Gruyere Drop Biscuits

Amazing. 10/10. Will definitely make again. Soooo yummy. 

On a side note: bread always makes me nervous to make but this was fairly easy. 

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp dried minced onion
• 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, plus 3 Tbsp, divided
• 3 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
• 1 cup whole buttermilk
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water
• flaky sea salt

Whisk together flour, baking powder, minced onion, sugar, garlic powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the cold cubed butter to flour mixture in bowl and toss together until coated. Using your hands, cut butter into flour mixture until pea-size and crumbly with no big chunks remaining, about 10 minutes. Add Gruyere, and toss to evenly combine. Place bowl in freezer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Remove bowl from freezer; add buttermilk, and stir together until a shaggy dough forms. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to hydrate the dough.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Once dough is done hydrating, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat garlic and remaining 3 Tbsp butter in a small saucepan over low, stirring occasionally, until butter melts. Continue to cook, stirring often to infuse the butter with the garlic, 1-2 minutes more, being careful not to let garlic brown. Remove from heat, and stir in parsley.

With a spoon or a 2 oz scoop, drop 12 mounds of dough, evenly spaced, onto baking sheet. Place baking sheet, uncovered, in freezer for 5 minutes. Remove baking sheet from freezer. Brush biscuit tops with egg wash, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Brush with garlic-herb butter, and serve.

Makes 12

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Recipe from People magazine.

Williams Sonoma Copycat Peppermint Bark

This was DELICIOUS! And super simple. I will definitely be making this again. I might even make it a holiday staple. So easy! 

• 16 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 12 oz white chocolate
• 1 tsp pure peppermint extract
• 3/4 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes

Line a 13x9 inch pan with parchment paper. Melt the semisweet chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave (remember: short bursts of heat, stirring often). Pour the chocolate into the prepared pan, smooth it with a spatula and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.

Melt the white chocolate in the same way. Stir in the peppermint extract. Pour the white chocolate over the prepared chocolate layer. Gently spread the white chocolate with a spatula. 

Sprinkle the white chocolate layer with crushed peppermint candies. Press the candies into the chocolate gently. Allow the bark to harden at room temperature for at least an hour. One set, break the bark into pieces with your hands or cut with a knife and store in an airtight container.

Serves 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes, plus 90 minutes cooling

Recipe from Taste of Home

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

These were sooooo yummy and simpler to make than I thought they would be. They also reheat very well (about 10 seconds in the microwave). If you love soft cookies, this one is for you. 

Also, learning moment: I was wondering what was so special about Dutch-process cocoa. Apparently it's treated with some solution that neutralizes the acidity, which gives it a smoother flavor. I learned something new today. :-)

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1 cup (about 6 oz) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
• 12 jumbo marshmallows
• crushed candy canes or mint candies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position racks in upper and lower third of the oven. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Beat together brown sugar and butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Add egg, vanilla, and peppermint extract; beat on medium-high speed until light and pale in color, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; beat on low speed until just combined and no streaks of flour remain, about 1 minute.

Use a 1 1/2 oz cookie scoop to portion dough into 12 equal mounds (about 3 Tbsp). Roll dough into balls using lightly greased hands (dough will be sticky). Divide evenly between baking sheets, spacing balls at least 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven until cookies have puffed and are set around the edges but still somewhat soft in the center, 10-12 minutes, rotating pans 180 degrees between top and bottom racks halfway. remove from oven; cool slightly on baking sheets, about 15 minutes. 

Once cookies have cooled slightly, increase oven temperature to broil with rack about 7 inches from heat source. Microwave chocolate chips in a small bowl on high in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until chocolate is fully melted, 1-2 minutes. Spoon and spread about 2 tsp melted chocolate over each cookie, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the outside edges. Squish marshmallows flat between your palms; place one marshmallow on top of chocolate on each cookie.

Broil, 1 baking sheet at a time, in oven until marshmallows are golden brown and melted, about 1 minute (watch it, because mine started burning before then). Remove from oven; gently squish the marshmallows further and sprinkle with candy canes. Cool slightly before serving.

Serves 12

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Recipe from People magazine

Artichoke Phyllo Cups

I had never cooked with phyllo cups before, but they were super easy to use. And this recipe turned out really well. For some reason I was thinking it would be bland, but they were not! Very portable and delicious. Highly recommend.

• 3 pkg (1.9 oz each) frozen miniature phyllo tart shells
• 1 can (14 oz) water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup whipped cream cheese
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp sour cream
• 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place tart shells on a baking sheet. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; spoon into tart shells. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned, 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.

You can make these and freeze them ahead of time. Just store them in layers separated by wax paper and reheat at 350 degrees until warm.

NOTES: The biggest thing on this recipe is to remember that these cups are tiny and have to fit a lot of good things in them. So when the recipe says "minced" or "finely chopped," it means it.

Makes 3 1/2 dozen

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Recipe from Taste of Home

Boursin Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo Bake

This one got moved up the publishing queue a) because it was so dang good and b) because I made friends at the grocery store when shopping for it, and they might be waiting to hear how it was. This was really good and also really simple to make. The only drawback for me was that the timing in the written recipe was less than I'd say it took. For that, I will adjust the numbers below a bit. 

• 1 (150 grams) Boursin cheese - I used the shallot and chive option
• 2 cups uncooked orzo
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp sun-dried tomato oil from jar
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
• 1.5 cups smoked white cheddar, shredded

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the Boursin in the middle of a 13x9 inch baking dish. Add uncooked orzo, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, oil, stock, and seasonings. Cover in foil and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the orzo is almost cooked. 

Remove foil, stir, and add the spinach and cheese. Stir entire dish to mix everything together. Cook another 15-20 minutes, uncovered, or until orzo is cooked through and most stock is absorbed. Remove from oven, stir, and enjoy! The remaining stock will soak in as you get ready to serve it.

NOTES: Originally this recipe said to bake for 20 minutes, stir in the spinach and cheese and bake another 5-10 minutes covered. My stock was not completely absorbing. I'm pretty sure I baked mine for 35 minutes, stirred in the spinach and cheese and baked for another 20 minutes without the foil to try to have the liquid absorbed. It was still very liquid-y but we were hungry so we took it out and let it sit for a few minutes on the counter and it seemed to solidify a bit. Anyway, I increased the time and said to remove the foil for the last bit. Feel free to try it either way. No matter what, it was DELICIOUS.

Serves 6-8 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Recipe from sammymontgoms.com

Lemon Chicken Pasta Toss

This had great flavor and was super easy to make. Doug and I both really liked this and will make it again. 

• 2 cups (6 oz) dried multi-grain penne
• 12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup finely chopped shallot (3)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3 Tbsp capers, drained
• 3 Tbsp snipped fresh Italian parsley
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Return pasta to hot saucepan; cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss together chicken and flour until chicken is lightly coated. In a large skillet cook and stir chicken in 1 Tbsp of the oil over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan; set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining oil to skillet. Add shallot and garlic; cook and stir about 1 minute or until tender. Carefully stir in broth, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cook, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until reduced to about 2/3 cup. Stir in chicken, capers, and parsley; heat through.

Toss pasta with chicken mixture. If desired, serve with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

Garlic and Herb Shrimp Saute

I love me some good shrimp. What I love more is shrimp and pasta! So I combined this recipe with some pasta with a lemon caper sauce and it was amazing! Will definitely make it all again. Not to mention, the caper sauce can be made in a larger batch and frozen for future use! 

• 1.5 lb shrimp with tails, peeled and deveined 
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced leek (1 medium) or thinly sliced green onion (3)
• 1/2 tsp dried basil, oregano, or tarragon, crushed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp dry white wine or dry sherry
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp snipped fresh parsley

Rinse shrimp; pat dry with paper towels and set aside. In a large skillet cook and stir shrimp, leek, basil, and garlic in hot oil over medium heat for 2-4 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Carefully add wine, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to skillet. Cook and stir just until heated through. Stir in parsley.

Serves 4

Total Time: 25 minutes

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Lemon Caper Sauce

We used this sauce on plain old pasta and topped it with garlic and herb shrimp sauté. It was amazing and I would definitely recommend. All pieces of that recipe were so quick to make.   

• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp capers, drained
• 1 tsp finely chopped parsley
• kosher salt to taste 

Melt the butter in a small skillet or over low heat. Add the garlic, lemon juice, and capers. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking over low heat for about 30 seconds. Add the chopped fresh parsley and salt to taste. Stir and remove from heat. Immediately drizzle over cooked shrimp, fish, chicken, pasta, or potatoes. 

NOTE: I tried making extra and freezing it in a mason jar. When I thawed it months later, it looked...weird. Like it somehow got moldy. In the freezer?

Serves 2

Total Time: 5 minutes

Recipe from SauceFanatic.com

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

I know it looks like a lot of work, but it really isn't. It's a bit annoying that it employs so many dishes, but this is super yummy. I made it for Thanksgiving breakfast the first time I did it and it turned out really well. You can actually make it the day before and then just put it on a warmer or do a small reheat the day of. And I left the nuts out. For large gatherings, I'm never sure of someone's allergies (and I'm not really a nut person) and it tasted just fine.

• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
•  1 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla

Grease a 13x9x2 inch baking pan; set aside. For filling, in a medium bowl combine nuts, chocolate pieces, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon, set aside. 

In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine the 1 cup granulated sugar and butter; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well-combined. Add eggs; beat until combined. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add flour mixture to the beaten mixture, beating until smooth (batter will be thick). Set aside 1 cup batter. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Evenly spread remaining batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle filling over batter. Spoon reserved batter over filling in small mounds. Bake about 40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cook slightly, but serve warm.

Serves 16

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Mini Loaded Cauliflower Casseroles

I really liked these. Not only are they colorful and pretty to look at, they might be a bit healthier than having all the same ingredients piled on a baked potato. The first time we made these, the flavor was more bite-dependent. The second time, the flavor was more pervasive. Maybe I had more bacon grease the second time that helped spread the flavor around? 

• 3 slices bacon
• 1 2-lb head cauliflower, cored and coarsely chopped
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 1 1/4 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 2/3 cup, plus 1/4 cup sour cream or whole milk plain Greek yogurt, divided
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 Tbsp snipped chives

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly coat eight 6-ounce ramekins with cooking spray and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and chop when cool enough to handle. Transfer the bacon drippings to a large bowl. Add cauliflower, onion, cheddar, 2/3 cup sour cream, pepper, and salt. Stir to combine. Divide between prepared ramekins; cover each with foil. 

Bake until the cauliflower is tender, 30-35 minutes. Remove foil and bake until lightly browned in spots, 5-10 minutes more. Dollop with remaining 1/4 cup sour cream and sprinkle with the bacon and chives. 

Serves 8

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Recipe from www.eatingwell.com

Copycat Rubio's Grilled Gourmet Chicken Tacos

For those of you local here to central California, you may have noticed that all Rubio's Coastal Grills within 2 hours of us just closed. This has spurred Doug and I to recreate more of their recipes we love as best we can with resources we can find online. We figured out this taco recipe and let me tell you: it's amazing!

• 4 6-inch tortillas (flour or corn)
• 1 heaping cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
• 4 Tbsp Chipotle Cream Sauce
• 4 tsp roasted chipotle salsa (more if you want some heat)
• 1 cup cooked chicken in bite-sized pieces
• 4 Tbsp chopped white onion
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 8 tsp chopped cooked bacon
• 1/4 avocado, thinly sliced

Using a non-stick pan heated to medium, sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese in a circle about the size of the tortilla. Immediately place tortilla on top of it, pressing to get cheese all the way to the edges of the tortilla. Let tortilla sit on cheese until it's easily movable in the pan and not sticking. Flip tortilla over to lightly toast the other side and remove from heat. Repeat for all tortillas and all cheese.

Build your tacos: split the cream sauce between all tortillas and spread evenly with a spatula or back of a spoon across most of the tortilla. Drizzle desired salsa along middle seam (where the tortilla will bend). Divide chicken, onion, cilantro, bacon, and avocado among the tacos. Enjoy!

NOTES: The longest part of this recipe is the tortillas and cheese. We only have a very small non-stick pan so we did one at a time, but we later realized we could probably use our large pancake griddle to do multiple at a time and so will try that in the future.

We used Cholula Roasted Chipotle salsa from the store. It is VERY spicy (to me) but just a little bit gives the taco the right kick. We also used Tyson Grilled and Ready frozen chicken breast strips. We thawed a cup and then chopped them in smaller pieces. They tasted great.

Doug and I both agreed that 2 of these tacos each didn't feel like enough, but we had 3 each the next time and were stuffed. So 2 1/2 is the number we are recommending. :-) 

Serves 2

Recipe from https://rubios.com/ 

Tomato-Basil Squares

So good we've made them twice already. This was a huge hit with our life group and we made them again for another gathering shortly thereafter. So tasty and reheats pretty well, if you have any leftovers. 

• 10 oz refrigerated pizza crust
• 2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella, divided
• 1 oz (1/4 cup) fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped, or 2 tsp dried basil
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 4 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using lightly floured roller, roll crust on a baking stone into a 12" x 15" shape. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella. In a medium bowl combine remaining mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, and mayonnaise and mix well. Press garlic over mixture and mix. 

Arrange tomatoes in a single layer over the mozzarella on the crust. Scoop other mozzarella mixture over the tomatoes and spread to cover evenly. Bake 15-20 minutes or until top is golden and bubbly. Serve warm. 

NOTES: you can see we didn't have a rectangle pizza stone, but our circle one worked just as well. 

Serves 20

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Recipe from Season's Best Recipe Collection Pampered Chef cookbook

Mediterranean Frittata

We have made this recipe 3 times already in the short time since the first time we made it. It's fairly easy, fairly quick, and I can impart some tips we learned along the way. The first tip is to watch your heat. The next is the answer to the question we kept getting, "What is a frittata?" According to Wikipedia it is "an egg-based Italian dish similar to an omelet or crustless quiche or scrambled eggs, enriched with additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses, or vegetables."

• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup half and half, light cream, or milk
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (2 oz)
• 1/2 cup chopped, bottled, roasted red peppers (sweet preferred)
• 1/2 cup sliced or chopped kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup slivered fresh basil
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup garlic and onion croutons, coarsely crushed
• 2 Tbsp finely shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large broilerproof skillet cook onion and garlic in 2 Tbsp of the hot oil until onion is just tender. Meanwhile, in a bowl beat together eggs and half and half. Stir in feta cheese, roasted peppers, olives, basil, and black pepper. 

Pour egg mixture over onion mixture in skillet. Cook over medium heat (do not overheat or the eggs will get stick to the pan, when in doubt lower the heat). As mixture sets, run a spatula around the skillet edge, lifting egg mixture so uncooked portion flows underneath. Preheat broiler. Continue cooking and lifting edges until egg mixture is almost set (surface will be moist). 

In a small bowl combine the remaining 1 Tbsp oil, crushed croutons, and Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over frittata. Broil 4-5 inches from heat for 1-2 minutes or until top is set and crumbs are golden. Cut frittata in quarters and serve. If desired, garnish with fresh basil leaves. 

NOTES: We cooked it in the Dutch oven every time and it worked well. I didn't worry too much about being able to cut it into slices so a few times we just served it in the pot and had people spoon out what they wanted. 

Serves 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens cookbook

One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice

I may have messed this one up by not paying attention and getting boneless, skinless chicken (because it's what I always get) and then realizing this was supposed to be bone-in, skin-on. But the reality was, it was still a really good recipe. Smelled great, tasted great. So I'd maybe go the easier route I did and get it boneless, skinless. It's up to you, but I'll leave the recipe as written.

Chicken and Marinade

• 5 chicken thighs, skin on, bone-in (about 2 lb)
• 1-2 lemons, use the zest and 4 Tbsp juice
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 salt

Rice

• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 small white onion, finely diced
• 1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp salt
• black pepper

Garnish

• parsley or oregano, finely chopped (optional)
• fresh lemon zest (optional)

Combine chicken and marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag and set aside for at least 20 minutes, but preferably overnight. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove chicken from marinade but reserve marinade. Heat 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in a deep, heavy base skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down, and cook until golden brown (about 2 minutes), then turn and cook the other side until golden brown (about 2 minutes). Remove the chicken and set aside. 

Pour off fat and wipe pan with a paper towel to remove blackened bits then return to stove. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes, until translucent. Then add remaining rice ingredients and reserved marinade. Let the liquid come to a simmer for 30 seconds. Place the chicken on top and then place a lid on the skillet. Bake in oven for 35 minutes. Remove the lid and bake a further 10 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. 

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving, garnished with parsley, oregano, or lemon zest. 

Serves 5

Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus marinating

Total Time: 1 hour, plus marinating

Recipe from www.RecipeTinEats.com

Kalamata Olive Dip

I've been asked (ok, it was demanded) by my husband to post this recipe now, even though it's not its turn in the queue yet. So, here goes: There's a local restaurant called House of Juju. They have the most wonderfully delicious burgers. For a lot of people it's hard to pick which one to try when they first visit (I'd recommend the sliders so you can taste a few of them). My personal favorite is the Athena. Anyway, as a side to their burgers you can get their roasted potatoes and dipping sauces. They have a phenomenal kalamata dipping sauce for the potatoes and I was able to find a recipe online that is a pretty close copy-cat of it. Enjoy!

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup kalamata olives, drain any juice
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped or minced
• pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a small blender. Pulse ingredients until combined. Store in refrigerator until ready to eat.

Makes about 1 cup

Total Time: 5 minutes

Recipe from www.TheWholeSmiths.com

Slice 'N Bake Bourbon Caramel Pretzel Cookies

 Soooooo good. These were so yummy and I will totally make this again. 

• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp bourbon, divided (optional)
• 1 tsp plus 1 Tbsp vanilla extract, divided
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus an addition 2-4 Tbsp, if needed
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup chopped pretzels
• 1 (10 oz) bag of caramels, unwrapped
• 1 Tbsp heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate melted
• flaky sea salt for garnish

In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add 2 Tbsp bourbon and 1 tsp vanilla, beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and mix until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, beat until combined and the dough forms into a ball. Stir in the pretzels. If dough feels too wet, add additional flour. 

Divide dough in half. Place each ball of dough on a large piece of wax paper or plastic wrap. Shape each into a log about 8 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the dough up in the wax paper and place in the fridge for 2 hours, or up to 5 days. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the dough and place it on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 1/3 inch slices with a quick forward motion. If the dough begins to crack, push it back together. Arrange the slices on the prepared cooking sheet about a 1/2 inch apart. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. 

Meanwhile melt the caramel. Combine the caramels and cream in a saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally, until smooth, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in either 1 Tbsp bourbon or vanilla. Spread 1-2 teaspoons of the caramel over the cooled cookies. Let set up 10-15 minutes. Drizzle the chocolate over each cookie and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. 

NOTES: I used dark brown sugar and the original recipe said I could use dark or light. The recipe also mentioned I should cook until they turn golden brown on the edges, but since mine were dark colored to start with, I couldn't tell if they were golden. *shrug* Use your best judgment. 

I did not buy a bag of caramels, but got them in the bulk section at WinCo. I definitely did not need all 10 oz I purchased. Same with the chocolate drizzle. I only used about a cup of chocolate chips, melted. Granted, looking at the original recipe photos, they quite literally covered the entire cookie with caramel and chocolate versus my drizzle. I think my drizzle was plenty. 

Serves 24

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes + chilling

Recipe from HalfBakedHarvest.com

Copycat Brenda Gantt Cabbage Casserole

I fully admit, I have no idea who Brenda Gantt is. *shrug* But whoever she is, if this recipe is one of hers or based on hers, I NEED MORE! This casserole recipe was so yummy. I had seconds and leftovers and so did everyone else. 

• 1 small head cabbage, chopped
• 1 sweet onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
• 1-1/2 stick (3/4 cup) melted butter, separated
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 stalk Ritz crackers, crushed
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place cabbage in a 9x13 inch ungreased baking dish. Place sweet onion on top of the cabbage. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, mix chicken soup, 1/4 cup melted butter, and mayonnaise together and then spread on top of cabbage and onion. No mixing needed. 

In another medium bowl, mix remaining melted butter, crackers, and cheese. Sprinkle on top of ingredients in baking dish. 

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Do not remove from the oven until the top looks golden and casserole is bubbly. 

NOTE: I used a 10oz bag of shredded cabbage. I'm guessing on the amount of cheese. And also the fact it was cheddar. We had a lot of our cheese on the side and sprinkled it ourselves but I'd guess 1/2-1 cup would be plenty. It tasted just fine without it. The recipe doesn't specify which kind of cheese, but we did cheddar.

Our friend has also made this recipe and added tri tip, bacon, chicken and other meats plus some bell peppers when making it and has said it continues to be yummy. 

Serves 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Recipe from SeasoningIdeas.com

Air Fryer Ground Beef Wellington

For some reason, beef Wellington has come up several times recently at our house. And of course the internet was listening. When my mom sent me some Taste of Home recipes, there was beef Wellington in the list! 

I honestly don't think I've ever had beef Wellington before, so I can't say how this compared to how it's supposed to be. But we all enjoyed it a lot. And notice I'm saying that for a recipe with MUSHROOM in it. I actually ate the mushroom.  

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
• 4 tsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp pepper, divided
• 1 cup half and half cream
• 2 large egg yolks
• 4 Tbsp finely chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 lb ground beef, very lean
• 1 tube (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls or crescent dough sheet
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten, optional
• 1 tsp dried parsley flakes

In a saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook and stir until tender, 5-6 minutes. Stir in flour and 1/4 tsp pepper until blended. Gradually add cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside. 

Preheat air fryer to 300 degrees. In a bowl, combine egg yolk, onion, 4 Tbsp mushroom sauce, salt and remining pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into four 4 1/2-inch loaves. Unroll crescent dough; press perforations to seal, if needed. Roll out to about 9x13 inches and separate into 4 rectangles. Place meat loaf in center of each rectangle. Pull the long sides up over the loaf and pinch to seal. Pull other sides up to cover the end of the loaf and pat down to seal. If desired, brush with beaten egg.

Place Wellingtons in a single layer on a well-greased wire basket in air fryer, thick crescent side down. It's recommended to have a drip pan on a lower rack to catch liquid that will drip from the Wellingtons. Cook until golden brown and a thermometer inserted into meat reads 160 degrees, 18-22 minutes. Meanwhile, warm remaining sauce over low heat; stir in parsley. Serve sauce with Wellingtons. 

NOTES: We used crescent rolls like the recipe calls for, but if you can find the Pillsbury crescent dough sheets, I'd highly recommend them. The perforations of the crescents just never seem to want to go back together.

We made these again in a different air fryer and did not use the egg wash. Much better. Our first attempt had a lot of liquid, which made it hard to flip them halfway through as the original recipe recommended. Add on top of that the egg wash, things looked burned. Use the wire basket, make sure there's air flow underneath the basket, and you really don't need to flip them.

Serves 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Recipe from Taste of Home

Brown Butter & Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've now made these twice and they were yummy both times. Doug always wants me to add more salt to the top of them, but I like to go light and then you can add more if you want. I also don't own the flaky stuff, so I use regular sea salt crystals. 

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 chocolate toffee bars (like Skor or Heath) chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate wafers (disks, pistoles, feves, preferably 72% cacao)
• flaky sea salt

Cook butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, then browns, 5-8 minutes. Scrape into a large mixing bowl and let cool slightly. Meanwhile, whisk flour, baking soda, and kosher salt in a medium bowl. 

Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to browned butter. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until mixture lightens and begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Reduce mixer speed to low; add dry ingredients and beat just to combine. Mix in toffee pieces and chocolate wafers with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Let dough sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate. Dough will look very loose at first, but will thicken as it sits. 

Place a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 375 degrees. Using a 1 1/2 oz ice cream scoop, portion out 10 balls of dough and place on a parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 3 inches apart (you can also form dough into ping pong-size balls with your hands). Do not flatten. Cookies will spread as they bake. Sprinkle with sea salt. 

Bake cookies until edges are golden brown and firm but centers are still soft, 9-11 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough and another parchment-lined baking sheet to make 10 more cookies. 

Dough can be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Let come to room temperature before baking.

Makes 20

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes plus cooling

Recipe from Bon Appetit magazine

Arugula & Goat Cheese Pizza

This one was so good we made it again just a few days later. This will definitely stay at the top of our list for tasty recipes to repeat. 

• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 2 tsp olive oil, divided
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 (8 oz) whole wheat pizza crust
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 oz goat cheese, sliced or crumbled
• 3/4 cup loosely packed baby arugula

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toast walnuts on baking sheet 3-4 minutes or until fragrant and lightly browned. Transfer immediately to a plate; let cool.

Meanwhile heat 1 tsp oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat; add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, 6-8 minutes or until onion is soft and golden. 

Place crust on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Top with walnuts, onion, and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper; arrange goat cheese on top. Bake for 7 minutes, or until crust is golden, crisp, and warmed through. Scatter arugula on top and drizzle with remaining oil. Let cool slightly before cutting into wedges. 

NOTES: The original recipe says to cut the cheese (hehe) into slices but ours just crumbled, as I've found most goat cheeses do. So we scattered the cheese across the pizza and it worked just fine. We also made 2 pizzas each time we made the recipe because of the amount of each ingredient that was pre-packaged. We did one on the cookie sheet and one on the baking stone. The baking stone turned out fluffier and needed to cook for a little longer, FYI. 

Serves 3

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Recipe from Health.com