Cookies 'N' Cream Cupcakes

Cookies 'N' Cream Cupcakes


Ingredients:

30 Oreo Cookies (42 if you want the cookie garnish on the top)
1 box plain white cake mix
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° and line two cupcake pans with liners. Separate 12 Oreos and place them cream-side up in the liners. Make sure there is cream on both halves. I used a very sharp knife to help separate them through the cream. Crush the remaining Oreos and set aside.

Place the cake mix, oil, sour cream, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and blend with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds, until combined. Mix on medium speed for an additional 1 1/2 minutes. Measure out 1.5 cups of the crushed cookes, and fold them into the cake batter. Fill the baking cups 3/4 full with batter. Bake about 18-20 minutes, until an inserted fork comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack (or the counter, if you don't have racks).


Cookies 'N' Cream Frosting
 
Ingredients:

1 cup of unsalted butter (2 sticks), softenened
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
6-8 cups of confectioner's sugar (I used about half that amount and it was still really sweet)

Directions:

Place the butter, vanilla, milk, and half the sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for 3-5 minutes, until smooth & creamy. Slowly add the remaining sugar, until the frosting is thick enough for good spreading consistency. Stir in the remaining crushed Oreos.

After frosting the cupcakes, cut the remaining 12 Oreos in half and stick on top.

Cashew Curry

Cashew Curry

Ingredients:

1 cup whole coconut milk
1 - 2 tablespoons curry powder

scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 large red onion, chopped
1 medium garlic clove, chopped
1/3 cup water
4 ounces firm tofu, cut into small cubes (optional)
1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch segments
1 1/2 cups cauliflower, cut into tiny florets
1/3 cup cashews, toasted
a handful of cilantro, loosely chopped

Directions:

Bring half of the coconut milk to a simmer in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in the curry powder and salt, working out any clumps. Now stir in the chopped red onion and garlic and cook for a minute. Stir in the remaining coconut milk and the water, and then the tofu. Cook down the liquid for a couple minutes before adding the green beans and cauliflower. Cover and simmer for just about one minute, maybe two - or just until the cauliflower and beans lose their raw edge and cook through a bit. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the cashews. Taste and adjust the seasoning (salt / curry powder) if needed. Serve with a bit of cilantro topping each bowl.
Serves Serves 2-3.

Golden-Crusted Brussel Sprouts

Golden-Crusted Brussel Sprouts


 Ingredients:

24 small brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing
fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated cheese of your choice

Directions:

Wash the brussels sprouts well. Trim the stem ends and remove any raggy outer leaves. Cut in half from stem to top and gently rub each half with olive oil, keeping it intact (or if you are lazy just toss them in a bowl with a glug of olive oil).

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in your largest skillet over medium heat. Don't overheat the skillet, or the outsides of the brussels sprouts will cook too quickly. Place the brussels sprouts in the pan flat side down (single-layer), sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt, cover, and cook for roughly 5 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning. Cut into or taste one of the sprouts to gauge whether they're tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for a few more minutes.

Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized. Use a metal spatula to toss them once or twice to get some browning on the rounded side. Season with more salt, a few grinds of pepper, and a dusting of grated cheese. While you might be able to get away with keeping a platter of these warm in the oven for a few minutes, they are exponentially tastier if popped in your mouth immediately.

Serves 4.

Broccoli Crunch

Broccoli Crunch


Ingredients:

4 -5 cups tiny broccoli florets (and chopped stalks if you like)
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/4 cup almond butter
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons hot water
2 small crisp apples, cut into bit-sized pieces (if you aren't going to use the apples immediately, let them sit in a bowl of water with the juice of 1/2 a lemon)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup toasted or candied walnuts or almonds
1/3 cup pan-fried crunchy shallots*
chives (optional)

Directions:

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt as you would pasta water. Boil the broccoli just long enough to take the raw edge of - 10 or 15 seconds. Drain and immerse it in cold water (or let cold water run over it). At this point, I like to spin the broccoli in a salad spinner to get the water off, but a few good knocks against the sink in a strainer can do the trick pretty well. Set aside.
Make the dressing by sprinkling the salt over the clove of garlic. Smash the clove and chop, smash and chop - turning it into a paste. In a small bowl whisk the salty garlic paste with the almond butter, lemon juice, honey and olive oil. Add the hot water and whisk until light and creamy. Taste, make any adjustments and set aside.
In a large bowl gently toss the broccoli, apples, red onion, most of the shallots and nuts with a generous drizzle of the almond dressing. Turn out onto a platter and finish with the rest of the shallots and chives if you like. Serve family style.
Serves 4.
*Stir together the shallots, a splash of clarified butter (or olive oil) and big pinch of salt In a large skillet over medium heat. Stir every few minutes, you want the shallots to slowly brown over about fifteen minutes. Let them get dark, dark brown (but not burn), and if needed turn down the heat. Remove from skillet and onto a paper towel to cool in a single layer where they will crisp up a bit.

Simple Cauliflower

Simple Cauliflower

Ingredients:

2 - 3 heads of small cauliflower (or 1/2 head large)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
a couple pinches of sea salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small bunch of chives, chopped
zest of one lemon
freshly grated Parmesan
a bit of flaky sea salt

Directions:

To prep the cauliflower, remove any leaves at the base and trim the stem. Now cut it into tiny trees - and by tiny, I mean most florets aren't much larger than a table grape. Make sure the pieces are relatively equal in size, so they cook in the same amount of time. Rinse under running water, and set aside.
Heat the olive oil and fine grain salt in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cauliflower and stir until the florets are coated. Wait until it gets a bit brown on the bottom, then toss the cauliflower with a spatula. Brown a bit more and continue to saute until the pieces are deeply golden - all told about six minutes. In the last 30 seconds stir in the garlic.
Remove from heat and stir in the chives, lemon zest, and dust with a bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a pinch of flaky sea salt (if you have it on hand). Serve immediately.
Serves 2-3 as a side.

Sweet Potato Fries with Rosemary and Parmesan

Sweet Potato Fries with Rosemary and Parmesan

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes, about 2 pounds, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika
Non-fat cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400° F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Slice the sweet potatoes into long matchsticks about 1/4-inch in thickness. Place in a large bowl and mix with olive oil and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Spread out the fries in one even layer on the cookie sheet, so they are not touching, (otherwise they will become soggy).
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the fries are golden on the outside and soft on the inside. Sprinkle with Parmesan, rosemary, black pepper, and paprika. Bake an additional 5 minutes until the rosemary becomes fragrant. Season with additional salt if needed and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Fresh Peas with Mint & Green Onions

Fresh Peas with Mint & Green Onions
 
Ingredients:

4 pounds English peas
2 green onions
12 large mint leaves
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped chives
Salt (see Notes)

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, shell peas (you should have about 4 cups). Cook peas in boiling water until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a medium bowl.
2. While peas are cooking, trim and discard the root ends and dark green leaves of green onions. Halve white and light green parts lengthwise and thinly slice crosswise. Set aside. Chop mint and set aside.
3. Add butter to hot peas and toss until butter is melted and peas are coated. Add green onions, chives, and mint and toss to combine. Sprinkle with salt to taste and serve immediately.

Minted Peas & Rice with Feta

Minted Peas & Rice with Feta

 

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup instant brown rice

1-1/2 cups frozen peas, (6 ounces)

3/4 cup sliced scallions

1/4 cup finely crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup sliced fresh mint

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add rice and bring to a simmer; cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in peas and return to a simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the peas are hot and the rice has absorbed most of the liquid, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in scallions, feta, mint and pepper. Cover and let stand until the liquid is absorbed, 3 to 5 minutes.

Garlic-Mint Peas

Garlic-Mint Peas
 
Ingredients:

1 pound sugar snap peas (2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, halved
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen peas
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried mint
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Heat a large saucepan of water to boiling. Add the snap peas and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under running cold water. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook the garlic in the oil until golden. Remove and discard the garlic. Add the sugar snap peas and fresh or thawed peas and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the mint, sugar, and salt.

Makes 6 servings

Spring Pea Salad

Spring Pea Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, torn

1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 pound green peas, blanched (if fresh) or thawed (if frozen)

1/2 cup (4 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Krispy Easter Nest Cookies

Krispy Easter Nest Cookies


Ingredients:

1 (14oz) bag sweetened flake coconut
1 (7.5)oz jar marshmallow fluff
3 cups rice krispies
1/2 cup chocolate chips
jordan almonds, egg shaped candies

Directions:

Place 1 (14 oz.) bag sweetened flake coconut in a bowl. Use a toothpick to apply and stir in a few drops of green food dye. Let dry. Melt 1 (7.5 oz.) jar Marshmallow Fluff in a pan over medium-low heat, stirring, until soft and pliable. Stir in 3 cups Rice Krispies. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips; remove from heat. Arrange 8 paper cupcake liners on a work surface. Mist hands with cooking spray. Gather a small amount of cereal mixture and shape to fit into a cupcake liner. Add more cereal to make a rim around top. Let cool. Make 7 more. Fill each nest with a bit of coconut and 3 Jordan almonds. 

Maple Butter Sauce

Maple Butter Sauce


Ingredients:

3/8 c. maple syrup
¼ c. butter
3/8 c. brown sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
½ tsp maple extract/flavoring

Vanilla ice cream

Directions:

Combine maple syrup and butter and cook over low heat until butter is melted. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved. Remove from heat and beat in cream cheese and maple extract until smooth. Heat again over low heat (or in microwave at short intervals) to reach desired sauce consistency.

Serve sauce over warm blondies topped with vanilla ice cream.

Applebee’s Walnut Blondie with Maple Butter Sauce

Applebee’s Walnut Blondie with Maple Butter Sauce


Ingredients:

1 c. flour
½ tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. soda
1/8 tsp. salt
½ c. chopped walnuts
1/3 c. butter
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 T. vanilla extract
½ c. white chocolate chips


Maple Butter Sauce


Ingredients:

3/8 c. maple syrup
¼ c. butter
3/8 c. brown sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
½ tsp maple extract/flavoring

Vanilla ice cream

Directions:

Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and soda. Add walnuts; mix well. Melt butter and stir in brown sugar; cool slightly. Add egg and vanilla and blend well. Add flour mixture, a small amount each time, mixing well. Spread in a lightly greased 8x8 pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, or until tester inserted in center comes out clean or with fudgy looking crumbs.

For the maple butter sauce, combine maple syrup and butter and cook over low heat until butter is melted. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved. Remove from heat and beat in cream cheese and maple extract until smooth. Heat again over low heat (or in microwave at short intervals) to reach desired sauce consistency.

Serve sauce over warm blondies topped with vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate waffle cakes with cacao nibs

Chocolate waffle cakes with cacao nibs


Ingredients:

1 stick butter
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter
1/4 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Optional: 1/2 ounce cocoa nibs, broken down into bits in a food processor, or in a plastic bag with a blunt object (meat tenderizer, rolling pin, old waffle iron, etc.)
Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

Melt butter in a saucepan. Let cool slightly.

Put eggs, vanilla, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Mix on medium speed until pale, 4 to 5 minutes. Mix in butter, salt, cocoa powder, cocoa nibs (if using) and the flour.

Heat a waffle iron until hot. Lightly grease iron with a neutral oil, such as canola. Spoon about 1 tablespoon batter onto center of each waffle-iron section to make 1 1/2-inch rounds. Close cover; cook until set, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter, coating grids with oil after each batch.

Dust with powdered sugar. Makes about 18 cookies.
.

Bechamel Sauce

Bechamel Sauce

 

Yield: Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups milk, heated
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don't let it brown — about 2 minutes. Add the hot milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat. To cool this sauce for later use, cover it with wax paper or pour a film of milk over it to prevent a skin from forming.

Cheese Sauce.

Stir in 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese during the last 2 minutes of cooking, along with a pinch of cayenne pepper.

How hot should the milk be?

Warm the milk on low heat just until little bubbles begin to form at the edges. Then remove from heat.

Waffled Croque Madame

Waffled Croque Madame


Ingredients:

Croissant dough from Nancy Silverton's Pastries from the La Brea Bakery, or from croissant recipe of your choosing
About a quarter cup of bechamel
2 slices of ham
Gruyere cheese, grated
Egg


Directions:

Waffle the croissant dough on a well-buttered waffle iron until golden brown. You may wish to remove the waffled croissant from the waffle iron before proceeding.

Pour the bechamel sauce onto the waffle, and then layer the ham on top. Sprinkle grated gruyere on top. Place the assembled stack in the waffle iron and close the lid for about 10 seconds to melt the cheese and marry the layers.

Waffle an egg on a well-buttered section of the waffle iron, without closing the lid. Cook until the white has set and then continue to cook for a minute or two. An offset spatula and patience are useful in removing the egg.

Top the sandwich with the egg and serve.

Bechamel Sauce

Croissant Dough

Croissant Dough

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole milk, heated to warm (105°F–110°F)

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast (from two 1/4-oz packages)
3 3/4 to 4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) cold unsalted butter

Special equipment: a standing electric mixer with dough hook, 2 kitchen towels (not terry cloth), a ruler, a pastry brush

Directions:

Make dough:

Stir together warm milk, brown sugar, and yeast in bowl of standing mixer and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If it doesn’t foam, discard and start over.) Add 3 3/4 cups flour and salt and mix with dough hook at low speed until dough is smooth and very soft, about 7 minutes.

Transfer dough to a work surface and knead by hand 2 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, a little at a time, to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Form dough into a roughly 1 1/2-inch-thick rectangle and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until cold, about 1 hour.

Prepare and shape butter:

After dough has chilled, arrange sticks of butter horizontally, their sides touching, on a work surface. Pound butter with a rolling pin to soften slightly (butter should be malleable but still cold). Scrape butter into a block and put on a kitchen towel, then cover with other towel. Pound and roll out on both sides until butter forms a uniform 8- by 5-inch rectangle. Chill, wrapped in towels, while rolling out dough.

Roll out dough:

Unwrap dough and roll out on a lightly floured surface, dusting with flour as necessary and lifting and stretching dough (especially in corners), into a 16- by 10-inch rectangle. Arrange dough with a short side nearest you. Put butter in center of dough so that long sides of butter are parallel to short sides of dough. Fold as you would a letter: bottom third of dough over butter, then top third down over dough. Brush off excess flour with pastry brush.

Roll out dough:

Turn dough so a short side is nearest you, then flatten dough slightly by pressing down horizontally with rolling pin across dough at regular intervals, making uniform impressions. Roll out dough into a 15- by 10-inch rectangle, rolling just to but not over ends.

Brush off any excess flour. Fold in thirds like a letter, as above, stretching corners to square off dough, forming a 10- by 5-inch rectangle. (You have completed the first "fold.") Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, 1 hour.

Make remaining "folds":

Make 3 more folds in same manner, chilling dough 1 hour after each fold, for a total of 4 folds. (If any butter oozes out while rolling, sprinkle with flour to prevent sticking.) Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill at least 8 hours but no more than 18 (after 18 hours, dough may not rise sufficiently when baked).

It's important not to try to halve this recipe. When you need only a half recipe of dough, as for the pains au chocolat, use the rest of the dough for a batch of Parma braids or a princess ring. Or make a double recipe of those irresistible chocolate croissants and share them with friends. One batch of this dough is enough for 24 plain croissants, 32 chocolate croissants, 16 Parma braids, or 2 princess rings.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Homemade Vanilla Extract


Ingredients:

3 medium vanilla beans, or 1 1/2 fat ones
1 cup rum or vodka

Directions:

Have ready a 1-cup glass jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid; I used an empty (and clean, obviously) jar of jam. Pour boiling water into it, let rest for 10 minutes to sterilize, and pour out the water.

Using a sharp knife, slice the beans open lengthwise to expose the seeds. Tuck the beans in the jar and fill with liquor. Close the jar, shake it a few times, and place it in a cool, dark cabinet; you may have to whisper a few words of reassurance if the jar is, understandably, a little frightened.

Let the jar rest in there for 8 weeks, shaking it again once or twice a week, or whenever you remember to. The mixture will get darker and darker over time.

You can start using your extract by the end of the eighth week. Use however much you need, and when you notice that you're running a little low -- that you've used, say, 20% of the extract -- top it off with more liquor (preferably of the same type) and shake again.

And every once in a while, when you're using a fresh bean in a recipe, you can add the empty pod (rinsed off and dried if it's been steeped in milk or cream) to the jar**.

If you continue to "feed" it this way, the extract will keep forever; just remove some of the older beans if the jar becomes too crowded.

** Remember that those empty pods can also be placed in your sugar jar, olive oil bottle, or tea tin to flavor them, too.

**Buy pods in bulk on Amazon or Ebay!

Waffled French Toast

Waffled French Toast

Ingredients:

 

3 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dash of salt

6 slices of bread

Directions:

In a shallow container such as a pie plate, whisk together all ingredients except bread.

Soak a slice of bread in the mixture, flipping the slice to make sure the bread thoroughly absorbs the liquid. 

Waffle until golden brown. This should take about five minutes, though waffling time will vary depending on your waffle iron and heat setting. Serves 3.

Waffled soft pretzels

Waffled soft pretzels

Ingredients:

 

1-1/2 cups warm water
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Baking soda (for boiling)

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all ingredients (except baking soda). Mix with the dough hook until thoroughly combined, and then until the dough comes together and is smooth — but not sticky — to the touch, 7-8 minutes.
2. Cover the dough with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until it has doubled in bulk. (Gently poke your finger into the dough. If the indentation stays, it's ready for the next step.)
3. Punch down the dough to deflate it and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
4. Line two sheetpans with parchment paper.
5. Cut the dough into 6 pieces, roughly 5 ounces [140 grams] each.
6. To shape the dough, first roll the pieces into cylinders about the length of your hand. Then let the dough relax about five minutes, so that it's easier to work with.
7. Take one piece of dough and form a rope, rolling it against the counter and stretching gently until it reaches about 30 inches [76 centimeters] long. Yes, this looks ludicrously long. It's not. Repeat with remaining dough. You may find that wetting the counter with a few drops of water makes it easier to roll out the dough.
8. To shape the pretzels, form a U with the two ends of the rope pointing away from you. Then curve one strand toward you, bringing the end down and across to rest on the other side of the pretzel. Repeat with the other end, as shown in the photo above. (If this takes you a few attempts, you're in good company; I have very little spatial intelligence. We won't get in to how many times it took me to get it down, but once I did I was able to duplicate the results pretty easily.) Keep in mind, you want the loops to be fairly large in order to compensate for the rising of the dough and the eventual flattening of the waffled pretzel.
9. Place the shaped pretzels on the prepared sheetpans, leaving an inch or so between each pretzel.
10. Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes until doubled.
11. Preheat your waffle iron. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 quarts [2 liters) of water to a low boil. Add about three tablespoons of baking soda and lower heat to a simmer.
12. Slip a pretzel into the liquid. You may wish to place all but one of the remaining pretzels in the refrigerator to stop their rising, as the rest of this may take a while unless you have six waffle irons.
13. Poach the pretzel for 30 seconds then carefully turn it over in the liquid. (Meanwhile, lightly coat the waffle iron with cooking spray.)
14. Poach the other side of the pretzel for 30 seconds, then remove with a spider or slotted spoon, allowing it to drain over the pan before putting it into the waffle iron.
15. Close the lid and waffle the pretzel.
16. The pretzel will be waffled when it's a sandy brown color, about 8-10 minutes later. They can be tricky to remove from the waffle iron; an offset spatula, silicone spatula and patience are your friends. Allow the waffled pretzel to cool on a rack.
17. Toward the end of the first pretzel's waffling time, begin poaching the next pretzel and remove another pretzel from the refrigerator to lose its chill and be ready for poaching.
18. Repeat with remaining pretzels. Makes about six.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Ingredients:

2 cups granola
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together the honey and peanut butter until smooth. Add the granola and mix until well coated. Pat into a 8X8 greased pan and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Place in a 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes or until chocolate is melted. Smooth out chocolate over the top of the granola. Chill until set. Cut into squares.

Hummus

Hummus


Ingredients: 

1 15 oz can [2 cups] of chickpeas, drained
1/4 cup tahini
1 large garlic clove
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tbs lemon juice
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper [optional, if you like spicy]
1 tbs plain yogurt
1 tbs olive oil
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 cup water [may need more to reach desired consistency]

garnish
olive oil
paprika
1-2 tbs fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:


place all ingredients except for garnish in a food processor and blend until smooth, adding more water if needed to reach a desired consistency. taste for spices and adjust as needed. place in a serving bowl and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with paprika and parsley.

serve with a warm pita, pita chips, or vegetables.

Lemon Lime Baby Cakes with a Lemon Lime Drizzle

Lemon Lime Baby Cakes with a Lemon Lime Drizzle

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lime zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup plain yogurt

For the drizzle:
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
lemon and lime juice


Directions:

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between additions. Add lemon and lime juice and zests, vanilla and almond extract and yogurt. Mix just until combined and creamy. Grease the pan of your choice and fill the cups half way. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes or baked through and when cooled, transfer to a wire rack. In a small bowl combine the confectioners’ sugar and enough lemon and lime juice to make a nice consistency for the drizzle. Drizzle over the baby cakes.

makes 18 mini pound cakes using the mini cheesecake pan
or 18 mini cakes using a mini muffin tin or 12 cakes using a regular muffin tin

Garlic-Lime Chicken

Garlic-Lime Chicken


Ingredients:

3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons lime juice

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and parsley. Sprinkle spice mixture generously on both sides of chicken breasts.
2. Heat butter and olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons garlic powder and lime juice. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently to coat evenly with sauce.

Chocolate Mint Brownie Cookies

Chocolate Mint Brownie Cookies


Ingredients:

For the cookies:
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


For the middle layer:
1 cup Guittard green mint chips, melted


For the frosting:
1/2 c. butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 1/2 c. confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
milk

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar and mix until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture until well combined.
3. Using a 2 inch ice cream scoop, scoop the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes or until firm. You don’t want to underbake or overbake these cookies. Let cool.
4. Spread a layer of the melted mint chips over the cookies. Put them into the fridge to let them set for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, make the frosting.
5. Using a mixer, cream the butter. Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa until well combined. Slowly add to the butter. Add the vanilla and a dash of milk at a time until the consistency is thick enough to spread on the cookies. Beat until smooth. Spread the frosting over the mint layer.

Peanut Butter Fondue

Peanut Butter Fondue


Ingredients:

1/4 cup half and half (or cream if your feeling daring)
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 cups cream peanut butter

And whatever you wish to dip

Directions:

In a heavy saucepan, heat the half and half, brown sugar and honey until boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in peanut butter until smooth. Pour into a fondue pot or individual serving bowls.

Chocolate Oreo Fudge

Chocolate Oreo Fudge


Ingredients:

1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 12 ounce package semi sweet chocolate chips
1 13 ounce jar marshmallow cream
4- 1.55 ounce Hershey’s milk chocolate bars, chopped
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups crushed Oreo cookies

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the evaporated milk and sugar until boiling. Continue heating over medium-high heat and at a low boil for about 10-12 minutes, or until it has reached the soft ball stage. (Check this by adding a small drop to a bowl of cold water. If you can roll it into a soft ball, it is ready.)
2. In a mixer, add the butter, chocolate chips, marshmallow cream, and chocolate bar chunks. Pour in the milk and sugar mixture and whip until all the ingredients are melted and smooth. Add in vanilla extract. Stir in the Oreo’s.
3. Pour directly into a greased 9X13 pan and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:

2 c. softened butter
4 eggs
3 c. sugar
5 1/2 c. flour
4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda

Directions:

Add flour mixture to sugary butter eggs.
Chill dough, at least an hour or two.
Roll into walnut sized balls.
Roll into cinnamon & sugar.
Place about 2 in. apart on cookie sheet.
Bake 8-10 minutes at 400º F.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:

Chicken Marinade:
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped i cubes about 1 inch
1 inch ginger root, finely grated or chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely grated or chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper powder
2 tbs tandoori masala mix [i use rajah brand]
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 tsp kosher salt


Directions:


mix all the marinade ingredients with chicken, and marinade at least 2-24 hours in fridge.
preheat oven to 400 degrees f.
lay marinated chicken out on a sprayed or lined cookie sheet.
place in oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes.


Gravy:
1/3 cup oil [light canola or vegetable]
2 bay leaves
4 green cardamom pods
4 whole black pepper corns
4 whole cloves
3 inch cinnamon stick
1 red onion, finely diced
1/2 green pepper, seeded and diced
1 inch ginger root, peeled and grated or finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1 [10 3/4 oz] can, or 1 1/4 cup of tomato puree
1 [10 3/4 oz] can of diced tomatoes, cut up very small
1 tbs ground coriander
1/2 tbs ground cumin
1 1/2 tbs garam masala mix [rajah brand]
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbs brown sugar
half-pint [1 cup] heavy whipping cream
1 cup water
2 tbs butter
8-10 sprigs of fresh cilantro chopped
1 tbs fresh lemon juice

Directions:

while the chicken is baking, make the gravy.

heat 1/3 cup of oil in a non-stick heavy bottom stock pot over medium heat.
after the oil is heated, add the bay leaves, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon stick, and peppercorns. cook for about 30 seconds.
add onions and green peppers and fry until onions get translucent. about 10 minutes.
then add ginger and garlic and fry for another couple of minutes.
add the tomato puree and diced tomatoes.
cook this mixture for another 10-15 minutes, stirring continuously until oil appears on the surface.
add the ground coriander, cumin, garam masala, salt, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, and tumeric. fry for another minute.
the chicken should be baked by now.
add the baked chicken along with any juices from the sheet to the mixture along with the heavy cream and water.
mix well and bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

taste for seasonings.

remove from heat and add cilantro [reserve some for garnish], butter, and lemon juice.
mix well.

check the thickness of the sauce. add water to make sauce thinner if desired.

serve with hot basmati or jasmine rice.

Orange Maple Butter

Orange Maple Butter


Ingredients:

1 stick softened butter
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions:

Combine all three in a small bowl with a rubber spatula.
Spoon the mixture on a piece of wax paper.
Roll and re-shape back into a stick of butter.
Twist the ends to secure the wax paper and refrigerate

Taco Salad

Taco Salad


Ingredients:


Taco Meat:
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped finely
3 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
1 1/2 lbs of lean ground beef (96/4)
Dried oregano
Onion powder
Paprika
Chile powder
Fresh cracked black pepper
Ground cumin
Garlic powder
Sea salt

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the onion and stir frequently for 3-4 minutes; add the garlic and stir constantly for 60 seconds. Add the ground beef to the onion and garlic mixture and break up the meat really well with the spatula. Add the spices and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the beef is thoroughly cooked. Taste, re-season if necessary. Set aside and let cool.


Salad Ingredients:

Head of Romaine, cleaned and chopped
1/2 cup of black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup of frozen sweet corn, thawed
1/2 cup of cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup of grape tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup of black olives, sliced
1/2 cup of red, yellow or orange baby bell peppers, sliced
1/2 cup of green onions, diced
1/4 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, diced finely (more if you desire)
2 avocados, diced
6 corn tortillas, chopped into bite size pieces
Sea salt, to taste
Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Chop the corn tortillas into bite sized pieces then place on the baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray and add sea salt to taste. Place in the oven and bake for 4-5 minutes; remove from oven and flip the chips over, return to the oven and bake for an addition 3-4 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.

Dressing Ideas:

Salsa
Sour Cream
Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (recipe below)




Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup canola oil
1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano

Use am immersion blender or a regular blender to blend the dressing. Combine all ingredients, toss and serve immediately. Enjoy.

Carne Asada Tacos

Carne Asada Tacos

Ingredients:


Marinade:
1 1/2 - 2 lbs of flank steak
1/3 cup vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1-2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp oregano
2 limes, juiced
4-5 cloves garlic minced

Directions:

In a gallon size Ziploc bag, combine all ingredients with flank steak and mix really well. Let marinate for at least 6 hours - overnight if you can.

Grill steak until desired degree of doneness. LET SIT FOR AT LEAST 5-10 MINUTES! Once the meat has cooled, slice ACROSS grain into small chunks.

Other Ingredients:

Corn tortillas
Cotija cheese
Guacamole
Roasted Tomato Salsa
Onion, Lime & Cilantro relish

Cook tortillas (dry) in a hot pan for 45-60 seconds on each side. You want them soft & pliable. Add meat, cheese, salsa, onion & top with guacamole.

English Toffee

English Toffee 

Ingredients:

1 lb. butter
2 Tbs. white corn syrup
2 Tbs. water
2 cups sugar
1 (12oz.) pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 lb. sliced almonds
1 large Hershey milk chocolate bar - the huge one

Directions:

Butter a jelly roll pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips and sliced almonds. Set aside. Melt butter, corn syrup, water, and sugar in a large pot  over medium (slightly medium high) heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Stir and cook until mixture is 280 degrees. When mixture comes to 280 degrees, remove from heat and pour over chocolate chips and almonds. Break up Hershey Bar and lay pieces over toffee. Let the chocolate start to melt and then spread with a spatula. Let toffee set in the refrigerator. Break in to pieces.

Thanksgiving Pot Pies

Thanksgiving Pot Pies

Ingredients:

turkey

mashed potatoes

stuffing

gravy

creamed corn

green bean casserole

a bag of frozen peas

pie crust

Directions:

Pile mixed ingredients in a premade frozen pie crust, you need 2 crusts for each pie. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cover crusts with foil halfway.

Beet and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad

Beet and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 medium beets, cooked and quartered
6 cups fresh arugula
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Whisk the vinegar, shallots, and honey in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss the beets in a small bowl with enough dressing to coat. Place the beets on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the beets are slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Set aside and cool.
Toss the arugula, walnuts, and cranberries in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the salad atop 4 plates. Arrange the beets around the salad. Sprinkle with the avocado and goat cheese, and serve.

French Bread

French Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)

1 pkg. dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon shortening (we used unsalted butter)

1 1/2 tsp. salt

3 - 4 cups flour

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

 Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups flour; beat at medium speed of an electric mixeruntil smooth. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Let stand 10 min. Stir gently for a few seconds; cover. Repeat gentle stirring at 10 min. intervals for 40 min. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each half to a 15- x 8-inch rectangle. Roll up jellyroll fashion, starting with the long side; pinch ends and seam to seal. Place loaves, seam side down, on a greased baking sheet. Make diagonal slits about 1/4-inch deep down the length of loaves, using a sharp knife. Combine egg white and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl; beat with a wire whisk until blended. Brush loaves with egg white mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds (if desired). Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 45 min. or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 min. or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. Yield: 2 loaves. 

Zuppa Toscana Soup

Zuppa Toscana Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb ground italian sausage

2 large potatoes, thinly sliced

1 onion, chopped

1/2 C crumbled bacon 

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups of kale, torn

32 oz chieken broth

1 quart water

1 C whipping cream (we used skim milk)

Directions:

Cook sausage on stovetop and set aside. In large stockpot, add potatoes, onion, garlic, water & chicken broth. Cook until potatoes are done. Add bacon bits & sausage. Simmer 10 min. Add cream & kale. Cook 2 minutes. Salt & pepper to taste.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Homemade Cranberry Sauce 

Ingredients:

1 (12 ounce) bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Directions:

In a saucepan, mix water and sugar and heat on medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add cranberries and bring to a low boil. Stir frequently and reduce heat to keep the sauce at a low boil for about 10 minutes. When the sauce begins to thicken and the cranberries begin to burst remove from heat. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Pasta with Mushrooms, Asparagus in a Pesto Sauce

Pasta with Mushrooms, Asparagus in a Pesto Sauce


Ingredients:

6 oz button mushrooms, sliced
10 asparagus spears, ends removed and cut into thirds
2 tsp olive oil
Noodles of your choice, cooked per instructions
1/2 cup of pesto sauce
Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute for 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Add asparagus then salt and pepper to taste and continue to saute until asparagus is tender. While mushrooms and asparagus are cooking, cook noodles per instructions. Once the noodles are cooked, drain and return to pan. Add pesto sauce, mushrooms and asparagus then mix thoroughly. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve. Enjoy.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Brown Sugar Crumble and a Cinnamon Cream Cheese Drizzle

Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Brown Sugar Crumble and a Cinnamon Cream Cheese Drizzle


Ingredients:


For the muffins:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup pureed pumpkin


For the Crumble:
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoons melted butter


For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 ounces softened cream cheese
dash of ground cinnamon
dash of milk, if needed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray regular muffin in with non stick spray.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
3. Using a mixer, mix the butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk and cream. Add pumpkin puree. Do not overmix.
4. Divide batter evenly between the muffin tins, filling to the very top and a little over.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the crumble. Crumble on top of each muffin batter. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
6. In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the glaze. Drizzle over the tops of the muffins. makes 12 muffins