*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

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Best Mac & Cheese Ever!



We have been watching the Phantom Gourmet on Sunday mornings and they have been doing specials on comfort food.  The ultimate comfort food is Mac & Cheese...  I used my mom's recipe and then added my touches to it and this is what we came up with...

Ingredients:
-1.5 lbs elbow macaroni
-1 pint heavy cream
-2 cups milk (we use skim milk)
-1.5 cups shredded mozzarella
-1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar
-1.5 cups parmesan/ romano
-1 small package of gruyere cheese (you can shred it or cut into small pieces)
-Bread crumbs
-Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1:  Cook elbow macaroni until it is al dente

Step 2:  In a mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream, milk, salt & pepper

Step 3:  Spray a 9x13 baking dish with Pam and then spread a thin layer of bread crumbs on the bottom of the pan

Step 4:  On top of the bread crumbs place a layer of the cooked elbow macaroni (should be half of the pasta you cooked)

Step 5:  Cover the top of the macaroni with all of the different cheese and then pour half of the cream/ milk mixture over the cheese and pasta

Step 6:  Put another layer of pasta (use the remaining half of cooked pasta)

Step 7:  Put the remaining cheese on top of the macaroni and pour in the remaining cream/ milk mixture over the top

Step 8:  Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top and bake in the oven at 475 degrees until the cheese is bubbling and the top of the cheese is browning

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Mexican Mess

When we lived in Newton there was a great restaurant we used to go to called Comella's and they were famous for their Italian messes.  Well we love Mexican food and I used to make a lazy enchilada recipe.  This is a take on the Enchilada's and the mess.

Ingredients:
-1 lb ground beef (we use ground turkey)
-1 package of low sodium taco seasoning
-1 can of fat free refried beans
-1 jar of salsa
-2 packages (4 cups) of shredded Mexican cheese
-1 package of tortillas (any kind)
-1 large package of yellow saffron rice
-Fat free sour cream

Step 1:  Brown the ground beef and add in taco seasoning per package instructions.  Once the seasoning is mixed in completely add in the can of refried beans and cook until all mixed together

Step 2:  Cook the saffron rice per the package instructions

Step 3:  Spray a round casserole dish with Pam.  Put salsa on the bottom of the dish, just enough to cover the bottom.  Place one flour tortilla on top of the salsa

Step 4:  Layer the following ingredients:  beef mixture, cooked rice, salsa, a few dollops of sour cream, shredded cheese and finish with another flour tortilla.  Continue layering until the top of the dish.  The final layer should be a tortilla, salsa,  sour cream and shredded cheese.

Step 5:  Bake in a 350 degree oven until all the cheese is melted and the mess is heated all the way through.

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Cook-Out Recipes:

Summer is our favorite time of year because we get to cook out on the grill and get to try new recipes.  Rachael Ray inspires me to make different types of burgers and we prefer turkey burgers.  Hope you enjoy some of our new favorites...

Kitchen Sink Macaroni Salad



Chris and I recently hosted our niece's first birthday party at our house.  My sister-in-law and I made the salads and sides for the party.  While at the store we created a new salad recipe that Joanne likes to call kitchen sink salad, because we put so many ingredients into it.

Ingredients:
-1 lb tri-color pasta cooked
-1 bottle Italian salad dressing - pick your favorite
-1 small can of sliced black olives
-1 jar of roasted red peppers
-1 jar artichoke hearts
-1 package of sundried tomatoes - packed dry
-1 package of shelled edamame
-1 quart of fresh mozarella balls
-fresh grated parmesean/ pecorino romano mix

While the pasta is cooking, you want to drain the roasted red peppers and artichoke hearts.  Then cut up the roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, sundrired tomatoes and slice the mozarella balls in half.  Once the pasta is done and cooled some, place the pasta in a large bowl (to make it easier use the bowl you will be serving in).  Then add your edamame, black olives, sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, mozarella and salad dressing.  Mix well and then add grated cheese, mix slightly more and chill until serving.

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Spinnach Turkey Burgers

Rachael Ray is my inspiration for this summer favorite.  Chris and I have really taken a liking to ground turkey over ground beef but are not big fans of the plain old turkey burgers you buy at the store.  So we came up with this recipe...

Ingredients:
-1 lb ground turkey
-1 package of Lipton Beefy Onion soup mix
-1 tablespoon of minced garlic
-1 package of frozen spinnach - completely defrosted
-3 triangles of Laughing Cow cheese
-Italian Breadcrumbs

We use our Kitchen Aid mixer to make these.  In the mixer bowl we put all of the ingredients minus the breadcrumbs and let the mixer do the combining.  We add breadcrumbs as needed if the burgers are too moist.  Once everything is mixed well, we roll them into patties and individually wrap them in plastic wrap.  I like to freeze them slightly before cooking as this hardens them up and makes them easier to cook on the grill.

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Christmas Cookies:

I have always liked to make Christmas cookies and this year was no exception.  My mom came up for the weekend and we made nine different types of cookies.  Only one recipe did not turn out so good and that will not be posted below.  Enjoy!

Classic Pizzelle

Growing up Italian, these are a staple for every occasion!

Ingredients:
-1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-3 large eggs
-3/4 cup granulated sugar
-1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
-1 tablespoon vanilla extract or anise extract

Please flour and baking powder in a small bowl and stir to combine; reserve.  Place eggs and sugar in a medium bowl.  Using a hand or stand mixer, mix on medium speed for 1 minute, until thickened.  On low speed, add the melted butter and extract in a steady stream and mix until combined, about 15 seconds.  Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined, about 10 to 15 seconds; do not over mix.

You will need a pizzelle press to bake the cookies.  I have a Cuisinart Pizzelle Press and it works very well.  This recipe makes 36 - 40 cookies.

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Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

This is a Giada De Laurentis recipe.  These cookies were one of my favorites this year.  They are so light and using fresh lemon juice and zest made them taste so fresh.

Ingredients:
Cookies:
-2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 stick unsalted butter, softened
-2 cups sugar
-2 eggs
-1 (15 ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
-3 tablespoons lemon juice
-1 lemon zested

Glaze:
-1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
-3 tablespoons lemon juice
-1 lemon, zested

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Cookies:
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the butter and sugar.  Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated.  Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest.  Beat to combine.  Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Spoon the sough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets.  Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges.  Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze:
Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth.  Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread.  Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.

This recipe makes 44 cookies.

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Best Ever Butter Cookies

This is from the Land O' Lakes recipe collection.  I love making these in my cookie press.  I usually make green Christmas trees and red flowers.  So much fun and so easy to make!

Ingredients:
-1 cup Land O' Lakes butter, softened
-1 cup sugar
-1 egg
-2 tablespoons orange juice
-1 tablespoon vanilla
-2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
-1 teaspoon baking powder

Combine 1 cup butter, sugar and egg in a large bowl.  Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.  Add orange juice and vanilla; mix well.  Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking powder.  Beat until well mixed.  If using a cookie press, you can add food coloring during the mixing.

Divide dough into thirds.  Wrap each in plastic food wrap; flatten slightly.  Refrigerate until firm (2 to 3 hours).

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Cookie Press:
Load the dough into the press and begin stamping out cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Cookie Cutters:
Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one third at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut with 3 inch cookie cutters.  Place 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet; sprinkle with decorator sugar.

Bake for 6 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

This recipe makes 3 dozen cookies.

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Chocolate-Hazelnut Smooches

This is a Giada De Laurentis recipe.  We really enjoyed these cookies.  They remind me of peanut butter kisses and were just as good!

Ingredients:
-1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (Nutella)
-1/2 cup butter, softened
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 cup light brown sugar
-1 egg
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/2 cup sprinkles or decorative sugar
-1 (9 ounce) package of chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.  Set Aside.

In another medium bowl, place the chocolate hazelnut spread, butter and both sugars.  Using a hand mixer, cream the ingredients together, about 3 minutes.  Add the egg and vanilla and blend until incorporated.  Stir in the dry ingredients, just until incorporated.

Shape the cookie dough into walnut-sized balls.  Roll the balls in the color sprinkles/ decorative sugar, pressing to adhere.  Place the cookies on a heavy cookie sheet about 4 inches apart.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Remove the cookies from the oven.  Quickly place a chocolate kiss in the middle of each cookie.  Return the cookies to the oven and bake for another 3 minutes.  Cool the cookies on a wire rack.

This recipe makes 36 to 40 cookies.

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Potato Chip Cookies

This is an Emeril Lagasse recipe.  Who knew, potato chips and cookies in one great recipe.  These came out great and my husband really liked them.  He thought it was so cool that the cookies were made with potato chips and you would never know it because you can't taste them.  To me these were like a shortbread cookie, dry but very tasty...

Ingredients:
-1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
-1 cup sugar
-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
-1/2 cup finely crushed potato chips
-2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
-Chocolate Sauce, for dipping, optional - I did not make this

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, 1/2 cup of the sugar and vanilla.  Add the toasted pecans and potato chips and stir well.  Add the flour and stir to combine.

Place the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a shallow bowl.

Form the mixture into small balls, about 1 tablespoon each, and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Dip the bottom of a heavy flat-bottomed glass in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and flatten the cookies on the baking sheet, dipping in sugar before flattening each cookie.  Bake the cookies until light golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes.

Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.  When cookies have cooled, dip 1 half of each cookie in the chocolate sauce, if desired.  Let harden on a wire rack.

Chocolate Sauce:
-4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
-1/2 cup heavy cream
-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place the chocolate in a medium heat proof bowl.

Bring the cream to a bare simmer over low heat.  Pout the cream over the chocolate and lit sit for 2 to 3 minutes.  Whisk the chocolate mixture until smooth and thick.  Add the vanilla and whisk to blend.

Use warm for dipping edges of cookies, reheating gently over barely simmering water as necessary.

This recipe makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

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Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

This is a Paula Dean recipe.  These sure are loaded with great ingredients.  It was funny because when I went to make them I could not find my raisins, so I substituted dried cranberries and it worked.  I also had a small issue with these cookies, I am not sure if it was that I did not let them cool enough or what but they stuck together.  The recipe also provides an icing, I did not use this.

Ingredients:
Cookies:
-1 stick salted butter, softened
-1/2 cup vegetable shortening
-1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
-2 large eggs
-1/2 cup buttermilk
-1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon ground ginger
-1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
-1/2 teaspoon ground all spice
-2 1/2 cups quick cooking oatmeal
-1 cup raisins (dried cranberries)
-1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing:
-1 stick salted butter
-3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 1 or more cookie sheets.

Using a mixer, cream the butter, shortening and brown sugar.  Add the eggs and beat until the mixture is light in color.  Add the buttermilk.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and all spice in another bowl; stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.  Fold in the oatmeal, raisins, walnuts and vanilla.  Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto cookie sheets.  Bake until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing:  In a small saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat; stir in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla.  Stir enough water (3 to 4 tablespoons) to make the icing drizzling consistency.  Drizzle on the warm cookies.

This recipe makes 48 cookies.

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Peanut Butter Kisses

There are a bunch of different variations of this recipe out there.  These are a family favorite :)

Ingredients:
-1 cup granulated sugar
-1 cup packed brown sugar
-1 cup shortening
-1 cup peanut butter - I prefer smooth
-2 eggs
-1/4 cup milk
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-3 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
-2 teaspoons baking soda
-1 teaspoon salt
-11 ounce package of Hershey kisses - unwrapped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream together granulated sugar, brown sugar, shortening and peanut butter.  Add eggs, milk and vanilla; beat well.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add to peanut butter mixture.  Beat well.

Shape into 1 inch balls; roll in additional granulated sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Press a Hershey kiss into the center of each warm cookie.  Return to oven; bake 3 minutes longer.

This recipe makes 6 to 7 dozen cookies.

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Skillet Cookies/ Date Balls

My husband's family has a secret family recipe for these cookies.  I did not want to give away family secrets, so I found a similar recipe online.  We love these and hope you will too...

Ingredients:
-1 cup chopped dates
-1 cup sugar
-3 tablespoons butter
-1 egg, well beaten
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
-2 cups Rice Krispies - or other crisp rice cereal
-3/4 cups chopped pecans
-1 cup flaked coconut

Mix dates, sugar, butter and egg in a heavy skillet (we use a sauce pan).  Melt over low heat; cook about 5 minutes on low heat, until bubbly.  Remove from heat; add vanilla, Rice Krispies and pecans.  When cool enough to handle, roll into small balls and roll in coconut.

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I was cleaning in my home office and found some of my original Christmas cookie recipes, why didn't I find these when I needed them - well now we have them forever!



Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

There are a few variations on this recipe; all of them are good :)

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup margarine
-1/2 cup peanut butter
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
-1 egg
-2 tablespoons milk
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/8 teaspoon baking soda
-1 bag chocolate "kisses" unwrapped

In a large mixer bowl, beat margarine and peanut butter with electric mixer on medium speed about 30 seconds.  Add the sugars and beat until fluffy.  Add egg, milk and vanilla.  Beat well.

In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.  With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture, beating well.  If necessary, cover and chill about one hour for easier handling.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Shape dough into one inch balls.  Roll in additional granulated sugar.  Place about two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake about 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are firm.  Immediately press a chocolate "kiss" atop each cookie.  With a spatula, lift cookies onto cooling rack.  When cool, store in an airtight container.

Makes approximately 60 cookies.

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Butter Butter Cookie Recipe

This is the BEST butter cookie recipe!

Ingredients:
-1 cup (2 sticks) butter
-3/4 cup sugar
-1 egg
-1 teaspoon almond extract or 2 teaspoons of vanilla
-2 1/3 cups all purpose flour

Cream butter.  Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and almond (vanilla) extract.  Gradually blend in flour.  Fill cookie press with 1/4 dough at a time; form desired shapes on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven, 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove immediately to wire rack to cool.  Makes about 17 dozen cookies.

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Seven Layer Squares/ Magic Bars

Chris and I love these and I remember my mom making them for me as a child - YUMMY!

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup butter - melted
-1 cup graham cracker crumbs or corn flake crumbs
-1 package chocolate chips
-1 package butterscotch chips
-1/2 cup coconut
-1 cup walnuts
-1 cup miniature marshmallows
-1 can of Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

Layer in a 9x13 pan in the order above.  Bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until coconut turns golden brown.