Cranberry Sauce

We make turkey each Thanksgiving just so we can have this cranberry sauce!  It is really yummy...

Ingredients:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 TBS honey
1/8 tsp allspice
12oz fresh cranberries
1 cinnamon stick  (or use ground cinnamon instead)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over med-high heat; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally   Discard cinnamon stick; cool completely.

Lemon Velvet Cream Pie

Lemon Velvet Cream Pie

Makes: 8 servings

Prep 25 mins

Chill 2 hrs

Cool 1 hr

Freeze 10 mins

Bake 375°F 1 hr 7 mins to 1 hr 10 mins

ingredients

1 portion Alan's Pie Pastry (recipe below), or 1 rolled refrigerated unbaked pie crust

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

2 tablespoons cold water

6 egg yolks

1 ½  14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (2 cups)

1/4cup whipping cream

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup lemon juice

Whipped Cream

Thin lemon peel slivers

directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out pastry portion on a floured surface to a circle about 12-inches in diameter. Transfer to a 9-inch pie tin or plate without stretching. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Prick bottom and sides of pastry with a fork. Place in freezer 10 minutes. Line pastry with foil pie pan (see Blind Baking*); fill with dried beans or pie weights. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet; bake 30 minutes. Carefully remove foil pan. Bake 15 minutes more. Cool on wire rack. (If using rolled refrigerated crust, bake according to package directions.)

2. In a small bowl soften gelatin in water 5 minutes. Heat in microwave for 14 seconds; set aside.

3. In large bowl combine egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk. With an electric mixer, beat on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until well combined. Beat in gelatin, whipping cream and salt on low speed. Add lemon juice and beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Pour into prepared crust (pie will be full).

4. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until center of pie looks set when gently shaken; cool on wire rack 1 hour. Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

5. Top with whipped cream and lemon peel slivers just before serving. Makes 8 servings

Be sure to patch any cracks that develop during rolling.

**

Trim top rim of foil pie pan at about 2 inch intervals; fold upwards.

*Blind Baking:

When blind baking (prebaking the pastry shell) for the Lemon Velvet Cream Pie, Alan uses a disposable 8-3/4 inch foil pie pan to help the pastry keep its shape. Snip the rim of the foil pie tin every 2 inches or so and fold the rim upwards. After fitting the dough in the pie plate and crimping the edge, place the foil pie tin on top of the dough. Fill the tin with dried beans or pie weights and bake as specified in the recipe.

Alans Pie Pastry

Yield: 3 single-crust pastries

ingredients

3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 – 1 tablespoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 ¾ cups cold unsalted butter

2/3 cup ice-cold water

2tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon vinegar

directions

1. In a very large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt,* and baking powder. With a pastry blender cut in butter leaving chunks the size of peas. Combine ice-cold water, sour cream, and vinegar. Add liquid all at once to the flour mixture. Quickly stir to distribute; do not overmix. The dough should be slightly crumbly. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. The finished dough should break, not stretch. Divide into three portions; shape into disks. Use at once or wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days. Or freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen.

Brownie/ PB/ Cookies

Preheat oven to 350
Spoon in cookies dough into the bottom of each well. (Use cupcake pan)
Place Reese cup upside down on top of the cookie dough.
Top with prepared box brownie mix, filling 3/4 full.
Bake 18 min
ENJOY-- YUMMY!

Easy Chicken Veggie Alfrado

Easy Chicken Veggie Alfrado

I usually “eye ball” this recipe.

14 oz cooked chicken breast.

1 medium zucchini, sliced (4 cups)

1 large red, orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips (1 cup)

1 can (18 oz) Progresso™ Recipe Starters™ creamy Parmesan basil cooking sauce

Hot cooked pasta or gnocchi

Shaved or grated Parmesan cheese

In 12-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center.

Add zucchini and bell pepper; cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in cooking sauce; heat to boiling. Serve with pasta; sprinkle with cheese.

Makes 4 servings (1 1/4 cups each

Asian Sesame Salmon

Makes 8 servings.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

:
2 teaspoons Toasted Sesame Seed
1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
1 teaspoon Minced Onions
3/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper, Crushed (optional)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 pounds salmon fillets

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix honey, green onions, soy sauce and all of the Spices except Red Pepper in small bowl until well blended. Stir in Red Pepper to taste, if desired. Place salmon in foil-lined 13x9-inch baking pan. Spoon Minced honey mixture evenly over salmon. 

2. Roast salmon 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork, basting occasionally with honey mixture.

Apple and Sage Pork Chops

Makes 4 servings.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

1 1/2 teaspoons Sage

1 teaspoon Minced Garlic

1 teaspoon Thyme Leaves

1/2 teaspoon Ground Allspice

1/2 teaspoon Paprika

1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 boneless pork chops, 1-inch thick (about 1 1/4 pounds)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 red apples, thinly sliced

1/2 cup apple juice

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions

1. Mix flour, all of the Spices and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with 1 tablespoon of the seasoned flour.

2. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add pork chops; brown on both sides. Remove from skillet. Add onion; cook and stir 3 minutes or until tender. Add apples; cook and stir 2 minutes.

3. Stir in juice, sugar and remaining seasoned flour until well mixed. Return pork chops to skillet. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until desired doneness.

Cinnamon Cranberry Oat Bars

So Marci told me about this recipe she found in the magazine Healthy Cooking, so I tried them out and they are delicious. They taste just like chewy bars without all the nasty preservatives.

3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 cups Rice Krisipies
1 cup dried cranberries (you can substitute for raisins, chocolate chips, anything you want to add to the bars)
1/2 cup ground Flaxseed (I didn't have this when I made them so I just put in a little more oats)
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon divided
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup packaged brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar

1. In a large bowl, combine the oats, Rice Krispies, cranberries, flax, 1 tsp cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, oil and honey; cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and salt.
3. Stir in oat mixture, toss to coat.  Press firmly into a 9x13 pan coated with cooking spray. Combine sugar and remaining cinnamon and sprinkle over bars (NOTE I did this and felt like there was too much cinnamon so for next time I am going to omit this step).

Cool completely and cut into bars. I stored these in the refrigerator and ate them all week long as a snack. If you do store them in the refrigerator they will need a little time to "thaw" out and become soft again.

1 Bar = 211 calories

To make gluten free use gluten free oats and rice krispies

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour (spooned into measuring cup and leveled)
1 cup whole wheat flour (again, don’t scoop!)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup white sugar
6 ounce container vanilla yogurt
3 eggs, slightly beaten
15 ounce can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (plus a few extra for the top of loaves)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 2 9×5 (or similar sized) loaf pans with nonstick spray and set aside.

Combine flours (after you put your flour in the bowl, just grab a teaspoon or two of it and toss with chocolate chips), cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Whisk gently to combine and set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl combine brown sugar and white sugar and whisk to combine, breaking up any clumps of brown sugar.  Add yogurt, eggs, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet and mix together, being careful to not over mix.  When combined, gently stir in chocolate chips.   Divide batter between loaf pans and sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out with a few crumbs attached.  All ovens are different, I would set your timer for about 45 minutes and keep an eye on it after that.  Don’t overbake!

Let cool for 10 minutes and then run a sharp knife around edge of pan and remove loaves from pan.

Crock-Pot Cheesy Chicken & Brocolli Over Rice Recipe

All I have to say is WOW! This recipe was SO easy to make!!

3-4 boneless chicken breasts
1 10oz can cream of chicken soup
1 10 oz can cheddar soup
1 14 oz can chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic salt seasoning

1 cup sour cream
6 cups broccoli florets, just fork tender (I cooked it in boiling water for 3-4 minutes)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Place soups, chicken broth, salt, and garlic seasoning into a crock-pot over low heat.Whisk until smooth. Place chicken in, pressing to the bottom. Cover lid and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.

2. When chicken is cooked, use 2 forks to shred into bite size pieces. Stir in sour cream and broccoli.

3. Serve over steamed rice and sprinkle with cheese.  4-6 servings

I got this recipe via

Fat Witch Easy Chocolate Frosting

SO the brownies are delicious but adding frosting on them makes them even more deadly! Here is the easy chocolate frosting recipe.

1/2 C Semisweet Chocolate Chops
4 Tablespoons (1/2 Stick) Unsalted Butter
3 Tablespoons Half-and Half (or evaporated milk)
1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Confectioners' Sugar

Melt the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly and do not let the mixture boil. Remove from the heat. With a whisk, beat in the half-and-half and vanilla. Measure and then sift the confectioner's sugar directly into the pan and beat until well combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. After spreading the icing on cooled brownies, put the pan in the refrigerator to harden the frosting for at least 1 hour. Cut the bars after frosting has set or just before serving.

Makes 1 Cup.

Fat Witch Brownies

So for my wedding I got a Fat Witch Brownie cook book. Fat Witch Brownies are famous in NY and after making them I know why! They are the BEST BROWNIES IN THE WORLD. I will never again make a boxed brownie mix. I have made these brownies a handful of times and they are delicious every time. Here is the recipe.

Cocoa Brownies

12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter
1/2 C Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 C Sugar
4 Large Eggs
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
3/4 Cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Grease 9-inch X 9-inch baking pan ***(I use a 9 X13 pan because I like the brownies thinner).

In a small saucepan, heat the butter over low hear just until it is melted, but not brown. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

Add the cocoa powder and sugar to the butter and whisk until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Add the vanilla and whisk until mixed well.

Measure the flour and salt and sift together into the batter. Mix the batter gently until well combined and no  trace of the dry ingredients remains.

At this point, if desired stir in any extras like walnuts.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with only crumbs not batter on it.

Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 1 hour. Cut just before serving.

***If you make the brownies in the 9x13 pan I bake the brownies for 20 minutes****
Makes 12 to 16 brownies.

*** I have made these brownies in advanced and frozen them until I needed them and they were delicious***