Chocolate Chip Mexican Wedding Cakes

I made these cookies a few weeks ago for my mom to take to a charity lunch. This is one of my favorite cookie recipes. They are like miniature chocolate chip cookies with a twist. They have only a few ingredients and I love the warm flavor the cinnamon gives them. They have a smooth, almost flaky texture. They are super easy to make but are also pretty enough to be served at a party. You can use any kind of nuts you want. I have made them with pecans and hazelnuts. Also, they don't brown as they bake so just bake them for the given time and they should be done.



Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup finely chopped nuts
2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups (12-ounce package) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Beat butter and sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour, nuts, and cinnamon. Stir in 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until set and light golden brown on bottom. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Microwave remaining chocolate chips in heavy-duty plastic bag for 30 seconds; knead. Microwave at 10 to 15 second intervals, kneading until smooth. (*Note: I usually just melt the chocolate in a small bowl and then transfer it to a plastic bag. It's easier to tell if it is all melted that way) Cut a tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle over cookies. Refrigerate cookies for about 5 minutes or until chocolate is set. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Baked Broccoli & Tortellini Casserole with Roasted Bell Pepper Creame

I made this pasta a few weeks ago for my cousin's baby shower. I found the recipe a few years ago but had forgotten about it until I was looking through all my old recipes to find one to make for the shower. It is a bit labor intensive but the results are so worth it :) It has become a Payne family favorite!

Ingredients:

6 ounce Chicken Breast

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

9 ounce package of refrigerated cheese or meat-filled Tortellini

2 Cups of frozen Broccoli florets

1 large Red Bell Pepper

1 1/4 Cup of Cream

2 Tablespoons of Butter

5 ounces of whole Parmesan Cheese, chopped

1/2 teaspoon of Salt

1 teaspoon of Pepper

4 cloves of Garlic

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon Oregano

1/4 teaspoon Basil

1/4 teaspoon Thyme

1/4 teaspoon Salt

Directions:

Salt and pepper the chicken (to taste). Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet and sauté the chicken on high heat until cooked through. Remove to a cutting board and let cool. Once cool, cut into strips and set aside. (*I just cooked my chicken in the oven while I prepared the rest of the ingredients. Its less work that way :)

Cook the tortellini according to package directions, drain and set aside.

Defrost the broccoli by placing it in a large bowl and pouring hot water over it. Drain water and pour more hot water over it. Repeat this until broccoli has defrosted. Then drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to broil/grill (the highest top-heat setting available).
Place the red bell pepper on a rack the closest to the top that is physically possible. Broil each side of the bell pepper for about 5-8 minutes or until it has completely blackened and burned. Turn and repeat for each side and the bottom. Then, remove to a cutting board and let cool. Once cool, scrape off all blackened skin, the core and seeds, and cut into strips. Save about 2 strips (enough that when diced you get 2 tablespoons worth); set aside. Place the rest in a food processor and puré; set aside.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, combine butter and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, and then add cream, salt, pepper, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese chunks. Stir constantly until the Parmesan has melted and combined into the cream sauce. Lower the heat it it starts to stick to the pan.
Add puréed and diced roasted bell pepper and mix in. Dump the tortellini, broccoli, and chicken into the skillet with the sauce and mix well. Pour into a medium-small casserole dish.

In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs with oregano, basil, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and then mix in melted butter. Sprinkle this over the top of the tortellini mixture. Broil/grill 4-6 inches from top heat for 1-2 minutes of until the topping has turned golden brown.

Makes 4 servings.

(Recipe and picture from here)

Chicken Piccata with Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes and Herb-Roasted Onions

I actually made this dinner over the summer, but never got around to posting it. The recipes are all from the Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook that Ashley got me for my birthday. This dinner was a huge hit, fun to make, and Ashley said it was really pretty too:)Chicken Piccata

(serves 4)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 extra-large eggs

1 1/2 cups seasoned dried bread crumbs

olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved

1/2 cup dry white wine

sliced lemon, for serving

chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound it out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper on a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the eggs and 1 Tablespoon water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread-crumb mixtures.

Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add 2 chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan while you cook the rest of the chicken. Heat more olive oil in the saute pan and cook the second 2 chicken breasts. Place them on the same sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. On medium heat, melt 1 Tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, white wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves. Serve one chicken breast on each plate, spoon on the sauce, and serve with sliced lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

(serves 5 to 6)

kosher salt

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

1/2 cup whole milk

1 stick unsalted butter

3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk, shaken

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water and 2 Tablespoons salt to a boil. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Add them to the boiling water and bring the water back to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat the whole milk and butter in a small saucepan, making sure it doesn't boil. Set aside until the potatoes are done.

As soon as the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander. Mash the potatoes with a food mill or potato masher. As soon as the potatoes are mashed, stir in the hot milk-and-butter mixture with a rubber spatula. Add enough buttermilk to make the potatoes creamy. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and the pepper, or more to taste, and serve hot. To keep the potatoes warm, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water for up to 30 minutes. You can add a little extra hot milk to keep them creamy.

Herb-Roasted Onions

(serves 6)

4 red onions

3 yellow onions

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)

1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

1 Tablespoon minced, fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the stem end of each onion and carefully slice off the brown part of the root end, leaving the root intact. Peel the onions. Stand each onion root end up on a cutting board and cut the onions in wedges through the root. Place the wedges in a large bowl

Combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the onions and toss well.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a sheet pan, reserving the vinaigrette that remains in the bowl. Bake the onions for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender and browned. Toss the onions once during cooking. Remove from the oven and drizzle with the reserved dressing. Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Sauteed Zucchini and Yellow Squash

We were trying to think of a side dish to go with the Pesto Chicken Sandwiches that was light and not too overpowering... and we came up with this.Ingredients:

1 zucchini

1 yellow squash

1 clove garlic, minced

olive oil

pinch of dried oregano

pinch of dried basil

salt and pepper, to taste

.

Slice zucchini and yellow squash. Heat olive oil and garlic in pan for 30 seconds, careful not to burn the garlic. Add zucchini, yellow squash, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender.

Pesto Chicken Sandwich

So after we made all that pesto, we had to come up with a way to use it! Ashley and I came up with these sandwiches and they were SO good! If you make these, make sure you use the fresh mozzarella that comes packed in the liquid... it's so much better!

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

4 large slices tomato

4 slices fresh mozzarella

pesto

4 Kaiser rolls

Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Grill on medium high heat, 8 minutes on each side. Slice rolls in half and broil on high until slightly toasted. Spread a thin layer of pesto on each roll. Layer chicken breast, tomato slice, and mozzarella.

Pesto

In an attempt to use the rest of our basil from our herb garden (which was growing out of control!) we decided to make pesto. I have always wanted to make it because it can be used in so many ways for a quick meal. I've heard you can also make a large batch and freeze it in ice cube trays so you can just use a small portion at a time. We used Ina Garten's recipe, which called for both pine nuts and walnuts. I'm not a big fan of pine nuts, so we ommitted these and just doubled the walnuts instead.

Ina's Pesto

Ingredients:

1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 Tbsp. chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the walnuts, pine nuts, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Yield: 4 cups

White Chocolate Macademia Nut Cookies

Macadamia nut cookies are one of my favorites. But when I saw this recipe on a blog, I realized that even though they are one of my favorites, I had never made them. So I decided to make them. They turned out really well. They were soft and chewy and the flavor was perfect. I would definitely recommend making them.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts

2 cups white chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine the four, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl, then set aside. Beat together the melted butter, brown sugar, white sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla with a mixer until creamy.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture until just mixed. Stir in the macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips by hand. Drop by the spoonful onto a greased or lined baking sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges look golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 4-5 minutes (so cookies can set) before moving to rack.

Last Day of Summer Brunch

Since today is the last day of summer and we all start school tomorrow, Callie and I decided to do a brunch for everyone to celebrate. We made scrambled eggs with vegetables, brown sugar glazed bacon, and Tyler made some apple cinnamon muffins. (Good job Tyler. They were so good. He loves cooking too and is turning into quite the chef :) For the scrambled eggs we just cooked some eggs and added chopped onions, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, and a little cream cheese. For the bacon, we got the recipe off of the Martha Stewart website:

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds thickly sliced bacon
1/2 cup dark-brown sugar

Directions:
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Lay bacon on the paper, and sprinkle the brown sugar liberally over bacon. Transfer bacon to the oven, and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer bacon immediately to a wire rack, and let sit until cool enough to eat.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Suprise Cookies

When I saw this recipe, I knew it would be a hit with the Payne family. We all like peanut butter and chocolate desserts so I thought I'd try them out. They turned out to be a little time consuming with having to divide both the dough and filling into 32 equal balls, but they were definitely worth it. They were so good and soft and the peanut butter middle was super soft and delicious.

Chocolate Cookies:

Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 Tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Stir together flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Add egg, milk, and vanilla, beating well. Beat in as much flour mixture as possible using a mixer. Stir in the remaining flour mixture. Form into 32 balls, about 1 & 1/4 inches in diameter. Set aside.

Peanut Butter Filling:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions:

Beat together powdered sugar and peanut butter until smooth. Knead by hand if necessary. Shape into 32 balls.

Preheat oven to 350°. Slightly flatten a chocolate dough ball and top with a peanut butter filling ball. Shape the chocolate dough completely around the peanut butter dough. Roll into a ball.

Repeat with remaining dough.

Place cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking pan. Lightly flatten cookies with a glass dipped in the sugar.

Bake for about 8 minutes or just until set. The cookie surfaces should be slightly cracked. Cool on pan for about a minute. Then, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

The other day I was in the mood to make some cupcakes, but didn't want to make anything too tricky. I decided to just make some vanilla cupcakes using a recipe from joyofbaking.com, with a simple buttercream frosting. I used a basic vanilla frosting recipe from the food network website, but substituted the vanilla extract for strawberry extract. They were super simple and easy but they tasted good and turned out pretty cute.

Ingredients:
Vanilla Cupcakes:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Zest of 1 large lemon (optional)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and lightly butter or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting:
Ingredients:
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
strawberry extract (**I didn't measure how much I used, I just added it until it tasted right. It probably ended up being about 1 teaspoon)
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
pink or red food coloring

Directions:
In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
Add extract, food coloring, and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

When I saw this cupcake recipe on a baking blog I thought they were so cute and was curious to see how they tasted. They sounded so unique. They turned out to be really good. The cake is super moist and really does taste like pink lemonade. It sounds kind of weird, but its not too different than a lemon cake. But the frosting is pretty sweet so next time I'll probably use less so they aren't so sugary.

Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Pinch salt
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 egg whites
1/3 c. thawed frozen Pink Lemonade Concentrate
1/4 c. buttermilk
2 or more drops red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin pan with liners.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, egg whites and lemonade concentrate. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of buttermilk, beating until just smooth. Add just enough food coloring to turn the batter a light shade of pink.

Scoop batter into liners (fill about three-fourths full). Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting (see below).

Lemonade Buttercream:
3 c. + 3 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1/8 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. pink lemonade concentrate
Red food coloring

Add the butter, confectioner’s sugar, salt, lemon juice, and a few drops of food coloring to the stand mixer and mix on low using the paddle attachment until combined. Turn the speed to med-high until the buttercream is fluffy and uniformly pink. Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes.

Lemon Scented Mini Cheesecakes

I have been wanting to learn to make cheesecake for a while now but it always seemed so difficult. When I saw this recipe on a blog I decided to try it since it didn't seem too hard. They turned out really moist and the hint of lemon was a perfect addition to the cheesecake flavor.

Ingredients:

1 sleeve honey graham crackers, crushed to fine crumbs

3 to 4 tablespoons of butter, melted

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

small splash of vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 24 tin mini muffin tins with paper liners (*I used a regular muffin tin and it made about 12 cheesecakes) . In a small bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs with melted butter, stir with a fork until just moistened. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of crumbs (*I ended up using more because I used a bigger muffin tin) into each liner and pack down. Bake the crusts for about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, cream together the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until well combined. Top each crust with the mixture, filling the cups almost to the top. Bake for 15 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Top each cheesecake with topping of choice. Chill in the fridge for an hour before serving.

Southwest Mac and Cheese

I saw this recipe on one of my favorite recipe blogs, The Pioneer Woman. I love that blog. She always posts such great recipes and photos. When I saw this recipe, I was dying to try it. Since its pretty heavy and rich, when I made it, I served it as a side dish with a grilled chicken breast and some cut up fruit to the side to lighten it up a bit.


Ingredients:
4 cups macaroni noodles
1/4 to 1/2 of a red onion, diced
equal amount of red bell pepper, diced
1 4oz. can chopped green chiles
1 cup frozed corn
1 finely diced jalepeno pepper
1 heaping cup grated pepper jack cheese
2-3 cloves garlic
1 cup heavy cream
olive oil
2 tablespoons butter (*I only added half the butter)
salt and pepper

Directions:
Boil pasta until al dente.

In a large skillet, add olive oil and saute onions, bell pepper, jalepeno (de-seeded), garlic, and corn over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add in canned chiles and stir in, then turn off heat.

Drain pasta and add it to the skillet. Pour on cream, add cheese, then add salt and pepper to taste and stir gently. At the end, add 2 tablespoons of butter and stir again. Salt and pepper to taste.

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

I saw these cupcakes on a blog a while ago and I thought they sounded interesting. Since root beer is one of my favorite treats, (weird. I know :)I was curious to see how well the flavor translated into a cupcake. I was really happy with the way they turned out. (*note: they didn't rise very much when they cooked, so make sure you fill the liners pretty full with the batter)


Ingredients:

Cupcakes:
1 cup rootbeer soda
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons root beer extract
1 1/3 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a dozen cupcake tins with papers liners.

Combine the soda and vinegar and let stand for a few minutes. Add in the sugar and oil, whisking vigorously until slightly frothy. Integrate the extracts, and gently add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, being careful not to overmix. Distribute the batter evenly between the prepared tins, fill the cupcake liners approximately 3/4 of the way to the top. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow them to cool completely before proceeding to the ganache.

Ingredients:

Ganache:
5 oz. dark chocolate (*I used semisweet chocolate chips)
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions:
Combine the above in a microwave-safe container and heat for about a minute. Stir thoroughly. If it isn't completely melted, return to the microwave for 15 seconds at a time, watching carefully to ensure that it doesn't burn. Drizzle ganache in squiggles over the cupcakes. (*I piped it on with a plastic bag) Allow ganache squiggles to fully cool before preparing the frosting.

Ingredients:

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk

Directions:
In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes. Add vanilla and milk and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more milk if needed for correct consistency. Pipe onto cupcakes.

Turkey, Tomatillo, and Bean Burritos

These burritos are a favorite at the Payne household. We make them all the time. This recipe is from a Rachel Ray cookbook Callie got a few years ago. They are pretty easy to make and are seriously so good. This recipe makes 4 servings but we usually double it so we have leftovers. :)

Ingredients:

4 12-inch flour tortillas

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 package (1 1/3 pounds) ground turkey breast

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

salt and pepper

1 cup chicken stock or broth (*we usually don't add this since there is already plenty of liquid)

1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 16-ounce jar tomatillo salsa

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

1 10-ounce package (2 1/2 cups) shredded monterey jack cheese

Directions:

Preheat a large nonstick skillet with the vegetable oil. Add the ground turkey and break it up with the back of a spoon as it cooks and browns, about 4 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, bell peppers, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, pinto beans, and 1 1/2 cups of the tomatillo salsa (about 3/4 of the jar). Turn the heat up to high and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the moisture is thickened. Remove from the heat and add the cilantro, stirring to distribute.

Warm the tortillas for a few seconds in the microwave and turn the broiler on. Pile the turkey mixture into the warm tortillas, sprinkle with 1/4 cup of cheese, and then roll them up. Spray a casserole or baking dish with cooking spray. Then line the dish with the burritos, seam side down. Top each burrito with a little bit of the remaining 1/2 cup of tomatillo salsa, spreading it over the burritos with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and place the dish under the hot broiler for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to brown. Serve immediately.

Steak Marinade

I used this marinade on steaks for a barbeque on the 24th of July. I used our fresh herbs from our garden. It turned out to be a really good marinade. Really flavorful but not too overpowering. This recipe makes enough for about 5-6 steaks.




Steak Marinade

Ingredients:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup & 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons worchestershire sauce
1 tablespoon & 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons basil
1 1/2 tablespoons parsley
3/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
3/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic

Directions:

Whisk all ingredients together and pour over steaks. Marinate for several hours, or overnight.

Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

I was browsing recipes on the internet the other day and came across this recipe for Cookie Dough Cupcakes. They sounded interesting so I decided to make them and I was SO glad I did! (I think Tyler and Colton were too!) I know they sound kind of weird but they are seriously so good! (not exactly healthy, but still really good!) I wasn't sure how the cookie dough in the middle didn't cook in the oven, but the trick is to freeze the cookie dough first so it stays soft.

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

24 paper liners for cupcake pans (2 1/2-inch size)

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix

1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix

1 cup whole milk

1 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 package (1 pound) frozen cookie dough

Chocolate Buttercream

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

3 to 5 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.Place the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well blended. Spoon or scoop a heaping 1/4 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it two thirds of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.)

Cut the frozen dough pieces in half to make 24 pieces. Place a frozen cookie dough piece on top of each cupcake. Place the pans in the oven.

Bake the cupcakes until they are golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 23 to 27 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for five minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting. They may sink a bit in the center.

While the cupcakes cook, prepare the Chocolate Buttercream.

Place the butter and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture is soft and well combined, 30 seconds.Stop the machine and add the confectioners' sugar, three tablespoons of the milk, and the vanilla. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, one minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, one minute more. Add one to two tablespoons more milk if the frosting is too stiff.Place a heaping tablespoon of frosting on each cupcake and swirl to spread it out with a short metal spatula or a spoon, taking care to cover the tops completely. The cupcakes are ready to serve.

Sesame Noodles with Chicken

I was looking through some old recipes today and I found this recipe from a few years ago. I had forgotten about it and I was so excited when I found it. It used to be one of my favorites so I thought I'd share. (Note: it's pretty spicy so if you don't like spicy food I would adjust the amount of hot sauce)

Ingredients:

8 ounces uncooked linguine

1 cup matchstick-cut carrots

2/3 cup vegetable broth (I used chicken broth)

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon bottled ground fresh ginger (I used 1/2 tablespoon dried ground ginger)

2 teaspoons Sriracha hot chile sauce (Rooster sauce)

2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast

1 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Cook pasta according to package directions. Add carrots to pasta during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain well.

Combine broth and next 5 ingredients (through Sriracha) in a food processor; process until smooth (Note: I just whisked the ingredients and they mixed just fine). Combine pasta and carrots, chicken, and onions in a large bowl. Drizzle broth mixture over pasta mixture; toss well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Yields: 5 Servings (1 cup each)

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing

The other day I was in the mood to bake and I decided to make these cupcakes from the Barefoot Contessa at Home recipe book. I'm so glad I did :) They turned out really good and were so moist. I halfed the recipe for the cupcakes so it only made about 10 but made the original amount of the icing so that I could pipe it on instead of just spreading it with a knife. They are pretty rich but so worth it :)

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk (*I just used regular milk)

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons strongly brewed coffee

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup good cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Peanut Butter Icing, recipe follows

Chopped salted peanuts or mini chocolate chips for decoration (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time. Now add the vanilla, and mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

Now, with the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the buttermilk mixture with the flour mixture (add the buttermilk mixture in 2 additions and the flour mixture in 3.) Mix only until blended. Give the batter a few gentle stirs with a rubber spatula just to make sure all the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Use a standard ice cream scoop (or two spoons) to fill the muffin tins; they should be about 3/4 full.Bake for about 20 minutes, until the tops spring back when gently pressed or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Don’t overbake — better to err on the side of caution and check them a little early.

Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting. Frost each cupcake with Peanut Butter Icing and sprinkle with chopped peanuts or mini chocolate chips, if desired.

Peanut Butter Icing:

Ingredients:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

In the bowl of a mixer, mix together the confectioner’s sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt on medium-low speed with the paddle attachment. When well blended, add the heavy cream and continue mixing on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Pad Thai

I made this Pad Thai recipe for dinner a couple of months ago and it has become a family favorite! So I thought I would share! If you don't like tofu I'm sure you could substitute chicken or shrimp.

Ingredients
2/3 cup chili sauce (such as Heinz)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon chopped seeded serrano chile
1/2 pound wide rice stick noodles (bánh pho)
4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1 (12.3-ounce) package extrafirm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
3/4 cup diagonally cut green onions
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro, divided
1/3 cup coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
6 lime wedges
Preparation
Combine first 6 ingredients; set aside.

Cook noodles in boiling water 5 minutes or until done. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu; cook 7 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan.

Combine egg whites and egg, stirring well with a whisk.

Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and sauté for 10 seconds. Add egg mixture, and cook for 30 seconds or until soft-scrambled, stirring constantly. Stir in chili sauce mixture and noodles; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in tofu, bean sprouts, onions, and 1/4 cup cilantro, and cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup cilantro and peanuts evenly over each serving of noodle mixture. Serve with lime wedges.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups noodle mixture, 2 teaspoons cilantro, about 1 teaspoon peanuts, and 1 lime wedge)

Penne with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes

Last night Ashley and I made this pasta for dinner. It was SO good! It was so fresh and light and super easy to make! Best of all there were leftovers for lunch today(the rest of the family is out of town for the weekend in Moab:)

Penne with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes (Spring)
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis, 2008

Serves: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
8 ounces penne pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (about 9 ounces) cherry tomatoes
1 cup shelled fresh peas
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the asparagus, season with the salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes until slightly soft. Add the cherry tomatoes and peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Pour the chicken stock into the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes start to burst and the stock is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the asparagus mixture to a large serving bowl. Add the cooked pasta and 1/2 of the Parmesan. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the remaining Parmesan and chopped basil.

Turkey Burgers

I have been looking for new recipes to use my fresh herbs from my garden. My rosemary was getting a little big so I was happy when I came across this recipe for turkey burgers on one of my favorite recipe sites, MyRecipes.com. They were seriously so good and so moist. I think it was the basting that made the difference. They were definitely a hit, even with the boys:) I altered the recipe a little, but you can find the original here.

Tasty Turkey Burgers

Prep: 15 min., Grill: 14 min.
Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon minced dried onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons Fresh Herb Marinade
4 hamburger buns
Herb-Grilled Onion Rings (these I just sauteed in a pan with a little bit of the marinade instead of grilling them)
Toppings: spicy mustard, mayo, shaved Parmesan cheese, mixed greens

Preparation
1. Combine first 7 ingredients. Shape mixture into 4 equal-size patties.

2. Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until no longer pink in center, basting each side occasionally with Fresh Herb Marinade.

3. Grill buns, cut sides down, 2 minutes or until toasted. Serve burgers on buns with Herb-Grilled Onion Rings and desired toppings.

Fresh Herb Marinade

Yield: Makes about 1/3 cup

Ingredients
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation
1. Stir together first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Season with pepper to taste.

Asian Rotisserie Chicken Salad

I found this recipe on Martha's website and thought it sounded light and refreshing but still substantial enough to have for dinner. The dressing is basically just lime and cilantro, so if that's not your thing then beware haha! Next time I might switch it up and instead of the cashews, add black beans and corn instead. We all loved it and I will definitely be making it again this summer!

Asian Rotisserie Chicken Salad (I thought it tasted more mexican than asian, but whatever!)

Serves 4.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh cilantro leaves and soft stems
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 rotisserie chicken (about 2 1/2 pounds), skin and bones removed, meat shredded (about 4 cups)
1/4 medium red cabbage (8 ounces), cored and thinly sliced crosswise
1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup cashews

Directions:
1. Make dressing: In a blender, combine cilantro, lime juice, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, cabbage, bell pepper, and scallions; season with salt and pepper. In another large bowl, toss lettuce with 1/2 cup dressing. Divide among four bowls, and top with chicken mixture. Drizzle all with remaining dressing, and sprinkle with cashews.

Dark-Chocolate Cookies

I made these the other night. They were actually really fun to make. I got this recipe off of Martha's website. I love dark chocolate and these did not disappoint! Really chocolatey, but a little bit bitter and not too sweet. I put them in the fridge to store them and they were even better cold! One of the best cookies I've had in a while! (and I'm not really a cookie person) I want to get some round cookie cutters with a scalloped edge and make them again! One note though: next time I'll either double the recipe for the cookies or else half the recipe for the filling, because I had about twice as much filling as I needed! I don't think anybody minded though;) Also, I think the main key to these is keeping the dough really cold. I had to stick mine back in the freezer a few times!

Dark-Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

FOR THE COOKIES
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE FILLING
4 ounces dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cacao), finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Make the cookies: Whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture, beating to combine. Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

2. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Using a 1 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out rounds. (Return dough to freezer if it softens.) Space rounds 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Brush off excess flour.

3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets once, until edges are firm, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer cookies, on parchment, to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, make the filling: Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve. Pour over chocolate. Let stand for 10 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. Let stand until firm enough to spread, about 15 minutes.

5. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons filling on half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies. (Assembled cookies can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)