Buttercrunch Toffee

 

 

 

Buttercrunch Toffee

Adapted from David Lebovitz’s “The Perfect Scoop”
Makes 2 cups

• 1 cup almonds, pecans or hazelnuts
• 1 tablespoon water
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips or 3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1. To Prep the Almonds: Spread the almonds on a baking sheet, and bake them at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring them halfway through so they toast evenly. Let them cool, and chop them finely.
2. Set aside half of the chopped nuts. Place the other half on an ungreased baking sheet, and gather the nuts into an 8-inch circle. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, combine the water, butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar over medium heat. (Don’t overstir!) Cook the mixture until it reaches 300 degrees F. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla until just combined.
4. Pour the mixture onto your circle of almonds.
5. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the toffee, and set aside for 2 minutes while the chocolate melts. Using a spatula, spread the chocolate over the toffee.
6. Scatter the remaining half of your almonds over the chocolate. Let the toffee cool completely.

Caramel Peanut Popcorn

 

Caramel Peanut Popcorn

Adapted from David Guas and Raquel Pelzel’s “DamGoodSweet”

Feel free to substitute toasted sliced almonds or chopped pecans for the peanuts.

Makes about 10 cups

• 1 (3.5-ounce) package plain microwave popcorn (or 3.5 ounces of popping corn)
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup lightly salted peanuts, roughly chopped

1. Heat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside,
2. Pop the popcorn according to the package instructions. Coat a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray, and transfer the popcorn from the bag to the bowl. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, whisk the sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt and 2 tablespoons of water, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to simmer, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 250 degrees F on a candy thermometer, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat, and whisk in the vanilla and baking soda. Immediately pour the hot mixture over the popcorn. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the caramel into the popcorn until all of the popcorn is coated.
5. Gently stir in the peanuts, and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Gently break up the popcorn. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Peach Shortcake

 

 

 

Peach Shortcake

Adapted from Martha Hall Foose’s “A Southerly Course”
Makes 1 (8-inch) cake

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh peaches, peeled and thinly sliced (recommended: freestone)
• 7 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon bourbon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted (Heat oven to 350 degrees F, and toast pecans on a baking sheet for 5 minutes.)

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with butter or nonstick spray, and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the peaches, 4 tablespoons of the brown sugar, bourbon, and ginger. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
4. Using two forks, a pastry cutter, or your fingertips, cut in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
5. Add the milk, stirring just until moistened.
6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and gently knead 10 times, or until the dough comes together and is smooth.
7. Pat the dough evenly into your prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.
8. Remove the shortcake from the pan, and let it cool on a wire rack.
9. When ready to serve, whip the cream with the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar until stiff peaks form.
10. Split the shortcake in half horizontally, like opening a big biscuit. Place the bottom layer on a serving platter. Spoon half of the peach mixture (including the liquid) over the cake, and top with half of the whipped cream.
11. Cover with the second cake layer, and top with the remaining peach mixture (including the liquid) and whipped cream.
12. Sprinkle with pecans and serve.

Pina Coladas

Piña Coladas
Printer-Friendly Version

Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
6 oz. light rum
½ cup coconut cream
2 tbsp. milk
1 cup fresh chopped pineapple
1½ cups frozen chopped pineapple
2 cups crushed ice

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree on high speed until smooth and well combined. Pour into tall glasses and garnish as desired with fresh pineapple.

Source: slightly adapted from Culinary Musings

Rolo Dream Bars

 

 

Rolo Dream Bars

Adapted from King Arthur Flour
Start by freezing a bag of Rolos for 2-24 hours
Shortbread Base
Ingredients
1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur)
Directions
Preheat oven to 300F.
Cream together the butter, sugar, and salt with a mixer on medium speed. Add flour and mix again until fully combined. Dough may be crumbly. This is okay.
Spray a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish with baking or cooking spray. Press dough into the dish, creating an evenly distributed crust.
Bake for 30 minutes, until cookie begins to look lightly brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least an hour.
When cookie is cool to the touch, prepare the topping.
Dream Bar Topping
Ingredients
2 cups dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs, well-beaten
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted (toasting is optional)
1 cup diced nuts: walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds or crisp rice cereal
26 Rolos, frozen and unwrapped
Directions
Preheat oven to 325F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, flour and baking powder. Mix until evenly combined with a mixer on medium speed.
In a separate bowl, crack and then whisk eggs until yolks are broken and fully mixed into the whites. Add to brown sugar mixture and mix on medium speed again.
Add coconut and nuts, mixing until fully incorporated. Set aside.
Place 12-14 Rolos directly on top of Shorbread base in casserole dish. Spoon brown sugar-coconut mixture on top of shortbread/rolos, covering base completely.
Press the remaining Rolos into the topping. (By doing this separately, you’ll get some Rolos that melt inside the topping, and others that stay intact, which adds great texture.)
Bake for 30-35 minutes until topping is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool overnight. When you first remove from the oven, the topping will be unset. It will set completely as it cools, and create an almost “brownie” like crust. Cut into bars once completely cooled.
These bars are incredibly rich, so small bars (2″ x 2″) are appropriate.

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

For the Cordon Bleu:
3 large chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise (to form two thinner chicken breast cutlets)
12 slices deli ham
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 to 1/2 pound thinly sliced swiss cheese
For the Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules (or 1 bouillon cube, crushed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and melted butter. Set aside.
Lay the cut chicken breasts in a single layer in the 9X13-inch dish. Layer each chicken breast with two slices of ham and top with 2 slices of swiss cheese, shingling across the chicken breast to make sure the entire chicken breast is covered with ham and cheese. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the chicken.
Bake the chicken for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through completely, the cheese is bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden.
While the chicken bakes, in a medium saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, whisking constantly, while cooking the flour/butter mixture for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking quickly. Stir in the chicken bouillon granules and salt. Whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened, remove from heat and stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce warm until the chicken is finished baking.
Serve each chicken cordon bleu portion with warm sauce.
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Peach Crumb Bars

Peach Crumb Bars
Yield: 24 bars
For the Dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold
1 egg, lightly beaten
For the Filling:
5 cups diced or sliced peaches (about 7 peaches, peeled)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
2. For the Dough: In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter, and then the egg. The dough will be crumbly. Pat half of the dough into the prepared pan. Place the pan and the remainder of the dough in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
3. For the Filling: Place the diced (or sliced) peaches in a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix gently. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour over the peaches and mix gently.
4. Spread the peach mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining dough over the peach layer.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
(Dough recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen; Filling recipe from Allrecipes)

Beer Chicken Tacos

1 packet taco seasoning
1 can black beans, drained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
shredded cheddar cheese
tortillas

Place chicken breasts in the crockpot. Top with the entire jar of salsa. Pour beer into a tall glass, and dissolve taco seasoning in beer. Pour into crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Shred chicken with a fork . Add black beans and corn and cook an additional 30 minutes. Serve in a warm tortilla, topped with cheese and any other burrito toppings you enjoy.

Homemade Cracker Jack

Homemade Cracker Jack
Yield: About 10 cups of popcorn
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Bake Time: 1 hour
10 cups of freshly-popped popcorn (or 3.5-oz bag of microwave popcorn, plain)
1 cup light brown sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup lightly salted peanuts
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. Pop the popcorn. Coat a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray, and then transfer the popcorn to the bowl; set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt and water, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to simmer, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 250 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat, and whisk in the vanilla and baking soda. Immediately pour the hot mixture over the popcorn. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the caramel into the popcorn until all of the popcorn is coated. Gently stir in the peanuts, and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet, spreading it out.
5. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Gently break up the popcorn. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
(Recipe adapted from Ezra Pound Cake)

Cheddar Ale Spread

Cheddar Ale Spread
(Adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody)
8 oz. cream cheese
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2½ cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons heavy cream
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup beer (pretty much anything but a light beer)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (I substituted 2 teaspoons dried)
Combine the cream cheese, mustard, cheddar cheese, cream, and salt in a food processor. Process for 30 seconds, add the beer, and continue processing until very smooth. Pulse in the parsley until just dispersed.
This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You will want to take it out an hour before serving if you do refrigerate.

Artichoke Spinach Dip

Artichoke Spinach Dip
Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Bake Time: 30 minutes
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1½ cups (6 ounces) finely shredded or grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1½ cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Paprika, to taste (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Press the excess moisture from the spinach.
2. Combine the artichokes, spinach, 1¼ cups of Parmesan cheese, 1¼ cups of Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and garlic in a bowl and mix well.
3. Spoon the artichoke mixture into a 1½-quart baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheeses on top, and then sprinkle with paprika, if desired. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm with tortilla or pita chips, crackers or vegetables.

Brown Eyed baker

Margarita Bars

 

Margarita Bars

Serves 9-12. You can also easily double the recipe for a 9×13″ baking dish.
For the crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
For the filling:
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp tequila
1 Tbsp triple sec
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp lime zest
1 drop green food coloring (optional)
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8×8″ baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Stir in the melted butter. Press the dough into the baking dish and then bake 15-20 minutes or until the edges of the crust turn light brown.
Reduce the heat to 300 degrees. In another medium bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, flour, salt, tequila, triple sec, and lime juice and zest, and food coloring. Pour the filling mixture over the warm crust and bake another 20-25 minutes.
After removing the dish from the oven, lightly dust with powdered sugar. Let cool and then cut into squares. Store leftovers in the refrigerator

Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes

Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg, plus 1 egg white
2 tbsp canola oil
3 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup strawberries, sliced

Wash strawberries and slice, cutting each (medium sized) berry into about four pieces. Set aside. Crush graham crackers in food processor (or with a rolling pin and plastic bag). Measure out 1/2 cup and add to mixing bowl. Add flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well. Add milk, egg, egg white and canola oil. Stir just to combine. Whisk cream cheese until smooth and light (almost the consistency of frosting). Fold in cream cheese and strawberries gently. Spoon onto a hot, greased griddle or large skillet. Flip when the edges begin to dry, cooking well on both sides.