Raspberry Streusel Bars

 

Ingredients

Crust

• 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour

Filling

• 3/4 cup (240g) raspberry preserves*
• 12–16 fresh raspberries*

Streusel

• 1/2 cup (43g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
• 1/3 cup (70g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• optional (but encouraged!): vanilla icing for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on all sides. Set aside.
2. Make the crust: Stir the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir until everything is combined. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
3. Remove the crust from the oven, and turn the oven up to 350°F (177°C).
4. Spread preserves over warm crust. Dot the preserves with raspberries on top.
5. Make the streusel: Whisk the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together in a medium bowl. Cut in the chilled butter with a pastry blender or two forks (or even with your hands) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the filling with streusel and bake for 30–35 minutes or until the streusel is golden brown. The raspberry filling should be bubbling on the edges.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Lift the foil or parchment out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into bars. I usually cut them into 16 smaller bars, but you can cut them into 12 larger bars. Drizzle the bars with vanilla icing, if using. These raspberry bars can be enjoyed at room temperature or cold. I personally like them cold
   

 

Greek Chicken Gyro Bowls

 

Ingredients

•  2-3 large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts - pounded to even thickness
•  ¼ cup olive oil
•  juice of one lemon
• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• salt and pepper - to taste
• 2 cups cooked rice
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
•  3 pita breads

Cucumber Salad

•  1 cup cherry tomatoes - diced
•  1 peeled cucumber - diced
•  ¼ red onion - diced
•  1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper - to taste

Tzatziki Dressing

• ½ English cucumber - peeled and diced
•  2 cups cold - plain Greek yogurt
•  4 teaspoons minced garlic
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh dill
• juice of ½ lemon
•  ½ teaspoon salt - or to taste
•  ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Dressing

• Puree all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor. Cover and chill until ready to serve. (If you have time, make this a few hours in advance or the night before so that the flavors can marinate)

Cucumber Salad

• Combine cucumber salad ingredients, stir, and set aside until ready to use. 

Chicken

• Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, dill, thyme, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Combine marinade and chicken in a large ziploc bag, seal and chill for 15-30 minutes. 
• Cook chicken on the stove, or on the grill over medium-high heat for 5-8 minutes on each side until cooked through. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then thinly slice into strips.

Braised Short Ribs

 Ingredients 

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil 
  
  
  
• 1 yellow onion , diced
• 3 carrots , chopped
• 8 whole beef short ribs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup  dry red wine
• 2 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large dutch oven or oven safe pot with a lid, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Add onion and carrots and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Remove veggies to a plate.
• Season the ribs with salt and pepper and coat on all sides with flour. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pot and turn heat to high. Add ribs and brown on all sides, about 45 seconds per side. Remove to a plate.
• Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bites of flavor. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.
• Add beef broth, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in tomato paste. Taste broth and add additional seasonings, if needed.
• Add ribs, veggies, and (whole) sprigs of thyme and rosemary to the pot.
• Cover with the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350 degrees for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Ribs should be very tender, nearly falling off the bone.
• Remove the pan from oven and allow rest for 20 minutes, with the lid on, before serving. Skim off any fat that has risen to the top of the liquid, before serving.
• Serve ribs over mashed potatoes with a spoonful of gravy from the pot.
• Store leftover short ribs in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days depending on the freshness of your ingredients.

Notes

Slow Cooker: Follow steps 1-4 of the recipe and then transfer everything to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Instant Pot: Turn the IP to sauté setting. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot. Once hot add onion and carrots and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Remove veggies to a plate. Season the ribs with salt and pepper and coat on all sides with flour. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pot and turn heat to high. Add ribs and brown on all sides, about 45 seconds per side. Remove to a plate. Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bites of flavor. Cook 2 minutes. Add beef broth, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in tomato paste. Taste broth and add additional seasonings, if needed. Add ribs, veggies, and (whole) sprigs of thyme and rosemary to the pot. Cook on Manual/High pressure for 45 minutes. Allow the pressure to release for 15 minutes before removing the lid.

Make ahead Instructions: by nature, this meal should and will be made several hours before serving.  The nice part is that it cooks in the oven for nearly 3 hours without any additional work. You have a gorgeous, impressive dinner with hardly any sweat in the kitchen on your part.

Freezing Instructions:

• Before cooking: Make the dish up to step 8 (just before cooking in the oven).  Place ingredients in a freezer safe container or bag and freeze for 4-5 months.  Allow to thaw for 24 hours in the refrigerator and cook as instructed.
• After cooking:  Allow the dish to cool completely.  Store in a freezer safe container in the freezer for 3-4 months.  Allow to thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave or slowly on the stove.

Recipe and image from Tastes Better from Scratch

Lion House Lemon Bars

Servings: Makes 1 dozen bars

 
Ingredients
CRUST:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup flour
• pinch salt
• LEMON LAYER:
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 2 T. flour
• Lemon Zest, half a lemon
Steps
Preheat oven to 325 degrees, in a large bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar. Mix in 1 cup of the flour. Spread in an 8×8-inch pan and bake 15 to 20 minutes. While crust is baking, prepare the lemon layer. Beat eggs slightly. Add sugar, remaining flour, lemon juice, and rind. Mix well and pour over hot crust. Bake an additional 18 to 22 minutes, or until the center is set.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar. Cool slightly before cutting into bars.


Note: This recipe may be double and baked in jelly roll, 10x15 inch pan. 

 

The Very Best White Chocolate Dipped Ginger Cookies

 Ingredients

 

• 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, left out at room temperature for 10 minutes to slightly soften
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking soda , make sure it's fresh within the last few weeks
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar for rolling
• 5-6 cups white chocolate melts for dunking
• holly berries sprinkles , optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prep an aluminum cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and molasses. Mix again until combined.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the rest of the dry ingredients together, set aside.
• Slowly mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, don't overmix!
• Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll into sugar. Place on the prepped baking sheet and bake for about 7-10 minutes (mine were done at 7, so set the time shorter, and watch them closely). Cool cookies on a rack before dunking in the white chocolate coating.
• Melt your white chocolate melts in the microwave for 30 seconds, and stir. Repeat until the chocolate is smooth and creamy. Dunk half the cookie into the white chocolate, then place onto a sheet of parchment paper. Immediately add on the sprinkles if using. Let set, then store in an airtight container for max freshness up to a week.  Recipe and picture from Baking with Blondie
  

Sugar Cookies

 2 1/4 Cup sugar

1 Cup butter

3 eggs beaten

3 TBS milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

5 Cups flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

 

Cream sugar and butter.  Add eggs, milk, and vanilla, sift dry ingredients together and beat into creamed mixture, combining thoroughly.  With hands, shape dough in a ball; wrap and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or overnight until easy to handle.  On lightly floured board, roll one-half or one third of the dough at one time, keeping the rest refrigerated.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes or until light brown.

 

Deb Perelman's Chocolate Chip & Walnut Brittle Cookies

 

 

 

 

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp. flaky salt, divided, plus more for garnish

½ cup (4 oz.) unsalted butter, cut into ½-in. cubes, cold but slightly softened

½ cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¾ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

1⅔ cups (about 7⅛ oz.) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, cold but slightly softened.

8 oz. semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips (about 1⅓ cups)

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour ⅔ cup granulated sugar into a 10-inch skillet; cook, undisturbed, over medium-high heat until sugar is partially liquefied, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk until sugar is completely melted; cook, whisking constantly, until sugar is copper-colored and slightly smoking, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from heat; quickly stir in walnuts.

2. Scrape brittle onto 1 baking sheet; quickly spread as thin as possible using a spatula. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon flaky salt. Chill in freezer until solid, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Beat together butter, brown sugar, ⅓ cup granulated sugar and ¾ teaspoon flaky salt with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed just until combined, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium; beat until butter is softened and somewhat fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined, about 30 seconds.

4. Add baking soda and baking powder; beat until combined, about 10 seconds. Add flour; beat on low speed just until a few floury patches remain, about 30 seconds.

5. Smash chilled brittle into bite-size chunks. Add brittle and chocolate to dough; beat on low speed just until incorporated, about 10 seconds. Scoop dough into 3-tablespoon-size balls, spaced 2 inches apart on the 2 baking sheets.

6. Bake in oven, one pan at a time, until edges are golden brown and set but centers are soft, 10 to 14 minutes. Cool on pan on a wire rack, 5 minutes; garnish with flaky salt. Serve warm.

Serves: 15
Active time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Quick tip! "While you can bake it right away, the dough will keep for several days in the fridge," says Perelman. The brittle can be frozen for up to three months.