Recipe #19 May 18, 2013

Almond Joy Brownie Bites

Ingredients:
Brownie batter  - I buy the boxed kind but you could make homemade  
4 cups sweetened shredded coconut  
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk  
About 4 dozen almonds  
Chocolate chips, chocolate candy melts, almond bark


Directions  
1. Preheat your oven according to brownie recipe directions and generously spray two mini muffin pans with nonstick spray. Fill cups about 1/2 full with brownie batter and bake according to directions - with the mini muffins it took about 10-12 minutes. When brownies are done, place pans on a cooling rack and remove brownies once cooled completely.  

2. In a medium bowl, combine coconut and sweetened condensed milk. With clean hands, roll coconut mixture into balls and press onto tops of brownie bites. Press an almond into the top of each. Place brownies in the freezer to harden for about 15 minutes.  

3. Melt almond bark or candy melts according to directions. Remove brownies from freezer. Scopp melted chooclate over the brownie-coconut treat OR dip the tops in the chocolate. Place dipped brownies on a wax paper lined baking sheet and refrigerate until chocolate is set.

Recipe #18 May 11, 2013

Chunky Monkey Cupcakes (or Bundt cake)

Ingredients

• 1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
• 1-1/4 cups water
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 medium bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, (toasted  - optional)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, eggs and applesauce; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. 
    Beat on medium for 2 minutes. 

2. Stir in the bananas, chips and walnuts.

3. For cupcakes - scoop 1/4 c batter into muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 20-22 minutes
                             or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

   For bundt cake - transfer to a 10-in. fluted tube pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at  for 40-50 

                               minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe #17 April 28, 2013

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch (Crisp)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 3 cups diced rhubarb
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup rolled oats

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mix white sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, strawberries, and rhubarb. Place the mixture in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, butter, and oats until crumbly. You may want to use a pastry blender for this. Crumble on top of the rhubarb and strawberry mixture. (Do not worry if there are small butter balls, they will melt.)
4. Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crisp and lightly browned. Will be bubbling.
5. Let cool slightly before serving.  Top with ice cream if desired! 

Recipe #16 April 21, 2013

Asparagus Chicken Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 box Barilla Lasagne Oven Ready
• 1 jar Barilla Napoletana – Roasted Garlic Sauce
• 2 tablespoons Butter
  
  
• ⅓ cup Flour
  
  
• ⅛ teaspoon Nutmeg
• 4 cups Milk
  
  
• 1 pound Asparagus (one bunch fresh)
• ¾-1 lb chicken breast
• fresh thyme ( I used dry to save on money)
• 1½ tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  
  
• 16 oz shredded Italian Cheese blend (look for one that includes Fontina, Parmesan & Mozzarella)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°f.
2. Trim about 1 inch from bottoms of asparagus spears discard, place in lasagna pan and toss with a little olive oil and Kosher salt. Roast until tender. Remove from pan and set aside. (About 10 minutes)
3. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, salt and nutmeg stir 1 minute. Gradually stir in milk. Cook until sauce thickens and bubbles, stirring constantly. Continue cooking 1 more minute set aside. (Will take about 15 minutes)
4. Cut thawed chicken into cubes. Saute the chicken in a little olive oil with a generous pinch of thyme, salt and pepper.
5. Spread 1 cup of white sauce in 9×13-inch baking dish top with 4 lasagne sheets, then spread on another layer on top of noodles.
6. Top with the asparagus spears, ⅓ of the cheese, 1 cup roasted garlic sauce. Top with 4 lasagne sheets, 1 cup sauce, then chicken and ⅓ of cheese.
7. Top with 4 lasagne sheets, remaining garlic sauce, remaining white sauce, and remaining cheese.
8. Cover with foil bake 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes (for crispy cheese).
9. Remove from oven let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Recipe #15 April 14, 2013

Pesto Chicken Cheesy Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 box of shell pasta (medium shells or small shells)
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese  (1/4 cup is for topping)
• 3 - 6 tablespoons prepared pesto (homemade or store bought), to taste
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (can be excluded)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Boil meat in a medium sauce pan until cooked through. (10-15 minutes)
3. In a large pot over high heat, boil water and prepare pasta shells as directed on package. Cook pasta shells only until al dente. The pasta will finish cooking when the dish is baked. Drain the pasta shells and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, except the 1/4 cup of cheese for the topping. 
5. Pour the pasta into a baking dish that has a light coating of olive oil. 
6. Take the 'sauce' and spread it over the pasta. 
7. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese over the pasta.
8.  Bake pasta for 10 minutes, and then give it a good stir. 
9. Bake pasta for an additional 5 - 15 minutes.

Recipe #14 April 5, 2013

Classic Cheesecake with Strawberry Topping

Ingredients for cheesecake:

1-1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs

3 Tbsp.  sugar

1/3 cup  butter or margarine, melted

4 pkg.  (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened to room temp.

1 cup  sugar

1 tsp.  vanilla

4 eggs

Ingredients for strawberry topping:

2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp cornstarch or potato starch (for Passover, use potato starch)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325°F.
2. Mix graham crumbs, 3 Tbsp. sugar and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
3. Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
4. Bake 55 min. or until center is almost set. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours.

Directions for topping:

1. Put chopped strawberries and sugar into a small saucepan. Add 1/3 cup water to cover, stir to blend. Heat mixture over medium high heat until it boils. Stir, then reduce heat to medium.

2. Mix cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water until a thick liquid forms.

3. Pour the liquid into the pan, stirring continuously, and continue to stir until well blended. Cook the strawberry mixture over medium for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until it becomes thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

4. You can serve the topping as-is with a chunky texture, or puree it smooth with an immersion blender. You can also puree it halfway, so that it’s almost smooth but still has some texture.

 

Recipe #13 April 4, 2013

Chocolate Chocolate Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk chocolate chips
• ½ cup butter
• 1 ½ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1 ½ cups white chocolate chips
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional) - I used almonds because I had them!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a microwavable bowl, melt the 2 cups of milk chocolate chips with the ½ cup of butter in a microwave. (Put on medium-high power for 1 minute, take out and stir. If the chips are still not melted, microwave for 30-second intervals – stirring between each – until the chocolate is completely melted. It’s important not to burn the chocolate.) Once melted, let it set for 10 minutes to cool a bit.

3. Add to the chocolate mixture the sugar. Beat until blended. Add the eggs and vanilla – beat. Add the flour, baking powder and salt – mix well.

4. Stir in the white chocolate chips and the walnut pieces (if using).

5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet (or a cookie sheet lined with non-stick foil). Bake at 350 degrees for 8 – 10 minutes. Let them sit on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes prior to cooling on a cookie rack.