Cherry Cream Cheese Danish

What You Need
Ready made Puff Pastry (1 sheet)
Cherry pie filling (or fruit of choice)

Cream cheese mixture
Half block of cream cheese (4oz)
1 Tbs sugar
vanilla extract (few drops)
lemon juice (just a splash)
Soften the cream cheese in the microwave for 10 seconds and mix in the sugar, vanilla, and lemon. The amounts are really just to taste.

Drizzle icing:
1 cup of powdered sugar
2-3 tsp orange juice or until you get the right consistency.


To Make It

1. I cut the sheet of thawed pastry into 9 squares. 
2. Then spread the cream cheese mixture on a diagonal.  Added a few cherries
3. Pulled the opposite corners up and pinched them together. 
4. Brushed with a bit of egg wash and baked at 400-425 until golden brown, about 15 minutes in my oven. 
5. Let them cool slightly before drizzling with the icing.

Oreo Truffles

What You Need

• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened 
• 1 package Oreo cookies 
•  16 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

 Directions

1. Place the entire package of Oreos in a food processor or blender and pulse until crushed completely.  If you do not have a food processor or blender, you can also place the cookies in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush the cookies.
2. Pour the crushed cookies into a bowl and mix with the cream cheese until well blended.  You should start by using a spoon, but may need to use your hands to ensure the cream cheese is evenly distributed.  Place the bowl in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up.
3. Shape the mixture into 48 (1 inch) balls and place in the freezer for 30-60 minutes.  While rolling, if you feel the mixture is becoming too soft, simply place the bowl in the fridge until the mixture becomes more firm. 
4. Shortly before removing the balls from the freezer, melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or in the microwave.  If using the microwave, heat in 30 second intervals and stir in between.  Do this until the chocolate is completely melted.  Take the melted chocolate and set aside for 1 minute.  Now you can dip each ball into the melted chocolate and place on a wax or parchment paper lined baking sheet.  You should have leftover chocolate.  
5. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.  Shortly before removing the baking sheet from the fridge, take the remaining melted chocolate and if it has hardened you can place it in the microwave for 5-20 seconds.  Wait a few minutes for it to cool and then place in a ziploc bag and cut a small hole in one corner.  Remove the balls from the fridge and pipe the chocolate on top of each ball.
6. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes and then you're ready to serve!

Caramel Rolls

What You Need

• 1 pkg. frozen dinner rolls (12 count)
• 1 small pkg. cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 c. brown sugar

To Make It
Grease a bundt pan and place frozen rolls inside. Sprinkle dry mix on top. Cook the butter and brown sugar until boiling. Pour over rolls and place in a cool oven overnight. Remove rolls from oven and then preheat the oven to 350, bake 20-30 minutes.

Not Yo’ Mama’s Banana Pudding

What You Need
1   12-ounce container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whip
1   14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1   8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 cup milk
1   5-ounce box instant French vanilla pudding
6-8   bananas, sliced
2   bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies

To Make It

Line the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.
In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer.  Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth.  Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture.  Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended.  Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pistachio Pudding Layer Dessert

INGREDIENTS


Crust:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Cream Cheese Layer:

• 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup Cool Whip

Pudding Layer:

• 1 box Instant Pistachio pudding
• 1 1/2 cups cold milk
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• Garnish:
• Additional Cool Whip and Chopped Pecans

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Using your hands, combine flour, cold butter, and pecans until it forms a crumbly dough.  Press into the bottom of an 8×8 or 7×10 pan and bake until golden brown (10-15 minutes).  Remove crust to cooling rack and let cool completely.
2.  In the bowl of a mixer, combine softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and Cool Whip using the whisk attachment.  Whip until fully combined and spread over the cooled crust.
3.  In a large bowl, mix pudding mix and cold milk until pudding is thickened.  Fold in coconut.  Spread over cream cheese layer.  Top with additional Cool Whip and pecans and refrigerate several hours until firm.
Note:
For a larger dessert, double the recipe and make in a 9×13 pan.

Nutella Cream Puffs

What You Need

 

Cream Puffs

• 5.5 tbs butter
• 1 tbs sugar
• 1 cup minus 1 tbs cake flour
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup water
• pinch of salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1/8 tsp fancy cinnamon

 

Nutella Filling:

• 6.5 oz Nutella spread
• 2.5 tbs butter
• 6-8 tbs heavy whipping cream

To Make It

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring the butter, sugar, milk, water, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in the flour, whisking vigorously until it turns into a homogenous paste. Let cool and add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and stir in the cinnamon last.

Fill a piping bag with a round tip with the batter and pipe small mounds on a baking sheet. Top with pearl sugar (optional).

Bake for 9 minutes. Then open your oven door slightly (or stick a wooden spoon in it to hold it open) and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

Remove and let cool.

Nutella Filling:

Beat all ingredients together on high until fluffy. Add more cream according to taste.

Pour the filling into a piping bag with a small round top. Poke holes in the sides of each cream puff, or on the bottom with the tip of the piping bag and fill with frosting.

Blueberry and Mascarpone Turnovers

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/3 cup fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries
• 2 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crusts
• 1 egg, beaten
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

Special equipment: a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the cheese, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth. Stir in the blueberries.
Using a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut the pie dough into 12 circles. Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of the dough with the beaten egg. Place about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cheese mixture in the center of the dough. Fold the dough in half to enclose the filling and pinch the edges to seal. Using the tines of a fork, gently crimp the sealed edges. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
While the pastry is chilling: In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 3 minutes.) Fry the turnovers for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with sugar while still hot. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Panda Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 17.5-ounce package Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Gold Medal unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
• 1  egg
• green food coloring
• 3 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting, for decorating

Directions

1. In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer fixed with paddle attachment, stir together cookie mix, butter, 1 tablespoon flour and egg until a soft dough forms.
2. Remove dough from bowl and divide into three pieces, two of equal size and one about 1/3 the size of the other two. Place one of the larger pieces back in the bowl; place other two pieces in fridge.
3. Add green food coloring and 1 tablespoon flour to the bowl. Stir together until dough turns adequately and evenly green. Shape dough in a ball and cover with plastic wrap; place in fridge.
4. Clean out bowl and place smallest piece of dough in bowl. Whisk cocoa powder with 1/2 teaspoon water until it forms a thick paste (add more water if necessary); add to bowl. Add remaining 2 teaspoons flour and stir together until dough turns adaquately and evenly brown. Shape dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap; place in fridge.
5. Remove remaining, plain piece of dough from fridge; shape into a ball and cover with plastic wrap; return to fridge. Let all three doughs cool in fridge 30 minutes.
6. Remove dough from fridge. On a floured surface, divide plain dough in thirds, one piece being half the size of the other two. Roll out one of the larger pieces into an even, 8-inch long log to form the face. Divide the cocoa dough in quarters and roll out two quarters into 8-inch logs, placing on top of the "face" to form the "eyes."
7. Quickly roll out the smallest piece of plain dough into an 8-inch log and place between the eyes to keep them in place. Roll and stretch remaining piece of plain dough over the whole dough to lock everything in place.
8. Take last two quarters of cocoa dough and roll into 8-inch logs to form the "ears."
9. Divide green dough in two pieces, one twice the size of the other. Take the small piece and roll into an 8-inch log to fill in the space between the ears. Take the larger piece of green dough and roll and stretch over the whole dough to lock everything in place.
10. Cover entire log in plastic wrap and place in freezer 20 minutes.
11. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
12. Remove dough from freezer and plastic wrap. With a sharp, clean knife, cut dough into 1/4-inch slices and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
13. Bake 7-10 minutes until cookies are a light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack. Pipe chocolate frosting noses and mouths onto cooled cookies before serving.

Rainbow Pinwheel Cookies

What You Need

• 1 17.5-oz. bag Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix (or your favorite sugar cookie dough recipe)
• Liquid food coloring, as desired (McCormick Neon shades work well)
• Rainbow sprinkles, if desired

To Make Them
Preheat oven to 350°F.   Mix the cake according to package directions.  Divide dough evenly into five bowls, and color each with a different color liquid food coloring. Roll each color of dough into grape-sized balls. Combine a ball of each color and quickly roll into a larger ball. It will look like a little beach ball. Then roll that ball between your hands and the counter until you have a cylinder about 12 inches long. Starting from one end, roll the dough into a coil, twisting the cylinder as you go. Roll edges of the cookie in sprinkles. Bake the cookies for 10 to 11 minutes, or until done.

Yields: approximately 3 dozen cookies

Pumpkin Donuts

  What You Need
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree
Canola oil for frying 

Buttermilk Glaze
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla


To Make It
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spice and sugar. Whisk together all of the remaining ingredients (except for the canola oil) in a second, medium bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir them around the bowl until the mixture is well combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, rolling the donut dough to approximately1/4-1/2″ thick.  (I know this will seem quite thin, but the donuts puff up immensley while frying).  Cut with a donut cutter.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, gently slide the donuts into the oil, frying on the first side until the edges of the donut are lightly browned, flip carefully and allow to cook on the other side until lightly browned.  Remove and dunk immediately into buttermilk glaze.  Allow to air dry on a cooling rack before serving.

Buttermilk Glaze
Whisk together in a small bowl until smooth. Dip hot donuts in the glazed, then allow to air dry on a cooling rack

Pinata Cookies

What You Need

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 5 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• Mini M&M candies
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (frosting)
• 2 teaspoons milk (frosting)

To Make It

1.  Cream sugars with butter. Beat in eggs. Add oil. Combine dry ingredients together, and then gradually add them to the mixture. Mix in vanilla and almond extract.
2. Split dough into five, even-sized balls and one smaller ball (this will be the black one). Add food coloring to each of the dough balls until desired color is achieved. Gel food coloring gives you more intense colors than liquid.
3.  Use a container the same approximate width of your donkey/burro piñata cookie cutter, and line it with plastic food wrap. Split all of your colored dough balls in half (except the black) and begin layering the dough in the container, starting with the black dough on the bottom. Alternate the colors so that you end up with two layers of each color by the time you're done.
4.  Cover the layered dough and freeze for four hours or overnight. This is the perfect time to conserve your creative juices for what lies ahead.
5.  Remove the dough from the container and unwrap from the plastic. Cut slices, approximately 1/4-inch wide. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake them at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes.
6. Immediately after you take them out of the oven, use your burro piñata cookie cutter to cut the cookie shapes. Working in sets of three, be sure to cut two burro piñata cookies in one direction and one burro piñata cookie in the opposite direction. (Just flip your cookie cutter over.) That way, when you go to assemble them, the finished cookie will look "pretty" on both sides -- because the baked, bottom sides will be hidden.
7.  For the middle cookies in each set, cut off the ears and legs, and cut out the center where the M&Ms will go. I used a small square cutter, and made three cuts to get a narrow rectangle. Try to work quickly, because as the cookies cool, they are more likely to crumble or break. Let them cool on the baking sheet before you move them and remove the excess, outer cookie.
8. To assemble, take the first piñata cookie and lay it upside down so that the baked bottom is facing up. Outline the center of the piñata body with a "frosting glue" mixture of milk and powdered sugar. (I used 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and two teaspoons of milk. If you put it inside a Ziploc bag and cut off a tiny tip of the bag's corner, you can pipe it onto the cookie easily.)
9. Put the middle cookie on top of the frosting glue and add the M&Ms to the open center. Put another outline of frosting glue on the middle cookie and place the opposite-cut piñata cookie on top (so that the pretty side is facing out). Let these sit and harden for at least 30 minutes before you stand them upright

 

Homemade Apple Fritters

Fritters 

1 cup of all purpose flour

1/4 cup of Sugar

3/4 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/3 cup of milk

1 egg

1 cup chopped apples

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

1/2 tablespoon melted butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Combine all the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in milk and egg until combined. Fold in the apples. Pour oil into a skillet so it is about 1 1/2 inches deep and heat on high. Oil is ready when they float to the top. My skillet only let me put about 1 inch but they were fine. Carefully add dough to the oil in heaping teaspoons.  Cook until brown which will be about 2 minutes, then flip. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes, until both sides are browned. Transfer to paper towel for excess oil and then put on a cooling rack. Make glaze by mixing ingredients in a bowl until smooth and drizzle over the Apple Fritters. Wait about 3 minutes for the glaze to dry then flip over and do the other side. Best served warm. 

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

What You Need
24 cake-mix yellow cupcakes, cooled and unwrapped
1 (3.4 oz) box French Vanilla instant pudding
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream

Ganache:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips


 To Make It


Make cupcakes according to directions on box.

Mix together pudding, cream, powdered sugar, milk, and sour cream. Beat on medium speed until stuff peaks form. Cut each cupcake in half and add a dollop of filling. Put top back on cupcake and frost with ganache.

Ganache:

Heat cream in sauce pan until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat, pour over chocolate in a mixing bowl. Stir to mix together. Let cool slightly.

Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

S’more Bars

 
What You Need
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows)


To Make It
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.
Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough into small shingles and laying them together).
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Cookie Dough Ice Cream

What You'll Need:

For the Cookie Dough* (mix in this order):
1 Stick Melted Butter
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3/4 Cup White Sugar
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar (Packed)
2 1/4 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Water
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Walnuts (optional)

For the Ice Cream:
1.5 Quart Size Vanilla Ice Cream (the cheaper, the better)
1/3 C Brown Sugar - Loose

Mix all of the cookie dough ingredients together and set aside. *Please note that there are NO EGGS in this recipe as opposed to traditional cookie dough that you would bake.  Eating raw eggs can be dangerous, so I have substituted water in their place to keep the dough moist. 

Put the ice cream in a large bowl and mix in the Brown Sugar.  Stir until the mixture is uniform and the consistency of mashed potatoes - this will only take 60 seconds at most.  The addition of the Brown Sugar makes ordinary, cheap ice cream taste rich - just like the real thing!

Using four, 2 Cup Containers, alternately layer the ice cream and chunks of cookie dough.  Make sure not to leave any air pockets.  Work quickly to maintain the texture of the ice cream - if it becomes liquid, it won't refreeze well.

Fill the containers up to the very top.  Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and then add the container lid.

Put them in the freezer for a couple of hours to refreeze.  You now have FOUR Pints of ice cream.

You'll notice that there's a bunch of cookie dough leftover.  You have two choices: (1) Add one beaten egg to the mixture and bake cookies at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or (2) Put the dough in a freezer bag, mark as egg-less dough, and use it the next time you make ice cream.

Meantime, dig in to your money-saving goodness!  Enjoy!

1 2 3 Cake

What You Need 

• 1 box Angel Food cake mix
• 1 box any flavor cake mix
• 2 T. water

To Make It

Using a large plastic bowl with a tightly fitting lid or a large zip lock bag, combine the two boxes of cake mix stirring or shaking well.

For each individual serving,  take out 3 T. of the cake mixture and mix it with 2 T. of water in a small microwave safe container.  I used a small coffee mug.  Microwave on high for 1 minute.  You now have your own instant individual cake and it is warm and inviting.  You can top with a dollop of fruit or whipped topping if you like.

Try various flavors of cake mix but it must always be combined with an Angel Food mix.

Keep the mix tightly sealed in an airtight container until used and remember:  This recipe is called 1-2-3 Cake because all you need to remember is 3 T.mix, 2 T. water, and 1 minute in the microwave.

Eggless Cookie Dough

What You Need

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

To Make It
In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar and butter until smooth. Stir in vanilla and milk. Mix in the flour, salt, and chocolate chips until well blended. Chill in the refrigerator.  It's a bit wet right at first, chilling helps it to harden and get a better texture. If you like frozen cookie dough, shape the dough into balls and freeze on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. After a few hours, remove the dough and store it in the freezer in a zip top bag.

Homemade Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt

 What You Need
1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt, strained
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

To Make It
Mix everything together in a large mixing bowl until completely combined. Churn the mixture in an ice cream maker for a few minutes until it is a smooth, cool consistency. Alternatively, place the bowl in the freezer and stir mixture every half hour until it reaches desired consistency.

Juicy Buger

What You Need 

• 4 slices American cheese (about 3 ounces)
• 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (15 to 20 percent fat content), chilled
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil, for oiling the grill
• 4 (4-inch) hamburger buns, split and toasted
• Sliced pickles, for serving

To Make It

1.  Cut each slice of cheese in half, then in half again to form 4 squares. Stack the pieces on top of
each other to form 4 stacks; set aside.
2.  Place the meat in a large bowl and add the salt, garlic powder, Worcestershire, and pepper. Mix
with your hands until just evenly combined.
3.  Divide the meat into 8 equal portions and place on a work surface. Using your fingertips, press 2
portions of the meat into 2 rough 1/4-inch-thick patties that are each about 1 inch wider in
diameter than the hamburger buns. Place 1 stack of cheese in the center of 1 of the patties. Top
with the second patty and pinch the edges to form a tight seal. Cup each patty with your hands to
round out the edges, and press on the top to flatten slightly into a single thick patty. Transfer
to a plate. Repeat with the remaining portions of meat and cheese to form 4 patties in total.
Refrigerate while you prepare the grill.
4.  Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium high (about 375°F to 425°F). When the grill is ready,
use tongs to rub the grate with several layers of paper towels dipped in vegetable oil.
5.  Place the reserved patties on the grill, close the grill, and cook undisturbed (do not
press down on the patties) until dark grill marks appear on the bottom, about 3 to 4 minutes. Using
a spatula, flip the patties, close the grill again, and cook until grill marks appear on the second
side and the patties are cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Remove to a clean plate and let
rest in a warm place or tent loosely with foil for 5 minutes. Place a patty on each bun bottom, top
with pickles, and cover with a bun top. Serve immediately.

Chicken with Sugar Snap Peas & Spring Herbs

Ingredients
	1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
	1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
	1/2 teaspoon salt
	Freshly ground pepper to taste
	2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon flour , divided
	1 pound thin-sliced chicken breast cutlets
	1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
	8 ounces sugar snap peas , cut in half (2 cups)
	1 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts , rinsed
	1/4 cup sprouted beans , optional (see Ingredient note)
	3 tablespoons minced fresh herbs , such as chives, tarragon or dill
	2 teaspoons champagne vinegar or white-wine vinegar

 Directions

1. Whisk broth, mustard, salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons flour in a small bowl until smooth.
2. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in two batches, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
3. Stir the broth mixture and add to the pan along with snap peas, artichoke hearts and sprouted beans (if using). Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the snap peas are tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the vegetables, and simmer until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in herbs and vinegar.

Note: Sprouted beans, not to be confused with bean sprouts, are beans that have just barely sprouted-they look like a bean with a tiny fiber attached (rather than the more fleshy-looking sprouts commonly used in Asian cooking). Eat raw in salads or add to cooked dishes; they're an excellent source of fiber and protein. Look for them in the produce section near other sprouts.

Crock Pot Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

What You Need

• 3 1/2-4 pound fryer chicken (chicken cut into serving pieces)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil40 cloves of garlic, peeled but still whole (about 3 bulbs of garlic)
• 3/4 cup white wine (optional, but highly recommended)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon butter

To Make It

1. Spray the inside of your crock pot with non-stick spray. Rub the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Place in the crock pot.
2. Heat your olive oil in a small skillet and add the peeled, whole garlic 
3. Cook for 5-8 minutes over medium heat until the garlic is golden, then add the white wine and stir until the liquid has mostly evaporated, another 3-5 minutes over medium heat.
4. Pour the garlic and white wine over the chicken in the crock pot, and sprinkle the thyme and rosemary over everything. Add in the bay leaf. 
5. Turn the crock pot to low and cook for 3-4 hours (I did mine for 3 1/2 hours). When ready, remove the chicken and place on a separate platter, then cover with foil to retain its heat. Set aside.
6.  Pour the juices from the pot through a mesh sieve into a pot, then press the garlic through the sieve to form a paste. 
7. Cook the gravy with a tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat until slightly thickened, about 5-8 minutes. Serve over the chicken with potatoes, vegetables, or crusty bread and enjoy! 

 Serves 3-4.

Fried Mozzarella Bites

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes, juice reserved
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the fried mozzarella:

• 3-4 cups peanut oil, depending on type of pan you will be frying the cheese in
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 2 lb. mozzarella bocconcini (about 50 pieces)
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 cups panko
• Deep-frying thermometer

Instructions
1. For the sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the 1/2 cup olive oil.
2. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is soft but not browned, about 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and their juices and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
4. Preheat an oven to 200°F.
5. For the fried mozzarella: Drain the cheese from its liquid. Place the cheese on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and pat dry.
6. If your cheese balls seem pretty big, halve or quarter them into bite-size pieces.  Once they get the panko breading on them, they will be a lot bigger.
7.In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.
8. Put the egg mixture and bread crumbs in separate wide, shallow bowls.  Combine the panko with the teaspoon of salt and Parmesan in another wide, shallow bowl.  (*If you only have one shallow bowl, use it for the panko.  It will help you immensely with the breading process.)
9. Roll the cheese in the flour, dip into the egg mixture and coat with the bread crumbs, shaking off the excess after each step.
10.  Repeat the breading process one more time for each cheese piece.
11. In a large, deep sauté pan over medium-high heat, pour the oil to a depth of 3 inches and heat to 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer.
12. Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden, about 45 seconds (or until golden brown-watch them carefully as oven temperatures may vary). If you notice that your thermometer’s reading decreases, wait for a little while until the oil gets back up to the proper temperature.
13. Transfer the fried cheese to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt and black pepper. Place the cheese on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while frying the remaining cheese.
14.  Serve with the warm tomato sauce.

Chicken Cream Cheese Bread Bowls

 Bread Bowls

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
7 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

Add salt, oil and 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture; beat well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well with an electric mixer at medium speed after each addition until a soft but not sticky dough is formed (you may not need to use all 7 cups).

When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Punch dough down, and divide into 6-8 equal portions. Shape each portion into a round ball. Place loaves on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, beat together egg white and 1 tablespoon water; lightly brush the loaves with half of this egg wash. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Brush with remaining egg mixture, and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.

Cream Cheese Chicken Soup 

2 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup diced carrots (about 2 regular carrots or a handful of baby carrots)
3 cups chicken broth
2-3 potatoes, peeled and finely diced 
1 cup milk 
4 tablespoons flour
1 (8 oz. package) regular or light cream cheese
2-3 (about 1 pound) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Saute, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, until the veggies are slightly tender and the onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. In a liquid measuring cup, vigorously whisk the flour and milk together until smooth. Whisk the mixture into the soup, stirring quickly, and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken slightly. Stir often to ensure the soup doesn’t burn. Soften the cream cheese in the microwave until it is very soft/melty, or let it set at room temperature for until soft. Add the cream cheese to the soup in small tablespoon-size pieces. Let the pieces sit in the soup and warm through then whisk or stir the soup until the cream cheese melts and mixes in well. Add the cooked chicken and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve. 

If you are serving the soup in bowls, you will probably only get 4 servings. If you serve it in the bread bowls you can get about 6.

OMG! Ham and Cheese Sliders

What You Need

• 24 good white dinner rolls 24 pieces good honey ham
• 24 small slices Swiss cheese
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup miracle whip

Poppy seed sauce (you probably could half this...I had plenty extra)

• 1 Tablespoon poppyseeds
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 Tablespoon minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

To Make It
 In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and miracle whip. Spread onto both sides of the center of each roll. Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss inside of each roll. Close rolls and place them into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet. Place very close together.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the poppy seed sauce ingredients. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches. You do not have to use all of the sauce! Just use enough to cover the tops. Let sit 10 minutes or until butter sets slightly. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes or until tops are slightly brown and crispy. Serve warm.

** sandwiches can be assembled a day ahead and kept in the fridge ready to bake.

Healthy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

What You Need

• 1 whole chicken, 4-5 lbs
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 4 large carrots, roughly chopped
• 4 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs parsley
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups cooked small shape pasta, I like to use ditalini, orzo, or acini di pepe
• 2 cups frozen sweet peas, thawed

To Make It
Start by roasting a whole chicken, rubbed completely with canola oil, for 1 hour 45 minutes at 400 degrees F. Let the chicken cool enough so that you can handle it, then peel off all skin, discard it, and cut the chicken meat into bite sized pieces.
In a large stock pot, combine the chicken bones with 2 quarts of good quality chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the bones from the broth with a slotted spoon. Discard them.
Now, to that pot of stock, add carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, and fresh thyme. Let this simmer for 30 minutes, until the veggies are soft. Add all of the chicken meat to the pot and stir to combine. Simmer for an additional and final 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and thyme. Stir in cooked pasta and peas and serve.

Nutrition info per serving: Calories: 288.7, Fat: 4.1g, Cholesterol: 89.9mg, Carb: 36.1g, Fiber: 3.5g, Sugars: 4.2g, Protein: 27.7g

Cheese Sauce for Cheese Fries and Nachos

What You Need

• 8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese (or a mix of cheddar and pepper Jack—see note), grated on large holes of a box grater
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 2 teaspoons Franks Red Hot or other hot sauce

To Make It

1. Add cheese and cornstarch to large bowl. Toss to combine. 
2. Transfer to medium saucepan. 
3. Add 1 cup evaporated milk and hot sauce. 
4. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with whisk until melted, bubbly, and thickened (about 5 minutes). Mixture will look thin and grainy at first but will thicken and come together after heating. Thin to desired consistency with additional evaporated milk. 
5. Serve immediately with fries, tortilla chips, burgers, or hot dogs.

Cinnamon Honey Butter

What You Need

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 c. powdered sugar
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

To Make It

 

1. Whip the room temperature butter with whisk attachment for 30 seconds. 
2. Add powdered sugar, honey and cinnamon and beat until completely combined and very smooth.  
3. Scrape down sides of bowl and turn up speed and whip for a minute or two or until really light and fluffy.  

 

Yield: about 3/4 cup. 

OVEN-BAKED STEAK FRIES

4 Russet potatoes, washed
2 Tbl. olive oil


Original Recipe:
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper


Garlic Pepper Fries:
1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
2 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. parsley


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix desired spices in a medium bowl.  Add olive oil and combine well.  Cut the potatoes into 8 wedges each.  Add potato wedges to seasonings and toss to coat.  Cover sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.  This makes cleanup easy, because your potatoes won't stick and it also ensures that they're cooked evenly.  Bake for about 40 minutes.

Soft and Chewy French Bread

What You Need

• 1 1/2 Tb. instant yeast
• 1/2 c. warm water
• 1 1/2 Tb. sugar
• 2 c. water
• 1 1/2 Tb. oil
• 2 1/4 tsp. salt
• 6 c. all-purpose flour

To Make It
Combine the yeast, 1/2 cup warm water and sugar; let is proof for ten minutes.  Then, add 2 cups water, oil, salt and 3 cups of flour.  Mix until flour is incorporated, then gradually add remaining 3 cups of flour.  Using the dough hook on a stand mixer, knead about five minutes, then turn out onto generously floured surface.  Every ten minutes, for the next hour, knead two or three times.  This is what gives the crust that french bread chewiness.  It is not crucial that kneading takes place at exact 10 minute intervals, just make sure to come back at least four times in the next hour to knead the dough a few times, then form back into a ball (keep dough covered with a piece of saran wrap between kneads, so it doesn't dry out). 

Divide dough into 2 portions for regular-sized loaves or 4 portions for small loaves.  Spread each portion out into a rough rectangle and roll up, jelly-roll style.  Take the two ends of each loaf and fold under to meet in the middle.  Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Spray a sharp knife with cooking spray and cut 3 diagonal lines into the tops of each loaf, about 1 inch deep.  Brush loaf with a beaten egg, making sure to get every single spot.  Whatever doesn't get covered with egg wash won't brown.  Raise until doubled or 30 minutes.  Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through.         


*Some bread recipes tell you to keep adding flour until the sides of your bowl come clean - DON'T do that for this recipe.  This bread is incredibly tender, which means the dough is going to be softer and stickier.  Much of the dough will be hanging onto the dough hook and some will still be stuck to the bottom and sides of the bowl.  You can tell you've added enough flour and you've kneaded the dough long enough when you can pinch off a small bit and easily roll it into a little ball in the palm of your hand.  it will still be a little sticky to the touch, but not so sticky you can't roll it into a ball. 

Homemade Snickers Bars

1st layer:

1 c. milk chocolate chips

1/4 c. butterscotch chips

1/4 c. creamy peanut butter

Melt together all ingredients in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted.  Spread into a lightly greased 9x13 inch glass pan.  Put in fridge to cool.

Filling:

1/4 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. evaporated milk

1 1/2 c. marshmallow cream

1/4 c. creamy peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 c. salted peanuts, chopped

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat, add sugar and milk, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar.  Bring to a boil and stir for 3-5 minutes (I only did 3 min.).  Mixture will start to follow your spoon. Remove from stove and stir in marshmallow cream, peanut butter and vanilla.  Mix until smooth.  Spread over first layer and sprinkle peanuts over top.

Caramel Layer:

1 (14 oz.) bag Kraft caramels

1/4 c. whipping cream (I used evaporated milk)

Unwrap and melt the caramels with the cream in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Carefully spread over filling layer.  

Top Layer:

1 c. milk chocolate chips

1/4 c. butterscotch chips

1/4 c. peanut butter

Melt together in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted.  Spread evenly over caramel layer.  Store in the refrigerator until cooled and hardened.  Cut into small bars. Keep refrigerated.    

Note: This is very easy to make, it just takes a little time to prepare each layer.  I cut this in half and layered it in an 8x6 inch glass dish.  I had to make the nougat/filling recipe twice, because the first time I cooked it the entire 5 minutes like the recipe suggested, but it ended up being too hard and crumbly.  I tried again, but this time only cooked about 3 minutes and it was perfect.  When it slightly thickens and starts to move around with your spoon while you stir it, I would quit cooking.  Remember, it will be thicker when you add the mallow cream and peanut butter.  I also used evaporated milk instead of the whipping cream in the caramel, because I didn't want to spend money on a carton of cream to only use a small amount and I already had a can of evaporated milk open for the filling.  I added slightly less than the recipe called for, so it would still be as thick.  I like these right out of the fridge.  I think they taste most like a Snickers when they are cold and chewy! 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

What You Need

• 3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• chocolate chips, as many as you like

To Make It

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  
2. Cream together butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy.  
3. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine.  
4. Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt and add to wet ingredients.  Mix to combine and stir in the chocolate chips.  
5. Chill dough for at least 30 minutes.  
6. Use a small cookie scoop and drop dough onto a greased cookie sheet.  
7. Bake 8-10 minutes or until barely golden around the edges.  The key is to NOT overbake.  

If you want crispy cookies, omit the cornstarch and replace the baking soda with baking powder.

*Note:   If the dough looks a little crumbly while mixing, don't worry, it will come together.  I get between 27 and 30 cookies and I bake them for 10 minutes (NO LONGER).  They will look underdone, but they set up perfectly.   

Funfetti Cupcakes

What You Need

• 2 1/4 c. cake flour
• 1 c. whole milk
• 6 Lg. egg whites (3/4 cup)
• 2 tsp. almond extract 
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 c. sugar
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. table salt
• 12 T. unsalted butter, soft but still cool
• 4 T. jimmies (sprinkles)

To Make It

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  
2. Line muffin tin with paper liners.  
3. Pour milk, egg whites and extracts into a 2 cup glass measure and mix with a fork until blended.  
4. Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed.  Add butter, continue beating at slow speed until resembles moist crumbs with no powdery streaks remaining.  
5. Add all but 1/2 cup milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes. 
6. Add remaining milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more.  Stop mixer and scrape bowl.  
7. Add jimmies and  return to medium and beat 20 seconds.  
8. Scoop into liners, filling 2/3 full.  
9. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 14-18 minutes. 
10. Let rest in pan 3 minutes.  Remove and cool completely. 
11. Frost with Butter cream frosting.

 

Yield: 24-26 cupcakes.