Hershey Kiss Cookies

A favorite of mine.  :) From: http://www.donogh.com/cooking/cookies/hershey.shtml

Hershey Kiss Cookies

2 2/3 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup butter 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Additional sugar 5 dozen kisses, unwrapped In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and baking soda. Add butter and peanut butter and mix until smooth. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth. Make balls out of level tablespoons of dough - add flour if needed. Roll in sugar. Bake 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and add 1 kiss to the center of each cookie. Return to the oven and bake for 2 more minutes. Cool and enjoy.

Kalachi

Ok all- this one is unbelieveable and unlike my usual recipes a ton of work.  My mom made this when I was growing up and I would look forward to it every year!
*Update*
So I used 1 pack of rapid rise yeast
6 cups sifted flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 pound butter
3 tbsp sugar
3 eggs
1/2 pint sour cream
1/2 warm milk

Dissolve yeast in warm milk. (120-130 degrees- check individual packs to make sure it isn't too hot)

Add cup of flour- add sour cream and add flour. Then add sugar, butter and eggs and keep on adding flour until its gone.  When it is kneaded well set aside and let rise about 3 times- cover over with towel. (let it rise, beat it down, rise again 3 times). 
The dough is done rising when you stick two fingers about 1/2 in inside and the dough doesn't come back up.

 Filling
2 1/2 to 3 pounds walnuts- grind nuts fine
2 cups sugar or to taste
3 whole eggs
moisten with 1/2 cup of milk or as much as needed to spread nice so that it is not running.

Once dough has risen 3 times divide into 6 sections and roll out flat. Cover flattened dough with filling and roll. Make sure your dough is thick enough (some of mine were too thin and then broke open during baking- doesn't affect the taste- just the look :) ) Then bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. (Until golden brown)

Allow some time to cool on a cooling rack and enjoy!


Happy Cooking!

Baked Mac and Cheese

Here is yet another mac and cheese recipe! :)This one comes from Cooking Light magazine.  I just added hot sauce to this one for some kick.  Enjoy.

4 1/2 cups (12 oz) uncooked penne
1 carton (12 oz) cottage cheese (we used 16)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan divided
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
3tbsp panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp minced flat leaf parsley

1)Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2) Cook pasta according to package- drain and place in large bowl.
3) Place cottage cheese in a food processor and process until smooth.  Combine cottage cheese, cheddar, 1/4cup parmesan, salt, and pepper.  Add mixture to pasta and stir well.  Spoon into 11X17 glass or ceramic baking dish.
4) Combine remaining 1/4 cup parmesan, panko (we used extra here too), and parsley in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top.  Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
5) Preheat broiler- leaving dish in oven.
6) Broil pasta 1 minute or until top is brown.

Cauliflower Soup

Hey All,

Asher ate this up!  He loved it so much- he kept holding his bowl up and asking for more :).  I added a few more things to it but it was pretty good. Comes from Taste of Home magazine.

Ingredients:
1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets
1 medium carrot- shredded (I just had the pre-shredded bag already)
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 cups water
2 tsp vegetable or chicken bouillon granules ( I used 2 beef bouillon cubes)

3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper (I did 1/4)
2 cups milk
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 to 1 tsp hot sauce
(I also added Parmesan cheese(1/4 cup or so) and mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 a cup)- I was looking for a way to thicken it some but I love cheese too :) )

- In a large saucepan combine cauliflower, carrot, celery, water and bouillon.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender (do not drain)

- In another large saucepan melt butter.  Then stir in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth; gradually add the milk and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Reduce heat.  Stir in cheese until melted.  Add hot sauce if desired.  Stir into cauliflower mixture.

Hope you like this one! Serve with some bread and enjoy! Happy cooking!

Cinnamon-Apple Crostata

**Update**- this was actually really yummy and easy!  I used granny smith apples, pecans, and  put some ice cream on top.  Definitely enjoyable :) It didn't take as long as the recipe called for - maybe 15 minutes total for the crust to brown but I used two regular pie crusts and just put them on a flat sheet so they were smaller.  (I needed two to get all four apples in). Again EASY and worth a try! :)

Ok- haven't tried this yet but I want to.  Sounds great for fall!
http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/cinnamon-apple-crostata

INGREDIENTS

Crust

1

box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Filling

1/2

cup sugar

4

teaspoons cornstarch

2

teaspoons ground cinnamon

4

cups thinly sliced, peeled cooking apples (4 medium)

1

teaspoon sugar

2

tablespoons chopped pecans or walnuts

Topping

Whipped cream, if desired

1Heat oven to 450°F. Remove pie crust from pouch; place flat on ungreased cookie sheet.2In medium bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar, the cornstarch and cinnamon. Gently stir in apples. Spoon apple mixture onto center of crust, spreading to within 2 inches of edge. Fold crust edge over filling to form 2-inch border, pleating crust as necessary. Brush crust edge with water; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar.3Bake 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Sprinkle pecans over apple mixture. Bake 5 to 15 minutes longer or until apples are tender. Serve with whipped cream.

Crockpot Taco Bowls

As requested by some people at work- here is the taco bowl recipe- again from Budget Bytes. We did this without the chicken and it was yummy. When serving we put brown rice on the bottom of our bowls and topped it with sour cream and cheddar cheese. It kind of tasted like chili. Really hearty and satisfying for those fall days :). Happy cooking!

Click here for the original post and pictures.


Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 8 hrs. Total: 8 hrs. 10 min.

INGREDIENTS
1.5 lbs.	chicken breasts
1 (16 oz.) jar	salsa
1 (15 oz.) can	black beans, drained
1/2 lb. (8 oz.)	frozen corn
1 Tbsp	chili powder
1/2 Tbsp	cumin
1/2 Tbsp	minced garlic
1/2 tsp	dried oregano
1/4 tsp	cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp	salt
to taste	cracked pepper
2 cups	dry rice
8 oz.	shredded cheddar
1/2 bunch	cilantro (optional)

STEP 1: Add everything except the rice, cheese, and cilantro to the slow cooker along with 1/4 cup of water (for good measure). Give everything a good stir and make sure the chicken is covered in the mixture.

STEP 2: Secure the lid on your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hrs.

STEP 3: Near the end of the cooking time, cook the two cups of rice according to the package directions (Bring the rice and 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot with a lid in place, as soon as it reaches a boil, reduced the heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving).

STEP 4: After 8 hours of cooking, carefully remove the lid of the slow cooker. Stir with a fork to shred the chicken (it should be super tender and will shred easily). Build the taco bowls by placing rice on the bottom, then the taco chicken mix, shredded cheese and fresh cilantro.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Hey everyone, this is Adam. Kristi asked me to put up my pulled pork recipe. Well, it's not really mine. I got it from my friend Eric, and who knows where he got it. So, if this is your recipe, thanks! It's easy and delicious.


Ingredients
one 5- to 6-pound boneless Boston butt pork roast
1/4 cup Cheater Basic Dry Rub (recipe follows)
1/2 cup bottled smoke (one small bottle of liquid smoke)
barbecue sauce

Directions
Cut the pork butt into medium (2- to 3-inch) chunks.
Put the pieces in a large slow cooker (at least 5 quarts). Sprinkle the meat with the rub, turning the pieces to coat evenly. Add the bottled smoke.
Cover and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or on low for 10 to 12 hours, until the meat is pull-apart tender and reaches an internal temperature of 190 F.
Using tongs and a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a rimmed platter or baking sheet. Let rest until cool enough to handle. Pull the meat into strands. It should shred very easily. Serve the barbecue piled on buns with your favorite barbecue sauce.

To serve the barbecue later, cover and refrigerate the meat when it has cooled. Pour the meat juice into a separate container and refrigerate. Before reheating the juice, skim and discard the congealed fat layer on the top.
To reheat, place it in a saucepan moistened with some of the reserved juice. Gently heat the meat on medium-low, stirring occasionally. Or, place it in a covered casserole with some of the reserved juice and heat in a 350 F oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
While the meat warms, combine the barbecue sauce and some of the additional reserved meat juice in a saucepan. Heat through and serve with the barbecue.

Leftovers also make amazing tacos al pastor. Just marinate in pineapple or orange juice and broil. Top with cilantro, raw onion, pineapple, and lime juice. Makes 12 to 14 servings

Cheater Dry Rub

Ingredients
1/4 cup paprika

2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dry mustard

Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a jar or zip-loc bag. Shake to blend.
Makes about 2/3 cup

Feel free to experiment here - I've substituted a mix of chili powder (1 tbsp), cumin (1 tbsp), paprika (1 tbsp) and red pepper (1 tsp).

Peach Cinnamon Pancakes

Hey all!  I had a craving for some pancakes the other night and these turned out great.  I found a basic recipe then added a few things to make it my own and a little sweeter. Hope you enjoy them!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, stirred or sifted before measuring
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons melted butter 
• dash of vanilla
• 1 large peach cut and sliced very thin

Preparation:

Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1 1/2 cups of milk- and a dash of vanilla; add to flour mixture, stirring only until smooth. Blend in melted butter. If the batter seems too thick to pour, add a little more milk. Then add the peaches. Cook on a hot, greased griddle, using about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook until bubbly, a little dry around the edges, and lightly browned on the bottom; turn and brown the other side. Recipe for pancakes serves 4.
*I noticed that if the peaches were cut too thick it was hard to cook the pancakes all the way through without burning them so make sure they are very thin. 

Happy cooking! :)

Black Bean Quesadillas

Ok so this one I did on my own. I was inspired by the sweet potato enchiladas with the combination of black beans and corn so here you go.

Ingredients

1 small onion
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp butter
1 (15oz) can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 and 1/2 cups corn (I used frozen and cooked it ahead of time)
about 8-10 cherry tomatoes- sliced (though you could probably use any kind of tomato)
a few sprigs of cilantro
salt
pepper
1/2 tsp to start- garlic powder
1/2 tsp to start- paprika
Tortillas
Butter

Directions
1) Start a medium saucepan with the lime juice, onion, and butter. Cook until the onions start to turn translucent. Warm a separate skillet for the tortillas.
2) Add the black beans and corn to the lime/onion mixture.
3) Then add garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper (these ingredients are all to taste, which is why I wrote to start, taste often and update these ingredients).
4) Once these items have warmed add the tomatoes and cilantro. And let simmer for a minute or two.
5) Add any final seasonings- to taste.
6) Butter one side of the tortilla (so it will get crispy in the skillet).
7) Fill tortillas with mixture and top with cheddar cheese. Put in skillet- warm each side until crispy and serve with sour cream and salsa - if you like.

I hope you enjoy these. I found them very filling and tasty!

Happy cooking!

Carbonara

Ok- this recipe is amazing. Everytime Adam makes it we eat the whole thing (which may be dangerous :) ). This comes from a book: Classic Rachel Ray- 30 Minute Meals page 48. Adam tells me that he adds more wine and red pepper flakes than called for. It really is fantastic! I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do!

Ingredients:
Salt and pepper
1 pound rigatoni
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
1/4 lb pancetta (chopped)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (1/3 palmful)
6 cloves garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup grated romano cheese
Handful of finely chopped flat leafed parsley (optional) - garnish

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Add a liberal amount of salt and rigatoni, cook to al dente.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add evoo and pancetta. Brown pancetta 2 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Add wine and stir up all the pan drippings.

Beat yolks, then add 1 large ladleful (about 1/2 cup) of the pasta cooking water. This tempers the eggs and keeps them from scrambling when added to the pasta.

Drain pasta well and add it directly to the skillet with pancetta and oil. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta. Toss rapidly to coat the pasta without cooking the egg. Remove pan from heat and add a big handful of cheese, lots of pepper, and a little salt. Continue to toss and turn the pasta until it soaks up egg mixture and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and extra cheese.

I can't express enough how good this is! We LOVE it! So thanks Rachel Ray! :) Happy cooking!