Welcome to Mama Mary's Kitchen

Spinach Puff pastry pie

2024-09-04T20:35:00.002-04:00

We were in Las Cruces, New Mexico where Dave was working a job, when I was bored making the same food and decided to try making a spinach pie along the same lines as a spanakopita. It turned out very flavorful, and I have made it two different ways now; my favorite way is the first style that I am sharing with you. I didn't care for the flavor of precooking the ingredients to fill it. It's fairly simple and delicious. I served it with a marinera sauce to dip it in. You can make it with a phyllo crust Pepperidge farms pastry puffs or my fav the Pepperidge farms puff pastry sheet. I hope you will try it and enjoy it too. I served it with a salad.

Ingredients:

1 to 2 bags fresh baby spinach chopped squeeze water out
1/2 large onion diced
1- 2 large Chopped tomato, squeeze juice and seeds out
2 large fresh garlics minced
1/2 jar of kalamata olives drained & chopped
1 Jar of drained marinated in olive oil & garlic red peppers
1/4 of a container of Ricotta Cheese
Crumbled Feta Cheese or Mozzerella Cheese & cheddar cheese
dash of Balsamic Vinegar
dash of Olive oil

Directions:

Mix in bowl, with olive oil, and a dash of balsamic vinegar, add in the spinach till moist.
On a cookie sheet place a sheet of parchment paper. On the pan open the Puff Pastry sheet unfolded
spread a light amount of Ricotta evenly
next put the spinach & all the veggies across it evenly
then sprinkle the feta cheese or Italian cheese across the top
stretch pastry puff sheet over mixture, make sure it's all sealed
brush with olive oil, sprinkle with seasoning, I use roasted garlic seasoning & Italian Seasonings.
Bake typically 45-50 minutes till browned start at 350

~~bon appétit~~

Peruvian Slaw

2024-09-04T19:48:00.003-04:00

The first time we had this was at La Fuentes Mexican Restaurant in Renton, Washington 30 years ago when we lived up there. It was served in place of a salsa with chips. It was so good. We moved back to Texas, and I missed the flavor, in San Antonio we would have friends over after church and grill fajitas with all the trimmings. One day I decided to try to replicate it and one of our friends took a bite and she was stunned and asked when I'd been to Peru? I was flabbergasted and replied never why? She replied she had been a missionary in Peru and had not had the Peruvian Slaw since then. She was so happy to have a taste of a dish she had grown fond of while living there. One of my trips back to Seattle I went by our favorite old restaurant and asked if I had duplicated it correctly, they didn't want to answer me and give me their recipe until I explained I had grown fond of the taste and was not opening a business but using it for our family only. The Owner then shared yes; I was making it right just add a squeeze of Orange to it. I hope you and your loved ones will enjoy it as much as we still do. This is great for any time!

Ingredients:

1 Package Cole Slaw mix (or shred a small cabbage)
1/4 Cup diced Red Bell Peppers
1/4 Cup diced Yellow Bell Pepper
1/4 cup diced Green Bell Pepper
2 cloves Garlic minced
1/4 Cup diced Onions
2 or 3 Jalapenos seeded and diced
1/4 Cup minced Cilantro
Juice of one Lemon
Juice of one Lime
Juice of one big juicy Orange
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
If it's too spicy for your family add a Tb Sugar (we don't)

Instructions:

In a large bowl add the Cole Slaw package
Dice your veggies and add them into the bowl
Mince Garlic add to bowl
Deseed & Dice your Jalapeños (I wear latex gloves to do this) add to the bowl
Mince the cilantro add to the bowl
Add your squeezed citrus juices
Add seasonings
Stir and put in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight so the flavor goes through.
Serve as a snack during the games or with Enchiladas or Tacos or on top of Tostados.

~~bon appétit~~

Chicken Marsala

2024-09-03T20:29:00.006-04:00

I love Chicken Marsala it’s my favorite thing to order at Carrabba’s Italian Grill. I’ve been trying to find a recipe that tastes like the flavor I love so well. After years of being a smidgen afraid to attempt to make this dish I finally attempted it and this was it!! It turned out so tasty and yummy, I’m grateful I only made enough for one each. I might have over indulged myself.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon.

Directions:

Place chicken between sheets of waxed paper and flatten with a mallet. If you don’t have a mallet slice it thinly length wise into 2 pieces.

In a shallow dish, combine flour, salt and pepper. Dredge chicken pieces until well-coated, shaking off excess flour.

In a saute pan over medium-high heat, melt butter and avocado oil. Add chicken and brown well, turning often to prevent sticking, for approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

Add Marsala wine and chicken broth. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cover until cheese has melted.

Remove chicken and place on warmed plate. Pour lemon juice into pan and whisk pan juices and browned bits together. Pour sauce over chicken. Serve immediately.
SERVES: 4

~~bon appétit~~

Taco & Veggie Stuffed Bell Peppers

2024-09-02T19:25:00.002-04:00

We love stuffed Bell Peppers and I wanted to make slightly different ones with less carbs. I decided to make them without rice. We all loved them, my husband said I didn’t make enough I only made 3 so I had a lot of ingredients leftover so it used the leftovers to make Spanish rice! This recipe will be a keeper and made often though I may stuff more green peppers next time. I served salad with it and you do not bloat from it, also none of us had any indigestion. It was a light and excellent meal.

INGREDIENTS:

3 large bell peppers (your favorite color), tops cut off seeds removed
1 pound lean ground round beef
2 cups tomatoes, diced
1 cup zucchini, diced small
1 cup squash, diced small
1/2 cup each of minced red and green peppers
1 cup onion, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced or 1 TB Garlic powder if you don’t have any fresh garlic
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon San Antonio chili powder
2 cups Sharp cheese, shredded (or your favorite)
1 small can of tomato sauce (6 oz)
Various toppings, such as tortilla chips, sour cream and cilantro or salsa
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Preheat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown ground round beef (makes no grease) garlic, minced onion, minced peppers, zucchini, yellow squash and drain any excess fat. Add the lime juice, dry spices, tomatoes; add one small can of tomato sauce stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add about half of the cheese to the beef mixture and stir to combine. Evenly stuff each pepper half with the beef mixture. Top each stuffed pepper with the rest of the cheese. Place stuffed peppers on a cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm with chips, salsa, and sour cream.

Fresh tip: if you want your peppers to be softer place them in simmering water for 5 minutes personally I do or place in preheated oven, unstuffed, for 5 to 10 minutes before filling.

~~bon appétit~~

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

2024-09-02T18:29:00.007-04:00

A few years ago, Dave and I were in Mt Juliet, TN and I was trying new spins on recipes I had tried. This one became a winner, though our son swears veggies don't belong in sweets. Recently I added a new twist to this recipe adding crumbled brownie brittle on top! So super yummy. My husband took them to work with him and shared them with the guys not telling them they had zucchini in them. All the guys loved them! Our son enjoyed them even though there was a vegetable i8n them. I know you will love them when you try them but I wouldn't let the grandkids know there was veggies in them or they may not eat them, LOL! You can freeze them ahead for a month. This recipe makes 24 muffins.

Ingredients:

· 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
· ½ cup packed light brown sugar
· 1 cup Unsalted butter or Avocado oil
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1 tsp Almond extract
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder I use Hershey's Special Dark
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups finely grated zucchini slightly drained
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• couple handfuls of brownie brittle

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray muffin pan wells with nonstick cooking spray or line with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the sugars, oil, eggs, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.

4. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the sugar mixture and mix until just combined.

5. Fold in zucchini until it is evenly distributed into the batter. Stir in dark chocolate chips.

6. Use a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons) to distribute batter amongst the prepared muffin wells.

7. If desired, sprinkle brownie brittle onto the top of each muffin.

8. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes.

Muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer.

~~bon appétit~~

Lasagna with Butternut Squash, Zucchini, and Spinach

2024-06-25T02:32:00.001-04:00

Lasagna is a love of my husband & mine. I love the way my Mommy made it but here lately. I don’t always like pasta in it since I’ve been on Ozympic fatty things fill me up too fast and I’ve always loved veggies thanks to my Mom. I love eggplant, I love zucchini and spinach. I am learning to love butternut squash. I served this dish with a Caesar salad not like you need extra vegetables because there’s so many in it, but having men in my family are accustomed to eating more and I love a good salad. This lasagna does not weigh you down, it’s very refreshing and delicious. I hope you’ll try it and love it as much as my husband and I do. I forgot to take a picture of the baked Lasagna in the dish! Whoops…

Ingredients:

· tablespoons avocado oil

· 1 onion, diced

· 4 cloves garlic, chopped

· 1 (20 ounce) package ground Italian Turkey Sausage

· 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes with basil

· 2(6 ounce) cans tomato paste

· 1 ½ to 2 cups water

· 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh Basil

· 1 1/2 tsp fresh chopped Oregano

· 1 teaspoon fennel seeds

· 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

· ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

. 1/2 teaspoon salt

· ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

· 1 container shredded butternut squash if you can’t find it buy a small butternut squash peel it and use your kitchen aid chopper to shred/chop it up

· 1 (10 ounce) package chopped fresh spinach

· 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese

· 1 egg

· 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

. 1 Tablespoon minced fresh basil

. 1 Tablespoon minced fresh oregano

· ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

· Italian 6 package shredded cheese & 1 -2 cups mozzarella cheese

. 1 Eggplant peeled and thin sliced length wise

· 1 package zucchini zoodles or 2 zucchini, sliced lengthwise

Directions:

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook the onion and garlic in the hot oil until fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes. Break the turkey into small pieces into the skillet; cook and stir until completely browned. (I season the meat with a little salt, pepper and garlic powder as well as Italian Seasoning.) Drain any grease off. Stir the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, basil, oregano, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 cup parsley into the turkey mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reaches a desired consistency, 60 to 90 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, Peel and thinly slice the eggplant put parchment on a cookie sheet spread the sliced eggplant spray with avocado oil and sprinkle sea salt on each piece. Bake 10 minutes on 400. Set aside.

Squeeze the water out of the zucchini set aside.

Wash and dry the spinach place in a bowl. Set aside.

Stir the ricotta cheese, egg, 2 tablespoons parsley, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 tsp granulated garlic powder and about 2 cups of 6 Italian cheese 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar together in a bowl. Set aside.

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour 1 1/2 cups of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of the eggplant slices, then a layer of butternut squash followed by zucchini zoodles and next spinach. Spread 1 cup of the ricotta cheese mixture over the vegetables. Repeat the layering. Spread any remaining ricotta cheese mixture over the top of the lasagna. Finish by topping with any remaining sauce mixture. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top of the lasagna. Return to oven and bake uncovered until the top is golden brown, about 10 minutes or cheese is melted. Remove and allow the lasagna to rest 15 minutes before cutting to serve.

~~bon appétit~~

Greek Turkey Meatloaf Slow Cooker style

2024-06-25T01:31:00.001-04:00

The men in my family, love meatloaf; sometimes I make a barbecue one, sometimes I make one like my dad did sometimes, I make one like one of my girlfriends does or I cook one style in an air fryer. Red meat is not necessarily my friend so I like to use ground turkey a lot and if it’s flavored right, you can’t tell it’s ground turkey. I came across this style Meatloaf and had to try it, of course typical of me. I had to alter a couple things in it which made it my recipe. I know you guys are gonna love this. Don’t put off trying it. It even makes great meatloaf sandwiches. Just ask my husband. I’d love to hear how you and your family enjoyed it.

Ingredients:

· 2.5 lbs Ground turkey not lean,

if possible

· 3 eggs

· 1½ cups tomato basil feta cheese

· 1 cup panko bread crumbs

· 10 oz julienne sun dried tomatoes cut into pieces

Small handful chopped fresh basil

· ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley

· tablespoon or 2 of minced garlic

· ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

· non-stick Avocado spray

. Juice of a lemon

Instructions:

1. place slow cooker liner into slow cooker.

2. spray inside of liner, or inside of cooker if not using liner with non-stick avocado oil spray.

3. add all ingredients into slow cooker and mix thoroughly. I suggest putting on latex gloves and smushing it all together.

2.5 lbs Ground turkey, 3 eggs, 1½ cups Tomato Basil feta cheese, 1 cup Italian Panko bread crumbs, 10 oz Julienne chopped sun dried tomatoes, ⅓ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, 2 tablespoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper when I put it in the sprayed crockpot I squeezed the juice of a lemon over it and around the base of it.

4. cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours, depending on your slow cooker. Turkey can dry out so it is good to keep an eye on it, it is considered safe to serve when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F

5. Serve with a Cesar Salad

Notes

Be careful not to over work your ground turkey. Overmixed ground turkey can turn mushy.

Nutrition

Calories: 325 approximately calories a slice

~~bon appétit~~

Red Velvet Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2024-06-07T01:26:00.000-04:00

Our son loves red velvet cake, red velvet cupcakes, red velvet cookies he just loves the flavor of red velvet.

So I decided I wanted to make it a Cookie specifically with him in mind so this recipe is dedicated to Michael. I used little dark miniature chocolate chunks in the cookies. The cookies probably took me about an hour maybe an hour and a half to make three dozen. I just took my time making them. The thing that takes a little bit of extra time is making the red sugar to roll the cookies in but it’s worth it. My reward was being told by Mike that these cookies are soooo good. I hope you and your family will enjoy them just as much as we are.

For Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoons red gel food coloring

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted (I use Dutch-process or Hershey’s Special Dark

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Dark miniature chocolate chunks

1/2 cup red sanding sugar for rolling

For Red Sanding Sugar

1/4 cup Turbinado or coarse sugar
dollop of Wilton’s red gel food coloring (do not use liquid food coloring)

Instructions

For Cookies

1. Room temperature butter Alternatively, you can melt the butter in a microwave.

2. Add the butter to a medium mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla and red gel food coloring. Blend with mixer.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture Mix with mixer; Do not over mix. Fold in the Dark Chocolate Chunks into the batter.

4. Let the dough rest while you preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. Using a medium cookie scoop, divide the cookies the cookies into approximately 2-ounce portions. Or if you don’t have a scooper estimate a nice medium sized round balls and roll it up between your hands I usually wear latex gloves so that I don’t get the dough all over my hands. Roll the balls in Red sanding sugar and place on parchment lined baking sheet, leaving 2 to 3 inches between cookies.

6. Bake 10 minutes or until edges are set and centers are still slightly puffed up and under baked. Do not over bake. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with more sugar if desired. Cookies will deflate as they cool.

For Red Sanding Sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large plastic bag, combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and a dollop of red gel food coloring. Shake the bag and use your hands to massage the food coloring into the sugar. Continue until all of the sugar is covered.

3. Spread the sugar onto the prepared pan, using your hands to spread it evenly. Bake for 10 minutes.

4. Remove the sugar from the oven and cool for at least 15 minutes before using.

Notes

Store cookies tightly covered at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Cookies may be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and then place in a large plastic freezer bag. Defrost at room temperature before serving or warm in a 300°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes.

~~bon appétit~~

Kentucky Butter Poundcake

2024-06-07T00:48:00.002-04:00

As a preteen growing up in Texas through my teen years We went to my Great Aunts and Great Uncles a lot, Anytime you went there was always a poundcake for dessert. My aunt Eloise pound cakes were amazing; I don’t recall her ever icing any of them. So ever so often I get really hungry for a poundcake so when I came across this recipe, I had to try it and I did alter some my husband and son loved it. I did too. It was really tasty. I hope you’ll enjoy it when you try it.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
BUTTER SAUCE:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup water
1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
2. Pour into a greased and floured or use Bakers Joy and spray your Bundt pan thoroughly. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 55-70 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Then place your wire rack on top of the pan and gentle turn the pan over and the cake should onto a wire rack over waxed paper.
3. For sauce, combine the sugar, butter and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat just until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in extracts.
4. Poke holes in the top of the warm cake; spoon 1/4 cup sauce over cake. Let stand until sauce is absorbed. Repeat twice. Poke holes into sides of cake; brush remaining sauce over sides. Cool completely.

~~bon appétit~~

Crock Pot Beef Tips

2024-05-01T21:34:00.004-04:00

I’ve been promising my son I’d make Beef tips and gravy for a month or more so yesterday morning I finally started them in the crock pot around 11:30-noonish. Dinner was ready between 6:30-7 last night. I served it with sauteed zucchini on the side of the bowl, mashed potatoes on the bottom of the bowl and beef tips & gravy on top. It was comfort food. Soo good! Will definitely make this one again. Going to take the leftovers and turn it into a yummy stew.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs cubed beef (stew meat)

1 packet Lipton’s Dry Onion Soup Mix

1 can Cream of Celery Soup

1 can Cream of Beefy Mushroom Soup

1 14 oz. can Beef Bone broth or stock

1 large container fresh Mushrooms, rinsed

½ of a large Spanish onion in big slices

Garlic powder & Black Pepper

Instructions

Add beef cubes to Crockpot, season with Garlic powder & pepper.

In the crock pot dump the dry onion soup mix, fresh onions, mushrooms, cream soups and Beef bone broth. Stir to combine. Put the lid on and stir every hour or so & let cook.

Cook on high 6-8 hours.

Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles or rice.

~~Bon Appetit~~

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Moistest bestest Carrot Cake Ever!

2024-05-01T21:12:00.000-04:00

It was my oldest daughter’s Birthday and one of her favorite cakes has always been carrot cake. It’s been a toss up between Strawberry cake and Carrot Cake. This year she requested Carrot cake so I happily made her a very moist Carrot Cake.

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups King Arthur’s unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup organic Granulated Sugar

1 cup Dark brown sugar firmly packed (makes a richer moister cake)

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1tsp salt

1 cup avocado oil

1/2 cup unsalted room temperature butter (or melted)

4 large eggs room temperature

1 TB Pure Vanilla Extract

½ tsp Almond Extract

2 tsp ground Saigon Cinnamon

½ tsp ground Nutmeg

3 cups grated carrots washed & peeled before grating (on a hand shredder)

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup unsalted Butter softened (1 stick)

8 oz Cream Cheese softened (brick style not spreadable)

1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

4 cups sifted Powdered Sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare 2 8 inch round pans (see info for other size pans below) line bottom with parchment paper then spray Bakers Joy on top of parchment and sides of pans.

In a mixing bowl to a stand mixer add 1 cup Avocado oil and ½ cup (1 stick) of softened butter. Mix well till smoothly blended.

Add 1 cup Dark brown sugar and 1 cup organic granulated sugar to oils and blend til smooth & harmonious.

Now add 1 large egg and blend do this individually with each of the 4 eggs till all are thoroughly blended.

Add 1 Tablespoon of Pure Vanilla Extract and ½ teaspoon Almond Extract mix till blended.

In a separate bowl whisk your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, Saigon Cinnamon, & Nutmeg. Slowly add to mixing bowl and mix.

Add in 3 cups shredded carrots and nuts. Do not over beat.

Pour evenly the carrot cake batter into your prepared pans and bake at 350 for 40 minutes until toothpick inserted in middle com’s out clean (could have a few moist crumbs).

Allow cakes to cool in the and for 10 minutes, gently run a knife around the pan edges and take your cooling rack slide on top of pans and gently flip over. Should come out smooth with no cracks. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

While it’s cooling make your cream cheese icing.

When the cake is totally cool (don’t rush it) you can now ice your bottom layer then gently place top layer on and finish icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

Mix softened butter and room temperature cream cheese in a large missing bowl. Beat with a mixer until creamy and smooth with no lumps. Add the Pure Vanilla Extract, now slowly add sifted powdered sugar and continue to mix until all ingredients are smoothly combined (be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.

~~bon appétit~~

Super Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies

2024-05-01T15:48:00.000-04:00

Our Second grandson Riley and our son Michael both love Snickerdoodles as a result I finally came up with the perfect recipe. Totally soft, chewy and oh so cinnamony!!!! Riley was just in town to celebrate his Mother’s birthday and of course mentioned could Nana make him some cookies? How could I say no to my adorable grandson and those eyes? I know your family will fall in love with these cookies as much as we all love them.

Ingredients

· 1 cup salted butter, 2 sticks

· 1 and 1/3 cup organic granulated sugar

· 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

· 2 large eggs

· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

· ¼ tsp Almond extract

· 3 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

· 1 teaspoon baking soda

· 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt Or pink Himalayan or sea salt

· 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

. 1 TB Saigon Cinnamon

For rolling

· 1/3 cup granulated sugar

· 1 and 1/2 tablespoons Siagon cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a few baking sheets with parchment paper, or line with a silicone mat.

2. Make the dough. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat 1 cup butter for a couple minutes until smooth, scraping the sides and bottom a few times in between.

3. Add 1 and 1/3 cup white sugar and 1/3 cup packed brown sugar. Beat for 2 minutes, taking the time to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl in between. Your butter and sugar should be light and fluffy with no chunks at all.

4. Add 2 eggs one at a time and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla, & almond extract Beat well, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl. Make sure you beat it long enough that it becomes smooth and homogenous.

5. Add 3 and 1/4 cups flour (be sure to spoon it into the measuring cup! Don't dip your cup into the flour bin, you will pack your flour and end up with too much!) Don't pack the flour or mix the flour in yet.

6. Use a small spoon (I use my teaspoon) to stir 1 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar & 1 Tb Siagon Cinnamon into the flour. Gently beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Don't overdo it. There should still be flour streaks when you stop your mixer. Use a spatula to scrape down the edges of the bowl.

7. Continue beating just a few more seconds until all the flour streaks are gone. Do not over mix! You want to make sure all the ingredients are combined, but once that is done, stop mixing. Over mixing dough = tough cookies.

8. Use a medium cookie scoop or a spoon to shape the dough. You want dough balls that are about 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches across. I used 3/4 cookie scoop.

9. Roll the cookies. In a small or medium bowl, add 1/3 cup turbinado sugar and 1 and 1/2 tablespoons Siagon cinnamon. Stir together. Roll the shaped cookies in the cinnamon-sugar to coat. (Reserve the remaining cinnamon-sugar!)

10. Place cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet with about 2 inches in between them. I can fit 12 cookies on an 11×17 baking sheet.

11. Bake the cookies at 350 for about 9-11 minutes, until the edges are barely set. It's ok if the centers of the cookies (about the size of a quarter) are still shiny. The rest of the cookie should be matte. It's VERY important to not over bake snickerdoodles; underbaking slightly is what helps give them that soft and chewy texture.

12. Let the cookies set up on the pan for at least 3-5 minutes. Remove the cookies to a wire cooling rack and let cool for a few minutes.

13. While the cookies are still warm, but cool enough to handle (and not falling apart), place each cookie back into the bowl of cinnamon sugar*. Coat one side of the cookie, then flip it over and coat the other side. This gives you the ultimate cinnamon-sugar edge to your snickerdoodle! You will want to try one right away with a glass of milk!

14. Freezer instructions: You can freeze this dough and bake later! I like to shape the dough into balls, roll them in cinnamon sugar, and store them in a ziplock bag. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. I never thaw cookie dough before baking. Just bake straight from frozen and add a couple minutes to the bake time.

~~Bon Appetit~~

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Tasty Cranberry Citrus & nutty Relish

2023-11-22T23:50:00.002-05:00

Who loves Cranberry Relish? I don’t mean that congealed canned stuff either. I love Cranberry relish with Turkey on Thanksgiving or anytime. I found a simple recipe I played with today and it’s delicious, so citrusy. My husband hates Cranberry relishes and when I gave him a taste he was super surprised and loved it! It’s a keeper we can’t wait to eat some tomorrow on Thanksgiving. This made a big batch, you may want to cut it in half if not serving a large group. Do not freeze leftovers they would be watery.

What is the difference you may be wondering between cranberry sauce and Cranberry relish?

The main difference is that cranberry sauce is cooked, while cranberry relish is made with raw ingredients that are pulsed in a food processor until the ingredients are finely chopped and a little crunchy.

Ingredients:

2 cups raw fresh cranberries (washed, with any soft or bad cranberries removed)
2 navel orange (washed and peeled, cut into 1 inch chunks)
2 tsp zest of an orange
2 Tart or granny smith apple (washed, peeled, cored, and cut into quarters)
3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup seedless grapes
2 cups fresh chopped pineapple chunks
1/2 cup pecans chopped

Direction's:

I used my kitchen aid and chopped each ingredient separately then added to a mixing bowl. Stir and put in a sealed container till ready to serve.

Will keep in refrigerator up to a week. Can be used on rolls, yogurt or in your oatmeal. So tasty.

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~~bon appétit~~

Sweet n Salty Cinnamon Chex Mix

2023-11-22T22:54:00.000-05:00

This Thanksgiving I’ve been missing my Mom she use to make the original Chex Mix and I thought I’d make it this year. Only I decided to make it sweet n salty vs salty and savory like Mom’s. I love Cinnamon so I chose to add it and the nuts I love! I believe you will love this and enjoy these yummy munchies. Great for after Thanksgiving dinner to much on during the football game.

INGREDIENTS:

· 3 c. Corn Chex cereal

· 2 c. Rice Chex cereal

· 2 c. mini Pretzels

· 2 c. Cheez-It crackers

· 1 c. Wheat Chex cereal

· 1/2 c. Unsalted Butter, melted

· 2 tsp Cinnamon

· 1/2 c. Brown Sugar

· 2 Tb. Honey

· 1/2 tsp. kosher Salt

· 1 cup Honey Roasted Almonds

· ½ cup chopped Pecans

· ½ cup Pistachios

· 1 c. Reese's Pieces or M & M’s

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, place Corn Chex, Rice Chex, Pretzels, Cheez-Its, and Wheat Chex, Almonds, Pecans. Stir gently to combine.

3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar,Cinnamon honey, and kosher salt until well combined and smooth.

4. Pour butter mixture over cereal mixture; stir gently to thoroughly coat. Spread mixture in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.

5. Bake at 300℉ for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

6. Remove pan from oven. Allow to cool completely, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up clumps with your hands.

7. Once cooled, stir in Reese's Pieces and Pistachios.

8. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to about 1 week.

~~bon appétit~~

The Best Easy Stuffed Manicotti

2023-06-19T22:37:00.001-04:00

This is the best & easy Manicotti recipe is stuffed with cheese and Italian herbs, covered in Marinara sauce and baked to perfection! I mixed parts of 2 recipes to create this one. Serve with salad and be prepared for a delicious meal.

PREP TIME 20 minutes

COOK TIME 33 minutes

TOTAL TIME 53 minutes

SERVINGS 6 servings

Ingredients

•. 12 manicotti pasta shells

•. 2 cups Ricotta cheese (1 16 ounce/ 475g container)

•. 1 cups Italian 4 or 6 cheese shredded

•. 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded

•. 1 cup Mozzarella

•. 1/3 cup Colby Jack or Sharp Cheddar shredded

• 1/4 cup sliced Bella Mushrooms

•. 1 egg

•. 1 tablespoon basil garlic pesto

•. 1 teaspoon salt

•. 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

•. 1 tsp Granulated Garlic powder

•. 1 TB Italian Seasonings

• 1 TB Italian Parsley

•. 2 1/2 cups Marinara Sauce (jar or see my homemade sauce)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water with a TB of oil to a rolling boil. Add manicotti noodles and boil for the 4-5 minutes, until almost tender*.

3. Drain and rinse manicotti 2-3 times under cold water until cooled to room temperature.

4. In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, Italian 4-6 shredded cheese, ½ cup Parmesan, 1/2 Mozzarella, 1/3 cup Colby Jack chess, egg, pesto, garlic, Italian Seasonings, Italian Parsley, salt, and pepper.

5. Place ricotta mixture in a large piping bag if you don’t have that a one gallon freezer bag works just and snip the end.

6. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish and spread 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom.

7. Fill each manicotti shell with ricotta cheese mixture and line up on top of the marinara sauce in the baking dish, dividing the ricotta evenly between the 12 manicotti.

8. Top the filled manicotti with the remaining 1 1/2 cups sauce.

9. Lightly grease the baking dish, & a piece of foil or lid. Cover the baking dish. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes until heated through and pasta is tender.Pull out uncover and add remaining ½ of Shredded Parmesan cook 5 more minutes. Let sit 10 minutes then serve with a salad.

Notes

*Make sure you don't overcook them. You want them still slightly firm so they're easy to fill and don't overcook in the oven.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2manicotti, Calories: 451, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 104mg, Sodium: 1395mg, Potassium: 542mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 1214IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 485mg, Iron: 2mg

~~bon appétit~~

Air Fryer Mini Turkey Meatloaves

2023-05-26T16:46:00.002-04:00

The other night I wanted to fix a meatloaf as easily as I could trying it out in the air fryer. By making mini loaves I make 3 so my hubby had one for his work lunch. I love using ground Turkey my digestive system isn’t that fond of too much red meat. This meatloaf turned out with great flavors and was very moist not dried out. I don’t normally eat that much anymore but I actually almost finished my mini meatloaf!! Once you try this it will be on your menu at least once a month. It only took 10 to 15 minutes to prep, 40 minutes to cook.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground lean Turkey
1 can drained petite diced basil, oregano tomatoes
1/3 cup diced Red Bell Pepper
1/3 cup diced Celery
1/3 cup diced onion
1 1/2 TB Italian Parsley finely chopped
1 large brown Egg
3/4 cup to a cup of Panko crumbs
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 tsp Worcester low sodium Sauce
Hickory BBQ Sauce

Instructions:

Add ground Low fat Turkey to you large mixing bowl. I use latex clear gloves when chopping and mixing.
Dice all your vegetables add to the mixing bowl with your meat.
Add in your seasonings, Panko crumbs, egg and low sodium ,Worcestershire sauce to the mixing bowl with everything in it.
With your gloves on mix and squish everything thoroughly together now form 3 mini meat loaves.
Place on your olive oil sprayed air fryer rack I do not recommend putting foil on your rack as the meatloafs wouldn’t cook evenly.
Cook Air Fryer at 400 degrees for 25 minutes remove and spread your hickory smoke BBQ sauce evenly across the top and sides.
Put back in Air Fryer for 15 minutes more at 400 or until internal meat temperature is 165 degrees..
Remove and let them sit 10 minutes then serve.. I served it with mashed potatoes and zucchini.

~~bon appétit~~

Mediterranean Quinoa

2023-05-25T12:30:00.005-04:00

When my Mom was alive she had issues with choking on tiny pieces of food, so I learned with Couscous or Quinoa to add veggies and broth. Having eaten Mediterranean food and Armenian rice dishes I decided to add to my Quinoa similar veggies and flavors. My husband isn’t fond of raisins so I changed the golden raisins for cranberries. This was very flavorful with a slight sweetness to it. It went really well with the Mediterranean Lamb Shank Chops, I hope you will enjoy it as much as we do.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup minced Onion
1/3 cup minced Red Bell Pepper
1/3 cup minced celery
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup soft dried cranberries
1:4 cup slivered almonds
1 tsp Garlic powder
1/4-1/2 tsp Montreal Seasonings
2 TB Butter cut into quarters
2 1/2 cups low sodium Chicken broth
1 cup Quinoa

Directions:

Mince all your veggies and put them in your pan with your seasonings and broth about 6 hours prior let sit.
Turn your burner on medium high add your cup of Quinoa bring to a boil and turn down to medium cook for 20 minutes till done.
Turn off your burner and Let sit 10 minutes while you meat is sitting then dish up and enjoy!

~~bon appétit~~

Mediterranean Style Lamb Shank Chops

2023-05-25T11:59:00.002-04:00

This easy pan sautéed Mediterranean style Lamb Chop recipe comes together in no time. Marinated in Mediterranean herbs and spices and brushed with mustard each little chop is tender, juicy and flavorful. My hubby and I really enjoyed these; we hope you love them as much as we do!

Ingredients

4 Loin Lamb Chops (about 1.5" thick)
2 Tablespoons Grainy Mustard (Dijon)
1 TB Italian Seasonings
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, Divided
salt and pepper

Directions:

Into a small bowl, mix mustard, oregano, thyme and 1 TBS olive oil. Blend well.
Season all sides generously with salt and pepper. Then using a basting brush, spread on mustard mixture to all edges of the lamb chops.
Let Lamb Chops marinade in this overnight, so the flavors go through it.
Heat your broiler or grill. Spray Olive oil on all sides lightly.
I grilled them 12 minutes at 400 on each side until lamb reaches medium rare (130°). (I cut into one chop to make sure of it’s a doneness; if I don't have a thermometer handy.).
Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Then serve immediately.
I served it with sautéed Asparagus, and Mediterranean Quinoa.

SERVING SIZE:

4 servings
Amount Per Serving: CALORIES: 424SATURATED FAT: 7gCHOLESTEROL: 149mgSODIUM: 333mgCARBOHYDRATES: 1gPROTEIN: 45g

~~bon appétit~~

Blueberry Coffee Cake

2023-05-12T11:49:00.002-04:00

My brother and I this week were talking about how all our life our Mother would quickly make a coffee cake for breakfast or snacks or deserts, she made it so often from scratch I never saw her look at an actual recipe. I do love blueberries though and coffee cake so we will try this for a change. This Blueberry Coffee Cake recipe is full of fresh juicy blueberries in a moist crumb cake that is topped with a crunchy sweet streusel for a bite of sweet, tart, moist and crunchy in every bit! Ideal for serving as a dessert or a breakfast cake! I did get the original recipe from a Blueberry Buckle Cake recipe.

“A blueberry buckle is a blueberry coffeecake with a streusel topping. The batter will be extremely thick and heavy, and some effort will be required to spread it into the prepared cake pan. This buckle is best made with fresh blueberries, not frozen ones, which are too moist.”

Ingredients:

Streusel

•1/2 cup all purpose flour, 2.5 oz

•1/2 cup brown sugar

•2 tablespoons sugar

•1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

•4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• Pinch of salt

Cake

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 7.5 oz
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/4 stick)softened but cool
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon Almond extract
2 large eggs, room temp
4 cups (20 ounces) blueberries

Directions:

Combine ingredients all for the streusel except the butter in a mixing bowl for your mixer. Mix on low until combined and no large clumps remain about 46 seconds. Add butter mix on low until mixtures resemble wet sand and no large butter pieces remain about 2 1/2 minutes. Mixture will look like damp sugar... no butter will be distinguishable.Transfer streusel to small bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350° Spray 9 “ pan with cake flour baking spray. Lower rack to middle lower position
Mix flour and baking powder in a bowl. Use a whisk to mix well. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter, sugar, salt, and zest on medium until light and fluffy about 3 minutes.
Beat in vanilla, about 30 seconds.
Add eggs one at a time until incorporated, batter will appear broken.
On a low speed add flour in 2 - 3 batches. Once its almost incorporated remove bowl from mixer, scrape down sides and stir with spatula until all flour is mixed in.
Using the spatula, put 1/2 the thickened batter into the prepared pan. Spread evenly.
Sprinkle 1/2 the blueberries on top then put the last half of the batter in then sprinkle last 1/2 of blueberries on top again.
Take streusel and make clumps with your fist and sprinkle on top of batter. Cover entire top with streusel.
Bake until cake is golden brown and toothpick comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes.
Transfer to wire rack and let cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

~~bon appétit~~

Pan Seared Balsamic glazed Lamb Shank Chops

2023-05-12T09:38:00.002-04:00

Dave and I both enjoy Lamb, for me it agrees better with my digestion and is so satisfying I’m not craving more. These Pan Seared Lamb Chops are a quick, yet impressive meal thats easy enough for everyday cooking. They are so flavorful and tasty! I served them with a healthy salad with sliced cukes, tomatoes, and golden delicious apples and used apple vinaigrette with Kens Vidalia Onion dressing served with mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

8 loin lamb chops, , 1.5" thick
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 + 1
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup Southern Comfort bourbon
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4+ teaspoon cayenne pepper I added a smidgen more
1 TB olive oil

Directions:

Brush all lamb chops with one of the tablespoons of olive oil then season with garlic powder, salt, pepper & drizzle of balsamic vinegar let soak a couple hours.
Heat a skillet to high. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and swirl it around to coat the whole pan.
If your skillet is smaller, you can cook them in two batches, but when you are placing the lamb in the pan you want to allow 1" in between.
Allow oil to heat up for 30 seconds then add lamb chops to pan on bone end. Cook for 2 minutes. Then tip lamb to cook each side (not the flat side, but the long smallest width side.). Cook for 2 mins more. Then tip to the other long smaller width side and cook for 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium high. And cook first flat side for 4 minutes, then flip to the other side and cook for 4 minutes more. You can either cut into one to see the temp, or use a thermometer to check for doneness. 130° for medium rare. Remove and place onto a plate and cover with foil to allow them to rest while you make the balsamic glaze. Repeat until all lamb chops are complete.
Add Southern Comfort bourbon to pan to deglaze the pan. Using a wooden spoon scrape up all the bits that have attached to the pan to incorporate them into the sauce.
Reduce the heat to low. Then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
In a separate bowl mix vinegar, brown sugar, cayenne pepper (optional) and olive oil. Stir to mix completely. I premixed all the ingredients (including the balsamic vinegar) 6 hours earlier so the flavors would have longer to come together.
Add balsamic vinegar mixture to the pan and continue to stir into garlic/bourbon mixture. You will cook for about 5 minutes until sauce begins to thicken to s syrup like consistency. DO NOT RAISE THE HEAT or you will Harden the sauce.
Once its thickened add the lamb shank pork chops back into the pan to warm for 10 minutes while spooning sauce over the top.
Serve immediately.

~~bon appétit~~

Super Creamy Sausage Spinach Pasta

2023-04-28T20:28:00.001-04:00

I needed to make something with the ingredients I had and we had already had tomato sauces a couple times this week so I decided to fix something different. I had leftover garlic Parmesan angel hair pasta so I used it in my creamy dish. It is quite rich but oh so yummy. Both Dave and I loved it. I served it with fresh corn shaved off the cob to make creamy corn. I was surprised how good the creamy corn turned out as I made it in the microwave for the lack of a stove. Only had my electric skillet which was in use for the creamy sausage spinach pasta dish,

Ingredients:

· 1 Pound ground Italian Turkey ½ spicy ½ sweet

· 1 Pound Penne noodles or angel hair pasta or whatever pasta you have

· Lightly spray olive oil in skillet

· 1/2 Minced purple onion

· 2 Cloves Garlic Minced

· 1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

· 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

· 1/4 tsp oregano

· 1/4 tsp basil

· 3 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves pulled off the stems

· 2 Cups Heavy Cream Or Alfredo Sauce

· 8 Ounces baby Spinach

· 1/2 to 1 Cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cook the penne pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions.

2. While the pasta is cooking, spray the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Cook the Italian sausage along with the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt until the sausage is no longer pink. Add the rest of your seasonings.

4. Drain excess fat from the skillet if necessary and return the meat mixture to the pan.

5. Turn the heat to low and add the cream to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and add the precooked pasta & the spinach.

6. Cook, stirring for about 3 minutes until the spinach is wilted.

7. Stir in the shaved parmesan cheese until melted.

8. Serve immediately.

~~bon appétit~~

Outrageously Moist Orange Cake like Cookies

2023-04-06T00:55:00.003-04:00

I made these cookies about 9 years ago when my adult grandsons were in Elementary and Junior High. I came across this recipe before Dave and I went on the road and I thought hmm its been too long since I made these, I brought them along so here I am I made them again. I forgot just how yummy they are! Dude they made 7 dozen huge cookies. I took some to the hotel we stayed at first to a person I made friends with and gave some to the staff at the Home 2 Suites we are staying at. Dave took a dozen to work and no matter who ate one, everyone loved them and all said the same thing they are addictive. These cookies are a very gooey gooey batter. The original recipe called for making an icing for each cookie, I chose to sprinkle sugar on top of each cookie with a smidgeon of orange zest.

Ingredients:

1 cup softened Butter
2 cups Sugar
2 Large Brown Eggs
1 Large Orange Zest of the orange and the juice of it
1/4 cup Orange Juice
1 tsp Orange Extract or Emulsion (I used 5 drops Orange Vitality)
1/2 tsp Almond Extract
3/4 cup Milk
4 cups Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper. Zest and juice orange.
Cream butter and sugar together. Beat in eggs, Almond Extract, orange juice, zest, and mix.
Sift all dry ingredients together.
Add flour mixture alternately with milk to form a soft dough.
Scoop cookies onto cookie sheets. Sprinkle sugar on top of each cookie.
Bake for approx 11 minutes or until very lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes and remove to a cooling rack.

~~bon appétit~~

Strawberry Sugar Cookies

2023-04-05T23:30:00.001-04:00

I came across this recipe on Instagram and it was a Gluten Free recipe that I changed to flour, then I decided instead of rolling in sugar I decided to roll the dough in the Strawberry juice. The cookies turned out so delicious and good, everyone loved them. I can't wait to make them again they disappeared so fast they only made about 2 dozen.

Ingredients:

For the Strawberry Liquid

1 3/4 cups quartered fresh strawberries
3/4 cup granulated sugar

For the Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
5 tablespoons strawberry liquid

Instructions:

For the Strawberry Liquid

1. Cut up the Strawberries put them in the Ninja and puree the strawberries in the Ninja then put them in a saucepan set over medium heat, cook the granulated sugar and strawberries, stirring constantly, until they are syrupy. About 10 min.

For the Cookies

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, the baking powder and the kosher salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand held mixer, beat the room temperature butter and 1 ¼ cups of granulated sugar until soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes. add eggs, milk, the cooled strawberry liquid (5 tablespoons...you will have some left over) and vanilla into the creamed butter and sugar. It will look pale pink.
Slowly beat in the flour a little at a time until just combined.
Keep the dough in a bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2.5 hours. You must not skip this step or the cookies will spread everywhere. I love to chill mine overnight.
After 2.5 hours, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Take the dough out of the fridge. Roll balls of dough out. You should have 12 to 24 balls of dough.
Roll each dough ball in the extra Strawberries liquid to coat completely.
Place dough balls about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
Store extra dough balls in the fridge while the rest are baking if they don't all fit. I only bake 6 at a time.
Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 min before transferring to a cooling rack.

~~bon appétit~~

Anytime Crustless Spinach Quiche

2023-04-05T19:53:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I am tired of typical evening meals so I like to change things up a bit. You can make this for dinner, brunch or breakfast; you can make it meatless or with a meat whether bacon, ham or sausage the choice is yours or if you aren't into pork, use Turkey or chicken bacon, ham or sausage. Nowadays you have many delicious options. I personally use white cheese as the dyes in yellow cheeses can cause headaches. Also I prefer shredding my own cheese to packaged shredded cheese which has a talc added to it. If for serving for dinner add a salad, or for breakfast consider serving sourdough toast or biscuits with it or a nice fruit salad.

Ingredients:

I cup minced Onion
4 oz minced Bella Mushrooms
1/2 Large Red Bel Pepper
1 !/2 cups minced Ham (turkey ham or bacon or precooked & drained sausage or leave the meat out)
2 1/2 cups chopped Spinach squeezed to remove all water from it
1 Cup Shredded white Sharp Cheddar
1 cup shredded Monteray Cheese
6 Brown eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp Ground dry mustard
1/4 tsp Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink salt
1 tsp Black Pepper (less if you aren't that fond of Pepper)

Directions:

Mince and chop your veggies
Mince your meat you are using
Shred your cheese
Sauté your onion, red bell peppers and mushrooms after 3-4 minutes add your ham to sauté for another 3-4 minutes then add spinach and cook until starting to wilt. turn off burner.
In a mixing bowl crack your eggs, add your milk and whisk add your seasonings whisk again then add your sautéed veggies, Ham and Shredded Cheeses. Whisk one last time.
Pregrease your Casserole dish and pour in all your ingredients
Bake at 350 for 37-42 minute. Until the center is firm not runny.
Let cool and sit 10 minutes before serving.

~~bon appétit~~

Cold Buffalo Chicken Salad

2023-04-05T18:57:00.000-04:00

My hubby and I love chicken salad, so I love trying to make it different ways. Sometimes I fix it with boiled eggs, onions, celery, pickles and mayo and mustard, sometimes I add Curry (I personally love it with Curry seasonings and slap yo Momma seasonings made with all the ingredients listed above). Sometimes I add nuts, dry cranberries and grapes. I recently made it using 3 heaping TB of Hidden Valley Ranch and Franks Buffalo sauce for snacks with Triscuit wheat crackers. My husband loved it so much he made sandwiches with it for his work lunch. So if. you are looking for a different Chicken salad try this one. Its not that spicy just has a light kick.

Ingredients:

2 Cans Chicken Breast (drained and shredded) or 2 cups skinned & deboned shredded Rotisserie chicken both white and dark meat.

1/4 cup Mayonnaise

1 tsp Granulated Garlic Powder

1/2 cup Franks Buffalo Sauce

2 TB Hidden Valley Ranch Dip mix

2 Stalks Celery minced

1/2 of a large purple Onion minced

Instructions:

Mince your veggies add to a mixing bowl add in shredded chicken, mayonnaise, Ranch dip and Buffalo Sauce. Stir and mix thoroughly until everything is mixed and coated. Put in a container and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before eating.

Serve on Crackers, or a lettuce leaf or on a tortilla or toast

~~bon appétit~~