Spaghetti Carbonara

Fettucine Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fried and crumbled bacon
  • 1/4 cup diced ham
  • 6 ounces dried spaghetti or linguine, cooked al dente
  • 6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano
  • 3 tablespoons shredded or shaved Parmigiano
  • Kosher salt and pepper to taste
  • Chopped parsley (optional)

Directions:

  1. Combine eggs and heavy cream in a small mixing bowl, and whip together well. Set aside.
  2. In a 10-inch sauté  pan over medium heat, heat olive oil, bacon and ham until sizzling.
  3. Add pasta and toss well.
  4. Slowly pour egg-cream mixture over top while pulling up spaghetti with tongs until coated.
  5. Add Parmigiano, salt, pepper, and toss well.
  6. Portion into serving bowls and top with shredded or shaved Parmigiano and parsley.
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Chardonnay Shrimp Dip

Chardonnay Shrimp Dip

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups frozen cooked salad shrimp, about 7 oz, thawed, drained
  • 1/2 cup Chardonnay wine
  • 1 package cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Directions:

  1. Coarsely chop shrimp. Place shrimp in a small glass bowl. Pour wine over shrimp, toss to coat. Cover. Refrigerate at least one hour to blend flavors. Drain shrimp, reserving wine.
  2. In another small bowl, mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of the onions and the mustard with spoon. Fold in shrimp. If a thinner consistency is desired, stir in small amounts of the reserved wine.
  3. Spoon shrimp spread into a serving bowl. Sprinkle remaining onions over the top.
  4. Serve with crackers.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

  1. Cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars together in a bowl; beat in eggs.
  2. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir into butter mixture. Put dough in refrigerator for 1 hour.
  3. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and put on baking sheets. Flatten each ball with a fork, making a crisscross pattern. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes or until cookies begin to brown.

Candied Pecans

Caramelized or candied pecans

Candied Pecans

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 pound pecan halves

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
  2. Mix sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl.
  3. Whisk egg white and water together in a separate bowl until frothy. Toss pecans in the egg white mixture. Mix sugar mixture into pecan mixture until pecans are evenly coated. Spread coated pecans onto a baking sheet.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, until pecans are evenly browned, 1 hour.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Lemon poppy seed muffins

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder (make sure your baking powder is no older than 6 months)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tbsp poppy seeds
  • 10 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/4 stick), softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest

Glaze

  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar)

Directions:

  1. Prepare oven: Adjust the oven rack to the middle-lower part of the oven. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, and salt and set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy (about 2 minutes with an electric mixer).
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Beat in the lemon zest.
  5. Alternate adding flour mixture and yogurt: Beat in one third of the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Beat in one third of the yogurt. Beat in a third more of the dry ingredients. Beat in a second third of the yogurt. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients and then the remaining yogurt. Again be careful to beat until just incorporated. Do not over beat.
  6. Distribute batter into muffin pan: Use a standard 12-muffin muffin pan. Coat each muffin cup lightly with olive oil or a little melted butter using a pastry brush. Distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups.
  7. Bake at 375°F until muffins are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Use a tester to make sure the center of the muffins are done. Set muffin pan on wire rack to cool. After 5 minutes, remove muffins from pan.
  8. While the muffins are cooling, in a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice for the glaze. Add more lemon juice if necessary.
  9. While the muffins are still a bit warm, use a pastry brush to brush the glaze over each muffin. The muffins will absorb some of the glaze, so you add more glaze to each muffin if you like.
  10. Best eaten fresh and warm.

Shrimp Lasagna Rollups

Shrimp Lasagna Rollups

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 c. whole milk
  • 1/4 c. freshly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
  • pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 c. dry white wine
  • 1 3/4 c. shredded mozzarella, divided
  • 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan
  • kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined, roughly chopped
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 10 cooked lasagna noodles
  • 2 c. ricotta

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350º. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute, then add flour and whisk until combined and golden, 1 minute more. Stir in milk, parsley, and a pinch of red pepper flakes and let thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine, 1/2 cup mozzarella, and Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper. Add shrimp and cook until pink, about 2 minutes more. Stir in lemon juice.
  2. On a large baking sheet, lay out cooked lasagna noodles. Spread a thin layer of sauce in a large baking or casserole dish. Spread each with a layer of ricotta, then top with a thin layer of scampi mixture. Roll up and spoon more sauce on top of roll-ups. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella.
  3. Bake until golden and melty, 20 minutes. Broil 2 minutes if you want the tops to look golden.
  4. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Hash Brown Casserole

Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray one 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, butter, salt, pepper, onions, soup and cheese. Gently mix and pour into prepared pan or dish.
  3. Bake in the preheated oven until browned, about 35 minutes.

 

Pineapple Banana Bread

Hummingbird cake

Pineapple Banana Bread

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 34 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup canola oil or 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups mashed very ripe bananas
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 (8 ounce) can unsweetened crushed canned pineapple, drained

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350,& lightly grease& flour 2 8-inch loaf pans.
  2. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon& the salt.
  3. Stir in walnuts.
  4. In separate bowl, mix eggs, oil, banana, vanilla& pineapple until well combined.
  5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stir just until moistened.
  6. Pour equal amounts into pans.
  7. Bake about 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
  8. Cool for 10 minutes on racks; remove from pans and continue cooling.

Pickled Red Onions

Pickled red onions

Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients:

  •  1 red onion, thinly sliced (use a mandoline if you have one)
  •  1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  •  1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves (optional)
  •  1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  •  1 cup hot or warm water

Directions:

  1. Slice the red onions as thin as you can. I use a mandoline.
  2. Stuff all the red onions in the jar of your choice. A bowl will work too.
  3. In a measuring cup, combine apple cider vinegar, salt, sugar, and warm water. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Pour this pickling mixture over your sliced onions, making sure they are immersed in the liquid, and let them set for an hour. After an hour, cover and store in the fridge for up to three weeks.

Pomegranate Champagne Punch

Pomegranate champagne mimosa cocktail

Pomegranate Champagne Punch

Ingredients:

  • 16 ounces pomegranate juice
  • 12 ounces cranberry juice
  • 3 tablespoons cinnamon syrup
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 8 ounces citrus vodka
  • 1 (750-milliliter) bottle Champagne or sparkling wine
  • 12 ounces ginger ale
  • Garnish: pomegranate seeds, seasonal fruit, mint, rosemary, or citrus slices

Directions:

  1. Gather the ingredients.
  2. Place a frozen ice ring or large chunks of ice and some of the fresh fruit in a punch bowl.
  3. Add all of the ingredients except the wine and soda and stir well.
  4. Slowly add the ginger ale and Champagne.
  5. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and other seasonal fruit, mint, rosemary, or citrus slices.
  6. Ladle into individual serving glasses, including a few fruits in each.
  7. Serve and enjoy!