Jane's Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing

Ingredients:

FOR THE COOKIES:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (14 ounces)
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE ICING:
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon evaporated milk,
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, and vanilla; mix until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture; mix until combined.
3. Drop 1 1/2-inch rounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until tops spring back, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.
4. Make icing: Put confectioners' sugar in a large bowl; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add butter to confectioners' sugar, scraping any browned bits from sides and bottom of pan. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; stir until smooth. Spread about 1 teaspoon icing onto each cookie. If icing stiffens, stir in more evaporated milk, a little at a time. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days. Makes about 6 dozen.

Giada's Chicken with Tarragon and White Wine

Yum.

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 (4 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Flour for dusting

Sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) cipollini or pearl onions, trimmed and peeled
• 4 cloves garlic, halved
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup white wine, such as Riesling
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus 1/3 cup
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh tarragon leaves, plus 2 tablespoons
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

For the chicken: In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the oil over high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, to taste, and dust with flour. Cook the chicken, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.

For the sauce: Heat the same pan used for the chicken over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return the chicken pieces to the pan. Add 3 cups of chicken broth and 1/2 cup of tarragon and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook, turning the chicken pieces over every 10 minutes, until cooked through, about 30 minutes total for the breasts and wings and 40 minutes total for the legs and thighs. Transfer the chicken to a platter and loosely tent with foil while finishing the sauce.

To finish the sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1/3 cup chicken broth and flour. Whisk the flour mixture into the sauce until smooth. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve the sauce over the chicken and garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of tarragon.

Banana, Coconut, and Pineapple Muffins

• 1 1/2 cups of flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 stick of butter (6 tbsp)
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cups of sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 large very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple
• 3/4 cup shredded coconut plus more for sprinkling on top of each muffin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a small bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together until well mixed.

Whisk the egg, sugar, and vanilla together in a large bowl until well combined. Add melted butter, mix well. Smash the bananas then add to the batter, as well as the pineapple, and coconut until combined.

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Stir until just the ingredients are just combined. Don't over mix the batter. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin then sprinkle each top with coconut and bake for 21-23 minutes.

Let the muffins cool on a rack then serve plain or slathered in butter. Enjoy!

*www.fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com

Tyler Florence's Blueberry Scones

Ingredients

Blueberry Scones:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks
• 1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing the scones
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Lemon Glaze:

• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1 lemon, zest finely grated
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sift together the dry ingredients; the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Using 2 forks or a pastry blender, cut in the butter to coat the pieces with the flour. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream. Fold everything together just to incorporate; do not overwork the dough. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Take care not to mash or bruise the blueberries because their strong color will bleed into the dough.

Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 12 by 3 by 1 1/4 inches. Cut the rectangle in 1/2 then cut the pieces in 1/2 again, giving you 4 (3-inch) squares. Cut the squares in 1/2 on a diagonal to give you the classic triangle shape. Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush the tops with a little heavy cream. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until beautiful and brown. Let the scones cool a bit before you apply the glaze.

Mix the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar together in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon zest and butter. Nuke it for 30 seconds on high. Whisk the glaze to smooth out any lumps, then drizzle the glaze over the top of the scones. Let it set a minute before serving.

Amy's Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients:
8 oz. milk chocolate, chopped
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temp
3/4 c. natural peanut butter
1/2 c. honey

Directions:

1. Place twelve, 2.5 inch baking liners on a baking sheet. In a double broiler, melt the chocolate. Reserve the pot of hot water to keep the chocolate liquid, as necessary.
2. Place about 2 tsp. of the melted chocolate in a baking cup, swirling to coat about halfway up the side of the cup. Repeat with the remaining cups. Refrigerate until set.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the peanut butter and honey. Transfer the mixture to a resealable plastic bag and snip off one corner.
4. Fill the chocolate cups about 3/4 full with the peanut butter mixture, smoothing the surface. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
5. Top each peanut butter cup with melted chocolate to enclose, smoothing the surface. Refrigerate until hardened. To serve, remove the candies from the baking liners.
6. Yum.
   

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

Sounds scary, but it's actually really good...

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of any fat and in half
• 1-2 tbsp of olive oil
• Dried thyme to taste
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 40 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp of butter
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 2/3 cups of chicken broth
• 2 tbsp 2% milk
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Separate the cloves of garlic and peel. (Supposedly, I heard that if you separate cloves and put them in boiling water for 60 seconds, they are easier to peel.)
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place trimmed and halved chicken breast in a large zip lock bag. Pound the chicken breasts flat with a mallet until 1/2 inch thick. Season with sea salt, black pepper and thyme to taste.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. In batches, saute the chicken smooth side down first, until nicely browned, about 4 minutes. Flip the breasts and cook for 45 seconds then remove to a baking dish. Once all the chicken has been removed, add the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 3-4 minutes, turning often; add the chicken stock, making sure to scrape all the brown goodies off the bottom of the pan. Season with sea salt, pepper and thyme if needed. Pour sauce over the chicken in the baking dish. Cover with a lid or tinfoil and bake for 20 minutes.
4. Once the chicken has baked, carefully remove the chicken and garlic cloves to a platter and cover with an aluminum foil tent to stay warm. Place the sauce in the large skillet that you cooked the meat in or a saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and milk with a little bit of the sauce. Once it's thoroughly mixed, slowly whisk the flour mixture back into the rest of the sauce. Add the butter to the sauce, raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes or until it's nice and thick. Taste and re-season if needed. Pour the sauce over the chicken, garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve. Enjoy.

(Recipe from For the Love of Cooking Blog)

Chicken Fajitas with Cole Slaw Salad

*From For the Love of Cooking Blog

Fajita Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 chicken breasts, sliced into thin bite size pieces
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, sliced thinly
• 1/4 yellow pepper, sliced thinly
• 1/4 red pepper, sliced thinly

Fajita Directions:

Combine all marinade ingredients in a bag and mix thoroughly. Add chicken, onion and peppers. Marinate for 5-6 hours. Heat a skillet over medium high heat coated with cooking spray. Once the pan is HOT, add chicken, onions & peppers. Sauté for about 7-8 minutes.

Cilantro and Lime Cole Slaw Salad:

• 2 cups of green cabbage shredded (or buy the bagged cole slaw mix with carrots)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 - 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dash of garlic powder

Make this salad right before you serve the tacos so it stays crunchy. Combine all ingredients until mixed thoroughly.

Other Ingredients:

• Corn or Flour tortillas
• Cotija cheese, grated
• Cilantro & Lime Cole Slaw Salad
• Non fat sour cream
• Guacamole
• Salsa

Cook tortillas (dry) in a hot pan for 45-60 seconds on each side. You want them soft & pliable. Top the tortillas with chicken, onions, peppers, cilantro & lime cole slaw salad, cheese, salsa, guacamole & sour cream. Enjoy.

Breakfast Bake

Ingredients:

1 can (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls (I used reduced fat)

1 pkg. (8 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Smoked Ham, chopped (Substitution: 14 oz. package of Jennie-O turkey sausage patties, broken up, cooked and drained. You can also use bacon if you wish.)

6 Eggs

1/2 cup Milk (I used skim)

1/2 tsp. Pepper

1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 cup KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

UNROLL dough in 13x9-inch baking dish; press to cover bottom of dish, firmly pressing perforations and seams together to seal. Top with the ham, sausage, or bacon. (I LIGHTLY sprayed the bottom of the dish with cooking spray...)

WHISK eggs, milk and pepper until well blended; pour over meat. Top with cheeses.

BAKE 25 min. or until center is set.

Yum.

*Kraft Foods Magazine

Lemonade Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Fat Free Cream Cheese, softened

2 tsp. CRYSTAL LIGHT Lemonade Flavor Drink Mix (I used 2 "Ready to Go" packets

1/4 cup cold fat-free milk

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP FREE Whipped Topping, thawed

1 Ready-to-use reduced-fat graham cracker crumb crust (6 oz.)

Directions:

BEAT cream cheese and drink mix in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Gradually add milk, mixing until well blended.

STIR in COOL WHIP; spoon into crust.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until firm.

**Garnish with fruit just before serving.

*Kraft Foods Magazine

OREO Frozen Peanut Butter Dessert

Ingredients:

30 OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 2-1/2 cups)

3 Tbsp. Butter, melted

1 cup Peanut butter

1-3/4 qt. (7 cups) vanilla ice cream, softened

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (Do not thaw.)

6 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

1/2 cup PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:

MIX cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Freeze until ready to use. Microwave peanut butter in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min.; stir. Swirl peanut butter into ice cream; spread over crust. Freeze 30 min.

MICROWAVE COOL WHIP and chocolate in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute.

SPREAD COOL WHIP mixture over ice cream layer; top with nuts. Freeze 4 hours. Remove from freezer 10 min. before serving; let stand at room temperature to soften slightly before cutting. Freeze leftovers.

*Kraft Foods Magazine

11,375 Stir-Fries: Design Your Favorite Stir Fry in 5 Easy Steps!

1. Pick a Protein

3/4 pound flank steak, trimmed and thinly sliced against the grain
3/4 pound pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
3/4 pound medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, thinly sliced
12-ounce package extra-firm silken tofu, cubed

2. Marinate

Whisk one egg white, 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Toss with your protein; cover and refrigerate, one hour.

3. Prep 3 Cups Vegetables (in any combination)
sliced carrots
sliced celery
sliced bell peppers
1-inch scallion pieces
sliced onions or shallots
quartered mushroom caps
sliced bok choy or cabbage
sliced leeks
whole snow peas
sliced asparagus
quartered plum tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
baby spinach blanched broccoli or cauliflower florets
thawed frozen peas or edamame

4. Choose a Sauce

Clear Sauce:

Mix 3/4 cup chicken broth, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry,1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon sugar.

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

Mix 3/4 cup chicken broth, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons soy sauce,

3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sesame oil.

Brown Sauce:

Mix 1/2 cup chicken broth , 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, and 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry.

Oyster Sauce:

Mix 3/4 cup chicken broth, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 3 tablespoons oyster sauce and 2 tablespoons sesame oil.

Spicy Sauce:

Mix 3/4 cup chicken broth, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons each soy sauce, rice vinegar and Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon sugar and 2 teaspoons Asian chili sauce.

5. Stir-Fry

First, drain the excess marinade from the protein. Place your sauce, veggies, and protein near the stove. Next, heat 1/4 inch peanut or vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the protein; slowly stir until almost opaque, 30 seconds to one minute (for tofu, brown on both sides-do not stir). Transfer to a plate; discard the oil and wipe out the pan.

Heat the pan over high heat, 1-2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, then 2 cloves of minced garlic (or 4 cloves if using Spicy Sauce), 1-2 tablespoons minced ginger, 2 minced scallions and a pinch each of salt and sugar. stir-fry about 30 seconds. Add the veggies, starting with the ones that take the longest to cook; stir-fry until crisp tender.

To finish, add the protein and sauce and stir until the sauce is thick and the veggies and protein are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Thin with chicken broth, if needed. Garnish with sliced scallions, peanuts, sesame seeds, sliced jalapenos, and/or cilantro.

Lasagna Roll-Ups

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:

• 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry; I use a bag of fresh spinach and steam it, then squeeze dry.
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 3 large mild italian sausage links, cooked
• 1 large egg, beaten to blend
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

Directions

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, sausage, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.

*www.foodnetwork.com