microwave.
2. Add the fries to the hot oil and fry them for five minutes just so they turn light brown. Scatter them on paper towels to drain.
3. For serving, divide the fries between four plates, sprinkle them with cheese curds, and pour the gravy over everything, then serve.