Thursday, December 31, 2009

Chocolate Chip Cookie (Tollhouse)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts

Directions
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION: Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

SLICE AND BAKE COOKIE VARIATION:
PREPARE dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.* Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Peanut & Butter Chocolate Ice Cream - Tasty Kitchen website

2-½ cups Whole Milk
1 cup Sugar
⅓ cups Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 whole Pinch Of Salt
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
½ cups Heavy Cream
¾ cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips Or Chunks
½ cups Smooth, Salted Peanut Butter

Preparation Instructions
In a sauce pan over medium heat, stir together 2 cups whole milk, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Heat until the milk starts to steam, but before it starts to boil.

In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/2 cup of whole milk and the cornstarch. Stir until no lumps remain.

Add the cornstarch mixture to the heated milk and chocolate mixture and bring to a low boil. Boil until thickened. The mixture will have the consistency of chocolate pudding. Remove from the flame.

In a small sauce pan, heat 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Once boiling, remove from heat and pour over the chocolate chips. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir the cream and chocolate mixture until incorporated.

Stir the cream and chocolate mixture into the cooling chocolate ice cream base. Place in a bowl, covered with plastic wrap or a lid, and put in the fridge until cool.

Once cool, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the ice cream maker to churn ice cream. Once the mixture has chilled and thickened in the ice cream maker, slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup of peanut butter. You can heat the peanut butter in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it a bit. Don’t over mix. You want a nice ribbon of peanut butter running through the ice cream.

Transfer the ice cream into a freezer safe container and fold in the remaining 1/4 cup of peanut butter. Cover and freeze until solid.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Jalapeno Poppers - The Pioneer Woman

20 whole Fresh Jalapenos, 2-3 Inches In Size
2 cubes Cream Cheese, softened
1 pound Thin(regular) Bacon, Sliced Into Thirds

Preparation Instructions
If you have them, slip on some latex gloves for the pepper prep… Cut jalapenos in half, length-wise. With a spoon, remove the seeds and white membrane (the source of the heat; leave a little if you like things HOT). Smear softened cream cheese into each jalapeno half. Wrap jalapeno with bacon pieces (1/3 slice). Secure by sticking toothpick through the middle. (At this point, you can freeze them, uncooked, in a Ziploc bag for later use).
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 the squeeze the jalapeno. If, after 20 minutes, the bacon doesn’t look brown enough, just turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes to finish it off. These are best when the jalapeno still has a bit of bite to it.
Serve immediately, or they’re also great at room temperature.

Stuffed Mushrooms - Pioneer Woman

24 ounces white button mushrooms, washed and stems removed and finely chopped
1/3 pound hot breakfast sausage (or Italian sausage)
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
8 ounces cream cheese
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup dry white wine
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown and crumble sausage. Set aside on a plate to cool.
Add onions and garlic to the same skillet; cook for 2 minutes over medium low heat.
Pour in wine to deglaze pan, allow liquid to evaporate.
Add in chopped mushroom stems, stir to cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set mixture aside on a plate to cool.
In a bowl, combine cream cheese and egg yolk. Stir together with Parmesan cheese.
Add cooled sausage and cooled mushroom stems. Stir mixture together and refrigerate for a short time to firm up.
Smear mixture into the cavity of each mushroom, creating a sizable mound over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool at least ten minutes before serving; the stuffed mushrooms taste better when not piping hot.

Oreo Cheesecake Bars - Book You Made that Dessert?

1 lb package Oreo cookies
4 Tbs (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

3-8 ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup (5.25 ounces) granulated sugar
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Spray with cooking spray.

2. To make the crust- Place 28 Oreos in a food processor and process until finely ground. Pour into a large bowl, add the melted butter, and stir with a flexible spatula until all crumbs are moistened. Place the cookie-crumb mixture in the lined pan and, using your fingers, press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom. Bake 10 minutes, then remove to a wire cooling rack (leave the oven on) while you make the filling. Snap the remaining Oreos in half, put them in the food processor, and turn on and off quickly a few times, just until the cookies are roughly chopped.


3. To make the filling- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese and sugar until well blended, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a flexible spatula and beat again until uniform. Beat in sour cream, vanilla and salt. Scrape down the bowl and mix again. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. After beating in the last egg, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat one more time, to make sure the mixture is fully combined. Stir in chopped Oreos with the same spatula.


4. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the baked cookie crust, smooth the top with the spatula, and bake for 40 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges but still slightly wobbly in the center when you gently shake the pan. Remove the pan to a wire rack to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. When cool, cover it with foil and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight.


5. To cut, use the foil overhang to lift the cheesecake out of the pan and place on a large cutting board. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the cheesecake into bars, rinsing off the knife with hot water and wiping it dry between each cut. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Basil - Zupas.com

4 lb tomatoes, halved lengthwise
6-8 garlic cloves, left unpeeled
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, minced [use only 1/2 tsp if you used dried]
2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced [use only 1 tsp if using dried basil]
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 350°F.
Arrange tomatoes, cut sides up, in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan and add garlic to pan. Drizzle tomatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes and garlic 1 hour, then cool in pan on a rack. Peel garlic.

Cook onion, oregano, basil, and sugar in butter in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, and stock and simmer, covered, 20 minutes.

Purée soup in batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids), then force through a sieve into cleaned pot, discarding solids. Stir in cream and salt and pepper to taste and simmer 2 minutes.

Divide soup among 8 bowls.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Cinnamon Rolls III - All Recipes

1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 - 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup warm milk
1 egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups bread flour
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (2 1/4 Teaspoon)

Caramel:
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Filling:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Icing:
8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon milk

Directions
1.In the pan of your bread machine, combine water, melted butter, vanilla pudding, warm milk, egg, 1 tablespoon sugar, salt, bread flour and yeast. Set machine to Dough cycle; press Start.
2.When Dough cycle has finished, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 17x10 inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over dough.
3. Caramel: In medium pan melt butter, stir in brown sugar and milk until blended. Pour in 9X13 pan.
4.Roll up dough, beginning with long side. Slice into 16 one inch slices and place in 9x13 pan. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
5.Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. While rolls bake, stir together cream cheese, softened butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and milk. Remove rolls from oven and top with frosting.

To make ahead of time follow direction through putting rolls in pan. Put in refridgerator over night. Pull out and let sit on counter for 45 minutes. Bake as usual.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Creamy Nachos - Cookin' Mamas Blog

1 small pkg. Mild Mexican velveeta
1 lb. Hamburger
1 small onion- chopped
1 can Ranch style beans- drained
1 can Rotel- drained
8 oz. Sour cream

Brown hamburger and onions. Put all ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low 4 to 6 hours. Serve with tortilla chips.

Note: single batch fits perfectly in the 1 quart crockpot.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Buckeye's - All Recipes

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening

Directions
1.Line a baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside.
2.In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar with hands to form a smooth stiff dough. Shape into balls using 2 teaspoons of dough for each ball. Place on prepared pan, and refrigerate.
3.Melt shortening and chocolate together in a metal bowl over a pan of lightly simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth, and remove from heat.
4.Remove balls from refrigerator. Insert a wooden toothpick into a ball, and dip into melted chocolate. Return to wax paper, chocolate side down, and remove toothpick. Repeat with remaining balls. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.

Hot Cocoa Mix - All Recipes

6 1/2 cups powdered milk
1 (5 ounce) package non-instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup powdered chocolate drink mix
1/2 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions
1.In a large bowl, combine powdered milk, chocolate pudding mix, chocolate drink mix powder, creamer, confectioners' sugar, and cocoa. Divide the mixture between two 1 quart jars. Seal, and decorate as desired. These can be stored in a dry area for up to 3 months.
2.Attach a tag with the following instructions: Hot Cocoa: Dissolve 1/3 cup cocoa mix in 1 cup boiling water.

Serves 24

Easy Pretzel Turtles - Our Best Bite Blog

small pretzels
Rolo candies - one bag has about 55 candies
Pecan halves - or optionally peanuts, cashews, and m&m's
Optional: almond bark or white chocolate for drizzling

Place pretzels on cookie sheet. Place a Rolo on top of each pretzel. Put in oven 350 degrees for 3 - 4 minutes. Once they come out of the oven place a pecan half on top and press into the Rolo. Drizzle melted candy melts over top to decorate.

Russian Teacakes

1 pound Butter
4 Cup's Flour
8 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Cup Chopped Walnuts
2 Tablespoons Vanilla

Mix butter & Sugar, add vanilla then flour.

Bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Crockpot Candy - Fake Ginger Blog

2 pound white almond bark
4 ounces German chocolate bar
12 ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips
24 ounces dry roasted peants

Add all ingredients to slow cooker. Let cook on low for 1 hour without messing with it. After an hour, stir to combine everything. Allow to cook for another hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Drop spoonfuls of the candy onto wax paper and allow to cool completely.

Makes 8 - 9 dozen drops

Peanut Butter Blossoms

48 Hershey Kisses
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Cranberry Margarita

1 1/4 cups cranberry juice cocktail, divided
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup tequila
1/2 cup orange-flavored liqueur, such as Cointreau
3 cups coarsely crushed ice

Preparation
1. Pour 1/4 cup cranberry juice into a shallow bowl. Pour 3 tbsp. sugar onto a plate. Dip rims of 4 to 6 widemouthed glasses (6 to 8 oz., suitable for margaritas) into juice, then sugar. Set glasses aside.

2. Reserve 12 cranberries. In a blender, whirl the remaining cranberries, cranberry juice, and sugar, the lime juice, tequila, orange liqueur, and ice until smooth and slushy. If necessary, blend in 2 batches, then mix together. Divide among glasses and garnish with reserved berries, skewered on toothpicks.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Friday, December 18, 2009

Homemade Marshmallow's - Alton Brown

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Nonstick spray

Directions
Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.

For regular marshmallows:
Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Melt 1/2 C chocolate chips with 1/2 tablespoon shortening and combine until smooth. The cornstarch coating on the marshmallows makes it a little hard sometimes to have the chocolate stick, so just work slowly and it should work just fine. Sprinkled crushed candy canes on too for extra Christmas cheer!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Egg Nog - Alton Brown

Ingredients
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pint whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 ounces bourbon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 egg whites*

Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine the milk, heavy cream and nutmeg and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and gradually temper the hot mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Then return everything to the pot and cook until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the heat, stir in the bourbon, pour into a medium mixing bowl, and set in the refrigerator to chill.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. With the mixer running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the chilled mixture.

Chocolate Ice Cream - Alton Brown

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces unsweetened cocoa powder, approximately 1/2 cup
3 cups half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
8 large egg yolks
9 ounces sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions
Place the cocoa powder along with 1 cup of the half-and-half into a medium saucepan over medium heat and whisk to combine. Add the remaining half-and-half and the heavy cream. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and remove from the heat.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the sugar and whisk to combine. Temper the cream mixture into the eggs and sugar by gradually adding small amounts, until about 1/3 of the cream mixture has been added. Pour in the remainder and return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over low heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon and reaches 170 to 175 degrees F. Pour the mixture into a container and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place the mixture into the refrigerator and once it is cool enough not to form condensation on the lid, cover and store for 4 to 8 hours or until the temperature reaches 40 degrees F or below.

Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions. This should take approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Serve as is for soft serve or freeze for another 3 to 4 hours to allow the ice cream to harden.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Coffee Ice Cream Recipe - Simply Recipes

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups whole coffee beans (decaf unless you want the caffeine in your ice cream)
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon finely ground coffee (press grinds through a fine mesh sieve)

Directions:

1 Heat the milk, sugar, whole coffee beans, salt, and 1/2 cup of the cream in a medium saucepan until it is quite warm and steamy, but not boiling. Once the mixture is warm, cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

2 Pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a medium size metal bowl, set on ice over a larger bowl. Set a mesh strainer on top of the bowls. Set aside.

3 Reheat the milk and coffee mixture, on medium heat, until again hot and steamy (not boiling!). In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks together. Slowly pour the heated milk and coffee mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly so that the egg yolks are tempered by the warm milk, but not cooked by it. Scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

4 Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof, flat-bottomed spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula so that you can run your finger across the coating and have the coating not run. This can take about 10 minutes.

5 Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Press on the coffee beans in the strainer to extract as much of the coffee flavor as possible. Then discard the beans. Mix in the vanilla and finely ground coffee, and stir until cool.

6 Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Makes one quart.

Peppermint Ice Cream Recipe - Simply Recipes

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
8 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1/2 cup crushed candy canes or hard peppermint candy

Directions:
1 Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Make sure the sugar and salt completely dissolve.

2 Pour the cream into a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and set a medium-mesh sieve on top.

3 In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

4 Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a wooden or heatproof rubber spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula, about 5-7 minutes.

5 Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Then stir until cool over the ice bath. Chill mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.

6 One the mixture is thoroughly chilled, add peppermint extract, a 1/4 teaspoon at a time, tasting the mixture after each addition, until you reach the desired level of peppermintiness. (Different peppermint extracts vary in strength. I used 2 teaspoons of McCormick peppermint extract, which was just the right amount for our taste.)

7 Once chilled, freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

8 Once the ice cream has been formed in the ice cream maker, it will be fairly soft. Fold in the crushed peppermint candy. Put in an airtight plastic container and place in the freezer for at least an hour, preferably several hours. If it has been frozen for more than a day, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften it before serving.

Makes 1 1/2 quarts.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Rolled Pork Loin - Jennifer D.

1 large Pork Roast (not tenderloin)
Small Bag Spinich
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese
Diced Sundried Tomatoes
3 cloves minced Garlic
1/4 cup Olive Oil

Spiral slice pork to lay flat. Mix chopped sundried tomatoes, spinich, parmesan cheese and olive oil.

Bake at 350 for 1 - 1/2 hour (20 minutes per pound)

S'more's Bar's

1 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup white sugar
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2.In a medium bowl, combine butter, sugar and graham cracker crumbs until well coated. Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the chocolate chips, then the marshmallows. Sprinkle the remaining graham cracker mixture over the marshmallows and press down with a spatula.
3.Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes, until marshmallows are melted. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Pumpkin Ice Cream - Williams Sonoma

1 cup fresh pumpkin puree or canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
5 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 Tbs. bourbon

Directions:
In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours.

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 1/2 cups of the cream and 1/2 cup of the brown sugar. Cook until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the egg yolks, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, the remaining 1/2 cup cream and the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar. Whisk until smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve.

Remove the cream mixture from the heat. Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture until smooth. Pour the egg mixture back into the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and keeping the custard at a low simmer, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it, 4 to 6 minutes. Do not allow the custard to boil. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.

Place the bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice water, stirring occasionally until cool. Whisk the pumpkin mixture into the custard. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add the bourbon during the last minute of churning. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days, before serving. Makes about 1 quart.

Risotto - Pioneer Woman

2 cups Parmesan, Romano, Or Asiago Cheese (or A Mixture Of All Three)
3 cloves (to 4 Cloves) Garlic
½ whole Large Onion
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 pound Arborio Rice
7 cups (to 8 Cups) Chicken Broth
1 cup (to 1 1/2 Cups) Heavy Cream
1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Chives, Chopped
Salt And Pepper (to Taste)

Preparation Instructions
Grate 2 cups of cheese. Peel and finely dice 3 to 4 cloves of garlic. Dice ½ of a large onion.

Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil. Then add 1 tablespoon of butter. Throw in the garlic and onion and sauté for a couple of minutes until the onion is translucent.

Add 1 pound of Arborio rice and stir to coat the rice thoroughly. Adding 1 cup at a time, add 7-8 ounces of chicken broth, stirring constantly after each addition. As soon as it appears that the rice has absorbed each helping of broth, add in the next helping. Do not stop stirring. This process will take at least 20 minutes. Rice is done when it no longer has a hard bite.

When more of the broth is absorbed pour in 1 to 1 ½ cups of heavy cream. Next add the grated cheese and stir thoroughly. Add in plenty of fresh cracked pepper and about 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped chives. Add salt to taste.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Molded Cranberry Sauce

1 lb. fresh cranberries
1 cup plus 2 Tbs. sugar
Zest of 2 oranges
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup plus 2 Tbs. cold water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin

Directions:
Lightly coat the inside of a ceramic cranberry mold with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cranberries, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, salt and the 2/3 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the cranberries have burst, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the 2 Tbs. water into a small bowl and sprinkle with the gelatin. Let stand until the gelatin softens and swells, 5 to 10 minutes.

Spoon 1/2 cup of the juices from the cranberries into the gelatin and stir until the gelatin has dissolved. Pour the gelatin mixture into the cranberry mixture and stir to combine. Pour the cranberry mixture into the prepared mold and let cool to room temperature. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight.

To unmold, dip the mold into a large bowl of warm water so the water reaches almost to the rim of the mold. Remove from the water and run a small paring knife or spatula around the inside of the mold to loosen it. Place a serving platter upside down on top of the mold, invert the platter and mold together and shake gently. Then lift off the mold. Serves 12 to 16.

Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes

6 TBL Butter
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
1 1/2 TSP Cinnamon
1/2 TSP Nutmeg
6 Large Sweet Potatoes
Toasted Pecans

Peel and cut the sweet potatoes. Mix all ingredients except pecans and place in crockpot on low for 6 - 8 hours. Toss in pecans.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Cowboy Caviar - Tiffany B.

1 can black beans drained
1 can drained shoepeg corn (white, sweet, they have it at Fred's)
2 avacados chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
juice from one lime
salt to taste
chopped cilantro bunch
chipotle tabasco to taste

Mix all together and serve with tortilla chips.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Slushie Punch

3 (3 ounce) packages fruit flavored gelatin mix
2 cups white sugar
13 cups boiling water
2 (46 fluid ounce) cans pineapple juice
1 (16 ounce) bottle lemon juice concentrate
2 (2 liter) bottles ginger ale, chilled

1.In a large bowl, combine gelatin and sugar. Stir in boiling water until mixture is dissolved. Stir in pineapple juice and lemon juice concentrate. Divide into 2 containers, and freeze until solid.
2.To serve, place gelatin mixture in punch bowl, and chop into pieces. Pour in ginger ale.

Serves: 40 (4 oz servings)

Friday, November 20, 2009

Pumpkin Dip

1 bricks of cream cheese, softened
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. nutmeg
1/8 t. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 lb. powdered sugar

Mix all the above with a mixer in a big bowl. Serve with some crispy apple slices and/or gingersnaps.

Yummo!!

Chai Tea Mix

1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
1 cup French vanilla powdered non-dairy creamer
2 ½ cups white sugar
1 ½ cups unsweetened instant tea
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
¼ tsp white pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until it is a fine powder (If you have a small food processor, you can combine just the instant tea and spices in the food processor & then combine everything together in a bowl). Add two-three tablespoons of mix to 8 ounces of hot water or milk.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Chicken Stir Fry - Pioneer Woman

The Dad, Mads & Moo love this recipe. The Son tolerates it.

Chicken Stir Fry
3 chicken breasts, fat trimmed
1 medium onion
2 cloves fresh garlic
A small chunk of fresh ginger
1 red bell pepper
10 white mushrooms
1 small jar of baby corn
Peanut Oil
Soy Sauce
Sugar
Chicken Broth
Rice Vinegar
Sesame Oil (optional)
Arrowroot

After cutting meat into chunks, drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil. Set aside.
Prepare all vegetables and have them ready.
Mix 1/2 cup soy sauce with sugar. Stir together and set aside.
Mix 1/4 cup chicken broth with arrowroot. Stir together and set aside.
Measure an additional 1/4 cup chicken broth. Set aside.
To begin stir fry, heat skillet or wok over high heat. When it’s hot, drizzle in 2 tablespoons peanut oil. Add meat to skillet and fry quickly, stirring around for 3 to 3 minutes. When brown and just cooked through, remove to a separate bowl.
Add additional 1 tablespoon peanut oil to same skillet.
Throw in onions and cook for 1 minute.
Add red bell pepper and cook for 30 seconds.
Add garlic and ginger. Stir.
Add mushrooms and stir. Cook for 45 seconds.
Add baby corn. Stir.
Pour in 1/4 cup chicken broth.
Pour in soy sauce/sugar mixture.
Drizzle in 1 teaspoon rice vinegar.
Drizzle in 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil.
Dump in cooked chicken. Stir together.
Pour in chicken broth/arrowroot mixture.
Stir together, then turn off heat. Sauce should be much thicker.
At the very end, seconds before serving, stir in 1/2 cup (or up to 1 cup) roughly chopped cilantro.
Serve over cooked rice.

Servings: 8
WW Points: 5 per serving
Rating: 4/5


Panko Chicken Strips

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts cut into strips
1/4 cup plain fat free yogurt (can substitute mayonnaise or sour cream)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard or whole grain mustard
1 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Mix mustard & yogurt together. Coat chicken in yogurt & mustard mixture. Dredge in Panko.

Bake 450 for 30 minutes

Serves: 4
WW Points: 7 per serving
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