Dulce De Leche Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 and 3/4 cups  cake flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup  unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract²
• seeds scraped from 1/2 of a vanilla bean
• 1/2 cup  full-fat sour cream at room temperature
• 1/2 cup whole milk at room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2 liners - this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes. Set aside.
2. Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
3. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy - about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed together. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg whites, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, then beat in the sour cream. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the milk until combined. Do not overmix. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
4. Pour/spoon the batter into the liners - fill only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. Bake for 19-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
5. Pipe in some dulce de leche after the cupcake is cooled and frost with vanilla buttercream frosting and drizzle with more dulce de leche.
   

    Vanilla Buttercream

   Yield: 2.5 cups

   Ingredients:

   • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
   • 4 - 5 cups  confectioners' sugar
   • 1/4 cup  heavy cream
   • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
   • salt, to taste

   Directions:

   1. With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy - about 2 minutes. Add 4 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, the heavy cream, and vanilla extract with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. Add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners' sugar if frosting is too thin or another Tablespoon of cream if frosting is too thick. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. (I like 1/8 tsp salt.)
   2. Cover tightly and store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Reesa's Chicken Salad

2 lbs chicken breast, cooked and shredded* or rotisserie chicken
Chicken broth to cook your chicken in (if using a slow cooker)
1 apple, diced of your choice; (we usually choose Gala or Fuji)
1 cup grapes, halved or quartered
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/3 cup raw walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2 green onions, diced
1/2 cup Brianna's poppyseed dressing (more or less depending on preference)
Dash of white vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Place chicken in slow cooker with enough water to cover about halfway. Cook on low 6-7 hours, high 3-4 hours or use rotisserie chicken.
2. Prepare ingredients that need to be chopped and diced, add to large bowl.
3. Add shredded chicken, poppyseed dressing, vinegar, salt and pepper to the rest of the ingredients and mix.
4. Let chill until ready to serve.

Charro Beans

Charro Beans is an authentic Mexican recipe that is mainly consumed in the northern part of Mexico and is commonly served alongside carne asada.

Ingredients

• 16 oz uncooked pinto beans
• 5 slices bacon cut into smaller pieces
• 3 beef franks cut into cubes
• 1 cup ham cut into cubes
• 1 pound Mexican chorizo
• 2 tomatoes diced
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro chopped
• 1/2 onion diced
• jalapeño if desired
• 1 more chipotle peppers depending on how spicy you want it
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• pepper oregano, paprika, cumin, and salt to taste.

Instructions

To Cook the Pinto Beans - Stove top

1. Add the rinsed beans to a large pot with plenty of water, salt, and a small piece of onion.
2. Let boil for about 1.5 hours, checking often to make sure that there is still enough water.

To Cook the Pinto Beans - Slow Cooker

1. Add the rinsed beans to a slow cooker with plenty of water, salt, and a small piece of onion.
2. Turn the slow cooker on to high and heat for 3 hours.

To Make The Charro Beans

1. Add the bacon to a large pot and cook for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the chorizo and continue cooking until cooked through.
3. After about 5 minutes, add the ham, the beef franks, and the seasonings (including the garlic).
4. Next, add the tomatoes, the cilantro, the onion, the jalapeno, and the chipotle pepper and cook for 5 additional minutes.
5. Finally, add the cooked pinto beans and the water that they were cooked in and let boil for about 15 minutes so that all of the flavors can combine.
6. If you want to thicken your charro beans, you can combine 2 tablespoons of corn starch with 1/4 cup of cold water and mix well before adding it to the pot.
7. Serve hot as a side dish or on its own.
   Recipe and picture from mylatinatable.com

Dad's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 Cup butter
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 Cup flour
1 3/4 Cup oats
1/2 tsp baking powdered
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
chocolate chips.

Mix butter and sugars.  Add egg and vanilla.  Mix dry ingredients separately and add to wet ingredients slowly.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
This recipe of from Trista Ogilvie

Caramel Apple Dip

Ingredients

• 1 x8oz brick cream cheese, softened
• 1 container prepared caramel dip (approx. 16 oz)
• ½ - 1 package heath bits
• 8-10 granny smith apples, cored and sliced

Instructions

1. thoroughly combine the softened cream cheese and 2 big spoonfuls of the prepared caramel dip. spread across the bottom of a glass pie plate.
2. spread the remaining prepared caramel dip as the second layer.
3. sprinkle heath bits all over the top. chill in fridge for a couple of hours.
4. serve with sliced granny smith apples
5. Recipe from livecrafteat.com

Burrito Bowl

Ingredients

3 cups cooked white rice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon orange zest

2 cups cooked black beans

1 1/2 to 2 cups Simple Fresh Pico de Gallo, recipe follows

2 cups Pork Carnitas, recipe follows

1 cup shredded Cheddar

1/2 cup sour cream

2 green onions, chopped

Easy Pico de Gallo:

Salt

Pinch of sugar

2 medium tomatoes, seeds removed, and chopped

1/2 medium sweet onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped

1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 lime, juiced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Pork Carnitas:

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (or 2 1/2 pounds bone-in)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, chopped

1 orange, cut in half

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, toss the rice with the cilantro and the orange zest. Divide the rice evenly among 4 individual serving bowls. Top with the black beans and half of the pico de gallo. Add warm carnitas and top with the rest of the pico de gallo. Sprinkle on the cheese, and spoon a dollop of the sour cream on top. Finish with the chopped green onions.

Easy Pico de Gallo:

1. In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon salt with the pinch of sugar. In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes gently with the salt mixture. Add onion and jalapeno and combine. Place the avocado on top of the tomato mixture and squeeze with lime juice to coat the avocado. Sprinkle on the cilantro, and stir to combine. Serve.

Pork Carnitas:

Rinse and dry the pork shoulder. Salt and pepper liberally. Mix the oregano and the cumin with olive oil and rub all over pork. Place the pork in a slow cooker and top with the onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Squeeze over the juice of the orange and add the two halves. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high 4 hours. Once the meat is tender, remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly before pulling apart with a fork. In a large saute pan, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Press the carnitas into the oil and fry until crusty on one side.  Serve
REcipe courtesy of Melissa d'Arabian

Roasted Red Pepper Raviloli

Ingredients

• 3 red bell peppers
• 2-3 Tbsp onion
• 2 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1/4 C fresh basil
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1- 1 1/2 C half and half
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/3 C grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese
• 2 Tbsp butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat broiler. Cut peppers in half and remove seeds. Lightly coat the peppers with olive oil and place cut side down on cookie sheet. Place under broiler until skin is blackened and softened. Place in a paper bag an alllow to steam for about 5-10 minutes.
2. Remove the skin from the peppers and cut into small pieces.
3. In a frying pan saute the garlic, sliced basil, red peppers and onion in olive oil. Cook for 10 minutes.
4. Mix corn starch and half and half together well, no lumps.
5. Place mixture into blender (be careful it will be hot, leave the lid of blender slightly askew but not enough so that it will spray out) Mix to desired consistency.
6. Put mixture back in frying pan and heat to a boil. Add in half and half to the desired consistency.
7. Add in cheese and cook until cheese melts. Stir in butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. If it thickens too much add some additional half and half.

Roasted Red Pepper Ravioli was originally written by Leigh Anne Wilkes