Baked Apple Dumplings

 Ingredients

2 cans crescent rolls

2 Granny Smith apples

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 dash nutmeg

1 cup Sprite

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9 baking dish.

Peel and core apples, then cut into 8 slices each. Roll each slice into a crescent roll and place in baking dish.

Melt butter in medium bowl. Mix in sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour mixture over dumplings, ensuring to coat all dumplings. Pour Sprite along edges over pan being careful not to pour over dumplings.

Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown.

Orange Cranberry Scones

 Ingredients

2 cups AP Flour

3 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon baking powder

5 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Zest from one orange

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons orange juice

6 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.

3. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into the flour mixture until it is coarsely crumbled. Add orange zest and cranberries. Stir in the heavy cream until a dough forms.

4. Turn dough onto a floured surface and lightly knead until everything holds together. Form into a nine inch disk. Cut into eight wedges.

5. Place scones on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes until golden on top. Place on cooling rack.

6. While scones are cooling, whisk orange juice and powdered sugar. Drizzle over top of scones.

Meatballs Take 2

 Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

2 large eggs

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1/3 cup pecorino romano cheese, grated

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven broiler.

2. In large mixing bowl, combine beef and pork.

3. Add remaining ingredients. mix until just combined.

4. Form into 1 inch balls. Place on foil lined baking sheet. 

5. Broil 5 minutes, turn and broil for additional 4 minutes.

Butternut Squash Croquettes

1 medium sized butternut squash
⅓ cup flour
1 clove pressed garlic
½ tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
dash of cayenne
splash of maple syrup
¼ cup chopped scallions
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup panko bread crumbs, for rolling

1. Roast Squash until soft, about 40 minutes in 440 degrees.

2. Remove flesh and mash. Combine mash with flour, olive oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, syrup, salt and pepper.
3. Fold in scallions, cilantro and feta.
4. Place panko in a large ziplock bag. Roll squash mixture into balls.
5. Place in bag one at a time and shake to coat in panko.
6. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Zucchini Bread

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1.5 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
dash of ground cloves
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 medium zucchini coarsely grated

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bread pan.
2. In medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves.
3. In large bowl (I use my stand mixer) combine oil, both sugars, eggs and vanilla. Mix in Zucchini. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined.
4. Pour batter into bread pan. Bake 50-60 minutes.

Butterscotch Bananas

1/2 cup pecans
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
6 bananas, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup dark rum

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Lightly toast pecans, about 5 minutes, coarsely chop.
3. In large skillet, melt butter. Add sugar and cinnamon stirring occasionally until fully incorporated, about 5 minutes.
4. Gently stir in the bananas.
5. Remove from heat. Add rum and flambe.
6. Stir in pecans.

Serve over vanilla bean ice cream or waffles.

Cranberry Orange Bread

1.5 cups butter, softened
1.5 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup orange juice
1 cup sour cream
1.5 tablespoons orange zest
2.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1.5 cups dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 330 degrees. Spray cooking spray in two bread pans.
2. Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time. Add orange juice, sour cream, orange zest, vanilla and cranberries
3. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture until just combined (do not over mix).
4. Pour into bread pans.
5. Cook for 75 minutes.

Avocado Salad Dressing

1 large avocado
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon tapatio
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in food processor. Mix until well combined.
2. Store in refrigerator for up to one week.

Wonton Apple Pies

12 wonton wrappers
Apple pie filling
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup caramel sauce

1. Spray muffin tin with non stick spray (I use coconut pam)
2. Mix pie filling, vanilla, and caramel.
3. place wonton wrapper in each muffin tin. Spread apple pie filling into each wonton wrapper.
4. Bake 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Pineapple Ginger Smoothie

1 15 oz can pineapple chunks with juice
1 banana
1 6 oz container vanilla greek yogurt
1 tsp ginger
1/2 cup ice

1. Combine all ingredients in blender, blend until smooth.

Onion Cheesy Bread

1 un-sliced loaf of bread
1/2 stick of butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 oz monterey jack cheese

1. In small bowl, melt butter with garlic salt, black pepper and olive oil.
2. Make deep cuts into top of bread loaf, but don't cut all the way through. Make cuts 1 inch apart in both directions.
3. Thinly slice cheese and place slices in cuts of bread loaf. Pour butter mixture over bread spreading evenly.
4. Bake in oven 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until cheese is thoroughly melted. Serve immediately.

Apple Pie Roll Ups

1 package crescent rolls
2 apples
2/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Peel and slice apples into 8 slices each
3. Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl
4. cut each crescent in roll in half. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle sugar mixture over butter. Place apple slice at wide end and roll up. Once all are rolled, brush again with butter and sprinkle with a bit more sugar mix.
5. Bake on parchment paper for 15 minutes.

**Please note if there is excess butter on the paper your kitchen may get very smokey.

Russian Tea Cakes

These are Kevin's favorite cookies. I'm constantly looking for new recipes for them. This is a pretty good one, that I have modified to his liking.

1 cup pecans
1 cup unsalted butter - room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2 cups ap flour
Extra powdered sugar for coating/dusting ~ 1 cup

1. On baking sheet or stone, toast pecans for 8 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool and finely chop.
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and salt. Gradually mix in flour, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl, until just incorporated. fold in pecans and whip for ~ 20 seconds.
3. Roll spoon size balls by hand and set on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
4. Space balls about 1.5 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets(may need multiple baking sheets). Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool ~ 10 minutes on baking sheet.
5. Place extra powdered sugar in large bowl. Toss warm cookies in sugar to coat. Before serving, dust top with fresh powdered sugar.

Honey Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes

4 medium sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel and dice sweet potatoes
2. In large bowl, whisk honey, olive oil, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
3. Add sweet potatoes, toss to coat.
4. Bake in single layer on baking sheet for 30 minutes at 375.

Mushroom Zucchini Chicken

1.5 lbs chicken, diced
4 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
2 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced
1/2 medium brown onion, quartered and sliced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 inch ginger, peeled, grated with microplane

1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large skillet. Dredge chicken with cornstarch. Cook in skillet until golden.
2. Remove chicken from skillet. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and cook mushrooms, zucchini and onion about 4 minutes.
3. While vegetables are cooking, combine remaining ingredients in small mixing bowl.
4. Add sauce to vegetables, toss to coat. Add chicken back into skillet, combine. Serve over steamed rice.

Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

Crust

2 cups butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1.5 cups powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon +1.4 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups floor

Caramel Layer

1 bag caramels (~40), unwrapped

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Coarse Sea Salt to taste

1. Heat oven to 325. 

2. In a stand mixer, combine butter and sugars until creamy. Add vanilla to sugar mixture. Slowly add in flour. 

3. Line cake pan with parchment paper. Press half the dough into the bottom of the pan Put the other half in the fridge). Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

4. In medium bowl combine caramels, whipping cream and vanilla. Use a double boiler or microwave to melt the caramel and combine the ingredients. Once melted pour evenly over the cooked crust. Sprinkle sea salt over caramel layer. Crumble the remaining dough evenly over the caramel.

5. Bake and additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Corn Bread with Bacon

1 lb bacon
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 can corn, drained
1/2 can creamed corn
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated


1. Coarsely chop bacon. In medium frying pan, cook bacon until just crisp. Drain for later use.
2. Sift dry ingredients into large bowl.
3. In medium bowl, beat eggs, butter and milk. Combine with dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Add corn and bacon to mixture. Gently fold.
5. Spray bread pan with Pam. Pour batter into bread pan, sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
6. Bake at 350 for 60 minutes.

Pumpkin Butter

1 large can pumpkin puree
1 cup apple juice
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon whiskey
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1.5 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1. Combine all ingredients, except lemon juice, in medium saucepan.
2. Heat over medium heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add lemon juice and cool completely.

Orzo with Parmesan

1 cup orzo
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper

1. Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.
2. Over very low heat, add butter and cheese and stir until melted. Slowly add whipping cream until desired consistency is reached. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 frozen banana
1 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

1. Put all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth.