EVERYDAY SISTERS

Toffee Poke Cake

2012-03-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

I seem to be making A LOT of recipes from Pinterest lately. I am a little obsessed with that site!! I saw this Toffee Poke Cake AKA. Better than Sex Cake all over Pinterest boards and done in many different ways. I thought it would make the perfect birthday cake for my husband. This cake did not disappoint! It was really delicious and decadent.......but better than sex? I'll let you decide that for your self.

Ingredients:

1 box devils food cake

1- 16oz jar caramel ice cream topping

1/2 can sweetened condensed milk

1 container of cool whip, thawed

1 bag of Hershey's Heath Bits O'Brickle or 3 heath bars, crushed

Preparation:

Bake the devils food cake according to the package, except the oil. Reduce the amount by half. I baked mine in two round cake pans, but I'm thinking a 9x13 pan would have been less messy.

While the cake is still hot, poke holes in it using the back of a wooden spoon. Make sure you don't poke all the way through the cake. (I used a stainless steel knife sharpener that I don't use to sharpen knives ;)

Drizzle caramel over the top of the cake.

Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the caramel (I used half the can but you can use more if you would like)

Sprinkle the Bit's O' Brickle or crushed Heath Bars over the top of the sweetened condensded milk.

Allow cake to cool completely in the refrigerator. I used round cake pans when I made the cake because I was going for a nicer presentation but you can use a 9x13 pyrex dish or cake pan which would work fine. Next time I'm going to make and decorate the cake in a pyrex dish because it would just be much easier and less messy.

However, if you did use round cake pans you will need to carefully remove the cakes from the pans and transfer to a cake platter to decorate. Using a spatchula carefully lift the cakes from the pans. It will be mess and gooey but mine came out without a problem. Now cover the cake with a thin layer of cool whip, then top with the 2nd cake and cover that cake with cool whip as well. Sprinkle entire cake with additional Heath bar crumbles.

Asian Meatballs

2012-02-29T11:00:00.000-05:00

I adapted this recipe from a recipe my sister Karen gave me for Sesame Soy Meatballs. I didn't have all the right ingredients, so I made my own version of what I'm calling Asian Meatballs. They came out really yummy and my kids loved them. I served them with orzo and string beans.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 lb ground turkey
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil

Preparation:

Mix together first 6 ingredients until combined. Add ground turkey meat and mix gently with soy mixture. Mix in panko bread crumbs until combined. (I added panko to help bind the meatball mixture because turkey meat tends to be loose, if you use ground beef you can omit the bread crumbs). Wet hands and form into balls. Heat a 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a skillet and cook meatballs until browned on both sides. Place meatballs on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 -15 minutes to finish cooking.

Warm Butternut Squash, Lentil and Feta Salad - Secret Recipe Club

2012-02-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

It's Secret Recipe Club time again!! This time I was very excited to get a great blog to work with Farmgirl Gourmet. Heather started this blog back in 2006 and her blog is filled with delicious recipes using a lot of organic and sustainable ingredients hence her tagline Homegrown, Local, Sustainable, Delicious!! I orginally had a different recipe in mind to make from Heather's blog but very recently she posted this fantastic sounding recipe and I just had to make it. I really love anything with butternut squash in it and this particular recipe with lentils, roasted peppers, pistachios and feta cheese sounded irresistable to me and I was right! YUM! I adjusted the amounts of the ingredients and seasonings to my taste but the rest of the recipe is the same as the original recipe.

Warm Butternut Squash, Lentil and Feta Salad
(adapted from Farmgirl Gourmet)

Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
/21 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 cups chicken stock or water
1 cup dry brown lentils
1 red pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 cup reduced-fat feta cheese
3 handfuls baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons roasted pistachios, chopped

Vinaigrette:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425. On a large rimmed baking sheet add the butternut squash cubes, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper and 1 tablespoon chili powder. Toss to coat the squash. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Test doneness by piercing the squash with a fork. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the lentils and turn to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes. Or until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Turn off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. In a small mason jar add the vinaigrette ingredients and add the lid. Shake vigorously to combine. In a large bowl add the red pepper, feta, spinach, parsley, pistachios, squash, lentils and vinaigrette. Toss to combine and serve immediately.

Hugs and Kisses Preztel Buttons

2012-02-23T11:56:00.000-05:00

I have seen this "recipe" all over Pinterest and I finally decided to see what the hype was all about. Wow what a ridiculously easy treat to make and it tastes soooo good. I keep wondering "why didn't I think of that?" Now I want to come up with some creative twists on this snack/dessert/candy/treat.

Ingredients:

1 bag of Hersheys Hugs and Kisses (they make a bag that has both kinds mixed in now)

1 bag of small preztel twists

M&M's

Sprinkles

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Lay preztels down on lined baking sheet in a single layer.

Place a Hersehy's Kiss or Hug on top of each preztel and bake in 350 degree F. oven for about 5 minutes (until chocolate is just getting melted but still holds it's shape).

Spinkle generously with sprinkles and top each Hug and Kiss with a single M&M pressing down the tip of the chocolate to flatten.

You can also top the chocolate preztels with other things like nuts! My kids loved these pecan topped chocolate preztels the best.

Uncle Phil's Chicken

2012-02-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

I got this recipe from my friend Farah quite a long time ago. I bumped into her in the market on Valentines Day and I had no idea what to make for dinner. She told me she was making Uncle Phil's Chicken so I decided to be a copy cat and make that too. I'm so happy I did because it was really easy to make and totally delicious. My whole family really loved it, especially the sauce. This recipe makes a lot of extra sauce so my kids loved pouring it over their rice and extra over their cut up chicken. The recipe calls for chicken gravy mix but the market didn't have any so I opted for brown gravy mix and I think it was really good. Next time I'm going to try it with chicken gravy mix to see which we like better.

*Farah usually makes the rice dish (recipe below) to go with this chicken. I used plain brown rice but I think I'm definitely going to try Farah's rice dish next time instead.

Ingredients:

4-6 Boneless chicken breasts
Breadcrumbs
Egg
Oil
2 packages of chicken gravy mix (I used brown gravy mix)
2 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of white wine
1 box sliced mushrooms (optional)
1 tablespoon butter

Preparation:

You may want to flatten the breasts a bit if they are really thick or slice them through the middle. Dredge chicken in egg. (I season my egg with a bit of parsley flakes, salt, pepper and garlic powder) Next, dredge them in breadcrumbs. Heat up about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet/sauté pan. Add more oil as cooking if needed. Sauté the breasts until golden. (don't over cook them, keep the heat fairly low, they will be in the oven for a good 45 minutes and you dont want them dry.) Save the drippings in the pan when you are done. Place cutlets in a 9 x 13 pan. I usually pour off a bit of the oil, leave about ½ T in the pan. Add the broth to the skillet, all the while stirring so that the bits will loosen a bit, add the wine and begin whisking in the two packets of gravy. Maintain a nice medium level of heat and dont dump in the gravy to be sure you dont get clumps. It should begin to thicken and bubble after a few minutes. Sauté the sliced mushrooms in 1T of butter until cooked through, sprinkle over cutlets. Then, pour the gravy mixture over the cutlets.
Bake at 325 for 45 minutes, serve over rice.

Rice Recipe
Ingredients:

1 medium onion chopped
1 stick of butter
2 cans of broth
1/2 package of frozen chopped spinach, well drained
3 chicken bullion cubes
1 1/2 cups of Uncle Ben's converted rice

Preparation:

Sauté onion in butter until transparent. Add 2 cans of broth, spinach, bullion cubes, and rice. Simmer on stove covered for about 25 to 30 min until liquid has been absorbed.

Black Magic Cake - Crazy Cooking Challenge

2012-02-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

It's time for this month's Crazy Cooking Challenge and this month's theme is Chocolate Cake! I knew it would'nt be hard to find delicious chocolate cake recipes around my favorite blogs and I was right! The recipe I decided to make, Black Magic Cake sounded perfect for this challenge. It's a super dark, moist cake that looked irresitable. I found this cake recipe on a great blog....My Baking Addiction and I couldn't wait to try it myself. The frosting recipe I found on a local message board and gave it a try, I think it went pretty well with the cake....it may have been a little too sweet but overall the cake was a hit.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk or *sour milk
1 cup strong black coffee OR 2 teaspoons powdered instant coffee plus 1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* To sour milk: Use 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes (batter will be thin). Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

Chocolate Cream Frosting

4 1/3 cups plus 2 Tbs. unsifted powdered sugar
1 pinch salt
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate -- melted and cooled to tepid
1 1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate -- melted and cooled to tepid
6 Tbs. unsalted butter -- cut into tablespoon chunks and softened
3/4 cups plus 3 Tbs. heavy cream
2 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Place powdered sugar and salt in large bowl. Add the melted chocolates, butter, cream, and vanilla. Using an electric hand mixer, beat for 1 minute on low to combine ingredients; continue beating on high for 2 more minutes or until very smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl several times with a rubber spatula to keep the frosting even textured. The frosting should be thick but creamy; if it seems too dense, lighten it with a little more heavy cream, added a tsp. at a time. Use frosting immediately.

Makes about 3 3/4 cups frosting

Everyday Sisters Sharing Sundays - FEBRUARY

2012-02-04T20:17:00.000-05:00

It's Baaaacccckkkk!! Everyday Sisters Sharing Sundays is making a reappearance for the month of February and if you couldn't guess, this month's theme is LOVE!!! Please link up any recipes that you think is romantic, warm hearted or one you would make for Valentine's Day. All recipes or fun food ideas are welcome. The link will be up all month long so feel free to come by and add more recipes during the month.

Our Rules:
1. Please become a follower of our blog.
2. Please share a link back to your actual recipe post, not to your main blog page.
3. Please link back to our blog so others can join in the fun.
4. Leave us a comment about what recipe you are linking up.
5. Have fun!

Happy Valentines Day!

French Meringue Macarons with Raspberry Cream

Sticky Honey BBQ Wings

2012-02-04T08:50:00.000-05:00

Who's ready for Game Day!!! If you're tired of the traditional Spicy Buffalo wings here is a great alternative. I love these because the wings are baked not fried and then they are tossed in this delicious sticky, sweet, tangy sauce right before serving so the wings stay crispy, hot and delicious. If you are the more traditional type of wing eater here is a link to a super simple and delicious wing buffalo wing recipe........Baked Buffalo Wings

Ingredients:

1 lb of chicken wingettes and drumettes

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degree F. Place chicken, skin on on a lined greased baking sheet. Bake wings for 45 min - 1 hr until they are light brown and very crispy. Meanwhile in a large bowl mix together ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, salt and pepper. Once chicken is done, remove from baking sheet and add directly into the large bowl with sauce. Toss until coated well and serve immediately.

Cookies and Cream Brownies

2012-01-31T16:32:00.000-05:00

I made a similar Oreo brownie using mint oreos not too long ago. This time I decided to go classic cookies and cream and also add a crumble of Oreos on top of each brownie so you know what you will get inside. These make a great treat for kids and adults.

Ingredients:

1 box of Family Size brownie mix

1 package of double stuffed Oreos

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a muffin pan with non stick cooking spray. Mix brownie mix as per package directions. Dip each Oreo into the brownie batter until coated completely. Drop one brownie battered Oreo into each greased muffin tin. Crush 4-6 Oreos in a big ziploc bag using a rolling pin. Sprinkle crushed Oreos on top of each brownie battered Oreo. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely before trying to remove brownies from tins.

I also made a batch in a small 9x9 pan and just layered some brownie batter on the bottom then a layer of Oreo cookies and then a layer of brownie batter and baked it according to the package directions for that size pan.

Beef Taquitos

2012-01-26T11:53:00.000-05:00


Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for brushing on the taquitos
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1 cup salsa, plus more for dipping
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
10 (6-inch) flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack
Sour cream

Preparation:

Heat the oven to 400º. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook them for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the beef and use a wooden spoon or a spatula to break it up while it cooks, until it is no longer red, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of the salsa, the chili powder, and the salt and pepper. Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

Place the tortillas on a plate and cover them with damp paper towels. Microwave them until warm and pliable, about 45 seconds. Top each tortilla with 1/4 cup of the beef mixture, spreading it to an inch from the edges. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the beef.

Roll up the tortillas and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet with the seam sides down. Brush the taquitos lightly with vegetable oil, then bake them until the filling is heated through and the tortillas are lightly browned, about 8 to 12 minutes. Serve them hot with sour cream and/or salsa. Serves 4 to 6.

COOKIE SWAP - Double Chocolate - Peppermint Crunch Cookies by Heather

2012-01-23T13:30:00.000-05:00

I have to say that chocolate and peppermint are my two most favorite flavor combinations. I'm sad that candy cane season is over. I say why wait for Christmas time to have these delcious dark chocolate peppermint cookies!! I might have to make some this week!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips, divided

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

2 large eggs

4 candy canes or 16 red-and-white- striped hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir 2 cups chocolate chips in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Measure 2/3 cup melted chocolate; transfer to small metal bowl and reserve for drizzling. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy. Add sugar and both extracts; beat until smooth. Add eggs; beat to blend. Beat in melted chocolate from medium bowl. Add dry ingredients; beat just to blend. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Measure 1 level tablespoonful dough; roll dough between palms to form ball. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing cookies 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until cracked all over and tester inserted into center comes out with large moist crumbs attached, 8 to 9 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment paper to racks to cool completely. Rewarm reserved 2/3 cup chocolate over small saucepan of simmering water. Using fork, drizzle chocolate over cookies. Sprinkle crushed candy canes over, arranging some pieces with red parts showing. Chill just until chocolate sets, about 20 minutes.

*Can be made 3 weeks ahead. Store airtight in freezer. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Ultimate Chocolate Chip 'n Oreo Fudge Brownie Bars

2012-01-21T14:10:00.001-05:00

I have found myself slightly addicted to Pinterest. I go on daily and can easily spend an hour searching through other peoples pins, especially food related ones. This recipe I found during one of those browsing sessions. The original recipe comes from a really nice blog Kevin and Amanda. The picture that was posted for this recipe was gorgeous......it was similar to the one above but topped with vanilla icecream and covered with chocolate fudge....YUMMY! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much I as did. I brought it to a friends house and everyone loved it!

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups (12 ounces) milk (or semi sweet) chocolate chips

1 pkg Double Stuffed Oreos

1 Family Size (9×13) Brownie mix

1/4 cup hot fudge topping

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream the butter and both sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well to thoroughly combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, then slowly incorporate into the mixer until the flour is just combined. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips.

Spread the cookie dough in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish that’s been lined with wax paper and sprayed with cooking spray.

Top with a layer of Oreos.

Mix together brownie mix, adding an optional 1/4 cup of hot fudge topping to the mix. Pour the brownie batter over the cookie dough and Oreos.

Sprinkle an additional 1/4 - 1/2 cup of chocolate chips on top of Brownie batter

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 15-25 minutes. Brownies are down when a toothpick inserted 2″ from the edge comes out clean or with moist pieces clinging to it. Let cool completely before cutting.

*To half this recipe for an 8×8 brownie mix, simply half the chocolate chip cookie dough ingredients. Enjoy!

COOKIE SWAP - Snickerdoodles by Sharon

2012-01-19T08:33:00.000-05:00

I'm always looking for a good snickerdoodle recipe and this one is delicious. My kids absolutely love cinnamon and sugar on anything so this cookie was the favorite at my house when I brought home all the cookie swap cookies. This cookie is light and soft and chewy, so good!

Ingedients:

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons cream of tarter

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sugar

3 teaspoons cinnamon

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix butter, sugar and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl. In a separate bowl combine flour, cream of tarter, baking soda and salt. Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture until combined well. Chill dough and chill an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons of sugar and 3 teaspoons of cinnamon in a small bowl. Remove chilled cookie dough from refrigerator and form dough into 1 inch balls and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place balls on chilled cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from pan immediately and cool on a wire rack.

Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

2012-01-17T13:32:00.002-05:00

I pulled out sausage for dinner the other night and I was about to make my usual sausage and peppers when I thought, "let's make something different". I found this Amelia Durand recipe under the Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network website for Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya and it sounded delicious. I made quite a few changes however to use the ingredients I had on hand and even with all the changes this came out D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S! You can view the original recipe here but I think I'll stick with the way I made it because everyone loved it exactly as is.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound sausage, sliced ( I used sweet italian sausage but you can of course use kielbasa or andouille)
1/4 pound pancetta, cubed
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup diced celery
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 can Rotel tomatoes and chiles
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock
3 cups long grain rice (I used long grain brown rice and needed to increase my cooking time 100%)
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 to 8 dashes tobasco
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pound medium shrimp, deveined (20 to 24 count)

Preparation:

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the sausage and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned. Remove the sausage to a bowl, and set aside. Add the pancetta to the same pot and cook 6-8 until crispy. Remove to the bowl with the sausage and set aside. Add the butter, onion, celery and peppers to the same pot and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste and cook until all the vegetables and herbs are blended well. Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the rice, and add the sausage, pancetta, salt, pepper and tobasco. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. (if you are using brown rice simmer covered for 45 minutes)
Add the parsley, the lemon juice and the shrimp, and stir well. Cover the pot, and remove from the heat and allow the jambalaya steam, for 15 minutes, before serving.

Roasted Beets (How to....)

2012-01-16T09:52:00.000-05:00

Roasted beets are so delicous and very easy to make. My favorite way to eat them is in a salad with goat cheese and candied walnuts!! YUM!

Ingredients:

4 - 6 raw beets, skin on
Olive oil
coarse salt
fresh ground black pepper

Preparation:

Wash beets under running water making sure to clean off any dirt by rubbing with your hands. Dry beets with a clean towel.

Cut off top of beet exposing the inside of the beet, place on a small square of foil.

Drizzle the top of the beet with olive oil

Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Close up foil around beet and seal tightly. Place beet packets on a lined baking sheet and roast in oven at 425 degree F. for about 45 minutes. Check beets around 30 minutes by opening packet and inserting a for into the center of the beet. If the fork easily goes down into the beet then they are done.

Let packets cool on baking sheet for about 5-10 minutes so you can handle them.

To peel (use latex gloves to protect your skin or you will end up with purple hands)

The skin of the beet will peel off easily by rubbing gently with your hands.

Slice and enjoy in your favorite salad. I will post the recipe for our roasted beet salad soon!

COOKIE SWAP - Caramel-Kissed Chocolate Crackle Cookies by Andrea

2012-01-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Love these cookies! They taste as good as they look. My kids couldn't resist the caramel kiss on top of each cookie. YUM!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

1 cup confectioners sugar

40 caramel-filled chocolate kisses

Preparation:

Melt chocolate chips, let cool and set aside. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a large bowl to blend. In a separate bowl cream together butter and brown sugar using a mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in eggs, vanilla and melted chocolate until combined. Add dry ingredients into wet mixing until combined. Stir in nuts. Cover cookie dough and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll about 1 tablespoon of dough into a 1-inch ball. Roll balls in confectioners sugar and place 1-inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes until cookies are set and tops are cracked. Let sit for one minute and then gently press a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Storage tip: Refrigerate in an airtight container in a single layer for up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 1 month. Redust with confectioners sugar if needed.

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

2012-01-12T11:57:00.000-05:00

I found this recipe on Six Sister's Stuff. I love this blog and not only because it was created by 6 sisters but because they have a million really good, easy recipes. I am always looking for good slow cooker recipes especially for chicken so I was thrilled to find this recipe. I tweaked it just a touch to use less orange because the blog author felt it was too "orangey". I think the adjustments worked out well because everyone in my family really liked this recipe. I will definitely be making this again. (on a separate note I wish the picture was a better one....I'll have to take a new one the next time I make this)

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1/3 cup flour
olive oil (I used a combination of grape seed oil and extra virgin sesame oil)
1/2 Tbl. salt
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
3 Tbl. ketchup
4 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup water
4 Tbl. brown sugar

In a bowl, mix the orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, ketchup and water, set aside.

Pour the flour in a small bowl or a gallon sized ziploc bag. Cover the chicken breast chunks in flour and shake off the excess. Pour a small amount of olive oil in a skillet and brown the flour-covered chicken.
The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked since it's going in the crock pot.

After the chicken is done cooking, put the pieces into the crock pot. Then cover the chicken with the sauce mixture and give the pot a stir.

Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-3.

Serve over rice.

COOKIE SWAP - Jell-O Pastel Cookies by Regina

2012-01-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

I loved these little fruity Jell-O cookies. It's a nice change from the typical holiday cookies that we usually see. You can make really any flavor that you like but Regina felt that the Strawberry and Lime were the best tasting out of the bunch. I think these would make really cute Easter or Spring cookies.

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) butter or margarine, soften
1 cup sugar
2 pkg. jello (3oz. serving size)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400*F. Mix flour and baking powder & set aside. Beat butter in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium until creamy. Gradually add sugar and 1 pkg. of the dry jello, beating until light & fluffy. Add egg & vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended.
Shape into 1 inch balls (or use a cookie scoop like I use) then flatten with the palm of your hand.
Sprinkle lightly with remaining pkg. of jello. Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are lightly browned.

Slow Cooker Applesauce

2012-01-08T09:43:00.000-05:00

Every year for our annual Chanukah get together I always make the applesauce. For years I have been making a microwave version from one of the Silver Palette Cookbooks. It is pretty easy but has a whole cup of sugar in it so I really wanted to try to find one that has less sugar since the apples are pretty sweet as it is and no one needs the extra sugar. After searching a few blogs I found this one from skinnytaste.com that you make in the slow cooker. It is sooo easy. The hardest part is peeling the apples. I altered it slightly because it said to cook for 6 hours on low and I found after 3 1/2 - 4 hours it was done. I also added a little water to the pot, about 1/2 cup because I was worried the apples might burn without any liquid. It was really delicious and my whole house smelled of warm apples and cinnamon!

Ingredients:

8 medium apples ( I used 4 Granny Smith and 4 Gala but any combination would work)

1 strip of lemon peel

1 tsp of fresh lemon juice

3 inch cinnamon stick

5 tsp light brown sugar (unpacked)

1/2 C water

Preparation:

Peel, core, and slice the apples. Place them in the slow cooker. Add the cinnamon stick, lemon peel, lemon juice, brown sugar and water.

Set slow cooker to low and cook for 4-6 hours. Stir occassionally, apples will slowly become delicious applesauce. Remove cinnamon stick and lemon peel. Use and immersion blender to blend until smooth or if you prefer a chunky sauce, leave sauce intact.

Makes about 3 cups.

COOKIE SWAP - Surprise Cookies by Jennifer

2012-01-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

This is a big, soft, cakey cookie. My kids really loved these. Their sweet and delicious and the surprise marshmallow under the frosting is really yummy.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup of cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 marshmallows, cut in half horizontally
chocolate frosting for surprise cookies

Directions.

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
     In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder,baking soda, and salt
     set aside

2) In the bowl of an electric mixer cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy
    about 2 minutes. Add egg, milk and vanilla, and beat well. Add reserved flour mixture, mix
    on low speed until combined.

3) Using a tablespoon drop dough onto ungreased baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
     Bake until cookies begin to spread and become firm, 10 to 12 minutes.

4) Remove baking sheets from oven, and place marshmallow, cut -side down,in the center
     of each cookie, pressing down slightly. Return to over, and baking until marshmallow begin
     to melt, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
    Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

5) Spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting over each marshmallow, starting in the center and continuing
     outward until marshmallow is covered..

What's for Shabbat Dinner? Roasted Popcorn Cauliflower

2011-12-30T08:04:00.000-05:00

This is a great Susie Fishbein recipe for roasted cauliflower. The combination of spices really jazzes up the cauliflower. If I have broccoli in my fridge I will throw that in with the cauliflower and it is delicious.

Ingredients:

2 heads cauliflower, cut into medium sized florets, discard stems.

1 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4-1/2 tsp turmeric

6-8 T olive oil

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan or baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the salt, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, turmeric, and oil. Add cauliflower florets and toss evenly to coat.

Place in a single layer on the prepared sheet.

Roast uncovered for 30-35 minutes, until the largest pieces can be pierced with a fork.

COOKIE SWAP Linzer Tart Cookies by Nanci

2011-12-29T08:05:00.000-05:00

I LOVE linzer tart cookies. I have always wanted to attempt to make them so, when this year's cookie swap came around I immediately thought to make these. It is a pretty straight forward recipe but I warn you it is a little time consuming. The dough needs to be prepared ahead of time and chilled in the refrigerator. Then there is a lot of rolling out of dough and cutting the bottom and top cookies. Then of course after they're cooled they need to be filled and dusted with powdered sugar. It is definitely worth it though. They are really pretty cookies not to mention delicious. This particular dough recipe is really easy to handle and makes a perfect crispy vessel for the raspberry jam!!

Variation with Apricot Jam

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 1/2 cups flour
Raspberry Jam
Confectioner's sugar

Preparation:

Beat eggs well. Add oil and sugar, beating well. Beat in vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour until a dough forms. Chill dough for at least an hour. May be chilled overnight but let it sit out a while so it is not so cold. The dough will be easier to work with. Roll the dough onto a floured board. Cut out all the dough with a flower cookie cutter. Use a smaller flower cookie cutter and cut out a small hole in the center of half of the cookies to make the tops of the linzer tarts. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 min (only until very lightly browned around the edges....the cookies should not have a lot of color). Cool completely. Spread rapberry jam on bottom half of cookie (you can use apricot filling or Nutella too). Cover jam with top cookie. Dust with powedered sugar.

Stuffoli

2011-12-28T11:00:00.000-05:00

I was watching Giada DeLaurentis' Christmas cooking special and Giada and her Aunt Raffy made Stuffoli for dessert. This dessert looked like so much fun and I thought my family would really enjoy it. I decided to research Stuffoli a little bit and I found 100 different ways to make it. I decided to try Giada's recipe first which was the most involved one although I did adapt it a little bit. I think it came out really delicious. I curious about some of the other recipes so I plan to make a few different ones to see which I like best. I served this as one of the desserts for our Chanukah party this year.

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 cups flour, plus extra for dusting

1 large lemon, zested (about 2 teaspoons)

1/2 large orange, zested (about 2 teaspoons)

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 stick (2 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon white wine, such as pinot grigio

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Canola oil, for frying (I used vegetable oil)

Honey Coating:

1 cup honey

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Vegetable oil cooking spray

Sugar sprinkles, for decoration

Preparation:

For the dough: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together 2 cups of flour, lemon zest, orange zest, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the eggs, wine, and vanilla. Pulse until the mixture forms into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Pull of a golf ball sized piece of dough and roll into a rope on a lightly floured surface. Cut each rope of pastry into 1/2-inch pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a small ball about the size of a hazelnut. Lightly dredge the dough balls in flour, shaking off any excess. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 3 minutes.). In batches, fry the dough until lightly golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

In a large saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, and lemon juice over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the fried dough and stir until coated in the honey mixture. Allow the mixture to cool in the pan for 2 minutes.

On a large platter pour out struffoli and try to arrange into a high pile or you can place a tall glass sprayed with non-stick cooking spray in the middle of a platter and arrange the stuffoli around the glass to form a wreath shape. Drizzle any remaining honey mixture over the struffoli. Allow to set for 2 hours (can be made 1 day in advance). Decorate with sprinkles.

Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted Nuts

2011-12-27T16:37:00.000-05:00

Every year for Thanksgiving I always make a spiced nut mix to serve with drinks. Everyone always gobbles them up. No matter how much I make there are never any left! I am not sure why I only make them for Thanksgiving so when we were making our menu for Chanukah this year, Ellen asked if we could have them again. They are so easy to make I volunteered to make them again. I actually found this version in The Food Network magazine from Ina Garten who is one of my favorite Food Network stars.

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil

3 Cups whole roasted unsalted cashews (14 oz.)

2 Cups whole walnut halves (7 oz.)

2 Cups whole pecan halves (7 oz.)

1/2 Cup whole almonds (3 oz.)

1/3 Cup pure maple syrup

1/4 Cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

3 T freshly squeezed orange juic

2 tsp. ground chipotle powder

4 T minced fresh rosemary leaves

kosher salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a sheet pan generously with vegetable oil. Combine the cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, 2 T of the the vegetable oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice and chipotle powder on the sheet pan; toss to coat. Add 2 T of the rosemary and 2 tsp of salt and toss again.

Spread the nuts in one layer. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 more tsp of salt and the remaining 2 T of rosemary. Toss well and set aside at room temperature stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight containers at room temperature for up to one week.

Easy Saucy Brisket

2011-12-24T08:00:00.001-05:00

Our family loves a good brisket! We are always trying new ways to make it. This recipe comes from my Mom and seems to be the new family favorite.

Ingredients:

4-5 lb first cut brisket

olive oil

1/2 C ketchup

1/2 C bottled bbq sauce

1/2 C brown sugar

1/2 C apple cider vinegar

1/2 C duck sauce

1 envelope onion soup mix

1/2 C water

3-4 bay leaves

Preparation:

Brush oil on meat and sear on all sides to seal in juices. Place in a 3 qt. roasting pan. Combine ketchup, bbq sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, duck sauce, onion soup mix with water. Spread sauce over brisket and place bay leaves around the pan.

Bake uncovered for about 2 hours or until tender.

Cool. Cut meat into thin slices and return to pan, cover with foil and cook another 1/2 hour.

Before serving remove bay leaves from sauce.