Crunchy Topped Swiss Chicken Bake

 

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/8 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste if needed
• Pinch of dried parsley
• Pinch of paprika
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Chicken and Cheese:

• 5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 5-6 large slices Swiss cheese

Topping:

• 1 1/4 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• Hot, cooked rice or quinoa for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan.
2. For the sauce, in a medium saucepan, bring the broth and all the seasonings to a simmer. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, vigorously whisk the milk and flour together until smooth. While whisking the broth, slowly pour in the flour/milk mixture, whisking constantly. Continue to stir and cook until the mixture bubbles and thickens, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add additional salt and pepper to taste as needed.
3. Pat the chicken dry and lightly season with salt and pepper on each side. Place the chicken in a single layer in the baking pan - it's ok if the chicken is crammed in side-by-side as long as it isn't overlapping much.
4. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on every chicken breast. Pour the sauce evenly over the top. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
5. While baking, make the topping: in a ziploc bag or in a bowl, toss together the panko, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder and dried parsley. Drizzle in the melted butter and mix to combine.
6. After the first 30 minutes of baking, remove the pan from the oven, uncover and sprinkle with the topping mixture. Return to the oven, uncovered, and bake for 20 minutes, until the crumbs are golden and the chicken is cooked through.
7. Let the casserole rest 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve over hot, cooked rice or quinoa, if desired.  Picture and recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
   

Brown Bread

 2 1/2 Cups Warm Water

1 1/2 T Yeast

2/3 Cup Honey

Put in mixer, mix and let sit for 10 minutes

Add 1/4 Cup melted coconut oil

1/3 Cup molasses

2 T cocoa powder

1 T salt

4 Cups whole wheat flour

4 Cups white flour

Mix, knead for 10 minutes.  Let double.  Punch down and form into loaves and let rise until double.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

S'mores Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 Cup Butter unsalted, softened slightly (see note)
  
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Cup White Sugar
• 2 Eggs large
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla
• 2 3/4 Cup Flour plus 2 Tablespoons
• 3/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Corn Starch
• 2 Cups Chocolate Chips
• Marshmallows large
• Graham Crackers
• Candy Bar Milk chocolate

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.
• In a mixer, combine the butter, brown sugar and white sugar on medium high speed for 2 minutes. 
• Add the eggs and vanilla and mix to combine. 
• In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
• Turn off the mixer and add the flour mixture. 
• Mix until almost incorporated then add the chocolate chips.We prefer semi sweet or a combination of milk and semi sweet. 
• Use an XL cookie scoop or ¼ cup.
• Press flat and then do another. 
• Place on top of dough, a graham cracker, chocolate, and a marshmallow that has been cut in half and can lay side by side on the chocolate. 
• Top with another flat piece of dough, and seal the edges.
• Place in the fridge for 15 minutes then bake for 16-18 minutes or until golden.
• These are HUGE cookies!

Chewy Choc-Oat Chip Bars

Ingredients

• 1 Cup(s) (2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened
• 1 Cup(s) firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 Cup(s) granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoon(s) milk
• 2 Teaspoon(s) vanilla
• 1 3/4 Cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1 Teaspoon(s) Baking Soda
• 1/2 Teaspoon(s) salt (optional)
• 2 1/2 Cup(s)
  Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
• 2 Cup(s) (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 Cup(s) chopped nuts (optional)
• 2 Egg(s)

Cooking Instructions

Heat oven to 375°F. Beat margarine and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, milk and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. Stir in oats, chocolate chips and nuts; mix well. Press dough onto bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely; cut into bars. Store tightly covered.

Serving Tips: Substitute 1 cup of any of the following for 1 cup chocolate chips: candy-coated chocolate pieces, candy-coated peanut butter pieces, white chocolate chips, peanut butter & milk chocolate chips or butterscotch chips.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9 to 10 minutes for a chewy cookie or 12 to 13 minutes for a crisp cookie. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered. Makes about 5 dozen.

Blackberry Lemon 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. Top with Buttercream frosting and a blackberry
   

For the Buttercream

•  1 cup fresh blackberries
•  1 tablespoon water
•  1 tablespoon lemon juice
•  1 cup 2 sticks butter, softened
•  4 cups powdered sugar
•  2-4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
•  1 teaspoon vanilla
•  pinch of salt
• Additional blackberries for garnish if desired

Instructions

• To make the buttercream, place the blackberries, lemon juice and water in a small saucepan. Heat on medium heat stirring occasionally until the blackberries soften and release their juice. Crush the blackberries and continue to cook the mixture on the stove to reduce it. When the mixture coats the back of the spoon, remove from the heat and strain the mixture in a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds and fruit. You should have roughly 1/4 cup of liquid. Let cool completely
• Beat the softened butter in a stand mixer for 2-3 minutes until light in color and fluffy. Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, blackberry reduction and enough of the heavy cream or milk to make a spreadable consistency. Beat the frosting on high for 3-4 minutes or until very fluffy. Pipe the frosting onto cooled cupcakes and garnish with a blackberry if desired.

Texas Sheet Cake

3/4 LB butter

4 TBS cocoa

1 Cup water

2 Cups flour

2 Cups sugar

1/2 Cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

ICING:

1/2 Cup butter

4 TBS cocoa

6 TBS milk

1 lb powdered sugar

1-1 1/2 Cups pecans chopped

1 tsp vanilla

 Melt and bring to boil butter, cocoa and water.  Sift together flour and sugar.  Pour hot mixture into sugar mixture then add buttermilk, eggs, baking soda and vanilla.  Mix well.  Pour into long cookie sheet with sides and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.  Prepare icing while cake bakes.  In sauce pan bring to boil butter, cocoa and milk; add powdered sugar and beat in; add pecans and vanilla.  Pour over cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.  Let cool and serve.

Herbed Chicken, Bacon and Avocado Salad

  7 cups mixed greens

 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
 1 large avocado, sliced
 8 ounces burrata
 2 ears of corn
 1 pound chicken breasts
 5 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked
 salt + pepper
 Olive or avocado oil
 Fresh basil + rosemary, small bunch of both

1 | Start by seasoning your chicken with salt, pepper, and rosemary to taste. Then grill until cooked all the way through, approximately 12 minutes on each side. While your chicken is cooking shuck your corn and coat in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Throw the corn on the grill for about 5 minutes, rotating continually. Just long enough to get grill marks.

2 | Once the chicken is done let it rest and cut the corn kernels off the cob and set aside.

3 | Now you can start by assembling your salad. Place the washed greens in a bowl. Add the sliced chicken, tomatoes, avocado, corn, bacon, and burrata. Drizzle a little avocado oil and season with salt + pepper.

4 | Serve the dressing on the side + enjoy!

BASIL + ROSEMARY BACON DRESSING
– 1/4 cup avocado or olive oil
– 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
– 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
– 2-3 tablespoons honey
– 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
– 1 tablespoon fresh basil
– 1 strip of bacon
– 1 tablespoon leftover bacon grease, cooled a bit
– salt + pepper to taste

1 | Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve alongside the salad and store any leftover dressing in the fridge for up to one week.