Pistachio White Chocolate Cookies

This recipe was shared with me by my friend Bonnie. It is one of the treats her family traditionally makes and adds to their plate of goodies to take to neighbors at Christmastime. We tried it this last year and loved them, and it will become a staple for us as well! 

Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup flour
1 (3.4 oz) package instant pistachio pudding mix
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup white chocolate chips
green food coloring
1/2 cup chopped pistachios

• Whisk together flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• Cream sugars and butter together until light and fluffy.  Add in egg and vanilla and beat until well blended.
• Gradually stir in dry ingredients. Add food coloring. Stir in chocolate chips and pistachios.
• Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes, just until they are set. Do not let them brown.
• Let cool on baking sheet for several minutes before removing them to a rack.

Grandma Zina Wood's Fruit Salad Dressing

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup water

2 Tbsp cornstarch

grated zest of one orange and one lemon

Boil zest in 1 cup of water in saucepan for 5 minutes.

Mix sugar and cornstarch thoroughly and add.

Cook on low boil for 5-10 minutes stirring constantly until thick.

Add the juice of one orange and 2 Tbsp lemon juice.

Chill.

Before serving, mix with 1/2 cup of heavy cream, whipped.

Stir in large can of chunk pineapple and 3 or 4 sliced bananas (or I guess any kind of fruit you like. The recipe that Art's sister gave me says that sometimes she added mandarin oranges or marshmallows, but Mike and Art insist she never did.)

Shared by Paula Wood after enjoying this at Grandma Virginia Wood and Grandpa Arthur Wood's 68th anniversary celebration.

Beef Stroganoff

This has been my go to stroganoff recipe for the last few years.

From melskitchencafe.com

INGREDIENTS

•  1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
•  1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
•  1 clove garlic, finely minced
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  1/2 teaspoon pepper
•  8 ounces sliced white button mushrooms
•  4 ounces light cream cheese, cubed
•  2 cups low-sodium beef broth
•  1/2 cup lowfat milk
•  3 tablespoons flour
•  1/2 cup light sour cream
•  Salt and pepper to taste
•  Cooked egg noodles or rice for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the meat, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to break up the meat into small pieces, until the meat is almost cooked through but still slightly pink, about 5 minutes. Drain excess grease. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft and browned and the meat is cooked through, another 5 minutes or so.
2. Add the cubed cream cheese and let the cream cheese melt over medium heat, about 2-3 minutes, before stirring in. Mix gently until the cream cheese is incorporated throughout the meat mixture. In a large liquid measuring cup, combine the beef broth and milk. Whisk in the flour until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps of flour remaining.
3. Stir the beef broth/milk mixture into the meat and cook over medium or medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Let the mixture bubble and simmer until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve over cooked egg noodles or hot, cooked rice. Sprinkle each serving with fresh parsley, if desired.

Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo

From Pinch of yum

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• half of an onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8–10 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup DeLallo whole wheat orzo
• 3-ish cups cooked chicken (I use shredded rotisserie chicken)
• 3 eggs
• juice of 3–4 lemons (about 1/2 cup)
• a handful of fresh spinach
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• lots of freshly ground pepper
• as much fresh dill as you can handle

---

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Base: Heat large soup pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic. Saute until fragrant and tender, about 10 minutes. (Be careful not to burn the garlic.)
2. Orzo: Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Add the orzo and cook for a few minutes until softened. Stir in the chicken and remove from heat.
3. Eggs: Whisk the eggs and lemon juice together in a small bowl. The idea here is to warm up the egg mixture slowly (without scrambling the eggs). Slowly add a scoop of the soup into the egg mixture. Then add your warmed egg mixture back to the soup pot – slowly, slowly, slowly, stirring constantly, until smooth and creamy. 
4. Final touches: Finish by stirring in your spinach, salt, pepper, and dill and adjust seasonings to taste!

Chicken and Chickpea Tagine

Guys, this is so, so tasty!  I made it for the first time tonight and the family loves it too, which is saying a lot!

I found this recipe on NYT Cooking.

INGREDIENTS
2 TB corn or canola oil
2 TB butter
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
Pinch nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne
1 1/2-2 Cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine)
4 Cups chickpeas (canned are fine, drain and rinse first)
1/2 C raisins or chopped, pitted dates
1/2 vanilla bean
8 chicken thighs
Chopped cilantro or parsley leaves

PREPARATION

1. Put oil and butter in a large skillet or casserole, which can be covered later, and turn heat to medium high. When butter melts, add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, a large pinch of salt and spices. Cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, raisins and vanilla, and bring to a boil. (If mixture is very dry, add about 1/2 cup water.) Taste, and add salt as necessary.
2. Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt, and nestle them into sauce. Cover, and 5 minutes later adjust heat so mixture simmers steadily. Cook until chicken is very tender, 45 minutes to an hour. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Then garnish, and serve with couscous.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake

Recipe Credit: Baker By Nature

It's our new favorite Birthday Cake

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake

prep 1 hour, 1 min

cook 30 mins

total 1 hour, 31 mins

author bakerbynature

Three layers of Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake slathered in homemade Chocolate Frosting. So decadent!

Ingredients

• For the chocolate cake:
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (not packed!)
• 1 and 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 large eggs + 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 and 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil (you may also sub in melted coconut oil)
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 cups hot water
• For the salted caramel chocolate frosting:
• 2 cups unsalted butter (4 sticks, 16 ounces), VERY soft
• 4 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream (more if needed)
• 2 tablespoons salted caramel sauce
• Garnish:
• 1 and 1/4 cups salted caramel sauce (please see post for more on this)
• Flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. For the chocolate cake:
2. Preheat oven to 350°(F). Cut out three 9-inch round segments of parchment paper to line your cake pans with. Spray each pan generously - sides and bottom - with nonstick cooking spray, then place the parchment paper cut out in the bottom of the pans and spray again. It's important to make sure every bit of pan and paper are sprayed so your cakes don't get stuck. Set pans aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, combine both sugars, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; mix on low until dry ingredients are thoroughly combined. Use your hands to break up any large clumps, if needed. In a separate bowl combine the eggs, egg yolks, sour cream, milk, oil and vanilla extract; mix until completely combined. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients and beat on low until just incorporated. Pour in hot water and continue mixing until completely combined; about 1 minute. The batter will quite thin.
4. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool cakes for 10 minutes in the pan before removing from pans and transferring to a cooling rack; cool cakes completely before frosting.
5. For the chocolate frosting:
6. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter on medium-speed until completely smooth; about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer off and sift the powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on the lowest speed and mix until the sugar/cocoa have been absorbed by the butter; about 2 minutes. Increase mixer speed to medium; add in vanilla extract, salt, heavy cream and salted caramel; beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting appears a little too thin, add a little more confectioners' sugar; If your frosting needs to be thinner, add additional heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time.
7. Assembly:
8. Using a serrated knife, carefully trim the raised top of each cake, making each one an even, level surface. Transfer 1 layer to a large plate or cake stand. Spread a thin layer of frosting on top, then add a 1/2 cup of caramel; top with another cake layer, and repeat, thinly spread it with a layer of frosting, then adding a 1/2 cup of caramel. Top final cake layer and place cake in the fridge to set for 1 hour. Once set, finishing frosting the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle with sea salt. Slice and serve, or keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Notes

Cake may be baked up to 5 days in advance and stored in the fridge. Unfrosted cakes may be wrapped and frozen for up to 2 months. For best results, follow the recipe as written. 

Easy Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

(or just use your favorite jar of caramel sauce)

prep 5 mins

cook 15 mins

total 20 mins

author ashley manila

yield 1 cup

This is an easy and foolproof recipe for Salted Caramel Sauce! If you have 20 minutes, you can make this!

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

4 ounces (1 stick) butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions

Whisk together granulated sugar and water in a medium-sized saucepan with tall sides. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes, but maybe a little longer depending on your stove. Add in the butter and bring the mixture to slow boil over medium-heat. Continue cooking until the mixture turns a deep golden brown/copper color, about 9 to 10 minutes, maybe longer depending on your stove. Do not stir during this process! Once the caramel reaches this color, remove from heat and immediately add in the heavy cream. Be very careful during this step - the caramel will hiss and bubble up aggressively! Finally, stir in the vanilla and sea salt. Vigorously whisk the mixture smooth and set aside to cool. Store caramel in the fridge until needed.

Notes

• You may use salted or unsalted butter.
• You may make this caramel sauce up t0 2 weeks in advance. Just be sure to tightly cover it (I love storing mine in mason jars)  and store it in the refrigerator.
• Heavy cream can be found in the diary aisle in most grocery stores. Whipping cream may also be used. Do not use milk!
• All stoves run a little differently, so be sure to watch the caramel as it evolves, and time accordingly. You might need to add an additional 5 or even 10 minutes to the boil time if your stove top runs low.

Sharon's Lasagna

Sharon’s Lasagna

When James was born, a neighbor brought me the most delicious lasagna.  It was a recipe of her friend’s who had passed away.  I love that she strengthened our friendship in memory of a friendship that strengthened her life through serving and sharing Sharon’s delicious food with us.  

1 lb. ground beef/turkey

1 lb. sausage

1 onion

1 cup zucchini/squash

1 cup mushroom

Garlic

16 oz packaged oven ready lasagna noodles

4 eggs

32 oz. ricotta cheese

16 oz. mozzarella cheese

16 oz Italian cheese

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

Preheat oven to 375. Brown ground beef and sausage.  Cut sausage into small pieces.  Saute onion, pepper, zucchini/squash, mushrooms and garlic in saucepan; then add sauce to pan.  Heat sauce. Combine egg, ricotta cheese, and spices in small bowl.  In baking dish, put layer of sauce on bottom of pan to prevent sticking g and layer: noodles, ricotta mixture, sauce and cheeses.  Repeat layers.

Bake 45 minutes at 375 F.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!