3 C all purpose flour, unsifted
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks butter (1/2 lb) at room temperature
3/4 C sugar
3/4 C brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
10 oz dark chocolate chips
10 oz peanut butter chips
1 C chunky peanut butter
1 small jar of marshmallow fluff
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine flour, salt and baking soda together.
In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined.
Add the dry ingredients, a little at a time. Make sure that the flour mixture is completely combined before adding more.
Add the remaining ingredients to the mixture.
Drop cookies onto un-greased baking sheet, and bake around 9-11 minutes or until golden brown along the edges.
Yields about 36 cookies.
Showing posts with label gift basket ideas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gift basket ideas. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Friday, July 30, 2010
Family Style Lasagna
yields 1 lasagna pan (14" x 9" x 4" deep) filled to the top
Sauce:
1 lb mild Italian sausage
1 lb hot Italian sausage
3 cans chunk tomatoes, Italian flavor
2 small cans tomato paste
2 cans mushrooms -or- 1 lb fresh mushrooms, sauteed in butter
1 bunch fresh basil, minced
8 cloves garlic, minced
salt
pepper
Cheese filling:
1 lb ricotta cheese, drained
1 lb fine curd cottage cheese, drained
1 lb grated mozzarella cheese
4 eggs
1 lb chopped spinach (drained) -or- 3 medium zucchini, shredded
1/4 tsp nutmeg (fresh-grated is best)
salt
pepper
2 boxes uncooked lasagna noodles
1 1/2 Cups water
1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded, for topping
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
For the sauce:
Mix the sausages together and brown.
Add the tomatoes, garlic and tomato paste.
Mix together until smooth
Add mushrooms and mix until combined.
Let simmer about 15-20 minutes.
Add basil and salt and pepper to taste.
For the cheese filling:
Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl until completely mixed.
In a large, 4" deep lasagna pan (13x9), do the following to layer:
sauce (with no meat, just to cover the bottom of the pan
Noodles, just meeting one another, covering the bottom of the pan
Cheese filling
Noodles
Sauce
Noodles
Cheese
Noodles
Repeat until you have used up all of the cheese, and then top with noodles and sauce.
Top with the cheese, and then add the noodles.
Cover with tin foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove tin foil and test noodles for done-ness. They should now be soft.
Bake another 15-20 minutes or until cheese on top is nice and bubbly.
Let rest about 15-30 minutes.
Serve.
Sauce:
1 lb mild Italian sausage
1 lb hot Italian sausage
3 cans chunk tomatoes, Italian flavor
2 small cans tomato paste
2 cans mushrooms -or- 1 lb fresh mushrooms, sauteed in butter
1 bunch fresh basil, minced
8 cloves garlic, minced
salt
pepper
Cheese filling:
1 lb ricotta cheese, drained
1 lb fine curd cottage cheese, drained
1 lb grated mozzarella cheese
4 eggs
1 lb chopped spinach (drained) -or- 3 medium zucchini, shredded
1/4 tsp nutmeg (fresh-grated is best)
salt
pepper
2 boxes uncooked lasagna noodles
1 1/2 Cups water
1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded, for topping
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
For the sauce:
Mix the sausages together and brown.
Add the tomatoes, garlic and tomato paste.
Mix together until smooth
Add mushrooms and mix until combined.
Let simmer about 15-20 minutes.
Add basil and salt and pepper to taste.
For the cheese filling:
Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl until completely mixed.
In a large, 4" deep lasagna pan (13x9), do the following to layer:
sauce (with no meat, just to cover the bottom of the pan
Noodles, just meeting one another, covering the bottom of the pan
Cheese filling
Noodles
Sauce
Noodles
Cheese
Noodles
Repeat until you have used up all of the cheese, and then top with noodles and sauce.
Top with the cheese, and then add the noodles.
Cover with tin foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove tin foil and test noodles for done-ness. They should now be soft.
Bake another 15-20 minutes or until cheese on top is nice and bubbly.
Let rest about 15-30 minutes.
Serve.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Vinaigrette recipe...
I've gotten angry over the years when heading through the dressing aisle at the grocery store. There's just something fundamentally wrong with purchasing large quantities of vinaigrette dressings for over $3 and $4 a bottle - and much of what is in it, you can't pronounce. What is up with that?!
The low-fat ones are the worst, really. If you look at a low-fat dressing, and compare it with it's full-fat counterpart, you'll see what I mean. Look at the back label - no, not under the calories from fat - no, down... a little further - yeah, there ya go. Look at the sugars per gram... And now, look at the ingredients... WOW! High Fructose Corn Syrup? Dextrose? Fructose? Yup - it's in the low-fat one... It's only considered low-fat because it doesn't have a lot of OIL in it... But let me tell you - the sugar will turn to fat once it's in your system... It's just as bad, if not worse than, the full-fat counterpart.
Now, don't stress about it - just don't buy it anymore. Why? Because you don't have to. Honestly, you don't. No really - making your own is so simple it's not even funny. All you need is pretty much in your kitchen right now...
I'm posting all three versions of vinaigrette that I know of. As a note - the "regular" version is my own... The basics of it will be under each heading, and then what you can add to it is in it's own category.
This is all about ratios, so if you can figure out equal parts of something, then you can do this. These all set up to serve about 4 people, give or take a few tsps.
Restaurant Vinaigrette
(ratio 1:3)
1 Tbsp vinegar
3 Tbsp oil
1/8 tsp ground mustard OR yellow mustard
salt
pepper
"Regular" Vinaigrette
(ratio 1:1)
2 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp oil
1/8 tsp ground mustard or yellow mustard
salt
pepper
Low-Fat Vinaigrette
(ratio 1:2:1)
1 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp fruit juice
1 Tbsp oil
1/8 tsp ground mustard or yellow mustard
salt
pepper
Oils:
Any oil you want to use, you can use. Olive, sunflower, hazelnut, walnut, vegetable - you name it, you can use it - you can even use infused oils if it tickles your fancy. The only caveat I need to post is watch the allergies - if someone is allergic to nuts, chances are you don't want to use a nut oil.
Vinegars:
Any vinegar you like the taste of would work perfectly.
Flavorings:
Garlic is an immediate go-to for me... You can also use chopped herbs like tarragon, parsley, sage, rosemary, chives, cilantro, basil, chervil, practically any green herb you can think of. Zests and juices of citrus fruits work well, as do crushed berries. Other flavorings you can try are peppers (hot and mild), and spices as well - the only thing I can say about using spices is to try and make sure you get whole spices, toast them gently, and then grind them as needed. You'll get a lot more flavor out of them that way.
How much to add? Well, it's up to you. A serving of 4, like above, should only have about 3 flavorings in them (otherwise your tongue will get overpowered). Only about 1-2 Tbsp total of the flavorings should be in that dressing.
Unlike what we do at restaurants, where you'd make a huge batch and look for perfect emulsions, this is a simple recipe, so you can put it in a small, well-sealed container, and shake it when you want it.
The nice thing about doing things this way is that you can change it up. Don't want to have tarragon-garlic vinaigrette tomorrow? No problem! This time, use basil and flat leaf parsley.
This is also a great time to start thinking of growing a few herbs in your windowsill. It's cheaper to grow them, and you can grab what you need without worrying about the rest of it never being used.
Oh - almost forgot - this is also GREAT for making marinades!
Enjoy!
The low-fat ones are the worst, really. If you look at a low-fat dressing, and compare it with it's full-fat counterpart, you'll see what I mean. Look at the back label - no, not under the calories from fat - no, down... a little further - yeah, there ya go. Look at the sugars per gram... And now, look at the ingredients... WOW! High Fructose Corn Syrup? Dextrose? Fructose? Yup - it's in the low-fat one... It's only considered low-fat because it doesn't have a lot of OIL in it... But let me tell you - the sugar will turn to fat once it's in your system... It's just as bad, if not worse than, the full-fat counterpart.
Now, don't stress about it - just don't buy it anymore. Why? Because you don't have to. Honestly, you don't. No really - making your own is so simple it's not even funny. All you need is pretty much in your kitchen right now...
I'm posting all three versions of vinaigrette that I know of. As a note - the "regular" version is my own... The basics of it will be under each heading, and then what you can add to it is in it's own category.
This is all about ratios, so if you can figure out equal parts of something, then you can do this. These all set up to serve about 4 people, give or take a few tsps.
Restaurant Vinaigrette
(ratio 1:3)
1 Tbsp vinegar
3 Tbsp oil
1/8 tsp ground mustard OR yellow mustard
salt
pepper
"Regular" Vinaigrette
(ratio 1:1)
2 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp oil
1/8 tsp ground mustard or yellow mustard
salt
pepper
Low-Fat Vinaigrette
(ratio 1:2:1)
1 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp fruit juice
1 Tbsp oil
1/8 tsp ground mustard or yellow mustard
salt
pepper
Oils:
Any oil you want to use, you can use. Olive, sunflower, hazelnut, walnut, vegetable - you name it, you can use it - you can even use infused oils if it tickles your fancy. The only caveat I need to post is watch the allergies - if someone is allergic to nuts, chances are you don't want to use a nut oil.
Vinegars:
Any vinegar you like the taste of would work perfectly.
Flavorings:
Garlic is an immediate go-to for me... You can also use chopped herbs like tarragon, parsley, sage, rosemary, chives, cilantro, basil, chervil, practically any green herb you can think of. Zests and juices of citrus fruits work well, as do crushed berries. Other flavorings you can try are peppers (hot and mild), and spices as well - the only thing I can say about using spices is to try and make sure you get whole spices, toast them gently, and then grind them as needed. You'll get a lot more flavor out of them that way.
How much to add? Well, it's up to you. A serving of 4, like above, should only have about 3 flavorings in them (otherwise your tongue will get overpowered). Only about 1-2 Tbsp total of the flavorings should be in that dressing.
Unlike what we do at restaurants, where you'd make a huge batch and look for perfect emulsions, this is a simple recipe, so you can put it in a small, well-sealed container, and shake it when you want it.
The nice thing about doing things this way is that you can change it up. Don't want to have tarragon-garlic vinaigrette tomorrow? No problem! This time, use basil and flat leaf parsley.
This is also a great time to start thinking of growing a few herbs in your windowsill. It's cheaper to grow them, and you can grab what you need without worrying about the rest of it never being used.
Oh - almost forgot - this is also GREAT for making marinades!
Enjoy!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Southwest Chicken Egg Rolls
Makes 30 small “snack” egg rolls, or 15 large egg rolls
This actually contains 2 recipes, one for roasted corn and black bean Pico De Gallo, and one for the actual southwest chicken egg rolls… The Pico De Gallo is great for a chip dip, served mixed in a salad, or even as part of a chili…
Pico De Gallo
5 large red tomatoes, seeded and diced
5 large yellow tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 red onion, diced
1 12 oz can black beans, rinsed
2 c frozen corn, roasted in the oven with olive oil
2 oz cilantro, chopped
1 large lime, (just the juice and zest of it)
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients together, salt and pepper to taste.
Tip: The longer you let it sit, the better the flavors mix together.
Southwestern Chicken Egg Rolls
2 pkg medium or large egg roll wrappers
1 whole chicken, roasted, picked and chopped
1 full recipe of Pico De Gallo
1 lime, juice and zest
2 oz cilantro, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
Mix all ingredients together (except the wrappers), and let sit about 1 hr
When ready, get a small dish of water to help seal the wrappers
Follow wrapping instructions for making egg rolls
Make sure egg rolls and wrappers are kept under damp cloths or paper towels to keep them supple
Try not to let them touch one another, and lay a damp paper towel between layers if necessary
Heat vegetable or peanut oil to 360 degrees
Carefully deep fry each one until skins are turning a golden brown
Remove and place onto a drain rack
Serve hot, with sour cream, and enjoy!
This actually contains 2 recipes, one for roasted corn and black bean Pico De Gallo, and one for the actual southwest chicken egg rolls… The Pico De Gallo is great for a chip dip, served mixed in a salad, or even as part of a chili…
Pico De Gallo
5 large red tomatoes, seeded and diced
5 large yellow tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 red onion, diced
1 12 oz can black beans, rinsed
2 c frozen corn, roasted in the oven with olive oil
2 oz cilantro, chopped
1 large lime, (just the juice and zest of it)
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients together, salt and pepper to taste.
Tip: The longer you let it sit, the better the flavors mix together.
Southwestern Chicken Egg Rolls
2 pkg medium or large egg roll wrappers
1 whole chicken, roasted, picked and chopped
1 full recipe of Pico De Gallo
1 lime, juice and zest
2 oz cilantro, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
Mix all ingredients together (except the wrappers), and let sit about 1 hr
When ready, get a small dish of water to help seal the wrappers
Follow wrapping instructions for making egg rolls
Make sure egg rolls and wrappers are kept under damp cloths or paper towels to keep them supple
Try not to let them touch one another, and lay a damp paper towel between layers if necessary
Heat vegetable or peanut oil to 360 degrees
Carefully deep fry each one until skins are turning a golden brown
Remove and place onto a drain rack
Serve hot, with sour cream, and enjoy!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Zucchini Bread
Heaven knows, I'm a cook... I don't bake. In fact, practically everything I stick in the oven normally either under- or over-cooks, and usually in about half the time that the recipe calls for.
Imagine my surprise and delight to be zucchini-ditched AND find a recipe on All Recipes.Com that worked for me!! So, without further adieu, here's the recipe. Enjoy!
3 Eggs
1 c vegetable oil
2 c sugar
2 c grated zucchini
3 c all purpose flour
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 c chopped nuts (optional)
Pre-heat oven to 325.
Grease and flour two 8x4 pans
In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Add oil and sugar, then add zucchini and vanilla.
In another bowl, combine remaining ingredients thoroughly, then fold gently into the wet mix until just barely combined.
Divide mix between the two pans.
Bake 60-70 mins or until done.
Imagine my surprise and delight to be zucchini-ditched AND find a recipe on All Recipes.Com that worked for me!! So, without further adieu, here's the recipe. Enjoy!
3 Eggs
1 c vegetable oil
2 c sugar
2 c grated zucchini
3 c all purpose flour
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 c chopped nuts (optional)
Pre-heat oven to 325.
Grease and flour two 8x4 pans
In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Add oil and sugar, then add zucchini and vanilla.
In another bowl, combine remaining ingredients thoroughly, then fold gently into the wet mix until just barely combined.
Divide mix between the two pans.
Bake 60-70 mins or until done.
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