Egg Nog

A holiday tradition at my house- Mom makes the nog and we trim the tree. I am going to have to whip me up some this year.....

3 eggs, separated
2 T sugar (I think Mom puts in about 1/4 cup of sugar- make it to taste)
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c half-and-half
Fresh nutmeg

1. Beat the yolks with sugar until well blended. Stir in the vanilla, milk, and half-and-half.

2. Beat the egg whites and fold them in thoroughly. You don't need to be too gentle; they should lighten the drink but not be discernible. Top with grated nutmeg and serve.

From: How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

Easy Hot Fudge

This is the notorious hot fudge recipe that caused me great problems when I tried making the sweetened condensed milk from scratch. But it is FABULOUS if you don't try to be Fran the Food Storage Queen- just BUY the stuff from the store.

For 1 pint:

3oz semi-sweet chocolate* (3 squares of baking chocolate, or about 1/2 C chocolate chips

1/4 C butter (that's a half of a stick folks. Admit it, at least one of you didn't know that)

1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

*I wouldn't use milk chocolate for this, it's way too sweet, however both dark and bittersweet are awesome

1. If you're using baking squares, chop them up into small pieces so they melt easier. I chop the butter up into small chunks too.


2. Okay, it's not rocket science. Put it in a pan on medium heat and melt it all together till it's smooth, creamy, and just looking at it gives you happy thoughts.

3. If you have leftovers (but let's be honest, you'll have to quadruple the recipe to have leftovers) then put it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will harden into a soft, gooey fudge like consistency.


From: ourbestbites.com

Shrimp Pasta in a Foil Package

UPDATE: Obviously I didn't use white wine. (I hope it's obvious!) I used 1/4 c water and 1/4 c apple cider vinegar. Enjoy!

Yummmmm!!!!!

Ingredients

• ½ cups Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 3 whole 14.5 Ounce Cans Diced (or Whole) Tomatoes
• 1/4 c water
• 1/4 c apple cider vinegar
  
• 2 pounds Jumbo Or Large Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined
• Salt And Pepper (to Taste)
• Fresh Parsley, Minced
• 1 pound Linguine, Uncooked
• Red Pepper Flakes (to Taste)

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta for 1/2 the recommended cooking time. Pasta should still be very firm.

In a large skillet or pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for a minute. Dump in the tomatoes and wine. Stir the mixture together, season with salt and pepper, and allow to cook for ten minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare a large parcel of heavy duty aluminum foil. It should be large enough to hold the entire pasta dish.

Throw the shrimp on the top of the pasta sauce. Throw the drained pasta over the top, then pour the whole dish onto the foil. Tightly wrap the foil into a parcel.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and keep warm until serving.

Open the foil parcel right before serving. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over the top. Squeeze on lemon juice, if desired.

From: The Pioneer Woman

Eggnog Bundt Cake

1 yellow cake mix (preferably with pudding in the mix)
3 T. flour
2 c. eggnog
¼ c. butter, softened
2 eggs, slightly beaten
¼ tsp. rum extract
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Beat until smooth and creamy. Pour into greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes. Dust lightly with powdered sugar for presentation.

Caramel sauce:
½ lb brown sugar (~1 1/8 c.)
½ lb butter
½ lb powdered sugar (~2 cups)
½ T. cinnamon
½ qt. rich vanilla ice cream

Melt together over medium heat. Pour warm over individual servings immediately before serving.

From: The Sisters' Cafe

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

Ingredients
2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix (or 1 box spice cake mix)
1 (5.1-ounce) box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping
1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

Directions
Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

From: Amanda Wilkinson

Peppermint Marshmallows

1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. cornstarch
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 1/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. crushed peppermint candy canes (about 6)
1/8 tsp. salt

*Tip: to crush your candy canes, break them up in large pieces, then seal them in a Zip Loc bag. Put your bag on a sturdy cutting board and use a hammer to smash them into a powder. The finer the powder, the better.

1. Into a small bowl, sift together powdered sugar and cornstarch. Line a 9x13" pan with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Sift 2 Tbsp. of the powdered sugar mixture into pan and tilt to coat all sides. Leave excess in pan.

3. Place 2/3 c. water in a large bowl and sprinkle with gelatin. Let soften 5 minutes.

4. In medium, heavy-bottom saucepan, heat sugar, corn syrup, candy cane, and salt over medium heat until completely dissolved (about 7 minutes).

5. Pour into bowl with gelatin mixture and beat on high speed with electric mixer until light and fluffy (10-15 minutes).

6. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Smooth top and dush with powdered sugar mixture. Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours.

7. Lift from pan with foil. With a small, wet cookie cutter, cut shapes and dip sides in sugar mixture. Cut up remaining marshmallows into small, irregular pieces (these are the ones I let my kids and husband eat!). Or, using a wet knife, cut into 6 large squares and dip sides into powdered sugar mixture. Then cut each of those squares into 9 pieces and dip in sugar mixture.

8. Store at room temp, loosely covered.

From: littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com

Starbuck's Peppermint Brownies

Here's a great one for the holidays (or anytime you want, really). It's a mint chocolate brownie with peppermint buttercream frosting on top and creamy chocolate frosting on top of that. And to simplify the cloning process a bit, we start with a common fudge brownie mix. By changing the required ingredients listed on the brownie mix box and adding some other modified steps, we can improve on the finished product. Rather than oil, use a stick of melted butter in your brownies for a richer, better flavor. And cook the brownies at a slightly lower temperature so that they come out moist and chewy. Since this recipe is for peppermint brownies, adding just a bit of peppermint extract will do the trick. The peppermint brownies from Starbucks have red and white frosting drizzled lightly across the top. To save time, buy premade red and white colored frostings that come in little cans (with tips included).
	Brownies one 19.5-ounce box fudge brownie mix (Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix works great) 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted 1/4 cup water 2 large eggs 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract Peppermint Buttercream Frosting 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1 tablespoon milk 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract Chocolate Frosting 1/3 cup whole milk 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter one 12-ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup powdered sugar Decorative Icing 1 can white frosting (with fine tip) 1 can red frosting (with fine tip)
	1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, then prepare a 9 x 9-inch baking pan by spraying it with a light coating of nonstick spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper or nonstick aluminum foil to the same width as the bottom of the pan, but make it much longer than the pan so that the left and right ends go up and out of the pan on the left and right sides. This will create a "sling" that will help you lift the brownies out of the pan after they've baked. 2. Make the brownie batter by first sifting the box of ingredients. This will destroy any clumps. Add the melted butter, water, eggs, and peppermint extract and mix the batter by hand just until all the dry stuff is mixed in. Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan and bake it for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Allow the brownies to cool before frosting. 3. Make the peppermint buttercream frosting by beating together 1 cup of powdered sugar and the softened butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer. Mix in another 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, then add the milk and the peppermint and vanilla extracts. Mix for about 1 minute to make the frosting smooth. Add an additional 1/4 cup of powdered sugar if the frosting is too thin and light. You want a frosting that can be spread easily, yet it should be firm enough to hold up the layer of chocolate frosting that's coming next. When the brownie has cooled, use a spatula to spread the frosting evenly over the top. Put the brownie in the fridge to firm up the buttercream frosting. 4. Make the chocolate frosting by bringing the whole milk and butter to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour the chocolate chips into a heat-safe bowl. When the milk and butter comes to a boil, pour the mixture over the chocolate chips and let it all just sit there in the bowl for a couple minutes. Add the vanilla to the mixture and whisk until smooth. Use an electric mixer to beat in the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth. Spread the chocolate frosting over the white frosting on the brownie. 5. Add the decorative red and white icing by first applying the white icing to the top of the cake in a sweeping motion diagonally across the top of the entire cake, then add the red icing over the white in the same sweeping motion in the same direction. 6. Stick the brownie back in the fridge for about an hour before removing it from the pan and slicing it into 9 equal portions. The leftovers will keep well for several days covered in the refrigerator. From: topsecretrecipes.com

Homemade Egg Noodles

First you need eggs- I use nine because there are nine of us in this household. If it were me....I'd use close to that (about an egg per person) because if you don't have left overs the Natives get very very cranky.

Oil and salt- 1/3 cup oil and 1 TBL. salt. I know! It sounds like a lot of salt but don't worry.

Throw the eggs, oil, and salt into you mixer. Any mixer or by hand if you've the biceps. Give it a good whirl.

Flour- This part is a bit tricky. Most people add too much flour to their baking. You want your dough to be sticky. Don't be afraid of sticky. Sticky is your friend when making bread....rolls......noodles.....cinnamon rolls....

Generously flour your counter top, your kitchen table, your kitchen floor if it is clean enough......where ever you are going to roll out your dough.

Dump your dough onto your floured surface area and roll your dough in the flour. Don't knead it! Just cover your dough in flour. We're going to take care of that sticky.

Roll out your dough about an 1/8th inch thick and then drown your dough in flour again. Cover that sucker in flour. You need a good amount of flour for the next step.

Now you are going to roll your dough like you would cinnamon rolls. We don't want the dough sticking together so make sure you have enough flour on top of the dough and under it as you roll.

Now, grab you a serrated knife and start cutting your noodles. I like mine about a 1/2 inch wide.

Now for the fun part. Try to keep as much flour as you can on the noodle as you drop them into the soup. The flour becomes your thickener.

Mmmm, now stand back and watch the magic happen. Watch as the noodles take on a life of their own and grow so big you run scrambling to find another pot as noodles wriggle over the sides of your stock pot. True story!

From: Rachel Rubow

Amazing Pumpkin Pie

This pumpkin pie was chosen to accommodate my dietary needs. It has no dairy or cane sugar and it's fantastic! It has a little bit of a different flavor to it with it being sweetened with maple syrup which I completely love. I know what I'll be having for breakfast....

2 cups of pumpkin Puree
1 14 oz can of Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk (not lite)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cardamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup of honey
1/2 cup of grade b maple syrup

1 good pie crust

1-Have your pie crust rolled out and in the pie tin. Preheat the oven
to 375 degrees.

2-Mix all of the ingredients together in a medium size bowl, except
the honey and maple syrup. Set aside

3- Combine the honey and maple in a small pot. Bring to a gentle
simmer. Make sure it doesn’t boil over! Let it simmer until the
mixture reaches the soft ball stage (the temperature should be between
234-242 degrees). To check it, drop a small amount of the syrup with a
warm wooden or metal spoon into cold water. Quickly gather the syrup
in between your fingers, at the soft ball stage it will be a limp
sticky ball that flattens between your fingers when removed from the
water. I find it helpful to check at least several times as the
temperature gets close. If you are new at this, you may want to take
the pot off of the heat while you check it.

4-When it is done, allow it to cool for about 5 minutes and then add
to the rest of the ingredients. Mix thoroughly, and pour into the pie
crust.

5-Place in the middle of the oven and bake until the center is set (it
will still seem quivery, like gelatin, when you nudge the pan). 45
minutes to 1 hour is the usual time. Let cool completely and then
refrigerate. Enjoy!

The BEST Crust Recipe

Tried this crust for Thanksgiving and it is hands down the best. It turned out so flaky and fabulous!

Pie Crust: (this will make one crust; double the recipe if two crusts are needed)
1 cup plus 2 TBSP flour
½ tsp. salt (or slightly less)
1/3 cup oil
2 TBSP cold water



Place the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and stir together with a fork. Then drizzle the oil and water over the flour mixture. Take your fork and mix together just enough to roughly blend it together. Do NOT overmix! Overmixing will make a stiff crust that is not flaky.



Then take your CLEAN hand and mold the dough into a ball. Again do only as needed. Do not knead or mix the dough. There should still be small chunks of flour.



Place a piece of wax paper on the countertop and another piece of wax paper on top of the dough ball. Now roll out the dough between the paper into a circle with a rolling pin.



Place your dough into a pie plate and lift the edges so that if fills the inside of the plate. Take a knife and cut off the excess pie dough from around the edge of the dish. Now use your fingers and pinch in the top edge of the crust to make a fluted edge. I do this by using the index finger and thumb of my left hand held together on one side of the crust and push the crust against them with my left index finger.



From: theidearoom.blogspot.com

Impossible Pumpkin Pie

Don’t have time to make a crust? Don’t worry, this pie makes its own!

3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. bisquick
2 T. margarine
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk (1/2 c. +1 T. dry milk
powder +1-1/2 c. water)
2 eggs (2 T. dry egg powder + 1/4 c. water)
1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
2 t. vanilla

Heat oven to 350. Grease pie plat. Beat all ingredients until smooth, 1 minute in blender on high for 2 minutes. Pour into pie plate. Bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean, 50-55 minutes.

From: everydayfoodstorage.net

Easy Pecan Pie

20 Ritz crackers, crushed
1 c. chopped pecans
1 c. sugar
3 egg whites
1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine crackers, pecans and 1/2 c. sugar. Beat egg white until stiff. Gradually add remaining 1/2 c. sugar and vanilla. Spread on bottom and side of greased 9” pie pan to make pie shell. Bake in 325 oven for 30 minutes. Cool. Fill with whipped cream. Garnish with pecans, chocolate slivers, and cherries.

*This is a recipe from my Aunt who got it from an old Eastern inn. It was the house secret for many years.

From: everydayfoodstorage.net

No-Knead Bread

Ignorance is Bliss Cake

subtitled: It's OK, butter is actually good for you in a way that margarine never was, says Michael Pollan

• Melt 2 sticks of butter
• On the side, boil one cup of water
• Add four heaping (and when I say heaping, I mean basically just keep going. Maybe use the biggest excuse for a spoon you can find in the house) tablespoons baking cocoa to the butter and whisk it in. Add boiling water. Let it bubble for 30 seconds and then turn off the heat and set it aside
• Combine 1 cup white flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour (danger! We're deviating from the Pioneer Woman's carefully laid plans now!), 1 cup sugar (maybe even brown sugar. Ha! Take that!) and some salt
• Add in chocolate mixture, only stirring slightly
• In another bowl, combine 1/2 cup buttermilk (or regular milk with a dash of vinegar), 2 beaten eggs, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp baking soda
• Add to the chocolate/flour mixture and mix well
• Pour into a 9 x 13 pan because this used to be a sheet cake but I don't have a sheet cake pan. What are you going to do about it?
• Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick in the middle comes out clean, which for me was exactly 20 minutes

MEANWHILE, and this is the really nefarious part:

• Melt 1 1/2 sticks of butter, whisk in 8 heaping tablespoons of baking cocoa (just kind of keep going until it's ludicrously chocolately) and add 1 can of sweetened condensed milk. (Sweetened condensed milk isn't really sugar, friends. It's a dairy product.)
• Chop & add 1 cup walnuts if you're so inclined. Whisk in a splash of milk or maybe some WHIPPING CREAM and the nuts and let it all bubble for a little, stirring until smooth, and then turn off the heat

• When the cake comes out, poke holes all over it with a stick that you bought to make carmel apples with. Then pour the glaze all over the poor unsuspecting cake, being sure to drown the living daylights out of it.
• Best eaten straight out of the hot pan with a fork. Or you can cut it and pretend to be civilized if you must.

From: Morgan Anneke Majors

Market Street Grill Clam Chowder

1 cup potatoes, diced ½ inch
1 cup celery, diced ½ inch
1 cup onion, diced ½ inch
1 cup green pepper, diced ½ inch
1 cup leeks, diced ½ inch
¾ cup chopped clams (canned or fresh)
¾ tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoon salt
¾ tablespoon whole thyme
6 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Tabasco
2 cups water
¾ cup clam juice (drained from canned clams or purchased separately in can)
¾ cup butter, melted
1 cup flour
2 quarts half-and-half

Directions:Combine melted butter and flour in oven-proof container and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. In large saucepan, combine remaining ingredients except half-and-half. Simmer until potatoes are thoroughly cooked. Stir butter-flour mixture into chowder and stir until thick. Mixture will be slightly less thick than cookie dough. Remove chowder from heat. Stir in half-and-half until blended. Heat to serving temperature, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.

From: Amanda Wilkinson

Ham and Cheese Rolls

From Robyn Green:

"Start with 3 cups flour (I never measure exactly when I'm making bread, by the way). Add 1 1/2 T salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup powdered milk (optional, but this makes the bread softer...you can also use regular milk as a substitute for some of the water), and 3 T yeast. About the yeast---I use the instant yeast from Sam's--it comes in a brick and I store it in a plastic container in my freezer. This type of yeast can be added directly to the flour, making it much easier, and it taste better than the regular yeast.

Sift that all together.

In a small bowl, mix 1 egg and 1/3 cup oil. I use a separate bowl so I can beat the egg before adding it to the flour, and I add it after the water because it mixes better...but you don't want to cook the egg in the hot water, so adding it to the oil helps. Just a tip.

Measure out 4 cups hot water--the hottest you can get from the tap. Add 2 cups of water to the flour and mix, adding more water and mixing until it is smooth and creamy, but not too watery (about 3-3 1/2 cups water, typically). Add the egg and oil mixture.

At this point, you need to add about 3-4 more cups flour, but I suggest doing it one cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Too much flour will make the dough dry, and it is easier to mix if it is added slowly. After about 2 cups, I usually turn it out onto a floured counter top and start kneading, adding more dough as I go. Keep kneading until the dough is tacky, but not sticking to the surface. The more you knead, the softer it will be. This is kind of a tricky point--and much easier if you have a mixer, which I don't. If you have a mixer, it is still best to add the dough slowly to avoid adding too much flour.

Put the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a dishtowel. Let it rise until doubled--usually 45 min to an hour. The rule is--the slower the rise, the softer the dough. It is also easier to roll out when it has risen properly. In a pinch, you can help it rise faster by putting the bowl on the stove top of a warm oven. When it has risen, divide it in half and roll it out on a floured surface. Make it into a long rectangle.

For the filling: I use a dry Alfredo sauce mix, made with a little less butter and milk so it is thicker than regular sauce, but you can also use jarred Alfredo sauce, thick salad dressing, or even spaghetti sauce. I also chop ham, and use whatever shredded cheese I have on hand (last night I used Monterrey jack, mozzarella, and cheddar). When I'm feeling fancy, I add drained spinach and artichokes, or make pizza rolls with spaghetti sauce and pepperoni and sausage( these are messier to make because the sauce is typically watery).

Spread the sauce, then the ham, then cheese, and roll up like cinnamon rolls. Slice about 1 in thick and place on a greased pan. Let them rise a few more minutes (maybe while the oven is preheating) until they look a little puffy, and bake until they look pretty--about 18 minutes.

These freeze really well if they are wrapped tightly--to reheat, just stick them in the microwave for 30 seconds or so!"

From: Robyn Green

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

These are my current obsession. I ADORE them. I tagged the recipe as a main dish because that's how I've been eating them lately!

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t parsley
fresh ground pepper (about 10 turns of a pepper mill

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet lightly with cooking spray. Don't use a silpat, or parchment, or anything like that. You want them right on the cookie sheet. Slice your sweet potatoes into french fry shape and size. I like mine to be 1/4", or maybe a tad bit bigger.

It's important that all of the pieces are evenly sized to ensure even cooking. So toss any irregular pieces aside (or eat them in another dish). When you're ready you'll have something that looks like a pile of carrots.

Put the sweet potatoes in a bowl and drizzle the olive oil over them. Use your hands to make sure each one is coated. If you've got more than a pound of sweet potatoes, add a little extra olive oil. They should all be glistening, just eyeball it. Then sprinkle on all of the herbs and spices and continue to toss until well coated. Place the fries on the baking sheet. It's very important that they are not touching, but can place them pretty close together.

Place cookie sheet in pre-heated oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. Don't open the oven door, not even for a peak! Let them do their thing. After 15 minutes take pan of oven and flip the fries. If you try to do it one at a time it will take forever, I take a long spatula and get a bunch at at time. It's super quick. Just flip, and then make sure they're spaced out again. Be careful because at this point they're quite soft.

Put the pan in the oven and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Just keep an eye on them. They should be nice and golden brown.

From: ourbestbites.com

Gluten and Dairy Free Mini Muffins- (a work in progress)

1 cup coconut flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
¼ cup agave nectar
¼ cup grapeseed oil

In a large bowl, combine coconut flour, salt and baking soda. In a smaller bowl, blend together eggs, agave and oil. Blend wet ingredients into dry. Scoop batter 1 tablespoon at a time into greased mini muffin tins. Bake at 350° for 7-8 minutes. Cool then remove from muffin tins and serve.

Adaptations:
- Replace agave nectar with brown rice syrup. You should add more syrup than the amount of sweetener called for- twice the amount of syrup when replacing agave.

-Replace eggs with flax. 2 T ground flax plus 6 T water equals 2 eggs. Let the mixture sit before adding to recipe. I tried making with eggs this time and it was the first time I've tried them in a while. I got sick. Don't know if it was the eggs or if it was something else, but hopefully I'll find out when my tests come back. This will probably work just as well with the flax.

- Add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary and 1 tablespoon lemon zest- packed and heaping. This is what the recipe originally calls for, but I thought it was way too much rosemary. I'm wondering if it was a typo. If I try it again, I'll update the amount I actually use.

-Add pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices. I added pumpkin to the unchanged recipe and then added spices and vanilla and the oil should have been reduced or eliminated. They were still good though. I will certainly be trying to improve this one. I miss eating pumpkin laced treats.

Still a lot to work on before perfecting this one. I served them at a girls night the other night and made a double batch. I forgot to not double the baking soda. They were disgusting. I threw them away. But the pumpkin ones I made this morning worked pretty well. Poor girls night friends. I wonder if they will ever eat my food again.

Adapted from: elenaspantry.com

Banana Sweetened Granola

1 ripe or frozen banana
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoon brown rice syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
1 cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons flax seeds
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375° F.Using a blender, blend together banana, water, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and sea salt until very smooth.Toss banana puree together with rolled oats and nuts. Lay everything out in a single layer on a tinfoil lined baking pan (it may stick a little). Bake for 40 minutes until oats are starting to brown. Stir 4 times throughout, breaking up any clumps that are forming.Add shredded coconut when there are 12 minutes left of baking time to lightly toast.Remove from oven and add the flax seeds and raisins. Serve with milk or yogurt or as a snack on its own.

Adaptations:
Replace banana with 1/2 c pumpkin. Increase cinnamon to 1 T, add 3/4 t allspice, 1/2 t cloves, and 1 1/2 t ginger.

Nearly-Instant Applesauce

INGREDIENTS

• 4 apples - peeled, cored and chopped
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup white sugar (though I would use a bit less next time)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  

Directions

1. In a crockpot, combine apples, water, sugar, and cinnamon. Cover, and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours (or until apples are soft). Run to through the blender til smooth. Allow to cool and then store in the container of your choice.

From: Amanda Wilkinson

Fall Harvest Alfredo

2/3 C. Magic Mix
1 C. Water
1/4 C. Shredded Parmesan Cheese (If you use canned parmesan cheese it will be thicker)
1/2 C. Cooked and Pureed Pumpkin
1/2 t. Cinnamon
Dash of Nutmeg
1/4 C. Sour Cream or Cream Cheese
1 C. chopped Chicken
4 C. favorite pasta
Chopped Apple (to garnish, 1/2 an apple per person)

Instructions
1. Get you noodles boiling and chicken cooking.
2. Make a white sauce from magic mix by combine magic mix and water in sauce pan over medium high heat, stirring constantly until it boils and thickens. Once the sauce is thickened, turn heat to low and add parmesan cheese, pumpkin, spices, and sour cream.
3. Combine noodles, chicken, and sauce and serve immediately.
4. Garnish with chopped apples.

From: everydayfoodstorage.net

Chocolate Truffles with Sea Salt

8 to 9 ounces good semisweet chocolate
8 to 9 ounces good bittersweet chocolate
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 ounces meltable milk chocolate

Heat chocolate and condensed milk in a double boiler over medium low heat until chocolate is melted. Stir—mixture will have a slight marshmallow texture.Stir in vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for two hours. Roll in balls, then roll in melted chocolate coating. Sprinkle with sea salt or other fine, coarse sprinkles.

From: thepioneerwoman.com

Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts and Tomatoes

NOTE: I tried to make this recipe according to my dietary restrictions and so I replaced the heavy cream with coconut milk. Holy. Stinkin'. Goodness. I can't imagine it tasting better with cream. Even if I were eating dairy, I'd make this with coconut milk. I'm stuffed.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1 14.5 ounce can artichoke hearts (quartered or whole), drained
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth, more as needed
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste
1 pound thin spaghetti
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped chives or other herbs

Cook spaghetti till al dente. Drain and set aside.
Melt olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add artichoke hearts and tomatoes. Stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste (do not undersalt!) Cook over low heat until heated through, then turn off heat.
Place drained pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 cup Parmesan. Pour sauce over the top. Add chopped chives. Toss lightly to combine and coat; add a tiny bit of reserved pasta water if sauce seems too thick.

From: thepioneerwoman.com

Heavenly Harvest Cookies

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 2 cups vegetable shortening
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 2 large eggs
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
• 2 cups raisins and/or chocolate chips (I like raisins or a combo . . . the chocolate chips by themselves seem to overpower the overall flavor of the cookie)
  
• 1 cup nuts, chopped (optional - I prefer pecans)
  
• FROSTING
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 3 teaspoons to 4 rum extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk

FOR COOKIES:

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice in medium bowl. Beat shortening and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl for 30 seconds. Add pumpkin, eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture into pumpkin mixture at low speed until combined. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely. Spread each cookie with frosting.

FOR FROSTING:

BEAT butter, rum extract and remaining vanilla extract in medium mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar and evaporated milk until smooth (frosting will be thin).

From: Amanda Wilkinson

Harvest Pumpkin Brownies

1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin
4 eggs (1/4 C. dry egg powder + 1/2 C. water)
3/4 C. vegetable oil (or 3/4 C. white bean puree)
2 t. vanilla
2 C. whole wheat flour
2 C. sugar
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
2 t. ground cinnamon
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt

Mix wet ingredients (including the water needed for your powdered eggs but not the dry egg powder…remember you DON’T need to mix these before adding to your recipes) Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients. Pour into 9×13 pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool and frost with cream cheese frosting or dollup cinnamon whipped topping.

From: everydayfoodstorage.net

Gluten Free 10 Minute Flat Bread

1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup water
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp oil

Combine all ingredients except oil. Heat a 6" NONSTICK skillet (must be nonstick) fairly hot. Spread 1 tsp oil into skillet, then add the thin batter. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Uncover, spread with 1 tsp oil and cook uncovered 5 minutes. Flip the bread and cook another 5 minutes uncovered and serve. You can keep cooking/flipping to get it as crispy as you want. Any flour will work, but some may need more water to get a thin batter. Can be used as a tortilla, sandwich 'bread', crispy bread, pizza crust, etc.

Note: I don't use as much oil. I add just enough to the pan so that the bread doesn't stick and then I skip the step of adding more oil before flipping. I then use the bread as a tortilla for open faced tacos.

Allergy Free Muffins

No wheat, dairy, egg, or sugar- but tastes great!

1 T ground flax seed
3 T water
1 c oat flour (put oatmeal in a coffee grinder or food processor to create flour)
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 T rice syrup or other sweetener
1/3 c almond milk
1 T oil
add-ins: blueberries, peaches, etc.

Mix ground flax seed with water and set aside. In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients. Then add the wet ingredients. Once the flax seed combination becomes gelled, add it to the wet and dry ingredients. Mix in add ins. I love peaches in mine. Cook for 15 minutes at 425. You will be surprised by the taste and light texture.

Do you have any suggestions for add-ins? I'd love to know what you put in yours.

Extra-Crusty Baked Rigatoni with Beef Ragu

1 lb rigatoni
2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1.5 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 large can (28 oz) peeled and chopped tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz mozarella, shredded
1 cup grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 350. Cook rigatoni to al dente, drain, and toss in a large bowl with a little olive oil. In same large pot you cooked the noodles in, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add beef, and cook, stirring, until no pink remains, about 10 minutes. drain off any fat. Add the parsley, oregano, and tomatoes and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. Stir in cream, raise the heat, and return to a boil. remove the pan from the heat, and season with salt and pepper. Add rigatoni and toss to coat. Oil a 3 qt baking dish. Spread half the pasta mixture in the bottom. Top with half the mozarella. Top with remaining pasta mixture. Top with remaining mozarella. Top with the grated parmesan. Bake until sauce is bubbly and top is crusty and golden, about 35 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. :)

From: Amanda Wilkinson

The Best Peach Pie Ever

Crust:
8 full graham crackers crushed
3 TBSP sugar
6TBSP melted butter

Mix together and press into a pie plate.

Pie:
Cover the crust with 2-3 fresh sliced peaches (skinned of course and don't be afraid to add more). Mix together one can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk and 1/4 c lemon juice (stir until it thickens). Pour over peaches. Top with 1 pint whip cream (sweetened, of course). Chill in fridge for 2 hrs and be amazed at how quickly it disappears. (This pie is even better the next day.)

Funky Spaghetti

Ingredients:Serves 3–4


1 pound spaghetti or linguine
11 to 14 ounces cherry tomatoes , red and yellow
2 handfuls of fresh marjoram and basil , leaves picked
6 to 8 glugs extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic (peeled and finely chopped)
Splash of red wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put pasta in large pot of boiling water and cook until al dente. Halve tomatoes, put in bowl and add herbs, olive oil, garlic and vinegar.

Season to taste, then scrunch tomatoes until slightly mushed. Drain pasta, and while still steaming, mix with tomatoes.

Separate onto plates and serve.

From: oprah.com

Rachael Ray's Fake-Out Dip Recipe

Ingredients:

4 basil leaves
4 pieces sun-dried tomato
2 tubs semisoft garlic and herb cheese
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato tapenade
1/4 cup pesto

Line a 6-inch Pyrex bowl with plastic wrap. In the bottom of the bowl, arrange the basil leaves in a flower shape. Place the sun-dried tomato pieces in between the basil.

Empty 1 tub of the cheese on top of the basil and sun-dried tomato layer. Dunk a spatula in a bowl of hot water; this will make the cheese easy to spread. Smooth the cheese as if you were frosting a cake.

Scoop the sun-dried tomato tapenade on top of the cheese and spread into a smooth layer. Spread the pesto evenly on top of the tapenade.

Dump the other tub of cheese on top of the pesto and spread evenly.

Refrigerate the dip or serve immediately. To serve, place a serving plate on top of the bowl and turn the bowl upside down. Remove the bowl first, then the plastic wrap.

Place the dip with crackers or cucumbers and carrots, and you're ready to party!

From: oprah.com

Charred Spanish Ham Cheese Melts and Hot Olives with Herbs and Spices

Ingredients:Serves 4


8 slices crusty bread from a good-size loaf, 1/2 inch thick, at least 5 inches across and 3 inches wide
1/3 pound thinly sliced Serrano ham
1/3 to 1/2 pound manchego , thinly sliced with sharp knife or cheese plane
1 cup hot pickled vegetable salad of cauliflower, carrots, celery and hot peppers (giardiniera) drained
1/2 cup sweet pickled red pepper relish or sweet pickle relish
2 cups mixed good quality olives
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves , finely chopped
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Extra-virgin olive oil , EVOO, for drizzling
Form sandwiches of Serrano and cheese in equal amounts. Grind the hot pickled vegetables and the sweet pickle relish in food processor and pulse chop to make a relish. Spread the relish evenly on sandwich tops and set into place.

Place olives in a foil pouch and season with thyme, lemon zest, cumin seeds and red pepper flakes. Drizzle with EVOO and seal the pouch. Place pouch on grill and cook a few minutes on each side to heat the olives, herbs and spices.

Place sandwiches on grill and weigh down with heavy skillet or a brick covered in foil. Char and heat the sandwiches through—2 to 3 minutes on each side.

Cut sammies in half and serve with hot olives on the side.

From: oprah.com

Grandmother Paul's Sour Cream Pound Cake

Food Network cook Paula Deen shares her recipe for Grandmother Paul's Sour Cream Pound Cake—a treat her grandma used to make!

Ingredients:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
3 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together; add sour cream. Sift flour and baking soda together. Add to creamed mixture, alternately with eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.

From: oprah.com

Tim McGraw's Chicken and Dumplings

Tim McGraw made his grandmother's chicken and dumplings for Faith Hill when they were dating! They go perfectly with Faith's cornbread.

Ingredients:

1 small chicken
Water
Pinch of salt
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter shortening
1/2 cup buttermilk
Boil chicken in a pot, adding salt to taste. When tender, pull chicken from the bone and return to the pot, adding broth.

In a bowl, combine shortening and flour, mix together with a pastry cutter, then add buttermilk to form a doughy consistency (similar to how you would make biscuits). Sprinkle flour on cutting board. Pinch off part of the dough and roll into a thin sheet and cut into squares. Drop one square at a time into broth. Continue this until all of the dough is used. Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer until tender.

Allow the dumplings to thicken the broth for 2 hours until it is a creamy consistency.

From: oprah.com

Tom Cruise's Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients:Makes 4 servings


1/2 inch olive oil (for frying pan)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 chopped onion
8 to 12 thick slices Italian bacon
4 eggs
2 packages spaghetti
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
In a frying pan, combine 1/2 inch of olive oil, 2 cloves of minced garlic, one chopped onion and the Italian bacon cut into small squares. Let simmer for about a half-hour, being careful not to let the oil get to a boiling point.

In a bowl, beat 4 eggs with lots of salt and fresh ground pepper.

Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Cook both packages of spaghetti until al dente, drain and immediately add egg mixture to pasta. The eggs are actually cooked by the pasta. (Make sure the eggs are thoroughly cooked before proceeding.) Stir the egg mixture until it is well mixed. Pour in the mixture from the frying pan and stir. Finish with the Parmesan cheese and serve!

From: oprah.com

Mar-a-Lago Key Lime Pie

This refreshing Key Lime Pie is the most requested dessert on the menu at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida.


Ingredients:Serves 8

Graham Cracker Crust:


3/4 pound graham crackers
4 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 sticks melted butter
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Filling:


4 egg yolks
1 can (14 ounces) condensed milk
2/3 cup fresh Key lime juice
1 lime , grated zest
Topping:


1 cup heavy or whipping cream , chilled
2 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
To make graham cracker crust: Preheat the oven to 325°.

Break up the graham crackers, place in a food processor and process to crumbs. Add the melted butter, sugar and salt and pulse until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan, forming an even layer on the bottom, sides and edge. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the crust to cool.

To make filling: While the crust is resting, in an electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment, whip the egg yolks and lime zest at high speed until fluffy, or 5 to 6 minutes. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to whip until thick, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Lower the mixer speed and slowly add the lime juice until incorporated.

Pour the mixture into the crust and bake for 15 minutes, or until the filling has just set. Cool on a wire rack, and then refrigerate for 20 minutes.

To make topping: Whip the cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until nearly stiff. Evenly spread the whipped cream on top of the pie, and place in the freezer for 20 minutes prior to serving.

From: oprah.com

Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger

Oprah found a new favorite food when she tried this turkey burger at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump's private club in Palm Beach. "I believe [it] may be the best turkey burger in the entire world," she says. The Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger will be permanently available at the Trump Bar and Grille in Trump Tower in New York City, open to the public for lunch and dinner. It will also be served during lunch in Chicago at Sixteen, the Trump International Hotel restaurant.


Ingredients:Serves 6


1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 Granny Smith apples , peeled and diced
1/8 cup canola oil
4 pounds ground turkey breast
2 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. black pepper
2 tsp. Tabasco® chipotle pepper sauce
1 lemon , juiced and grated zest
1/2 bunch parsley , finely chopped
1/4 cup Major Grey's Chutney , pureed
Sauté the scallions, celery and apples in the canola oil until tender. Let cool.

Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Season the turkey burgers with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes.

From: oprah.com

The Cheater's Guide to Chicken and Noodles

1 whole Rotisserie Chicken
12 ounces, weight Amish Kitchens Extra Thick Kluski Egg Noodles
2 whole Carrots, Sliced Thin
2 stalks Celery, Sliced
1 whole Onion, Chopped
3 quarts Water, This Is Approximate
1 clove Garlic, Optional
½ teaspoons Black Pepper
Salt To Taste
Sprinkle Parsley For Garnish

step one:
~Head out to your favorite grocery store

step two:
~Buy one of their regular rotisserie chickens (not the BBQ one, pick out a nice big, juicy one!) - $4.99-5.99
This is MUCH cheaper than buying your own raw chicken only to have to take it home and roast it for 2 hours yourself…trust me.

~get one package (12 oz.) Amish Kitchens Extra Thick Kluski Egg Noodles (don’t get the thin ones, they will mush up into well…mush!) DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT get regular egg noodles…they will not work, they will get mushy and icky, get the Amish noodles for authentic homemade taste. - under $2

~couple carrots, onion, garlic cloves and some celery - about $2.00 at the most.

step three:
~grab a Snickers bar in the check-out line, pay for stuff…go home. - $.50

step four:
~pull meat off the chicken into a container and place in frig for later.
~In large pot, put all bones and skin of carcass and about 3 quarts of water, turn on med-high.
~chop onion, carrots, a large clove of garlic, celery - add to pot.
~Add minimal salt and pepper to taste. (the chicken is salted, so I wait til the end of the cook to add to taste.)
~bring to boil, turn down heat to low heat, cover and simmer for one hour.
~eat Snickers while shopping on Etsy.

step five:
~once your rich stock has been made, with slotted spoon, remove skin and bones and throw them away.
~add your whole bag of noodles and let them cook in a slow rolling boil till tender. (about 10 minutes)
~add the chicken meat back in.
~The noodles will soak up most of the broth once they cook up, leaving you with a very thick chicken and noodle mixture.
Its not really soup at this point, but thats how my family likes it.
You can thin it down a bit with some water if its too thick for your liking, but its really up to you!

Taste and add salt and more pepper to your liking.
Serve with mashed taters and yeast rolls if you like….this tastes really close to homemade!
enjoy! For about $10, you can feed a good 6-8 ppl…especially if you stretch it out with the potatoes (also an inexpensive option

From: Tasty Kitchen

No Bake Cookies made with Chocolate Drink Mix

1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered chocolate drink mix

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar, salt, butter and milk. Bring to a boil, then boil for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter, oats, vanilla and chocolate drink mix. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let stand until completely cool.

Holy Moly!!!!!

I am making the most divine treat in the history of the world! And it's on THIS page because it's FULL of unhealthy goodness. When JD and I were in Sedona, the bed and breakfast place served these delightful squares and JD about keeled over and DIED out of pure blissfulness. So I tracked down the recipe and am making them this very second as a surprise for our date tonight. I can't WAIT to pull them out. They have a crust that I just put into the oven and the dough was the best dough I've EVER tasted. Even better than cookie dough. Seriously.

I like to rename special recipes and have dubbed this one:

Rosemary Sedona Squares

Crust:
1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 T chopped fresh rosemary

Filling:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
5 T flour
2 T chopped fresh rosemary
Zest of 1 hardy skinned medium orange
Juice from about 1/2 an orange (about 1/2 cup)

Cut in butter to the rest of the crust ingredients and press into a 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. DO NOT LET THE TOP BROWN. Cool 5 minutes. Beat together remaining ingredients and pour over pastry. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes until top has started to brown and puff up. Remove from oven. When cool, cut into squares. Garnish with orange zest and rosemary.

From: Lodge at Sedona

Layer Cake Tips

Now that I've added a layer cake, check out smittenkitchen's layer cake tips.

Best Yellow Layer Cake

The author of this recipe claims it to be THE yellow birthday cake to turn to- no weird ingredients, not preservatives (like cake mixes), and is pretty simple.

Yield: Two 9-inch round, 2-inch tall cake layers, and, in theory, 22 to 24 cupcakes, two 8-inch squares or a 9×13 single-layer cake

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, well-shaken

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line with circles of parchment paper, then butter parchment. (Alternately, you can use a cooking spray, either with just butter or butter and flour to speed this process up.)

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled). Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just Incorporated.
Spread batter evenly in cake pan, then rap pan on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge of pan. Invert onto rack and discard parchment, then cool completely, about 1 hour.

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
Only cooking note: Be sure that your sour cream is at room temperature before you make the frosting.

Makes 5 cups of frosting, or enough to frost and fill a two layer 9-inch cake

15 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 1/4 cups sour cream, at room temperature
1/4 to 1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place chocolate in the top of a double-boiler or in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted. (Alternately, you can melt the chocolate in a microwave for 30 seconds, stirring well, and then heating in 15 second increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted.) Remove from heat and let chocolate cool until tepid.

Whisk together the sour cream, 1/4 cup of the corn syrup and vanilla extract until combined. Add the tepid chocolate slowly and stir quickly until the mixture is uniform. Taste for sweetness, and if needed, add additional corn syrup in one tablespoon increments until desired level of sweetness is achieved.

Let cool in the refrigerator until the frosting is a spreadable consistency. This should not take more than 30 minutes. Should the frosting become too thick or stiff, just leave it out until it softens again.

From: smittenkitchen.com

Ridiculously Delicious Pasta Salad

1 12 oz. pkg. bowtie pasta
1 can olives, sliced
¼ to ½ red onion, sliced
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
½ to 1 bag baby spinach
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 bunch broccoli florets
8 oz. swiss cheese, shredded
½ to 2/3 cup craisins
1 ½ cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
1 bottle poppy seed dressing or 1 recipe of poppy seed dressing

Cook pasta and drain. Run under cold water; drain again. Add remaining ingredients and toss with dressing. Chill. Makes about 15 to 20 servings.

Poppy Seed Dressing:
1 ½ tablespoons poppy seed
¾ cup red wine vinegar
1 ½ cups oil
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons grated onion
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoons dry mustard

From: Amanda Wilkinson

Blueberry Boy Bait

What a name! Here's the recipe's history:
"Like any recipe with a great name, this also has a great story, which was that in 1954, a 15-year-old girl stole the show (but only won second prize) in the junior division of an early Pillbury Bake-Off with a variation of this recipe, named, she said, after the effect it had on boys."

Ingredients:
2 cups plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs1 cup whole milk (though buttermilk, which was all I had on hand, worked just great)1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, do not defrost first as it tends to muddle in the batter)

Topping:
1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not defrost)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Whisk two cups flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. With electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, about two minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated and scraping down bowl. Reduce speed to medium and beat in one-third of flour mixture until incorporated; beat in half of milk. Beat in half of remaining flour mixture, then remaining milk, and finally remaining flour mixture. Toss blueberries with remaining one teaspoon flour. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in blueberries. Spread batter into prepared pan.

For the topping: Scatter blueberries over top of batter. Stir sugar and cinnamon together in small bowl and sprinkle over batter. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes, then turn out and place on serving platter (topping side up). Serve warm or at room temperature. (Cake can be stored in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)

From: smittenkitchen.com

Berry Cobbler

6 cups fresh or frozen berries
1/2 c plus 4 T sugar
1 T lemon juice
Zest of half of lemon
2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1 T baking powder
1/4 c Crisco
4 T butter
1 egg
1/2 c milk
Vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 425. Combine berries, 1/2 c sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Stir until combined and set aside.

In a separate bowl, pour flour, salt, baking powder, and 1 T sugar. Add shortening and butter and work mixture together with pastry blender until mix is coarse. Measure 1/2 c milk, add an egg, and mix together. Pour in into flour mixture stirring as you go. Mixture should be smooth and not dry, but not overly sticky.

Take clumps of dough and place them on top of the berries. Lightly flatten dough with your fingertips. Sprinkle with 2-3 T of sugar and bake until golden for 30 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

From: pioneerwoman.com

BBQ Meatballs

I doubled the sauce and put them on hoagies. YUM!

Meatballs:
1 1/2 pounds of ground beef
3/4 c oats
1 c milk
3 T very minced onion
1 1/2 t salt
plenty of ground black pepper
flour

Sauce:
1 c ketchup
2 T sugar
3 T vinegar
2 T Worcestershire
4-6 T onion
Dash of Tabasco

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all meatball ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Roll into medium-small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place sheet in freezer for 5 minutes.

Remove from freezer and immediately dredge in flour.

In a skillet over medium heat brown the meatballs in canola oil until just brown. Place in baking dish. Combine all sauce ingredients and then pour evenly over the top of the meatballs. Now just pop 'em in the oven for about 45 minutes.

From: pioneerwoman.com

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies

Made these for the 4th and boy were they good!

Fresh jalapenos 2-3 inches in size
Cream cheese (softened)
Thin, regular bacon sliced in thirds
Toothpicks

Cut jalapenos in half, length-wise. With a spoon, remove the seeds and white membrane (the source of the heat). Smear cream cheese into each half of jalapeno. Wrap jalapeno with bacon and secure with inserting a toothpick through the center.

Bake on a pan with a rack in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. You don't want the bacon to shrink so much it starts to squeeze the jalapeno. If the bacon isn't brown enough after 20 minutes, turn on the broiler for a couple minutes to finish it off.

From:pioneerwoman.com

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

1 box Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® chocolate chip cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg

1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray, or grease with shortening. Make brownie mix as directed on box, using oil, water and 2 eggs. Spread in pan.

2. Make cookie mix as directed on pouch, using butter and 1 egg. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls evenly onto brownie batter; press down lightly.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean.

4. While still warm, pour chocolate chips over the brownies. Wait until the chocolate chips become shiny. Spread chips as a frosting on top of the brownies. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes.

From: bettycrocker.com with adaptations by me

Copycat Applebee's Walnut Blondie with Maple Butter Sauce

Dough:
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour, sifted
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (or more if desired)
1/3 cup butter or margarine (melted)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Maple Butter Sauce:
3/4 cup maple syrup ( I highly recommend using REAL maple syrup )
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Dough-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt to the already sifted flour. Then sift dry ingredients again. Add chopped nuts and mix well. Set aside.
Add brown sugar to melted butter and mix well. Then add egg and vanilla extract. Mix well. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, until mixed well.Stir in white chocolate chips. Spread out dough in a 9-inch pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Use a toothpick or fork to test if it is cooked in the center. Serve warm with ice cream and Maple Butter Sauce.

Maple Butter Sauce-
In a pan, add real maple syrup and butter, cook over low heat until butter is melted. Next, stir in brown sugar until completely dissolved. If you desire, add walnuts.

From: bakerella.blogspot.com

Thai Curry Soup

2 ounces rice noodles (pad thai noodles)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons minced lemon grass
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons red curry paste
1 (32 ounce) carton chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 (13.5 ounce) can reduced-fat coconut milk
1/2 cup peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 (10 ounce) bag baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rice noodles and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse well with cold water to stop the cooking; set aside.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, lemon grass, and ginger; cook and stir until aromatic, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the curry paste, and cook 30 seconds more. Pour in about 1/2 cup of the chicken broth, and stir until the curry paste has dissolved, then pour in the remaining chicken stock along with the soy sauce and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

Stir in coconut milk, shrimp, mushrooms, spinach, lime juice, and cilantro. Increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until the shrimp turn pink and are no longer translucent, about 5 minutes.

To serve, place some rice noodles into each serving bowl and ladle soup on top of them. Garnish each bowl with a sprinkle of sliced green onion.

From: allrecipes.com

Spicy Roasted Chicken Legs

The Cast of Characters:
Chicken Legs, Butter, Lemon Juice, and Seasonings. (I use Morton’s Hot Salt, but the world is your oyster. Spice wise, anyway.)

Now, I cooked about 24 chicken legs, so I melted 2 sticks regular butter in a saucepan. Then, measure about 1/2 cup of lemon juice… And pour it into the melted butter. Now, you can use ANY seasonings that appeal to you. Sometimes I add a bunch of minced garlic, some salt, and cayenne pepper. I use about 1 tablespoon. And I just dump it right into the butter/lemon juice mixture. Now stir it together well…

Thoroughly rinse your chicken legs. And with tongs, transfer chicken legs to the butter mixture one by one. Tilt the pan if you need to, and slosh the chicken around until thoroughly coated. Remove each chicken leg to a baking rack. And before you pop them in the oven, give ‘em another coat of the butter mixture. Now, give them another sprinkle of seasoning. Don’t be shy! Lay it on, baby. And now they’re ready to roast!

Pop ‘em in a 400-degree oven for exactly thirty minutes. How easy is that? After thirty minutes, they should be nice and golden brown. But if they could use just a little more color, turn the broiler on high and let ‘em sit under it for a minute or two.

From: pioneerwoman.com

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Crust:
25 Oreos
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Crush the Oreos until they’re fine crumbs. Pour melted butter over the top and stir with a fork to combine. Press into pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes, or until set.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Filling:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 8-ounce package softened cream cheese
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 8-ounce package Cool Whip, thawed

Beat the peanut butter with the cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add in the thawed Cool Whip and beat mixture until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.

Pour filling into crust, evening out the top with a knife or spatula. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

From: pioneerwoman.com

Springy, Fluffy Marshmallows

If you make these, let me know how they turn out!

About 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

3 1/2 envelopes (2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin

1 cup cold water, divided

2 cups granulated sugar (cane sugar worked just fine)

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg whites or reconstituted powdered egg whites

1 tablespoon vanilla (alternately: 1/2 of a scraped vanilla bean, 2 teaspoons almond or mint extract or maybe even some food coloring for tinting)

Oil bottom and sides of a 13- by 9- by 2-inch rectangular metal baking pan and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners’ sugar.

In bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold cold water, and let stand to soften.

In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, second 1/2 cup of cold water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240°F, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.

With standing or a hand-held electric mixer beat mixture on high speed until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about six minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer. (Some reviewers felt this took even longer with a hand mixer, but still eventually whipped up nicely.)

In separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites (or reconstituted powdered whites) until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla (or your choice of flavoring) into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan and don’t fret if you don’t get it all out (learning from my mess of a first round). Sift 1/4 cup confectioners sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to one day.

Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into roughly one-inch cubes. (An oiled pizza cutter works well here too.) Sift remaining confectioners’ sugar back into your now-empty baking pan, and roll the marshmallows through it, on all six sides, before shaking off the excess and packing them away.

From: smittenkitchen.com

Egg Drop Soup

Another one to try.

3 eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups of chicken stock
1 tablespoon of corn starch
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon of white pepper
3/4 cup of straw, enoki, or sliced shitaki mushrooms


1. Reserve 1/2 cup of the stock and mix with the cornstarch until dissolved.
2. Place the chicken stock, ginger, soy sauce, green onions, mushrooms and white pepper in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch and stock mixture and stir. Reduce heat to a simmer.
3. Slowly pour in the beaten eggs while stirring the soup. The egg will spread out into ribbons. Turn off the heat and garnish with a few more chopped green onions. Serve immediately.

Truffle Brownies

I want!!!

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 stick margarine
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Chocolate ganache for topping, recipe follows
• Special equipment: 9-inch round foil cake pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Using a hand held electric mixer, beat the eggs and salt together in a large mixing bowl until frothy. Add the sugar and beat until the eggs are thick and pale yellow, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat an additional 30 seconds.

Put the margarine and chocolate in a microwave safe container and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir to insure that the chocolate has melted. Microwave an additional 30 seconds, if needed.

With the mixer running, pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Add the flour and beat 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat an additional 30 seconds.

Spray the cake pan with a pan release spray and pour in the brownie batter. Place the pan on the top rack of the oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes until the center is barely set.* Remove the pan from the oven and let cool. Top with the ganache and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour.

To serve, remove from freezer and slice immediately. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

*Cook's Note: If tested with a toothpick the center will still be gooey. If tested by touch, the center will be soft. It will set once frozen.

Chocolate Ganache:

1/2 cup (4 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup heavy cream

Put the chocolate chips and cream into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove the bowl and stir with a whisk or fork until well mixed. Use immediately. If using the ganache later it will need to be reheated.

Yield: 3/4 cup

From: Robyn Green

Jan Bullock's Lasagna

I was so proud of myself after I made this because it was so good! I couldn't believe it turned out as good at it did for being such an easy recipe.

Cook 1 package of lasagna noodles. I discovered a new kind of noodle that doesn't require cooking before it's placed in the in the pan. Cuts 20 minutes out of the cooking process. It worked great!

Brown 1 lb. hamburger, 1 small onion, and 1/2 clove garlic in 1 T olive oil.

Drain grease from hamburger and add 4 cans of Golden Grain Italian Style Marinara sauce. I couldn't find any Golden Grain, so I used 2 cans of the 1 lb, 8 oz Classico Spicy Tomato and Basil pasta sauce. Add a bay leaf and simmer for 15 minutes.

Spray 9x13 pan. Layer half of the noodles, half of the sauce, sprinkle liberally with mushrooms (I thought the mushrooms made the dish), sliced olives, half of a large container of cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, and lots of mozzarella cheese.

Repeat layers, top with Parmesan. Bake 350 20 minutes. Let sit 20 minutes before serving.

From: Mom Santini

Interesting Observation....

I was looking at my posting and noticed that I've got 2 entries for salads and 17 entries for dessert. Hmmmm....

Chris' Lemon Fudge

First, Chris basically follows the recipe for Remarkable Fudge in the Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook which is:

4 c sugar
2 5-oz cans (1 1/3 c total) evaporated milk
[modification: he believes that powdered milk made as directed makes the recipe more creamy]
1 c margarine or butter
1 12-oz pkg (2 c) semisweet chocolate pieces
[modification: bakers chocolate has more butterfat because it isn't intended to keep it's shape - also makes the fudge more creamy]
1 7-oz jar marshmallow creme
1 tsp vanilla

Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil; extend foil over edges. Butter foil; set aside. Butter sides of a heavy 3-qt saucepan. In it, combine sugar, milk, and butter. Cook and stir over medium-high heat to boiling. Stir and cook to 236 degrees (soft-ball stage; about 12 min).

Remove from heat, add chocolate pieces, marshmallow creme and vanilla (add nuts here if you prefer); stir until the chocolate melts. Pour into pan.


For the lemon fudge, he used white baking chocolate, and 4 tsp of pure lemon extract. Then he layered ground unsweetened chocolate (he suggests 8 oz) on the bottom of the pan as a base for the lemon fudge. The unsweetened chocolate melts itself when the hot fudge is poured over the top. His first recipe he did not line the pan, and the unsweetened chocolate adhered to the pan and he had to heat the bottom to get it out in one piece. By lining the pan with foil, it stays together better - but not absolutely perfect.

From: Chris and Dani DuBois

Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

From: Amanda Wilkinson

Mom's Potato Salad

6 med sized red potatoes (2 lb)
1/4 cup green onions
1, 2-oz jar diced pimientos
1/2 cup nonfat mayo
1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup low fat sour cream
1 T sugar
2 T mustard
1 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t celery seed
1/4 t pepper
1/8 t garlic powder

Cube and cook potatoes, drain. Mix in the the other stuff. Refrigerate. Yum!

From: Mom

Chocolate Caramel Crack(ers)

UPDATE: I made these and they are fantastic- and so pretty!

Another one on my list to make. I've got a lot of baking to do!

4 to 6 sheets matzo or approximately 40 Saltine crackers or crackers of your choice

1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into a few large pieces

1 cup packed light brown sugar

A big pinch of sea salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate)1 cup toasted chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts or a nut of your choice (optional)

Extra sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet completely with foil, and then line the base of the foil with parchment paper, cut to fit. Line the bottom of the baking sheet with matzo or crackers, covering all parts. [If using matzo, you'll need to break pieces to fit any extra spaces, which will be annoying because despite being perforated, it does not actually break in straight lines. I have some luck pressing a serrated knife straight down along a section between perforations, if that (hopefully) makes sense.]

In a medium heavy-duty saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, and stir it over medium heat until it begins to boil. Once it has begun boiling, let it bubble for three more minutes, stirring it well. It will thicken a bit as it cooks. Remove from the heat and add the salt and vanilla, and then quickly pour it over the matzo or crackers. You’ll want to spread it quickly, as it will begin to set as soon as it is poured.

Bake the caramel-covered crackers for 15 minutes, watching carefully as it will bubble and the corners might darken too quickly and/or burn. You can reduce the heat if you see this happening.

Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chips. Let stand five minutes, and then spread them evenly across the caramel. An offset spatula works great here. If you’re using them, sprinkle the chocolate with toasted chopped nuts and/or sea salt. (The sea salt is great on matzo. On Saltines, it’s really not necessary.)

Once completely cool — I sometimes speed this process up in the fridge, impatient as should be expected in the face of caramel crack(ers) — break it into pieces and store it in a container. It should keep for a week but I’ve never seen it last that long.

From: smittenkitchen.com

Whole-Wheat Quick Bread

UPDATE: Yummmmmy! JD said he liked this bread better than the other I make. It's really moist and when it's first taken from the oven it tastes like a giant muffin. Good stuff.

Another one I haven't made, but sure will.

1 egg, beaten (1 T. dry egg powder + 2 T. water)
2 c. buttermilk (1/3 c. dry milk powder + 2 c. water + 2 T. vinegar or lemon juice, let sit for 5 minutes)
3 T. molasses or honey
2 T. butter, melted
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. baking powder

In a bowl, combine egg, buttermilk, molasses or honey, and butter. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Stir well; add to first mixture and mix well. Pour into a greased loaf pan. bake at 400 degrees for about 45-40 minutes, until lightly brown. Cool slightly then turn out of the pan onto a wire rack. Slice while warm. Makes 1 loaf.

From: everydayfoodstorage.net

Key Lime Pie Fudge

I actually haven't made this, but it looks sooooo good!

Graham Cracker Crust
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/4 cups finely crushed graham crackers

Fudge
3 cups good quality white chocolate, finely chopped
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon finely grated Key lime zest (about 5-6 Key limes*)
3 tablespoons lime juice – freshly squeezed is better

Line a square 8"x8 baking pan with foil or parchment paper, extending it up and over pan (this helps you get it out of the pan later). Butter sides and bottom of the pan, especially the corners. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium sized bowl, melt butter in them microwave. Stir in sugar with a fork, braking up any lumps. Add crushed graham crackers and toss to mix well. Spread evenly into the baking pan and bake for 4 to 5 minutes or until edge is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Stir white chocolate and sweetened condensed milk in a large heavy saucepan over low heat just until chocolate is melted and all the lumps are gone. Remove from heat and stir in zest and juice. Spread mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

Cover and chill for two hours or overnight. Lift the fudge from pan using edges of foil. Peel off foil and use a heavy non-serrated knife to cut the fudge into one-inch pieces. (Tip: Keep a damp kitchen towel handy to clean off the knife after each cut. This will keep give your fudge a cleaner appearance.)

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

* Zesting limes - key limes are really small and their zest is very thin. Go very slowly when zesting each lime as you'll be at the pith (white part) after just one or two passes.

From: dozenflours.com

Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

This tastes like a restaurant meal. Really good!!

3 red bell peppers
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used whole milk instead)
Flat leaf parsley, finely minced
Fresh Parmesan, shaved or grated
1/2 to 1 pound pasta: orecchiette, penne, fusilli, etc.

Roast red peppers, then place in a Ziploc bag to allow to sweat. (Put the peppers under the broiler and broil until they are charred and black. You will need to rotate to blacken them all of the way). Peel the charred skins from the peppers, then removed seeds. Set aside. Lightly toast pine nuts in a skillet. Set aside. Puree peppers with pine nuts. Set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions. In a skillet or pot over medium heat, drizzle in olive oil. Add diced onions and garlic and cook until soft. Pour in pepper puree and stir together. Add plenty of salt. Pour in cream and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt, if necessary. (You will need lots of salt). Add cooked pasta, then stir together. Place pasta into a bowl, top with chopped parsley and plenty of shaved Parmesan.

From: pioneerwoman.com

Shamrock Cupcakes

Maybe all of you moms out there already know how to do these shaped cupcakes, but I had to post them so I know how to do them in the future. We made them in our life skills cooking class. So fun!

Ingredients:

	Cupcake batter
	Cupcake tins and liners
	Aluminum foil
	White frosting
	Green food coloring
	Toothpick
	Green licorice (we used Twizzlers Rainbow Twists sold in a pack with other colors)

1. Place paper liners in 32 standard muffin cups, then fill each halfway with the batter.

2. For each cupcake, roll three balls of foil (ours were 2/3 inch in diameter) and insert them evenly around the perimeter between the liner and the tin, as shown.

3. Bake the cupcakes for a few minutes less than the package suggests (because there's less batter per cup than usual), or until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. Allow the cupcakes to cool, then remove them from the tin.

5. Cover each with green frosting (our ratio was 1 teaspoon of green food coloring to one 16-ounce can of white frosting).

6. Use a toothpick to draw leaf veins, and insert a 2-inch-long piece of green licorice for a stem.

From: familyfun.com