Soft Brown Sugar Cookies

COOKIES
2/3 C butter
1 1/2 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C sour cream

FROSTING
1/4 C butter
1 1/2 C powder sugar
2 tsp milk

-Blend butter and brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time
-In different bowl combine flower, baking powder, baking soda and salt
-Add flour mixture and sour cream slowly to butter mixture
-Bake in over for about 10 minutes (or until golden brown) at about 350
-Once cool, melt butter in frying pan. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and milk to make frosting and spread on top of cookies

Vanilla-Orange Cranberry Cookies

grated peel of orange/grated peel of 3 clementines
1/2 C butter
3/4 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 1/2 C flour
2 C dried cranberries

-Mix in bowl butter, sugar, peel, vanilla, baking powder and salt
-Mix in egg
-Slowly mix in flower
-Mix in cranberries
-Drop tsp size onto cookie sheets and bake
-About 15 minutes or until golden brown at 350

Ham & Broccoli Swirls

2 pkg crescent rolls
1 container cream cheese with chives
1 pkg frozen broccoli
deli ham chopped

-Roll out crescent rolls and cut in half lengthwise
-Spread cream cheese on dough
-Place chopped broccoli and ham on the dough
-Roll up and place on baking sheet
-Bake in 350 oven for about 20 minutes
*Everybody who tried these that night, LOVED them! 

Hawaiian Sauce

1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple (with juice)
1 C bbq sauce

-mix the two together in a sauce pan
-let meatballs sit for 1-2 hours in sauce
*Recipe for about 1lb of meat

Fruity Chicken

6 oz chicken
salt and pepper
1 fresh piece of fruit
*For this i used a mango, peaches also work well

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Top chicken with sliced fruit, salt and pepper
3. Cook for 30 minutes 
*With mine i had orzo rice as a side

Creamy Spaghetti

1 lb italian sausage
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
3 (24oz) jars pasta sauce
1 lb spaghetti
4 oz cream cheese
1 (14.5oz) can chicken broth

1. Brown sausage on stove and season with salt, pepper and garlic. Set aside
2. Pour 1 jar of sauce into slow cooker. Break spaghetti in half and put on top of sauce. Pour sausage on top then ass cut up cream cheese and another jar of sauce. Cook on high for 3 hours with lid
*I stirred mine occasionally so that the noodles didn't stick together
3. After 3 hours pour in last jar of sauce and chicken broth and cook with the lid on for one more hour

Tortellini with Garlic Sage Butter Sauce

6 tbsp butter
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground sage
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 lb tortellini/ravioli/any other pasta 
2 tbsp parsley

1. In frying pan melt butter and add garlic. Cook until soft 
2. Stir in salt, pepper and sage
3. Cook pasta and drain
4. Toss pasta with butter sauce
5. Add parsley on top and serve 

Lemon Garlic Chicken

1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 lbs chicken
2 tbsp butter
1/4 C water
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1 tsp parsley

1. In bowl mix oregano, salt and pepper. Rub into chicken
2. Melt butter in skillet and brown chicken for 3-5 minutes
3. Transfer chicken into slow cooker
4. In same skillet mix water, lemon juice, garlic and bouillon. Bring to boil then pour over chicken in slow cooker
5. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours
6. Add parsley 15 min before serving 
*The slow cooker will shred the chicken a bit, as you can see below

Roasted Butternut Squash

2 medium butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
4 tsp butter
4 tsp brown sugar
4 tsp cinnamon 

1. preheat oven to 400
2. place halves on baking sheet flesh side up
3. spread butter on each half and top with brown sugar and cinnamon
4. Roast 25 minutes or until fork-tender
5. scrape squash out of skin and mash

Creamy Tomato Pasta with Shrimp

3/4 lb pene pasta
1 lb uncooked shrimp
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp olive oil
1 whole onion (small)
2 garlic cloves
1/2 C white wine
1 can tomato sauce (8oz)
1 C half and half (you can use heavy cream instead, but omit the flour below)
1 C flour 
fresh parsley
fresh basil
salt and pepper

1. cook pasta
2. peel, devine and rinse shrimp under cool water
3. heat 1 tbsp butter and oil in skillet. cook shrimp for few minutes. 
4. remove shrimp and cut off tails and then cut shrimp into bite size pieces
5. dice onion and mince garlic. in skillet heat 2 tbsp butter and oil. add onion and garlic and cook. Then add in the wine and let it evaporate for a few minutes
6. add tomato sauce & stir
7. add cream and flour and stir
8. add herbs and shrimp
9. toss with pasta
*in my picture it was not all tossed together since not everyone in my family liked the shrimp, so things were kept separate. enjoy!

Green Goddess Grilled Cheese

2 slices of bread

2-3 tbsp pesto sauce

2 slices of favorite cheese

handful of baby spinach

1/4 avocado, sliced

1. Pesto on both slices of bread

2. Add cheese on top of pesto

3. Add avocado and spinach, put bread together

4. melt in frying pan 

Spinach Omelet

1 C chopped spinach
1 tbsp chopped scallion
2 eggs
2 tbsp cheese
2 tbsp milk

1. Saute spinach and scallions
2. In a box whisk eggs and milk
3. Add eggs into spinach and scallions
4. Cook, as the eggs begin to set, carefully lift the edges of the omelet upwards with a spatula, ensuring that the omelet does not stick and also allowing the uncooked eggs to run underneath
5. Once first side is cooked, flip omelet, add cheese and then put onto plate and fold in half

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

1 lb chicken
1 package frozen broccoli
1 can cream of chicken 
3 tsp mayo
1 C cheese 

1. cook chicken
2. mix mayo and cream of chicken
3. add (layer) chicken and broccoli
4. top with cheese
5. bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Maple Glazed Chicken

1 1/2 lb chicken
2 tbsp water
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp chili powder

1. Place all ingredients into bag and let sit for 1-2hrs
2. Place chicken into dish and let cook in oven at 350 for 20-30 min or until done

Potato Rounds

4 potatoes
1/4 C melted butter
8 slices of bacon
8 oz cheddar cheese
1/2 C chopped scallions

1. preheat oven to 400
2. cut potato into slices
3. butter both sides
4. Cook on one side for 20 min, flip and cook another 20 minutes
5. top with crumbled bacon, shredded cheese and scallions
6. put back into oven for a few minutes to melt cheese and enjoy
*can serve with sour cream
*Mine dont have bacon on them, just because it was late and i didnt want to take the time to cook the bacon

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

1/4 C butter
1 medium sized shallot, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 15oz can pumpkin puree
2/3 C chicken stock
1 C milk
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 C parsley 

1. melt butter in skillet on medium heat, add shallot and garlic and cook until tender
2. reduce heat to low and add pumpkin puree, cooking another 2-3 minutes
3. Add chicken stock, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir
4. serve over pasta 

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

2 C cooked rice
3 C cooked chicken
6 slices swiss cheese
10 slices cut ham
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 C milk
1/2 C sour cream
10 Saltine crackers
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp parsley

1. cook chicken and rice
2. layer in casserole dish rice, then chicken, cheese and ham
3. mix cream of chicken soup, milk and sour cream and spread on top of ham
4. crush saltines and add paprika, garlic and parsley and top casserole (i double this topping with the size pan i used)
5. bake 350 for 30 min

BBQ Pulled Pork with Homemade BBQ Sauce

Pork
1 2lb pork loin
1 12oz bottle of rootbeer
Rolls
BBQ sauce (recipe below)

1. Using a fork poke a bunch of holes into pork loin
2. Place pork and root beer into crock pot. Cook on low for 6-7 hours
3. Once the 6-7 hrs is over, then take out and drain all fluids, shred pork (i used a fork)
4. Place shredded pork back into crock pot, and mix in homemade BBQ sauce (or sauce of choice) and let cook for another 2-4hrs

BBQ Sauce 

1 C ketchup

1/4 C low sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp yellow mustard

1/4 C packed light brown sugar

garlic to taste

lemon juice to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat

2. Simmer until combined and thickened

*I have used this sauce with more than one thing, but for this recipe, i doubled what is above

Pasta Caesar Toss

1 lb pasta
1 pkg chicken sausage links
3/4 C light caesar-parm dressing
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 C peas
1/4 C scallions
1/4 C fresh basil
1/4 C chives
4 C torn romain lettuce

1. cook pasta
2. cook sausage and cut into 1/2'' thick slices
3. in large bowl whisk together dressing, 2 tbs lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest, add next 5 ingredients. add sausage and pasta
4. toss to coat

Taco Pasta Bake

1 lb ziti
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg of taco seasoning (can use 2 for more flavor)
1 C water
1/2 pkg cream cheese
1 1/2 C shredded cheese (i used cheddar)

1. Boil pasta and drain
2. brown the beed
3. mix in taco seasoning and water into beef
4. mix meat with pasta and let simmer for 5 minutes
5. add cream cheese into pasta/meat mixture
6. put pasta into baking dish and top with cheese
7. bake at 350 for 30 min

Egg Fried Rice

10 baby carrots
olive oil
lemon juice
garlic pepper seasoning
1 service of rice
1 egg

*i dont really measure for this recipe, I eye-ball it all, as you cook you will learn how much of each you like
1. pour oil and seasoning into pan and heat
2. cut carrots length wise and cook in pan
3. add lemon juice on top of carrots
4. once carrots are cooked, add cooked rice and stirr. add a bit more lemon juice and seasoning
5. then crack one egg into mixture and stir. once egg is cooked in, stir
*i usually serve mine with chicken. The one in the pic was with steak tips however

Cheesy Macaroni and Cheese

1 lb of pasta (any shape)
1/2 C butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 C flour
3 1/2 C milk, warmed
1/4 C white wine
1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
1/2 lb cheddar, cubed
1/2 C bread crumbs

1. Heat over to 350
2. Cook pasta for about 2-3 minutes less than called for, set aside
3. In saucepan melt butter, salt, pepper. Once melted add flour and stir until smooth. Let cook for 1 min
4. Add milk, wine and bring to boil. Add cheeses and stir until melted, pour over cooked pasta and add to dish
5. Sprinkle with bread crumbs
7. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes
*First time i made this, i put too many bread crumbs, just be careful of this

Brown Sugar Chicken

4 tsp brown sugar
12oz chicken breast
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1 dash pepper

1. melt butter in frying pan
2. brown garlic in butter
3. add chicken and cook, adding salt and pepper
4. when chicken cooked, add brown sugar on top of chicken
5. allow sugar to melt into chicken
*sorry about the pic, it was taken once we lost power, so i had to use the flash

(Healthy) Tuna Pasta Salad

1 lb of pasta (i used whole wheat)
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp celery salt
3 cans tuna
4 chopped scallions
1 1/2 grape tomato

1. cook pasta
2. combine vinegar, oil, celery salt, tuna, scallions, and tomato (i didnt use tom in mine since i wasnt able to go out and get them due to the hurricane coming)
3. add in pasta and stir
*you may prefer a bit more of the balsamic, oil and celery salt, i drizzled a bit more on top of mine
*I know it looks like it has no flavor, but balsamic vinegar goes a long way!

Boston Cream Banana Split

1 banana
1tbsp peanut butter
1/3 C yogurt
2tbsp granola (i use peanut butter flavor, but you can use whatever kind)

1. cut banana in half
2. spread peanut butter on banana
3. top with yogurt and granola

Pizza Burgers

1lb ground turkey
pepperoni
1/2 C sauce
1tsp basil
black pepper
3/4oz moz cheese
rolls

1.combine all in a bowl and mix
2. divide into patties
3. cook patties on a frying pan on stove (i feel they lose taste if cooked on the grill)

Bruschetta Chicken Pasta

4 chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 lb angel hair pasta
6-8 medium tomatoes
4tbsp oilive oil
4 garlic cloves
10 basil leaves
1/2 C tomato sauce
1C balsamic vinegar
1tbsp sugar

1. season chicken with salt and pepper and cook
2. cook pasta
3. combine: dice tomatos, cut basil, olive oil, salt, pepper and minced garlic all in a bowl and let sit for 2 hours before using
4. in a sauce pan add 2tbsp oil and saute minced garlic. do not brown garlic. then add tomato mixture from above and stir
5. add tomato sauce to mixture and stir. Then add pasta and put on a dish
6. in a new pan bring vinegar and sugar to a boil, and stir until it reduces and thickens, garnish pasta with balsamic glaze
7. cut chicken into strips and add on top of pasta

Homemade Bread

3C white, unbleached flour
1 3/4tsp salt
1/2 tsp yeast
1 1/2C water

1. mix together and let sit over night for 12-18hrs. cover dough with plastic wrap
2. take dough out and shape it on a floured surface
3. preheat oven to 450. once preheated, put in the dish with lid (one that can stand heat), and let that preheat for 30 minutes
4. after the 30 minutes of the dish preheating, add the dough, cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes
5. After the 30 minutes of baking, take off the lid and cook for 15 more minutes
*You can add what ever you like to the bread. basil and cheese, cinnamon sugar, what ever

Cheese Tortellini with a Basil Cream Sauce

2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1tbsp flour
1/4 C butter
1/4 C white wine
1 1/4 C cream
1 C grated parmesan
2/3 oz basil, chopped
18oz tortellini

1. saute shallots, garlic and butter
2. add flour, cook one minute
3. add wine, cook one minute
4. slowly add cream, mix until smooth, add cheese and cook until smooth and thick
5. add basil and pour over hot cooked tortellini

Honey Chicken Stir Fry

1 lb chicken
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tsp olive oil
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp salt and pepper
1 pkg frozen veggie
cooked rice

1. stir fry chicken and garlic in oil. add honey, soy sauce, salt and pepper. remove chicken and keep warm
2. in same pan with sauce, stir fry veggies and then add the chicken and serve over cooked rice

Caribbean Steak & Vegetables with Coconut Rice

3 tbsp pineapple juice
2 tbsp lime juice
1 garlic clove
1 tsp grated ginger
2tsp honey
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3 1/2 ox sirloin steak
bell peppers
1/2 C light coconut milk
1/4 C brown rice

1. Add pineapple juice, lime juice, garlic, ginger, honey, pepper flakes in a skillet and bring to a boil
2. add in steak and cook until 3/4 done
3. add in pepper and continue to cook
4. in another pot, boil coconut milk and cook rice

Sweet and Sour Chicken

chicken
1 C brown sugar
1 C tom sauce
1/4 C Cider Vinegar
1 tsp mustard

1. Cook chicken
2. Mix together sugar, tom sauce, vinegar and mustard
3. add chicken to sauce
4. serve over cooked brown rice