Recipe of the Day - French Breakfast Puffs

Courtesy of The Pioneer Woman
(http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/12/french_breakfast_puffs/)

I'm sorry I didn't get a recipe up yesterday. I have a show that I'm hosting, so it's been a bit crazy at our house. But, I've been looking for something to make for the directors on Saturday and I think I might just have to make these. I know they are Breakfast Puffs, but I'm pretty sure I could eat them anytime. They look delicious! Here you go:

Ingredients
■3 cups Flour
■3 teaspoons Baking Powder
■1 teaspoon Salt
■½ teaspoons Ground Nutmeg
■1 cup Sugar
■⅔ cups Shortening (Crisco)
■2 whole Eggs
■1 cup Milk
■1-½ cup Sugar
■3 teaspoons Cinnamon
■2 sticks Butter

Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.

In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a different bowl, cream together 1 cup sugar and shortening. Then add eggs and mix again. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.

Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

In a bowl, melt 2 sticks butter. In a separate bowl combine remaining sugar and cinnamon. Dip baked muffins in butter, coating thoroughly, then coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Recipe of the Day - Spaghetti with Brown Butter

Courtesy of Old Spaghetti Factory

Difficulty Level: Medium
Rating: 4 stars

Dusty and I found this recipe a few years ago online. I love the Old Spaghetti Factory - they have the best recipes with Mizithra cheese (which is hard to find - only a select grocery stores carry it). Well, this is definitely a hit in our house. SO GOOD. Hope you enjoy..

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup mizithra cheese
pasta of choice

Directions:
Browned Butter Procedure: Cut 2 sticks of butter into 8 pieces and place in a 2 quart sauce pan. Place the pan of butter on a burner on medium heat. Bring butter to a slow boil (about 5 minutes).

Once the butter begins to boil, stir constantly to prevent residue from sticking to the bottom of the pan. As the butter cooks, it will start to foam and rise. Continue stirring, otherwise the butter foam could overflow (about 5 minutes) and catch fire.

Once the butter stops foaming and rising, cook until amber in color (about 1 to 2 minutes). It will have a pleasant caramel aroma.

Turn off the heat and remove pan from burner. Let the sediment settle to the bottom of the pan for a few minutes.

Pour the brown butter through a strainer into a small bowl. Do not disturb the residue at the bottom of the ban.

The brown butter can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated in a microwave as needed.

Boil the pasta of choice until Al Dente. Drain pasta and divide into four servings. Spread 1/4 cup of Mizithra over each pasta serving. Top with 1/4 cup of hot brown butter.

Recipe of the Day - Candy Bar Chocoate Chip Cookies

Courtesy of Picky Palate
(http://picky-palate.com/2011/01/17/candy-bar-chocolate-chip-cookie-sandwiches/)

Wow - these look SO good. I saw this site on FB, and I am falling in love with it! It has so many good desserts, I can't wait to try them.


2 sticks softened butter
1 Cup granulated sugar
3/4 Cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla
3 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
10 oz bag chocolate chips
Variety of snack size Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers and Kit Kat

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla until well combined.

2. Place flour, baking soda and salt in large bowl; mix then slowly add to wet ingredients. Add chocolate chips to combine. Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of snack size candy bar. Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of candy bar.

Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until candy bar is enclosed with dough.


Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until cookies are baked to your liking. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Serve with a tall glass of milk, enjoy!

Makes about 24 LARGE Cookies

Recipe of the Day - Honey Bars

Courtesy of Grace Violet
(http://www.graceviolet.com/)

Difficulty Level: Easy
Rating: 3 1/2 stars

These bars are amazingly good (is that a word...?). I made them a few months ago and I am going to make them again, right after I'm done with this post. Hope you enjoy!

Bars:
3/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
a few drops of milk

Mix the oil, honey, sugar and egg together. Set aside; mix the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon separately. Add dry ingredients to the first mixture. Mix well (it will be thick). Spread into a greased pan (I use a half-cookie sheet), and bake at 325 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Mix icing ingredients together; the consistency shouldn't be too thick, but not too runny either. I add the milk 1/4 tsp. at a time while stirring until I get it right. Ice while warm. Cut into squares after it has cooled.

Recipe of the Day - Chocolate Mint Cookies

Courtesy of ME (I found this recipe online a long time ago and tweaked it to my liking...)

Difficulty Level: East
Rating: 4 stars

So YUMMY!! That's all... Enjoy:



Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups mint flavored semi-sweet chocolate morsels
6 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
Confectioners sugar

Directions:
In bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Over hot water, melt 1 cup mint morsels, stirring until smooth. In bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add melted morsels and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in remaining morsels. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; freeze until firm. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; coat with confectioners sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, until tops appear cracked. Let stand 5 minutes on cookie sheet. Cool completely.

Recipe of the Day - Cheese-Topped Grilled Tomatoes

Courtesy of Kraft Foods
(http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/cheese-topped-grilled-tomatoes-106266.aspx)

Difficulty Level: Easy
Rating: 3 1/2 stars

This is such a YUMMY side dish. I made it with my homemade mac and cheese, and everyone loved it - and, it's so simple. Enjoy:

Ingredients
4 plum or small vine-ripe tomatoes, cut lengthwise in half
1/4 cup KRAFT Light Zesty Italian Dressing
1/2 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh herbs (basil, chives and/or parsley)

Directions
HEAT grill to medium-high heat. Place tomatoes, cut-sides up, in greased 8-inch square foil pan. Top with dressing and cheeses. Place pan on grate of grill; close lid.
GRILL 10 to 12 min. or until cheeses are melted and bottoms of tomatoes are browned.
SPRINKLE with herbs.

(I just threw mine on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.)

Recipe of the Day - Tortilla Soup

Courtesy of Shannon Ray (with additions from me)

Difficult Level: Medium
Rating: 4 stars

This is certainly my family's favorite meal that I make! I always make it for parties or family get togethers because it is a big hit. It is a little time consuming - and I always do the first part and then throw it in the crock pot! I almost always double the recipe - especially if making for more than just my little family. Enjoy:

Ingredients:

2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
3-4 chicken breasts (cooked & shredded)
1/4 cup onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chili powder
pepper
1 can chicken broth
1 can corn, undrained
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained (I put in my food processor or blender to chop up with juices)
2 tbs. cilantro
sour cream
shredded cheese

Directions:
Saute onion and garlic, then add shredded chicken and seasonings. Add corn, broth, tomatoes, black beans and cilantro. Simmer. Top with sour cream and cheese when served.

Like I mentioned early, I usually saute the onions, garlic, chicken, and seasonings and then throw everything in the crock pot for at least 4 hours on low.