Nicole’s Recipes

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
Shredded coconut
Chocolate chips
Butterscotch chips
Nuts
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Melt butter and combine with cracker crumbs. Press into 13×9 pan. Sprinkle with coconut, then chocolate chips, nuts and finally pour condensed milk on top.

Bake 350 for 20-25 minutes.

*I have used Oreo Cookie crumbs instead for a variation

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 egg white lightly beatened

Preheat oven to 375.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 4 mins. Add egg yolk and vanilla and blend. Add flour and mix until blended. Load press and press cookies onto cookie sheets. Brush tops with beaten egg white and sprinkle tops. Bake 10-12 mins. until golden brown.

2 cups half and half
6 large potatoes
1 cup grated Gruyere Cheese (or another cheese)
4T. Butter
2 cloves Garlic
Salt
Pepper
Nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400. Grease 8×8 baking dish with butter.

Smash 2 cloves of garlic into a mushy paste. Peel 6 large potatoes and thinly slice them, about 1/8 inch thick. Combine garlic, potatoes, 2 cups half and half and 4 T butter in a pot, stir. Season with salt and pepper. Grate a hint of nutmeg. Bring to a simmer over medium heat while stirring with a wooden spoon.

After 8-10 minutes the potatoes will be a little tender, and their starch will have thickened the liquid considerably. Take off heat, stir in cheese. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish, smooth the top. Bake until deeply golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.

Serves 6.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. freshly grated lime zest
2 large eggs
5 T heavy cream
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup plus 3 T sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter and flour muffin cups.

Beat together butter, sugar, and zest until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in cream, flour and salt on low speed until just combined. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut and gently stir in blueberries.

Spoon batter into cups, filling the cups, and smooth tops. Sprinkle tops with remaining 3 T coconut.

Bake in middle of the oven until tester comes out clean and edges are golden brown, about 25 mins. Invert onto wire rack and cool.

Makes 7 muffins.

**Recipe from Food Network

2/3 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 T. corn syrup
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 cup milk choc chips

Preheat oven to 350

Mix 2/3 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 1/4 cup flour until evenly crumbly. Press into 9 inch square pan. Bake for 20 mins.

In a 2 qt saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for 3 mins. Pour over baked crust. Cool until it begins to firm.

Melt choc and pour over caramel layer. Cover the layer completely and then chill. Cut into 48 small squares.

**Recipe from Allrecipes.com

Makes about 4 dozen

These cookies are a pain the neck. But they are oh so worth it. Use a ruler to measure carefully to make them look really nice. You can also roll the pieces into logs, for round centers instead of checkerboard centers.

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp lemon extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cup flour
3 T dutch process cocoa
1 large egg

Cream butter and sugar until well blended. Add vanilla, lemon, salt. Gradually add flour as you scrape down sides of bowl.

Turn down onto clean work surface. It will be loose and crumbly. Knead by hand for 1-2 minutes. Divide dough in half and sprinkle cocoa over one half. Knead until incorporated.

Place each half between two sheets of plastic and shape into two 7 inch squares about 3/8 inch thick. Using a sharp knife and ruler, slice each square into nine 3/4 inch wide strips.

Whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water. Cover work surface with plastic wrap. Place three strips of dough on plastic alternating choc and white. Brush with egg wash and gently press strips together. Repeat for 3 layers total and refrigerate 30 mins.

Preheat oven to 350. Line pan with parchment. Slice each log into 1/4 inch thick slices. Bake until done 10-12 mins.

**These are Willy’s FAVORITE cookie. Of course he loves the most complicated cookies to make!! He has called Grandma to make them for him before. She is a pro!

2 T butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
2- 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
3 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
15 oz frozen corn
4 oz green chiles
2 T butter
2 T flour
salt and pepper
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In large saucepan, melt margarine over medium high heat. Add celery and onion, cook and stir until tender- 5 mins.

Add chicken broth, bring to a boil. Add potatoes, cook over low heat for 20-25 mins or until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn and chiles, return to boiling.

In another pan, melt butter, add flour and cook 2 mins. Add milk and cook until thickened. Add this mixture to soup to thicken. Cook and stir. Add cheese and continue cooking until cheese is melted.

Crust:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 stick butter
1/4 cup brown sugar

Filling:

3 eggs
3/4 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup sugar
2 T butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cup choc chips
1 cup coconut
1 cup pecans, chopped

Beat flour, sugar an dbutter in a bowl until crumbly. Press into greased 13×9 pan. Bake 350 for 12-15 mins until lightly browned.

Beat eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla in a bowl. Stir in choc chips, coconut and pecans. Pour over hot crust.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 mins or until center is set.

Cool. Cut into bars. Yum.

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 tsp. vanilla
6 oz bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies

Sift flour, cocoa, salt into bowl. Beat butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat until dough holds together. Divide dough in half and wrap in plastic. Chill for 45 mins to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 300. Line pans with parchment. Roll dough to 1/4 inch and cut with 3 inch star cutters. Bake 25 minutes. Cool.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Using a small spoon, drizzle chocolate over stars in zig zags. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies. Let stand until chocolate is set.

*Recipe from Bon Appetit

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup oj
1 cup sour cream
2 T grated orange zest
2 T vanilla
4 cups flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
2 cups powdered sugar
7-8 T Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

Preheat oven to 330. Butter or grease two loaf pans.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs oen at a time, add oj, sour cream, orange zest, vanilla and mix until blended.

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt. Add flour mixture and cranberries to wet ingredients and mix until just dry ingredients are absorbed. Do not overmix.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for about 70 mins.

Meanwhile mix powdered sugar, 7 Grand Marnier. Glaze should be consistency of thick maple syrup. Add liqueur to thin if necessary.

Let loaves cool in pans for 10 mins then remove onto cooling rack. Poke with cake tester all over and drizzle glaze all over and let seep in.

Freezes well.

4 oz apple smoked bacon, diced
2 T butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup flour
12 oz beer, pale ale
1 quart chicken stock
8 oz Maytag white cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper
parsley and croutons for garnish

Brown the bacon in the soup pot. Remove excess grease. Add the butter, onions, celery to the pot with the bacon and cook for 5 mins over medium heat. Dust the flour over the vegetables and bacon, cook, stirring for 3 mins. Stir in beer, then stock. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 10 mins. Add the cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Ladle into bowls and serve with parsley and croutons.

1 1/8 cups warm water (110 degrees)
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup wheat flour
2 cups white flour

Put your yeast and sugar in the water and let it sit a few minutes. Then, add the rest of the ingredients and mix until the dough clears the bowl. Knead until you have a silky dough, then cover and let rise at least 1 hour. Sometimes I make the dough mid morning and don’t use it until dinner, so it doesn’t hurt the dough to sit half a day. A bread machine would work well to make this dough too.

When the dough is risen, punch it down. Pull off small golf ball sized pieces and roll out round to about 1/4 inch thick. You will have 6 or 7 inch pitas. When they are all rolled out, let them rest a bit, up to 30 minutes.

Warm a flat skillet to medium high heat on your stove. Put the pitas on the skillet so they are not touching. When the pita is fully puffed up and the bottom is golden brown, flip to cook the other side. Put the cooked pitas from the skillet into a paper sack to soften. Fold the top of the sack over to keep the steam in.

When they are cooled, you can store them in plastic. I hear these freeze well too, but so far, our pitas are eaten before they even cool down!!

This made about 10-12 6″ pitas for us. It will vary depending on how thick and how large you roll yours out.

1 1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup eggnog
1 tsp vanilla
2 egg yolks
1 tsp nutmeg
2 1/4 flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300. Combine flour, baking powder, spices. Cream sugar and butter until light. Add eggnog, vanilla, egg yolks and beat until smooth. Add flour mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets and sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake 20-23 mins until bottoms are lightly golden.

**Recipe from Allrecipes.com

These are like mini super fudgy brownies. YUM. These freeze well and we like to eat them cold out of the freezer.

1 pound 60% cocoa Ghiradelli choc chips
2 cups flour
1/2 cup dutch process cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
10 T. unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp instant coffee granules
2 tsp vanilla

Melt choc over double boiler or in microwave until smooth. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, set aside.

Cream butter with white and brown sugar until smooth. Beat eggs in one at a time, then stir in coffee granules and vanilla until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate. Using a wooden spoon, stir in dry ingredients until everything just comes together. Cover, let stand for 35 min. so chocolate can set up before you bake. (important!)

Preheat oven to 375, line pans with parchment.

Drop with cookie scoop or by the rounded tablespoon. Bake for 9 mins. Cookies will be set but will be very soft because of the chocolate. Allow cookies to set on baking sheets for 10 mins after they come out of the oven to finish cooking. Then, move them to a rack.

**Do not overbake these or they will not be fudgy. Do not move them too soon, or they will be underdone and will tear up. Follow instructions rule breakers!

1 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup powdered sugar plus some for decorating
5 tsp. finely grated orange peel
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
3 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups hazelnuts finely ground in a processor
Blackberry jam

Whisk first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl to blend. Beat butter, sugar, peels until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks. Beat in dry ingredients in 4 additions. Beat in nuts. Gather dough into a ball, wrap, chill for 1 hour to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line pans with parchment. Roll out half of the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with round cutter and then cut center out of half of them to make half of them rings. Bake about 22 minutes. Cool.

Spread jam on all the whole cookies. Set ring cookie on top of each filled round. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. YUM.

**Recipe from Bon Appetit

8 oz cream cheese softened
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. parmesan cheese shredded
1/4 c. romano cheese shredded
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
14 oz artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 c mozzarella cheese shredded

Preheat oven to 350. Grease small baking dish.

In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, mayo, parm, romano, garlic, basil, salt, pepper and garlic salt. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.

Transfer to baking dish. Top with mozzarella and bake for 25 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned.

**The recipe was from Allrecipes.com website

Hot buttered rum is part of an American colonial tradition in which flavorful ingredients such as molasses were added to soften the harsher rum available in year’s past. This is an adaptation of a recipe that appears in Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide.

3/4 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves
salt
rum

Beat 3/4 cup butter softened butter and 1 cup dark brown sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Add 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cloves and a pinch of salt and beat again to combine. Chill the buttered rum base until ready to use, up to 2 weeks.

To make 1 hot buttered rum, put 2 heaping tablespoons of the buttered rum base and 1 1/2 oz aged rum into an 8oz mug and fill with boiling water. Stir to melt and mix. Serve at once.

1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tsp vanilla

Blend first 5 ingredients in a big bowl. Then add:

3 cup oats
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup wheat germ
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 cup chocolate chips

Stir in well. Then press into a greased sheet pan. Bake 20 minutes at 350. Cut while still warm, then let cool.

8 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 wheat germ
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup sesame seeds
3 Tb flax seeds
1 tsp salt
1 Tb cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 allspice
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup oil
2 cups mixed raisins or dates

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Mix all dry ingredients minus raisins in a big bowl. Mix wet ingredients in another bowl. Pour wet over dry and stir together well.

Spread onto a cookie sheets and bake stirring every 10-15 min until lightly browned. Watch carefully because it will burn quickly.

Remove from oven, toss raisins in, let cool. Store in refrigerator or freezer for maximum freshness.

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup quick cooking oats

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl cream shortening, butter, sugars and peanut butter until smooth. Add eggs one at a time. Combine dry ingredients except oats and gradually add as you mix. Add oats and stir until just combined. Drop onto cookie sheets.

Bake 10-15 mins until light brown. Don’t overbake.

**Recipe from Allrecipes.com

1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
2 T. butter
2 eggs, room temp
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup candied lemon peel, finely chopped
1/3 cup almonds, finely ground
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 T veg oil
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1-2 T. light rum

Put honey, molasses and butter into a small pot and cook over med low heat stirring constantly until hot 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Add eggs and whisk to combine. Put flour, half the lemon peel, almonds, spices, baking powder into a large bowl and stir to combine. Add honey mixture and beat with wooden spoon until you form a dough. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat to 350 and lined pans with parchment. Lightly oil the palms of your hands with oil. Form 36 dough balls about 1 inch wide. Dough should be very sticky. Bake until slightly cracked on top and just firm to the touch, about 15 mins. Transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk powdered sugar, rum, 5 tsp hot water and make a smooth glaze. While cookies are still warm, brush each cookie and garnish with lemon peel. Let set.

4 oz cream cheese softened
6 oz custard style vanilla yogurt
1/4 c. fresh or frozen raspberries
2 tsp. powdered sugar

Combine cream cheese, yogurt, raspberries and powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Chill.

Serve with sliced apples, strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, peaches, bananas and kiwis.

The Rolls:

1/3 milk
2 T butter
1/2 canned pumpkin
2 T sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 package dry yeast
1 cup flour
1 cup bread flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 T. butter
Caramel frosting

In a small saucepan, heat milk and 2 T. butter until just warm and butter is almost melted, stirring constantly.

In a large mixer bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, and salt. Add milk mixture and beat with mixer until mixed. Beat in egg and yeast.

Combine flours, add half flour mixture to pumpkin mixture. Beat mixture on low for 5 mins. Add remaining flour and mix thoroughly. Dough will be very soft. Cover and let rise 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Knead with a little flour to make dough easy to handle. Roll into 12-10 inch rectangle.

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Brush surface with melted butter. Sprinkle with sugar mixture. Roll jellyroll style and slice into 1 inch slices. Place rolls in buttered baking pan and let rise 30-45 mins. (*I often use quite a bit more butter and sugar mixture than this!)

Bake at 350 for 20 mins until golden. Drizzle with warm caramel frosting.

The Caramel Frosting:

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 T milk
1/4 tsp vanilla
dash salt
1/2-3/4 cup powdered sugar

In a small saucepan, heat butter until melted. Stir in brown sugar and milk. cook over med low heat 1 min. Transfer to small mixer bowl and cool mixture. Stir in vanilla, salt, powdered sugar. Beat until well blended. Frost warm cinnamon rolls!

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 T sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large egg, slightly beaten
2/3 cup currants or chopped dried berries
2 tsp milk
1 1/2 T sugar (some ppl like a bit more sugar)

Combine first 5 ingredients and stir well. Cut in butter with pastry blender until crumbly. Add sour cream and eggs, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in currants, berries or mini choc chips.

Turn dough out on lightly floured surface. Knead lightly 3-4 times. Pat dough into a 7 inch circle. Brush top with milk. Sprinkle with sugar. Cut circle into wedges using a sharp knife. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 400 14-16 mins.

Orange Scone Variation:
Replace 1/2 cup sour cream with 1/4-1/3 cup oj and 1/4 cup sour cream plus the grated rind of one orange.

Orange Icing:
2 T melted butter, 1-2 T OJ, grated orange rind, and powdered sugar to right consistency. Spread on hot scones.

6-8 unpeeled “old” potatoes- (russet or yukon gold)
1 bunch scallions (use bulb and stem)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 stick butter
salt and pepper

Scrub potatoes and boil them in their skins. Chop the scallions finely. Cover with cold milk and bring them to a boil. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Turn off heat and leave them to infuse. Peel and mash boiled potatoes and white hot, mix with the boiling milk and scallions. Beat in butter. Season to taste. Serve with butter melting on top in the center.

Scallion Champ is one of the best loved Irish potato recipes. A bowl of mashed flecked with green scallion and a blob of butter melting in the center is “comfort” food at it’s very best.

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 T. milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
sugar
chocolate kisses or stars

Preheat oven to 350. Combine sugars, butter, peanut butter and beat until creamed. Add milk, vanilla, egg, mix well. Stir in dry ingredients. Form dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Bake 10-12 mins until very light brown. Immediately top each cookie with kiss or star. Let cool completely before putting away so chocolate will set.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Red Hots

Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. Combine dry ingredients and spices and gradually mix into molasses mixture until smooth. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness on surfaced dusted with powdered sugar. Cut into desired shapes, put red hot buttons on, and bake on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper (or greased) for 8-10 minutes. These tend to stick to pans, so do one or the other.

3 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup oil
3 1/3 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup chopped nuts

Combine sugar, eggs, pumpkin and oil and mix well. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add slowly to first mixture. Be sure everything is mixed well. Add chopped nuts if you like them.

Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Bake 350 for 1- 1 1/4 hours.

3/4 pound butter, softened
2 cup powdered sugar
3 egg yolks
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup seedless raspberry preserves

Beat butter and 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add yolks one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add flour 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition to combine. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Chill 5 of them and roll one out and cut with round cutters. Cut center out of half of the rounds. Repeat while you bake the cookies. Cookies bake for about 15 mins until pale golden. Cool.

Put preserves into small saucepan. Boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until reduced by 1/4, about 5 minutes. Let cool. Fill whole cookies with preserves, top with ring cookie. Fill hole with more raspberry preserves. Sprinkle finished cookies heavily with powdered sugar.

**Recipe from Saveur Magazine

1 cup sugar plus some for rolling cookies
3/4 cup butter, room temp
1 egg
3 T molasses
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp each salt, cloves, nutmeg
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy- 3 mins. Mix in egg and molasses.

In a med bowl blend dry ingredients and spices. Add to butter mixture and blend well.

Roll balls of dough into walnut sized balls and roll in sugar. Arrange on a greased cookie sheet or parchment lined cookie sheet and bake 10 mins until golden brown.

Meanwhile make glaze- combine powdered sugar, 1 T water and stir until smooth. Add 1 tsp lemon juice and stir again. Drizzle over cookies.

**From Sunset Magazine

1 lb boned skinned chicken thighs
2 T. flour
1 tsp salt and pepper
2 T olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 T capers, drained and minced
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
1 lb yukon gold potatoes scrubbed and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 8oz package frozen artichoke hearts, quartered if large
1 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 cup pitted medium green olives
lemon wedges

Cut each chicken thigh into 2 or 3 chunks. In a ziplock, combine flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken, seal, shake to coat.

Heat oil in a large pot. Add chicken in a single layer and cook until browned 4-5 mins. Remove to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic, capers, lemon zest and stir until just fragrant about 30 seconds. Add wine and simmer, scraping brown bits up from bottom of pan until reduced by half, about 2 mins. Add broth, potatoes, chicken, and return to a simmer. Lower heat, cover, simmer 10 mins.

Add artichokes to pot and stir. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced 8-10 mins. Stir in parsley, lemon juice, olives, salt and pepper.

Serve hot with a lemon wedge on the side.

**Recipe from Sunset Magazine.

1 eggplant, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup dry bread stuffing mix
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 T. diced onion
1 egg lightly beaten
1 tsp dried italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place eggplant un a medium skillet and saute with onions and garlic until tender. Transfer to a 9×9 baking dish. Mix in 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, stuffing mix, egg and season with salt and pepper and italian seasoning.

Bake 15 mins in a preheated oven. Top with 1 cup cheese and continue baking 15 more mins until cheese is bubbly and brown.

1 1/2 pounds small new red potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T fresh or 1 tsp dried rosemary

Preheat oven to 350

Cut potatoes in half or fourths. In a large bowl mix oil, garlic and rosemary. Add potatoes and toss well. Transfer onto a baking sheet and roast until tender when tested with a fork. Serve hot.

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup butter
1 cup water
5 T unsweetened cocoa powder

Icing:

6 T milk
5T unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 10×15 inch pan.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix in sour cream, beat in eggs, set aside. In a saucepan, melt the butter, then stir in water and 5 T. cocoa. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Cool slightly and then add cocoa mixture to dry ingredients mixing until blended.

Pour batter into prepared pan, bake 20 mins until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

For the icing- combine milk, 5T cocoa, 1/2 cup butter. Bring to a boil, remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla and then fold in nuts. Pour and spread over warm cake.

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 T vanilla
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup coarsly chopped, roasted salted macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 350, line pans with parchment.

Sift first 3 ingredients into med bowl. Beat butter until fluffy, add sugars and beat until blended. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat until just blended. Stir in cranberries, white choc chips and nuts with spatula.

For large cookies, drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto prepared sheets. For small cookies, drop by teaspoonfuls. Bake until golden 15-18 mins. Cool on sheets.

1 pound bacon, chopped
1 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups chicken stock, enough to cover potatoes
3 T butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp dried tarragon
3 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

In a dutch oven, cook bacon until done. Remove from pan and set aside. Remove all but 1/4 cup bacon grease. In the bacon grease, saute celery and onion until onion begins to turn clear. Add the cubed potatoes. Saute for 3-4 mins. Return the bacon to the pan and add enough chicken stock to cover potatoes. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender.

In a separate pan, melt butter and whisk in flour. Cook 1-2 mins. Whisk in heavy cream, tarragon and cilantro. Bring to boil and cook until thickened. Stir the cream mixture into potato mixture. Puree about half the soup and return to the pan. Adjust seasonings to taste.

**Recipe from Allrecipes.com