Pumpkin Almond Meal Muffins - Flour & Sugar free

Heat oven to 350º  and place 12 paper liners in a cupcake/muffin pan.

In a  small mixing bowl, combine and mix well and set aside:

1 cup pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
2 Tblsp. honey (OR maple syrup)
2 Tblsp. coconut oil, mekted  (OR vegetable oil)
1 teasp. cider or white vinegar
1 teasp. almond extract


Put dry ingredients into another bowl and stir to combine:

2-1/2 C. almond meal, also called almond flour (do NOT faint at the price - I bought a small cellophane bag at Pete's Market today, approx. 3-1/2 C. and it was ON SALE for $8.50 - $2.50 off the regular price!!  You can make your own almond flour by using skinless, blanched almonds and process them until they become a fine, 'flour-y' powder.)

3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. pumpkin pie seasoning (or allspice)


Combine the dry and wet ingredients together, mixing gently, yet thoroughly. Don't mix it up too roughly!   If you'd like, at this time mix in a cup of chopped nuts,  dried cranberries and/or craisins to the batter.

Divide the batter equally and spoon into the prepared papers (12)  --- bake in the 350º oven for 16-18 minutes, until the centers are set.  Remove from oven and cool.


*****NOTE*****  Although I haven't tried this (and I WILL, soon!), you can substitute the pumpkin puree with an equal amount of applesauce OR mashed bananas - and then eliminate the almond extract, using grated orange or lemon zest for a complementing flavor. The substitutions will not affect the recipe's outcome!  

Italian Food Chicago Style!!!

Here's a website with some great recipes called, "Shut Up and Mangia!!"  You'll need to C/P it to your browser:

http://www.great-chicago-italian-recipes.com/shut_up_and_mangia.html

Hot Cocoa Cookies

Heat the oven to 350º ... line a few baking sheets with parchment.  

Have a bowl of mini marshmallows ready, approx. 3-4 cups -  you'll be QUICKLY pressing them into par-baked cookies and returning them to bake longer.

In a large mixing bowl, combine:

1 cup soft butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract

2/3 cup cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2=3/4 cups flour

Blend well. Stir in 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded (heaping) tsps. onto parchment, leaving an inch between each cookie (12-15 per pan). 
Bake for 8 MINUTES    - remove from oven and VERY QUICKLY place a few mini marshmallows on top of each cookie and gently press into dough (NOT hard - don't press them down to the bottom of the pan!!)...   return cookies to the oven and bake for an additional 2 minutes.  Remove from oven.  While still warm, gently dust the marshmallows with cocoa powder (I used a small strainer to tap the cocoa powder onto them).  Cool completely before removing from parchment.

Chocolate Raspberry Bars

Lightly grease a 9X13" pan - heat oven to 350º

In a mixing bowl, combine:
1 cup melted butter
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups rolled oats

Pat HALF the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan (save the rest for the topping).

Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven.
Gently spread 1-1/2 C. raspberry preserves over the crust.
Sprinkle with 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips.

Sprinkle the remaining crumbs over the top (if you like nuts, now's the time to add a half cup or so of chopped walnuts to the crumbs).

Return to the hot oven and bake for an additional 15-18 minutes (until the topping becomes a light golden color).  Remove and cool COMPLETELY before cutting.

Deep Dish Mexican Bake

This recipe is TOO easy to be true and TOO good for words!!

Spray a 9x13" pan with nonstick spray.  Heat the oven to 375º.

In a small bowl, combine 2 C. Bisquick with 1/2 C plus 1 T water.  Pat mixture into prepared pan and partially bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven.

In a pan, saute (in a T of olive oil):  1 med. chopped onion with a large, chopped green pepper & a clove of minced garlic.  When softened, add a can (15 oz) of petite diced tomatoes.  Stir, then add a Tblsp. of chili powder, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, 1/4 tsp. ground cumin & a shake of cayenne (or more if you like things hot, hot, hot!!), S&P to taste (OR you could add a packet of taco seasoning instead of the chili & seasonings).  Cook for 5 minutes. Add a can of (rinsed/drained) black beans.  Spread evenly over the crust.

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup light (or 'full strength) sour cream, 1/3 cup mayonnaise and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and 1 cup shredded coJack cheese.  Spoon this mixture over tomato layer and sprinkle lightly with paprika.

Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 more minutes.
That's IT. :)



*****(IF you are a meat lover and need meat in your meal, saute 1# of ground beef before adding the onion and pepper...... and then continue the process.)*****

Salted Caramel Oatmeal Cookies

Heat oven to 350º

Some notes before making cookies:
The batter might look a little wet, but don't be tempted to add more flour!
Have some sea salt ready to sprinkle on the cookies when they come out of the oven.
Line a few baking pans with parchment.   I fit 12 cookies on each sheet (they spread a bit while baking)

In a mixing bowl, cream together:
1 cup softened butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Stir in:
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2-1/4 C. flour
3 C. (quick) rolled oats
1 package (10-12 oz.)  Kraft caramel bits (in baking aisle by chocolate chips)

Drop by Tblsp. onto parchment sheets, leaving space between each (to allow for spreading).  Bake for 12-14 minutes - until the edges begin to turn golden and center of cookies no longer look 'wet'. Remove from oven and immediately (carefully) sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of sea salt.  Cool completely before removing from parchment.

Au gratin Potatoes

Heat oven to 350º - butter a 9X9" baking pan (or 3 qt casserole).

Peel 4 LG or 6 med. russet (brown baking) potatoes and slice very thinly (5-6 cups total) - set aside.

In a saucepan, melt 4 TBLSP butter over low heat.  Stir in 4 TBLSP flour until incorporated.  Slowly, add 1-2/3 C milk (whole or 2%), whisk well.  Add 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 1/8 tsp. garlic powder, 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt (or ms. dash - I use Trader Joe's 21-season salute), a few shakes of cayenne pepper. Continue cooking & whisking sauce over low heat until it begins to boil and thicken.  Remove from heat and add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup grated co-jack cheese.  Stir well until the cheese is melted & the sauce is smooth.

Layer half the potatoes in the prepared pan.  Spoon half of the cheese sauce over the potatoes.  Repeat with the remaining potatoes and spread the rest of the cheese sauce over the top.   Sprinkle an additional 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (or co-jack or combination of the 2 cheeses) over the top.

Sprinkle paprika on the top and bake, uncovered for 65-75 minutes (poke the potatoes to make sure they're done - if not, bake an additional 10-15 minutes).

Apricot Thumbprints

These shortbread-type cookies are SO easy to make and SO delicious!!

Heat oven to 350º - have baking sheets ready lined with parchment. If you choose to NOT use parchment, there's no need to grease the sheets.

Thoroughly combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl:

1 cup softened butter
2/3 C. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour

(That's IT!!)

Roll into balls (just under 1") leaving a little space between each (they don't spread while baking) - I get 20 on each sheet.

Using your finger or thumb, make a dent in the center of each ball but don't smoosh it all the way down!  Fill each dent with a half tsp. (or mound it higher!) of Solo apricot filling (we love raspberry too) or whatever flavor you like.

Bake for 14-16 minutes, until the edges are a light golden color.
Remove from oven, cool and then dust with powdered sugar.

Red Velvet Crinkles

Plan on making these ahead of time (before actually baking them) because the dough works better when it's chilled.

In a large mixing bowl, combine & blend together thoroughly:

3/4 cup soft butter
1-1/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 Tblsp. buttermilk
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tblsp. lemon juice
4 tsp. red food coloring

Once the above ingredients are mixed well, stir in:

1/3 c. powdered (unsweetened) cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2-7/8 C. flour

Stir in 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips.

Chill dough for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.  When ready to bake, heat oven to 350º and line some baking sheets with parchment.  Fill a small bowl with a cup of powdered sugar.

Roll dough into balls (just under 1" rd) and then roll into powdered sugar, coating them completely.  Place on baking sheets leaving an inch between cookies.

Bake 12-14 minutes until done (making sure they aren't still too damp in the center, but making sure you don't OVERbake them and dry them out).  Remove sheets and cool cookies completely.

Coconut Lime Chews

These cookies are LUSCIOUS - but make sure you use a fresh lime and not bottled lime juice!!

Heat oven to 350º -
Mix together the following ingredients in a large mixing bowl:

1/2 cup melted butter
3 oz. softened cream cheese
2 T. lime zest
1 T. fresh lime juice
1 C. sugar
1 large egg
1 T. milk

1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2-1/4 C. flour
1 cup shredded coconut

The dough should be soft but not TOO sticky to handle. If it IS (possibly because of an extra large egg...), add another T. of flour. You could also chill the dough for an hour or two before forming into balls prior to baking.

Put a cup of powdered sugar in a bowl - Form dough into balls, just under 1" - roll dough balls in powdered sugar and place them one inch apart on baking sheets that have been lined with parchment.*** (see note below)  The cookies will puff up and 'crack' as they bake but won't spread out too much.

Bake for 11-13 minutes - be careful not to OVERbake.  Remove from oven and cool cookies completely.

NOTE: ***  I regularly purchase packages of parchment from GFS.  It's not sold in rolls, but rather in sheets that easily tear in half.  One half sheet fits perfectly on standard sized cookie sheets!! There are 50 sheets in a package (so that makes 100 when cut in half) and the cost is under $4.00 - much cheaper than rolls of parchment sold in most stores.  The parchment ensures even baking (no burning) and makes for SUPER easy cleanup - I could not live without it!!!!!

Hot Chocolate Pudding cake

Hot Chocolate Pudding Cake

Baking time for these pudding will vary based on what you bake it in. If you use a small/medium ramekin, it may take as little as 10 minutes. My cups took exactly 15 minutes. If using a larger bowl, they may need as much as 20 minutes in the oven. Whichever size, just bake them until a crust forms on top that has some deep cracks and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with some gooey batter attached.

I used small ramekins/souffle dishes and filled them 1/2 (not 3/4) - also used unsweetened butter melted with Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips.

You can refrigerate the batter before baking. Let sit at room temperature for a bit before baking and note it may take a few minutes longer to bake if the batter is cold. Eating fresh from the oven is best, but if necessary, you can also bake ahead, let cool, cover and keep at room temperature for several hours or cover and refrigerate. Re-heat for a few minutes or microwave to re-warm. Puddings will puff back up a bit when re-heated.

Ingredients

• 4 oz./1 stick (115g) unsalted butter, cubed
• 6 oz. (170g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped (somewhere around 70% is good)
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup (134g) white sugar
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. (190° C), with rack set in lower third of oven. Set ramekins or baking dishes on a baking sheet. No need to grease.
2. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium-sized bowl, then set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir gently until smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer or by hand with a whisk, whip the eggs, sugar, and salt until the mixture is light and foamy, and just holding its shape (like soft whipped cream). This should take about 5 minutes with an electric mixer, or longer if doing by hand. Fold one-third of the beaten eggs into the chocolate to lighten it, then scrape the lightened chocolate mixture over the beaten eggs, and fold it in just until there are no streaks of eggs visible.
4. Divide the batter into the baking dishes, filling them no more then 3/4 full (They will rise). *Note: If you like, you can cover and refrigerate batter in dishes now to bake later. Note that a cold batter will take longer to cook.
5. Bake the puddings for about 12 to 20 minutes (depending on size of baking dish) until the puddings are puffed up and the top is crusted and deeply cracked. A toothpick inserted into the centre will come out with some soft chocolate attached.
6. Serving and Storage: These can be served immediately, or you can let cool, cover, and keep at room temperature for up to a day. You can also refrigerate the batter before baking and then bring them to room temperature before baking
7.