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Archive for December, 2008

Italian Cookies

We had accidentally bought some ricotta cheese we thought we need for a recipe and because of the holiday and we won’t be home for about the next week, I decided to make a recipe that I could use the ricotta cheese and I came across this one in the cookie recipe book that my mother got me a few years ago. They turned out great and are super moist. This recipe makes about 36 cookies.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces ricotta cheese
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

For Glaze:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) In a medium bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until smooth.
3) Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and ricotta cheese.
4) Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into the cheese mixture.
5) Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets.
6) Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden.
7) Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Directions for glaze:
1) In a medium bowl, cream together the remaining butter and confectioners’ sugar.
2) Beat in vanilla and milk gradually until a spreadable consistency is reached.
3) Frost cooled cookies.

Enjoy!

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Oven Roasted Potato Spuds

We had some leftover potatoes, so I decided to make these for dinner. It was so easy to quickly do.

Ingredients:
3 potatoes, peeled and sliced
Salt
EVOO
Directions:
1) Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
2) Peel, wash and slice potatoes.
3) Place potatoes on roasting pan, spray both sides with EVOO and sprinkle with salt.
4) Bake for 20 minutes then flip all of the potatoes over and bake for another 10 minutes or until crispiness you like.
Enjoy!

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This is a very simple recipe to make and very good as well.

Ingredients:
12 ounces of linguine
2 chicken breast(diced)
2 tablespoons of butter
2 teaspoons of basil
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Fresh garlic, a clove if wanted
A handful of Sundried tomatoes

Directions:
1) Melt butter in skillet pan, and bring a pot of water to a boil add linguine.
2) Add chicken and cook till outside is white.
3) Add basil, garlic, salt and pepper, heavy cream and tomatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
4) Drain pasta and combine and toss with sauce mixture.

Enjoy!

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Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

These are really good cookies and a great thing to make if you buy way too many candy canes like I do! This recipe does call for the dough to chill about an hour or two.

Ingredients:
2 sticks (1 cup) regular butter, slightly softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg’
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 squares almond bark or white baking chocolate
1 package of red candy canes

Directions:
1)Cream softened butter with powdered sugar.
2) Add egg and vanilla and mix to combine.
3) Add dry ingredients and mix together until dough comes together.
4) Place plastic wrap on surface of dough and refrigerate for 2 hours.
5) Unwrap candies and place them in food processor or plastic bag. Beat or process until finely crushed, leaving larger chunks if desired.
6) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
7) Roll cookie dough in walnut-sized pieces and place on a cookie sheet.
8)Gently press balls flat with a plain, smooth surface.
9) Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, being careful not to burn.
10) Cookies will remain the same general size and shape after they bake.
11) Remove from oven and place cookies on a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely.
12) Place crushed candies in bowl.
13) Melt almond bark in a coffee mug.
14) Dip cooled cookies into almond bark, coating half the cookie.
15) Immediately sprinkle crushed peppermints over both sides of the almond bark.
16) Gently sent on parchment paper or other nonstick surface and allow to cool before serving.

Enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks*

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Meat Ravioli

Chris got into the mood to make homemade meat ravioli, while we knew that this recipe wasn’t going to be a quick one, it did take about 2 hours for total prep time. It’s well worth it, you could easily make this recipe also and flash freeze them for a later time. In this recipe I am going to give you the ingredients and directions for the dough, meat filling and sauce. First we will start with the dough. You could use a pasta machine to thin the dough, but instead we used a rolling pin.


Dough Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached flour
3 large eggs

Dough Directions:
1) Pour the flour onto a work surface, shape it into a mound, and scoop out a deep hollow in its center.
2) Break the eggs into the hollow.
3) Beat the eggs lightly with a fork for about 2 minutes as though you were making an omelet.
4) Draw some of the flour over the eggs, mixing it in with the fork a little at a time, until the eggs are no longer runny.
5) Draw the sides of the mound together with your hands, but push some of the flour to one side, keeping it out of the way until you find you absolutely need it. Work the eggs and flour together, using your fingers and the palms of your hands, until you have a smoothly integrated mixture. If it is still moist, work in more flour.
6) When the mass feels good to you and you think it does not require any more flour, wash your hands, dry them, and run a simple test: Press you thumb deep into center of the mass; if it comes out clean, without any sticky matter on it, no more flour is needed.
7) Put the egg and flour mass to one side, scrape the work surface absolutely clear of any loose or caked bits of flour and of any crumbs, and get ready to knead.
8) Return to the mass of flour and eggs. Push forward against it using the heel of your palm, keeping your fingers bent. Fold the mass in half, give it a half turn, press hard against it with the heel of your palm again, and repeat the operation. Make sure that you keep turning the ball of dough always in the same direction, either clockwise or counterclockwise, as you prefer.
9) Roll dough out into about a 16th of an inch thick. Use ravioli cutter or use a bottom of a small glass to cut the dough.

Filling Ingredients:
3/4 of a pound of turkey ground meat
3/4 of a pound of mild Italian sausage
A quarter of white onion
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 of a cup of Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1) Cook the meat thoroughly, add onion, salt, pepper and cheese at the end.

Sauce Ingredients:
2 cans of tomato sauce(really up to you on how much sauce you like)
A dash of crushed red pepper
A dash of oregano
A dash of Italian seasoning

Sauce Directions:
1) Mix all ingredients together and simmer on low, till ravioli is done.

To form the ravioli:
1)Place small balls of filling (about one rounded teaspoon each) in a line one inch from the bottom of the pasta sheet. Leave one and one-quarter inches between each ball of filling. Fold over the top of the pasta and line it up with the bottom edge. Seal bottom and the two open sides with your finger. Use the tip of a fork to press down on sides of ravioli to seal it together.

To cook the ravioli:
1) Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large stockpot.
2) Add salt and half the pasta. Cook until doubled edges are al dente, 4-5 minutes.
3) With a slotted spoon, transfer ravioli to warmed bowls or plates; add sauce of choice.
4) Put remaining ravioli in boiling water and repeat cooking process.
5) Serve immediately.

*Recipe adapted from The Way The Cookie Crumbles*

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Oreo Truffles

I’ve never had one of these or never made them but they are amazing. They are so simple to make and pretty cheap to make!

Ingredients:
1 pkg. Oreo cookies, finely crushed
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 pkg. (8 squares each) semi-sweet chocolate & 1 pound almond bark, melted

Directions
1. Mix cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 50 (1-inch) balls.
2. Dip balls in melted chocolate and almond bark place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet.
3. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Enjoy!

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T’s Maple Cookies


One of my good friends from the knot, Teresa gave me this awesome recipe for maple cookies! Chris enjoyed them so much that he ate the entire batch in one night! The dough does need to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before baking.

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp milk
1 cup sifted flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1) Melt butter in small frying pan.
2) Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup.
3) Add egg and milk and mix well.
4) Sift together dry ingredients.
5) Add to maple syrup mixture and blend well. Chill thoroughly, so the batter thickens, about 2 hours or so.
6) Drop dough by teaspoonfuls 2″ apart onto lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in hot oven (400 degrees) for 8-10 minutes.
7) Remove cookies and cool on racks. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Maple Frosting

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
1 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1 tsp maple flavoring
hot water (to thin out as the frosting cools)

Directions:
1) Heat butter till light golden brown.
2) Stir in sugar and maple flavoring.
3) Add hot water 1 Tbsp at a time till frosting is thin enough to spread smoothly on wafers.

Enjoy!

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Peanut Butter Bloosom


Peanut Butter Blossoms are my favorite cookies to make and to enjoy! I make a few batches of these all the time around Christmas time! This makes about 3 dozen cookies!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter (soft)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp milk
1 bag hershey’s kisses( I like to use the peanut butter ones)

Directions:
1) Mix together the flour and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside.
2) Add the soft butter to the peanut butter and mix until smooth. Add both sugars to the butter mixture.
3) Add the egg, vanilla, milk, and finally the flour mixture to the butter and mix until combined.
4) Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in white sugar until coated. place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
5) Assoon as you take the cookies out of the oven, gently press a hershey kiss into the center. Allow them to cool.

Enjoy!

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Homemade Chili


In my 101 list, I said I want to try at least 3 new recipies a month for 3 months. So Chris and I both love chili bread bowls, but never have tried to make our own chili, well I decided to make it last night, since it was SO cold out! It turned out amazing!! I got a few different recpies and got an idea of how to make it and created my own!

Ingredients:
1 lb or so of ground turkey meat
1/4 tomato juice
1/4 can tomato sauce
1/4 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup and 2 teaspoons chopped onion
2-1/2 teaspoons chopped green bell pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon white sugar
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

Directions:

1) Place ground turkey in a large, deep skillet, cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and crumble.
2) In a large pot over high heat combine the ground beef, tomato juice, tomato sauce, kidney beans, pinto beans, onions, bell pepper, cayenne pepper, sugar, oregano, ground black pepper, salt, cumin and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
3) Simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

For the bread, buy a boule cut it in half and take out the bread. Serve the soup in the bread bowl and serve with the bread you took out to create the bowl!

Enjoy!!

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1 year!

Woohoo! I have passed one year in my food blog blogging! Quite exciting! Stay tuned for more delicious, tasty, food post!

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