Sweet and Salty Crackers
Ingredients:
1/2 cups brown sugar
1 stick butter
chocolate chips
Instructions:
- melt together first 2 ingredients. Pour over layer of crackers. Sprinkle with chips. Bake until just glossy. spread to cool
Coffee Tapioca Pudding
Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
½ cup quick cooking tapioca granules
1½ cup fresh brewed strong coffee
1½ cup whole milk
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp pink Himalayan salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
heavy whipping cream (optional, garnish)
coffee beans (optional, garnish)
chocolate chips (optional, garnish)
berries (optional, garnish)
Instructions:
- Stir together the milk, coffee, tapioca, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook while stirring 3-5 minutes longer.
- Whisk 1 cup (16 tbsp) of the hot tapioca coffee mixture into the beaten eggs, 2 tablespoons at a time until incorporated. Stir the egg mixture back into the tapioca and whisk well.
- Bring the pudding to a gentle simmer over low heat. Cook and stir 2 minutes longer until the pudding becomes thick enough to evenly coat the back of a metal spoon.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- The pudding may be served hot or poured into individual serving dishes or small espresso cups and refrigerated several hours until cold.
- Serve as is or garnished with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, a few coffee beans, chocolate chips or fresh berries. Enjoy!
Berry Crumble
Serves: 4-6 | Bake: 40-45 mins
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups blueberries
2 cups strawberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups old-fashioned oats, uncooked
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter cut into small pieces the size of small peas
Instructions:
- Combine sugar and flour in a medium bowl. Gently fold in blueberries, strawberries and lemon juice, and place in deep-dish baker. Using the same bowl, combine oats and brown sugar. Then, cut in the butter. Sprinkle topping over berries. Bake 40-45 mins or until filling is bubbling around edges and topping is nicely browned.
Notes:
Fresh or frozen berries may be used. You may use 4 cups of frozen berry medley, or another (4 cup) combination of your favorite berries.
Amazing Homemade Tortillas
Prep: 15 mins | Cook time: 15 mins | Resting Time: 20 mins | Servings: 12 | Total: 50 mins
Ingredients:
3 cups flour (hard white, hard red, kamut, or spelt, or a mix)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder (optional)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup warm water
Instructions:
- Combine flour, salt and baking powder; add in the water and oil. If you are using a stand mixer, mix with a dough hook until well combined, scraping the sides as necessary. Let it continue mixing 2-3 mins to knead. Let set 20 minutes or longer.
- Divide into 12 equal pieces. On a lightly floured board, roll into a circle the desired thickness. Lightly flour the top as you go to keep the rolling pin from sticking to the dough.
- Fry dough over medium heat on a lightly greased skillet or griddle. Cook approximately 1 min on each side. Don’t overcook or your tortilla will be tough!
Notes:
When using hard white and red wheat this dough is very easy to work with. With kamut and spelt, it is more fragile. You will need to use a bit more flour and be careful to roll them a bit thicker. The flavor on the kamut is wonderful!
Easy Feta Chicken Bake
Prep: 10 mins
Ingredients:
6 boneless chicken breasts halves (about 2 lb.)
2 tbsp lemon juice, divided
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pkg. (4 oz.) Athenos crumbled feta cheese with Basil and Tomato
1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange chicken in 9×13″ baking dish.
- Drizzle with 1 tbsp of the lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper. Top with feta cheese; drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp lemon juice.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with red pepper and parsley.
Ham and Shells Casserole
Prep: 40 mins | Bake: 25 mins | Yield: 12 servings (1 cup each)
Ingredients:
1 pkg. (16 oz.) medium pasta shells
3 large onions, halved and sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pkg. (9 oz.) fresh spinach, torn
1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp pepper
3 1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup (4 oz.) crumbled goat cheese
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook and stir onion in oil for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Add spinach and rosemary; cook 1-2 mins longer or until spinach is wilted.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 mins or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in ricotta and goat cheese until blended.
- Drain pasta; place in a large bowl. Add the ham, onion mixture and sauce; toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 13×9″ baking dish, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.
Black Forest Cake
Prep Time: 2 hrs | Cook Time: 45 mins | Total Time: 2 hr 45 mins | Servings: 12
Ingredients:
Chocolate Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 cup hot water or hot coffee
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Cherry Liqueur Syrup:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cherry liqueur
Whipped Cream Frosting:
3 cup whipping cream, cold
1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
Chocolate Bark:
250g good quality dark chocolate, chopped
Assembly
2 1/2 cups cherries, pitted and cut in half
1 bar dark chocolate, optional, for shavings
cherries
Instructions:
Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F, grease two 8″ round baking pans and dust with cocoa powder. Line bottoms with parchment.
- Place all dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk all wet ingredients (pour hot water in slowly as not to cook the eggs).
- Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on medium for 2-3 mins. Batter will be very thin.
- Pour evenly into prepared pans. I used a kitchen scale to ensure batter is evenly distributed.
- Bake for 45 mins or until a cake tester comes out mostly clean.
- Cool 10 minutes in the pans then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Cherry Liqueur Syrup:
- Place sugar and water in a small pot. Stir and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 min then remove from the heat. Stir in cherry liqueur and allow to cool completely.
Whipped Cream Frosting:
- Whip cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form, ideally in a cold bowl with a cold whisk.
Chocolate Bark:
- Melt chocolate over a double boiler or in 20-second bursts in the microwave.
- Using a large offset spatula, spread melted chocolate in a thin layer on a large sheet of parchment.
- Roll up from the short side of the parchment. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate or freeze until firm.
- Unroll to create chocolate bark.
Assembly:
- Cut each cake layer in half horizontally.
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Brush generously with cherry syrup.
- Top with approximately 1 cup whipped cream and spread evenly. Top with approximately 1 cup of cherries and gently press them into the whipped cream. Repeat with remaining layers and frost the outside of the cake.
- Decorate with chocolate bark, chocolate shavings, rossettes and cherries, if desired.
Cranberry Tart
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups biscuit / baking mix
4 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup water
Filling:
1 – 1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tbsp biscuit / baking mix
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tbsp butter
Instructions:
- In a bowl, combine biscuit mix, sugar and water. With lightly floured hands, press mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9″ fluted tart pan with a removable bottom; set aside.
- In a saucepan, combine sugar and biscuit mix. Add the cranberries, orange juice and butter. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Cook 1-2 mins longer or until thickened and bubbly. Pour over crust. Bake at 375°F for 30-35 mins or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack.
Brownie Cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
12 oz. Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) butter, sliced
2 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler, stirring occasionally. Beat sugar and eggs in large mixer bowl on high for about 3 mins or until mixture falls from beaters in ribbons. With mixer at medium speed, add melted chocolate mixture to egg mixture. Gradually add flour. Stir in nuts. Scoop 1/3 cup batter into each cupcake liner, filling 3/4 full. Bake 25-30 mins or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out with loose crumbs attached. Cool in pans for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Apple Crisp
Makes about 8, 1/2 cup servings
Ingredients:
4-5 medium baking apples (about 1 1/4 lbs), peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4-in. slices
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pkg. (16.5 oz.) Nestlé Toll House Refrigerated Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Bar Dough
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease an 8″ square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine apple slices, lemon juice, sugar, flour and cinnamon in large bowl. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan. Crumble bar of dough on top of the apples. Bake 40-45 mins or until apples are tender and crumble topping is crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature.