Glass Cookies

Need a easy and creative idea for Christmas??

Make your favorite sugar cookie dough. Make sure you have the same shape cookie cutter in two different sizes. Cut out the larger size with the smaller size in the middle. Place on cookie sheet. 

In a Ziploc bag, place jolly ranchers of the same color. Use a meat tenderizer to pound the jolly ranchers until crushed. Place crushed candy into the middle of each cookie. 

Bake according to sugar cookie recipe and enjoy!

Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies

These cookies melt in your mouth and are to die for!!! 

Ingredients:

Cookies

• 2 cups butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 cups of flour
• 1 cup raspberry jam (I use Smuckers)

Icing

• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp of milk
• ½ tsp almond extract

Directions

1. Combine butter, sugar and extract in a large bowl; beat at medium speed, until creamy
2. Reduce to low; add flour
3. Beat until well mixed
4. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour
5. Shape into 1” balls
6. Place 2” apart on ungreased cookie sheet
7. Press thumb into each cookie. It’s okay if the edges crack.
8. Fill each cookie with ¼ tsp jam
9. Bake 15 minutes at 350 F
10. Let sit on cookie sheet 2 minutes
11. Remove from pan and let cool completely
12. Mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with milk and extract. The consistency should be runny. You may need to add more sugar or milk.
13. Drizzle over cookies.

Healthy Pasta

This is my version of a recipe that I found in the magazine, Cooking Light. It's quick and easy and tastes gourmet. You could substitute any vegetables for the asparagus. I might suggest zucchini or mushrooms. If you're not a fan of shrimp, ground beef or Italian sausage might be a good substitute.

Shrimp, Asparagus Penne Pasta

Ingredients

• ½ package (16 oz) of penne pasta (We use whole grain pasta)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups asparagus (We use the whole bundle at the grocery store)
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced or 1 tsp bottled minced garlic
• ½ pound cooked, medium shrimp, thawed
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain when finished
2. While pasta cooks, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat
3. Add asparagus, onion and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes
4. Add oregano, pepper flakes and tomatoes
5. Cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes or until heated through
6. Stir in pasta
7. Sprinkle with cheese and enjoy

This heats up great the next day!

Risotto Time!!!

Risotto is an Italian dish made from Arborio rice, which turns very creamy when cooked. Traditionally this dish is cooked on the stove-top slowly and it must be stirred often. This recipe uses a slow-cooker. It turns out great and is really easy. I tried to include a few notes that would make it easy to decide what to add to make this dish your own!


In case you have not used shallots, here is what they look ..........

 

Risotto

Ingredients

• 1 slow-cooker plastic liner (This isn’t necessary, but great at clean-up! The rice gets really sticky)
• ¼ cup olive oil (If you have basil olive oil, use it! But it will work fine with regular olive oil)
• 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 shallots (small, purple onions that look like a garlic bulb) or 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• 1 ¼ cups Arborio rice (This is sold in the rice aisle. It may seem expensive, but 1 container lasts me a year)
• ¼ cup white wine (I have used savignion blanc or pinot grigio)
• 3 ¾ cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup of parmesan cheese

Optional Ingredients

• Shredded chicken, cooked (1-2 chicken breasts is plenty)
• Shrimp
• Mushrooms
• Corn
• Fresh basil
• Any other protein or vegetable

Directions

1. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in pan over medium heat and sauté until the shallots softened
2. Put an extra 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil into the liner and rub around. Place liner in slow-cooker
3. Add sauted shallots and oil from pan into the liner
4. Add the rice and mix around with the shallots/oil mixture
5. Stir in the wine
6. Stir in the chicken broth
7. Add the salt
8. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until all liquid is absorbed
9. Just before stirring add cheese and any other ingredients desired. Leave in slow cooker just until warm. Be careful not to let it over cook (dry out)

 This is a great dish when its cold outside and you need a little comfort food! 

Tasty Tortilla Soup

I found this recipe in a healthy cooking recipe, so you don't need to feel guilty for indulging! This recipe was great, but is not my favorite tortilla soup recipe of all times. I'm very picky about my Mexican food and will post my favorite another time.

Tasty Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

·        1 large onion, chopped

·        2 green onions, thinly sliced

·        2 Tbsp butter

·        4 garlic cloves, minced

·        2 Tbsp flour

·        4 ½ cups chicken broth

·        2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes, undrained

·        1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

·        1 can (4 oz) green chilies

·        1 tsp oregano

·        2 tsp cumin

·        ¼ tsp pepper

·        3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded

·        2 Tbsp minced cilantro

·        1 1/3 cup crushed tortilla chips

·        7 Tbsp shredded cheddar

Directions

1. If you do not have cooked chicken on hand, I throw 2 defrosted chicken breasts in the oven at 375F for 35-45 minutes or put frozen chicken breasts and ½ cup water in the crockpot on low for 6 hours.
2. In a large pot, sauté onion and green onions in butter over medium high heat until tender.
3. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes longer
4. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add broth
5. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, chilies, oregano, cumin and pepper.
6. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover for 20 minutes.
7. Add chicken and cilantro and continue heating.
8. Enjoy!

Homemade Calzones

Some of you might be scared to make dough from scratch. My high school students can follow this recipe, which means you can too!

• 1 packet yeast (2 ¼ tsp.)
• 1 cup warm water (30 seconds in the microwave is perfect)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 ¾ cup flour (you may need more/less)

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tsp. sugar in warm water.  Stir with fork and allow to rest/dissolve for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 ½ tsp. salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
3. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, until it makes a soft dough
4. Knead until smooth – like playdough! (About 5 minutes, It should not stick to your hands anymore)
5. Rub outside of dough lightly with olive oil and place in bowl
6. Let rise for 1 hour
7. If baking on a pizza stone, place stone in oven and preheat to 450 F. If using a cookie sheet, just preheat oven to 450 F.
8. Split dough into 4-6 (depending how many or how big)
9. Lightly flour your countertop and rolling pin
10. Roll out into an oval shape
11. Place sauce and ingredients on one half
• Pizza sauce
• Italian seasoning
• Onions
• Pepperoni
• Peppers
• Mushrooms
• Garlic
• Mozzarella
12. Fold dough over and twist under
13. Mix egg and 2 Tbsp water; brush over each calzone
14. Cut 2-3 slits into the top of a calzone

Bake for 12 minutes or until crust is golden brown. I serve it with extra dipping sauce!

Get your ovens started!!!!!!!!!!!

I was spending time with my fabulous girlfriends last weekend, when some of them began making fun of me and my husband for planning our weekly menu and grocery shopping accordingly. The teasing turned into a request for the recipes and the grocery list. Next, I told my mom and co-workers, who asked to be added to the email list.

I thought why not start a blog where I could post the recipes that I use all the time at home for others to use as well. All the recipes have been tested at least once in my own kitchen. I will try to post pictures as well! Please feel free to comment with how it turned out if you try it at home or post questions if something is confusing!