Emeril's Kicked Up Tuna Melts

Tuna melts in general aren't fancy. They're a pretty low-key meal that you can just kind of throw together and that's part of the appeal about them. However, if you're looking for a little pep in your tuna melt step, give these a try. The shallots, oregano, and lemon juice add a nice depth of flavor, and the capers add a yummy salty bite. And when they're topped with bubbly browned cheese, you just can't go wrong.

Adapted from marthastewart.com

Ingredients:
~4 (5oz.) cans tuna in water, drained
~1/3 cup mayonnaise
~1 small shallot, minced
~1 tbs. fresh lemon juice
~4 tsp. capers, drained (Don't skip these! They add great flavor and a little bite of crunch)
~1/2 tsp. salt
~1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
~1/4 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled between your fingers to release the oils
~crusty bread (there's a round french loaf at ALDI that we're in love with and use for most sandwiches - it stands up well to sloppy fillings)
~1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
~Provolone cheese slices

1. Heat oven to broil (500°) with rack in the highest position.
2. In a medium bowl, combine tuna, mayo, shallot, capers, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oregano. Stir until thoroughly combined.
3. Arrange bread slices on baking sheet and spread tuna salad mixture on top. Top each with tomato slices and cheese.
4. Broil until cheese is golden brown and bubbling, about 3-4 minutes. (Watch these closely - the cheese goes from slightly melty to browned and delicious quickly!!)

Roasted Butternut Squash & Yukon Gold Corn Chowder

This is warm, hearty, and a little bit sweet - thanks to roasted squash and crunchy sweet corn. Add some shrimp for even more flavor and texture. Be sure to give this Tied By Colorful Apron Strings original a try!!

From Tied by Colorful Apron Strings

Ingredients:
~1 medium-sized butternut squash, peeled and cubed
~8-10 medium yukon gold potatoes, skins left on, cubed
~16 oz. sweet corn (this can be frozen or fresh)
~smoked paprika (make sure it's smoked and not just regular!)
~olive oil
~3/4 cup heavy cream
~2 tbs. flour
~salt & pepper
~chives, chopped
~4 tbs. butter
~2 shallots, minced
~4 garlic cloves, minced (throw the garlic and shallots in a mini food processor for easy mincing!)
~32 oz. chicken stock

1. Preheat oven to 425. Drizzle squash and potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Roast for 35-40 minutes or until squash starts to caramelize and potatoes get crispy around the edges. Prep the rest of your ingredients, but do not start the rest of the cooking process until the roasting is done.
2. Heat butter over medium heat and add shallots and garlic. Saute for about 3 minutes or until soft. Add flour and mix well. Whisk in 1/4 cup of heavy cream.
3. Add chicken stock, potatoes, squash, and 1 tsp. smoked paprika. Bring to boil. Add corn and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add remaining cream and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chives.

Beet Bread with Cream Cheese & Dill Swirl

Yes, it's pink! This will actually depend on the color of your beets. Orange beets would produce orange bread, etc. This pairs nicely with the Wild Rice Gratin with Kale, Caramelized Onions, & Baby Swiss. You can cook both in the same oven at 375 degrees. Instead of cooking the bread for 50 minutes, cook for 35-40 minutes at the higher temperature.

This is a yummy, savory bread. If you're not sure you or your family members are beet lovers, this is a great recipe to try. Serve as a side with soups or toast slices to pair with cheeses and pickled veggies as part of an appetizer tray.

From 10th Kitchen

Ingredients:

For Bread:
~1 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour
~1 cup whole wheat flour (they have this right now at ALDI, but I was told it was a seasonal - winter - item. You can get it at any grocery store, but it's guaranteed to be cheaper there)
~1 tbs. baking powder
~1 tsp. salt
~1 cup roasted beet puree (instructions below)
~3 eggs
~2/3 cup milk
~1/2 unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For Cream Cheese Swirl:
~4 oz. cream cheese
~1 egg
~3 tbs. all purpose flour
~2 and 1/2 tbs. fresh chopped dill
~3/4 tsp. salt

1. To make roasted beet puree, wrap 3 large (or 5 small) washed, trimmed, and dried beets in foil. Roast on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes, or until you can easily pierce them with a knife. Cool, peel (rubbing them with a dry paper towel helps the skin come off quickly), and puree in a blender or food processor until smooth.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9x5 loaf pan.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the beet puree, eggs, milk, and melted butter. Stir into dry mixture with a wooden spoon until just incorporated.
5. To make the cream cheese swirl, stir together the cream cheese, egg, flour, dill, and salt in a small bowl until smooth.
6. Spoon about 2/3 of beet batter into prepared loaf pan and spread to even out. Dollop cream cheese mixture on top, and then top with the rest of the beet mixture. Run a butter knife in a swirling motion through the batter to create a swirl pattern. MAKE SURE YOU SWIRL WELL. This will create the moisture balance in the bread.
7. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick in the middle comes out clean (a few crumbs or a little cream cheese sticking to it is fine)
8. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Wild Rice Gratin with Kale, Caramelized Onions, & Baby Swiss

This is nutty, bubbly, cheesy, and full of all the good things. A great winter comfort food. It takes a bit of love (and time) but is not hard to assemble. Cooking the rice and the onions at the same time worked out beautifully for the rice I happened to pick because they were done at the same time. Definitely give this one a try. It makes a great main dish or you could serve it as a side with roasted chicken or pork chops.

From Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
~5 cups cooked wild rice (10.5 ounces uncooked)
~2 cups coarsely grated Emmentaler cheese (Emmentaler is a type of Swiss. I found it at ALDI)
~2 tbs. unsalted butter
~3/4 cup chicken stock
~1 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs
~salt
~freshly ground black pepper

Caramelized Onions:
~1 tbs. butter
~1 tbs. olive oil
~2 large sweet onions, halved and sliced super thin
~1/2 tsp. salt
~freshly ground black pepper
~4 cups stemmed kale leaves, cut into ribbons

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Cook rice according to package directions.
3. To caramelize the onions, heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until tender and browned, about 30 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
4. Add kale ribbons and cook until they wilt slightly, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the wild rice and 1 cup of cheese into the kale and onion mixture. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if needed.
6. Generously coat a 2-quart baking dish with butter. Spread the wild rice mixture into the dish and pour chicken broth over it. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
7. Toss breadcrumbs with 1 tbs. melted butter and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread over the cheese.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a little bubbly and beginning to brown on top.