Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta

Ingredients:

2 Large, ripe tomato (4 cups roughly chopped)
1 Cup Raw Cashews
2 Tbs Tomato Paste
1/2 Cup Water
3 Tbs Olive Oil
2 to 4 Cloves Garlic, minced, optional
12 oz Spaghetti
1 tsp Salt (or to taste)
3 to 4 Tbs Wine or Water
1 tsp Freshly Cracked, Coarse Black Pepper
1 to 2 Large Handful Fresh Basil Leaves, chopped

Directions:

1. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil, and cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Core the tomato, then roughly chop it. Add it to your blender, seeds, skin and all. Add cashews, tomato paste, and water. Blend until very smooth.
3. Add olive oil to a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute until golden, being careful not to burn.  Pour sauce from the blender into the saute pan and bring to a simmer. Add salt and let cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. If desired add wine/water or pasta cooking water to thin out the sauce. Taste and season more if necessary. Let simmer until pasta is finished cooking. Once pasta is cooked, drain. Add pasta to the saute pan with black pepper and freshly chopped basil leaves. Toss to coat. Serve immediately, garnishing with more pepper and basil

7UP Biscuits

These are the best biscuits I've ever made, which is saying a lot since I hate Bisquick. I usually double the recipe

2 cups Bisquick

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup 7-up

1/4 cup melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Cut sour cream into biscuit mix, add 7-Up. This makes a very soft dough.
3. Sprinkle additional biscuit mix on board or table and pat dough out (be gentle).
4. Melt  the 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch square pan.  Place cut biscuits in pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown

Cheesy Potatoes

This makes more than the average recipe. great for a large get together!

Ingredients:

• 1 can (10.75 Oz. Can) Cream Of Chicken Soup
• 1 can (10.75 Oz. Can) Cream Of Onion Soup
• 2-½ cups Milk
• 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 2 bags (about 2-lb. Bag) Ore-Ida Southern Style Hashbrowns, Frozen
• 1 whole Large Onion, Chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic, Finely Chopped
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Chopped
• 1 cup French Fried Onions
• 1 Tablespoon Salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
• 4 cups Finely Shredded Four Cheese Blend

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter a large casserole dish
2. In a large pot, add the cream of soups and milk, and slowly whisk to bring it together. Continue cooking on medium heat, and add the butter.
3. In a large bowl combine everything(except a cup or so of cheese) before transferring it to your large casserole dish. 
4. Cover with tinfoil and cook for roughly 2 hours.  Add the remaining cheese to the top, and place under the broiler to crisp up the cheese and potatoes for a few minutes.
5. Remove from the oven, and let cool for about 10 minutes before eating. 

Slow Cooker Stuffing

Ingredients:

1 cup butter or margarine 2 cups chopped onion 2 cups chopped celery 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 12 ounces sliced mushrooms 12 cups dry bread cubes (store bought) 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 to 4 1/2 cups chicken broth, or as needed 2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

1. Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, mushroom, and parsley in butter, stirring frequently. 
2. Spoon cooked vegetables over bread cubes in a very large mixing bowl. Season with poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, marjoram, and salt and pepper. Pour in enough broth to moisten, and mix in eggs. Transfer mixture to slow cooker, and cover. 
3. Cook on low for 4 to 8 hours (check occasionally for moistness, add broth as needed)

"Spaghettio's"

Ingredients

• 1 box small pasta
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions
2. .Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large saute' pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. 
3.  Stir in the tomato sauce, water, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and butter. Heat, while stirring, until the butter is melted. Slowly stir in the milk, then turn the heat to low. Simmer at low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Stir the shredded cheese into the sauce until melted. 
5.  Drain the pasta and combine with the tomato sauce mixture. 

Lemon rolls

Makes 12 rolls (use frozen roll dough or make your own)

Ingredients:
12 rolls (if frozen, thawed but still cold)
zest of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons butter melted
1/2 cup sugar

   glaze:
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup powdered sugar

• Grease a 9X13 inch pan
• cut rolls in half and place in the pan
• drizzle rolls with the melted butter
• mix the zest and 1/2 cups sugar together and sprinkle half of this mixture over the rolls
• cover and let rise until doubled
• sprinkle the remaining sugar/zest mixture over the rolls and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
• combine ingredients for glaze and drizzle over the rolls while still warm.

Baked Maple Bars

Ingredients:Maple Bars
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup shortening
4 Tablespoons  granulated Sugar
2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup lukewarm water

2  (1/4 ounce) envelopes yeast
2 large eggs, beaten
5 1/2 cups flour (might need a bit more)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Ingredients:Maple Icing
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

6 tablespoons milk

2 1/4  cups powdered sugar

2-3 teaspoons maple extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the dough:

1. In a medium saucepan scald milk; add shortening, 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar, and salt. Stir to combine and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
2. In a large mixer bowl, add the lukewarm water and the yeast. Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of sugar to the yeast and water and whisk to combine. Let sit for about 5 minutes until it starts to bubble and become foamy.
3. After the yeast is foamy and the milk mixture is luke warm. Add the eggs to the yeast and stir to combine, then add the milk mixture to the yeast mixture. Whisk the cinnamon into the flour and gradually add to the yeast mixture. You may need to add more, you want the dough slightly sticky but not too sticky.  Knead for 3 to 5 minutes. I let my kitchen aid do the kneading for about 5 minutes.
4. Spray another large bowl with non-stick spray, place dough in the bowl and let raise for an hour or until double in size. 
5. Punch down and roll out into a large rectangle about 3/4 inch thick
6. Cut into rectangles, I make 18 -24 bars depending on how big I want them. then place on a greased baking sheet. Let raise for about 30 minutes.
7. While bars are raising,  preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
8. Bake the bars for 7 to 8 minutes or until light golden brown, Watch carefully. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before icing. Make the icing while the bars are raising:

Icing:

1. In a small saucepan mix butter, brown sugar and milk. Bring to boil on medium heat and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes. Add the mapleine, salt and powdered sugar and blend well with a hand mixer. Add a little more powdered sugar if needed 
2. Spread on maple bars and enjoy!  

Lasagne Bolognese

from Mario Batali.  I saw him make this on TV once and ever since then its the only lasagna we want to eat.  lol!

Ingredients

Ragù
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (I use less)
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, sliced
1 pound veal, ground
1 pound pork, ground
4 ounces pancetta, ground
1 8-ounce can tomato paste
1 cup milk
1/2 cup white wine
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Béchamel
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
3 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Lasagna (I just use regular hard lasagna usually)
3/4 to 1 pound fresh pasta sheets, about 7 by 4 inches, or dried lasagne noodles blanched for 6 minutes and refreshed
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Oil for brushing

Instructions

Ragù
In a large heavy-bottom saucepan, heat olive oil. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and sweat over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until vegetables are translucent. Add veal, pork, and pancetta to the vegetables, and brown over high heat, stirring to keep the meat from sticking together. Add the tomato paste, milk, wine, thyme, and 1 cup water, and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours (if the ragù becomes too thick, add a little more water). Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from heat.
Béchamel
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the flour, and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the mixture turns golden brown, about 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until it is just about to boil. Add the milk to the butter mixture, 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until the sauce is very smooth. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 seconds longer. Remove from the heat and season with salt and nutmeg.
Assembly
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with melted butter or oil, and layer in the following order from the bottom: ragù, pasta, béchamel, and grated cheese (saving about 1 cup béchamel for last topping), making 3 to 4 layers of pasta, finishing with ragù, béchamel, and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano sprinkled over the top. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 20 minutes, slice, and serve

Easy Stove-top Mac and Cheese

I Just make it all the time.

Ingredients:
1 16oz box pasta (shells, macaroni, bow tie) 
2-4 Tablespoons butter
1 can cheddar cheese soup(10 3/4 oz)
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
2ish cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste or seasoned salt (like Johnny's) and fresh grated nutmeg

Directions:
Cook and drain noodles.  Add back to warm pot, stir in butter, cheese soup,
and the can of evaporated milk.  Stir until combined. 

Add 1 cup of cheese to start with, add more until desired cheesiness.
Keep the burner on low to help melt things together.
Add salt and pepper to taste and a bit of fresh grated nutmeg. 

3 Bean marinated salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups chickpeas
• 2 cups kidney beans
• 2 cups pinto beans
• 2 cups corn (I used frozen)
• 3 -4 T red wine vinegar
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 oregano
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 3 green onions chopped
• 3 stalks celery
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley chopped

Instructions

• Whisk together the vinegar, oil, garlic, oregano, cumin and salt in a bowl.
• Add the beans and corn.
• Then, add the onions,celery and parsley and toss to coat.

You can eat this right away, but for the best flavor, please let sit in the fridge for at least 8 hours. That’s it. Easy! This makes about 6 good size servings servings. It should keep for at least a week in the fridge

Broccoli and Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

• 6-8 cups broccoli florets
• 15-oz can drained and rinsed chickpeas
• 5 sliced scallions
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 minced clove garlic
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Steam broccoli florets until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Once cool, chop and combine with chickpeas, scallions, parsley, and pine nuts.
2. In a bowl, combine garlic, mustard, honey, lemon zest and juice. Slowly add oil, whisking to emulsify, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Drizzle broccoli mixture with dressing and adjust seasoning

Homeade Oreos

Ingredients:
For the chocolate wafers:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Hersheys special dark cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
• 1 large egg

For the filling:

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded 1/2 tablespoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 8-9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.

My Favorite Vegan Cookies (chocolate chip)

this makes one pan of cookies..... usually always double the recipe.

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cu sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup non-dairy chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• In a bowl, sift in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the sugar and salt, and stir until well combined. 
• In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup with the molasses and vanilla, then stir in the oil until well combined. 
• Add the wet mixture to the dry, along with the chocolate chips, and stir through until just well combined (do not overmix).
• Place large spoonfuls of the batter on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flatten a little.
• Bake for 11 minutes, until just golden (if you bake for much longer, they will dry out). 
• Let cool on the sheet for no more than 1 minute (again, to prevent drying), then transfer to a cooling rack

Sugar cookies

Ingredients:
1 C Butter (room temperature)
3/4 C Vegetable Oil
1 1/4 C Sugar
3/4 C Powdered Sugar
2 T Water
2 Eggs
1/2 t Baking Soda
1/2 t Cream of Tarter
1 t Salt
5 1/2 C Flour

  frosting:
1/2 cup room temperature butter
3/4 C Sour Cream
Approx 1 2lb Package of Powdered Sugar
1/4 t salt
1/4 C Milk
Red Food Coloring

Directions:

1. Cream the butter, oil, sugar , water and eggs.
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients and slowly add to the butter mixture
3. The dough should be a little crumbly, not sticky
4. Scoop 2tblsp sized balls onto cookie sheet
5. Flatten the cookies with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar, and a pinch of salt
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Cool cookies on a cooking rack. Once cool put them in the fridge.
7. For the frosting, cream the butter, sour cream , and salt together.  Slowly add the powdered sugar, add the milk a splash at a time until you get your desired consistency.  add 1 drop of red food coloring and mix on high for 1 more minute.
8. Keep the cookies sealed in a container in the fridge, frost with room temp frosting right before serving.

Glazed Pumpkin Sugar Cookie

Ingredients:

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
for the glaze-
3 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2) In a large bowl, stir butter, oil, pumpkin, sugars, vanilla and eggs together until incorporated and smooth. 3) Slowly mix in all dry ingredients until completely incorporated.
4) Scoop onto prepared baking sheet using 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop and flatten to 1/2 inch thick using the bottom of a glass. If the dough is sticking to the glass, press the bottom of the glass in granulated sugar before flattening. Bake 8-9 minutes.
5) While cookies bake, stir all ingredients together for glaze until smooth.
6) Once cookies are finished baking, cool 3 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to cooling rack. 7)Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons glaze over each warm cookie. Let glaze harden 2-3 hours before serving. OR eat them warm with lots of runny glaze 

Black Licorice Caramels

They are just the best. ever!  The recipe comes from a combination of my cookbook called Chocolates And Confections by Peter P. Greweling, and a number of other recipes..

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) water
• 2 cups (1 pound) sugar
• 1 can (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup (12 ounces) light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 sticks butter, unsalted, soft
• 2 teaspoons anise extract
• 1/2 teaspoon black food coloring paste
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Lightly butter a 9X13-inch pan and set aside.
2. In a heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan, combine the water, sugar, condensed milk, corn syrup, and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant rubber spatula. 
3. Continue stirring gently while the mixture boils and cooks, until the caramels reach 245  degrees F. (this is a good estimation of the required temperature, but start testing the caramel when the thermometer reads 240 degrees F. * to test the caramel, spoon a small sample of the caramel into ice water, allow to cool for several seconds, then remove from water... the cooled caramel should from a soft, malleable ball when rolled between your fingers.
4. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the anise extract, food coloring, vanilla extract and salt. Pour the caramels into the prepared pan and allow to cool completely to room temperature, at least 2 hours.
5. When cool, remove the sheet of caramels from the pan. Cut the caramels into pieces. Wrap each caramel square in a bit of wax paper or celophane, twisting the ends to secure

Milk Chocolate Buttercream

1 C. unsalted butter, softened
2 ½ C. powdered sugar (or more, depending on desired consistency)
4 Hershey’s Milk Chocolate candy bars (1.55 oz. each), chopped (Do NOT use chocolate chips!)
¼ C. heavy whipping cream
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt

1. Put the chopped milk chocolate bars into a small bowl.  Heat the chocolate in 30 second increments.  Stir after each increment, and continue to heat 30 seconds at a time, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  Set aside and allow to completely cool.
2. Once the milk chocolate has cooled, cream the butter, salt and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Measure the whipping cream into a cup, and stir in the vanilla extract into the cream.
4. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually pour the cream mixture the bowl.
5. Once the cream mixture has been incorporated into the frosting, fold on the melted (but cooled) milk chocolate until incorporated.
6. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high, and beat frosting for an additional 3 minutes.
7. Makes about 2 ½ cups of frosting

Caramel Rice Crispy Treats

This makes a huge pan full!

Ingredients

• 18 cups crispy rice cereal (19 ounce box)
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 1 3/4 cups white Karo corn syrup (does not have high fructose corn syrup)
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Coat a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray or butter.
2. Into a very large capacity bowl, pour the 18 cups of crispy rice cereal. Set aside.
3. In a 4 quart saucepot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the corn syrup and brown sugar and salt and stir well. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil. Boil and stir for three minutes.
4. Remove pot from heating element. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk. Return pot to cooking element; cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil once again. Boil and stir for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
5. pour the caramel sauce over the rice crispy cereal and stir to combine.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, press firmly into pan
7. Allow treats to cool before cutting.