Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c sugar

1 c dark brown sugar

1 c butter, softened (2 sticks)

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 c flour

1 c chocolate chips

1 c toffee bits

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place sugar, brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Add salt, baking soda, and flour to the sugar mixture and stir until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips and toffee. Drop dough by rounded spoonfuls onto a nonstick baking sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes.

Smothered Chicken Pasta

Smothered Chicken Pasta

2 chicken breasts

4 slices bacon

Caesar salad dressing

1 1/2 tbsp butter

1 1/2 tbsp flour

3/4 c heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 c chicken broth

4 oz sliced mushrooms

1 can diced Italian tomatoes, drained

Onion, chopped

1 c gruyere cheese

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped

8 oz angel hair pasta

Marinate chicken breasts in caesar dressing overnight. 

Cook bacon in large skillet until crispy, drain and crumble once cool. Cook chicken in bacon grease until browned (don't worry about it being cooked completely through). Move chicken to square glass baking dish, drain bacon grease. 

Melt butter in skillet, add onion and mushrooms and sauté for 5-7 minutes until starting to caramelize. Stir flour into skillet with onions and mushrooms, cook 1 minute. Stir in heavy cream and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice, salt, pepper, gruyere cheese, and 1/8 c parsley; stir well. Pour sauce over chicken and top with diced tomatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

While baking, cook pasta and drain. After 30 minutes, top pasta with chicken and pour over sauce. Top with crumbled bacon and more parsley.

Greek Chicken

Greek Chicken

Chicken thighs, bone-in

1 c plain Greek yogurt

2 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves minced garlic

1/2 tbsp dried oregano

Lemon zest from 1 lemon

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1/2 tsp salt

Freshly cracked pepper

1/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

Mix all ingredients except chicken in mixing bowl. Place chicken in large ziplock bag, pour marinade over chicken and toss to coat. Marinade overnight. Bake for an hour at 375 degrees.

Tomato Bisque with Homemade Garlic Croutons

Tomato Bisque with Homemade Garlic Croutons

4 tbsp butter

1 sweet onion, diced

2 slices bacon, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

5 tbsp flour

5 cups chicken broth

28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp black pepper 

1 bay leaf 

1 c heavy cream

Grated parmesan cheese

1/2 loaf French bread - day old (I used a cheese French bread from the bakery of our local grocery store)

3 tbsp butter, melted

Garlic powder

Black pepper

Heat butter in large soup pot, add onion and cook until translucent. Add the bacon and garlic, cook until the bacon is crispy (be careful not to burn the garlic). Add the flour and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes. Add the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add the seasonings and herbs, and simmer 30 minutes. Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth (or in batches in a blender). Stir in heavy cream and top with parmesan and croutons (recipe below).

Cut bread into 1 inch cubes, place in mixing bowl. Melt 3 tbsp butter, pour over bread cubes. Sprinkle with garlic powder and black pepper, toss to coat. Brown croutons over medium-high heat in a nonstick skillet. Drain on paper towel.

Squash Casserole

Squash Casserole (from Southern Living magazine)

3 yellow squash, diced

2 zucchini, diced

1/4 c butter

1 large sweet onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bag frozen corn or 1 can corn

1 1/2 c shredded white cheddar

1/2 c sour cream

1/2 c mayo

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 c panko breadcrumbs

1 c asiago, grated

Boil squash and zucchini for five minutes or until tender, drain. Melt 2 tbsp butter, sauté onion and garlic. Stir together remaining ingredients with 1/2 c breadcrumbs and 1/2 c asiago. Spoon into lightly greased baking dish. Melt remaining butter, stir in remaining 1 c breadcrumbs and 1/2 c asiago. Sprinkle over casserole and bake uncovered on 350 for 45-50 minutes.

Grilled Pizza

Grilled Pizza

Refrigerated pizza dough (from deli section)

Olive oil

Flour

Salt

Pepper

Nonstick grill spray

Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface. The dough will plump while grilling, so go thinner than you want the crust to be in the end. After rolling out the dough, brush one side with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat grill to high heat, spray grill with nonstick grill spray. Grill dough olive oil side down for 2 minutes with grill lid open. While grilling, brush other side of dough with olive oil and salt and pepper. Flip the dough over after 2 minutes, then turn grill heat down to medium. Immediately put toppings on pizza, then close grill lid for about 5 minutes until cheese is melted and crust is brown.

Chicken (boiled and diced)

Bacon (cooked and crumbled)

Feta cheese

Olive oil

Minced garlic

Fresh oregano

Italian seasoning

Shredded mozzarella

Mix olive oil, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning in small bowl. Allow to sit for a few minutes. After flipping pizza over, spread olive oil mixture as sauce on crust. Top with mozzarella, chicken, bacon, feta, and oregano.

Pepperoni (lightly cooked)

Italian sausage (sliced and cooked)

Cappicola

Gorgonzola

Fresh oregano

Pizza sauce

Mozzarella

Spread pizza sauce on crust after flipping. Top with mozzarella. Add pepperoni, Italian sausage, and cappicola. Top with crumbled gorgonzola and fresh oregano.