
Ingredients
2 1/2 C pecans
1/2 C butter (I use salted)
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C light corn syrup
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk (1/2 of a 14 ounce can)
1/2 t vanilla
1 (12 ounce) package milk chocolate chips
1/2 t shortening (I use butter flavored Crisco)
Directions
Toss 2 1/2 cups of pecans into a large skillet. Toast them over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until they have darkened just a bit and smell fragrant and wonderful. Should only take a few minutes
Find yourself 2 large cookie sheets. Line them with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray. Arrange your pecans into clusters, three to a group works well. You want to leave some space (about an inch) between each cluster.
Make your caramel (full tutorial with pictures found here). Place 1/2 C butter into a medium-sized sauce pan. Melt it over medium high heat. Add 1 C brown sugar, 1/2 C light corn syrup and 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk to the pan. Increase the heat just a bit and stir it continually. Cook and stir until it reaches 235-240 degrees. I generally remove it from the heat when it reaches about 234 degrees. It will continue to rise in temperature just a bit even without the direct heat, making the caramel just the right texture.
Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
Carefully drizzle about 1 1/2 teaspoons of caramel over each nut cluster. You’ll want to work quickly, as the caramel will begin to set up. Be sure there is caramel touching all of the nuts in your cluster. The caramel works like glue, sticking the nuts together.
In a microwave safe bowl pour 12 ounces of milk chocolate chips. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each cooking interval.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of shortening to the melted chocolate. Allow it to sit for a minute or two (so it can melt and make the chocolate chips more spreadable). Stir it all together.
Spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons of melted chocolate over the top of the caramel and nuts. Swirl it around along the top making a pretty swoop with your spoon.
Allow the chocolate to set up. Once it has hardened and cooled you can serve them immediately, or transfer them to an air tight container.
Ingredients
For the Bars:
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cans (21 oz.) cherry pie filling
For the Glaze:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
3 tablespoons milk
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a jelly roll pan (12×17) with aluminum foil. Spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar, about 1-2 minutes. Add salt, eggs, and vanilla and almond flavorings and continue stirring until fully incorporated. Add flour and baking powder and mix until just combined. Reserve 1 3/4 cup of dough. Spread/Press remaining dough into the prepared baking pan. Top with cherry pie filling. Drop remaining batter in small pieces over the cherry filling.
Place in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled prepare the glaze. Whisk together confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth and drizzle over the bars. Cut into 35 squares and serve.
Ingredients:
- 1 3oz lemon Jell-0
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 box graham cracker crumbs (3 cups) more for thicker crust divided
- 1 stick melted butter
- 1 8oz cream cheese
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 can evaporated milk, well chilled or 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
Instructions:
- Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Cool until slightly thickened.
- Mix 3/4 graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until well blended, press into bottom of the 9 X 13 pan to form a crust. Save rest of crumbs to sprinkle on top of dessert.
- Beat the Evaporated milk/heavy cream until fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice with mixer until smooth.
- Add thickened Jell-O and slowly mix in whipped evaporated milk.
- Spread filling over the crust and sprinkle with reserved graham cracker crumbs on top.
- Chill at least 2 hours and up to overnight, store covered in refrigerator.
Ingredients
8oz pkg. cream cheese
8oz. Pepperjack cheese, shredded
1 1/2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
1 lb. cooked chicken, shredded
8 flour tortillas
cooking spray
shredded cheddar cheese
green onions, for garnish
sour cream
salsa
Stir together cream cheese, Pepperjack cheese and taco seasoning.
Fold in chicken.
Divide among flour tortillas.
Tuck in sides, and roll up each tortilla.
Lay seam side down in a sprayed 9x13" baking dish.
Spray tops of tortillas with cooking spray.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
Turn chimi's over, and bake an additional 15 minutes.
Serve with cheddar cheese, green onions, sour cream, and salsa.
Ingredients :
• 6 potatoes, peeled
• 2 cups grated parmesan cheese(220 g), divided
• 3 teaspoons salt, divided
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 lb ground beef(455 g)
• 14 ½ oz diced tomato(410 g), 1 can, drained
• 4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, divided
• 1 teaspoon paprika(2 g)
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 6 cups spinach(240 g)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup ricotta cheese(250 g)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese(100 g)
Preparation :
Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
Using a knife or mandolin cut the potatoes into slices ⅛-inch (3 mm) thick.
On a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, sprinkle half of the Parmesan cheese and spread until it is evenly covering the parchment paper.
Place the potatoes over the parmesan so each potato is overlapping the previous potato both vertically and horizontally. Continue until the entire pan is filled with potatoes.
Sprinkle to rest of the Parmesan evenly over the potatoes. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden and the potatoes are flexible and slightly crispy.
In a skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onions, and cook until caramelized, about 15 minutes.
Add the beef break up and mix with the onion until cooked. Mix in the tomatoes, 3 tablespoons of parsley, paprika, 1 teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Stir, cooking until the beef is browned and cooked through. Remove from heat.
In a skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the spinach, cook until wilted. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and the garlic. Stir to combine. Remove from heat.
In a bowl combine the spinach mixture and the ricotta. Set aside.
Evenly spread the spinach mixture over the cooked potato sheet.
Evenly spread the beef mixture over the spinach. Sprinkle mozzarella over the beef.
Take one end of the potato sheet holding the parchment paper begin rolling upward, making sure the ingredients are not coming out the ends.
Once the it is completely rolled place the potato roll on the parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with parsley for garnish. Slice and serve immediately.
Enjoy! ✨
Ingredients:
• 4 skinless chicken breasts
• 1 ounce dry ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can of cream of condensed chicken soup
• 1 cup water or chicken broth
Instructions
• Grease the slow cooker with non-stick spray.
• Place the chicken into the bottom of the Crock Pot.
• Top with the chicken soup.
• Sprinkle the ranch seasoning on top and pour the water over the seasoning.
• Replace the lid and cook on low for seven hours.
• Once it is done cooking, shred chicken with a fork, and serve over mashed potatoes.
1/4 cup flour you can use gluten-free flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 lb chicken legs about 3-4 large chicken legs
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 oz mushrooms each sliced in half
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon olive oil if needed1 cup chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
In a small bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. On a large plate, dredge chicken legs in this seasoned flour mixture
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.
Add chicken legs skin side down and brown for about 4 minutes until the skin turns a nice golden color.
Flip chicken legs over to the other side and brown the other side for about 3 minutes.
Remove browned chicken legs and set them aside. Also, remove those parts of olive oil that got too dark from browning the chicken with flour mixture.
To the same, now empty skillet, add mushrooms (sliced in half) and minced garlic, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil (if needed) and saute them together on medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add chicken stock to the skillet, scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and stir.
Place chicken legs back in the pan.
Bring the chicken stock to boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer on low-medium.
Simmer chicken legs for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked through and the juices run clear when chicken is cut in the middle.
Remove the cooked chicken legs to a plate and keep warm.
Turn the heat under the skillet to medium-high, and simmer the mushroom sauce for about 4 minutes until it is reduced by about a third.
Stir in the 1/2 cup heavy cream into the mushroom sauce and simmer for another 2 minutes on low-medium heat, constantly stirring and scraping from the bottom of the skillet, until the sauce gets thicker.
Add chicken legs back to the skillet to warm them up.
Ingredient
Instructions
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour , packed (if using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt)
1 Tbsp baking powder (leave out if using self-rising flour)
½ tsp salt (leave out if using self-rising flour)
½ cup butter, salted, cut in small pieces (if using unsalted, add ¼ tsp more salt than above)
1 cup milk (regular or buttermilk)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add butter in smallish pieces.
With your hands (or a pastry blender), combine flour mixture and butter until butter is pea sized and mixture is crumbly.
Pour in milk and combine with a wooden spoon until well incorporated, taking care not to over mix.
Turn out onto a floured surface and roll out dough to about ¾ inch thick.
Cut out biscuits with biscuit cutter or cookie cutter. Add each to ungreased cookie sheet or iron skillet. Make sure that biscuits touch for higher rise during baking.
Bake for 10 minutes or until browned.
Ingredients :
Deselect All
One 9- to 10-pound bone-in fully-cooked smoked ham (butt or shank half)
1 tablespoon whole cloves, optional
Two 20-ounce cans sliced pineapple
20 maraschino cherries
2 cups honey
2 cups light brown sugar
Directions :
Let the ham sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Trim off any skin from the ham. Use a sharp paring knife to score through the fat in a diagonal crosshatch pattern without cutting through to the meat. Push the cloves into the ham, if using, placing them at the intersections of the cuts. Put the ham, flat-side down, on a rack in a roasting pan.
Drain the pineapples, reserving the juice. Arrange the sliced pineapple all over the ham, securing with toothpicks. Add a maraschino cherry to the center of each pineapple slice and secure with a toothpick.
Pour 1/4 inch water in the bottom of the pan and tent the ham with foil.
Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the ham (avoiding bone) registers 130 degrees F, about 2 hours 30 minutes (or about 15 minutes per pound).
Meanwhile, combine the honey, brown sugar and reserved pineapple juice in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, syrupy and reduced to about 3 cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside.
Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
Uncover the pan and carefully brush a third of the glaze all over the ham. If the water in the roasting pan has evaporated, add more. Bake the ham for 15 minutes more. Brush with another third of the glaze and bake for 15 minutes more. Brush the remaining glaze over the ham and cook until the glaze is shiny and the skin is dark golden brown and crispy, about 15 minutes more. Let rest for 15 minutes.
Enjoy !!!
How to make Lunch Lady Brownies
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35-40 minutes
Ingredients
Non-stick cooking spray
2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
½ medium red onion, diced
½ t. garlic powder
1 t. dried basil
1 t. dried parsley
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
6 large eggs
3 T. half & half
1 c. gouda cheese, shredded, divided
2 c. fresh arugula or spinach
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, minced very finely
2 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press
Salt
Black pepper
Peanut or avocado oil, plus more for frying
2 cups fresh, baby spinach leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped, flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
10 egg roll skins (8 x 8-inch size), cut in half on the bias to create 20 triangles
1 ¼ cup grated gouda cheese
To begin, prepare the red pepper salsa: place all ingredients up to and including the cilantro into the bowl of a food processor, add in a couple of good pinches of salt, process until smooth, then check to see if any additional salt is needed. Keep cold, or serve at room temp.
To prepare your filling, add your minced chicken to a medium-size bowl, and to it add the 2 garlic cloves and a couple of good pinches of salt and black pepper, then toss these ingredients together until well coated.
Place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, and drizzle in a little of the oil; once the pan is hot, add in the chicken and saute until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the chicken out of the pan, leaving the juices behind, and spoon into a paper towel-lined plate or bowl to cool completely.
Once the minced chicken has completely cooled, add it to a large bowl; then, add in the chopped spinach, parsley, cilantro, parmesan and the pinch of red pepper flakes, plus a tiny drizzle of oil, and mix to combine well. Taste to check if any additional salt or pepper is needed.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and set it nearby.
Whisk together the cornstarch and the water to create a slurry, as you will use this to seal your egg rolls closed, and set this aside.
To roll your egg rolls, take a triangle (half of an egg roll skin) and place it in front of you with the point facing upward; add 2 tablespoons of your chicken filling into the center along the bottom part of your triangle, and shape it into a log shape. Sprinkle about a teaspoon or so of the gouda cheese over that.
Next, fold the bottom left corner toward the center, then the right corner, making what looks like a little envelope; next, roll upwards as tightly as you can, and tuck as you go (try not to leave any air gaps or bubbles,); then, dab the top corner with a little cornstarch slurry and seal.
Place the egg rolls on the parchment-lined baking sheet, keeping them covered with a piece of plastic wrap so they don’t dry out, and repeat until all are rolled.
Heat about 3 cups of the oil in a small pot or saucepan, and bring up to 360°; then, carefully add about 3 egg rolls at a time to the hot oil, and fry for about 4 minutes. Drain on a wire rack to maintain crispness.
Serve the chicken egg rolls nice and hot, with the red pepper salsa on the side for dipping.
Enjoy !!