Just Granola

Ingredients in no particular order:  organic rolled oats; light brown sugar; organic avocado oil,

Vietnamese cinnamon; organic golden raisins,sweetened, organic dried cranberries, mariani apricots, vanilla,  dried blueberries; dried Montmorency cherries, unsweetened toasted coconut, roasted unsalted pumpkin seeds,sunflower seeds, chia seeds pecans, honey roasted almonds, flax, sea salt. (IT IS DELICIOUS!!)

Recipe from the Little Brown Bakery

Peanut Blossom Cookies

1 3/4 Cups flour

1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup shortening
1/2 Cup peanut butter
1 egg
2 TBS milk
1 tsp vanilla
48 chocolate candy kisses

Combine ingredients in large mixing bowl.  Mix at low speed until dough forms.  Shape dough into balls using a rounded teaspoonful for each cookie.  Roll balls in sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 for 8 - 10 minutes.  Top each cookie with a candy kiss.  Press firmly until it cracks around the edge.  Put back in oven for 1 minute.  For a variation use the same dough and place the balls in small muffin tins.  Bake for 8 minutes then place a small reeses peanut butter cup in the middle. This really gets people's attention.

Energy Bars (Homemade Granola Bars)

1 10 oz. pkg. miniature marshmallows or 40 large marshmallows
1/2 cup margarine or butter (I use butter)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 cup unsalted peanuts (I used the WalMart unsalted dry roasted peanuts)
2 cups quick oats
2 1/2 cups rice krispies

Toast oats and rice krispies in a Teflon coated skillet or warm in 200 degree oven. (optional)  Melt marshmallows, butter and peanut butter in a large pot over low heat. Add raisins and peanuts; stir. Add oats and rice krispi8es to mixture (Work quickly as mixture hardens fast.) Spread mixture in buttered 9x13 pan. (I like to spread mixture in a 10 x 15 jelly roll pan. It doesn't make the bars as thick.)
Courtesy of April Steimle and Kathleen Magnusson

Pasta Salad - Marybeth

Angel Hair pasta
Breaded chicken tenders
Sliced red, yellow and orange peppers
Diced tomates
Romaine lettuce
grated cheese

Combine ingredients and top with Bolthouse Ranch Dressing

One Pot Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Ingredients

• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 lb. Fettuccine 
• 1 small Vidalia onion
• 4 cloves garlic 
• 1 12 oz. jar roasted red peppers
• 1 15 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1/2 TBS dried basil
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional) 
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 oz. cream cheese (optional) 

Instructions

• Thinly slice the onion and mince the garlic. Remove the red peppers from the liquid in the jar and then slice them into thin strips.
• In a large pot, combine the broth, onion, garlic, red pepper slices, diced tomatoes (with juice), basil, crushed red pepper, and some freshly cracked black pepper (10-15 cranks of a pepper mill). Stir these ingredients to combine. Break the fettuccine in half, then add it to the pot, attempting to submerge the pieces as much as possible.
• Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat up to high. As soon as the pot reaches a full boil, give it a quick stir to loosen any pieces that may have stuck to the bottom, return the lid, and turn the heat down to medium-low.
• Let the pot simmer on medium low for 10-12 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom. Return the lid as quickly as possible after each stir. After ten minutes, test the pasta to see if it is al dente. Once the pasta is tender, remove it from the heat. (If the pasta becomes too dry before it is tender, simply add a small amount of water and continue to simmer.)
• Divide the cream cheese into tablespoon sized pieces, then add them to the pot. Stir the pasta until the cheese melts in and creates a smooth sauce (it will look lumpy at first, just keep stirring). Serve hot.

Notes

Breaking the pasta in half helps the larger pieces of tomato and pepper stir in evenly with the pasta. It also helps allow the pasta to be submerged under the broth.

Nanaimo Bar

Bottom Layer

1/2 Cup unsalted butter
1/4 Cup sugar
5 T cocoa
1 egg, beaten
1 3/4 Cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 Cup finely chopped almonds
1 Cup coconut

Melt first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler.  Add egg and stir to cook and thicken.  Remove from heat.  Stir in crumbs, coconut and nuts.  Press firmly into an ungreased 8 x 8 pan.

Second layer
1/2 Cup unsalted butter
2 T and 2 tsp cream
2 T vanilla custard powder
2 Cups powdered sugar

Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well.  Beat until light.  Spread over bottom layer.

Third layer
4 Sq. semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz each)
2 T unsalted butter

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat.  Cool.  When cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator.

Creamy Enchiladas with Chicken, Tomatillo and Poblano

• 3pounds (18 to 24 medium)tomatillos, husked and rinsed
  
• 1largefresh poblano chile
• 1 1/2tablespoons vegetable oil or rich-tasting pork lard, plus a little oil for spraying the tortillas
• 1medium white onion, chopped
• 2cups chicken broth, plus a little extra if needed
• Salt
• 1/2cupMexican crema , crème fraiche or heavy (whipping) cream
• About 2cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken, preferably grilled, roasted or rotisserie chicken
• 2/3cup shredded Jack cheese or Chihuahua cheese
• 12 corn tortillas
• A few sliced rounds of white onion, separated into rings, for garnish
• Fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish
• 1/4cupfreshly grated Mexican queso añejo for garnish

Instructions

The sauce. Roast the tomatillos and chile on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, until they’re darkly roasted (they’ll be blackened in spots), about 6 minutes. Flip everything over and roast the other side—5 or 6 minutes more will give you splotchy-black and blistered tomatillos and poblanos that are cooked through. Cool.  When the chile is cool enough to handle, rub off the blackened skin of the chile, then pull out the stems and seed pod. Tear the chile open and rinse briefly to remove any stray seeds and bits of skin, then rougly chop.  Transfer the chiles and tomatillos with their juice to a blender or food processor and blend to a smooth puree.
In a medium-size (4- or 5-quart) pot (preferably a Dutch oven or Mexican cazuela), heat the oil or lard over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until golden, about 7 minutes.  Raise the heat to medium-high, and, when the pot is noticeably hotter, stir in the tomatillo puree.  Cook, stirring, until darker in color and gets thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, 10 to 15 minutes.  Stir in the broth, partially cover and simmer 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt, usually about ½ teaspoon. The sauce should be a slightly soupy consistency—not as thick as spaghetti sauce.  If it is too thick, stir in a little additional broth. Keep warm over low heat.
Other preliminaries. Stir the crema (or one of its stand-ins) into the sauce. Put the chicken in a bowl and stir ½ cup of the hot sauce mixture into it. Taste and season with additional salt if you think it needs it. Have the cheese at the ready.
Finishing the enchiladas. Heat the tortillas by spraying with the oil, then sliding them into a microwaveable plastic bag.   Fold the top over but don't seal it.  Microwave on high for 1 minute to create a steamy environment around the tortillas and then let them stand 2 to 3 minutes before using.  Smear about ¼ cup of the warm sauce over the bottom of 4 to 6 nine-inch individual ovenproof baking/serving dishes or smear about 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish.     Working quickly so the tortillas stay hot and pliable, roll a portion of the chicken into each tortilla, douse evenly with the remaining sauce, then sprinkle on the shredded melting cheese and bake at 400 degrees until the enchiladas are hot through (the cheese will have begun to brown), about 15 minutes.
Garnish with añejo cheese, onion rings and cilantro sprigs and serve immediately.
Recipe and picture from Rick Bayless

Easy Chicken for Tacos

2 pounds of boneless chicken breasts
1 can green chiles
1 jar of salsa
1 8 oz block of Cream Cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

Put in crock pot and cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.  Shred and put in tacos, enchiladas or salads.

Nutella Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sugar plus additional sugar to roll cookies in
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 8 tbsp unsalted softened butter 1 stick, 4 ounces
• 1 egg
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup Nutella

Instructions

• Fill a ziploc bag or piping bag with Nutella, snip a corner off and then squeeze out Nutella about a teaspoon of Nutella on a parchment lined cookie sheet. (I use a half cookie sheet so it fits in my freezer). Freeze for about 30 minutes until solid.
• Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, cream together the sugars and butter until light and fluffy about 2-3 minutes. Add in the egg to the butter mixture and stir to combine. Mix in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Stir in salt, baking soda and flour until well combined.
• Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place your thumb in the center of each to create an indent. Place one Nutella "kiss" into the center. Cover up with more cookie dough. And then roll in sugar. Place on baking sheet and flatten with fork.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Notes

• Be sure to measure your flour correctly. Over-measuring your flour is going to result in a dry, crumbly cookie. 
• Use room temperature butter. By softening your butter properly  will allow the sugar to punch tiny holes into the butter incorporating air into the dough. Cold butter won’t allow this to happen. So room temperature, unsalted, and you’re good to go.
• Don’t forget to take those eggs out early too. You also need a room temperature egg as well. Remember you want your ingredients all playing along well together. So a cold egg and room temperature butter just don’t play nice on the playground together. You’ll end  up with butter that starts to seize up in your bowl. My trick? Put your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes and you’re good to go.
• Flatten those cookies a bit. These cookies won’t spread much, so you want to help them out a bit and flatten them a bit. I prefer the fork criss cross method, but even a quick flatten with the palm of your hand will do the trick. Have you read my post on why your cookies spread too much? 
• Recipe and picture from Boston Girl Bakes

Simple Perfect Enchiladas

Ingredients  

Sauce:

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

One 28-ounce can enchilada or Mexican red sauce

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

Meat:

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt
Can Substitute chicken

The Rest:

Canola oil, for frying

10 to 14 corn tortillas

Two 4-ounce cans diced green chilies

1 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup chopped black olives

3 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese

Cilantro, for garnish

Directions

1. For the sauce:
2. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the canola oil and flour. Whisk together and allow to bubble for 1 minute. Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
3. For the meat:
4. While the sauce is simmering, brown the ground beef with the onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain the fat, add the salt and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and set aside.
5. For the rest:
6. In a small skillet over medium heat, heat some canola oil. Lightly fry the tortillas just until soft. Do not crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all the tortillas have been fried.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
8. Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Next, one at a time, dip each tortilla into the sauce. Set the sauce-soaked tortilla on a plate. Place on some of the meat mixture, chilies, green onions and black olives. Top with a generous portion of grated Cheddar. Roll up the tortilla to contain the filling inside.
9. Place the tortilla seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas and pour the remaining sauce over the top. End with a generous sprinkling of cheese and any other bits of chiles, green onions or olives you have left over from the filling.
10. Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes, or until bubbly. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the top and serve.  Recipe and picture from The Pioneer Woman

Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1-1/2 cups salsa verde, divided
• 8 corn tortillas (6 inches)
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Optional toppings: Avocado slices, thinly sliced green onions or fresh cilantro leaves

Powered by Chicory

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the chicken, sour cream and 3/4 cup salsa. Spread 1/4 cup salsa on the bottom of a greased 8-in. square baking dish.
• Fry the tortillas to soften.  Layer with half of the tortillas and chicken mixture; sprinkle with half the tomatoes, minced cilantro and half of the cheese. Repeat layers with remaining tortillas, chicken mixture, tomatoes and cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, at 400° until bubbly, 20-25 minutes. Serve with remaining salsa and, if desired, optional toppings.  Recipe and picture from Taste of Home

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
Thoroughly cream butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla.  Blend dry ingredients into creamed mixture.  Shape into balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Crisscross with fork.  Bake at 375 for 10 to 12 minutes.

Cowgirl Cookies

4 cubes of butter
2 cups white sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs

1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp soda
5 c. flour

1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2 bags of chocolate chips
Cream the butter, white and brown sugars, and eggs together.  Add the baking powder, soda, and flour.  Mix well.  Then add the vanilla, nuts, and choc. chips.  Drop by teaspoon onto buttered cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes or until brown.  You can add coconut too if you'd like.

Frosted Banana Bars

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
dash salt
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, bananas, and vanilla.   Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until blended.  Transfer to a greased 15-in. x 10-in. baking pan.  Bake at 350 for 20 - 25 minutes or until tests done.  Cool.
Frosting

2 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter
5 cups powdered sugar.

Cakes

1. Aunt Beatty’s Chocolate Cake by Ina Garten
   

   

   
   

   Ingredients

   		Butter   for greasing the pans
   1 3⁄4	cups	all-purpose flour   plus more for pans
   2	cups	sugar
   3⁄4	cups	good cocoa powder
   2	teaspoons	baking soda
   1	teaspoon	baking powder
   1	teaspoon	kosher salt
   1	cup	buttermilk   shaken
   1⁄2	cup	vegetable oil
   2		extra-large eggs   at room temperature
   1	teaspoon	pure vanilla extract
   1	cup	freshly brewed hot coffee
   		Chocolate Buttercream   recipe follows
   6	ounces	good semisweet chocolate   (recommended: Callebaut)
   1⁄2	pound	(2 sticks) unsalted butter   at room temperature
   1		extra-large egg yolk   at room temperature
   1 1⁄4	cups	sifted confectioners' sugar
   1	tablespoon	instant coffee powder

   Directions

Tunnel of Fudge Cake

1 3/4 Cups butter softened

1 3/4 Cups sugar

6 eggs

2 Cups powdered sugar

2 1/4 Cups flour

3/4 Cup cocoa

2 Cups chopped walnuts

Beat butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light an fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Gradually add powdered sugar, blending well.  By hand, stir in flour, cocoa and walnuts until well blended.  Spoon batter into greased and floured bundt pan.  Bake at 350 for 58-62 minutes.  Cool upright in pan on cooling rack 1 hour.  Invert onto serving plate.  Cool completely.  Can have a glaze like chocolate ganache, but it is great plan.  Nuts are essential for the success of this recipe.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Heat heavy cream to boiling. Pour over chocolate chips and let sit for 4 minutes without stirring. Whisk until the mixture becomes dark and thick.
2. Ganache can immediately be poured over cake or it can be cooled to room temperature and piped.

Double Chocolate Tiramisu

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for garnish
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 bar (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 24 ladyfinger cookies (from a 7-ounce package)

Directions

1. 1. In a medium bowl, mix cocoa powder with 1 1/2 cups very hot water until dissolved; set cocoa mixture aside. In a small microwave-safe bowl, place 1/4 cup cream and chocolate; microwave in 1-minute increments, and stir until melted. Cool to room temperature.
2. 2. Transfer cooled chocolate mixture to a mixing bowl; add cream cheese and sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat until blended. Add remaining cream; beat chocolate filling until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. 3. Spread 1 cup chocolate filling in the bottom of a 2-quart serving dish. One at a time, dip 6 ladyfingers in cocoa mixture, then arrange in a single layer in dish; spread with 1 cup chocolate filling. Repeat with three more layers, ending with filling.
4. 4. Cover tiramisu, and refrigerate at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days). Dust with cocoa powder before serving. 

    

   Picture and recipe from Martha Stewart

Holiday Carrots

14-15 carrots

3/4 Cup mayonaise
1 TBS horseradish
1 TBS grated onion

Peel carrots, cut in half and in half lengthwise.  Cook until not quite done.  Place in an 8 x 8 casserole dish.  Mix remaining ingredients and pour over the carrots.  Sprinkle with grated sharp cheddar cheese - just enough to cover, and then cover that with buttered bread crumbs.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Crusts

Pie Crust - All Butter

2 1/2 Cups  flour
2 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 Cup unsalted butter
1/2 Cup and 2 TBS Cold water
In a bowl mix flour, sugar and salt together.  Cut the butter into small pieces, then add to the bowl.  Use pastry cutter to cut into the flour until pea size pieces of butter.  Add the ice water and mix until the mixture is crumbly but holds together when pinched.  Dump dough onto parchment paper and pull dough together.  Refrigerate before rolling out.

Sweet Pie Fillings

Caramel Pecan Tart

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2/3 cup butter
• 3 tablespoons whipping cream

How to Make It

Step 1 - Arrange pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes or until completely cool.

Step 2 -Pulse flour, powdered sugar, and 3/4 cup butter in a food processor 5 to 6 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Pat mixture evenly on bottom and up sides of a lightly greased 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom.

Step 3 -Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes or until completely cool.

Step 4 -Bring brown sugar, honey, 2/3 cup butter, and whipping cream to a boil in a 3-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in toasted pecans, and spoon hot filling into prepared crust.

Step 5 -Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes or until completely cool.

Can be made into bars: Prepare recipe as directed, pressing crumb mixture evenly on bottom and 3/4 inch up sides of a lightly greased heavy-duty aluminum foil-lined 13- x 9-inch pan. When completely cool, using the aluminum foil as handles, carefully lift the tart from the pan, and transfer to a serving tray. Cut into squares.

Savory Pies

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on

3 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

2 chicken bouillon cubes

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 cups medium-diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes

1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas (2 cups)

1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves