BEST flourless chocolate cake EVER

Actually, best CAKE period!

For my mom's birthday I wanted to make something special. One of my favorite recipe websites is bon appetit. I found this recipe there that they called "the black beast" (or at least was translated to mean that). Anyway, I made it with lindt chocolate bars, and it blew my mind. I forgot to take a picture before it was all scarfed down, but here is the picture from the website.... mmm boy!

Ingredients

Cake
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, diced
18 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 large eggs

Ganache
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
Lightly sweetened whipped cream

Preparation

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment round; butter parchment. Wrap 3 layers of heavy-duty foil around outside of pan, bringing foil to top of rim. Combine 1 cup water and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk sugar syrup into chocolate; cool slightly. Add eggs to chocolate mixture and whisk until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan.
Bake cake until center no longer moves when pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes. Remove from water bath; transfer to rack. Cool completely in pan.

For ganache:
Bring whipping cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat (or in the microwave). Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Pour over top of cake still in pan. Gently shake pan to distribute ganache evenly over top of cake. Refrigerate cake in pan until ganache is set, about 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.
Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake; release sides. Cut cake into wedges and serve with whipped cream.


(http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2006/09/la_bete_noire#ixzz1gR3y89tB)

Turducken

This year for thanksgiving I made a Turducken. It was a huge undertaking. In case you don't know, a Turducken is a chicken stuffed into a duck stuffed into a turkey. All three birds are deboned so one slice gets all three meats. You also sew up the turkey so it looks just like a regular thanksgiving bird. Pretty cool hu? It was tasty, although not as good as I was hoping. The recipe's ingredients and baking time was way off, so here is a revised recipe for what the dish actually entailed...

Ingredients

deboned turkey
deboned AND skinned duck
deboned AND skinned chicken
seasoning
stuffing

Here is a tutorial on how to debone a turkey (same for duck and chicken, except you cut off the legs and wings)

Directions

Preheat roaster to 500 degrees F.

Lay turkey skin side down on a flat surface. Dust turkey with House Seasoning and add 1/4-inch layer of cornbread dressing. Lay duck on top of dressing. Dust duck with House Seasoning and add 1/4-inch layer of dressing. Repeat with the chicken.

Begin stitching up the turkey at the neck. Insert metal skewer about 1/2-inch from the edge and up through the other side. Run butcher's twine between skin and skewer and tighten to draw both sides together. Continue down to legs. With every other skewer, draw together the duck and chicken skin. Tie together turkey legs to resemble standard turkey. Dust turkey skin with paprika. (you can also used needle and twine or just make holes with a knife and thread a string through)

Roast turducken for 15 minutes. Then turn the roaster down to 225 degrees F to finish, approximately 7-8 hours. Remove turducken from roaster once the internal temperature in the chicken reaches 155 degrees F. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Cut across the middle of the breast completely through. Plate thin slices containing turkey, duck and chicken.

House Seasoning:

1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Cornbread Dressing:

Cornbread:
1 cup self rising cornmeal
1/2 cup self-rising flour
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Dressing:
7 slices white bread, dried in warm oven
Cornbread
1 sleeve saltine crackers
2 cups chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped
8 tablespoons butter
4-5 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
5 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the cornbread, combine all ingredients and pour into a greased shallow baking dish. Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

To make the dressing, crumble dried white bread slices, cornbread and crackers. Mix together and set aside. Saute chopped celery and onion in butter until transparent, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Pour over corn bread mixture. Add stock, mix well and add salt, pepper, sage, and poultry seasoning. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Follow instructions above to stuff birds.

Minimug Gingerbread Houses

Do you enjoy a hot drink with gingerbread or sugar cookies on the side during the holidays? What better way to enjoy them together, than with a cookie that perches on top of your mug? These little gingerbread houses are adorable and practical. You can even decorate them, although I did not have time. Here is the recipe I used for the gingerbread, and here for the sugar cookie dough (although you need to bake the sugar cookies long enough to NOT be soft anymore)

Pretty much all you have to do is cut out this pattern (I found it on another blog website-www.notmarth.org) out of the dough and cook it.

I melt sugar (just 1/2 cup sugar and a dab of butter) and glue the sides together but BEWARE! That method is very dangerous. Use icing if you aren't sure of your abilities! Have fun.

Oh and be sure to make the opening big enough for the mug you are using. For complete instructions see this website

Gingerbread for houses and cookies

Here is my favorite gingerbread recipe. I like it because it calls for margarine, which is significantly less expensive than butter, and when you are making a lot of dough for a large gingerbread house it's nice not to use the expensive ingredients. Try it out!

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine or shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg yolk
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg; blend into the molasses mixture until smooth. Cover, and chill for at least one hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Frost or decorate when cool.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

I found this fun pumpkin whoopie pie recipe on Martha Stewart. They tasted pretty good, although unusual. Thy have pumpkin filling between chocolate cookie cakes. It was an interesting combination. I'm not in love with this recipe, but it was pretty good and a great Halloween dessert. I imagine they would also be good without the pumpkin part (that might make them taste better). I'll have to try that next time I make this recipe

Ingredients

For The Cookies
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For The Filling
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg

Directions

Prepare cookies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.

Place butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.

Drop about 2 teaspoons dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets and transfer to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.

Prepare filling: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together cream cheese, butter, and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg; whip until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
Pipe or spoon about 2 teaspoons filling on the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, keeping the flat sides down.

Spaetzle (German Noodles)

My family is big on Germany. We have all been there, some more than once. One of our favorite German dishes is this flour and egg noodle. It is eaten plain or with herbs and cheese (no marinara sauce or anything like that). It is pretty simple but very tasty.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch freshly ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 gallon hot water
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Mix together flour, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Beat eggs well, and add alternately with the milk to the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth.

Press dough through spaetzle maker, or a large holed sieve or metal grater (I use a bag, cut the corner off it and pipe it through the opening. A pastry bag with a large round tip works even better. It does take a strong hand to force it through though.)

Drop a few at a time into simmering liquid. Cook 5 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Saute cooked spaetzle in butter or margarine. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top, and serve (parmesan cheese sprinkled on top is great too)

Candy Corn Sugar Cookies

This recipe I found on "our best bites" one of my favorite food blogs. It is really simple and the sugar cookie recipe is just fabulous! I think it would also be fun to do red and white and lay them flat then roll them up into a swirl to make Christmas cookies. Even if you just try the sugar cookie recipe part it is amazingly tasty. DON'T OVERCOOK!!

Ingredients

1 C real butter (no substitutions!)
1 C sugar
1 egg (make sure to use a large or extra large egg)
1 1/2 t almond extract (or other flavor of your choice, like vanilla)
3 C flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
yellow and orange food coloring

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy- about 2 minutes. Add in egg and extract and mix to incorporate.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. A very important note: It’s important to correctly measure your flour or you will end up with a dry, crumbly dough. Never, ever use your measuring cup to scoop up the flour. Use a regular sized spoon and spoon the flour into the cup and then level it off with a knife.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until completely combined.

Divide prepared sugar cookie dough into three equal portions. Leave one as is and color one other portion yellow and another portion orange.

Line a standard loaf pan with plastic wrap. Gently press layer of uncolored dough into bottom of pan and smooth flat, keeping it at least 1/2-3/4 inches high (you don’t have to use the whole pan if you have a small batch of dough) or larger if desired. Layer orange dough on top of previous layer and smooth. Finally layer yellow dough and smooth on top. Wrap plastic over dough and chill until firm, 30-60 minutes in freezer or 1-2 hours in fridge. Or you can store the dough in fridge for 2-3 days before baking.

Remove plastic and slice loaf into 1/4 inch slices. Trim top of slice to make straight line. Cut each slice into triangle shape and dip top side in sugar if desired. Bake according to sugar cookie directions. Cool completely and then if desired, dip ends in almond bark or white chocolate and decorate with sprinkles.

Carrot Cake

I hate carrots, but oh how I love carrot cake. I guess I can't escape the call of sugar.
After trying several different recipes for carrot cake, I combined the best of each into this. Try it out! And yes, Josh, myself, and my grandma ate the WHOLE thing by ourselves :)

Ingredients

4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups grated carrots
1 cup crushed pineapple (or you can chop up some larger chunky pineapple)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan (or 2 8 inch pans).
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots and pineapple. Fold in pecans and coconut. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cake.

YUM!

Pumpkin Pie Tartlets

I just made the cutest little mini pumpkin pies the other day. They are just about as much fun to look at as they are to eat!

Crust:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold water

Combine the first 3 ingredients, and then add the water to desired consistency. The dough should be moist enough to roll out, but not so sticky that it is squished beneath the rolling pin. It takes practice to find that consistency. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm-up the dough.

The crust should then be cut into 3-4 inch circles (I used a tupperware bowl. cups work great too).

Then line either cupcake liners in a cupcake pan, or little tartlet pans (like you see in the picture below) with the dough circles. Make sure to grease well! Take a fork and jab the bottom of the crust a few times.

Filling:
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can Pure Pumpkin
1 (12 fluid ounce) can NESTLE® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
1/2 tsp vanilla


Whisk ingredients together until smooth.

Fill with crusts with the pumpkin pie filling and bake for 30-45 minutes.

Cool the tartlets for at least 30 minutes before you attempt to remove them from the pans/cupcake liners. Ease them out slowly and top with whipped cream if desired.

Chocolate cake from scratch

I have been hunting for a good chocolate cake recipe for a while now, and while this one isn't perfect, it's the best I've found so far.

Ingredients:

1 egg
2 egg whites
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. cocoa
1 c. flour
1/2 c. boiling water
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, and butter. Beat until light and whipped, about 4 minutes. Add soda, vinegar, salt and cocoa, beat until mixed in. Add flour, water and flavoring. Beat just until mixed. Do not over-beat. Spoon into pan (12 cupcakes or one cake) and bake at 350 degrees for 24-27 minutes.

Cheddar Crackers

Homemade crackers are surprisingly easy. This recipe is one of the best I have tried.

Ingredients

4 ounces cheddar, coarsely grated
2 ounces Parmesan, finely grated
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons water, plus more if needed

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor, place all ingredients and pulse till crumbly (add more water if dough does not hold together).

Turn the dough out onto a large piece of waxed paper. Roll the dough into a log, 9 to 10 inches long, and square off the ends. Refrigerate, well wrapped, for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Or freeze it for up to 1 month. (You may want to cut the log in half or in thirds to freeze if you think you will want to defrost a smaller amount at a time.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

To make the crackers, cut the log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet 1-inch apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crackers are a light golden color. Cool on a rack. Serve at room temperature.

The secret of the mashed potato....CLASSIFIED NO MORE!

I have been trying to weasel out my friend the mashed potato's secret for years. After countless interviews (some not so tasty), I am pleased to announce the once highly classified information is out!

I have been privileged to taste many superb servings of mashed potatoes in my life (the best being the loaded mashed potatoes from Texas Roadhouse, although Outback is a close second). I could not, however, understand what the secret was. I have often tasted something I liked at a restaurant and been able to recreate it, but not with this. Attempt after attempt left me with a dry or sticky mess. Then, one afternoon I tried yet another attempt, and happened upon the mashed potato's secret.

The Secret of the Mashed Potato:

1. CREAM CHEESE!!!! That is the secret ingredient! Smooth, creamy, and loaded with flavor, it will spice your taters to a whole new level. And don't be afraid to pile it in. Not too much of course, but a good half package will blow your taste buds!

2. Too much butter makes the potatoes too sticky. Only use a few tablespoons, NEVER a whole stick unless you are making a gigantic batch.

3. Use what you have in the fridge. Sour cream, cheese (you can see the melted cheddar in these pictures), bacon, garlic... adding a dash of any of these will dress up your potatoes.

4. Use milk to thin out the potatoes to the right consistency.

5. The kitchenaid is the key to whipping the potatoes to a smooth finish. Use the whisk beater.



Now that you know the classified information, give it a try! The truth is out!

I love Cornbread Yes I DO!

I have loved cornbread since eating it at my grandmother's house years ago. It is such a great homey, comfort food.
Most people are tempted to get the boxed/bagged mixes, but I encourage you to try this homemade recipe. It is surprisingly easy and it tastes like heaven.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (or milk with 1 tbls vinegar. See note below)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.
2. Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

**NOTE: About the buttermilk...there is no point in buying buttermilk from the store. You never end up using the whole carton and it is simple and cheap to make at home. Just add vinegar or lemon juice to milk, let it sit for a minute or two, and you have buttermilk!

Fried chicken

I have often thought that frying chicken is not for everyone. It is hard to get the internal temperature just right. If you cook it too long it gets dry, if you cook it too short the meat is pink. Detecting "doneness" is difficult because the chicken is breaded and sitting in hot oil. But after coming up with this recipe, I realized how simple fried chicken really is to make.

The trick is to fry the chicken in small tenders. If you fry a whole breast at once you are more likely to either over or under cook the meat. In small pieces, however, the cooking time is less variable and you are less likely to under cook. Try this recipe out. It is easy and tasty! Good for beginners. Just make sure the oil is not too hot or you will end up with burned meat.

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs (a little parmesan cheese can be added to this too)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons water
24 chicken tenderloins
oil for frying

Directions

1. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a separate shallow bowl, and mix with ground black pepper, salt and paprika. Place eggs and water in a small bowl.
2. One piece at a time, coat the chicken in the flour, then dip in the eggs, and finally coat with the bread crumbs. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. In small batches, fry chicken 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove chicken, and drain on paper towels. Serve warm

Filled Cookies

One of my favorite recipes. Sorry the pics aren't the best, but trust me--the cookies ARE!

INGREDIENTS

¾ cups butter
½ cup powdered sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups flour
Filling
½ cup heavy cream, warmed
1 cup chocolate chips, melted


DIRECTIONS

Cream the butter and sugars.
Add yolks and vanilla
Add flour and blend
Refrigerate for one hour
Combine the filling ingredients
Place filling between two disks of dough and pinch sides
Cook at 325 for 15 minutes

Honey Wheat Bread

I have made a lot of wheat bread in my time as a cook, and this is by far the best. Letting it rise for long enough is the key. If you don't let the dough rise, the bread will be dense.

Ingredients

* 1 (.25 ounce) package rapid rise yeast
* 1 teaspoon white sugar
* 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
* 1/4 cup water
* 1/4 cup melted shortening
* 1/4 cup honey
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 2 cups whole wheat flour
* 3 cups bread flour (I just used all-purpose flour)
* 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup warm water.
2. Combine milk, 1/4 cup water, shortening, honey, salt and wheat flour in food processor or bowl. Mix in yeast mixture, and let rest 15 minutes. Add bread flour, and process until dough forms a ball. Knead dough by processing an additional 80 seconds in food processor, or mix and knead by hand 10 minutes. Place the dough in a buttered bowl, and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise for 1 hour, or until almost doubled.
3. Punch down, and divide dough in half. Roll out each half, and pound out the bubbles. Form into loaves, and place in buttered 9x5 inch bread pans. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm area until doubled; second rise should take about 35-45 minutes.
5. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until tops are dark golden brown. Butter crusts while warm. Slice when cool.

German Pancakes

German Pancakes, also called Dutch Babies, are similar to a crepe, just thicker. It is baked in the oven, the sides rising upward as it cooks. If you know whats good for ya, you'll eat this with my buttermilk caramel sauce on top! It is absolutely amazing!

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup butter
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 cup milk
* 6 eggs, lightly beaten
* 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Melt butter in a medium baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, milk, eggs and salt. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
3. Bake on center rack in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.

Crepes

Crepes are interesting. It is not the crepe itself that is important, what really matters is what you fill it with. You can fill it with sweet or savory foods. When mixing the batter I have heard that putting the ingredients in a blender works well, though I've never tried it. If you do blend it, however, be sure to let it sit for 1/2-1 hr to let the bubbles release. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine eggs, milk, flour, salt and oil. Mix until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brush with oil. Pour 1/4 cup of crepe batter into pan, tilting to completely coat the surface of the pan. Cook 2 to 5 minutes, turning once, until golden. Repeat with remaining batter.
3. These can be filled with fruit, peanut butter, chocolate, pudding, whipped cream, jam, lemon curd, and even savory fillings like chicken salad!

Lemon Sandwich Cookies

I found this recipe on marthastewart.com. They are so fresh tasting. I absolutely love lemon.

COOKIES

Ingredients

* 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
* 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling
* Creamy Lemon Filling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and salt until combined. With mixer on low, add flour (dough will still be stiff); finish mixing with a wooden spoon.
2. Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, pat into a disk about 1/2 inch thick. Wrap, and chill until firm, about 1 hour (and up to 3 days).
3. Unwrap dough; place on a lightly floured piece of parchment or waxed paper. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough about 1/8 inch thick (if dough cracks, let it warm up slightly).
4. Cut out cookies with a 1 1/2-inch round cutter (reroll scraps once, chilling of too soft). Place 1 inch apart on two baking sheets; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until barely beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
5. Form sandwiches: Place about 1 teaspoon Creamy Lemon Filling between two cookies, sugared sides facing out; squeeze gently.

FILLING

Ingredients

* 1 package (4 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
* 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
* 1 to 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix cream cheese and zest until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup confectioners' sugar, mixing until smooth. Mix in remaining sugar as necessary to create a firm but spreadable filling.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

I have loved chicken cordon bleu since I was little. I've used several recipes, and have combined parts of them to make this. It is great!

8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
8 slices cooked ham
4 slices Swiss cheese, cut into 1 inch pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup cornflakes cereal crumbs or bread crumbs
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Place each chicken breast half between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to about 1/8 inch thickness. Place a finger of cheese on each ham slice and sprinkle lightly with paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Roll each chicken breast with ham and cheese inside. Tuck in ends and fasten with toothpicks.

Place melted butter in a small bowl and place crumbs in a shallow dish or bowl. Dip each chicken roll in butter or margarine, then roll in crumbs, turning to coat thoroughly. Place coated in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.

Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for about 40 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and juices run clear. Serve with cordon bleu sauce, if desired. You can also bake the chicken in the sauce.

To Make Cordon Bleu Sauce: In a small saucepan mix together the soup, sour cream and lemon juice. Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, and serve hot over chicken rolls. Makes about 2 cups; 8 servings of 1/4 cup each.

Spinach Artichoke Lasagna

I made this recipe up a while ago, creating the best lasagna I have ever tasted! Give it a try. It is a cheesy spinach artichoke filling with chicken and marinara sauce. I guarantee you will enjoy it!

INGREDIENTS
1 box lasagna noodles

spinach artichoke spread:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup finely minced onion
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

Cooked chicken, shredded
Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese blend
1 can spaghetti sauce


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350
Cook the noodles until nearly done
Combine all ingredients for the spread
Layer the noodles, spinach spread, chicken, spaghetti sauce, and cheese.
Continue layering
Cook in the oven for about 40, or until warmed through.

Blueberry Muffins

These are wonderful. I replaced half the sugar with sugar substitute and they were still delicious! I will have to try adding honey for the other half of sugar. It sure would make them healthier!

Ingredients

* 4 eggs
* 2 cups white sugar
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 cups sour cream
* 2 cups blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
2. In large bowl beat eggs, gradually add sugar while beating. Continue beating while slowly pouring in oil. Stir in vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking soda.
3. Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with sour cream. Gently fold in blueberries. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Zesty Lemon Bars

I have always loved lemon bars, and for a long time I have been on a search for the "perfect" recipe. It seems like the crust isn't right, or the filling is too sweet. This recipe, after some tweaking, is the best I have found. Enjoy!
Ingredients

*For the crust
o 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, plus more for pan
o 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
o 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
o 3 tablespoons cornstarch
o 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
*For the topping
o 2 cups granulated sugar
o 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
o 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
o 1/3 cup + 1 tbls freshly squeezed lemon juice
o 1 tsp lemon zest
o 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
o 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center of oven. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

2.To make crust: In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt; process to combine. Add butter to processor and process until mixture is pale yellow and resembles a coarse meal, about 10 seconds. If you don't have a food processor, whisk together flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and work into flour mixture using a pastry blender or your fingers.

3.Pour crust mixture into prepared baking dish, pressing down with your fingers to create a 1/4-inch-thick layer along the bottom and 1/2-inch up the sides, pressing firmly at the edges to seal. Transfer pan to freezer and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to oven and bake, rotating pan once during baking, until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

4.Meanwhile, make the topping: In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, and flour; stir in lemon juice, zest, milk, and salt until well combined.

5.Remove baking pan from oven. Stir topping and pour into warm crust. Return pan to oven and continue baking until topping is just set but not browned, about 20 minutes.

6.Transfer baking pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into 20 squares. Serve immediately or wrap each bar tightly with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Buttermilk caramel syrup

This sauce is absolutely delicious on waffles, and great on ice cream as well.

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 3/4 cup buttermilk
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 tablespoons corn syrup
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda. Bring to a boil, and cook for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla.

Waffles

This is my favorite waffle recipe...


Ingredients

* 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup whole milk or buttermilk
* 1/3 cup vegetable oil
* 1 egg
* 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
* 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
* Butter and syrup, for serving

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Add the milk, vegetable oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.

Preheat a waffle iron. Do not use non-stick spray on the waffle iron; the oil in the batter will allow the waffle to release easily. Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles. Serve immediately with butter and syrup.

Apple Strudel Muffins

These taste so good! Try them, they're easy!

Ingredients

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 cup white sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
* 1 1/2 cups chopped apples (I use granny smith and grate them)

*1/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar and eggs until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Stir in apples, and gradually blend in the flour mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan.
4. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over tops of mixture in muffin pan.
5. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to sit 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan. Cool on a wire rack.

Eye of Round Roast

Possibly the best roast recipe I have come across...
Ingredients

* 1 (3 pound) beef eye of round roast
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 tsp italian seasoning
* 1 tsp garlic powder or garlic salt
-(fresh garlic can be used as well. Mince 3 cloves well)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Season the roast with seasonings and salt and pepper. Place in a roasting pan or baking dish. Do not cover or add water.
2. Place the roast in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Roast for 21 minutes (seven minutes per pound) then turn off the oven and let the roast sit in the hot oven for 2 1/2 hours. Do not open the door at all during this time!
3. Remove the roast from the oven, the internal temperature should have reached at least 145 degrees F (65 degrees C). Carve into thin slices to serve.

Chocolate on Chocolate Cupcakes

These cupcakes are wonderful! Chocolate cake is filled with chocolate filling, then topped with chocolate frosting!

Cupcake:
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 1/3 cup water
2/3 cup oil
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs

Bake as directed by the box. When done, hollow out a small portion of the middle to pour in chocolate ganache.

Filling:
1 cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla

Heat chocolate and vanilla in the microwave till melted, then stir in vanilla. Pour a small amount in the hollowed out center of each cupcake.

Frosting:
1 cup butter
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup melted chocolate chips (or more depending on how rich you want it)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar (enough to get to desired consistency)

Cream butter, then add sour cream. Pour melted sugar in and beat on high, incorporating it before the chocolate cools. Add the vanilla and start mixing in the sugar. Continue until desired consistency has been met. Frost cupcakes.

Adding a garnish is easy and makes the cupcake so much more fun to eat. Grated chocolate, coconut, or nuts make a great addition.

Candybar Coupons

These are fun gifts to give someone especially when you are looking to save money. Here are the directions.

Supplies:
candy bars (Hershey's work the best)
Craft/scrapbook paper
Printed sheets of coupon ideas (ex: breakfast in bed, movie night, etc)

Wrap each of the candy bars in paper (the size will vary depending on the candy bar), securing with non-toxic glue.
Cut out the coupon labels in a fun pattern, and paste onto the front of the paper covered candy bar.
Give away!

Geometric Pomanders

Pomanders are foam balls soaked in water, then covered in flowers. A less expensive, but equally beautiful option is this geometric paper pomander. It is quite easy  and looks great. Here are the steps...

MATERIALS
Craft or scrapbook paper
Drinking glass with a 2” diameter (for a smaller ball trace a 1” diameter circle)
Plain cardboard/cardstock (for template)
Ruler
Scissors
Pencil with eraser
Glue stick
Hole punch (optional)
Ribbon or thread (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place your drinking glass onto the piece of plain flat cardboard/cardstock. Using the pencil to trace around the base of the glass to create a circle. Use your scissors to cut out the circle.
2. Repeat the first step, but after tracing the circle use your ruler to draw an equilateral triangle in the center (so each point touches part of the circle). Cut only the triangle out, using scissors.
3. Using your circle template, trace lightly around your favorite portions of the scrapbook paper and cut out. Look for complementary colors and patterns or mix and match for a more vibrant look. Erase any pencil marks that may be visible. You’ll want to do 20 circles for each ball.
4. Once you have your circles cut out, place the triangle template face-up in the center of the circle. Carefully, fold the edges of the circle that peek out up around the triangle, making tight creases. Do this with each of your paper circles. You’ll have 3 folded up areas on each circle.
5. Once you have all your circles creased and ready to go, you can start gluing it all together. Start with 2 pieces and use your glue stick to glue two folded edges together with the top points of the triangles pointing up, pressing lightly to adhere. You’ll keep repeating this process to form the top and bottom of the ball.
6. Think of it as a group of 5 paper circles on each end with all triangles facing up and 10 paper circles running through the center with triangles alternating up and down. The center should form a band instead of a circle.

Barbequed Tri-tip with Onion

INGREDIENTS

Caramelized red onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 red onions
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Tri-tip
1 teaspoon garlic powder
teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1 1/2- to 1 3/4-pound beef loin tri-tip roasts, trimmed of all but 1/4 inch of fat
2 tablespoons olive oil
Barbecue Sauce:
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup steak sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbls molasses

DIRECTIONS

For caramelized red onions
Melt butter with olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until deep golden brown, stirring frequently, about 30 minutes. Stir salt, and pepper. Remove from heat. Stir in chives just before serving.

For tri-tip
Prepare barbecue sauce (mix all ingredients together). Mix garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Brush both sides of tri-tips with oil and sprinkle with garlic-powder mixture. Grill tri-tips 5 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium-low, or if using charcoal grill, move meat to cooler side of grill. Cover and grill until thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 125°F to 130°F for medium-rare, brushing with barbecue sauce and turning every 10 minutes, about 30 minutes longer.

Transfer tri-tips to work surface; let stand 10 minutes. Cut meat crosswise into very thin slices; arrange on platter. Surround with caramelized onions and serve.